LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistani actress Meera has lauded the efforts of doctors and paramedical staff in treating the patients suffering from coronavirus on frontline.
In a video message, the actress said that she salutes the doctors for working day and night without the availability of proper facilities.
Meera said that these doctors and paramedical staff have devoted their lives for the safety of people of Pakistan.
WELLINGTON (dna) – New Zealand will phase out its coronavirus lockdown over the next 10 days after successfully containing the virus, although some restrictions will remain, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday.
Ardern said that from Thursday shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas and playgrounds will reopen — with the country moving to Level Two on its four-tier system.
The 39-year-old leader warned “none of us can assume COVID is not with us” but said New Zealand currently had only 90 active cases after a seven-week lockdown.
“Your efforts New Zealand have got us to this place ahead of most of the world and without the carnage that COVID has inflicted in many other places,” she said in a televised address.
“But there are risks ahead, so please be vigilant.”
New Zealand, with a population of five million has recorded 1,147 coronavirus cases, including 21 deaths.
The number of new cases has been in single digits since mid-April, with three new infections recorded on Monday.
Under Level Two restrictions, international borders remain closed but life domestically will return to something approaching normality.
While social distancing must still be followed, the advice that people isolate themselves at home and “stick to your bubble” will no longer apply.
“This is a transition out of our bubbles, you can see people you haven’t seen in a while, you just can’t do it all at once,” Ardern said.
“At Level Two we are out and about again, just about all parts of the economy are opening up again.”
The lockdown was first eased two weeks ago, allowing food takeaways and resumption of some recreational activities, but the freedoms granted by the latest relaxation will be far greater.
Those aged over 70 will be allowed out again after more than seven weeks of mandatory quarantine.
Domestic travel will be allowed, providing a boost to the crippled tourism industry and schools will fully reopen next Monday.
Bars will not be back in business until May 21, giving them extra time to ensure they can keep patrons properly separated.
Team sport will also return, with planning already underway to start a domestic version of Super Rugby on June 13 involving the competition’s five New Zealand-based teams.
Ardern said the move to Level Two would be reassessed after two weeks, with further easing possible depending on developments.
TEHRAN (dna) — An Iranian missile fired during a training exercise in the Gulf of Oman struck a support vessel near its target, killing 19 Iranian sailors and wounding 15, Iran’s military and state media said Monday, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The statement significantly raised the death toll in Sunday’s incident from what was reported just hours earlier, when Iran’s state media said at least one sailor was killed.
The Konarak, a Hendijan-class support ship, which was taking part in the exercise, was too close to a target during an exercise on Sunday when the incident happened, the reports said. The vessel had been putting targets out for other ships to target. The media said the missile struck the vessel accidentally.
The friendly fire incident took place near the port of Jask, some 1,270 kilometers (790 miles) southeast of Tehran, in the Gulf of Oman, state TV said.
A local hospital admitted 12 sailors and treated another three with slight wounds, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Iranian media said the Konarak had been overhauled in 2018 and was able to launch sea and anti-ship missiles. The Dutch-made, 47-meter (155-foot) vessel was in service since 1988 and had capacity of 40 tons. It usually carries a crew of 20 sailors.
Iran towed the Konarak into a nearby naval base after the strike. A photograph released by the Iranian army showed burn marks and some damage to the vessel, though the military did not immediately offer detailed photographs of the site of the missile’s impact.
Iran regularly holds exercises in the region, which is close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world’s oil passes. The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, which monitors the region, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Iranian media rarely report on mishaps during exercises by the country’s armed forces, signaling the severity of the incident. It also comes amid months of heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 and imposed crushing sanctions on the country.
It marks the second serious incident involving a misfired missile by Iran’s armed forces this year. In January, after attacking U.S. forces in Iraq with ballistic missiles, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard accidentally shot down a Ukrainian jetliner, killing all 176 people on board.
PARIS (dna) — Plastic spacing barriers and millions of masks appeared Monday on the streets of Europe’s newly reopened cities, as France and Belgium emerged from lockdowns, the Netherlands sent children back to school and Spain let people eat outdoors.
All faced the delicate balance of trying to restart their battered economies without causing a second wave of coronavirus infections.
