Archive For The “General” Category
Srinagar, Oct 8 : One person was killed in CRPF firing after the vehicle he was travelling in jumped the 'naka' and did'nt stop at Monghal bridge in South Kashmir's Anantnag district on Thursday, officials said.
Police said troops fired in self-defence in which one person was killed.
"A naka was established by 40 Bn CRPF at Monghal Bridge.
A suspected vehicle without number was signalled to stop by the naka party, however, it rushed towards the naka party.
It was then challenged by the on duty troops," police said.
"Troops fired upon in self-defence in which one person died.
But the driver of the vehicle managed to escape from the spot. Identification and credentials of the deceased person is being verified. Investigation is going on."
--IANS
zi/shs.
Source: IANS
Police said troops fired in self-defence in which one person was killed.
"A naka was established by 40 Bn CRPF at Monghal Bridge.
A suspected vehicle without number was signalled to stop by the naka party, however, it rushed towards the naka party.
It was then challenged by the on duty troops," police said.
"Troops fired upon in self-defence in which one person died.
But the driver of the vehicle managed to escape from the spot. Identification and credentials of the deceased person is being verified. Investigation is going on."
--IANS
zi/shs.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 7 : China's military displayed some of its most advanced weaponry and equipment during the country's largest airshow concluded recently.
Air show China was held in the southern city of Zhuhai after a year-long delay as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The six-day event showcased China's home-grown aviation and space technologies, amid growing strategic rivalry in the Asia Pacific.
The air show attracted nearly 40 countries and nearly 700 exhibitors online and offline exhibition sites signed more than (Dollar) 12.5 billion of the cooperation agreement, clinching a deal with various types of 159 aircraft as claimed by China.
More than 100 aircraft registered for display as China shows off its military might and its space ambitions, including a next-generation crewed rocket and heavy-lift launch vehicle.
The whole pedigree of land, sea and sky weapon systems were on display from stealth aircraft, missiles to rockets.
While the J-20, the air forces' most advanced fighter jet was on full display, the J-16D military aircraft designed to counter enemy air-defence systems and equipped with signal jammers and missiles also made its debut.
A new generation of H-20 stealth bombers also debuted. The J-16D has two large electronic warfare pods on its wings, which will be used to disrupt and jam hostile electronic equipment, including radar and communications systems, the Global Times reported.
It also has a new avionics system and domestically-made engines.
The flying displays featured some products China wants to export, including the AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft, designed for fire-fighting and sea-rescue roles.
The most representative of the strength was the "Zhuhai-made" AG600 "Kunlong" large amphibious aircraft.
The AG600 on-site flight demonstration fully demonstrated the powerful fire-fighting ability.
A new series of drone products named Feihong, including an unmanned helicopter, loitering missiles and a new generation of stealth drones, will make their debut at the show.
The Wing Loong II, an armed drone similar to the American MQ-9 Reaper, has already been sold to customers including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan as China competes against Western rivals to increase military exports.
There were also more than 50 large-scale practical products and nearly 500 cutting-edge products were on physical display.
A series of radar, long-range UAVs, surveillance systems, emergency communication command vehicles and other major equipment were on display in the exhibition focusing on network security, digital services, defence electronics and other business areas of the latest innovation achievements.
China's ships for the first time exhibited models of warships and underwater weapons from aircraft carriers to submarines.
An array of radar systems were on display including low-altitude surveillance radar which can simultaneously detect and track low-altitude cruise missiles, fighters, small and medium-sized and micro-small UAVs, with high detection power and multi-task ability, the position environment has strong adaptability, high tracking data rate, and a high degree of automation.
The New Mobile UHF anti-stealth air defence warning radar made its debut.
Since the first session was held in 1996, the China International Aerospace Expo (the Zhuhai Air Show) has gone through 25 years.
From being unnamed to being among the top five in the world, the Zhuhai Air Show has become a window to show the world the achievements of China's aerospace and national defence modernization, as well as a platform for foreign cooperation and exchanges.
The AUKUS-Australia, United Kingdom and the United States recently announced a trilateral security pact for the region, including the provision of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, while the QUAD leaders met in person for the first time at the White House recently.
The QUAD includes the US, Australia, Japan and India and is seen as an effort to counter the rise of China, which has become increasingly assertive in the region, particularly in the disputed South China Sea and over Taiwan.
As China faces increasing threats from the West, it needs to improve its military-industrial, aviation and aerospace capabilities.
"Beijing is intent on not just pushing locally made military aircraft and aerospace technologies, but also its ability to address almost any military requirement out there," said Kelvin Wong, a Singapore-based defence technology analyst at Janes.
--IANS
pgh/.
Source: IANS
Air show China was held in the southern city of Zhuhai after a year-long delay as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The six-day event showcased China's home-grown aviation and space technologies, amid growing strategic rivalry in the Asia Pacific.
The air show attracted nearly 40 countries and nearly 700 exhibitors online and offline exhibition sites signed more than (Dollar) 12.5 billion of the cooperation agreement, clinching a deal with various types of 159 aircraft as claimed by China.
More than 100 aircraft registered for display as China shows off its military might and its space ambitions, including a next-generation crewed rocket and heavy-lift launch vehicle.
The whole pedigree of land, sea and sky weapon systems were on display from stealth aircraft, missiles to rockets.
While the J-20, the air forces' most advanced fighter jet was on full display, the J-16D military aircraft designed to counter enemy air-defence systems and equipped with signal jammers and missiles also made its debut.
A new generation of H-20 stealth bombers also debuted. The J-16D has two large electronic warfare pods on its wings, which will be used to disrupt and jam hostile electronic equipment, including radar and communications systems, the Global Times reported.
It also has a new avionics system and domestically-made engines.
