Tag: Pakistan

Pak’s Industries Bracing For Cut In Production, Layoffs

Pakistan’s Valmiki Community Protests Over Stoppage Of Temple Construction

By LokMarg

Valmiki community protested over the stoppage of the construction of 70-80 years old Valmiki temple in the Ghaspidhi area of Larkana in Sindh.

They demonstrated against decades of discrimination and subjugation by the Pakistan Government.

On October 8, The locals of the old Ghaspidhi area of Larkana (Sindh, Pakistan) took to a procession claiming that the district authorities have stopped the construction of 70-80 years old Valmiki temple in the area, reported local media.

They claimed due to this government’s apathy shown toward their community, there are less than 100 families left in Pakistan.

The protestors further said that they would not be able to celebrate their festival which falls on October 9. The protesters demanded an immediate start to renovation work without delay so that the work could finish in time for next year’s festival.

The local Valmiki community has been stopped from offering prayers citing the poor conditions and the damaged structural condition, reported local media.

The sect of the Valmiki are devotees of the sage considered to be the writer of the epic Ramayana, a holy scripture to Hindus. (ANI)

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Flood-Hit Pak Malaria

Flood-Hit Pak May See 2.7mn Malaria Cases By Jan 2023: WHO

By LokMarg

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday warned of 2.7 million malaria cases in flood-hit Pakistan in 32 districts by January 2023.

The organization urged the international community “do a lot more” for flood-hit Pakistan. Cholera, measles, and dengue outbreaks are among other diseases, reported Geo News.
Declaring Pakistan floods a Grade 3 Emergency, WHO expressed its concern over the second wave of disease outbreaks grasping the flood-stricken areas of Pakistan, The News reported.

WHO’s representative in Pakistan Dr. Palitha Mahipala said that they were expecting 2.7 million malaria cases in 32 districts by January 2023.

Speaking about malaria, Dr. Mahipala said 32 districts of Sindh and Balochistan were “worst-affected” due to malaria where thousands of cases were daily being reported and added that they were fearing 2 million malaria cases by December and around 2.7 million cases by the end of January 2023 from these districts, reported Geo News.

“In order to prevent mortality due to malaria, WHO is providing rapid diagnostic kits and anti-malarial medicines worth USD 2.5 million while technical support is also being provided to the federal and provincial governments to deal with malaria outbreaks. As larvicidal preventive measures are not possible in flood-affected areas, prophylactic treatment and post-exposure treatments are being arranged to treat malaria patients”, he maintained.

“As (WHO) director general had warned earlier, the second disaster in the shape of outbreaks of water and vector-borne diseases has begun in the flood-hit areas of Pakistan,” said Dr. Mahipala.

He said that there are outbreaks of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) in 46 flood-affected districts while malaria outbreaks are being reported in 32 districts, reported Geo News.

Moreover, cholera, measles, and dengue outbreaks are among the other diseases which can lead to great loss if not paid immediate attention, he told reporters at a briefing at WHO Country Office in Islamabad, reported Geo News.

Terming the approaching winter as the third major challenge in the flood-affected areas, Dr. Mahipala said the combination of water and vector-borne diseases and harsh winters could become extremely lethal for the millions of flood-affected people who are living along hundreds of kilometers of roads in Sindh and Balochistan.

He maintained that WHO has declared the Pakistan floods as a Grade 3 Emergency, the highest level, which means all three levels of the organization — the country and regional offices, as well as headquarters — are involved in the response.

He added that WHO has appealed for USD 81.5 million to deal with disease outbreaks and to provide basic health services to the people at risk, reported Geo News.

Acknowledging the outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases including cholera and typhoid in the flood-affected areas, the representative said malnutrition was another serious challenge for the health authorities as mal-nourished children could become easy prey to infectious diseases and added that special campaigns were being launched to vaccinate as many children as possible in the affected districts, reported Geo News.

Responding to a query regarding the provision of clean drinking water to the affected people, he said WHO had provided 4 million aqua tablets that can make water germ free and suitable for drinking while they have established two filtrations in Sindh, adding that they would provide 1000 small filtration plants in the flood affected areas, of which 100 would be procured and installed very soon.

He further informed that WHO has started working on the renovation of 78 health facilities in the flood-affected areas, adding that WHO has pledged to renovate 200 of the most damaged health facilities in the flood-affected areas, reported Geo News. (ANI)

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Pak: TLP Cleric Calls For Attack On Ahmadi Pregnant Women

By LokMarg

A cleric of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has asked his followers to attack Ahmadi pregnant women to “make sure that no new Ahmadis are born”.