Fears of infection spikes have been borne out over the past few days in Germany, where new clusters were linked to three slaughterhouses; in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus started; and in South Korea, where a single nightclub customer was linked to 85 new cases.
With Monday’s partial reopening, the French did not have to carry forms allowing them to leave their homes. Crowds formed at some metro stations in Paris, one of France’s viral hot spots, but the city’s notorious traffic jams were absent and only about half the stores on the Champs-Elysees were open.
Hairdressers in the city planned to charge a fee for the disposable protective gear they will have to give to customers. Walk-ins will be a thing of the past, said Brigitte L’Hoste, manager of the Hair de Beauté salon.
“The face of beauty will change, meaning clients won’t come here to relax. Clients will come because they need to,” said Aurelie Bollini, a beautician at the salon. “They will come and aim at getting the maximum done in the shortest time possible.”
In Greece, Smaragda Petridou was out buying beauty products. “Look, I’m not afraid to go in when the protection measures are being adhered to,” she said. “We’ll shop. What can we do? So the shops can survive, too.”
In Germany, gyms reopened in the most populous state, but authorities there and in France have warned that a rise in the daily number of infections could lead to new restrictions..
In South Korea, the government pushed back hard against new infections, halting the school reopenings that had been planned for this week and reimposing restrictions on nightclubs and bars. It is trying to track down 5,500 people who had visited a popular Seoul entertainment district by checking credit-card transactions, cellphone records and security camera footage.
In China, Shanghai Disneyland reopened to visitors but let in only limited numbers and demanded that they wear face masks and have their temperatures checked.
Roughly half of Spain’s 47 million people shifted into a softer version of the country’s strict confinement, beginning to socialize, shop in small stores and enjoy outdoor seating in restaurants and bars. Its biggest cities, Madrid and Barcelona, remained under lockdown as the country reported the lowest numbers of coronavirus-related deaths and infections since March 17.
Spanish hotels were allowed to open as long as they don’t let guests mix in public areas. But with people not allowed to travel outside their provinces and few flights from overseas, the prospects were bleak.
Unfortunately this year’s business is lost already. It’s going to be catastrophic,” said Manuel Domínguez, manager at Seville’s Doña María Hotel.
Alfonso Polo, owner of four restaurants in a central square of the coastal city of Tarragona, Spain, opened 40 of his 90 outdoor seats. He said he expects to lose money for the next two or three weeks.
“At first it’s going to be very difficult, but we hope that slowly we’ll be able to recover. People are very eager to go out. That’s very clear,” he said,
In Belgium, Brussels’ City2 shopping mall reopened, and “everyone was impatient to open their shops, see their customers, so it is a relief despite the tremendous work they did to adapt their shops, to create paths with entries and exits for customers,” said manager Jurgen De Gelas.
Nearby, Omar Marrakchi bought a television.
“When I enter a shop, I thank every shop owner,” he said. “I thank them and I wish them good luck because we all have to be united and just a small ‘thank you,’ a small ‘good luck,’ is not much, but if everybody does it and follows the rules, we should be all right.”
In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a modest easing of the country’s lockdown but urged citizens not to squander the progress made. Some people, however, were confused as the government shifted its slogan from “Stay at Home” to “Stay Alert.” Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland stuck with the old motto.
People in jobs that cannot be done at home “should be actively encouraged to go to work” this week, Johnson said. He also set a goal of June 1 to begin reopening schools and shops if Britain can control new infections. Johnson himself is the only world leader to suffer a serious bout of COVID-19. “We will be driven not by mere hope or economic necessity,” he promised. “We’re going to be driven by the science.”
At London’s Waterloo train station, not everyone was convinced. “I am nervous about going back, because I have a family and they have been isolating since the start. I feel like I am now putting them at risk,” said Peter Osu, 45, who was returning to work at a construction site.
In the U.S., Trump administration officials spoke optimistically about a relatively quick rebound from the pandemic — but then announced that Vice President Mike Pence is “self-isolating” after an aide tested positive. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin predicted the American economy will rebound in the second half of this year from unemployment rates unseen since the Great Depression.