The flying displays featured some products China wants to export, including the AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft, designed for fire-fighting and sea-rescue roles.
The most representative of the strength was the "Zhuhai-made" AG600 "Kunlong" large amphibious aircraft.
The AG600 on-site flight demonstration fully demonstrated the powerful fire-fighting ability.
A new series of drone products named Feihong, including an unmanned helicopter, loitering missiles and a new generation of stealth drones, will make their debut at the show.
The Wing Loong II, an armed drone similar to the American MQ-9 Reaper, has already been sold to customers including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan as China competes against Western rivals to increase military exports.
There were also more than 50 large-scale practical products and nearly 500 cutting-edge products were on physical display.
A series of radar, long-range UAVs, surveillance systems, emergency communication command vehicles and other major equipment were on display in the exhibition focusing on network security, digital services, defence electronics and other business areas of the latest innovation achievements.
China's ships for the first time exhibited models of warships and underwater weapons from aircraft carriers to submarines.
An array of radar systems were on display including low-altitude surveillance radar which can simultaneously detect and track low-altitude cruise missiles, fighters, small and medium-sized and micro-small UAVs, with high detection power and multi-task ability, the position environment has strong adaptability, high tracking data rate, and a high degree of automation.
The New Mobile UHF anti-stealth air defence warning radar made its debut.
Since the first session was held in 1996, the China International Aerospace Expo (the Zhuhai Air Show) has gone through 25 years.
From being unnamed to being among the top five in the world, the Zhuhai Air Show has become a window to show the world the achievements of China's aerospace and national defence modernization, as well as a platform for foreign cooperation and exchanges.
The AUKUS-Australia, United Kingdom and the United States recently announced a trilateral security pact for the region, including the provision of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, while the QUAD leaders met in person for the first time at the White House recently.
The QUAD includes the US, Australia, Japan and India and is seen as an effort to counter the rise of China, which has become increasingly assertive in the region, particularly in the disputed South China Sea and over Taiwan.
As China faces increasing threats from the West, it needs to improve its military-industrial, aviation and aerospace capabilities.
"Beijing is intent on not just pushing locally made military aircraft and aerospace technologies, but also its ability to address almost any military requirement out there," said Kelvin Wong, a Singapore-based defence technology analyst at Janes.
--IANS
pgh/.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 7 : Vedanta Aluminium, Indias largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, has won 'Best in Future of Digital Infrastructure Award at the IDC Digital Transformation (DX) Summit India and Future Enterprise Awards 2021.
The prestigious IDC Future Enterprise Awards celebrate the tech-enabled resilience of enterprises, as they navigate through the challenges and disruptions of the digital economy in an ever-changing world.
Vedanta Aluminium has bagged this coveted award in the 'Best in Future of Digital Infrastructure' category for its Digital Smelter and Wi-Fi 6 projects, deployed in smelter and power operations respectively.
Vedanta is India's first, and the world's third, aluminium smelter to deploy digital-twin based Digital Smelter technology at its Jharsuguda plant, which is the world's largest single-location aluminium smelter.
It uses digital twin technology with predictive (and) prescriptive analytics, which allows for remote monitoring and control of potline operations, enhances energy efficiency, reduces raw material consumption, and arrests wastage of material through remote advisory system.
It processes historical information and real-time data to generate alerts and insights which are effectively used by the operation and maintenance teams.
It also uses machine learning algorithms to provide multiple outcomes such as pot health-related alerts, virtual-sensor based recommendations etc.
Speaking about the company's digital transformation endeavours, Rahul Sharma, CEO ? Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd., said: "We strive to make our operations future-ready by integrating best-in-class digital solutions, building in efficiencies to optimise costs and raw material consumption in our quest to become the world's leading producer of the 'green metal' aluminium.
"Vedanta Aluminium has implemented intelligent automation and digitalization at its the plants in a manner that is secure, available, accessible, replicable, and scalable, to produce high-quality aluminium, fuelling India's self-reliance and contributing to its socio-economic prosperity."
--IANS
san/ksk.
Source: IANS
The prestigious IDC Future Enterprise Awards celebrate the tech-enabled resilience of enterprises, as they navigate through the challenges and disruptions of the digital economy in an ever-changing world.
Vedanta Aluminium has bagged this coveted award in the 'Best in Future of Digital Infrastructure' category for its Digital Smelter and Wi-Fi 6 projects, deployed in smelter and power operations respectively.
Vedanta is India's first, and the world's third, aluminium smelter to deploy digital-twin based Digital Smelter technology at its Jharsuguda plant, which is the world's largest single-location aluminium smelter.
It uses digital twin technology with predictive (and) prescriptive analytics, which allows for remote monitoring and control of potline operations, enhances energy efficiency, reduces raw material consumption, and arrests wastage of material through remote advisory system.
It processes historical information and real-time data to generate alerts and insights which are effectively used by the operation and maintenance teams.
It also uses machine learning algorithms to provide multiple outcomes such as pot health-related alerts, virtual-sensor based recommendations etc.
Speaking about the company's digital transformation endeavours, Rahul Sharma, CEO ? Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd., said: "We strive to make our operations future-ready by integrating best-in-class digital solutions, building in efficiencies to optimise costs and raw material consumption in our quest to become the world's leading producer of the 'green metal' aluminium.
"Vedanta Aluminium has implemented intelligent automation and digitalization at its the plants in a manner that is secure, available, accessible, replicable, and scalable, to produce high-quality aluminium, fuelling India's self-reliance and contributing to its socio-economic prosperity."
--IANS
san/ksk.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, October 7: Even as anxiety among global investors rises with the mammoth default of Chinese real estate major Evergrande Group, Beijing has kept mum on whether or not it would bailout the behemoth.
