India-Pakistan Border: A Myriad Mesh Of Ceremonies, Politics & Livelihoods

India’s borders are diverse, and fascinating is an understatement because of the sheer variety of situations and practices they unravel. An impromptu visit to one such border in Fazilka was arranged by one of the biggest farmers of Kinnow (a citrus fruit), Mr Sandeep Kumar Sheoran, who owns orchards in Abohar district of Indian Punjab. After conferring with the concerned officers of the Border Security Force (BSF), friends from a school reunion arrived at the Sadqi border post just in time for the flag lowering ceremony. On the Pakistani side, the border village is Suleimanqi.

Though smaller in scale and less attended, the ceremony is equally impressive as the one at the more popular and famous Attari-Wagah ceremony near Amritsar. The article, however, points towards certain unique aspects of bordering practices at Sadqi border post. Academics, internationally, have now concluded that each border is unique, and this border post is a testimony to the same. Specific stories of border meetings with the Pakistani counterparts and their inaction on agreements are the norm here as one expects at the border between two fierce geopolitical rivals.

One popular theme is that of the Pakistanis reneging on an agreement to destroy two similar watch towers built during the medieval period but were located on the either side of the border after the partition in 1947. Indians being naïve, meticulous and stickler to the established agreement destroyed the tower and Pakistanis did not. If this one is about the promise to destroy border infrastructure, another relates to construction of towers by both the sides.

In another instance, again disrespecting the established conventions and norms of the bordering practices in the area, a group of overzealous Pakistani soldiers built a watch tower overnight close to the International Border or Zero Line as it is called in the technical jargon of the security forces. When confronted by the Indian officers, they challenged the Border Security Force to build one and in response, it was constructed overnight without any government finances and approvals but with the help of the villagers. Several such narratives and anecdotes were shared by the BSF personnel.

ALSO READ: The Tale Of Two Punjabs

To the observer, however, the presence of an electrified fence on the Indian side and tall Saccharum bengalense grass (Sarkanda) on the Pakistani side is indicative of two related phenomena a) the difference in perception of threats from either side and b) the economic disparities that exist between the two neighbouring countries.

On the one hand, politics, economy and security conditions in Pakistan have always been uncertain since Independence. Political history of Pakistan has been rife with instance of military coups, interventions by the military in the governance of life and livelihoods and exile of politicians. Political conditions have been unstable in general. On the other hand, economic condition of the populace, however, has considerably improved in India since the onset of economic liberalization in the early 1990s. Pakistan, a champion of capitalism has not been able to uplift the masses. Pakistani economy has been dependent upon loans and aid from various international agencies (IMF and World Bank) and the economy is now referred to as severely debt-ridden and being dependent on China. Combined with Islamic extremism and the tendency of the Pakistani intelligence services to foment trouble on Indian territory, this cocktail has led to an unstable Pakistani state with numerous issues. For India, this means a heavily fortified western border.

Smuggling, especially of narcotic substances, has plagued the border in Punjab since decades. Flow of drugs from Afghanistan to Southeast Asia (the Golden Triangle) involves crossing into and passage from the territory of Indian Punjab. Impact of this transit is felt in Indian Punjab, as the youth has taken to consumption of drugs and has severe social ramifications and has featured in the elections to state assembly. Political parties have often made it an election issue.

The recent elections brought victory to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which in general rode on its support to the Farmers Movement against the agriculture laws and its reputation as a party which has provided civic amenities, health and education facilities in Delhi. One of the election promises of the AAP was to curtail the use of drugs among the youth and generate employment. The border fence and bordering practices by the BSF personnel play a major role in such promises to materialize.

Punjab is known for its agricultural production and its contribution to the Indian economy. Nonetheless, there are issues which relate to agricultural practices in border villages. As the fence is on the Indian side, a vast tract of cultivable land owned by villagers lies across the fence and along the International Border. Farmers must obtain a few permits from the local administration as well as the BSF and the Army to cross the fence through several gates to cultivate and irrigate their fields. Complications related to the timings for tilling, ploughing, irrigation, harvesting and a host of related activities are resented by the farmers. During military exercises, however, farmers must make way for military vehicles and often standing crops are lost. Furthermore, during military build-ups due to tense geopolitical situations between the neighbours e.g. Operation Parakram in 2001 and the standoff after Mumbai Attacks in 2008, border villages are vacated leading to temporary displacements.

