Tag: Modi

  • ‘Let us sit, have serious and sincere talks’: PM Shehbaz extends olive branch to Modi

    ‘Let us sit, have serious and sincere talks’: PM Shehbaz extends olive branch to Modi

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, extending an olive branch to his Indian counterpart PM Narendra Modi has said that both leaders should hold serious and sincere talks.

    “My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is that let us sit down on the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning issues like Kashmir,” said PM Shehbaz in an interview with Al Arabiya news channel.

    “In Kashmir, flagrant human rights violations are taking place day in and day out,” he pointed out.

    The Premier further added that the neighbouring country had usurped any semblance of autonomy given to the Kashmiris according to Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The autonomy was revoked in August 2019.

    Reminding the world that both Pakistan and India were neighbouring countries who had to find a way to live together, Shehbaz Sharif said, ” “It is up to us to live peacefully and make progress or quarrel with each other, and waste time and resources. We have three wars with India and it only brought more misery, poverty and unemployment to the people. We have learnt our lesson and we want to live in peace provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems. We want to alleviate poverty, achieve prosperity, and provide education and health facilities and employment to our people and not waste our resources on bombs and ammunition, that is the message I want to give to PM Modi.”

    The Premier remarked that both countries are nuclear powers and armed to teeth. “If God forbid a war breaks out who will live to tell what happened,” he said.

    He said the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could play a vital role in bringing Pakistan and India together., adding he would hold talks with the Indian leadership with sincerity of purpose.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, Fawad Chaudhry rejected PM Shehbaz’s approach of holding talks with Modi and tweeted, “Shehbaz Sharif cannot be allowed to sell Kashmir”.

    Later, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) gave a statement on the issue and said, “The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated on record that talks can only take place after India has reversed its illegal action of August 5, 2019. Without India’s revocation of this step, negotiations are not possible.”

  • ‘Imran se mil ke dosti ka ailaan kareinge’: Gen Faiz convinced Modi to visit Pakistan in 2021, claims Javed Chaudhry

    Journalist Javed Chaudhry continues with bringing inside details of the working of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government in his column. In the fourth part of the series published today, Chaudhry alleges that in 2020 the establishment had convinced Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to visit Pakistan, and former Bahawalpur corps commander Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed played a significant role in arranging the proposed trip.

    The journalist writes that in this regard Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, who was then the head of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) met Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and both agreed upon Modi visiting Pakistan on April 9, 2021.

    All the details of the trip had been planned out. Modi would have first visited the Hinglaj Mata Mandir in Balochistan and on his way back home he would have met Imran Khan who was Prime Minister. Chaudhry said that it was planned that “Modi would shake hands with Khan and declare peace between the two countries and opening of trade”.

    Continuing with the sensational claims, the journalist writes that both leaders would announce that there will be no interference or terrorist activities from both countries. At the time, Modi was of the view that both countries would sit together after 20 years to decide about the future of India-occupied Kashmir.

    However, this tour was cancelled because Khan—on the advice of his foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi—backed out. Chaudhry writes that Qureshi scared Khan by telling him it would give a perception to the masses that he [Khan] has compromised on Kashmir.

    Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed helped Khan in confidence motion

    According to the journalist, the establishment helped Khan throughout the confidence motion that Imran voluntarily announced he will take, right after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Yousaf Raza Gillani defeated PTI’s Hafeez Sheikh in the senate elections. Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed ensured full numbers for PTI so Khan could win the motion. Calls and visits were made to ensure that disgruntled MNAs voted in favour of Khan.

    Moreover, the journalist writes that as per his sources, Khan advised showing leniency towards former President and co-chairman of PPP, Asif Ali Zardari, from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the court.

    LNG deal was ruined by Khan

    In the column, another detailed passage says that former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa admits that former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz signed the best LNG deal with Qatar to ensure supplies for Pakistan during winters but it was ruined by Imran Khan.

    Chaudhry said that then-Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum, Nadeem Babar, asked for just three gas shipments from Qatar despite a one-time generous offer to take ‘as much as required’ amidst a looming gas crisis at home, so he could sell his own furnace oil.

    In another episode, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) caught a ship loaded with cheaply bought Iranian petrol. It was for none other than Babar. According to him, Khan was informed about it but chose to stay quiet.

    Also, prior to Nadeem’s appointment, Khan was warned by the establishment but he didnt listen.

    Babar isn’t in the country anymore but Pakistan is still paying the price of his decisions to serve his own interests, all because Imran wanted to retain him as his aide, writes Chaudhry in his column.