Sources familiar with the development said that Chinese authorities could possibly look at extending the repayment deadlines for a part of the pending outstanding dues even as the country's banks and local governments have also been asked to prepare for the fall of Evergrande.
A foreign policy analyst added that Beijing's refusal to bailout Evergrande has a larger message to China's private sector-- that the government will not come to their rescue in case of defaults.
However, in this case, the problem for the Xi Jinping administration is that the real estate sector has shouldered China's economy for years and is used as an effective savings instrument by lakhs of citizens.
"The authorities could look at providing some kind of lease of time to Evergrande.
This will calm the nerves of the investors as well as home buyers," an insider told India Narrative. He added that the extended timeline for repayment will also facilitate Evergrande in completion of the projects," he added.
Real estate has always been a lucrative savings vehicle for the Chinese, especially as capital controls bar citizens' to invest abroad.
So the Evergrande case cannot be compared with any other defaulting company as this would involve large amounts of savings of the common people.
Gan Li, of Chengdu's Southwestern University of Finance and Economics told Bloomberg in 2018 that there was no other single country with such a high vacancy rate.
"Should any crack emerge in the property market, the homes to be offloaded will hit China like a flood," the news agency quoted Gan as saying.
Within weeks of Evergrande defaulting another Chinese real estate company Fantasia Holdings missed a (Dollar) 206 million bond payment deadline.
The Chinese real estate sector and its allied services account for about 30 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
Besides, according to the latest data, about 29 per cent of all bank loans are directed towards housing.
"Cracks in the real estate sector in China have been showing up for many years but the government chose not to address the problems.
Today the Evergrande problem is just the tip of the iceberg considering large chunk of bank lendings have also gone into the sector," DK Srivastava, EY's chief policy adviser told India Narrative.
"Any significant decline in real estate prices would lead not only to widespread disaffection, but also to a potentially significant pullback in consumption of other goods and services," former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund Kenneth Roghoff, who is currently serving as Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Harvard University wrote in an article published by Financial Review.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
--indianarrative.
Source: IANS
Sources familiar with the development said that Chinese authorities could possibly look at extending the repayment deadlines for a part of the pending outstanding dues even as the country's banks and local governments have also been asked to prepare for the fall of Evergrande.
A foreign policy analyst added that Beijing's refusal to bailout Evergrande has a larger message to China's private sector-- that the government will not come to their rescue in case of defaults.
However, in this case, the problem for the Xi Jinping administration is that the real estate sector has shouldered China's economy for years and is used as an effective savings instrument by lakhs of citizens.
"The authorities could look at providing some kind of lease of time to Evergrande.
This will calm the nerves of the investors as well as home buyers," an insider told India Narrative. He added that the extended timeline for repayment will also facilitate Evergrande in completion of the projects," he added.
Real estate has always been a lucrative savings vehicle for the Chinese, especially as capital controls bar citizens' to invest abroad.
So the Evergrande case cannot be compared with any other defaulting company as this would involve large amounts of savings of the common people.
Gan Li, of Chengdu's Southwestern University of Finance and Economics told Bloomberg in 2018 that there was no other single country with such a high vacancy rate.
"Should any crack emerge in the property market, the homes to be offloaded will hit China like a flood," the news agency quoted Gan as saying.
Within weeks of Evergrande defaulting another Chinese real estate company Fantasia Holdings missed a (Dollar) 206 million bond payment deadline.
The Chinese real estate sector and its allied services account for about 30 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
Besides, according to the latest data, about 29 per cent of all bank loans are directed towards housing.
"Cracks in the real estate sector in China have been showing up for many years but the government chose not to address the problems.
Today the Evergrande problem is just the tip of the iceberg considering large chunk of bank lendings have also gone into the sector," DK Srivastava, EY's chief policy adviser told India Narrative.
"Any significant decline in real estate prices would lead not only to widespread disaffection, but also to a potentially significant pullback in consumption of other goods and services," former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund Kenneth Roghoff, who is currently serving as Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Harvard University wrote in an article published by Financial Review.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
--indianarrative.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, October 7: More than 45 years after the Vietnam war ended in 1975, the country is still busy clearing thousands of unexploded bombs, mines and other kinds of ordnance.
Vietnam's central city of Da Nang destroyed more than three tons of unexploded mines and bombs in a four-day effort beginning October 01.
The Vietnamese defence forces located these unexploded ammunition that had remained buried for decades.
In a news report, the Vietnamnet.vn website says: "According to the engineering force of the Military Command of Da Nang City, these bombs and mines were buried for decades so they were all rusted and easy to explode".
Military engineers transported the bombs, mines and explosives to a different location--Dong Nghe training ground, to destroy them safely.
The leftover bombs have taken a big toll on Vietnamese lives.
More than 42,135 Vietnamese people have lost their lives and 62,163 have been injured between 1975 to 2000.
The country itself has spent millions of dollars every year to search and destroy the unexploded ammunition besides resettling the tens of thousands of victims.
Vietnamese estimates from 2002 say that 6.6 million hectares of land, or 21.12 per cent of the country, remains contaminated with unexploded ordinance.
Experts say that the US had literally rained bombs on Vietnam during its efforts to upstage the communist regime.
Besides bombs, the US had also sprayed Agent Orange over Vietnamese fields and forests in a bid to kill vegetation that would offer food and shelter to the Vietnamese forces.
The US too has been assisting Hanoi clear up the ordnance along with international organisations.
Vietnam asserts rights over disputed Spratly islands through its lighthouses
The Quad changes track in the Indo-Pacific?from security, moves to vaccines, supply chains and development
India has developed good relations with South East Asia to balance China.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
--indianarrative.
Source: IANS
Vietnam's central city of Da Nang destroyed more than three tons of unexploded mines and bombs in a four-day effort beginning October 01.
The Vietnamese defence forces located these unexploded ammunition that had remained buried for decades.