A visit to the Indo-Pakistan border reminds and impresses upon all the problems which prominently play out in the subcontinent and have hindered the prospects of development of regional cooperation when other regions of the world are rapidly integrating.

Amit Shah Inaugurates Indo-Pak Border Viewing Point: Gujarat

Union Home minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated the Indo-Pak border viewing point in Nada Bet in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district.

The viewing point has been built on the lines of the Wagah-Atari border of Punjab.

Nada Bet, as per the Gujarat Tourism website, is a small slice of land jutting into a sprawling lake, where the “Seema Darshan (border viewing) for tourists is organised.

“It offers an opportunity for travellers to see the workings of an army post on the border of India. Some of the activities and sights that will interest the traveller include the retreat ceremony against the backdrop of a glorious orange sunset where the Border Security Force (BSF) jawans put up a gallant show of marching with pride to end another day of guarding the borders,” the website stated.

It further added that a weapon display and photo gallery at Nada Bet includes guns, tanks and other sophisticated devices that help in keeping the border and inland places secure. As an ode to the camels and to showcase their expertise and disciple, a camel show is presented for the visitors.

Before the inauguration, Shah, along with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, offered prayer at the Nadeshwari Mata Temple in Banaskantha on Sunday.

Later in the day, Shah will participate in the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India Limited in Gandhinagar.

The Union Minister will also inaugrate Gujarat State Co-Operative Marketing Federation, GUJCOMASOL’s office at Gandhinagar.

In the evening today, he will launch Adarsh Sahakari Gram Program at Ahemdabad. (ANI)

McLeod Ganj: Natives Upset Over Ongoing Unplanned Construction

Natives of Mc Leod ganj have expressed concern and are also raising an alarm over the ongoing deforestation and unplanned constructions in the area and said that the way construction works are going on in the world-famous tourist destination, it seems that it may be fatal for the city.

Some people believe that the situation has become explosive and that’s why the NGT considered that the bearing capacity of this area has been completed and therefore all commercial constructions were banned in McLeod Ganj and adjoining areas in 2019.

Inder Dev Thapa, a local resident said, “Lots of construction works are going on. Big structures are being built here which is harmful to the town and it can blast at any time. I have come here in Dharamshala Municipal corporation office to complain against the cutting of trees and illegal construction in my neighbourhood.”

Prem Sagar, an environmentalist said, “You can say it has been an unplanned town from the beginning. People started coming here in large numbers after 1989 when Tibetian spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama was awarded with the Nobel Peace prize and also when Dharamshala hosted a few international matches here.”

Sagar further listed various reasons for the people visiting the place in large numbers and said, “There are lots of reasons that people come here in large number because of the natural beauty of the town as well. To cater lodging and other facilities for a large number of visitors, administrators have encouraged all types of constructions here. Because concerned departments like the town and country planning were totally inactive. There are two types of construction, one is systematic and another is haphazard construction like unregistered and there is such a bombastic situation that there is less space to roam. We are in a state of confusion because of such constructions which were raised due to lack of planning or soft attitude of the administration.”

Prithi Paul Singh, Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Dharamshala said, that all constructions in Dharamshala should be earthquake-proof.

“Dharamshala is an earthquake-prone area and it comes under zone five, a very sensitive area and all the constructions should be earthquake-proof and well planned. People may have their own opinions but I would like to tell you that in 2019 Honorable National Green Tribunal banned all types of commercial constructions in Mcleodganj, Bhagsunag and Dharamkot areas. Only residential houses or government construction works are on. NGT believes that construction as per the bearing capacity has already been done therefore NGT raised the ban here. We are alert and aware people to avoid unplanned constructions,” Singh said. (ANI)

J-K’s SIA Raids 5 Places In Delhi, 1 In Haryana

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday, carried out searches at multiple locations in the national capital, its neighbourhood Haryana as well as in Kashmir in connection with a terror funding case, said sources.