A video has emerged on social media showing a speech by TLP cleric Muhammad Naeem Chattha Qadri calling on his supporters to carry out attacks against pregnant Ahmadi women to “make sure that no new Ahmadis are born.”
He insisted that “there is but one punishment for blasphemers, decapitation.” The preacher said should the attacks not be successful, “those babies who are being born should be killed,” according to a report in Bitter Winter, a magazine on religious liberty and human rights.

Writing in the magazine, Massimo Introvigne, an Italian sociologist of religions, said the TLP is notorious for its attacks against religious minorities, including Christians and Ahmadis.

According to the report, Qadri also warned police against attempting to interfere with TLP’s religious cleansing of the Ahmadis. “Those of you who are from the police, or if there is any DPO (District Police Officer) or DC (Deputy Commissioner) or SHO (Police Station house officer) must understand that we cannot be stopped.”

On August 12, Naseer Ahmad, a 62-year-old Ahmadi father of 3, was stabbed to death at the main bus stop in Rabwah, a city with an Ahmadi majority, by a TLP activist who went there to “create an incident” with the Ahmadis, reported Introvigne.

The TLP has also targeted Pakistani Sunni Muslim politicians accused of being “soft on the Ahmadis.”

The Ahmadis are a persecuted religious minority in Pakistan through specific laws that make them second-class citizens. They are also reportedly prevented from voting and holding office. Their right to propagate and practice their religion is legally denied.

Ahmadis are routinely prosecuted for blasphemy, which carries extremely harsh punishment including the death penalty. Many Ahmadis have been falsely accused of blasphemy and executed, reported Al Arabiya Post. (ANI)

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Hamas Israel

India Objects To US Envoy Blome’s Visit To POK

By LokMarg

India has objected to US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome’s visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) where he repeatedly referred to the region as “Azad Jammu and Kashmir.”

During a weekly presser, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Our objections to the visit and meetings in PoK by the US envoy have been conveyed to the US side.”
US ambassador to Pakistan Blome during his visit to PoK throughout mentioned PoK as AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir). India has conveyed to the United States its objections over the US diplomat’s visit and controversial reference to PoK as Azad Kashmir.

This is the second high-profile visit by a US diplomat to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Earlier this year US Congresswomen Ilhan Omar visited PoK. India in a strongly worded statement had then said, “She visited a part of Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan. If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home that may be her business, but violating our territorial integrity in its pursuit makes it ours.”

India in 1994 had passed a resolution saying PoK is part of India and Pakistan must vacate and end its illegal occupation. A few months ago, Defence minister Rajnath Singh said ” Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) is a part of Indian territory and will continue to be so.”

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that the government has seen reports about third countries participating in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Projects, and any such activity by any party directly infringed on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Bagchi had said India firmly and consistently opposes projects in the “so-called CPEC, which are in Indian territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan”. “Such activities are inherently illegal, illegitimate, and unacceptable, and will be treated accordingly by India,” the official statement added. (ANI)

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Success Of Shah’s Rally In Baramulla Shows Changing Face Of J-K

By LokMarg

For the first time after three decades, a Union Minister went to Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir to hold a rally.
On October 5, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a rally in Baramulla. Sources said Shah’s rally got a phenomenal response from the people of the district.

As per the sources present in the rally, the highest cheering was witnessed when the Home Minister spoke about the availability of free gas cylinders for women. It is also reported that in the hilly areas of the Union Territory, women registered to get the Ujjwala scheme benefit and got two cylinders instead of one.

“The development of Jammu and Kashmir is the prime agenda of the PM Modi government at the Centre. BJP does not wish to ally with any of the regional players in J-K,” a top BJP source told ANI.

Another source told ANI that, “the briefing given to the security agencies in the region is to ensure complete wipe out of terrorism and its supporters.”

The changing face of Jammu and Kashmir was evident from the fact that crowds turned up in huge numbers and it was a responsive gathering. “The entire gathering of over 40,000 joined in as the Home Minister shouted the slogan ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. Something that had never been said here, the source added.

Shah met the family of a slain police officer in Jammu and Kashmir. On the request of the family members, Union Home Minister took a call within seconds to scale a steep hill to pay floral tributes to the actual grave of the officer and meet an old relative.

“That shows what means to the Modi government as far as people of Jammu and Kashmir and the sentiments are concerned,” sources said.

The Election Commission of India has already prepared the electoral roll and is in the process of its corrections which sources said could be completed in the next couple of months as a substantial number of new voters are likely to be added to the J-K voter list.

