ISLAMABAD, Jun 27 (APP): Ambassador of Pakistan to Belgium, Luxembourg and European Union Amna Baloch met with a group of Pakistani Journalists based in Belgium at the Pakistan embassy in Brussels.
Besides other matters relating to mutual interests, they discussed ways to strengthen linkages between Pakistan and Belgium.
UNITED NATIONS, Jun 27 (APP)::Pakistan has urged the advocates of the concept of ‘responsibility to protect’, or R2P, to apply it to safeguard the oppressed people of occupied Palestine and Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“Apart from its abuse, the concept of R2P has also led to the criticism that some powerful states have failed to invoke R2P by showing hesitancy either in condemning the massive human rights violations committed by so-called ‘strategic allies’ or by holding them accountable in the Security Council,” Ambassador Aamir Khan, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the UN General Assembly on Monday.
Speaking in a debate on the responsibility to protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, the Pakistani envoy said for more than 7 decades, India has, denied the right of self-determination to the Kashmiri people, in violation of multiple resolutions of the Security Council prescribing a free and fair plebiscite
India, he said, had deployed 900,000 troops, resorted to extra-judicial killings; forced abductions; collective punishments; and the incarceration of the entire political leadership of the All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC).
To this end, he said, Pakistan has circulated a dossier with the evidence of 3,432 war crimes committed by India’s officials in Jammu and Kashmir, while adding that Muslims’ persecution has become a “routine norm” for India.
On Saturday, during a visit of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah to Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Aamir Khan said that Indian Army personnel stormed into a Mosque in Pulwama district of south Kashmir while Muslims were offering prayers and forced Muslims to chant “Jai Shri Ram” against their will.
Noticing this dangerous trend, Professor Gregory Stanton, the founder of Genocide Watch, has warned that a genocide of Muslims could very well happen in India, it was pointed out.
“The International community, especially the advocates of R2P concept must carefully analyze the devastating human rights situation that is transpiring in India as well as the occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the Pakistani envoy said.
(The concept of R2P rests upon three pillars: the responsibility of each State to protect its populations; the responsibility of the international community to assist States in protecting their populations; and the responsibility of the international community to protect when a State is manifestly failing to protect its populations.)
Aamir Khan said under the terms of R2P concept, the international community was expected to protect those in danger, but its selective application — driven by double standards and geopolitical considerations, undermines its credibility as a genuine humanitarian doctrine.
“To truly uphold the principle of accountability and protect vulnerable populations, a more nuanced and balanced approach that avoids selectivity and promotes objectivity and impartiality is necessary,” the Pakistani envoy added.
Ambassador Aamir Khan’s pointed words against Indian policies evoked a response from an Indian representative, and a Pakistani delegate immediately
countered it.
Kajal Bhat, counsellor in the Indian Mission to the UN, exercising her right of reply, claimed that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India, including its territories currently under Pakistan’s “illegal occupation”, and went on to accuse Islamabad of involvement in terrorism.
Rabia Ijaz, second secretary in the Pakistani Mission to the UN, debunked Indian claims, saying that he representative of India did not address the facts regarding its deeply troubling trajectory of human rights, and asserted that Kashmir was an internationally recognized disputed territory, not a part of India.
India has used terrorism as a State policy against its neighbours, Ms. Ijaz added.
Opening the debate, George Okoth-Obbo, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect, introduced the “Report on the responsibility to protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity”.
He stressed that the debate is particularly evocative as countless civilians continue to be caught in situations of conflict and subject to genocide and war crimes. The responsibility to protect thus remains as imperative today as when the world resounded “never again” at the 2005 World Summit.
The report underlines that development can build the conditions for sustainable peace, he continued. In underdevelopment, however, poverty, societal inequalities, human rights abuses and conflict can be drivers of atrocity crimes.
Recalling that this annual debate is a “reminder to us not to drift from our commitment, our duty, our responsibility to protect”, he stressed: “The lives of millions depend on that responsibility being given meaning.”
In the ensuing debate, speakers deliberated on whether the responsibility to protect is a principle or a notion, with many emphasizing that it is an inherent obligation of sovereign States under international law, while others pointed to the lack of consensus on its definition and scope.
KARACHI, Jun 27 (APP): CURRENCY SELLING BUYING
USD 289.97 283.73
GBP 369.06 361.09
EUR 316.83 310.58
JPY 2.0213 1.9778
SAR 77.41 75.56
AED 78.97 77.76
LIBOR
LIBOR FOR CALCULATING INTEREST ON SPECIAL USD BONDS
LIBOR 1M 5.14843
LIBOR 3M 5.54414
LIBOR 6M 5.69029
US DOLLAR Indicative FBP Rates
CURRENCY SIGHT/
15 DAYS 1M 2M 3M 4M 5M 6M
USD 285.36 284.14 280.27 277.32 273.80 270.24 267.34
EUR 312.00 310.95 307.15 304.39 300.99 297.47 294.69
GBP 363.19 361.70 356.78 353.00 348.46 343.76 339.91
KARACHI, Jun 27 (APP):Treasury Management Division of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) on Tuesday issued the following exchange rates.
