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Islamists prevail in Pakistan, force law minister Zahid Hamid to resign

Published

9 years ago

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Islamists-Faizabad-protest

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah, other Islamic groups had laid siege on Islamabad last week protesting against a ‘blasphemous’ amendment to the Elections Act

Late on Sunday night, Pakistan’s Federal law minister Zahid Hamid resigned from office; a decision that is likely to pave the way for ending a week-long siege of the country’s capital, Islamabad, by hard-line Islamist groups who have been protesting against a now-abandoned ‘blasphemous’ amendment to the Elections Act, 2017.

Hamid’s resignation was a key demand put forth by the protestors – led by the hitherto little-known hard-line group Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah Pakistan (TLYR) – as a pre-condition for ending their agitation, which had turned violent and claimed six lives while leaving over 200 injured through the weekend.

The standoff had begun between the government and protestors over a recent amendment to the Elections Act, which sought to alter the ‘Finality of Prophethood’ declaration that electoral candidates in the country have to mandatorily make while being sworn-in.

Although the government had hastily abandoned the amendment, with some sections having even declared it as a ‘clerical error’, the protestors had continued their agitation and pressed for Hamid’s resignation as the first condition for restoration of normalcy.

The TLYR has claimed that Hamid oversaw the introduction and passage of the Elections Amendment Bill 2017, which altered the text of a form that candidates contesting elections need to sign. The candidates were earlier expected to “solemnly swear” that they believe Muhammad was Islam’s last prophet. The new amended form – now abandoned – asked candidates to swear that they “believe” in the finality of Muhammad’s prophethood – an issue of semantics that the hardliners felt was the Pakistan government’s ‘softening’ of stance against the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam – a persecuted minority group who many in the Islamic country don’t consider to be Muslims.

While a detailed statement by Hamid is still awaited, his fleeting comments have been flashed by media organisations in Pakistan in which he has claimed that the contentious amendment was not his handiwork but one that was “formulated by a parliamentary committee comprising members belonging to all political parties.”

Hamid told Pakistan’s Geo TV that he was “not directly responsible for the introduction of the controversial amendment to the Finality of Prophethood declaration for electoral candidates” but that he had decided to step down from his office of the Federal law minister “in order to restore peace in the country.”

Pakistan’s leading media organisation Dawn said in a report: “The minister’s resignation comes in the aftermath of Saturday’s botched operation against protesters at Faizabad and ‘successful negotiations’ with leaders of the demonstration late on Sunday night”.

With Hamid resigning, evidently under pressure from the Islamists, TLYR leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi addressed a press conference at the Faizabad Interchange protest site in Islamabad and ordered his followers across Pakistan to end the sit-ins and go home. He also announced an end to the strike being observed on Monday and called for opening businesses and shops.

Rizvi declared that the Islamist protesters camping at the Faizabad Interchange will depart from the protest site within 12 hours, as soon as implementation of the agreement reached with the government is started.

The TLYR leader claimed that Pakistan’s Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and Major General Faiz Hameed had acted as guarantors for the agreement between the protestors and the federal government.

A report by Dawn said that according to a document circulating among journalists that bears signatures of the protest leaders and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, among others, the federal government has agreed to the following demands put forth by the TLYR in order to end the sit-in:

  1. Remove Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid from his position immediately. “Tehreek-i-Labaik will issue no fatwa [religious decree] of any kind against him.”
  2. The report prepared by Raja Zafarul Haq-led committee will be made public within 30 days and whoever is named in the report for being responsible for the change in the election oath will be acted against under the law.
  3. All protesters arrested between November 6 until the end of the sit-in from across the country will be released within one to three days according to legal requirements. The cases registered against them and the house arrests imposed on them will be ended.
  4. An inquiry board will be established to probe and decide what action to take against the government and administration officials over the operation conducted by security forces against protesters on Saturday, November 25. The inquiry should be completed within 30 days and action will be taken against those found responsible.
  5. The federal and provincial governments will determine and compensate for the loss of government and private assets incurred from November 6 until the end of the sit-in.
  6. The points already agreed to concerning the Government of Punjab will be fully implemented.

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India envoy Dinesh Trivedi meets PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman 

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman amid diplomatic tensions.

Published

3 days ago

on

August 12, 2026

By

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.

According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.

The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM

During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.

The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.

Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request

The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.

Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.

India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction

The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.

During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.

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Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official

White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.

Published

4 days ago

on

August 12, 2026

By

Modi trump

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

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US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, India-China face 100% tariff risk

The US Senate has passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

Published

1 week ago

on

August 8, 2026

By

Donald Trump

The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

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