The U.S. has seen 1.3 million confirmed infections and about 80,000 deaths, the most in the world by far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, 4 million people have been reported infected and more than 280,000 have died, over 150,000 of them in Europe. Health experts believe all those numbers understate the true toll of the outbreak.
Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the University of Washington institute that has created a widely cited model projecting the course of the outbreak, said that moves by states to reopen businesses “will translate into more cases and deaths in 10 days from now.” Infections and deaths are going up more than expected in Illinois, Arizona, Florida and California, he said.
India reported its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases Monday as it prepared to resume train service to ease a lockdown that has hit migrant workers and their hungry families especially hard.
ISLAMABAD (Dna) – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif on Monday said that the 18th amendment should not be revisited as the matter has already been resolved.
Speaking on the floor of the Lower House of the Parliament, he said while responding to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s speech about PML-N’s 10 year in government, that all the coronavirus test were being conducted at the institutions built by his party.
Khawaja Asif said that seven institutions in South Punjab from Jinnah Hospital to Tayyap Erdogan Hospital had been built during the PML-N’s tenure.
The former federal minister said that the government even failed to prepare a plan for the prevention from coronavirus and now medicines worth billions of rupees had been imported from India.
The PML-N leader went on to say that the current situation that we are in is due to the negligence of the government, adding that the entire country was completely shut down when we had fewer deaths but now that with the spike in number of cases, the government is easing lockdown restrictions.
“Doctors, nurses and paramedics are fighting valiantly and I salute them on behalf of the nation,” he said. “They are our frontline soldiers but did we provide them with weapons to fight effectively,” he asked.
Khawaja Asif demanded that a House committee be formed to check the facilities in quarantine centers all over Pakistan from Taftan.
ISLAMABAD (DNA) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the coronavirus has gripped the entire globe and everyone must play their part in overcoming it. He said that Health has become a provincial article after the passing of 18th amendment.
Expressing these views during the special National Assembly session on Monday, the Minister said that coronavirus has wreaked havoc all across the globe and all countries are in a state of crisis. The virus has spread to 209 countries and no country has been able to fend it off completely. He said that tens of thousands of people have died due to coronavirus in countries such as United States, United Kingdom and Italy.
Shah Mahmood said that developing countries are especially in crisis due to the coronavirus, the likes of which has not been seen since the Second World War He said that the first case in Pakistan was reported on February 26 at which time our testing capacity was just 100, it has now been raised to multiple thousands. There are around 70 laboratories which have testing facilities and Pakistan has the best testing capability among all South Asian countries.
The Minister further said that taking into account the views of the opposition, his government has convened special National Assembly meeting to discuss Covid-19. He said that Health is a provincial article after the 18th amendment; Sindh is under the government of Pakistan People’s Party for the past 12 years while Punjab was ruled by Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) for 10 consecutive years yet the Health sector was never given any attention. He said that even though the country’s Health System is not the strongest, the government has taken important steps on time to control the coronavirus.
By Ms. Mehreen Gul, Director, Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS),
Islamabad & Eurasian Expert
A Person who is an influencer in the Caucasus and remains in the hearts of the people. History is evident about the figures who conquered the true essence of leadership and achieved the status in the world’s history as legends. Heydar Aliyev’s vision, commands, and his incremental influence are reflecting in the contemporary prosperous structure of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This article is dedicated to the 97th Birth Anniversary of “H.E HEYDAR ALIYEV” who entered the history of Azerbaijan as a builder of an independent state.
He was born on 10th May 1923 in Nakhchivan. The article aims to analyze the interpersonal influence that he exercised in the development of his country and the people when the country needed a standardized structure for the country. In every sphere, he made remarkable efforts for Azerbaijan. On the loss of the great leader, the world made excellent remarks for Heydar Aliyev as he had formulated long term solutions and strategy for Azerbaijan.
The initial struggle of Heydar Aliyev:
From ancient times to the declaration of independence Azerbaijan was in a struggle for its people, land, and resources. Heydar Aliyev was an active figure since 1939 when his career was impeded in World War II. His contributions were in various departments from the Archive Department of the people’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs, as a Head of the General Department of the council of Commissars of Nakhchivan to the Head of the Department of State Committee of Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev remained a member of the Supreme Soviets of the USSR for twenty- two years and in Azerbaijan SSR. It was the time when Azerbaijan had to devise a strategy for the survival of an independent nation. In the 1990s deadly tragedy in Baku, this valorous man demanded punishment to the executors of the crime at Azerbaijan’s representative office in Moscow and left the party for his homeland. The journey of his struggle didn’t consist of small steps but it took many years. Meanwhile, the people of Azerbaijan were aware of his position in several important parties and they elected him as a president in 1993.
