United News of Bangladesh

Pakistan is hosting a major security meeting this week, with senior leaders from longtime ally China and archrival India among those attending. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was established in 2001 by China and Russia to discuss security concerns in Central Asia and the wider region. But it’s Pakistan’s own security that is under the microscope. An attack on a foreign ambassadors’ convoy, violent protests by supporters of an imprisoned former premier, and a bombing outside Pakistan’s biggest airport are signs the country is struggling to contain multiplying threats from insurgents. The summit, which begins Tuesday in Islamabad, comes at a crucial time for the government. Here’s why: Armed groups are outpacing the army Pakistan says it has foiled attacks through intelligence-based operations and preventative measures. It frequently vows “to root out terrorism.” But the frequency and scale of the recent violence give the impression that the government isn’t in control and raises questions about its ability to protect key sites and foreigners, let alone Pakistanis. In the last few weeks, separatists from Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province have killed Chinese nationals in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city, as well as more than 20 miners in an attack on housing at a coal mine and seven workers in another attack. The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army is better at mobilizing fighters in different areas and its operational capabilities have increased. The group wants independence for the province. It’s not interested in overthrowing the state to establish a caliphate, which is what the Pakistani Taliban want. But the two groups have a common enemy -- the government. Analysts have said the BLA is getting support from the Pakistani Taliban. But, even without an alliance, attacks in the southwest are becoming more audacious and brutal, indicating that the BLA’s tactics are evolving and taking the security apparatus by surprise. The Pakistani Taliban continue their shootings and bombings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. It could be difficult for militants to hit the summit given the security around it and the areas where delegates will stay. But they could still wreak havoc. Vehicles are often just waved through street checkpoints in Islamabad. Aside from government buildings and top hotels, body searches and under-vehicle scanners are rare. “At stake for the entire state is the only mission -- how to hold such an event peacefully,” said Imtiaz Gul, the executive director of the Center for Research and Security Studies. “How to get it done without any unpleasant incidents taking place. It’s going to be a formidable challenge for the government to disprove the notion of failures within the security apparatus.” Pakistan is paying the price for shutdowns Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said last week that the national economy suffered cumulative daily losses of more than $684 million on account of recent agitation. He was referring to supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan reaching the heart of the capital, despite a suspension of the local mobile phone network and shipping containers blocking entry and exit points to the city. The shutdown hit most business sectors, the gig economy, point-of-sale transactions, commuters, students, workers and more. Pakistan can’t afford to incur such losses or deepen people’s grievances. It relies on International Monetary Fund bailouts and multibillion-dollar deals and loans from friendly countries to meet its economic needs. There are regular protests about energy bills and the cost of living. Despite people's hardships, authorities have declared a three-day holiday surrounding the summit. There have been reports of the government ordering the closure of wedding halls, restaurants, hotels, cafes and markets in Islamabad and the neighboring garrison city Rawalpindi for security reasons. Officials denied the reports, but not very strenuously. “Generally, high-profile conferences are meant to promote connectivity, trade and improve a country’s image,” said Gul. But not in this case because Islamabad won't look like a normal city, he added. “It seems they lack innovative thinking," Gul said. "They are unable to use smart approaches and that’s why the easier way is to shut everything down.” A seat at the table and saving face The last time Pakistan hosted a summit was in March 2022, a month before Khan was kicked out of office and a fresh cycle of upheaval started. The country's security situation and political instability are two factors that have prevented it from holding major international events. Even its best-loved sport, cricket, has suffered. There was a 10-year absence of test matches after terrorists ambushed a Sri Lanka team bus in 2009, killing eight people and injuring players and officials. The summit is Pakistan’s chance to shine, especially in front of its neighbor China, to whom it is in hock by several billion dollars and whose nationals are prime targets for armed groups, as well as India, which is sending its foreign minister to the country for the first time since 2015. India and Pakistan have fought three wars and built up their armies but also developed nuclear weapons. China and India fought a war over their border in 1962. Pakistan, unused to hosting such a high-level meeting, will have to put its best face forward. Senior defense analyst Abdullah Khan said the government wants to present itself in the context of international legitimacy amid current domestic crises. “The presence of heads of state and other senior officials will itself be a success as Pakistan will come out of its so-called isolation,” said Khan. “A peacefully held SCO will further improve the country’s image.”

