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India Gazette
a day ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Amjad Ayub Mirza exposes systemic persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan
London [UK], June 9 (ANI): Amjad Ayub Mirza, a leading activist from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), has delivered a scathing analysis of the Voice of Minority in Pakistan's May 2025 report, which highlights the deteriorating situation of religious minorities in Pakistan, particularly Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, and Ahmadis, under the country's majoritarian framework. Mirza accused Pakistan of cultivating a culture of impunity in which Muslims, protected by blasphemy laws, supposedly have a 'licence to kill.' Citing Section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code, he emphasised how simple accusations of blasphemy can result in arrests, lynchings, or even capital punishment, as seen most infamously in the cases of Asiya Bibi and the assassinations of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and Christian minister Shahbaz Bhatti. According to the report, at least 43 cases of religious persecution occurred in May 2025 alone, including deliberate violence against Hindus in Sindh's Mirpur Khas and against Christian women in Lahore. Notably, six attacks on the Ahmadiyya community were reported in districts including Kasur, Sialkot, and Lahore, with several reportedly carried out by bar associations, Tehreek-e-Labbaik, and police officers. Mirza described how young minority girls, some as young as 12, are abducted and forced to convert to Islam. He also quoted the Sindh Assembly, where MPA Faisal verified reports of Hindus being compelled to eat beef, which is profoundly repugnant to their religious views. These reported actions frequently coincide with religious festivals, such as Bakra Eid. Beyond physical violence, minorities are systematically excluded from civil services, education, and political participation. Many are relegated to low-paying jobs like sanitation work and live in neglected neighbourhoods lacking basic utilities. Temples, churches, and gurdwaras are frequently vandalised or illegally occupied, while media outlets ignore or suppress reports of festivals like Diwali or Christmas. Mirza concluded that the persecution of minorities in Pakistan is not incidental, but embedded in the ideological foundation of the state. 'Being a Christian or a Hindu in Pakistan is treated like a crime,' he said. (ANI)
India Gazette
26-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Gilgit-Baltistan faces environmental and political crisis, says Dr Amjad Mirza on Radio Himalaya News
London [UK], May 26 (ANI): Political activist from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza, has raised alarm over the deteriorating environmental conditions and political developments in Gilgit-Baltistan in his latest episode on Radio Himalaya News, Kashmir News Exclusive. Speaking on the urgent issue of melting glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan, Dr Mirza stated that unchecked deforestation, unregulated tourism, lack of waste management, and rising plastic pollution are accelerating glacial melt in the region. He criticised the absence of a national glacier monitoring policy and pointed out that neither Pakistan nor Gilgit-Baltistan possesses the modern technology necessary to manage glacial water, recycle waste, or monitor changes via satellite. 'India is the only country in South Asia with the capability to address these challenges effectively,' Dr Mirza said, arguing that Gilgit-Baltistan should be integrated with Ladakh under the Indian Union as per the Instrument of Accession signed on October 26, 1947. He also criticised the recently passed Land Reforms Bill 2025 in Gilgit-Baltistan, which, he said, further strengthens bureaucratic control while undermining the rights of local people. The bill, currently awaiting the Governor's assent, has triggered widespread public dissent. Civil society organisations, including the Public Action Committee led by Ahsan Ali Advocate and the Anjuman-e-Imamia Association, have opposed the bill, demanding its return to the Assembly for revisions. Several activists have been jailed for protesting the legislation, which is being described as a move to legalise land grabs. Dr Mirza warned of a potential civil disobedience movement if the demands of the people are not met. 'Gilgit-Baltistan may be ignored by the world, but not by Radio Himalaya News,' he concluded. Earlier on April 12, Mirza issued a strong statement supporting India's recent counter-terrorism offensive -- Operation Sindoor -- targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and its occupied territories. Speaking to ANI, Mirza warned that the threat of terrorism from PoJK is far from over. He asserted that the terrorist camps in PoJK have not been dismantled but only relocated after India identified their locations. 'The terrorists have been moved from places like Muzaffarabad, Leepa Valley, and other known sites. These camps are very much active -- just shifted, not shut,' he said. He accused Pakistan of continuously exploiting PoJK -- which he emphasised as Indian territory -- to wage proxy war against India. 'Pakistan will keep using PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan against India until these areas are reintegrated into the Indian Union,' he stated. (ANI)
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
More Than a Team: The Rise of CSK & the Whistle Podu Army
'I Don't Work For Govt But...': Shashi Tharoor Exposes Pakistan, Lauds Op Sindoor In US Congress MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted how India responded in a measured and calibrated manner towards terror bases in Pakistan and PoJK, following the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Delivering the remarks at the Indian Consulate, Tharoor noted the visit by the members of the all-party delegation to the 9/11 Memorial was their first stop. He said, 'It was a very moving moment for us, but it was also meant to send a very strong message that we are here in a city which is bearing still the scars of that savage terrorist attack in the wake of yet another terrorist attack in our own country.'#pahalgamterrorattack #shashitharoor #indiapakistanrelations #pojk #allpartydelegation #terrorism #operationsindoor #lashkaretaiba #resistancefront #toi #toibharat 17.2K views | 1 hour ago
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India, Russia To Advance BrahMos Missile Production After Operation Sindoor Success
'I Don't Work For Govt But...': Shashi Tharoor Exposes Pakistan, Lauds Op Sindoor In US Congress MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted how India responded in a measured and calibrated manner towards terror bases in Pakistan and PoJK, following the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Delivering the remarks at the Indian Consulate, Tharoor noted the visit by the members of the all-party delegation to the 9/11 Memorial was their first stop. He said, 'It was a very moving moment for us, but it was also meant to send a very strong message that we are here in a city which is bearing still the scars of that savage terrorist attack in the wake of yet another terrorist attack in our own country.'#pahalgamterrorattack #shashitharoor #indiapakistanrelations #pojk #allpartydelegation #terrorism #operationsindoor #lashkaretaiba #resistancefront #toi #toibharat 8.2K views | 1 hour ago
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'I Don't Work For Govt But...': Shashi Tharoor Exposes Pakistan, Lauds Op Sindoor In US
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor highlighted how India responded in a measured and calibrated manner towards terror bases in Pakistan and PoJK, following the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Delivering the remarks at the Indian Consulate, Tharoor noted the visit by the members of the all-party delegation to the 9/11 Memorial was their first stop. He said, 'It was a very moving moment for us, but it was also meant to send a very strong message that we are here in a city which is bearing still the scars of that savage terrorist attack in the wake of yet another terrorist attack in our own country.'#pahalgamterrorattack #shashitharoor #indiapakistanrelations #pojk #allpartydelegation #terrorism #operationsindoor #lashkaretaiba #resistancefront #toi #toibharat Read More