A period of hope, stability, and peace
Since world war II, Heydar Aliyev had fought for the country as the main issue was stability in the region. After the establishment of Heydar Aliyev Government in Azerbaijan people could gain confidence and optimism. The vision of this inspirational leader was very conspicuous, he said:
“Our path is clear, the system of government and style of society we are developing in Azerbaijan is based on democratic pluralism, the free market economy, and a secular republic that respect universal human rights.”
Clarity of a vision and building a strong communication mechanism to develop confidence in the nation was well handled by the newly elected president. Civil war and other internal conflicts were destabilizing the peace of the country but in Heydar’s presidency, significant steps were taken to contain the civil war. Soon after the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, the president committed to restoring the ancient tradition and values of the country. Without the effective style of his leadership peace efforts were unattainable in Azerbaijan.
Negotiations to Manage Territorial Conflicts:
The beginning of independence was in danger and had many conflicts because it has sensitive border issues. Armenian’s illegal involvement and breaching the international laws were threatening the peace of newly established Heydar Aliyev state. To build an independent state, stabilizing security in the region and territorial rectitude were focused. Armenian aggression was halting the peace and stability but, he had maintained control. The national leader made several talks with Armenian leaders to curb the violence, his efforts were to bring peace and stability but the violation of Armenian troops got inflamed, here this is very important to remember that in the era of constant crisis the great leader didn’t lose hope and made the country’s development possible and gained the political stability. Through his intellectual stimulation, he strived hard to make the country’s pillar strong. To manage the situation, he made significant attempts to amplify the foreign policy. He believed in multilateralism for a balanced relationship with the countries.
Crisis Couldn’t Stop Heydar Aliyev to Recover the Economic Imbalance
In Heydar’s point of view “a country even the greatest one, can not develop its economy without international help. Keeping in mind that the predicament survival of the economy was a dire need. Leadership is very difficult in an unpleasant environment to organize and solve the problems, though problem-solving is a key. For this purpose, he made personal endeavors to establish a friendly relationship with the USA and Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, his position and struggle had attracted a large volume of foreign investment for economic development. The only way to defend Azerbaijan was through sustainable economic development” oil sector contracts” this strategy had captured international attention as the geostrategic value was important to the world. The new era of modern, powerful, and development had started. Through mapping out, he planned the best strategy for economic prosperity. The Joint Development and production agreement for the Azeri–Chiragli–Gunashli in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea was signed on September 20, 1994, it was the biggest achievement of the Century under the leadership of Heydar. Moreover, 11 companies were engaged i.e. AMOCO, BP, McDermott, UNOCAL, SOCAR, Lukoil, Statoil, TPAO, Pennzoil, Ramco, and Delta in this remarkable agreement Azerbaijan, USA, UK, Russia, Turkey, Norway, and Saudi Arabia were partners. This was only possible through the charismatic leadership qualities of Heydar Aliyev and due to the functional operations of the agreement Azerbaijan signed 26 more contracts with 41 companies from 9 countries. This new transition laid the foundation of efficient foreign policy and gradually mitigate the threats. For timely implantation of the provisions of the deals, Heydar Aliyev had ensured the transportation of the oil to international blocs. By the commitment and dedication in late 1997, Azerbaijan had exported oil to the black sea by the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline.
With the determination of the prominent leader, Azerbaijan turned into a stable, powerful, and developed country by maximizing its involvement in the international arena through trade and investment. Not only in the Oil Sector but he made long term strategy in the Gas Sector, in 1996 SOCAR and international oil agencies discovered the gas field, and 1.2 trillion cubic meters’ gas reserves caught attention. All the attempts and efforts of Heydar Aliyev had recovered the economy of Azerbaijan and the incumbent leadership is working for sustainability tremendously. In his era 165 1:50000 scale, digital maps were developed by the collaboration with the Japanese government and received 2$ million grant from Swiss SECO company for the land cadaster in the Azerbaijan project. It was important for Azerbaijan to manage border issues and the process was started by Heydar Aliyev in 1996 and in 2010 completed the demarcation between Azerbaijan and Russian Federation which was 390 km in length.
