Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, has been turned into a fortress yet again ahead of a major anti-government protest rally announced by Imran Khan, the country’s former premier and founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, on Sunday.

Anticipating chaos and violence, the ruling government has blocked all roads leading to the capital with shipping containers, deployed additional paramilitary forces and imposed Section 144 for at least two months, prohibiting any public gathering in Islamabad.

As per the latest updates, at least 37 different points and routes towards Islamabad have been blocked, six motorways completely shut down for any traffic movement and the Pakistan Army called in to secure the Red Zone of the capital that includes diplomatic enclave, parliament, president’s house, Supreme Court of Pakistan, foreign office and other government buildings.

Internet and mobile services have also been suspended in Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi besides suspension of public transport services. The government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made it clear that no one would be allowed to spread unrest in the capital and strict action would be taken against miscreants.

The PTI protest has been called at a time when a 60-member advanced delegation from Belarus is scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday ahead of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s Pakistan visit, beginning November 25. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been in jail for over one year, has called on his party members and supporters to take to the streets in huge numbers and storm the capital demanding his release.

The party claims that Khan has been put behind the bars in concocted and fabricated cases. Besides his release, the PTI is also demanding return of the mandate stolen on February 8 and nullifying of the 26th Constitutional Amendment which paves way for extension in office for the sitting Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir and others.

While the federal government has imposed strict security measures in the capital, the Punjab government has also imposed Section 144 in the province, and has warned PTI supporters and leaders of serious consequences if they try to spread violence. Azma Bukhari, spokesperson for the Punjab government, slammed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for using government machinery for political motives and anti-state agendas. “CM KP Gandapur does not even care about the security situation in his province. He is least bothered about the situation in Kurram where so many people have died. In fact, he is using his office to spread only one political agenda which is the release of Imran Khan,” said Bukhari.

“Imran Khan, his so called non-political wife and their loudspeaker CM KP Gandapur want to see innocent lives lost in violent clashes in these protests. They want to see people die for their own vested political agendas. Imran Khan’s sons and illegitimate daughter are living comfortably in the UK, his wife Bushra Bibi’s sons and daughters are living comfortably in their homes, and they are calling on sons and daughters of innocent locals to spread violence. It shows that all they want is bloodshed,” she added.

PTI maintains that it would go ahead with Sunday’s protest even though there seems to be a clear division within the party with several members voicing concerns about possible arrests, crackdown and violence, which has forced them to stay in hiding.

–IANS

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On 22 October 2023, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Imran Khan, a resident of Theni on charges of human trafficking and recruiting individuals for terror organizations. The Absconded Tracking Team (ATT) of the NIA in Bengaluru successfully located and apprehended the accused in Uthamapalayam, situated in the Theni district, following a carefully executed raid in the early hours of the day.

The arrested individual, identified as Mohamed Imran Khan, who also goes by the name Hama Najerbheeden and is 39 years old, had been evading authorities since June 2021.

The arrest comes after years of investigation and surveillance by NIA, which had been closely monitoring Imran Khan’s alleged illegal activities for over five years. During their inquiry, NIA uncovered disturbing details of Imran Khan’s involvement in recruiting individuals for the ISIS and facilitating their training abroad.

The investigation revealed that Imran Khan had successfully recruited individuals from India and then sent them for terrorist training overseas. It is believed that he used persuasive tactics to indoctrinate and radicalize youth, subsequently sending them to join the ISIS ranks. Furthermore, Khan’s illicit activities extended beyond national borders, as he was also implicated in bringing terrorists from Pakistan into India through Sri Lanka and then sent to various other countries including Canada.

Reports suggest that these Pakistani terrorists were first transported to Sri Lanka and then smuggled into Ramanathapuram, India, using illegal boats before being dispatched to various destinations, like Mangalore, Bangalore from where they made their way to other countries using fake documents. Following his arrest in Uthamapalayam, Imran Khan was swiftly transferred to Madurai by NIA officials for further interrogation.

NIA arrest ISIS recruiter imrankhan from Theni, TN. Will D-Stocks trend SorryPakistan now? pic.twitter.com/MO4N4lCmjY

— Vishwatma ( மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@HLKodo) October 22, 2023

Tamil Nadu Becoming A Hub For Terrorists?