In a news report, the Vietnamnet.vn website says: "According to the engineering force of the Military Command of Da Nang City, these bombs and mines were buried for decades so they were all rusted and easy to explode".
Military engineers transported the bombs, mines and explosives to a different location--Dong Nghe training ground, to destroy them safely.
The leftover bombs have taken a big toll on Vietnamese lives.
More than 42,135 Vietnamese people have lost their lives and 62,163 have been injured between 1975 to 2000.
The country itself has spent millions of dollars every year to search and destroy the unexploded ammunition besides resettling the tens of thousands of victims.
Vietnamese estimates from 2002 say that 6.6 million hectares of land, or 21.12 per cent of the country, remains contaminated with unexploded ordinance.
Experts say that the US had literally rained bombs on Vietnam during its efforts to upstage the communist regime.
Besides bombs, the US had also sprayed Agent Orange over Vietnamese fields and forests in a bid to kill vegetation that would offer food and shelter to the Vietnamese forces.
The US too has been assisting Hanoi clear up the ordnance along with international organisations.
Vietnam asserts rights over disputed Spratly islands through its lighthouses
The Quad changes track in the Indo-Pacific?from security, moves to vaccines, supply chains and development
India has developed good relations with South East Asia to balance China.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
--indianarrative.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, October 7: Sindhs tallest leader Altaf Hussain endured all kinds of atrocities at the hands of Pakistan Army and ISI, yet he continues to fight for the rights of Mohajirs (migrants) and Sindhis.
In this interview with Vivek Sinha, Editor-in-Chief News Intervention the founder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain, says Sindh doesnt want to stay with Panjabi Pakistan anymore.
Altaf Hussain wants a separate Sindhudesh.
Vivek Sinha: Taliban has captured Afghanistan with active help from Pakistan Army and ISI.
How do you see Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and how will it affect the MQM's movement in Sindh?
Altaf Hussain: There is no doubt that without logistic, financial, military and intelligence sharing, Taliban could never ever have captured Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan.
Certainly, with regard to taking over Afghanistan, Taliban have strong connections with Pakistan Army and ISI and they would capture financial hub of Pakistan i.e.
Karachi too, where original MQM founded by me has more than 95% of the people not only in Karachi but also in other urban areas of Sindh.
We are also getting support from indigenous population that means people from the rural Sindh.
MQM is struggling harder to liberate Sindh from the occupation of Punjabi Army, their henchmen and their proxies.
MQM wants to make Sindh an independent and sovereign Sindhudesh. We don't want to stay with present Pakistan anymore. Even earlier, we fought with Taliban for several years and stopped Taliban from taking over Karachi. That was MQM. Nonetheless, we urgently need the support of all democratic nations of the world and international community, particularly from neighbouring India.
We are fully prepared and we will face them (Pakistanis) with full force to liberate Sindh and keep Karachi protected.
We will save Karachi and would never become part of Punjab or Pakistan or their federal territory.
Vivek Sinha: Will there be a rise in Islamic extremism across Sindh and other occupied territories of Pakistan in the near future?
Altaf Hussain: MQM is the only party that wiped out Jamaat-e Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e Pakistan (JUP), Muslim League (ML) and other right-winged parties.
Sindh is a land of secular people and MQM is the top secular political party and henceforth, MQM is fully determined not to let this secular land slip into the fangs of religious fanatics.
Vivek Sinha: Almost every month there are instances of Hindu and Christian girls being abducted and raped by radical Islamists in the Sindh province.
Why do think the world remains silent on these Pak Army-sponsored atrocities in Sindh?
Altaf Hussain: As far as the abduction of Hindu girls and women is concerned, MQM has always been very vocal, and is the only party that has always condemned these furious anti-human acts and deeds by religious fanatics.
It is our commitment to the international community that after getting independence, Sindhudesh would be a secular country.
There would be complete religious freedom and the non-Muslim communities would enjoy full freedom to celebrate and observe their rituals and festivals.
MQM would guarantee it at all cost. Unfortunately, it is very sad on the part of the international community to remain silent over this tyranny.
Vivek Sinha: MQM has had a long journey and the movement is built upon sacrifices of countless Mohajirs.
Despite this glorious past, MQM is still a struggling movement till today. What do you think is the reason?
Altaf Hussain: Because the military establishment of Pakistan persistently intervened in political system and affairs of political parties through blackmailing tactics and by offering lucrative positions and power sharing..so they also made efforts to make me tilt on their side, but to no avail. (Pakistan's) military establishment tried several times to take me on their side, but I have a different DNA which is not saleable.
That's why, in sheer frustration, they unleashed their wrath and played havoc on MQM through frequent deadliest military crackdowns.
They failed to buy me and then they switched to their Plan B and created factions within MQM.
Pakistan Army and ISI had created terrorists' gangs and named them as MQM HAQIQI, MQM-P and PSP, whereas the original MQM led by me has been banned and its offices bulldozed.
Even my house has been sealed. Thousands of MQM office bearers and activists were murdered in captivity and in fake encounters and as many have been thrown in the river (waters) without any lawful charge.
They tried everything, every trick in their book but they can't force the Mohajirs to move away from me.
We have lost 25,000 Mohajir youth and MQM workers at the hands of demonic Pak Army.
Vivek Sinha: During the glorious days of MQM there were people who could lay down (or take) lives for Altaf Hussain.
Yet today's scenario is slightly different. What is the reason for this political downfall?
Altaf Hussain: I don't agree that MQM has fallen down politically, but the actual scenario is totally different because every street, town and district is held hostage under guns of Pakistan Army and their law enforcement agencies (LEAs) like the Paramilitary Rangers and others.
After persistent assassinations, abductions and enforced disappearances of MQM office-bearers and workers, I asked my followers to observe unity under silence till our next strategic move.