Social reforms
Azerbaijan’s modern development is associated with the visionary leader Heydar Aliyev, from political to economic spheres. he contributed and brought new reforms that could curb the crisis and revived its stability. History will never forget the reforms of the national hero, middle and old generations will always praise him for his tireless work for the country
He had served for the interests of people, state, and for their integrity. According to him freedom and independence are all people’s national wealth. He mainly focused on social reforms his first initiative was to give free lands to the citizens of Azerbaijan and it established new significant class of proprietors, formulated new land ploughman relations that aimed to the best utilization of the lands. Workable decrees were made for land laws, and these lands were also used for the welfare of people of Azerbaijan which improved the financial crisis. In his tenure, agrarian reforms and land reforms for the production outputs were intensified as Heydar wanted to revive his country with the best possible resources.
The Leadership is Being Continued by Ilham Aliyev
The world can easily compare the leadership skills of H.E Ilham Aliyev and the national hero Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan is fortunate that they couldn’t deprive of true leadership as H.E Ilham Aliyev is exhibiting his potentials and skills extensively to continue the efforts of the national leader of Azerbaijan. His dynamic approach is deepening foreign policy, political and socio-economic development. World Economic forum reported the 39th position of Azerbaijan in economic competitiveness. Carrying the vision of Heydar Aliyev, Ilham is intensively highlighting the Armenia issue in the UN Security Council. Concerning leadership qualities, in the testing times leaders should be decisive and should introduce the best contingency plan. In the COVID-19 era, the action plans by Ilham Aliyev are remarkable. Immediate surveillance in the health sector has contained unexpected pandemic by analyzing the world’s situation Ilham Aliyev’s leadership was prepared to manage the crisis. Undoubtedly, the incumbent leadership is for the interest of its people and statehood and in the current crisis giving relaxation in tax and mortgages and all the daily life items are available for the people. To cease the educational loss, a very comprehensive strategy is devised for schools, colleges, and universities. The excellent Leadership of Ilham Aliyev is appreciable as the rapid growth in socio-economic, political sectors can be seen. The current leadership’s cooperation with the world in COVID-19 is acknowledgeable.
In the end, I would like to highlight the rich culture and Islamic history of Azerbaijan that is remained attracted to the world and the Azerbaijani leadership is successfully maintaining it.
PULAU UJONG, MAY 11 (DNA) – Pakistan High Commission, Singapore, arranged the return of 13 Pakistanis to Peshawar, in close coordination with Pakistan International Airlines.
These Pakistanis had been stranded in Singapore due to suspension of flights to Pakistan in the wake of COVID-19. The group included 7 students, 3 tourists and 3 employment/dependent pass holders. Earlier the High Commission had arranged evacuation of 70 Pakistanis to Karachi on April 24, 2020.
The departing passengers acknowledged efforts of the High Commission in arranging their repatriation by the special flight and their transit through Kuala Lumpur.
The stranded Pakistanis travelled to Kuala Lumpur by Singapore International Airlines flight at 0830 hrs, today and boarded the PIA flight to Peshawar in the afternoon.=DNA
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PARIS, May 11 (DNA):The Embassy of Pakistan to France organized a Virtual Mehfil e Seerat to pay tribute to the Holy Prophet Peace Be Upon Him (P.B.U.H).
The event was organized on 17th Ramazan to mark the day of the battle of Badr, a turning point in the history of Islam, a press release received from Paris here today said.
Renowned Islamic scholar and expert Iqbal Dr Tahir Tanoli in his key note speech highlighted the importance of following the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad PBUH to bring peace and harmony to the world.
He said that Prophet (PBUH) was an embodiment of truthfulness and justice.
Replying to a question, he said that it is a misconception that science is an antithesis to the religion of Islam. Inspired by the Quranic teachings, a number of Muslim scientists made monumental contributions to science. Islam’s message is to learn and progress.