“The Modi government’s stand remains the same. There will be no talks with Pakistan or Pakistan sympathizers,” the sources further said.

Only time will say whether BJP, which has broken records in several places including the northeast where they did not have any presence at all, is able to repeat the same performance in Jammu and Kashmir when the election will be held eventually. However, the Baramulla rally appears to be like another glass ceiling has been broken. (ANI)

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5G Base Stations In Xinjiang

India Abstains From UN Voting On Violations In China’s Xinjiang

By LokMarg

India on Thursday abstained from voting on a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on holding a debate on the human rights situation in China’s Xinjiang.

The draft resolution on “holding a debate on the situation of human rights in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China” was rejected in the 47-member Council after 17 members voted in favour, 19 members voted against, including China, and 11 abstentions, including India, Brazil, Mexico and Ukraine.

“India has never supported country-specific issues in Human Rights Council,” sources said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan voted against the resolution. Pakistani envoy’s statement in UNHRC over Xinjiang exposes the country’s double standards.

On one hand, Pakistan claims to speak for Muslims and on the other hand, it “appreciated” China’s “efforts” to protect its minority in Xinjiang, a region which has been widely known for Beijing’s grave human rights violations.

It is pertinent to mention that 12 out of 17 (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)countries voted in favour of China. Four of these OIC countries abstained.

Somalia is the only OIC country that voted in favour of the decision of holding a debate on the human rights situation in China’s Xinjiang.

A UN report said that the violations have taken place in the context of the Chinese Government’s assertion that it is targeting terrorists among the Uyghur minority with a counter-extremism strategy that involves the use of so-called Vocational Educational and Training Centres (VETCs), or re-education camps.

In a strongly-worded assessment at the end of the report, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that the extent of arbitrary detentions against Uyghur and others, in the context of “restrictions and deprivation more generally of fundamental rights, enjoyed individually and collectively, may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”

The assessment was initiated following serious allegations of human rights violations against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim communities brought to the attention of the UN Human Rights Office and UN human rights mechanisms in late 2017, particularly in the context of the Chinese Government’s policies and measures to combat terrorism and “extremism”.

The OHCHR said that the government policy in recent years in Xinjiang has “led to interlocking patterns of severe and undue restrictions on a wide range of human rights.” Even if the VETC system has as China says, “been reduced in scope or wound up”, said OHCHR, “the laws and policies that underpin it remain in place”, leading to increased use of imprisonment.

The systems of arbitrary detention and related patterns of abuse since 2017, said OHCHR, “come against the backdrop of broader discrimination” against Uyghur and other minorities.

“This has included far-reaching, arbitrary and discriminatory restrictions on human rights and fundamental freedoms, in violation of international laws and standards”, including restrictions on religious freedom and the rights to privacy and movement.

The assessment is based on a rigorous review of documentary material currently available to the Office, with its credibility assessed in accordance with standard human rights methodology.

Particular attention was paid to the government’s laws, policies, data and statements. The Office also requested information and engaged in dialogue and technical exchanges with China throughout the process.

The information was assessed against applicable international human rights law and builds on the work of a number of UN human rights mechanisms.

Notably, the UN’s assessment comes at a time when Chinese President Xi Jinping is poised to break with tradition by taking on a third term. (ANI)

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Amit Shah In J-K

Amit Shah In J-K: They Tell Us Talk To Pak, I Say…

By LokMarg

Lambasting the National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on their demands that the Centre should talk to Pakistan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that he would prefer to talk to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir rather than talking to the neighboring country.

Addressing a public meeting here, on the last day of his three-day visit to the Union Territory which would conclude today, Shah launched an unsparing attack on former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
He accused the ‘Gupkar alliance’ of “laying a red carpet” for Pakistani terrorists into the country.

Shah said, “Some people talk about Pakistan here. I want to tell them today, bring the statistics about the number of villages in PoK that have electricity. Electricity has reached every village in our Kashmir. “Mufti and Company, and Abdullah and Sons ruled Kashmir for 70 years but did not provide 1 lakh houses, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from 2014 till 2022, has given houses to 1 lakh people in J-K.”

“Those who ruled for 70 years here suggest me to talk to Pakistan.” I have a clear view, I do not want to talk to Pakistan, I want to talk to the Gujjars, Paharis, and Bakarwals in Baramulla. I want to talk to the youth of Kashmir. Think with open eyes and minds, those who spread terrorism, what good have they done to Kashmir?” he said adding that J-K has to join the race with other states which are moving ahead in the country.