Military has unlimited variety of weaponry and we are totally unarmed. You may guess as to how the unarmed may engage in fight with the heavily armed.
Vivek Sinha: There have been reports that your party/movement is in talks with the Pakistani regime through backchannels.
Is there any truth in these reports? Are you in touch with the Pakistani regime for the rights of Urdu speaking people in Sindh?
Altaf Hussain: I have already given the answer that covers all aspects of your question, the excesses and the genocide of Mohajirs by Pak Army.
We knocked at all the forums in the past and we are still approaching the international community for help.
No way, we are not engaged in any sort of backdoor negotiations with the military establishment and reports in that context are sheer rumours.
Vivek Sinha: Do you think that Mohajirs should also pick up guns and fight for their independence, like the Baloch brethren in Balochistan? Is there any organisational strategy towards this goal?
Altaf Hussain: I have already given the answer.
Vivek Sinha: What is your political resistance strategy to counter the international terrorist state Pakistan?
Altaf Hussain: We are doing what we can.
We are sending human intelligence based true and factual reports to all the corners of the world. We play a big part in war against terror. We are shoulder to shoulder with international democratic world.
Vivek Sinha: How would you motivate the oppressed Urdu speaking population against atrocities of Pakistan Army and the ISI?
Altaf Hussain: Each and every Mohajir is aware of the atrocities and barbarism of Pak army.
They suffered from irreparable loss in the form of murder of either one, two or three members of their family.
Even from my own family my elder brother Nasir Hussain and nephew Arif Hussain were arrested, tortured for three days and later on they were taken to one of the suburban areas of Karachi and were shot dead in cold blood.
And after murdering them, my nephew's head was axed into two pieces. Almost all Mohajirs are already motivated because of such brutal killings and waiting for the support of international, democratic world.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
--indianarrative.
Source: IANS
In this interview with Vivek Sinha, Editor-in-Chief News Intervention the founder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain, says Sindh doesnt want to stay with Panjabi Pakistan anymore.
Altaf Hussain wants a separate Sindhudesh.
Vivek Sinha: Taliban has captured Afghanistan with active help from Pakistan Army and ISI.
How do you see Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan and how will it affect the MQM's movement in Sindh?
Altaf Hussain: There is no doubt that without logistic, financial, military and intelligence sharing, Taliban could never ever have captured Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan.
Certainly, with regard to taking over Afghanistan, Taliban have strong connections with Pakistan Army and ISI and they would capture financial hub of Pakistan i.e.
Karachi too, where original MQM founded by me has more than 95% of the people not only in Karachi but also in other urban areas of Sindh.
We are also getting support from indigenous population that means people from the rural Sindh.
MQM is struggling harder to liberate Sindh from the occupation of Punjabi Army, their henchmen and their proxies.
MQM wants to make Sindh an independent and sovereign Sindhudesh. We don't want to stay with present Pakistan anymore. Even earlier, we fought with Taliban for several years and stopped Taliban from taking over Karachi. That was MQM. Nonetheless, we urgently need the support of all democratic nations of the world and international community, particularly from neighbouring India.
We are fully prepared and we will face them (Pakistanis) with full force to liberate Sindh and keep Karachi protected.
We will save Karachi and would never become part of Punjab or Pakistan or their federal territory.
Vivek Sinha: Will there be a rise in Islamic extremism across Sindh and other occupied territories of Pakistan in the near future?
Altaf Hussain: MQM is the only party that wiped out Jamaat-e Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e Pakistan (JUP), Muslim League (ML) and other right-winged parties.
Sindh is a land of secular people and MQM is the top secular political party and henceforth, MQM is fully determined not to let this secular land slip into the fangs of religious fanatics.
Vivek Sinha: Almost every month there are instances of Hindu and Christian girls being abducted and raped by radical Islamists in the Sindh province.
Why do think the world remains silent on these Pak Army-sponsored atrocities in Sindh?
Altaf Hussain: As far as the abduction of Hindu girls and women is concerned, MQM has always been very vocal, and is the only party that has always condemned these furious anti-human acts and deeds by religious fanatics.
It is our commitment to the international community that after getting independence, Sindhudesh would be a secular country.
There would be complete religious freedom and the non-Muslim communities would enjoy full freedom to celebrate and observe their rituals and festivals.
MQM would guarantee it at all cost. Unfortunately, it is very sad on the part of the international community to remain silent over this tyranny.
Vivek Sinha: MQM has had a long journey and the movement is built upon sacrifices of countless Mohajirs.
Despite this glorious past, MQM is still a struggling movement till today. What do you think is the reason?
Altaf Hussain: Because the military establishment of Pakistan persistently intervened in political system and affairs of political parties through blackmailing tactics and by offering lucrative positions and power sharing..so they also made efforts to make me tilt on their side, but to no avail. (Pakistan's) military establishment tried several times to take me on their side, but I have a different DNA which is not saleable.
That's why, in sheer frustration, they unleashed their wrath and played havoc on MQM through frequent deadliest military crackdowns.
They failed to buy me and then they switched to their Plan B and created factions within MQM.
Pakistan Army and ISI had created terrorists' gangs and named them as MQM HAQIQI, MQM-P and PSP, whereas the original MQM led by me has been banned and its offices bulldozed.
Even my house has been sealed. Thousands of MQM office bearers and activists were murdered in captivity and in fake encounters and as many have been thrown in the river (waters) without any lawful charge.
They tried everything, every trick in their book but they can't force the Mohajirs to move away from me.
We have lost 25,000 Mohajir youth and MQM workers at the hands of demonic Pak Army.
Vivek Sinha: During the glorious days of MQM there were people who could lay down (or take) lives for Altaf Hussain.
Yet today's scenario is slightly different. What is the reason for this political downfall?
