INDIA: When half a dozen trucks loaded with construction material screeched to a halt on their farms, Baryam Singh and fellow residents in the Indian village of Bobiya sensed they were soon going to lose more land to the military.
The farmers chased away the contractors and laborers with protests and threats of deflated tires, knowing it was only a temporary reprieve.
“The military infrastructure has been growing in our village and our farmlands are shrinking,” Singh told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, like other farmers sitting around him nodded.
“More than 50% of our agricultural land is under military lockdown,” he said of the village on the border with Pakistan.
Over the past 15 years, the Indian army and the country’s Border Security Force (BSF) have been acquiring land to fortify defenses in the border districts of Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Border Welfare Committee, a local organization campaigning for the rights of border residents.
Both India and Pakistan administer the disputed state of Kashmir in part while claiming it in full.
The fertile land where Jammu and Kashmir meet Pakistan has become dotted with barbed wire and land mines, leaving hundreds of farmers cut off from their farms, often with no warning or compensation, said Bobiya villagers.
“This is adding to the economic distress of farmers who don’t have alternative sources of livelihood,” said Singh.
After India revoked the autonomy of its portion of Kashmir in August, farmers in border areas now fear to lose even more of their land to the military, according to ID KHajjuria, an activist who heads up the Jammu and Kashmir Forum for Peace and Territorial Integrity.
With India bringing Jammu and Kashmir deeper into its fold, the central government will have greater power to seize territory in the border regions in the name of national security, he warned.
“The local elected political representatives will now have a very limited say in the functioning of the (Jammu and Kashmir) government,” KHajjuria said.
Jammu divisional commissioner Sanjeev Verma said that all farmers in Jammu province would eventually be paid for their land.
“Whatever new agricultural land is being acquired, the farmers will get financial compensation,” he said in a phone interview.
Some have already been compensated, he added, though he declined to specify how many.
’I AM LANDLESS NOW’
The defense system includes a fence of about 900 km (560 miles) in length that sits several kilometers into India from the border, slicing through villages and leaving vast tracts of farmland on the other side of the fence toward Pakistan.
India’s government is also working on a “Wall of Defense” along the border between India and Pakistan, according to the Border Security Force.
The project consists of a 10-meter-high (32-foot) mud embankment to protect residents of India’s border villages from frequent cease-fire violations that both sides blame on each other.
There are also plans to install high-tech surveillance systems to plug gaps where physical surveillance is not possible, India’s ministry of home affairs announced last year.
Members of the Border Welfare Committee — which is based in the city of Kathua — said that thousands of hectares of Indian farmland now sit untouched on the other side of the fence.
Technically, farmers can still get to their land, but the checkpoints in the fence are opened only during specific times of day and farmers have to walk for hours to reach their fields, explained Bharat Bhushan Sharma, the committee’s vice president.
Even if they do manage to successfully cultivate their crops, “there is always a threat of cross-border fire,” said Sharma, who is also head of Bobiya village.
“And then (they) can’t protect their crops from wild animals.”
Committee president Nanak Chand, 87, said he lost almost eight hectares of land to the fence when it was first built in 2004.
“Three months ago, the military acquired the remaining two hectares of farmland as well,” he said. “I am landless now.”
Chand was given 3 million rupees ($42,000) as compensation, which he says is not enough to buy himself an equivalent piece of land in a peaceful part of the country.
KHajjuria agreed, saying that “with developers and businessmen from other states rushing to Jammu and Kashmir, land prices are likely to soar and it would make it difficult for poor border residents to buy land in peaceful areas.”
In December 2018, Chand filed a petition with the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on behalf of farmers living in the border areas of the affected districts.
The petition called for the government to pay rent for farmland on the Pakistan side of the fence and provide farmers with compensation for each crop season during which their land remains uncultivated.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, the BSF and the local administration have not yet filed their responses, according to lawyers representing the farmers.
Jugal Kishore Sharma, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party who represents the Jammu-Poonch parliamentary constituency, could not specify how much of the land along the border currently being used by the military is farmland.
But he said officials in the border districts are in the process of measuring that amount.
“Thereafter, the government will start paying rent to farmers,” he said in a phone interview.
WAITING FOR PEACE
Often times, when the border fence cuts through a farm, it also isolates the village in which the farm is located, said Mohammad Arif Khan, 67, head of Behrooti village in Poonch district.