“We do not have to follow the path shown by terrorists. I urge you to extend your support to us,” said the Home Minister.

Shah said that the “Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration model” (PAGD) had presented the youth of the region with stones, closed colleges and machine guns in their hands, whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s model has brought them education.

PAGD is a political alliance between the six regional parties in J-K formed by Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. The alliance seeks the restoration of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

“There are two models. One of PM Modi which gives employment, peace and brotherhood; and another is the Gupkar model which led to the Pulwama attack. PM Modi made a hospital in Pulwama at an expense of Rs 2,000 crore. The Gupkar model is laying the red carpet for the Pakistani terrorists into the country, whereas the Modi model is implementing an investment of Rs 56,000 crore on the ground giving employment to the youth. Gupkar model placed stones, closed colleges, and machine guns in the hands of the youth. Modi model has IIM, IIT, AIIMS, NIFT, and NEET for the youth. The youth wants education not stones in their hands,” he said.

Shah asked the former chief ministers about the amount that was brought into the region as an investment during their respective tenures.

“I have come today to ask Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti how much investment did you draw in Jammu and Kashmir during the 70-year rule of the three families. How many industries were set up? How many youths were given employment? An investment of merely Rs 15,000 crore was done here in 70 years. PM Modi has brought an investment of Rs 56,000 crore in these three years in the region,” he said.

Shah further accused the “three families” of J-K of being responsible for the killings of the residents of the region by terrorists.

“Has terrorism done any good to anybody in the world? Can the sympathisers of terrorism tell of any such incident? 42,000 people of J-K have been victims of terrorism from 1990 till today. Who is responsible for their deaths? The three families that ruled here were responsible. Terrorism is moving towards extinction,” he said.

Lauding PM Modi for bringing investment into J-K, Shah said that the region which was known to be a “terrorist hotspot” has now become a “tourism hotspot”.

“Earlier, this was a terrorist hotspot, now it’s a tourism hotspot. You (Farooq and Mehbooba) gave stones and guns in the hands of the youth, whereas PM Modi gave laptops and mobiles into their hands by bringing industries here,” Shah said. (ANI)

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Pak Supplying Arms, Ammunition To Kyiv

By LokMarg

Pakistan is entangled in yet another controversy as Islamabad has been found supplying arms and ammunition to Kyiv in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

As per reports, Pakistan is not impartial in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and has been involved in supplying arms and ammunition, made in Pakistan, for the end use of Ukraine. Islamabad is apparently utilising third-country-based defence suppliers and contractors to route these defence sales to Ukraine, reported Europe-based publication Geo-Politik.
Credible inputs suggest that Islamabad-based arms supplier M/s DMI Associates has been in contact with Bulgaria-based firm M/s Defence Industry Group to facilitate the supply of manufactured defence stores to the Ukrainian government.

Separately, a Slovakia-based defence company M/s Chemica had reportedly approached M/s Kestral, a defence supplier of ammunition of Pak Ordinance Factories, on behalf of Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, reported Geo-Politik.

M/s Kestral may be using the conflict to spread its activities in countries adjacent to Ukraine, namely Poland, Romania and Slovakia, as the CEO of Kestral, Liaqat Ali Beg, visited these countries in May and June this year.

In another such development, Kyiv-based Ukrainian company M/s FORMAG was learnt to have approached Pakistan-based M/s Bluelines Cargo Pvt Ltd to ship gloves meant for use by the Ukrainian army.

A recent report published in Riafan, an online Russian web portal, states that Pakistan’s Noor Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi has become a key base for the UK for the transportation of military equipment for the Ukrainian Army.

The evidence of Ukraine using Pakistan-made ammunition comes from no other than ‘Ukraine Weapon Tracker’, a website which tracks the usage/capture of weapons and ammunitions in Ukraine. The website mentions that Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) artillery uses 122 mm high-explosive fragmentation artillery shells made in Pakistan Ordnance Factory, Punjab, reported Geo-Politik.

After making a self-goal in February 2022, when then Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan visited Russia during the onset of the Ukrainian war, this is another incident which puts the country’s image at stake.

Islamabad is now out to make money off the Russia-Ukraine war by supplying much-needed ammunition to Ukraine. The Ukrainian military is reportedly using Pakistan-made artillery against Russian troops.

As per reports, 122 mm HR artillery is being used against Russian troops in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. These ties run deep, reported Geo-Politik.

Pakistan has awarded a contract worth USD 85.6 million for modernizing T-80UD battle tanks to Ukrainian state arms conglomerate UkrOboronProm.