An Air India flight en route from Mumbai to New York was diverted to Delhi early this morning following a security concern. The aircraft, carrying 239 passengers and crew members, made an emergency landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), where all on board were safely evacuated. The flight, designated AI119, was operating between Mumbai and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) when it received a security alert. Following the alert, the government’s security regulatory committee instructed the aircraft to divert to Delhi, according to an official statement from Air India. “All passengers have disembarked and are currently at the Delhi airport terminal,” confirmed an Air India spokesperson. “Standard safety protocols are being followed to ensure the well-being of everyone involved.” Read: Two flights from Middle East make emergency landing in Sylhet due to dense fog Upon landing, the aircraft was directed to an isolated runway at IGI Airport. Security agencies, including a bomb squad team, immediately initiated a thorough investigation to assess the situation. A senior police official reassured that all necessary procedures were being meticulously followed to ensure the safety of the passengers, crew, and airport personnel. At the time of reporting, no further details have emerged regarding the nature of the security threat, but officials are maintaining a cautious approach as checks continue. More updates are expected as the investigation unfolds. Source: Agencies

South Korea said Monday it has detected signs that North Korea is preparing to destroy the northern parts of inter-Korean roads no longer in use, as the rivals are embroiled in soaring tensions over North Korea’s claim that South Korea flew drones over its territory. South Korea’s military said Monday it has found North Korea is engaging in works to prepare for the explosions. It’s not clear how much parts of the roads North Korea would destroy. The development comes as North Korea has accused South Korea of launching drones to drop propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang three times this month and threatened to respond with force if it happened again. In a statement Sunday, the North’s Defense Ministry said that the military had issued a preliminary operation order to artillery and other army units near the border with South Korea to “get fully ready to open fire.” The spokesperson said that the entire South Korean territory “might turn into piles of ashes” following the North’s powerful attack. South Korea has refused to confirm whether it sent drones but warned it would sternly punish North Korea if the safety of its citizens is threatened. Last week, North Korea said it will permanently block its border with South Korea and build front-line defense structures to cope with “confrontational hysteria” by South Korean and U.S. forces. Read: North Korea vows to block border with South Korea, to build front-line defense structures Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years, with North Korea continuing a run of provocative weapons tests and South Korea and the U.S. expanding their military drills. KCNA said North Korea on Tuesday tested a long-range artillery system that observers say pose a direct threat to Seoul, the South Korean capital, which is only an hour’s drive from the border.

China held large-scale military exercises surrounding Taiwan and its outlying islands Monday in what it called a warning against Taiwan independence. China’s Defense Ministry said the drills were a response to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s refusal to concede to Beijing’s demands that Taiwan acknowledge itself as a part of the People’s Republic of China under the rule of the Communist Party. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry called the drills a provocation and said its forces were prepared to respond. The PLA’s Eastern Theater Command spokesperson Navy Senior Captain Li Xi said the navy, army air force, missile corps were all mobilized for the drills. “This is a major warning to those who back Taiwan independence and a signifier of our determination to safeguard our national sovereignty," Li said in a statement on the service’s public media channel. Read: China announces sanctions on US companies selling arms to self-ruled Taiwan Taiwan was a Japanese colony before being unified with China at the end of World War II. It split away in 1949 when Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled to the island as Mao Zedong's Communists swept to power on the mainland. Lai took office in May, continuing the eight-year rule of the Democratic Progressive Party that rejects China’s demand that it recognize Taiwan is a part of China. China routinely states that Taiwan independence is a “dead end” and that annexation by Beijing is a historical inevitability.

