At least three people were killed and six others injured when security forces opened fire on protesters during clashes with paramilitary Rangers in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s capital Muzaffarabad which has been rocked by protests against high prices of wheat flour and inflated electricity bills, a media report said on May 14

The paramilitary Rangers, which were called in to maintain law and order in the disputed region, came under attack while moving out of the region, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Instead of exiting via Brarkot, the village bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the 19-vehicle convoy, including five trucks, chose to exit the region from Kohala, it said.

As the convoy reached Muzaffarabad in a “charged atmosphere”, it was pelted with rocks near Shorran da Nakka village, to which they responded with teargas and firing, the report said.

After entering the city through the Western Bypass, the Rangers were welcomed with rocks again, prompting them to use teargas and bullets. The shelling was so intense that the entire neighbourhood reeled from it, the report said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on May 13 approved a Pakistani rupee 23 billion subsidy for immediate release to the region after the negotiations between the protesters and the regional Government ended in a deadlock.

However, the Government’s decision to dole out the subsidy failed to pacify the region, the report said.

The disputed region also witnessed clashes on May 11 between the police and activists of a rights movement, leaving at least one police officer dead and injuring over 100 people, mostly Policemen. A complete strike has also been observed in the territory since May 10, bringing life to a halt.

Shortly before the violence, Prime Minister Sharif and the disputed region’s ‘Prime Minister’ Anwarul Haq after a meeting had approved the release of Pakistani Rs 23 billion for the region on account of power and wheat subsidies.

The subsidised rate for 40kg flour will be Pakistani Rs 2,000, down from Pakistani Rs 3,100. The electricity tariff was reduced to Pakistani Rs 3, Rs 5 and Rs 6 per unit for up to 100, 300, and more than 300 units, respectively, the Dawn reported.

The protest is led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has traders at the forefront in most parts of the region, who have been seeking the provision of electricity as per hydropower generation cost in the region, subsidised wheat flour and an end to the privileges of the elite class.

A long march led by the JAAC left for Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK, on May 13 as the wheel-jam strike entered its fourth day.

The movement announced its march on Muzaffarabad after the talks between the JAAC core committee and Chief Secretary of the region Dawood Bareach ended in a stalemate.

Expressing deep concern over the violent clashes between the Police and the protesters, Prime Minister Sharif on May 12 said that there should be “absolutely no tolerance for taking the law into one’s own hands”.

“I urge all parties to resort to a peaceful course of action for resolution of their demands. Despite the best efforts of detractors, the matter will hopefully be settled soon,” he said.

As part of his efforts to calm down tensions, President Asif Ali Zardari urged all the stakeholders to exercise restraint and resolve the issues through dialogue and mutual consultation.

The Congress today distanced itself from senior party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s remarks that India should respect Pakistan so that they don’t drop an atom bomb on us.

“Indian National Congress dissociates itself completely from and disagrees totally with  some remarks made by Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar few months back which have been revived today by the BJP in its attempt to deflect attention from Prime Minister Modi’s daily goof ups,” Pawan Khera said in a post on X.

“Mr Aiyer does not speak for the party in any capacity whatsoever,” Mr Khera added.

Indian National Congress dissociates itself completely from and disagrees totally with some remarks made by Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar few months back which have been revived today by the BJP in its attempt to deflect attention from Prime Minister Modi’s daily goof ups. Mr Aiyer… pic.twitter.com/MQAPR0MXfx

— Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) May 10, 2024

Earlier today, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked Mr Aiyar over his remarks on India-Pakistan ties. BJP leaders said that Mr Aiyar’s remarks that India should be scared of Pakistan reflected “Congress’s ideology”.

In an interview that has gone now gone viral, Mr Aiyar says, “India should give respect to Pakistan as it has an atom bomb! If we don’t give them respect, they’ll think of using an atom bomb against India.”

He indicated in the video that if a “mad person” comes to power there and uses the atom bomb, it will not be good for us.

“You should talk to them. But instead, we are flexing our military might. And this is just increasing the tensions. And they have atom bombs. What happens if a ‘madman’ decided to launch bombs (at India),” he said.

New Delhi:

Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has come under fire after he said that India should engage in dialogue with Pakistan or the country could end up paying a heavy price. Mr Aiyar said that Pakistan has nuclear bombs which they could drop on India if our governments irked them.