Altaf Hussain: I don't agree that MQM has fallen down politically, but the actual scenario is totally different because every street, town and district is held hostage under guns of Pakistan Army and their law enforcement agencies (LEAs) like the Paramilitary Rangers and others.
After persistent assassinations, abductions and enforced disappearances of MQM office-bearers and workers, I asked my followers to observe unity under silence till our next strategic move.
Military has unlimited variety of weaponry and we are totally unarmed. You may guess as to how the unarmed may engage in fight with the heavily armed.
Vivek Sinha: There have been reports that your party/movement is in talks with the Pakistani regime through backchannels.
Is there any truth in these reports? Are you in touch with the Pakistani regime for the rights of Urdu speaking people in Sindh?
Altaf Hussain: I have already given the answer that covers all aspects of your question, the excesses and the genocide of Mohajirs by Pak Army.
We knocked at all the forums in the past and we are still approaching the international community for help.
No way, we are not engaged in any sort of backdoor negotiations with the military establishment and reports in that context are sheer rumours.
Vivek Sinha: Do you think that Mohajirs should also pick up guns and fight for their independence, like the Baloch brethren in Balochistan? Is there any organisational strategy towards this goal?
Altaf Hussain: I have already given the answer.
Vivek Sinha: What is your political resistance strategy to counter the international terrorist state Pakistan?
Altaf Hussain: We are doing what we can.
We are sending human intelligence based true and factual reports to all the corners of the world. We play a big part in war against terror. We are shoulder to shoulder with international democratic world.
Vivek Sinha: How would you motivate the oppressed Urdu speaking population against atrocities of Pakistan Army and the ISI?
Altaf Hussain: Each and every Mohajir is aware of the atrocities and barbarism of Pak army.
They suffered from irreparable loss in the form of murder of either one, two or three members of their family.
Even from my own family my elder brother Nasir Hussain and nephew Arif Hussain were arrested, tortured for three days and later on they were taken to one of the suburban areas of Karachi and were shot dead in cold blood.
And after murdering them, my nephew's head was axed into two pieces. Almost all Mohajirs are already motivated because of such brutal killings and waiting for the support of international, democratic world.
(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)
--indianarrative.
Source: IANS
Lucknow, Oct 7 : The Uttar Pradesh government has deputed Pradeep Kumar Srivastava, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court, to probe the October 3 Lakhimpur Kheri violence in which nine persons lost their lives.
The judicial commission will have its office in Lakhimpur Kheri and it is required to submit its report within two months.
On October 4, the state government had announced that it would appoint a retired high court judge to ensure an impartial probe into the violence in which Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish is an accused.
--IANS
amita/ksk/.
Source: IANS
The judicial commission will have its office in Lakhimpur Kheri and it is required to submit its report within two months.
On October 4, the state government had announced that it would appoint a retired high court judge to ensure an impartial probe into the violence in which Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni's son Ashish is an accused.
--IANS
amita/ksk/.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 7 : In a fast-shrinking world where amalgamation of different cultures no longer raises many puritans' eyebrows, sitar player Purbayan Chatterjee, who for many years was an ardent practitioner of Indian classical music, and in his formative years, even somewhat resistant to other forms of music gradually realised that music was like literary expression -- very universal.
"It was just a case of one person responding to the emotion of the other in that moment of time, and that is when I realised the need to empathize with other musical cultures and to bring in their elements into my own musical mode of expression in order to keep it not only relevant, but also true to the kind of person I am -- someone who travels the world extensively.
Precisely how my latest album 'Unbounded Abaad' -- where diverse musical cultures together with improvisation as a common tether was conceived."
For someone who believes that the sitar is an extension of his body and facilitates him to express his varied emotions, the artist asserts that it effortlessly fits into multiple milieu -- be it a romantic ballad, progressive rock or metal.
"Yes, I associate various shades of emotion with the sitar. But having said that, the relationship is almost an indescribable one. It is like a best friend. It is like a philosopher, like somebody who always has my back."
Interestingly, Chatterjee's journey started when he accompanied his father to a concert in Switzerland at the age of five.
To keep him busy, the child was given a sitar. There was no looking back.
Starting straight up on a full-size set and never a small one, the sitar player, who was much interested in vocals too, feels lucky that he got a chance to study in pure guru Shishya Parampara with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan , staying with him in his Gurukul in California.
"Well, he even fed and clothed me. I think this process continues even to this day when I try to learn different forms of music. Even when I was working on this album, I would sit with Bela Fleck on Zoom and he gave me multiple insights on how I could approach a certain phrase and so on and so forth.
So the process of learning continues to this day."
Stressing that it is amazing to observe how Jazz and Indian classical music come together as they are extremely similar at some points while dissimilar at others, he says that the one common binding factor between the two is improvisation.
"The improvisation in Jazz follows a complete third, a parallel universe, which is the universe of harmony.
When you improvise in Jazz, say 32 bars of a song, it has to be done within a particular harmonic cycle and you have to go through these chords..This really doesn't exist in Indian music, at least not at a very obvious level because our music is predominantly modal and it is based on ragas.
However, the amazing thing is, in Jazz, you have the head melody, there is a bridge and a coda and so forth.
In our music too, we have a Sthayi, Antara, Sanchari and Abhog, while the rest is improvised. There's a difference in energy when you have two performers of diverse genres come together. It is tough not to feel the confluence of two different energies, and for me that's the beauty of it."
The artist, who was recently part of HCL's hundredth digital concert, feels that the company has done a commendable job coming up with the concept of digital concerts.
HCL's Rohit Kaul adds, "These concerts have streamed over 8,000 minutes of specially curated performances, with the viewership of 80 million from 62 countries, including India.
We will continue with our model of physical live concerts and digital live concerts when things open up."
