Month: November 2020

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday alleged that authorities had installed cameras in her jail cell and bathroom.

In a recent interview, Sharif spoke about the alleged inconveniences she had to face when she was incarcerated after being arrested in the Chaudhary Sugar Mills case last year, reported Geo News.

“I have gone to jail twice and if I speak about how I, a woman, was treated in jail, they will not have the audacity to show their faces,” she said, referring to the government.

In her criticism of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, the PML-N vice president said that if authorities can break into a room and arrest her in front of her father Nawaz Sharif and launch personal attacks on her, then no woman is safe in Pakistan.

“A woman, whether she is in Pakistan or anywhere else, is not weak,” she said.

Geo News reported that Sharif had said that her party is open to dialogue with the military establishment within the ambit of the Constitution, provided that the incumbent PTI government is removed from power.

She further stated that she was not against state institutions but stressed that there would be no dialogue in secret. She also said the idea of dialogue through the platform of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) can be deliberated upon.

The PML-N leader was arrested last year in the money laundering case, where she had claimed that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested her by violating the law and that she was being politically victimised.

In a press conference last year, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar had said that the Sharif family had used Chaudhry Sugar Mills for money-laundering and illegal transfer of its shares.

More than Rs 7 million worth of shares were transferred to Maryam Nawaz in 2008 through the mill’s shares, which were later transferred to Yousaf Abbas Sharif in 2010, Akbar said. (ANI)

Two brothers from Kashmir’s Budgam district have created a mobile application which they say is an alternative to the Chinese video-sharing app TikTok that was banned in India in June this year following the Galwan Valley clash.

App Developer Tipu Sultan Wani along with his elder brother Mohd Farooq, who is a software engineer, has developed the top-notch application named ‘Nucular’.

Wani had earlier developed a mobile application –“File Share Tool” which allows sharing files at a speed of 40 MB per second, as an alternative to banned Chinese app SHAREit.

Buoyed by the success of “File Share Tool,” the siblings decided to create an app on the lines of TikTok.

“After we created ‘File Share Tool’ like SHAREit, we got a good response from people. People wrote us emails that there should an app like TikTok. Then we started working on it. It took us one month. I developed this along with my elder brother Mohd Farooq Wani who is a software engineer. One can create songs, dialogues, and duet on the application,” Tipu Sultan Wani told ANI.

He said that state-of-the-art technology has been used in the application which is available on Google Play to offer a great user experience.

“We have used a technology which will help to load videos faster on the app even the internet speed is slow. We have also introduced augmented reality effects into the app. There are no apps in the Indian market with features like this,” Wani said.

“We used the latest technology in ARmask, beauty filters, and VR backgrounds. We keep on adding more and more filters and editing tools. Anyone can upload any video length between five seconds to 60 seconds. One can edit, cut, and add music to any video file. There is 4k resolution in the app,” he said.

Wani said that they have launched a contest where those who will get 5,000 followers on the application first will get Rs 2,000 cash.

“We are also giving rewards. Those who will achieve 5,000 followers on the app will get Rs 2,000 cash. We are working on the next update so that people can earn money based on likes and shares,” he said.

Locals lauded the Budgam brothers for creating an alternative to Chinese apps.

Firdous Ahmad, a local said: “Earlier we were using TikTok which was a Chinese app, the government banned such apps. In absence of these apps, there was a lack of entertainment mediums for us. We requested Tipu Sultan and Mohd Farooq to develop an alternate app. They earlier created a file-sharing application and that was very good. Now, they have come up with a Nucular app which is an alternative to TikTok. We are thankful to them.”

Another local Faizan Bhat said that people got addicted to TikTok and they were looking for an alternative after the app was banned.

“Earlier, people use TikTok. Due to issues between India and China, these apps were banned. People were addicted to TikTok. After the ban, they were looking for an alternate. Tipu developed an app Nocular in which people can use like they were using TikTok. One can earn from Nucular app,” he said.

In July, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) had banned 47 apps, which were variants and cloned copies of the 59 apps banned earlier in June. The 59 apps had been banned by the Centre in June in view of the information available that they were engaged in activities that were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity and defence” of the country.

Almost all the apps banned had some preferential Chinese interest and the majority had parent Chinese companies.

On July 4, with an objective to support and build a strong ecosystem for Indian Apps, MeitY in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission – Niti Aayog launches Digital India AatmaNirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge for Indian tech entrepreneurs and Startups.

