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Afghan refugees in Pakistan given one month ultimate

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Pakistan announced a one month ultimatum to the foreigners and immigrants residing in the country unlawfully to leave, otherwise action will be taken against them after the time limit.

Pakistan’s Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti in a press conference said that November 1 is the deadline for the illegal aliens to leave the country voluntarily.

The presser comes following an apex committee meeting on the National Action Plan (NAP) where caretaker Prime Minister chaired the meeting to handle the issue of illegal migrants.

The decision comes as Pakistan hosts over 1.7 million Afghans who fled violence in Afghanistan which are not under a mass deportation.

As of the end of 2022, Pakistan hosted more than 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees and 427,000 people in “refugee-like situations” from Afghanistan, according to the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

Even before the announcement, the presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan has long been controversial with police crackdowns and threat of deportation has always been there. Pakistan had already deported hundreds of Afghans this year.

Federal Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti along with Balochistan Interim Minister Information Jan Muhammad Achakzai addressing press conference regarding Mastung blast. (APP)

There is a claim that Afghan refugees were involved in terrorist attacks. Bugti said that Afghan nationals had carried out 14 of the 24 terrorist attacks in Pakistan this year.

Afghan nationals were involved in terrorist attacks in Pakistan

“We have evidence that Afghan nationals were involved in attacks,” Bugti said, but did not specify what kind of evidence he has.

The saddened decision to deport Afghans came days after at least 60 people were killed and dozens more wounded in a deadly suicide blast in Balochistan’s Mastung district.

At least 271 militant attacks took place during the first half of 2023, according to a statistical report released by the independent think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS),

At least 389 people lost their lives in these attacks and 656 others received injuries. It also showed that terror activities in Pakistan had surged by 79 percent during this period.

Due to a surge in insurgency, Bugti warned the illegal immigrants to quit Pakistan by November first or face forcible expulsion.

Taliban says Afghans were not involved in any terrorist attacks

However, the government of Afghanistan has strongly rejected the news and said that Afghans were not involved in any terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

The behavior of Pakistan against Afghan refugees is unacceptable, said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

“The behavior of Pakistan against Afghan refugees is unacceptable. The Pakistani side should reconsider its plan. Afghan refugees are not involved in Pakistan’s security problems. As long as they leave Pakistan voluntarily, that country should tolerate them,” Mujahid added.

Meanwhile, Taliban Defense Minister, Yaqoob Mujahid also called Pakistan’s decision regarding the expulsion of Afghan refugees “inhumane, unfair and barbaric.”

Speaking during the 14th graduation ceremony of the Police Academy on Thursday in Kabul, Yaqboob said that the decision will impact the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Taliban Defense Minister called on Pakistan to stop deportation

Yaqoob called the people of Pakistan, religious scholars and political figures to come forward and stop the forceful deportation of Afghan refugees.

He also called on the United Nations to stop this brutal activity of Pakistani authorities and ensure human rights.

Afghan Interim Government’s Defence Minister, Mullah Yaqub Mujahid

At the same time, Yaqoob called on the Afghan businessmen to stop business in Pakistan and transfer their assets back to Afghanistan.

Amnesty International had already raised concerns over the “arbitrary detentions,” and the deportation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

According to Amnesty International, these refugees who fled to Pakistan due to fear of persecution by the Taliban, are being subjected to waves of arbitrary detentions, arrests, and the threat of deportation.

Afghan refugees are caught in an impossible situation

“Afghan refugees are caught in an impossible situation, unable to return home or live permanently in Pakistan,” the organization said.

It also called on the Pakistani government to stop the arbitrary arresting and harassing of Afghan refugees.

In light of the Taliban’s assumption of power on 15 August 2021, the UNHCR has issued a non-return advisory for Afghans residing outside their homeland.

Over 3.7 million Afghans are in Pakistan, having fled Afghanistan for both economic and political reasons, with only 1.4 million of them holding formal registrations, according to the UNHCR.

Minister Bugti also announced that all illegal properties and businesses being run by the illegal foreign nationals will be seized after the expiry of the deadline.

Action will be taken against Pakistani nationals working with foreign nationals

Bugti also warned to take legal action against Pakistani nationals as well who are engaged in illegal business activities with these illegal foreign nationals.

