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Iran, Iraq condemn crow attack on Iranian consulate in Basra
PM Haider al-Abadi orders tough action, Tehran asks Baghdad to act fast
The Governments of Iran and Iraq have reacted sharply on protesters’ attack and setting fire of Iranian consulate in southern Iraqi city of Basra on Friday. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has ordered security forces to investigate into deadly violence and “act decisively” while Iran has strongly condemned the attack and reminded the Iraqi government of its responsibility to protect diplomatic sites.
According to Aljazeera, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, on Friday evening, instructed security forces to act decisively against the “acts of vandalism” that accompanied the demonstrations. Iranian consulate was set on fire on Friday as part of weeks-long protests over poor services and lack of jobs.
Reports from Basra speak of thousands shouting anti-Iran slogans, condemning alleged interference in their country’s politics before breaking into the consulate and setting it on fire. The building was empty when the crowd burst in.
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Mahjoub said Friday evening that the storming of the consulate, which it deeply regretted, had nothing to do with protesters’ demand. He said, “The targeting of diplomatic missions is unacceptable and detrimental to the interests of Iraq”.
Meanwhile, in Tehran, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi issued a statement regretfully confirming an attack, saying the attackers had set the building ablaze in their brutal raid, causing serious financial damage.
Qassemi described the attack as a violation of protocols and said the Iraqi government has a crucial responsibility to protect diplomatic sites. Moreover, without naming Saudi Arabia, warned about overt and covert efforts to undermine the friendly relations between the Iraqi and Iranian nations and governments.
Read More: Military officials from Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria meet in Baghdad
He urged Baghdad to “identify, arrest, and punish the culprits behind the serious crime as soon as possible”. He noted that Iran had earlier informed and warned the Iraqi officials about the probability of such an attack, and thus the Iraqi government is held responsible for any negligence in ensuring the consulate’s security.
The Iranian spokesman further said the Iraqi ambassador in Tehran was summoned to the Foreign Ministry and was notified on Iran’s strong protest over the negligence of the Iraqi forces to protect the consulate.
Eleven people have been killed so far during the violent protests against corruption and lack of basic services over the past five days in Basra, the port city situated close to Kuwait and Iran.
The protesters have earlier burnt buildings including the provincial governorate, ruling Dawa Party, the Supreme Islamic Council and the Badr Organization in Basra. The offices of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia and the offices of the Hikma Movement have also been burnt about 100 km north of Basra.
The protests were partly aimed against Iran as Tehran had stopped supplying electricity to Iraq due to unpaid bills and a rise in domestic consumption in the summer. However, on August 21, Iran said that it resumed supplying electricity to Iraq and other neighbouring countries 10 days ago, and it will be increasing it.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted Mehmoudreza Haghifam, the Deputy Energy Minister saying “We are now exporting 200 to 250 megawatt electricity to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan”.
Recently, to ward off Iranian influence in Iraq, Saudi Arabia has agreed to construct solar power 3000-megawatt plant and sell electricity for Iraq on cheaper prices at one fourth of Iran was supplying.
Read More: Saudi Arabia Sells Electricity to Iraq At Throw-Away Cost
Meanwhile, the comments uploaded by Press TV website readers were directed towards Saudi Arabia for instigating attack on Iranian consulate in Basra. Paul, one of the readers said, America and Israel are not Iran’s real enemy. Saudi Arabia is the real enemy. In order to have peace in middle east Saudi royal (royal my ass) family must be removed once and for all. Wahabi monsters are behind this”. Another reader said, “Peace will not come to Iraq until USA is kicked out”.
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Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Mahmood Qureshi held guilty in cipher case
The PTI leaders’ trial has been requested by the FIA, and it is expected that they would be sentenced in accordance with the law.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were found guilty on Saturday by Pakistan’s top investigating agency in the cypher case, a case involving the alleged exposure of state secrets.
The charge sheet against Khan, the Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman, and Qureshi, who are both presently being held in custody on judicial remand, was submitted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to a special court set up under the Official Secrets Act, according to the Pakistan Observer website.
Imran Khan, 70, was detained last month following the filing of a complaint against him for allegedly breaking the Official Secrets Act by revealing a covert diplomatic cable (cypher) issued by the nation’s embassy in Washington last year in March.