Earlier this year Ukraine also discussed with Pakistan new orders for the supply of 6TD1 and 6TD2 engines. In 2021 alone, Pakistan signed a USD 85.6 million contract to repair its T-80UD fleet in Ukraine, reported Geo-Politik.

Ukraine’s relations with Pakistan are largely about weapons. Over the past few decades, Islamabad has been among the most loyal clients of Ukraine’s arms industry. Last year, Pakistan Army Chief visited Ukraine eyeing to shop “sophisticated” arms.

Pakistan has been keen to enhance defence cooperation with Ukraine on the basis of the transfer of technology and joint ventures in the future, as both sides can benefit from each other’s experience. Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa stated this during his visit to a military test site in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine last year.

He had also witnessed field tests of various weapons and equipment and took a keen interest in the tests and appreciated the performance of all ranks associated with the projects, reported Geo-Politik.

The Pakistan Army Chief said that defence cooperation between both countries has traditionally been an important component of Pak-Ukraine bilateral relations. (ANI)

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IAF Seeks More Fighter Jets

IAF Seeks More Fighter Jets In View Of Threat From China, Pak

By LokMarg

Citing the increasing number of fighter aircraft in the Chinese and Pakistan air forces, the Indian Air Force on Tuesday said it would need more combat aircraft to meet security challenges.

“The environment around us remains hostile and there would be a requirement for 42 squadrons of fighter aircraft by the Indian Air Force.” We have to see the case of China and Pakistan also, “Indian Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal Sandeep Singh said.

He was speaking at a press conference where he was asked whether the IAF could lower its authorized squadron strength number from 42.

The IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, said the aircraft numbers authorized to the force were as per the requirements in view of the security challenges.

IAF is authorized to have 42 squadrons, which would mean around 800 fighter aircraft, but at present, it is stuck at 30 squadrons only due to delays in the development of the LCA Tejas as well as in the procurement of high-ability multirole fighters.

The situation is going to worsen further with the planned decommissioning of the MiG-21s in near future and all squadrons of Jaguar, Mirage-2000, and MiG-29 fighters by the middle of the next decade.

The IAF has plans of inducting around 200 LCAs and 114 multirole fighters in the next 15 years along with six squadrons of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.

Pakistan, which has to defend borders mainly with India, only has around 25 squadrons of combat aircraft, while the Chinese Air Force has a large number of aircraft, including fifth-generation fighters like the J-20. (ANI)

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China May Use Pak As Proxy

China May Use Pak As Proxy To Arm Myanmar Junta

By LokMarg

Even as the world’s eyes are fixed on ongoing rights abuses in Myanmar, China has tried to engage with the military regime in the Southeast Asian country while hoping to export military hardware to the junta.

Since the Myanmar military launched its “disastrous” coup last year, an UN-appointed independent human rights expert said that conditions have worsened, “by any measure”.
“With each report, I have warned that unless UN Member States change course in the way they collectively respond to this crisis, the people of Myanmar will suffer even further,” UN expert Tom Andrews told the Human Rights Council in Geneva last month.

He said that conditions have “gone from bad to worse, to horrific for untold numbers of innocent people in Myanmar”. Andrews presented a grim assessment of 1.3 million displaced people.

Writing for The Irrawaddy news, a regional political analyst, since the coup in February 2021, Beijing has been careful to engage not only with the junta but to open an informal dialogue with the parallel National Unity Government (NUG).

“But China is not a trusted neighbor, and Beijing’s undisclosed support of the Myanmar military is being closely monitored. “Unlike Russia, China cannot openly sell arms to the regime,” said Yan Naing, a pseudonym for a political analyst on Myanmar and China.

Citing intelligence sources, Yan suggested that Beijing is considering using Pakistan as an intermediary to sell and export military hardware to the junta.

“With coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing making repeated visits to Russia with a shopping list for jet fighters, helicopters, and missiles, China is concerned that it will lose Myanmar as a customer for its weapons,” the political analyst said.

In recent years, Pakistan’s security ties and defense cooperation with Myanmar have increased since the military takeover. Pakistan is reportedly delivering two JF-17 Thunder Block-II aircraft to the Myanmar Air Force, according to Yan.

He argues that the Military junta is also considering purchasing heavy machine guns and grenade launchers from Pakistan.

Yan states that security experts claim that China has covertly increased its engagement with the Myanmar military. Beijing has got Islamabad involved as a proxy to supply weapons to the regime, he adds.

The regional political further argues that Beijing is wary of the anti-China sentiment in Myanmar and the likely backlash if it is seen to be supplying arms to the junta. (ANI)

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