In his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said that the youth participated enthusiastically in the AatmaNirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge.

He said that today’s small start-ups will transform into big companies tomorrow and become the mark of India in the world, adding that one should not forget that the big companies which exist in the world today, were also, once, start-ups. (ANI)

Protests were held in various parts of Nepal on Thursday against the Beijing government as China’s atrocities against the Uyghur community continue.

Under the leadership of Jamiat Ulama-e-Morang, a protest was held in Biratnagar.

A similar protest was held in Siraha.

People participated in the protests chanting slogans like “Stop the atrocities of Uyghur Muslims in China”.

About 7 per cent of the Muslim population in Xinjiang, has been incarcerated in an expanding network of “political re-education” camps, according to US officials and UN experts.

Classified documents known as the China Cables, accessed last year by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, threw light on how the Chinese government uses technology to control Uyghur Muslims worldwide.

However, China regularly denies such mistreatment and says the camps provide vocational training. People in the internment camps have described being subjected to forced political indoctrination, torture, beatings, and denial of food and medicine, and say they have been prohibited from practising their religion or speaking their language. (ANI)

Amid growing criticism against China for its human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Japan is actively considering a legal foundation for sanctions, similar to those imposed by the US and Europe.

The Japanese government has asked the local companies that operate in China whether functioning in Xinjiang province could get them into trouble, Nikkei Asia reported.

This comes after several Japanese companies were reported to be among the 82 global brands named in March by the Australian Global Policy Institute as those linked to factories that use Uyghurs labourers.

The report said that over 80,000 Uyghur workers were transferred out of the Xinjiang province to around 30 factories across the country.

Last week, the US government had removed the East Turkestan Islamic Movement from its list of terrorist organisations after nearly two decades, weakening China’s anti-terror pretext for the draconian crackdown on Uyghurs in its Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the group had been removed from the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, according to an order issued on October 20 made public this month.

This follows the passage of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act by the US in June, which led the administration to impose financial sanctions and visa bans under the Global Magnitsky Act against Chinese government officials, responsible for the persecution of Uyghur and other Muslims.

The law requires federal government agencies to report on human rights abuses in Xinjiang and attempts by the Chinese government agents to harass Uyghurs and Chinese nationals in the United States.

On similar lines, Japan is thinking of getting new legislation. “Japan is too slow to act compared to the US and Europe,” a government official was quoted by Nikkei Asia.

The Japanese publication said that the country’s current legal framework does not easily allow for economic sanctions based on human rights concerns alone, adding that it can freeze assets of foreign players or ban them from entering the country, but only under specific circumstances.

“Japan must create its own version of the Magnitsky Act that allows comprehensive sanctions in response to human rights issues, and update all other relevant legislation like the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act,” said Akira Igata, a national security expert. (ANI)

With LJP having seen to have damaged prospects of JD-U candidates on several seats in Bihar assembly elections, state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said it is for BJP to decide whether or not the LJP should be retained in the NDA.

The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) led by Chirag Paswan had fought the elections outside the ruling National Democratic Alliance in the state and had put up candidates on seats contested by Janata Dal-United and not BJP.

The JD-U’s tally dipped in the elections and it could win 43 seats while BJP won 74 seats.

Kumar, who is set for another term, said people have given the mandate to NDA and it will form the government.

Asked about LJP, the Chief Minister said, “if some action is to be taken (against LJP), the BJP has to take it”.

“It’s for the BJP to decide whether or not the LJP should be retained in the NDA,” he said.

A senior JD-U leader had said after the results that impact of COVID-19 and candidates put up by LJP had affected prospects of party candidates.

LJP, which is part of NDA at the Centre, could win only one seat in the assembly. Paswan had also strongly attacked Nitish Kumar during the campaign.

Asked about the oath-taking ceremony, Nitish Kumar said members of all four parties will meet tomorrow.

“It is not decided yet when the oath ceremony will take place, whether after Diwali or Chhath. We are analysing the results of this election. Members of all four parties will meet tomorrow,” he said. (ANI)

Unveiling a statue of Swami Vivekananda on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in the national capital on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that one should be proud of one’s ideology but should not let it eclipse the national interest.