The PTI leaders’ trial has been requested by the FIA, and it is expected that they would be sentenced in accordance with the law.
The vice chairman of PTI is 75-year-old Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Asad Umar, the former general secretary of the PTI, is not on the FIA’s list of suspects, but former principal secretary Azam Khan has been portrayed as a key witness in the FIA’s case against Imran Khan, according to GeoTV, a well-known news outlet. The challan also contains Azam Khan’s statement recorded under sections 161 and 164.
The speeches by Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Imran Khan from March 27 are also included in the FIA’s attachment.
The Pakistan Observer further noted that the FIA had provided the court with a list of 28 witnesses in addition to the charge sheet. According to the report, the list of witnesses includes names such as current foreign secretary Asad Majid, previous foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood, and additional foreign secretary Faisal Niaz Tirmizi.
Imran Khan had been imprisoned on remand three times earlier on September 26. Along with Qureshi, his judicial remand was initially extended until September 13 and then again until September 26.
The former PM was transferred from Attock prison to the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on the same day, one day after the Islamabad High Court instructed authorities to do so.
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Pakistan: 34 killed, 130 injured after blast near mosque in Balochistan
City Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Javed Lehri asserted that the explosion was a suicide blast
In a tragic incident, nearly 34 people were killed and more than 130 people were injured in a suicide blast near a mosque in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Friday, according to reports. The incident took place when people were gathering for a rally to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. Reports state that the explosion occurred near Madina Mosque in the Mastung district.
Mastung’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gashkori, who was on duty for the rally, was among the deceased. The explosion took place when hundreds of people were gathering to mark Eid Miladun Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad.
Speaking about the matter, City Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Javed Lehri asserted that the explosion was a suicide blast and that the bomber exploded when he himself was standing next to DSP’s car. Mohammad Javed Lehri further affirmed that the wounded are being shifted to a medical facility for immediate treatment while an emergency has been imposed in the hospitals.
Local media reports quoted Dr Saeed Mirwani, who is the chief executive officer of Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital as saying that nearly 34 people were killed and more than 130 people were injured in the blast in Balochistan. Some of the injured are in critical condition, as per reports.
Balochistan interim Information Minister Jan Achakzai stated that rescue teams have been dispatched to Mastung. He further added that the critically injured persons are being transferred to Quetta and that an emergency has been implemented in all the hospitals.
Jan Achakzai underlined that the enemy wants to destroy religious tolerance and peace in Balochistan with foreign blessings. He added that the explosion was unbearable.
He also affirmed that caretaker Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki has directed concerned authorities to arrest those responsible for the blast. In addition, interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti strongly condemned the blast.
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Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing: Canada is committed to building closer ties with India despite credible allegations, says Canadian PM Justin Trudeau
Canadian Prime Minister stated that the US has assured that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would be raising the allegations made publicly about India’s role in Nijjar’s murder during the meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday asserted that Canada is still committed to building closer ties with India, despite credible allegations that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Addressing a press conference, the Prime Minister said that India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. He added that as they presented their Indo-Pacific strategy last year, they are very serious about building closer ties with India.
Justin Trudeau underlined that at the same time, as a rule of law country, they need to emphasises that India needs to work with Canada to ascertain that they get the full facts of this matter. He further mentioned that he thinks it is extremely important that Canada and its allies continue to engage constructively and seriously with India.
In addition, the Canadian Prime Minister also stated that the US has assured that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would be raising the allegations made publicly about India’s role in Nijjar’s murder during the meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
He noted that the Americans have been with them in speaking to the Indian government about how important it is that they be involved in following up on the credible allegations that agents of the Indian government killed a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.
Referring to Canada’s charges about the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Justin Trudeau stated that this is something that all democratic countries, all countries that respect the rule of law, need to take seriously. He added that his country is moving forward in a thoughtful, responsible way anchored in the rule of law along with all their partners, including the approach of the Government of India.
In the past few days, there has been an escalating diplomatic standoff between India and Canada after PN Justin Trudeau told the Canadian House of Commons that the Canadian security agencies had been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Indian government and killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