Separate teams of the SIA, which was constituted recently with a mandate to investigate cases connected with terrorism and secessionism, are conducting searches at five locations in Delhi; one in Haryana’s Faridabad and one in Anantnag district in Kashmir.
According to the sources, the places raided by the SIA belong to suspected accused involved in terrorist activities and hawala or terror funding of terrorists.

The SIA is learnt to have conducted raids at these locations where they got a tipoff regarding Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and other terrorist outfit supporters.

The SIA raids followed a corroborative intelligence input against the movement of OGWs in the national capital.

In February 2022, the SIA arrested 10 OGWs of JeM during raids in South and Central Kashmir. The members of the module were organised into sub-modules in the form of verticals so that in the event of detection of one member, the bigger network does not get compromised.

The arrested members were mostly recruiting vulnerable school and college-going students as a few of them are students themselves. They were in close connection with the regular militants of the JeM outfit and had been under surveillance for quite some time. (ANI)

ICC Issues Arrest Warrant Against Putin Over Alleged War Crimes In Ukraine

Putin Appoints New Commander For Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed a new Army General Alexander Dvornikov, commander of Russia’s Southern Military District, to lead the war in Ukraine as Moscow’s military failed to capture Kyiv.

Dvornikov has been named theater commander of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. There is speculation that Russia’s general has a goal of representing Putin with some battlefield progress ahead of the ‘Victory Day’ on May 9, CNN reported on Sunday citing Military analysts and US officials familiar with intelligence assessments.
May 9 ‘Victory Day’ is the most significant day in Russia as it marks the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s triumph over Germany in the Second World War.

The European official described the “Victory Day’ as a “self-imposed deadline,” and added that it could lead the Russians to make additional mistakes or potentially can lead Russian forces to commit more atrocities, as allegedly happened in the Bucha.

According to UK military intelligence update on Saturday, Russia’s departure from northern Ukraine shows evidence of non-combatants being disproportionately targeted.

United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence says that the Russian troops were withdrawn from northern Ukraine, according to CNN reported on April 8.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force gave information that 13 Russian aerial targets have been destroyed on Saturday, according to Ukraine’s local media outlet.

“Ukrainian airforce: 13 Russian aerial targets destroyed. Russia lost five UAVs, four missiles, three airplanes, and one helicopter on April 9, according to the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” The Kyiv independent tweeted.

A day earlier, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday.

Johnson said that he has traveled to Ukraine to meet President Zelenskyy in person and show solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

“Today I met my friend President @ZelenskyyUa in Kyiv as a show of our unwavering support for the people of Ukraine. We’re setting out a new package of financial & military aid which is a testament of our commitment to his country’s struggle against Russia’s barbaric campaign,” Johnson tweeted. (ANI)

Imran 1st Pakistan PM To Lose Trust Vote In National Assembly

Imran Khan has become the first Prime Minister of Pakistan to lose a no-trust vote in the National Assembly.

Despite several attempts to block the no-confidence motion here in the National Assembly, the voting took place after midnight in which as many as 174 members voted in favour of the motion in the 342-member House while members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were absent.

Notably, no Prime Minister has completed a full five-year tenure in Pakistan so far, according to reports.

The voting took place after a high political drama in the National Assembly with the Supreme Court overturning the decision of the Deputy Speaker to reject the opposition sponsored no-confidence motion against the ruling PTI-led coalition.

Imran Khan sought to link the opposition’s move to oust him through a no-trust vote with “foreign conspiracy” and named the United States in some of his speeches. However, the United States rejected his allegations. Imran Khan also gave calls for people to take to the streets while the joint opposition remained steadfast in its objective of defeating him.

Imran Khan Niazi is a former Pakistani cricketer, who after leading the country to victory in the 1992 World Cup Final, retired from cricket and joined politics. He is the founding Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

His political front, which he founded in 1997, remained on the sidelines of Pakistani politics until he found favour with the military establishment, which began propping him after 2013, to counter the growing political assertion of the two traditional mainstream parties led by Sharif and the Bhutto families.