“The students’ hunger for ideas, debates and discussion, which used to be satisfied in Sabarmati Dhaba, has now found a new place under the statue of Swami Vivekananda. But it is wrong to think only on the basis of one’s ideology, which eclipses national interest. Everyone takes pride in their ideology today, which is natural. But we should follow our ideology in the line of the national interest and not against it. This statue should teach immense commitment and intense love towards our nation,” PM Modi wished, adding if there is one thing which has “hurt the democratic set-up of our country the most; it is giving priority to ideology over national interest.”

He went on to say if need arises, adherents of different ideologies should unite for the country, giving examples of the Indian freedom struggle and the Emergency.

“When one sees the country’s history, it will be observed that in national interest, adherents of different ideologies have come together. In the struggle for India’ independence, adherents of different ideologies came together under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.”

He further said: “People saw this unity even during the emergency. The former workers and leaders of the Congress also joined the revolution against the Emergency (declared by Indira Gandhi government). The swayamsevaks of the RSS, Jana Sangh, socialists and communists also joined the revolution.”

PM Modi advised the youth to strengthen the Indian tradition where diverse intellectual thoughts prosper.

“Idea sharing and the flow of new thoughts should be enabled in the country. Our country is a vibrant democracy only because of this tradition,” he said.

The Sabarmati Dhaba has been a prominent site on the campus where students have registered their protests on a number of national issues, including many against the BJP-led Centre.

During his address, Prime Minister Modi also asked the JNU students to research on “how good reforms, considered bad politics earlier, have now transformed into good politics”.

“Isn’t it true that good reforms were considered bad politics in India earlier? How did good reforms become good politics? The JNU students should research it,” PM Modi said, with his government being targeted following a number of “reforms” like the 2016 demonetisation, implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, and the latest being the new farm laws.

“The resolve is to make India better through the reforms. The intention behind these reforms is good. A safety net is being created through the reforms. The basic foundation of this safety net is confidence,” he added.

He extorted the country’s youth, whom he termed “the brand ambassadors of India world over” to not just be proud of the centuries-old identity of India, but to carve a new identity in the 21st century. “This statue should inspire the nation to become one, move forward on the path of youth-led development, which was Swamiji’s expectation. This statue inspires us to fulfil the dream of making India strong.”

He also wished that the Swami Vivekananda statue inspires everyone and fills everyone up with energy. “This statue should give courage, which Swamiji wanted to see in everyone. This statue should teach compassion, which is Swamiji’s teaching’s main foundation,” he said.

PM Modi also went on to speak about the “atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), which he said, was a part of the collective consciousness of more than 130 crore Indians.

“Today the country is moving forward with determination on the path of self-reliance. Today the poor are getting their own homes, toilet, electricity, gas, clean drinking water, digital banking, cheap mobile connectivity and fast internet connection. This is the safety net weaved around the poor to meet their aspirations,” he said, adding earlier the poor were misled by slogans. “No effort was made ever to align the poor with the system. Those who were poor were neglected. They were kept unconnected and financially excluded,” he added. (ANI)

By Mukesh Singh & Sahil Pandey

Despite using “money, muscle, and deceit”, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, couldn’t stop the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) from becoming the single largest party, asserted Mahagathbandan leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday, speaking for the first time after the Bihar election results.

Yadav was declared the leader of the Opposition today, after an all-party meeting of the Mahagathbandan or Grand Alliance, led by the RJD.

“Although it was a double-engine government in the state, we fought on important issues and I am happy that people, including the youth, Asha didis (workers), and teachers, favoured us. PM Modi used money, muscle and deceit, and the chief minister had the support of rich industrialists. Despite this, they could not stop this 31-year-old. The BJP tried everything but couldn’t stop the RJD from becoming the single largest party,” Tejashwi said, suggesting that Chief Minister Kumar should vacate the post if he has some morality and respect for the public mandate left.

“If Nitish has a little bit of morality left, then he should respect the mandate by the public and vacate the post. We are in the public’s heart, even though they have the power,” he said.

The Yadav scion also declared that he would spearhead a “Dhanyawad Yatra” to thank the public for their support during this election.

To keep the pressure on the next government, the RJD leader announced that if improvement in basic issues like jobs, education and health is not witnessed by January next year, his alliance would protest.