  • BJP leader places Rs2 crore bounty on Bilawal Bhutto’s head for calling Modi ‘butcher of Gujarat’

    BJP leader places Rs2 crore bounty on Bilawal Bhutto’s head for calling Modi ‘butcher of Gujarat’

    Manupal Hansal, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Uttar Pradesh, has placed a Rs 2 crore bounty on the head of Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, stating that Indian people are angry at the minister’s remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “Mai ailaan karta hoon ke jo uss mantri Bilawal Bhutto ka dhar se sar alag karega, 2 crore ka inaam mai doonga” [I declare that I will give a reward of ₹2 crore to anyone who will behead Minister Bilawal Bhutto], Hansal had said.

    The BJP also held protests across India and in front of the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi, burning effigies of the Pakistani foreign minister.

    Minister of Climate Change Sherry Rehman has condemned Hansal’s remarks in a tweet, saying that this was a testament of “the shocking impunity that extremism enjoys for doing only what terrorists do in Modi’s RSS-defined India”.

    In an interview with “Bloomberg“, Bilawal Bhutto stood by his statement about Modi by pointing out that what he had said was “a historical fact”. He also pointed out that the term “butcher of Gujarat” had not been coined by him, but by the people of Gujarat after the 2002 Godhra incident. He further added that he was aware of the bounty a BJP leader had placed on his head.

    “I was referring to a historical reality. The remarks I used weren’t my own. I did not invent the term ‘butcher of Gujarat’ for Mr Modi. The Muslims of India following the Gujarat riots used that term for Mr Modi. I believe I was referring to a historical fact and they believe that repeating history is a personal insult. If I was incorrect then … So what has happened today… it’s been two days since my remark, a member of Mr Modi’s party has announced 20 million rupee bounty on my head. So I don’t think the best way to disapprove the fact that Mr Modi is the butcher of Gujarat is to adopt such extreme steps,” he said in the interview.

    When the interviewer had further questioned Bilawal on whether these comments might further sour relations with India and even the possibility of nuclear war, the FM pointed out that Indian citizens had the right to protest, but the threat to his life was very problematic:

    “As far as my remarks concerned they resulted in protests all over India and that’s their right. I think you cross the line when you officially announce head money for your neighboring country’s foreign minister’s assassination. I think that’s a line we’re normalizing in crossing and the fact that we get to move on from that question is troubling for me when I’m engaging with Bloomberg which is an important international forum. As far as nuclear war no one has threatened nuclear war. A minister did say that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear country and should be treated as such.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZKjz4SUs7s&t=436s

    At a press conference in New York on December 16, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had responded to accusations that Pakistan had sheltered Osama bin Laden by pointing out that Modi, who is regarded as ‘butcher of Gujarat’ is still the Prime Minister of India:

    “I would like to remind Mr Jaishankar that Osama bin Laden is dead, but the butcher of Gujarat lives, and he is the prime minister (of India).”

  • ‘Jimmy Jimmy Aja Aja’, other desi songs played at Shangai Cooperation Organisation

    ‘Jimmy Jimmy Aja Aja’, other desi songs played at Shangai Cooperation Organisation

    Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) came to an end on Friday in Samarkand, Uzbekistan where at one point, eight world leaders attended the summit to the sounds of 80s Bollywood songs.

    A video was posted by journalist Sidhant Sibal on Thursday in which Indian songs “Jimmy Jimmy Aja Aja” and “I’m a disco dancer” were being played to welcome the SCO delegates.

    This year’s summit was hosted by Uzbekistan from September 15-16. Many historic meetings took place at the SCO including the one between Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time. Other memorable moments included PM Shehbaz interacting with officials in Tajiki, before starting a formal meeting with the country’s president.

    A highly anticipated meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin also took place. Xi called Putin his “old friend”, but the mutually endorsing speeches of the two authoritarian heavyweights were muted.

    As expected, Indian PM Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif did not have a one-on-one meeting as relations between the rival neighbors remained cold.

  • Indian PM Modi to attend regional summit along with PM Shehbaz

    Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi and Pakistani Premier Shehbaz Sharif will take part in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit which is due to take place on September 15 and 16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

    New Delhi has not yet specified whether Modi would hold bilateral talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping.

    Earlier, in the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting, all of the ministers reiterated that the heads of SCO states would attend the summit.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto, who had attended the meeting in Tashkent, said that a bilateral meeting between the Pakistani and Indian leaders is not scheduled.

    “There are no plans of any meetings between Indian and Pakistani prime ministers in September”, Bilawal revealed, adding that both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO and the two countries are only engaged in the context of the broad-based activities of the organisation.

    The foreign minister had said: “India is our neighbouring country. While one can decide on a lot of things, one cannot choose its neighbours, therefore, we should get used to living with them.”

    Other than this, it has been reported that Russian Putin and Chinese Xi would meet at the summit. China has refused to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and has ramped up purchases of Russian oil.