The military establishment is widely known to have given its tacit approval to Khan in 2016 when he organised a massive rally and threatened a lockdown of Islamabad over the Panama Papers leak which had implicated the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The rally propped Khan as a serious contender for power, who enjoyed the blessings of the all-important Pakistani Army.

In 1997, he founded his own political party ‘Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Khan contested for a National Assembly seat in October 2002 elections and served as a Member Parliament from NA- 71, Mianwali until 2007. In 2018, Imran Khan stormed to power in Pakistan by winning 176 votes.

Imran Khan, the seventh member of his family, was born on November 25, 1952, to a Pashtun family in Lahore, Pakistan. He attended Aitchison College in Lahore and later moved to Oxford for higher studies.

Hailing from a cricketing family, his cousins, Javed Burki and Majid Khan, both preceded him in going to Oxford and captaining Pakistan. Khan married Jemima Goldsmith, an English socialite, who converted to Islam on May 16, 1995, in Paris. The marriage ended in divorce after eight years in June 2004 as Jemima Khan was allegedly unable to adapt to Pakistani culture.

Khan started playing cricket at the age of 13. Initially playing for his college and later representing English county Worcester, he made his debut for Pakistan at the age of 18 during the 1971 English series at Birmingham. Soon, he acquired a permanent place in the team. Khan achieved the all-rounder’s triple in 75 tests.

His career came to an end after the first and only ODI World Cup victory for Pakistan in 1992 with a record of 3,807 runs and 362 wickets in Test cricket.

He founded Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust in 1991, which actively worked on the research and development of cancer and other related diseases. He also founded the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research centre in 1994.

He passionately pursued healthcare interests in the wake of his mother’s untimely death, who died of cancer.

Khan was awarded ‘The Cricket Society Wetherall Award’ in 1976 and 1980 for being the leading all-rounder in English first-class cricket. He was also named as the Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1983 and received the ‘President’s Pride of Performance’ award in 1983.

He also got the Sussex Cricket Society Player of the Year Award in 1985 and served as Unicef’s Special Representative for Sports during the 1990s. Khan was inducted in the ‘ICC Hall of Fame’ on July 14, 2010. (ANI)

Bengaluru Civic Body Bans Sale Of Meat On Ram Navami

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) banned animal slaughter and the sale of meat on the occasion of Ram Navami on April 10.

“There will be a blanket ban on the slaughterhouses, animal slaughter and the sale of meat on Ram Navami,” reads the Bengaluru civic body order.

Meanwhile, a relatively less crowd was observed in the city’s wet markets on Saturday.

The meat shop owners and meat traders in Bengaluru’s Cox Town market said they will abide by the BBMP order.

“We will follow government orders and not conduct business tomorrow. Tomorrow is a holiday,” Md Zamrud, a mutton retailer from Cox Town told ANI.

“We are following this for years. we have no problem. We will follow the government orders. Whatever the orders from hotels, we will supply them by Saturday only. We will not do any business tomorrow,” said another meat trader Sazzad.

The celebrations for Chaitra Navratri involve worship of Goddess Durga and her nine forms. During this period, devotees offer their prayers to Goddess Durga and observe fasts for nine days.

The ninth day of Chaitra Navratri is celebrated as Ram Navami or Hindu Lord Rama’s birthday. (ANI)

Sri Lankans Thank India For Being Friend In Need

As India continues to provide much-needed fuel in Colombo, people in Sri Lanka continue to express gratitude to its neighbouring country for helping in need of the hour.

“This shipment was loaded on April 1 and arrived here on April 6 for discharging the entire cargo in Colombo which is the maximum capacity of the port. The cargo quantity was about 40,000 MT,” Captain Nishant Mehta, of Vessel Motor Tanker Merapi, told ANI.

“As of now, we (India) have delivered two shipments carrying approx 80,000 MT of fuel. The diesel is being used in power plants to supply electricity to Colombo city which is having long hours of power cuts and also for vehicles at petrol pump,” he added.