On 11 October 2023, the NIA conducted searches at the residence of A. Thajuddin Haamidih alias Muhammad Tajuddin in Madurai as part of a crackdown on Popular Front of India terrorists.

Syed Nabeel Ahammed, the fugitive chief of the ISIS Thrissur module was captured in Chennai by the NIA’s Fugitive Tracking Team thwarting his attempts to flee the country.

The NIA arrested nine people in December 2022 from a special camp for Sri Lankan refugees in Trichy after receiving information that they were all working with Haji Salim, a Pakistan-based drug smuggler. He is suspected of being involved in the March 2021 incident near Kerala’s Vizhinjam port, when Indian defense forces intercepted a boat carrying 300 kg of heroin, five AK-47 machine guns, and 1,000 rounds of 9mm bullets.

According to NIA officials, all of these incidents are connected to a group of Sri Lankan Tamils who are allegedly working to resurrect the banned terrorist organization Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) through drug smuggling and illegal arms dealing.

On 27 May 2021, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested an ISIS terror suspect in Mayiladuthurai who was wanted for a criminal plot in 2018 reportedly directed against a few leaders in Coimbatore including Indu Makkal Katchi Chief Arjun Sampath.

A bomb blast occurred outside Coimbatore’s Kottai Easwaran Temple on 23 October 2022, a day before the Hindu festival of Diwali. The suspected terrorist Jameesa Mubin, died in the explosion. NIA investigations has led to the arrests of 13 persons known to be Islamist sympathizers. It was also found that one of the accused was linked to the 1998 CBE serial blast convicts.

The NIA during its investigation also found that Jamesha Mubeen along with a few other terrorists hatched the Sathyamangalam conspiracy (the car bomb blast plan was concretized in the Sathyamangalam forests) to plan and prepare a terror attack to revenge Mohammed Azarudeen alias Azar’s arrest and to get him released from jail through a jail-attack.

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Pakistan which is in serious economic turmoil has suffered another reversal when two US entities imposed fines worth $55 million on the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and its New York branch.

This fine that has been imposed comes just hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kremlin on Thursday (February 24) amidst the ongoing “special military operation” by Russia into eastern Ukraine.

The US Federal Reserve which is the central bank and Superintendent of Financial Services of the state of New York imposed fines on the central bank of Pakistan over deficiencies and non-compliance with US federal laws.

The Federal Reserve has now imposed a $20.4 million fine, and the New York State Department of Financial Services has asked NBP to pay $35 million after it found “significant deficiencies” in the NBP branch’s “risk management and compliance with federal laws, rules, and regulations”.

As per the US Federal Reserve’s order, the deficiencies were related to anti-money laundering (AML) compliance and the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) of the US

The fine has been imposed after an investigation carried was out on March 4, 2021, that said that NBP had entered into a written agreement with the authorities on March 16, 2016, to correct the “deficiencies”, however, a recent investigation found that NBP had failed to “achieve full compliance with each and every provision of the written agreement”.

The order also states, Pakistan’s NBP failed to comply with the US laws and the central bank of Pakistan and the Federal Reserve had “mutually agreed to enter into this Cease and Desist Order and Order of Assessment of a Civil Money Penalty.”

NYDFS Superintendent Adrienne A Harris in a press release said, “The NBP allowed serious compliance deficiencies in its NY branch to persist for years despite repeated regulatory warnings,”.

The press release also reveals that the branch’s senior management was unwilling or unable to promote a culture of compliance and has failed to adequately supervise the branch by allowing problems to worsen year after year.

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Pakistan has suffered another economic reversal when Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin told the Senate that the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) worth 3 billion dollars which was placed in the State bank of Pakistan in October 2021 will now have to be returned.

Saudi Arabia has now asked that the money that was borrowed in 2021 to improve Pakistan’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves has to be returned.

Saudi Arabia had given financial support to Pakistan that included $3 billion in deposits and $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion worth of oil supplies on deferred payments and one of the commitments asked by the Saudis was Pakistan will return the $3 billion within a year.

However, what is even more interesting is that the loan carried interest of four per cent which would have to be paid every three months.