“You should talk to them. But instead, we are flexing our military might. And this is just increasing the tensions. And they have atom bombs. What happens if a ‘madman’ decided to launch bombs (at India),” he said.  

“We have them too, but if a ‘madman’ decides to drop a bomb on Lahore, it won’t take 8 seconds for the radiation to reach Amritsar,” he added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has attacked Mr Aiyar for his remarks saying that this reflects the Congress’s “ideology” for India.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar, sharing the video on X, said “Rahul’s Cong “idealogy” is fully visible in these elections. Support to and from Pakistan including offrng to give up Siachen. Dividing people, Lies, Abuse and fake guarantees to mislead poor and vulnerable (sic).”

Rahuls Cong “idealogy” is fully visible in these elections

Support to and from Pakistan incldg offrng to give up Siachen
Support to and from domestic terror-linked organizations and people like SDPI, Yasin Malik
Rampant Corruption and loot of money meant for poor… pic.twitter.com/UABONLzNFN

— Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Modiyude Kutumbam) (@Rajeev_GoI) May 10, 2024

BJP leader and Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan also took a jibe at Mr Aiyar, saying that the Congress leader should get treated somewhere as Pakistan is currently struggling for food.

“At this time Pakistan is collecting foodgrains for itself. They are facing a food crisis…Mani Shankar Aiyar should get himself treated somewhere. This is not the India of Congress. Now, India is very powerful. This is the India of PM Modi,” Mr Kishan said.

The Congress leader’s remarks come just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other top BJP leaders warned that Indian forces would enter Pakistan to kill any terrorist who escapes.

“During the Congress regime, the news headlines were about India handing over another dossier to Pakistan about terror activities. It used to be big news. Today, India doesn’t send dossiers. Aaj Bharat ghar mein ghus ke marta hai (Today, India eliminates terrorists on their home turf),” PM Modi said at an election rally in Maharashtra’s Latur.

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj speaks at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting
| Photo Credit: ANI

In a sharp retort, India has said Pakistan harbours a “most dubious track record” on all aspects, as it slammed “destructive and pernicious” remarks made by Islamabad’s envoy in the U.N. General Assembly here.

India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj’s stern response came after Pakistan’s U.N. envoy Munir Akram made lengthy remarks against India, including references to Kashmir, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, during his address to the U.N. General Assembly meeting on ‘Culture of Peace.’

“One final point…in this Assembly, as we endeavour to cultivate a culture of peace amid these challenging times, our focus remains steadfast on constructive dialogue. We thus choose to set aside the remarks from a certain delegation, which not only lack decorum but also detract from our collective efforts due to their destructive and pernicious nature,” Ms. Kamboj said on Thursday.

“We would strongly encourage that delegation to align with the central principles of respect and diplomacy that must always guide our discussions. Or is that too much to ask of a country that harbours a most dubious track record on all aspects in itself?” she said.

Ms. Kamboj asserted that terrorism stands in direct opposition to the culture of peace and the core teachings of all religions, which advocate compassion, understanding and coexistence.

“It sows discord, breeds hostility and undermines the universal values of respect and harmony that underpin cultural and religious traditions worldwide. It is essential for Member States to work together actively to nurture a genuine culture of peace and to view the world as a united family, as my country strongly believes,” she said.

Ms. Kamboj further said that the world faces significant challenges from geopolitical tensions and uneven development. “The growing intolerance, discrimination and violence based on religion or belief indeed demand our urgent attention,” she said.

“We are particularly concerned by the escalating attacks on sacred sites, including churches, monasteries, gurudwaras, mosques, temples and synagogues,” she said, adding that such acts require a swift and united response from the global community.

“It is crucial that our discussions therefore forthrightly address these issues, resisting political expediencies. We must tackle these challenges directly and ensure that they are central to our policy, dialogues and international engagements,” she said.

Ms. Kamboj told the UNGA meeting that the doctrine of Ahimsa championed by Mahatma Gandhi continues to be a bedrock of India’s commitment to peace.

“India is not only the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, but also a stronghold for Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism. It has historically been a refuge for persecuted faiths, illustrating its long-standing embrace of diversity,” she said.