URRENCY SYMBOL TT Selling TT Buying
U.S DOLLAR USD 287.10 286.60
EURO EUR 314.27 313.72
JAPANESE YEN JPY 2.0013 1.9978
BRITISH POUND GBP 365.40 364.77
SWISS FRANC CHF 320.90 320.34
CANADIAN DOLLAR CAD 218.73 218.35
AUSTRALIAN DOLAR AUD 192.87 192.54
SWEDISH KRONA SEK 26.99 26.95
NORWEGIAN KRONE NOK 26.87 26.82
DANISH KRONE DKK 42.12 42.05
NEWZEALAND DOLLAR NZD 177.46 177.15
SINGAPORE DOLLAR SGD 212.73 212.36
HONGKONG DOLLAR HKD 36.81 36.75
KOREAN WON KRW 0.2205 0.2202
CHINESE YUAN CNY 39.98 39.91
MALAYSIAN RINGGIT MYR 61.59 61.48
THAI BAHT THB 08.15 08.14
U.E.A DIRHAM AED 78.72 78.59
SAUDI RIYAL SAR 76.64 76.51
QATAR RIYAL QAR 78.90 78.76
KUWAITI DINAR KWD 935.73 934.10
CONVERSION RATE FOR FROZEN FCY DEPOSITS
USD 286.6591
GBP 365.089
EUR 312.1431
JPY 2.0029
SETTLEMENT DATE: 06-07 2023
MAKKAH, June 26 (APP):: The Languages and Translation Agency (LTA) of the General Presidency for Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques will translate the Arafat sermon into 20 languages.
It will be one of the most important tasks undertaken by the Agency during the Custodian of the
Two Holy Mosques Translation Project.
Deputy General President for Languages and Translation, Ahmed Al-Hamidi on Monday said
the translation aligned with the Agency’s strategic plan for 2024.
The sermon is to be translated into French, English, Persian, Urdu, Hausa, Russian, Turkish, Punjabi, Chinese, Malay, Swahili, Spanish, Portuguese, Amharic, German, Swedish, Italian, Malayalam, Bosnian, and Filipino.
Manarat Al-Haramain digital platform, The Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet channels, and 10 FM radio stations will broadcast the sermon.
ISLAMABAD, Jun 26 (APP): A UK and European electrical vehicles partnership company is struggling to raise funds of around $8 billion to implement a Rs 28 billion electric buses deal with the Mumbai authorities, Indian govt sources told a US publication.
The American Daily Post reported that Indian-Canadian businessman Sri Ram Tumuluri’s England & Wales registered Causis Group Ltd won in October 2021 a tender for supplying The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) with 1,400 electric vehicles but nearly two years later the company is struggling to raise funds and the whole deal is under threat, according to Indian sources familiar with the backdoor discussions around the deal.
UK-based Causis is wholly owned by Tumuluri. Its operating entity is India-registered Causis E-Mobility Pvt Ltd. While on paper it is owned by its directors Marudur Subramanyam Chandrasekar and Ravi Kumar Panga, Causis E-Mobility is in reality controlled by Tumuluri, said the Post.
An Indian government source told The American Daily website: “Causis is using the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maharashtra Government as a security but banks are demanding sovereign guarantee from the state government, which has not been approved by the government. Causis is struggling to arrange debt and their efforts are ongoing but it is evident Causis has so far failed to find any credible lenders. On paper, there are lots of promises but there is zero delivery so far.”
A source at Causis E-Mobility Pvt Ltd said that Ram Tumuluri has personally invested in his new Electrical Vehicles (EV) venture Causis and is looking for funding but so far his efforts have not succeeded.
The Mumbai authority fears that Ram Tumuluri may defraud his investors and business partners as Causis does not have a manufacturing or technical capabilities and his German partner, an alleged KGB / FSB agent has no track record in electrical vehicles.
Ram Tumuluri lives often in UK’s Sunningdale area in Ascot in a six-bedroom detached house purchased by his wife Sonya Sarah Tumuluri on 25 February 2021 for £2,550,000 with a mortgage with West One Loan Limited, said the paper.
In 2021, Tumuluri entered the electric vehicle (“EV”) sector in the UK, India, and Germany using the brand Causis. Tumuluri is heavily involved in its fund-raising activities and is looking to raise $6-8 billion in India through Causis E-Mobility which was incorporated on 04 June 2021 in New Delhi, India, under company number U34102DL2021PTC381936. Its statutory Directors and Shareholders are Marudur Subramanyam Chandrasekar and Ravi Kumar Panga.
Causis executives told Indian news outlet The Economic Times that through its impact investment fund, the company is looking for an investment of $ 6-8 billion in India with 30% of it coming from equity funding and the rest through debt financing locally. They also said the company has already invested around Rs 3 billion in India towards the acquisition of a bus body manufacturer in Jaipur and a 75-acre plot near Pune for its second plant.