Tarin said, “Interest rates are rising across the world. The interest rate for the Saudi loan being four per cent is not something bad.”The Saudi government has told us that they can ask for their money back if Pakistan defaults at any point,”.

The finance minister also added that there was no question of default and Pakistan would start getting crude oil from Saudi Arabia on deferred payments from March.

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Reham Khan, the ex-wife of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has alleged that she was harassed by unidentified men who opened fire at the vehicle she was traveling on Sunday night (January 2).

Targeting her former husband, Reham said Pakistan had become a land of “cowards, thugs and the greedy” under Imran Khan’s rule.

“On the way back from my nephew’s marriage my car just got fired at and two men on a motorbike held vehicle at gunpoint! I had just changed vehicles. My PS and driver were in the car. This is Imran Khan’s New Pakistan? Welcome to the state of cowards, thugs and the greedy!,” she tweeted.

https://twitter.com/RehamKhan1/status/1477738896117186563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1477738896117186563%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatoday.in%2Fworld%2Fstory%2Freham-khan-fired-at-held-at-gunpoint-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-1895234-2022-01-03

Though Reham Khan did not suffer any injuries, the incident had apparently left her “outraged and concerned” for her safety.

Reham Khan was a former TV anchor and journalist with the BBC of British-Pakistani origin and was briefly married to Imran Khan from 2014 to October 30, 2015.

After her divorce from the former Pakistan cricket team captain, she became a vocal critic of her former husband and made several remarks about him in the public.

She even wrote a book where she talks about her life as a teenage bride and also how she endured a violent marriage and domestic abuse at the hands of her first husband who was also her first cousin.

But the most controversial aspect of her book was about Imran Khan who was once a notorious playboy and philanderer. In her book, she describes Khan as a free-loader and called him a drug addict. 

If these revelations were not damaging enough, Reham Khan also alleged that Imran Khan had gay tendencies and he has sexual relations with many men and he also bosted to her that he had fathered many illegitimate children. 

In 2019, after the Pulwama attack, Reham Khan had said Imran Khan was a puppet (selected PM) of the country’s military and had come into power by compromising on ideology and moderate policy.

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On Thursday (November 4), Hindus across the world celebrated Deepavali marking the triumph of good over evil. Leaders from across the world conveyed their wishes to Hindus celebrating the festival.

US President Joe Biden lighted a lamp in the White House wishing Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains celebrating Deepavali. A US lawmaker has even introduced a bill to make Deepavali a federal holiday.

Even Prime Minister Imran Khan of the Islamic State of Pakistan wished the Hindu ‘minority’ in his country on Deepavali.

However, as expected, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin did not wish the Hindu community on the occasion of Deepavali in line with the anti-Hindu stance of the DMK.

While they claim to be ‘rationalistic’, their rationalism is only targeted against members of only one particular faith – Hinduism. The DMK resorts to blatant and covert appeasement towards members of the two major Abrahamic faiths – Islam and Christianity to consolidate their minority votebank.

Chief Minister Stalin who did not wish for Deepavali had just a few weeks ago sent his wishes on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi extending his ‘heartfelt’ wishes to the ‘Muslim brotherhood’ on the occasion of Prophet Mohammad’s birthday.

அண்ணல் நபிகள் நாயகம் அவர்கள் பிறந்த நாளான 'மீலாதுன் நபி' திருநாளில் இஸ்லாமியச் சகோதரர்களுக்கு எனது நல்வாழ்த்துகளைத் தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறேன்’ என மாண்புமிகு முதலமைச்சர் @mkstalin அவர்கள் தனது வாழ்த்து செய்தியில் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார். pic.twitter.com/xPv6J2rpGq

— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) October 18, 2021

ஈட்டிய பொருளை ஏழைகள் – நண்பர்கள் – அடுத்ததாக தங்களுக்கு என பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளும் பண்பையும் மனிதநேயத்தையும் வெளிப்படுத்தும் தியாகத் திருநாளாம் பக்ரீத் பெருநாள் கொண்டாடும் இஸ்லாமிய பெருமக்கள் அனைவருக்கும் வாழ்த்துகள்!#EidMubarak pic.twitter.com/edZkNK4cBL

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) July 21, 2021

Similarly, CM Stalin had also wished the Muslim community for Bakrid.