Talk to the artist about the fact that only a handful of names in classical music get all the attention from sponsors and the media, making it tough for emerging talent to breakthrough, and he says, "Unfortunately, in this country there is a great deal of focus on mediocrity.
People are extremely resistant to anything that is new and of course it is much more convenient to have the same pinups and idols throughout your life.
Keep telling yourself that what you have seen is the best and there's nothing better out there. But this is precisely the kind of stuff which leads to stunted growth."
(Sukant Deepak can be reached at sukant.d@ians.in)
---IANS
sukant/shs.
Source: IANS
"It was just a case of one person responding to the emotion of the other in that moment of time, and that is when I realised the need to empathize with other musical cultures and to bring in their elements into my own musical mode of expression in order to keep it not only relevant, but also true to the kind of person I am -- someone who travels the world extensively.
Precisely how my latest album 'Unbounded Abaad' -- where diverse musical cultures together with improvisation as a common tether was conceived."
For someone who believes that the sitar is an extension of his body and facilitates him to express his varied emotions, the artist asserts that it effortlessly fits into multiple milieu -- be it a romantic ballad, progressive rock or metal.
"Yes, I associate various shades of emotion with the sitar. But having said that, the relationship is almost an indescribable one. It is like a best friend. It is like a philosopher, like somebody who always has my back."
Interestingly, Chatterjee's journey started when he accompanied his father to a concert in Switzerland at the age of five.
To keep him busy, the child was given a sitar. There was no looking back.
Starting straight up on a full-size set and never a small one, the sitar player, who was much interested in vocals too, feels lucky that he got a chance to study in pure guru Shishya Parampara with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan , staying with him in his Gurukul in California.
"Well, he even fed and clothed me. I think this process continues even to this day when I try to learn different forms of music. Even when I was working on this album, I would sit with Bela Fleck on Zoom and he gave me multiple insights on how I could approach a certain phrase and so on and so forth.
So the process of learning continues to this day."
Stressing that it is amazing to observe how Jazz and Indian classical music come together as they are extremely similar at some points while dissimilar at others, he says that the one common binding factor between the two is improvisation.
"The improvisation in Jazz follows a complete third, a parallel universe, which is the universe of harmony.
When you improvise in Jazz, say 32 bars of a song, it has to be done within a particular harmonic cycle and you have to go through these chords..This really doesn't exist in Indian music, at least not at a very obvious level because our music is predominantly modal and it is based on ragas.
However, the amazing thing is, in Jazz, you have the head melody, there is a bridge and a coda and so forth.
In our music too, we have a Sthayi, Antara, Sanchari and Abhog, while the rest is improvised. There's a difference in energy when you have two performers of diverse genres come together. It is tough not to feel the confluence of two different energies, and for me that's the beauty of it."
The artist, who was recently part of HCL's hundredth digital concert, feels that the company has done a commendable job coming up with the concept of digital concerts.
HCL's Rohit Kaul adds, "These concerts have streamed over 8,000 minutes of specially curated performances, with the viewership of 80 million from 62 countries, including India.
We will continue with our model of physical live concerts and digital live concerts when things open up."
Talk to the artist about the fact that only a handful of names in classical music get all the attention from sponsors and the media, making it tough for emerging talent to breakthrough, and he says, "Unfortunately, in this country there is a great deal of focus on mediocrity.
People are extremely resistant to anything that is new and of course it is much more convenient to have the same pinups and idols throughout your life.
Keep telling yourself that what you have seen is the best and there's nothing better out there. But this is precisely the kind of stuff which leads to stunted growth."
(Sukant Deepak can be reached at sukant.d@ians.in)
---IANS
sukant/shs.
Source: IANS
New Delhi, Oct 6 : Post its first session last year,'I Believe Art Matters' is back to help the Indian artiste community.
As a part of the ongoing advocacy and fundraising initiative to revitalise artistes and artisans, Art Matters has announced 'I Believe Art Matters 2021' with the primary purpose to provide artistes with an opportunity to engage in cross genre collaborations and create original work.
This edition has paired some well-known artists in partnership with emerging performers to create 10 individual pieces in the space of visual and performing art.
The creative collaborations include theatre, music, dance, visual art and poetry. The aim is to open avenues of dialogue and create platforms for artists and artisans to continue to create and connect with each other and an interested virtual audience.
Sanjoy K.
Roy, Managing Director, Teamwork Arts said: "I Believe #ArtMatters 2021 has engaged and collaborated with some of the finest celebrated and emerging artists from the country, in creating 10 exclusive pieces of multi-dimensional arts across genres.
It has successfully provided support to over 5,800 artists and will hope to do much more with this on-going initiative."
The list of artists involved with the initiative includes Bharatanatyam dancer Rukmini Vijayakumar; music composer-director and singer Shekhar Ravjiani; story writer and lyricist Anvita Dutt; Kashmiri folk singer Noor Mohammad Shah; dancer from Assam Shilpika Bordoloi; multi-faceted UK based artist and dancer Shane Shambhu; singer Harpreet; award-winning singer and composer Bindhu Malini Narayanswamy; drummer, educator and composer Darshan Doshi; young musician and mridangam artist BC Manjunath, percussionist Pramath Kiran, director, composer and percussionist Praveen D.
Rao, and master nagada player Nathulal Solanki; award-winning director Jino Joseph; Delhi-based musician Stefan Kaye; stand-up comedian Abish Mathew; celebrated playback singer Kailash Kher; and actor Arjun Mathur.
The 10 acts will premiere on Sunday, October 10, 2021 at 7 p.m.
IST, as part of the second edition of I Believe Art Matters.
--IANS
sukant/pgh.