  • Extremist mob protests, prohibits Alia-Ranbir from entering temple amidst beef controversy

    Extremist mob protests, prohibits Alia-Ranbir from entering temple amidst beef controversy

    Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are actively promoting their upcoming film Brahmastra as the release date draws closer. There have been calls for the boycott of Brahmastra as well for different reasons. Whether it is Karan Johar’s backing of the film or Alia Bhatt’s controversial comments in a recent interview, the movie has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Recently internet users dug out an old Ranbir Kapoor interview from ten years ago and cited it as a reason to boycott the film.

    The video of the interview is being reshared now with fresh calls for a boycott of his forthcoming biggie.

    Not just a boycott, the beef controversy resulted in an embarrassing affair for the lead couple of the film. Members of right-wing groups Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, created a huge row in Ujjain today ahead of the visit of actors Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Ayan Mukerji. They were to visit the famous Jyotirlinga at the Mahakaleshwar Temple this evening.

    Ahead Of Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor's Visit, Protest Outside Ujjain's Mahakal Temple

    Ahead of the visit, the right-wing workers gathered at the main gate and the conch gate meant for VVIPs to show them black flags. The police had to use batons to bring the crowd under control.

    Parents-to-be Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor's Ujjain ethnics: Pics, videos inside | Fashion Trends - Hindustan Times

    After promoting the film in Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad, the lead actors of Brahmastra had taken a flight to Ujjain hoping to visit the Mahakaleshwar Temple along with director Ayan Mukerji.

    Since Alia Bhatt is pregnant, she decided not to go to the temple amid the ruckus. Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor returned to Indore without darshan. From Indore, they will take a flight to Mumbai, said Ashish Singh, the Collector of Ujjain.

    After the situation was brought under control, only Ayan Mukerji went to the temple and had darshan, said Mr Singh.

    Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt stopped from entering Ujjain temple, Ayan Mukerji seeks blessings alone | Bollywood Bubble

    Brahmastra, directed by Ayan Mukerji, also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Akkineni Nagarjuna and Mouni Roy in pivotal roles and is a fantasy adventure film that draws heavily from mythology. It is slated for release on September 9.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is brahmastra15062022m.jpg
  • ‘Give me back my right to live,’ Indian Muslim woman Bilkis Bano fearful after release of 11 men who gang-raped her

    ‘Give me back my right to live,’ Indian Muslim woman Bilkis Bano fearful after release of 11 men who gang-raped her

    Bilkis Bano, an Indian Muslim woman who was gang-raped in the 2002 Gujarat riots, said that her peace has been taken away after the Gujarat government released her 11 rapists on Monday. Her rapists were released on August 15, i.e. Independence Day of India. They were convicted in 2008.

    https://twitter.com/Huda_asiana/status/1559476323852099584

    She has requested the government to reverse the decision.

    “How can justice for any woman end like this? I trusted the highest courts in our land. I trusted the system, and I was learning slowly to live with my trauma. The release of these convicts has taken from me my peace and shaken my faith in justice,” said Bilkis in her statement.

    “My sorrow and my wavering faith are not for myself alone but for every woman who is struggling for justice in courts,” she added.

    “No one enquired about my safety and well-being, before taking such a big and unjust decision… Give me back my right to live without fear and in peace. Please ensure that my family and I are kept safe.”

    What happened with Bilkis Bano?

    At the age of 21, Bilkis Bano was five months pregnant when she was brutally gang-raped in 2002 in Gujarat.

    The 2002 Gujarata riots are considered one of the worst anti-Muslim riots in India that saw nearly 2,000 people — mostly Muslims — killed.

    On March 3, 2002, Bilkis and her family members were attacked by about 30 people armed with sickles, swords, and sticks. Among the attackers were the 11 accused men.

    Bilkis, her mother, and three other women were raped and brutally assaulted. Seven members of Bilkis Bano’s family, including her three-year-old daughter, were also murdered.

    Bilkis is now in her 40s.

  • Meera makes shocking revelations about rivalry with Saba Qamar

    Meera makes shocking revelations about rivalry with Saba Qamar

    Lollywood actor Meera appeared on the Eid special episode of The Mazedaar Show where she made some startling revelations about her rivalry with fellow actress Saba Qamar.

    On being asked by a fan about her equation with Saba, Meera revealed that “Since day one, she doesn’t want me to work, she can’t even see me working.”

    “Management crew told me that she always bitches about me behind my back and asks producers to not cast me.”

    The veteran actress added that she heard this from people close to the Hindi Medium diva.

    Mein Sitara - Episode 11 | Reviewit.pk

    The two leading ladies have earlier worked together in the drama serial Main Sitara together. Meera termed her working experience with Saba on the drama as pleasant, however, things went haywire ever since.