But on October 14 and 15, when Hindus across the world celebrated Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadasami on the respective days CM Stalin did not extend his wishes for these festivals. In August, when Hindus celebrated Vinayaka Chathurthi, he didn’t wish on that occasion too.

Similarly, as Tamil people across the world celebrated Puthandu (Tamil New Year) the DMK chief did not extend wishes for the same but had sent wishes to people on the occasion of Ugadi, the Telugu New Year.

திராவிட மொழிக் குடும்ப உறவின் அடையாளமான தென்னிந்திய நிலப்பரப்பைச் சேர்ந்த தெலுங்கு – கன்னட மொழி மக்களுக்கு இனிய உகாதி புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துகள்!

அவரவர் மொழிகளையும், பண்பாட்டுக் கூறுகளையும் போற்றிப் பாதுகாத்து, ஆதிக்கத்திற்கு இடமின்றி, அன்பால் இணைந்து சகோதரத்துவம் காத்திடுவோம். pic.twitter.com/Vzw2cnv8MO

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) April 13, 2021

While it is one thing to stick to ‘rationalism’ and not wish for Hindus on their festivals as the President of DMK, it is expected that a Chief Minister who is supposed to be a leader for all, acts without prejudice and bias.

Political observers and experts opine that by selectively wishing for only Muslims and Christians on their festivals and not extending privilege to Hindus, MK Stalin is violating his oath as Chief Minister.

TN CM Stalin can’t even wish Hindus on festivals like Diwali/Chaturti but it’s an inclusive government for ₹200 upis.99% people in Chennai celebrated Diwali with utmost joy.Wonder why the cracker sounds didn’t reach CM house. #Diwali

— Siddu  (@siddusayss) November 4, 2021

A CM not greeting people on one of the two most celebrated festivals of the State,one celebrated by the majority of people in Tamil Nadu only shows that this is not an inclusive Govt. A party leader can be as he likes.A CM has to be inclusive.

— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) November 4, 2021

Even Imran Khan Announced His Wishes For Diwali Inspite he's From Pak…. But Tamilnadu CM @mkstalin Not Even Talked About Diwali And Shamelessly Saying He's not Against Hindus…. Shame on you!!!!#BJP #DMK

— ʀᴇᴍᴏ (@Remotwitz) November 5, 2021

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Former United States National Security Advisor (NSA) under President Donald Trump, General H R McMaster has advised US lawmakers against any fresh aid to Pakistan and also said it would be a good idea to remove Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally.

McMaster made this statement when he testified before the Congressional hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee said that Pakistan has “had it both ways” for way too long and asked the lawmakers to hold Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan accountable for his statements after the fall of Kabul in August.

“I think we ought to hold Imran Khan responsible for his comments when Kabul fell and he said that the Afghan people have been unshackled. Why should we send a dime to Pakistan under any conditions? I think that they should be confronted with international isolation because of their support for jihadist terrorists, who are threats to humanity, including the Haqqani network, the Taliban, and groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba,” he said.

“I don’t think we should give any assistance to Pakistan at all. I think Pakistan has had it both ways for way too long. I think Pakistan should be confronted with its behavior over the years that has actually resulted, I think, in large measure in this outcome,” McMaster said, reports Hindustan Times.

Under Donald Trump, the US had blocked all security assistance to Pakistan the Biden administration has also not resumed the security aid as of now.

MacMaster also said during the hearing, “I think it’s an extremely dangerous situation in South Asia broadly. …I do think that it is in China’s interest, right? That the Pakistani government and army go after these jihadist groups less selectively. It’s also in the interest obviously of security and stability across South Asia.

“One of the greatest dangers I think would be India suffering this kind of cycle of sectarian violence that you see across the greater Middle East. That could be incited by some of these groups like, you know, Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba,” McMaster said.

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Captain Amarinder Singh who resigned as Chief Minister of Punjab on September 18, told that he felt humiliated and betrayed by the Congress party. He also said that he will oppose any move to make his rival Navjot Singh Sidhu as the CM candidate.