China agreed Sunday to assist Vietnam on cross-border railway development and take steps to expand agricultural imports from its smaller neighbor, Vietnam’s official media said. Premier Li Qiang, on an official visit to Vietnam, pledged that China would further open its market to high-quality fruits, seafood and other Vietnamese products, a state media report said. China is Vietnam’s largest trading partner and second-largest export market after the U.S. Trade between the two countries reached $172 billion in 2023. Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, signaled the importance of the relationship when he made China his first overseas visit after assuming his post last year. Li came to Vietnam from neighboring Laos, where he had pushed back against calls at a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders to respect international law in territorial disputes in the South China Sea. China looking forward to work closely with Bangladesh: Envoy Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh told Li that both sides should respect each other’s legitimate rights and interests, resolve disputes through peaceful means and properly address issues related to fishers and their vessels, the state media report said. Vietnam condemned China two weeks ago for what it described as an assault by Chinese law enforcement personnel that injured several Vietnamese fishers near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. The islands have been under the de facto control of China since 1974, when Beijing seized them from Vietnam in a brief but violent naval conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Southeast Asian leaders gathered in Laos last week that the U.S. is concerned about China’s “increasingly dangerous and unlawful” activities in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety. In their talks on Sunday, Chinh and Li agreed to deepen exchange and cooperation in diplomacy, national defense and public security, the state media report said. They also witnessed the exchange of 10 cooperation agreements, including the establishment of a working group to develop cross-border economic cooperation zones and the implementation of QR-code, cross-border payment services. The railway agreements covered a technical plan and feasibility studies to improve train connectivity between Vietnam and China. On trade, Chinh asked for greater access for a range of products including tropical fruits, meat products, farm-raised spiny lobster and plant-based traditional medicines. Li said that China stands ready to resolve trade issues and work with Vietnam on quarantine and customs procedures, according to the Vietnamese report.  

Tribal clashes killed at least 11 people in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday and injured eight, including women and children, a local official said. Tensions rose in Kurram district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, after two people were critically injured in a shooting incident between rival tribes. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the shooting. Vehicles were targeted in different areas of the district, leading to more casualties, said senior official Javedullah Khan. Khan said efforts were being made to secure travel routes and restore normalcy. The injured were taken to a hospital. Pir Haider Ali Shah, a former parliamentarian and member of a tribal council, said elders had arrived in Kurram to mediate a peace agreement between the tribes. Read: Gunmen kill 20 miners and wound others in an attack in southwest Pakistan “The recent firing incidents are regrettable and have hampered efforts for lasting peace,” he said. Last month, at least 25 people were killed in days of clashes between armed Shiites and Sunni Muslims over a land dispute. Although both live together largely peacefully in the country, tensions have existed for decades between them in some areas, especially in Kurram, where Shiites dominate in parts of the district. Also Saturday, a separatist group in the southwest claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 21 people. The Baloch Liberation Army said its fighters targeted a coal mine in Duki district with heavy weapons, rocket launchers and grenades late Thursday night. It gave higher casualty figures of 30 dead and 18 injured. It also said that Pakistani security personnel were disguised as workers, without giving evidence. It threatened more assaults unless the military withdrew from the province. Read more: Suspected militants shoot police in vehicle in northwest Pakistan, killing 2 officers Balochistan is home to several groups that demand independence from the federal government, accusing it of exploiting the oil- and mineral-rich province at the expense of locals.