Causis is using the MoU with Maharashtra Government as a security, but banks are demanding sovereign guarantees from the state government, which has not been approved by the government. This is the biggest obstacle Causis is facing, according to government insiders, the American Daily Post reported.
According to an article by the Indian news outlet The Indian Express, Causis won a tender for supplying The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) with 1,400 electric buses. In October 2021, the Maharashtra state government, in the presence of environment minister Aaditya Thackeray and industry minister Subhash Desai, signed the contract for Rs 28 billion ($370,000).
Aaditya’s father is Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is also the Chief of Shiv Sena, a regional political party. Subhash Desai is described as “the Thackeray family loyalist” by the Indian press.
Maltese news outlet The Shift News reported Tumuluri’s Electrical Vehicles venture in an article titled “Ram Tumuluri suspected of replicating ‘fraudulent’ Malta VGH model in Mumbai” – a reference to a big health scare scandal in Malta.
Indian authorities have said they have asked Causis to update them on the progress but received no response in three months.
The deal stands to be annulled if the funding proofs are not provided to the Indian authorities soon, the Post said.
MINA, Jun 27 (APP): Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Talha Mehmood, visited the camp office of the Pakistan Hajj Mission in Mina and inspected the facilities provided for Pakistani pilgrims.
The minister visited various departments to assess the facilities and services provided for the pilgrims and also conducted meetings with the intending Hajj travellers.
The minister directed ministry officials to wholeheartedly devote themselves to serving intending pilgrims, prioritizing their needs and well-being.
During the visit, he issued directives to help Pakistani pilgrims in distress, ensuring their well-being and support throughout the pilgrimage.
Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Dr Aftab Akbar Durrani, Additional Secretary Syed Attaur Rehman and Director General Hajj, Abdul Wahab Soomro were also present.
UNITED NATIONS, Jun 26 (APP): Over 2.4 million refugees will be in need of resettlement, marking a 20 per cent increase compared to 2023, according to
UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.
In its Projected Global Resettlement Needs Assessment for 2024 released on Monday, the UN agency called for urgent action to address the escalating challenges faced by millions forced on the run worldwide.
“We are witnessing a concerning increase in the number of refugees in need of resettlement in 2024. Resettlement remains a critical lifeline for those most at risk and with specific needs,” Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugee, said in a statement..
The Asia region tops the list, with nearly 730,000 refugees likely requiring resettlement support, representing around 30 per cent of the total.
With the Syrian war extending into its 13th year and remaining the world’s largest refugee situation, refugees there continue to need the most resettlement support for the eighth consecutive year, with around 754,000 requiring urgent assistance.
Refugees from Afghanistan are estimated to have the second-highest level of needs, followed by refugees from South Sudan, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“I ask all States with the means to step up and provide sustainable and multi-year resettlement commitments to offer safety and protection to those in need and to share the international community’s responsibility for refugees”, Grandi urged.
Resettlement provides a lifeline of hope and protection to those facing extreme risks by offering a durable solution while at the same time playing a pivotal role in relieving the pressure on host countries and strengthening the broader protection framework.
MAKKAH, June 26 (APP): Holding umbrellas in their hands and carrying their folded prayer clothes above their heads, many pilgrims are using such methods to shield themselves from the scorching heat, as temperatures hit 45°C on Monday noon.
Tuesday is the Day of Arafah which takes place on the second day of Hajj when pilgrims make their way to the mountain where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave his last sermon. The temperature is expected to touch the 44°C mark on this day.
The intending pilgrims from Indonesia said hardship has heightened their experience. Mobile phones are overheating and the pavement in Makkah feels like a frying pan but, for Indonesian pilgrims, intense desert heat is all part of Hajj pilgrimage.
Most of the pilgrims were seen with reddened faces by the sun while outside the Grand Mosque and some other places, water was sprayed to keep the crowds of worshipers cool.
A few metres away, pilgrims in Ihram sought refuge on cool marble floors in shaded entrances of hotels and shopping centres while awaiting the next prayer.
More than 32,000 health workers are on hand to treat anyone struck by heatstroke or other ailments, authorities say, while bottles of water are distributed free of charge.
On the eighth day of Dhu Al Hijjah, known as the Day of Tarwiyah, pilgrims travel to Mina. They travel by bus, car and on foot from Makkah to Mina, east of the city, before moving to Mount Arafat.
The main focus of the Day of Tarwiyah, the first official day of Hajj, is on prayer, as men and women gather in thousands of large fire-resistant tents and spend the day and night in contemplation as they prepare for the tough days ahead.
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Mina, situated between mountains to its north and south, is 16.8 square kilometres in area and located between Makkah and Muzdalifah. The place is inhabited only during the Hajj.
The pilgrims perform the Dhuhr, Asr and Isha prayers at their designated times, but in shortened form. The Maghrib prayer, which cannot be shortened, is performed as usual.
The pilgrims will head to Mount Arafat on Tuesday after performing the Fajr prayer, which marks the peak of the annual pilgrimage.
Mount Arafat is a granite hill about 20 kilometres from the Kaaba. Ascending it is the most important rite in the annual pilgrimage of Hajj for millions of Muslims.
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