Source: IANS
As a part of the ongoing advocacy and fundraising initiative to revitalise artistes and artisans, Art Matters has announced 'I Believe Art Matters 2021' with the primary purpose to provide artistes with an opportunity to engage in cross genre collaborations and create original work.
This edition has paired some well-known artists in partnership with emerging performers to create 10 individual pieces in the space of visual and performing art.
The creative collaborations include theatre, music, dance, visual art and poetry. The aim is to open avenues of dialogue and create platforms for artists and artisans to continue to create and connect with each other and an interested virtual audience.
Sanjoy K.
Roy, Managing Director, Teamwork Arts said: "I Believe #ArtMatters 2021 has engaged and collaborated with some of the finest celebrated and emerging artists from the country, in creating 10 exclusive pieces of multi-dimensional arts across genres.
It has successfully provided support to over 5,800 artists and will hope to do much more with this on-going initiative."
The list of artists involved with the initiative includes Bharatanatyam dancer Rukmini Vijayakumar; music composer-director and singer Shekhar Ravjiani; story writer and lyricist Anvita Dutt; Kashmiri folk singer Noor Mohammad Shah; dancer from Assam Shilpika Bordoloi; multi-faceted UK based artist and dancer Shane Shambhu; singer Harpreet; award-winning singer and composer Bindhu Malini Narayanswamy; drummer, educator and composer Darshan Doshi; young musician and mridangam artist BC Manjunath, percussionist Pramath Kiran, director, composer and percussionist Praveen D.
Rao, and master nagada player Nathulal Solanki; award-winning director Jino Joseph; Delhi-based musician Stefan Kaye; stand-up comedian Abish Mathew; celebrated playback singer Kailash Kher; and actor Arjun Mathur.
The 10 acts will premiere on Sunday, October 10, 2021 at 7 p.m.
IST, as part of the second edition of I Believe Art Matters.
--IANS
sukant/pgh.
Source: IANS
Kolkata, Oct 6 : Just before the 'pujas', there is good news for the people of West Bengal. In an effort to promote indigenous and Geographical Identification (GI) tagged products, the first consignment of GI-tagged sweet dish 'Mihidana' sourced from Bardhaman, has been exported to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
This unique sweet dish exported by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is being displayed (also provided for tasting purposes) to consumers at Aljazira superstores in Bahrain.
More consignments of the unique sweet dish would be exported to Bahrain during the forthcoming Diwali festival.
The APEDA in a tweet wrote -- In a boost to harness export potential of indigenous (and) #GI tagged products, a consignment consisting of unique sweet dishes from #WestBengal - #Sitabhog, #Langcha, #Chandrapuli (and) #Narkel Naru (#coconut #laddu with #jaggery) was exported the Kingdom of #Bahrain.
A GI tag is a sign denoting a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
GI, a form of intellectual property right (IPR), is distinct from other forms of IPR, as it ascribes the exclusivity to the community in a defined geography, rather than to an individual, as is in the case of trademarks and patents.
A GI tag can be issued for agricultural, natural or manufactured goods that have a unique quality, reputation or other characteristics attributable to its geographical origin.
Darjeeling tea, Basmati rice, Kanchipuram Silk, Mysore Silk, Hyderabadi haleem, Nagaland chilli products, etc., sold with the GI tag have premium pricing.
For the last few years, APEDA has been focusing on increasing lesser-known, indigenous, and GI-tagged food products from the country.
In August 2021, India Post released a special cover on West Bengal's sweetmeats 'Mihidana' and 'Sitabhog'.
West Bengal's Bardhaman got the GI tag for the century-old sweetmeats in 2017.
APEDA has been carrying out promotional activities to bring unique and GI certified products to the agricultural and processed food products export map of India.
APEDA undertakes market promotion activities for export of food products, market intelligence for making informed decisions, international exposure, skill development, capacity building and high-quality packaging.
It also provides assistance to set up pack houses across States which would fulfil the mandatory requirement or infrastructure for export of fresh fruits and vegetables to the international market.
--IANS
sbg/dpb.
Source: IANS
This unique sweet dish exported by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is being displayed (also provided for tasting purposes) to consumers at Aljazira superstores in Bahrain.
More consignments of the unique sweet dish would be exported to Bahrain during the forthcoming Diwali festival.
The APEDA in a tweet wrote -- In a boost to harness export potential of indigenous (and) #GI tagged products, a consignment consisting of unique sweet dishes from #WestBengal - #Sitabhog, #Langcha, #Chandrapuli (and) #Narkel Naru (#coconut #laddu with #jaggery) was exported the Kingdom of #Bahrain.
A GI tag is a sign denoting a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
GI, a form of intellectual property right (IPR), is distinct from other forms of IPR, as it ascribes the exclusivity to the community in a defined geography, rather than to an individual, as is in the case of trademarks and patents.
A GI tag can be issued for agricultural, natural or manufactured goods that have a unique quality, reputation or other characteristics attributable to its geographical origin.
Darjeeling tea, Basmati rice, Kanchipuram Silk, Mysore Silk, Hyderabadi haleem, Nagaland chilli products, etc., sold with the GI tag have premium pricing.
For the last few years, APEDA has been focusing on increasing lesser-known, indigenous, and GI-tagged food products from the country.
In August 2021, India Post released a special cover on West Bengal's sweetmeats 'Mihidana' and 'Sitabhog'.
West Bengal's Bardhaman got the GI tag for the century-old sweetmeats in 2017.
APEDA has been carrying out promotional activities to bring unique and GI certified products to the agricultural and processed food products export map of India.
APEDA undertakes market promotion activities for export of food products, market intelligence for making informed decisions, international exposure, skill development, capacity building and high-quality packaging.
It also provides assistance to set up pack houses across States which would fulfil the mandatory requirement or infrastructure for export of fresh fruits and vegetables to the international market.
--IANS
sbg/dpb.
Source: IANS