NEW DELHI: Tens of thousands of police were deployed across India on Saturday in a bid to smother new protests by farmers fighting government agriculture reforms.

Ten metro stations were closed in central New Delhi — where a tractor rally last month turned into a violent rampage — and thousands of police manned barricades and roadblocks at key intersections.

Farmers unions called for protest roadblocks across the country in the latest day of action.

They and their supporters occupied dozens of roads and toll booths for three hours in several states but no trouble was reported

A major police deployment was ordered in the key farm state of Uttar Pradesh, which is a traditional pro-government bastion. Farmers groups suspended their action in the state to avoid a confrontation.

Tens of thousands of farmers have been camping on the outskirts of Delhi since November calling for a repeal of the reforms that free up farm produce markets.

The farmers say the changes mean the crucial agriculture industry will be taken over by major conglomerates.

While the authorities have increased pressure on the Delhi protest camps — cutting internet and water supplies — the farmers have vowed to keep their campaign going for months more.

Rakesh Tikait, one of the senior farmers’ leaders, said Saturday that the protests would go on until the October 2 one-year anniversary of the launch of their campaign unless the government repealed the new laws.

He told the Indian Express newspaper that thousands more farmers wanted to come to Delhi to join the protests and would not be deterred by barbed wire fences put around the camps.

“They can put nails on the ground; we will put soil over it and grow flowers. We aren’t scared of the barricading or high security.

“We don’t think police will seal the area. If they do, there are protesters here who can break through all the barricades,” he said.

ISLAMABAD – /DNA/ – We welcome the visit of the Head of the European Union delegation and the ambassadors of Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, and the Deputy Ambassador of Norway accredited to Yemen. This visit sends an important political message that expresses the support of the European friends to the Yemeni government in its efforts to normalize public life and to realize peace and to restore security and stability.

Today, we discussed a number of issues, and wherein we made clear that the cowardly terrorist bombing of the Houthi militia with ballistic missiles on Aden International Airport when the new government Cabinet had arrived at the airport was aimed at terminating the peace process and prolonging the war. However, the attack failed to achieve its goals, and it only increased the government’s cohesion and steadfastness to undertake its responsibility to end the militia’s tampering with the security and stability of Yemen; and to put an end to its criminal behavior and the never-ending violations on the rights of the Yemeni people.

We illuminated how the Riyadh Agreement was a significant historical event for renewing hope for a better future and affirming that the approach of dialogue and reconciliation is the most effective way to resolve differences and to defuse the conflict, and that the constructive political atmosphere prevailing in the interim capital Aden, will positively reflect on the government’s performance and enable it to focus on improving public services as an urgent priority.  And we will continue to work with our brothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to complete the implementation of the Riyadh Agreement.We touched on the issue of the Safer oil tanker and explained that the Houthi militia continues to recant from its commitment to allow the international technical team to access the tanker so as to assess its condition, as they had agreed. 

It is another indication to the international community of the importance of exerting maximum pressure on the Houthi militia in dealing with their methods of manipulation and deception used, which is also a reason for protracting the war and impeding in reaching a political settlement in Yemen, despite all the concessions made by the government in all rounds of negotiations undertaken with the Houthi militia.We affirmed that the government is moving towards a comprehensive national reconciliation and in a political partnership with the international community, to establish the necessary foundations to achieve a real, lasting and comprehensive peace in Yemen, stressing peace is the only way to solve the political crisis in Yemen and to address the catastrophic humanitarian repercussions.

During this visit, the ambassadors met with the Their Excellencies the Prime Minister, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, the Minister of Legal Affairs and Human Rights, the Minister of Finance and the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank.The ambassadors were briefed on the government’s directions regarding its plans in the next six months to improve living conditions and the provision of basic services, as well as the most important features of the government’s general course of actions. Also discussed were issues related to humanitarian aid and the government’s efforts to facilitate humanitarian work in Yemen as well as the overall economic situation in Yemen.An agreement was also signed between the Republic of Yemen and the Republic of France to postpone the payment of debts in accordance with the joint agreement between the G20 and the Paris Club on April 15, 2020.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 06 (DNA): The Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic
Organization (MAPIM) and Pakistani Friends of Kashmir Saturday gifted
blankets for their Kashmiri brethren as an expression of solidarity on
the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day.

A simple ceremony was held at Kashmir House where the President of AJK,
Sardar Masood Khan received the blankets, handed over to him by the
former High Commissioner for Pakistan to Malaysia, Mr. Mohammad Nafees
Zakaria, on behalf of MAPIM and other Pakistani donors. The aid is
particularly meant for the refugees from Indian Illegally occupied Jammu
and Kashmir (IIOJK).

On the occasion, the President AJK, Sardar Masood, expressed his
profound thanks to MAPIM’s President Haji Mohd Azmi, Malaysian people
and Pakistani Friends of Kashmir for their moral and humanitarian
support to the Kashmiris. Mohd Azmi, he said, was a statesman of
international standing who was had also planned to establish direct
relations between Malaysia and Azad Kashmir. This plan would again pick
up momentum after the Covid pandemic, he said.

Masood Khan appreciated Malaysia’s consistent and valuable support to
the Kashmiris, both at the level of Malaysian leadership and its people.
He also expressed his profound gratitude to Mr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria
for his efforts in bringing Malaysia and Pakistan closer. He recognized
the Ambassador’s strong and steadfast efforts to advocate and plead the
case of Kashmir during his various diplomatic assignments around the
globe.

Earlier this month, MAPIM had presented a cheque of RM 50,000, as a
gesture of solidarity and humanitarian assistance to the Kashmiris in
Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), at a ceremony
attended by the incumbent High Commissioner for Pakistan to Malaysia,
H.E. Amna Baloch as Chief Guest.

In its efforts to muster broader support for the Kashmir cause, MAPIM
has established its Friends of Kashmir Youth Forum and ASEAN Friends of
Kashmir.

While the plight of Kashmiris spans over seven decades, the Indian
military siege of Kashmiris since 5th August 2019, has raised deep
concern among the Muslim countries over the perpetual genocide of
Kashmiri Muslims that has been taking place to primarily change the
demography in IIOJK.

The communication blockade and reports of arbitrary detentions,
extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, sexual harassment,
inhuman treatment and destruction of the properties of Kashmiri Muslims
in IIOJK have prompted UN Rapporteurs to warn the Indian government and
stop atrocities committed by the India occupation forces with impunity
against defenceless Kashmiris.

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