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Pak quietly releases Jaish chief Masood Azhar for terror attacks: intelligence report

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]After repeated sabre rattling by Pakistan following Narendra Modi government’s Article 370 move, intelligence agencies reported that Pakistan has secretly released Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar from protective custody.

Azhar, who was designated a terrorist by the United Nations in May 2019, has been released to plan terrorist operations, the Hindustan Times reported.

The HT report said the Intelligence Bureau (IB) also warned that Pakistan was planning “big action” in Sialkot-Jammu and Rajasthan sectors in the coming days in response to the government’s move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, preventing non-residents from buying property and getting government jobs in the state. The input warned that Pakistan has started deploying additional troops near the Rajasthan border as part of the plan.

Azhar is now reportedly at the sprawling headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur despite Islamabad’s claims of arresting him, said a NDTV report quoting government sources. Masood Azhar’s last location, according to sources, was the Markaz Subhanallah, the headquarters of the terror group located in Bahawalpur.

Markaz Subhanallah, which means “centre for praising God”, is described by reports as a massive building complex with modern amenities. It is said to host meetings of top Jaish terrorists. Besides Masood Azhar, his brothers and other relatives are believed to be staying in the complex.

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The Jaish chief’s health has improved but he avoids coming out and delivering sermons, given Pakistan’s claims to the world community about a crackdown on terrorists operating from its soil, said the NDTV report.

Masood Azhar, whose terror outfit claimed responsibility for the February Pulwama attack in which over 40 soldiers were killed, was designated a terrorist in May by the UN after China, Pakistan’s all-weather ally, lifted its technical hold on the proposal by the US, the UK and France to list him.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan last Friday, Sep 6, threatened “fullest possible response” to India’s moves in Jammu and Kashmir. The comments by Khan, who had earlier said there was a risk of India-Pakistan war, came on a day Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said they were prepared to “go till any extent”. Bajwa added they were ready to “give sacrifices for our Kashmiri brothers, fulfil our duty till the last bullet, last soldiers and last breath”.

The Indian Navy had recently talked about inputs that Pakistani commandos were prepping to infiltrate into Indian waters through the Kutchh area and use the sea route to try and incite communal trouble or carry out a terror attack in Gujarat. Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh had cited intelligence reports that the Jaish was training members for underwater attacks and had said the military was fully prepared to foil such attempts.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval said on Saturday that more than 200 terrorists were trying to cross into India from Pakistan and Islamabad was trying to stoke violence in the region. “About 230 terrorists are ready to infiltrate into different parts of Kashmir,” Doval told reporters.

“A large number of weapons are being smuggled and people in Kashmir are being told to create trouble,” said Doval, who is considered one of the architects of the policy to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

Azhar is wanted in India for several attacks including the 26/11 Mumbai terror. Last week, the government declared Azhar a terrorist after the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was amended to declared individuals as terrorists too, not just organisations.

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Pakistan had detained several leaders of the Jaish-e-Mohammed and restrained its activities after the group claimed responsibility for the Pulwama car bombing in February that killed 40 CRPF troopers and led to the Balakot air strikes by the Indian Air Force. That effort was also driven by Islamabad’s anxiety to signal to the international community that it was serious about cracking down on terror ahead of a meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June.

Pakistan’s hard push to terror elements is timed to coincide with the UN Human Rights Council meetings that begin in Geneva from September 9. Pakistani foreign minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi is personally leading the charge against India in Geneva. Islamabad is expected to either seek an urgent debate or a resolution at the council meeting citing alleged human rights violations in Kashmir.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will lead another offensive later this month when he speaks at the UN general assembly. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is expected to be a key focus of his speech.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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US reiterates its call for fair, transparent, legal process for Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, speaks on Congress frozen accounts

The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections.

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A day after India summoned an US diplomat over their remarks on the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, the US reiterated its call for fair, transparent, timely legal processes on Wednesday.

Responding to questions on India summoning Gloria Berbena, the US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that they will continue to follow these actions closely, including the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Notably, the meeting at the foreign ministry’s South Block office lasted nearly 40 minutes yesterday with India objecting strongly to the US remarks on the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal.

Matthew Miller also responded to a question on the Congress party’s frozen bank accounts. The US spokesperson said that they are also aware of the Congress party’s allegations that tax authorities have frozen some of their bank accounts in a manner that will make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections. He added that the US encourages fair, transparent and timely legal processes for each of the issues.

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the Delhi liquor policy scam. Earlier, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Sanjay Singh were arrested in the same case.

The External Affairs Ministry had earlier stated that states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others, and this responsibility is even more so in case of fellow democracies, adding that it could otherwise end up setting unhealthy precedents.

The Ministry further emphasized that India’s legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. It mentioned that casting aspersions on India’s legal procedure is unwarranted.

The United State’s remarks followed days after Germany’s Foreign Office stressed that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is entitled to a fair and impartial trial. The Indian government labelled their remark as blatant interference in internal matters.

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5 Chinese nationals killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan

This is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

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Nearly five Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion during an attack on their convoy by a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. Reportedly, the suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers travelling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, situated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Regional police chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur said that five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack. As yet, none has claimed responsibility for the attack. Bisham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir asserted that the incident was a suicide blast and the authorities concerned were collecting the evidence.

The Station House Officer further added that security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital. He added that they will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened. Notably, this is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

Previously, two attacks hit an airbase and a strategic port in the southwest province of Balochistan where China is investing billions in infrastructure projects. Several Chinese engineers and Pakistani construction workers have for multiple years been working on hydroelectric projects as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in the western province of Khyber-Paktunkhwa.

Notably, Dasu is home to a significant dam project, has been a target of previous attacks. Earlier in 2021, the attack in Dasu resulted in the deaths of nine Chinese nationals, along with two Pakistani children. The incident occured when a bus carrying Chinese engineers and workers to the Dasu Hydropower Project site was targeted.

There was confusion surrounding the nature of the attack initially, with some reports suggesting it was a bus accident. Nonetheless, subsequent investigations revealed that it was indeed a terrorist attack. The bus was hit by a blast, leading it to plunge into a ravine.

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US bridge collapses after being hit by ship

The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

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Major portions of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, US collapsed on early Tuesday morning after it was hit by a large container ship. The incident occurred at nearly 1.30 am (US local time). The Baltimore City Fire department said the collapse is a mass casualty incident.

According to reports many vehicles fell into the river below. The rescuers were searching for at least 7 people in the water. Some reports said upto 20 construction workers were there on the Baltimore Bridge at the time of the incident. A video of the incident which was widely shared on social media showed the moment the 3 km long bridge collapsed.

It seems the vessel had hit one of the supports of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the roadway to break apart in many places and plunge into the water. The ship caught fire and appeared to sink. Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, the registered owner of the ship, and the manager, Synergy Marine Group, said it is a Singapore flagged ship Dali which collided with a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

He said the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined; the Dali has now mobilized its qualified individual Incident response service. It added that all crew members, including the 2 pilots who were aboard, have been accounted for and there are no reports of injuries.

The local traffic police said all lanes on both directions of the bridge have been closed and the traffic is being de-toured. Maryland Governor Wes Moore also declared a state of emergency after the collapse of the bridge. The bridge was opened in 1977, spans the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast. It is named after the writer of the Star Spangled Banner.  

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