He said that the Quran and love for Prophet (PBUH) is the cornerstone for Iqbal’s poetry. His various couplets are literal translation of the Quranic teachings.
Ambassador of Pakistan to France, Moin ul Haq in his remarks said that the current coronavirus pandemic is a multi dimensional challenge to humanity but at the same time offers an opportunity to improve ourselves and come out of this crisis as better human beings.
He said that men of faith never lose hope, their resilience enables them to defeat challenges. He paid a rich tribute to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and stated that Prophet’s noble life serves as the complete and eternal guidance for humanity.
The event ended with a heart touching supplication to Holy Prophet S.A.W presented by Noor Muhammad Jarraal, an established poet, and a prayer for Pakistan, Kashmir and entire humanity.
The event was attended by a large number of Pakistani community members in France, guests from various countries and media personnel.
ISLAMABAD, MAY 11 (DNA) – India using COVID-19 as an iron curtain for its policy of genocide in Occupied Jammu &Kashmir and for reinforcing its August 5, 2019 lockdown.
While Pakistan seeks peace with its neighbor, we should emphasize on India and the rest of the world that we will not tolerate and stand by genocide in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK). There are no cost free and risk-free options to stop genocide in IOJK, save Kashmir, and avoid war with India. Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent is meant to deter war not pursue war. But, if the people of the Valley are threatened with genocide, as indeed they are, Pakistan must take bold measures.
Aug 5, 2019 has transformed Kashmir from a longer-term diplomatic challenge to an existential challenge for Pakistan. Modi’s ‘Anschluss’ does not allow for incremental strategies. Pakistan must now do whatever it takes to ensure that it no longer remains an irresolute and self-imprisoned soft state that surrenders its raison d’être.Pakistan must strengthen its credibility. If that happens, India will, sooner or later, have to accept the reality that it can neither permanently crush the Kashmir liberation struggle nor successfully blame Pakistan for its inability to do so. Pakistan must develop options and take risks to ensure freedom and justice for Kashmir and to chart a course for peaceful coexistence with India.
These were the views shared by Ambassador (R) Ashraf Jahangir Qazi, Former Pakistan High Commissioner to India and Ambassador to US andChina in an eloquent and thought-provoking webinar on “Humanitarian Assistance amid the COVID-19 Lockdown in Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK): International Response to the Clampdown.”
Ambassador Qazi highlighted that itis not an exaggeration to define life in IOJK as purgatory exacerbated by COVID-19. For Modi and his retinue, the pandemic provides the ideal opportunity to further execute their Hindutva designs of “absorb and annex” in the Valley – turning the Muslim majority into a minority. The situation in IOJK is desolate and spells terror as the Valley experiences not only acute shortage of manpower as well as inadequate infrastructure and personal protective equipment (PPE) but also internet facilities to access WHO guidelines on how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
Discussing the recent US Commission on International Religious Freedom report that designated India as a “country of particular concern” over its maltreatment of religious minorities mainly by “non-state actors”, Ambassador Qazi said that even Genocide Watch has issued a Genocide Alert for India Occupied Kashmirand called upon the United Nations and its members to warn India not to commit genocide in the territory.Genocide Watch has issued a Genocide Watch for Assam State, India, where millions of Bengali Muslims face losing citizenship status. However, he warned that India has not budged, and it will not until the Nazi-inspired Hindu state is blacklisted for institutionalized saffronizing of its minorities and the denizens of Kashmir. The exclusionary extremist narrative cannot be held accountable let alone defeated through issuing reports and merely showing “concerns”, he warned. “Pakistani response must operate on two tracks making the world see that first, Pakistan is working on all fronts to engage with India to discuss and resolve all outstanding issues, including climate change for peaceful co-existence; and second, that we do not seek zero sum solutions; and also at the same time categorically state that genocide will not be accepted in IOJK.
Ambassador Qazi lamented that for the inhabitants of the occupied territory, it is a case of triple whammy – military occupation, constitutional onslaught to alter the demographics and the emergence of an invisible enemy in the shape of COVID-19. As for BJP, the pandemic has become fitting pretext to justify communication blackout, restriction of internet services, confinement to homes ensuing deprivation of livelihood, and ultimately loss of identity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.=DNA
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