The Israeli military on Saturday renewed its orders for Palestinian in the northern Gaza Strip to leave their homes and shelters as troops press on a weeklong offensive against militants. Most of the fighting in the past week was centered in and around Jabaliya that was pounded by Israeli war jets and artillery. Residents said they have been trapped inside their homes and shelters. In Lebanon, authorities said Friday that 60 people were killed and 168 wounded in the past 24 hours, raising the total toll over the past year of conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah to 2,229 dead and 10,380 wounded. Israel has been escalating its campaign against Hezbollah with waves of heavy airstrikes across Lebanon and a ground invasion at the border, after a year of exchanges of fire. Israel is now at war with Hamas in Gaza and Hamas' ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, who do not say how many were fighters but say women and children make up more than half of the fatalities. The war has destroyed large areas of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its population of 2.3 million people, often multiple times. It's been a full year since Hamas-led militants blew holes in Israel’s security fence and stormed into army bases and farming communities, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. They are still holding about 100 captives inside Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.

In a move aimed at supporting minorities, the Maharashtra state cabinet has approved a significant increase in the share capital of the Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Development Corporation, raising it from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,000 crore. This decision follows a budget proposal tabled in July, where the state had also enhanced the loan guarantee for the corporation, boosting it from Rs 30 crore to Rs 500 crore. The Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Development Corporation provides essential financial services to minority communities, including student loans, term loans, and microfinance initiatives. BGMEA working on resolving salary issues; despite efforts 45 factories closed in Ashulia on Saturday The increased funding and guarantees are expected to expand the corporation’s reach and impact, helping more individuals from minority groups gain access to financial support. In addition to this, the state cabinet has also approved a salary hike for teachers working in madrassas, specifically those employed on contract to teach subjects outside the traditional curriculum, such as Mathematics, Science, and Hindi. The salaries of Diploma in Education (D Ed) teachers will double from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000 per month. Meanwhile, teachers with a Bachelor’s degree (BA) and a Bachelor of Education (B Ed) qualification will see their monthly salaries increase from Rs 8,000 to Rs 18,000. This move is seen as an effort by the state government to regain the support of Muslim voters, a key demographic that largely turned away from the governing parties during the recent Lok Sabha elections. The government's outreach efforts aim to improve educational opportunities within the community and provide financial relief to those in need. Source: Agencies     

Gunmen killed 20 miners and wounded another seven in Pakistan’s southwest, a police official said Friday. It’s the latest attack in restive Balochistan province and comes days ahead of a major security summit being hosted in the capital. Police official Hamayun Khan Nasir said the gunmen stormed the accommodations at the coal mine in Duki district late Thursday night, rounded up the men and opened fire. Most of the men were from Pashtun-speaking areas of Balochistan. Three of the dead and four of the wounded were Afghan. Nobody claimed immediate responsibility for the attack. The province is home to separatist groups who want independence. They accuse the federal government in Islamabad of unfairly exploiting oil- and mineral-rich Balochistan at the expense of locals. Read: Gunmen kill dozens in multiple attacks in one of the worst violence in a Pakistani province On Monday, a group called the Baloch Liberation Army said it carried out an attack on Chinese nationals outside Pakistan's biggest airport. There are thousands of Chinese working in the country, most of them involved in Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative. The explosion, which the BLA said was the work of a suicide bomber, also raised questions about the ability of Pakistani forces to protect high-profile events or foreigners in the country. Islamabad is hosting a summit next week of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a grouping founded by China and Russia to counter Western alliances. Read more: Gunmen kill 23 passengers taken from vehicles in an attack in southwest Pakistan

Suspected militants riding on a motorcycle opened fire on a vehicle carrying police officers Thursday in a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, killing two of them and wounding two others, police said. The attack happened in Tank, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, local police official Sher Afzal said. No group has claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, who often target security forces. An explosion outside the Karachi, Pakistan, airport kills 2 workers from China and injures others The TTP are outlawed in Pakistan. They are separate from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban who control neighboring Afghanistan. The latest violence came a day after at least three people were killed in clashes in the northwestern town of Jamrud between police and supporters of a banned right group Pashtun Protection Movement or PTM, which authorities say supports TTP. The government has also barred PTM from holding rallies in the northwest, allegedly because the demonstrations are against the interests of Pakistan. PTM denies backing the Pakistani Taliban, and tension was growing Thursday after the group vowed to resist the ban on their rallies.