No policy change on Kashmir; India, Pakistan must maintain calm, says US

Agencies
August 9, 2019

Washington, Aug 9: The United States on Friday said that there is no change in its policy on Kashmir and called on India and Pakistan to maintain calm and restraint.

"No", replied State department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus when asked by reporters if there has been any change in America's policy on Kashmir.

The US policy has been that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and it is up to the two countries to decide on the pace and scope of the talks on the issue.

"And if there was, I certainly wouldn't be announcing it here, but no, there's not," Ortagus said in response to a follow up question.

She said the United States supports dialogue between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

"It's something that we've called for calm and restraint by all parties. We want to main peace and stability, and we, of course, support direct dialogue between India and Pakistan on Kashmir and other issues of concern," the US state department spokesperson said.

India had on Monday revoked provisions of Article 370 to take away Jammu and Kashmir's special status, and bifurcating the state into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Ortagus said the US was working closely with the two South Asian countries.

"We have a lot of engagement with India and Pakistan. Obviously, we just had Prime Minister Khan here, not just because of Kashmir. That's certainly an incredibly important issue and something that we follow closely. But we have a host of issues that we work with India on quite closely and that we work with Pakistan on quite closely," she said.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo had met external affairs minister S Jaishankar in Bangkok last week.

Responding to a question on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir, Ortagus said, "I really don't want to go beyond what we've said, because it's such a tenuous issue. It's something that we're talking to them about quite closely."

"The United States, whenever it comes to any region in the world where there are tensions, asks for people to observe the rule of law, respect for human rights, respect for international norms. We ask people to maintain peace and security and direct dialogue," she said.

The state department spokesperson said the US was closely monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"There are reports, as you've mentioned, of detentions and restrictions of residents in Jammu and in Kashmir. And again, that's why we continue to monitor this very, very closely," she said.

Ortagus reiterated earlier statements that the US was not consulted and informed by India about its decision on scrapping articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution.

"There was no heads up given," she said.

Successive US administrations' policy have been to encourage India and Pakistan to resolve their differences through dialogue.

The Trump administration has insisted that Pakistan needs to create conducive conditions for talks by taking irreversible and decisive actions against terrorist and militant groups operating from its soil.

Meanwhile, after Acting Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice Wells, another senior US diplomat is heading to India.

The visit was pre-scheduled but it would be used to discuss the current issues, Ortagus said.

"Deputy Secretary of State John J Sullivan will travel to Thimphu, Bhutan, and New Delhi, August 11 through 17th to advance the United States partnership with two nations that are critical to preserving the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacificregion," the US State Department spokesperson said.

In Bhutan, she said, Sullivan will explore expanding and deepening the ties with the government and people of Bhutan.

The deputy secretary will be the highest-level executive branch official from the United States to visit Bhutan in over two decades, Ortagus added.

She said Sullivan will then travel to New Delhi to advance the "broad and multifaceted" US-India Strategic Partnership, which is based on a shared commitment to democratic values, economic growth and rule of law.

"There, the deputy secretary will meet Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and address the India-US Forum," Ortagus said.

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News Network
October 22,2024

Several Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) schools across India were hit with hoax bomb threats on Tuesday, just days after an explosion occurred near a CRPF school in Delhi. The threats, sent via email late Monday night, targeted schools in Delhi and Hyderabad, according to sources.

Earlier this week, a bomb exploded outside a CRPF school in Delhi’s Rohini area, causing significant damage to nearby vehicles and property. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.

In response to the blast, Delhi Police confiscated CCTV footage from nearby markets as part of their investigation. Sources indicate that surveillance footage captured a suspect at the scene, wearing a white T-shirt, displaying suspicious behavior the night before the explosion.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the explosive device had been hidden in a polythene bag, buried in a shallow pit, and covered with garbage. The blast caused a hole in the school's boundary wall and shattered the window panes and signboards of nearby shops.

Following the incident, the Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Section 3 of the Indian Explosives Act, and other relevant sections.

The FIR states, "A case of an explosion caused by an unknown explosive substance has been registered, and the investigation continues." It also details the damage, noting that the blast left a hole in the boundary wall and affected nearby structures.

The targeted schools serve children from CRPF and other paramilitary families, and the recent threats have heightened concerns. In response, Delhi authorities have placed the city on high alert, ramping up security measures, especially in markets, ahead of the Diwali festival. 

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News Network
October 27,2024

soldiers.jpg

The death toll from the overnight Israeli aggression against a number of military positions across Iran has risen to four.

Earlier the Iranian Army had announced the martyrdom of two of its forces in the Israeli attack, who lost their lives “while confronting the projectiles of the criminal Zionist regime in order to safeguard the security of Iran and prevent harm to the Iranian nation and interests.”

Media reports identified the two martyred Army forces as Major Hamzeh Jahandideh and Sergeant Mohammad-Mehdi Shahrokhifar.

Major Sajjad Mansouri and Sergeant Mehdi Naghavi, who had been injured in line of duty, also succumbed to their injuries, reports said.  

The strikes targeted parts of military sites in the capital Tehran as well as the western and southwestern provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan, with Iran’s air defense saying the attacks were “successfully intercepted and countered.”

The attacks caused “limited damage” in some locations and the dimensions of the incident are under investigation.

Despite Israeli media reports overplaying the Israeli attack by circulating fake images, the Iranian public returned to their routines and daily life continued smoothly across the country.

Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization announced that flights had resumed after a short interruption and footage from Mehrabad Airport in western Tehran showed operations running normally, with passengers moving through as usual.

The Tehran Oil Refining Company also dismissed rumors of an Israeli attack on its facilities.

On October 1, Iran responded to the Israeli assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and senior IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan by launching as many as 200 ballistic missiles toward the occupying regime’s military and intelligence bases all over the occupied Palestinian territories.

Dubbed Operation True Promise II, the retaliatory strike dealt a severe blow to the illegal regime all the more ruinous than its prequel in April, with Tel Aviv having so far declined to reveal the extent of loss it suffered despite vowing to respond on several occasions.

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News Network
October 26,2024

Mangaluru, Oct 26: In a distressing case of online harassment, Surathkal police in Mangaluru have apprehended a man, identified as Shariq, on charges of cyber harassment that allegedly led a woman to attempt suicide. 

The case took a dark turn when the woman reported that her Facebook account was hacked, leading to an influx of explicit, threatening messages directed at her brother, Kishan, and friend, Harshith.

According to Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal, the complaint, registered on October 22, specifically accused Shariq of orchestrating the harassment. Summoned for questioning, Shariq’s mobile phones and social media accounts were initially reviewed, but no conclusive evidence surfaced.

The case escalated when the woman reportedly received more abusive messages on October 24, pushing her to a point of desperation. Following her suicide attempt, police intensified the probe, reaching out to social media platforms for further verification. 

The Surathkal police have filed charges under sections 78(1)(i), 351(1 & 2), and 3(5) of the BNS, with the investigation ongoing to uncover the full extent of the cyber harassment network.

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