“I feel let down. I feel betrayed, obviously. I feel humiliated. And I am not one of those who can take humiliation. But that doesn’t mean I am out of politics… I will decide what to do in due course.” he reportedly said.

Speaking to Times Now, Capt. Amarinder Singh said that there was no chance of him playing second fiddle to Navjot Singh Sidhu in Punjab Congress.

Amarinder Singh also called Navjot Singh Sidhu an incompetent man and a threat to national security as Sidhu is not only friends with Imran Khan and has relations with Pakistani General Qamar Bajwa.

“I will never accept Navjot Singh Sidhu as CM. He is a total disaster. He cannot run one Ministry, how will he run an entire state? I know that he has no capability.”, he was quoted saying in another report.

He also said that he had asked him to not attend Imran Khan’s swearing-in ceremony but did not pay heed to it.

https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1439219430584508417

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Hurriyat leader and one of the leading separatist leaders in Kashmir Syed Ali Shah Geelani died late Wednesday (September 2) at his residence in Srinagar’s Hyderpora locality.

Geelani 92, was the most polarising figure in Kashmir and led the secessionism for decades funded by Pakistan. In 2008, he founded his own party which he called Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.

I met Syed Ali Shah Geelani twice in life. Most interestingly when India Today invited me to speak at their 2011 Conclave in New Delhi where I exposed his links with masters across the border in Pakistan and how he supported terrorism. The crowd booed when he tried to respond. pic.twitter.com/oVMv91vrhY

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 1, 2021

An ANI report quoted IGP (Kashmir range), Vijay Kumar, as saying that internet services have been suspended across the Valley as part of a series of precautionary curbs.

Pakistan Prime Minister called Geelani a “Kashmiri freedom fighter”, and announced, “The Pakistan flag will fly at half-mast and we will observe a day of official mourning.”

Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the Islamist who pushed hundreds of Kashmiri Muslims into jihadi terrorism for the sake of Pakistan, is dead. He was responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Kashmir. He will go down in history as a loser jihadi, whom Pakistan eventually dumped.

— Aarti Tikoo Singh (@AartiTikoo) September 1, 2021

His body will now be taken to his ancestral village in Sopore for burial, family sources said and he would be remembered as the leader who incited the young to take arms against the state while his family enjoyed all the privileges.

Geelani’s death comes at a time when the Centre is contemplating a ban on both factions of the Hurriyat which will be the second most important decision after the abrogation of article 370. 

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During a news broadcast, one of the leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has admitted to the Pakistan military’s close ties with the Taliban and how the Taliban will get in Kashmir.

During an on-air television show, Neelam Irshad Sheikh, a senior leader of the Imran Khan-led PTI government, openly admitted the Pakistan military’s close ties with the Taliban. He added that the Taliban will win Kashmir and hand it over to Pakistan.

“The Taliban are saying that they are with us and they will help us in Kashmir,” Sheikh said during the show.

Pak PM Imran Khan’s close aide & his party spokeswoman Neelam Irshad Sheikh saying-“Taliban has agreed to support Pak Army to liberate Kashmir” @ImranKhanPTI Kashmir is little far ..before that Taliban will break Pakistan.@OfficialDGISPR Why don’t you try to liberate Kashmir pic.twitter.com/ojVrMAtkvr

— Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) August 24, 2021

The news host, alarmed by the PTI leader’s statement, said, “Do you realise what you’ve said, Madam? You are completely unaware of what you have said. For God’s sake ma’am, this show will be broadcast all over the world. In India, this will be seen.”

However, Sheikh was unconcerned of any blowback and continued, “Taliban will help us because they have been mistreated.”

The elected Afghan government has always maintained that Pakistan and its intelligence arm have supported the Taliban by providing them with sanctuary, training, and logistics support.

It must also be noted that Imran Khan – popularly known as ‘Taliban’ Khan – said that the Taliban have broken the “shackles of slavery” when it captured Kabul last week. 

When the Taliban took power in 1996, Pakistan along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recognised this puritanical Islamic regime and gave aid and support. However, a lot has changed in the last twenty years and it remains to be seen how the oil-rich Arab kingdom and the Emirates deal with the new regime in Afghanistan.

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