“With its remarkable religious and linguistic diversity, India’s cultural mosaic is a testament to tolerance and coexistence. Festivals such as Diwali, Eid, Christmas and Nowruz transcend religious boundaries, celebrating shared joys among diverse communities,” Ms. Kamboj added.

India commended Bangladesh for presenting the resolution ‘Follow-up to the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace’, which Delhi “proudly” co-sponsored.

India abstained in the U.N. General Assembly on a draft resolution introduced by Pakistan and co-sponsored by China on Islamophobia, asserting that the prevalence of “religiophobia” against Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and other faiths facing violence and discrimination must also be acknowledged rather than singling out just one religion.

The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution ‘Measures to combat Islamophobia’, introduced by Pakistan on Friday, with 115 nations voting in favour, none against and 44 abstentions, including India, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and the U.K.

India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj voiced condemnation of all acts motivated by anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia but asserted that it is crucial to acknowledge that such phobias extend beyond Abrahamic religions.

“Clear evidence shows that over decades, followers of non-Abrahamic religions have also been affected by religiophobia. This has led to the emergence of contemporary forms of religiophobia, particularly anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist and anti-Sikh sentiments,” she said, in an explanation of India’s position on the resolution.

India stressed that the adoption of the resolution should not establish a precedent that could result in numerous resolutions centred on phobias tied to specific religions, “potentially dividing the United Nations into religious camps.” “It is crucial for the U.N. to maintain its stance above such religious concerns, which have the potential to fragment us rather than unite us under the banner of peace and harmony, embracing the world as one global family,” Ms. Kamboj said.

India called on all member states to consider the broader scope of religious discrimination that persists globally.

“While the issue of Islamophobia is undoubtedly significant, we must acknowledge that other religions are also facing discrimination and violence. Allocating resources solely to combat Islamophobia, while neglecting similar challenges faced by other faiths, might inadvertently perpetuate a sense of exclusion and inequality,” she said.

Ms. Kamboj told the U.N. General Assembly that “it is crucial to recognise” that Hinduism, with over 1.2 billion followers, Buddhism with more than 535 million and Sikhism with over 30 million followers worldwide, are all subject to religiophobia.

“It is time that we acknowledge the prevalence of religiophobia, rather than single out just one,” she said.

Ms. Kamboj said the contemporary forms of religiophobia are evident in the increasing attacks on religious places of worship such as gurudwaras, monasteries and temples, as well as the spreading of hatred and disinformation against non-Abrahamic religions in many countries.

“The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, violations of gurudwara premises, massacres of Sikh pilgrims in gurudwaras, attacks on temples, and the glorification of breaking idols in temples all contribute to the rise of contemporary forms of religiophobia against non-Abrahamic religions,” she said.

The destruction of the giant Buddha statues of Bamiyan in Afghanistan by the Taliban in March 2001 led to global condemnation.

Ms. Kamboj underlined that India stands against all forms of religiophobia, be it antisemitism, Christianophobia, or Islamophobia, as “we stand against all anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist, and anti-Sikh sentiments.”

The resolution condemned the incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence against Muslims as manifested in the increasing number of incidents of desecration of their holy book, attacks on mosques, sites and shrines and other acts of religious intolerance, negative stereotyping, hatred and violence against Muslims.

It also requested U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to appoint a United Nations Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia.

India said it “in principle” is opposed to the creation of the post of a Special Envoy on the basis of a single religion, she said.

Ms. Kamboj pointed out that the substantial budgetary implications of establishing such a position “prompt us to pause and reflect on whether this is the most effective use of resources. Could we not achieve greater impact through a more inclusive approach that addresses religious discrimination in its entirety?”

She underscored that India’s rich history as a pluralistic and democratic nation, embracing diverse religions, has long served as a refuge for those persecuted for their faith.

“Whether Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Jews, or adherents of any other belief, they have consistently found in India a sanctuary free from persecution or discrimination,” she said.

Prior to adopting the resolution, the Assembly rejected two amendments to the draft introduced by Belgium on behalf of the EU. India voted in favour of both the amendments.

One amendment proposed changes in the resolution’s language to remove references to the desecration of the Quran.

The other amendment would have called for the appointment of a “United Nations focal point, within existing structures and resources, to combat anti-Muslim discrimination” instead of a U.N. special envoy.

The General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2022 proclaiming March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia in the wake of the 2019 mass shootings in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand that had killed over 50 people.