    Host and actress Mathira commented on Instagram under a post covering Meera’s statements.

    Recently Saba revealed in an exclusive interview with The Current that there was a lot of drama on the sets of their project.

    On being asked that will she tie the knot finally if Bollywood superstar Salman Khan proposes her for marriage, she answered that its a huge yes from her side for the Dabangg Khan.

    Meera Talks About Getting Married to Salman Khan

    Prior to this in an Eid special interview, that she did in 2017 with famous media personality, Sohail Warraich. Meera confessed in the interview that when she went to India for her film Nazar‘s shooting, she was proposed by the Murder 2 actor, Emraan Hashmi, which she declined.

    Meera added that Mahesh Bhatt, her film’s producer also presented her with a marriage proposal by Ashmit Patel, who was her co-star in the film. She was quick to mention that her family had issues over their religious differences and she couldn’t go against the will of her parents.

    Earlier in November 2021, the Baaji star made an interesting revelation on Waseem Badami’s show Har Lamha Purjosh. At the end of the Masooma Sawal segment, the host asked her, “if given a choice between the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and your contemporary Reema Khan, whom would you want to cruise with on the iconic titanic?”

    Meera was quick to answer that she would prefer to cruise with Modi and would ask Reema to leave.

    She elaborated further that she wants to chat with Narendra Modi, adding that she will brainwash Modi on the ship and will initiate a conversation about progressive ties.

  • Twitter sues Indian government over content removal directives

    Twitter sues Indian government over content removal directives

    Twitter has sued the Indian government to challenge some of its takedown orders, a source familiar with the matter revealed, further escalating the tension between the American social giant and India.

    In its lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Karnataka High Court, Twitter alleges that New Delhi has abused its power by ordering it to remove several tweets from its platform.

    The lawsuit follows a rough year and a half for Twitter in India, a key overseas market for the firm, where it has been asked to take down hundreds of accounts and tweets, many of which critics argue were objected because they denounced the Indian government’s policies and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    Twitter partially complied with the requests but sought to fight back against many challenges. Under India’s new IT rules, which went into effect last year, Twitter has little to no room left to individually challenge the takedown orders.

    The tension between the two was apparent on May 24 last year, when Delhi police, controlled by India’s central government, visited two offices of Twitter — in the national capital state of Delhi and Gurgaon, in the neighboring state of Haryana — to seek more information about Twitter’s rationale to label one of the tweets by ruling partly BJP spokesperson as “manipulated media.”

    Delhi police said it had received a complaint about the classification of the spokesperson’s tweet and visited the offices to serve Twitter India’s head a notice of the inquiry. In a statement, the police said Twitter India’s managing director’s replies on the subject had been “very ambiguous.”

    Twitter at the time described the episode as “intimidation.”

    The company has “concerns with regards to the use of intimidation tactics by the police in response to enforcement of our global Terms of Service, as well as with core elements of the new IT Rules,” it said.

    Twitter India managing director resigned from the firm last year.

    Twitter is not the first tech giant to sue the Indian government. WhatsApp sued New Delhi last year, challenging new regulations that could allow authorities to make people’s private messages “traceable,” and conduct mass surveillance.

    It’s unclear if the new lawsuit will impact Twitter’s proposed acquisition by Elon Musk.

  • House of female Indian Muslim activist demolished for allegedly protesting against BJP

    House of female Indian Muslim activist demolished for allegedly protesting against BJP

    Authorities in India’s Uttar Pradesh demolished the homes of numerous people accused of being involved in protesting against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons who made derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

    One of the houses that was demolished belonged to activist Javed Mohammed. The police accused Mohammed of being ‘one of the main conspirators of violence’ on Friday but others say that his house was bulldozed because he is the father of 22-year-old Muslim activist Afreen Fatima. According to The Quint, “The action against the student activist and her family is being widely criticised as another instance of the ‘bulldozer politics’ being perpetrated in BJP-ruled states.”

    Two protesters were also killed by the Indian police on Friday for protesting.

    The police opened fire on protesters on Friday.

    Read more- ‘World should severely reprimand India’: Muslim countries condemn BJP’s derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    “Police were forced to open fire to disperse protesters… resulting in the death of two,” a police officer in Ranchi told AFP.

    A local resident, Shabnam Ara, told AFP that the authorities cut internet connections in the city and imposed a curfew.

    “We are praying for peace and harmony,” she said.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the Indian state’s “apparatus to browbeat Indian Muslims into submission.”

    “The reality of India’s “democratic face” is before the world to see,” he added.

    The derogatory remarks were made by BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal. India’s ruling party suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal. The two also issued public apologies.