Pakistan authorities also said that they have taken this decision to improve the safety of the Pakistani people, where Bugti said that the law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies would launch a crackdown against the people having illegal Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) and confiscate properties of the aliens.

“The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has been directed to ensure cancellation of fake CNICs immediately.”

Moreover, Pakistan also alleged that militants using Afghanistan soil to train fighters and plan attacks inside Pakistan, a charge Kabul had strongly denied and called security a domestic issue of Pakistan.

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Taliban denies Pakistan claims Jaffar Express “terrorists” were in contact with leaders in Afghanistan

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The recent attack on the Jafar Express passenger train in the Pakistani province of Balochistan by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has sparked a number of reactions, including strong condemnation from the National Resistance Front and some Afghan jihadi organizations. Many people asked for designation of the BLA as a terrorist group.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said that “India has been involved in terrorism. In the particular attack on Jaffar Express, the terrorists had been in contact with their handlers and ring leaders in Afghanistan.” The statement came a day after the rescue operation for the Jaffar Express attack was completed and all the 33 BLA fighters, who hijacked the Jaffar Express which was carrying over 400 passengers, were killed.

The Pakistani military said that 21 passengers have been killed and the remaining hostages have been freed. And also, four Pakistani security forces killed during the rescue operation in the Mushqaf area of the Bolan district.

Shafqat Ali Khan added that “the terrorists have safe havens in Afghanistan, and Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan interim government to prevent groups like the BLA from using its soil for terrorism.”

Pakistani Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the Jaffar Express incident changed the rules of the game.

“Whoever did this will be hunted down and brought to justice,” he said, adding that the terrorists had nothing to do with Islam, Pakistan and Balochistan. In a statement, the ISPR said that intelligence reports have unequivocally confirmed that the attack was orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from Afghanistan, who were in direct communication with the terrorists throughout the incident.

Taliban urges Pakistan to restrain from irresponsible statement rather resolve their own security issues.

The Taliban Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Abdul Qahar Balki asked Pakistan to refrain from giving irresponsible remarks and instead focus on the security situation and internal issues of the country.

“We categorically reject baseless allegations by a Pakistani army spokesman linking the attack on a passenger train in Balochistan province with Afghanistan, and urge the Pakistani side to focus on resolving their own security and internal problems instead of such irresponsible remarks,” Balkhi added.

Balkhi furthered that “no members of Balouch opposition have presence in Afghanistan, nor have they ever had or have any links with the Islamic Emirate.”

He expressed his saddened by the loss of life of innocents in the incident, lamenting that “sacrificing civilians for political objectives is unjustifiable”.

Baloch struggle against injustices.

The incident came despite the fact that the Baloch struggle against injustices by the Pakistani military began in 1948. These struggles are in response to systematic discrimination, political marginalization, the “kill and dump” policy, and the unjust exploitation of Balochistan’s natural resources.

Given these facts, a fundamental question arises: What is the difference between the oppression of the Pakistani military against the Baloch and the oppression of the same military’s proxy forces in the form of the Taliban against the people of Afghanistan?

“What difference should there be between the BLA and those who have condemned it, to call one a terrorist group and consider themselves legitimate fighters, while both groups have resorted to armed resistance in response to injustice and oppression,” Rahmatullah Nabil former Afghan spy head said.

It seems that condemning the Baloch freedom movement indicates a double policy that can add to the distrust of the narrative of the struggle of these movements. “I think it is essential to address such issues by paying attention to the historical and social roots of the conflicts and responding to them with a fair and impartial approach.”

 

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Premier Li calls for accelerated efforts to meet China’s economic goals

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang has urged officials to do their utmost in the race to achieve key targets, such as maintaining an economic growth rate of around 5%, as set out in the “two sessions” held last week.

“We must improve measures and accelerate their implementation, race against time amidst various uncertainties, and work quickly and proactively,” Li said on Wednesday at a State Council meeting, one day after the conclusion of the annual meetings of China’s top legislative and advisory bodies.

As Beijing outlined a series of policies to boost growth in the face of economic headwinds, Li called on all state institutions to “take the initiative to fulfill their responsibilities and take more positive steps to complete their tasks.”