Captain Mehta said all the people that his team meets in Colombo express their deep gratitude to India for delivering cargo in the “need of the hour.” “Even the famous cricketers are thinking India,” he added.

The diesel that India is supplying is being used in power plants in Colombo, he added.

India supplied over 2,70,000 MT of fuel to Sri Lanka so far to help ease the power crisis in the island country which is witnessing acute power cuts. Several consignments are being sent as part of the US 500 million oil line of credit (LoC) extended by India to Sri Lanka.

This shipment is being sent to Colombo, amid the continued protest against the Sri Lanka government. “This government is really corrupt. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country but this govt is making it dirty. I am fighting for my children’s future,” said one of the protesters.

Amid one of the worst economic crises in the country and a national emergency in force, the Sri Lankan Parliament is scheduled to convene on April 19. This will be the second convening of the Parliament following the imposition of a national emergency by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on April 1, after the first session was convened on April 5.

UN human rights experts have urged the Sri Lankan Government to guarantee the fundamental rights of peaceful assembly and of expression during peaceful protests, amid the country’s severe economic crisis.

“We are gravely concerned by the recent proclamation of a state of emergency as well as the order that blocked access to social media platforms,” the experts said in a statement issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Rights experts said these measures seem aimed at discouraging or preventing peaceful protests in the wake of the worsening economic crisis and the lack of access to fuel, electricity, medicines and essential food items.

“We condemn the excessive use of teargas and water cannon to disperse protesters, as well as the recent block of social media platforms. We urge the Sri Lankan Government to allow students, human rights defenders and others to protest in a peaceful manner, and to freely share their political views and express their discontent, both online and offline,” they added. (ANI)

Who Makes Sonam Kapoor Feel Like A Teenager?

Sonam’s Delhi House Robbed

A complaint has been filed by the in-laws of Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor alleging theft of cash and jewellery worth Rs 2.40 crores from their Delhi residence, said Police.

“Their house is on Amrita Shergill Marg in Lutyens’ Delhi, where Anand’s parents Harish Ahuja, mother Priya Ahuja and grandmother Sarla Ahuja live. The theft incident in Sonam’s in-laws’ house took place in February,” said Amrutha Guguloth, Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi.
A complaint was made on February 23, 2022, that there was a theft at the residence of Harish Ahuja.

“They complained that some cash and jewellery combined worth 2.4 crores was stolen. They had noticed it on February 11, 2022, but the complaint was filed on February 23, 2022. Immediately FIR was filed under section 381 IPC at Police Station Tughlaq Road and an investigation started. Teams have been formed and examination of the evidence is underway,” said the officer.

Police further said that the case has been transferred to special staff New Delhi district and they are investigating the matter.

No arrest has been made so far. (ANI)

Dhami Instructs Better Air Facilities

Char Dham Yatra 2022 Will Break All Records: CM Dhami

Char Dham Yatra of 2022 will break all previous records said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami adding that all records related to the hotel business, tourism and transport will be broken.

“This time’s Char Dham Yatra is going to break all the records. All the records related to the hotel business, tourism and transport are going to be broken, we have to be ready for it,” Dhami said while addressing ‘Tourism and Hospitality Conference-2022’ in Dehradun.
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kedarnath in November last year, Dhami said that the Prime Minister had then said that the coming decade belongs to Uttarakhand and a large number of pilgrims will visit Uttarakhand over the next decade.

The Prime Minister, during his visit to Kedarnath, had said that Uttarakhand will receive more tourists in the next decade than in the past century.

During the event, Dhami also called for promoting the traditional ‘Pahadi’ cuisine of Uttarakhand.

“Today, the distance from Uttarakhand to Delhi by road is 3 to 4 hours, in the coming days, this distance will be reduced to 2 hours,” Dhami said. He also said that the road from Haridwar to Kashipur has also been approved. “In the coming days, the distance from Haridwar to Kashipur can be covered in 1- 1.5 hours,” Dhami said. (ANI)