In his remarks to mark the day, Mr. Guterres said that around the world, there is a rising tide of anti-Muslim hate and bigotry in many forms such as structural and systemic discrimination, unequal immigration policies, unwarranted surveillance and profiling and restrictions in accessing citizenship, education, employment and justice.

The U.N. chief also voiced concern over “supremacist ideologies and attacks” against Jews, minority Christian communities and many others. “Hatred of one group fuels hatred of another. Hate normalises hate. Hate destroys the fabric of our societies,” he said.

The Security Council meets to talk about the situation in the Middle East at United Nations headquarters on October 24, 2023
| Photo Credit: AP

India has said it will treat a reference by Pakistan to Kashmir during a Security Council meeting on the Israel-Gaza situation with the contempt it deserves and will not dignify it with a response.

The remarks by India’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the UN, Ambassador R. Ravindra, came on Tuesday after Pakistan’s UN envoy Munir Akram made reference to Kashmir at the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

“Before I end, there was a remark of habitual nature by one delegation referring to Union Territories that are integral and inalienable parts of my country,” Mr. Ravindra said.

“I would treat these remarks with contempt they deserve and not dignify them with a response in the interest of time,” Mr. Ravindra said.

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Security Council meeting that all acts of terrorism are unlawful and unjustifiable, whether they are carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan-based terror outfit, or by Hamas, targeting people in Mumbai or Kibbutz Beeri.

“We must affirm the right of any nation to defend itself and to prevent such horror from repeating itself. No member of this Council, no nation in this entire body could or would tolerate the slaughter of its people,” Mr. Blinken said.

“As this Council and the U.N. General Assembly have repeatedly affirmed, all acts of terrorism are unlawful and unjustifiable. They’re unlawful and unjustifiable, whether they target people in Nairobi or Bali… Istanbul or Mumbai, in New York or Kibbutz Be’eri,” Blinken told the UN Security Council.

“They are unlawful and unjustifiable whether they’re carried out by ISIS, by Boko Haram, by Al Shabaab, by Lashkar-e-Taiba or by Hamas. They are unlawful and unjustifiable whether victims are targeted for their faith, their ethnicity, their nationality or any other reason,” Mr. Blinken said.

He stressed that the Security Council has a responsibility to denounce member states that arm, fund and train Hamas or “any other terrorist group that carries out such horrific acts.”

Mr. Blinken’s remarks appeared to make a reference to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks carried out by Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.

A Pakistani national was apprehended after he crossed the International Border and entered Indian territory in the area falling near village Gajni Wala in Punjab, a Border Security Force official said on Sunday.

The apprehended Pakistani national had crossed over to the Indian territory inadvertently and nothing objectionable was recovered from him, the official said.

The BSF personnel approached the Pakistan Rangers and lodged a strong protest in his regard.

The apprehended Pakistan national was later handed over to the Pakistan Rangers on humanitarian grounds, said the official.

India raised its concerns with the U.S. over American envoy to Islamabad Donald Blome’s recent visit to Gilgit-Baltistan in PoK. File photo of External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi
| Photo Credit: PTI

India on Thursday said it raised its concerns with the U.S. over American envoy to Islamabad Donald Blome’s recent visit to Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and called on the world community to respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

He also rejected U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti drawing a parallel to Mr. Blome’s travel to Gilgit-Baltistan to an American delegation’s visit to Srinagar to attend meetings relating to G-20.

“Our position on the entire Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir being an integral part of India is well known. We would urge the international community to respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Mr. Bagchi said when asked about Mr. Blome’s visit.

“We have raised our concerns about that visit by the US ambassador to Pakistan with the U.S. side,” he said.

Mr. Blome visited Gilgit-Baltistan last month.

Asked about Mr. Garcetti’s comments on the matter, Mr. Bagchi said: “We do not think the two situations are equivalent.” In October last year too, India raised its concerns with the U.S. after Mr. Blome visited Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

When asked about Mr. Blome’s visit, Mr. Garcetti said two weeks ago: “It’s not my place to react to the United States ambassador in Pakistan but I know he’s been before, and we’ve had obviously part of our delegation in Jammu and Kashmir during the G-20 as well.” He also said that the Kashmir issue can only be resolved by India and Pakistan.