“The Opposition has set the agenda. If 19 lakhs jobs are not provided and improvement doesn’t happen by January, we will have a big protest,” he said. (ANI)

By Ajit K Dubey

As part of the disengagement proposals being discussed between India and China, the two sides would dismantle any new structures that have come up during the ongoing standoff since April-May this year in the Pangong lake area.

There would also be no patrolling activity by either side between the Finger 4 and Finger 8 as China has given up on its old stand to maintain an observation post in the area, sources told ANI here.

The issue of Depsang plains would be discussed between the two countries separately where the Chinese have blocked some patrolling points of the Indian Army and a couple of other patrolling points of the Indian Army where Chinese have not yet disengaged entirely during the first phase of disengagement are also to be resolved soon.

The proposals are being discussed as the armies of the two countries have reached an agreement to discuss stepwise disengagement from parts of the Eastern Ladakh sector under which they would be moving back to their respective positions before April-May timeframe earlier this year.

The disengagement plan was discussed between the two sides during the 8th Corps Commander-level talks which were held on November 6 in Chushul.

As per the disengagement plan which is to be carried out in three steps in one week from the talks in the Pangong lake area, the armoured vehicles including tanks and armoured personnel carriers were to be moved back from their frontline deployment to a significant distance from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by both sides.

As per the discussions, the disengagement of tanks and armoured personnel carriers was to be carried out within one day. The talks were held on November 6 in which External Affairs Ministry’s Joint Secretary Naveen Shrivastava and Brigadier Ghai of Directorate General of Military Operations had taken part.

In the second step to be carried out near the northern bank on the Pangong lake, both sides were supposed to withdraw around 30 per cent of troops every day for three days. The Indian side agreed to come close to its administrative Dhan Singh Thapa post while the Chinese had consented to go back to their position east of Finger 8.

In the third and last step, the two sides were to withdraw from their respective positions from the frontline along the southern bank of Pangong lake area which includes the heights and territories around Chushul and Rezang La area.

The two sides had also agreed for a joint mechanism to verify the progress in the disengagement process through delegation meetings as well as using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The Indian side is moving very carefully on the issue as there is a lot of trust deficit with China after the Galwan valley clash in June this year in which 20 Indian soldiers had lost their lives and many Chinese army soldiers, including their Commanding Officer, were killed by the Indian troops.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trusted security team, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane and Air Force chief RKS Bhadauria, had taken strong military measures like occupying the dominating heights along the southern and northern bank of Pangong lake on the LAC including the Ane La and Que La features.

China had mobilised its troops in a massive deployment along the LAC and transgressed into multiple Indian locations including patrolling points 14, 15, 15 A, 17 and 17A and the Finger area in April-May timeframe in the 14 Corps area of responsibility with Lt Gen Harinder Singh as Corps Commander and Maj Gen Abhijit Bapat as the 3 Infantry Division Commander based out of Karu.

India gave a huge response as it moved close to 60,000 troops for forward deployments apart from bringing in reserve divisions from the nearby Himachal Pradesh sector and plains. The Indian Air Force made rapid deployments to the frontline where its fighter jets and attack choppers were in ready to fire mode while its Garud Special Forces were deployed in the approach areas with Igla air defence systems to take out any approaching enemy aircraft. (ANI)

In view of the recent terrorist attacks, the Austrian government, led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is planning to create a criminal offence called ‘political Islam’ to tackle the growing radicalism in the country.

“In the fight against political Islam – the ideological basis behind it – we are going to create a criminal offence called ‘political Islam’ in order to be able to move against those who aren’t terrorists but are preparing the ground for it,” Kurz said was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

The Austrian government also plans to simplify the process of closing associations deemed to play a role in “radicalisation”.

Moreover, Austria will introduce a new electronic surveillance system targeting convicted felons who have served sentences for crimes related to extremism.

“Those who were recently released will be electronically monitored, by means of anklets or bracelets. This is a serious encroachment of privacy but, in my opinion, it constitutes a necessary step to minimise the threats posed to the population,” Kurz said, as quoted by Sputnik.

These measures come in the backdrop of the November 2 terrorist attack in Vienna that saw a gunman believed to be a supporter of Islamic State opened fire and killed four people.

Sputnik reported that the assailant, an Austrian native of ethnic Albanian descent had been released from prison after being sentenced to 22 months incarceration in 2019, for terrorism-related offenses.

Earlier on Monday, the Austrian police had arrested 30 people in a series of coordinated anti-terrorism raids. (ANI)