Although Chinese leaders emphasized their confidence in the future of the world’s second-largest economy, they also highlighted ongoing challenges such as weak domestic demand and intensifying trade frictions with the US during the two sessions.

According to a summary of Wednesday’s meeting reported by Xinhua, Li asked officials to “closely monitor changes in the situation and make good policy preparations to ensure they can be launched in a timely manner and deliver results as soon as possible.”

In his work report last week, Li emphasized that China’s growth target of around 5% for 2025 underscored the leadership’s determination to tackle challenges and achieve results.

While China announced further fiscal stimulus measures during the two sessions, following a package in the last quarter of 2024, it faces uncertainties not only domestically but also externally, particularly due to the trade war with US President Donald Trump.

At Wednesday’s State Council meeting, a work plan was discussed and adopted that clarified the division of key tasks for this year among different departments and emphasized inter-departmental coordination.

According to a separate meeting held by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on the same day, these tasks include expanding the scale of 5G telecom technology applications and accelerating the development of 6G.

Li Lecheng, the Party Secretary of the Ministry, pledged to continue efforts to upgrade traditional industries, accelerate the digitalization and green transformation of the manufacturing sector, and accelerate the application of artificial intelligence, especially in areas such as electric vehicles, the low-altitude economy, and biomanufacturing.

According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, 1.664 million electric bicycles were sold and replaced nationwide from January 1 to Tuesday, accounting for 120.4% of the total number in 2024.

Meanwhile, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, a leading state-owned bank, pledged on Wednesday to provide at least 6 trillion yuan (829.2 billion US dollars) in financing to private enterprises over the next three years, Xinhua reported.

Bank Chairman Liao Lin said at an event in Beijing that the aim was to “support businesses to stick to their core businesses” and “help the economy continue to recover and improve.”

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Zhao Leji misses key political meetings, citing respiratory infection

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For the first time in recent history, the head of China’s top legislature was absent from the closing of the parliamentary meeting known as the “two sessions” on Tuesday.

Zhao Leji, 68, the third-ranking official and chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC), was unable to attend due to a “respiratory infection,” according to his deputy, Li Hongzhong, who presided over the closing ceremony.

Zhao last appeared in public on Saturday at the first meeting of the NPC presidium.

For the first time in decades, not all members of the Politburo Standing Committee attended the closing meeting of the NPC.

However, Zhao’s name was mentioned when Li announced the voting results of the NPC’s annual work report.

“The deputies of the NPC listened to and reviewed the work report presented by Chairman Zhao Leji on behalf of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. The session fully approved the work of the Standing Committee over the past year, agreed with the tasks proposed in the report for the coming year, and decided to approve the report,” Li said.

According to Li, the work report was approved by an overwhelming majority.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang both appeared relieved as they left the stage after the ceremony concluded.

For the first time since the pandemic, Covid-19 tests were not required to attend the two sessions.

Zhao was also absent from the closing of the annual session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on Monday, which was attended by the other six members of the Politburo Standing Committee, including President Xi.

Since the 1980s, it has become a political norm for all top leaders of the ruling party to attend the opening and closing ceremonies of the annual NPC and CPPCC sessions as a political endorsement of the national legislative and political advisory sessions.

The annual event also serves as a platform for party and government leaders to hear the views of non-party Chinese elites on China’s most pressing issues.

In addition to missing the closing of the CPPCC, Zhao also did not attend two meetings of the NPC’s presidium on Monday, which are usually overseen by the NPC chairman. Instead, state news agency Xinhua said that NPC Vice Chairman Li Hongzhong was “entrusted by Zhao Leji” to preside over the two meetings.

At the meeting where Zhao last appeared in public on March 8 at the NPC presidium, it was decided to submit the draft decision on the amendment of the Deputies Law and the draft revisions to the government work report and the central and local government budgets to the NPC for consideration.

Zhao, who was promoted to the Politburo Standing Committee in 2017, served as secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the party’s top anti-corruption and political discipline body, until 2022, succeeding Wang Qishan.

At the 20th Party Congress in 2022, he was reappointed to the Politburo Standing Committee, becoming the third-ranking member. In March 2023, he was appointed chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, succeeding Li Zhanshu.

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