As a result, “the villages (are) deprived of even the basic facilities and infrastructure,” he explained.
The huge razor-wire fence has turned Behrooti into what locals have described as an open prison.
“Our village doesn’t have roads and health care facilities. There is no Internet or mobile phone connectivity,” said Mohammad Nisar Khan, 30, another resident.
“A zoo is visited by people every day, but here the outsiders are not allowed. Socially, we are completely isolated.”
The knowledge that the military plans to add high-tech surveillance equipment to the fence is disheartening, said Khan, who like many Indians living on the border is holding out hope that the fence will one day be moved onto the border itself.
“We’ll become permanent prisoners if the fence gets upgraded at its current location,” he said.
While the residents of Behrooti feel trapped in their village by the fence, others fear it will force them to leave their homes for good.
“There’s little chance that our next generation will be in a position to continue living here (at the border),” said Meer Chand, a rice farmer in Nanga village, 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Bobiya.
“We’ve lost hope that there will ever be peace between India and Pakistan. We have neither security of life nor livelihood.” (Reporting by Ashutosh Sharma, Editing by Jumana Farouky and Zoe Tabary. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women’s and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change.
India’s increasing defenses eat away at farmland along border with Pakistan
India’s increasing defenses eat away at farmland along border with Pakistan
- More than 50% of our agricultural land is under military lockdown, a villager said
- Technically, farmers can still get to their land, but the checkpoints in the fence are opened only during specific times of day
Pakistan’s army chief flags non-state actors, disinformation as threats to global peace
- General Asim Munir says Pakistan expects Kabul not to allow its soil to be used for militancy
- He says absence of regulation over freedom of expression is deteriorating moral values
ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir on Friday identified violent non-state actors and the spread of disinformation as significant challenges to global peace while addressing a gathering in the federal capital, where he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting international stability.
The army chief made the remarks during a special session of the Margalla Dialogue, an annual conference that convenes policymakers, scholars and experts to discuss critical national, regional and global issues, where he highlighted Pakistan’s role in fostering global peace.
Organized by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), a local think tank, the conference provided a platform for the army chief to emphasize Pakistan’s contributions and express concerns about the issue of cross-border militancy.
“Terrorism by violent non-state actors and state-sponsored entities remains a significant global challenge,” the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported him as saying.
“We expect the Afghan interim government to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorism against Pakistan and to take strict measures in this regard,” he added.
The army chief’s statement comes against the backdrop of a surge in militant violence in Pakistan’s western provinces bordering Afghanistan.
Officials in Islamabad have frequently accused Afghan authorities of “facilitating” cross-border attacks by armed factions, such as the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which target civilians and security personnel— an allegation Kabul denies.
APP reported the army chief stated that Pakistan would not become part of any global conflict and would continue to play its role in promoting international peace and stability.
General Munir acknowledged the role of technology in disseminating information, though he cautioned that it also facilitated the rapid spread of disinformation.
He asserted that without comprehensive laws and regulations, disinformation and hate speech could destabilize political and social structures.
“Absence of proper regulations for freedom of expression is leading to the deterioration of moral values in societies worldwide,” he added.
The army chief expressed optimism about the country’s future, noting that about 63 percent of Pakistan’s population is under the age of 30, adding that the country was endowed with immense natural resources and had emerged as a major global agricultural producer.
He highlighted Pakistan’s significant role in the global freelancing industry and noted that its geographical location and seaports could position it as a vital trade hub for countries around the world.
Pakistan suspends mobile Internet in Balochistan, citing ‘public safety’ amid rising violence
- People in Balochistan say mobile Internet has been down for about three days in different areas
- PTA announcement comes days after a suicide bombing at a crowded railway station in Quetta
QUETTA: The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) announced the suspension of mobile Internet services in various parts of the restive southwestern Balochistan province on Friday, saying the decision was taken to “ensure public safety” amid a surge in militant violence over the past several months.
The announcement follows a deadly suicide bombing at a crowded railway station in Quetta, the provincial capital, which killed at least 28 people, including Pakistani soldiers, and injured dozens of others.
The attack was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an outlawed separatist group that has targeted Chinese nationals in an effort to undermine the multibillion-dollar Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
The BLA, the largest of several ethnic insurgent groups battling the Pakistani state, alleges that the province’s rich gas and mineral resources are unfairly exploited, a claim the government denies.
“The general public is hereby informed that, under the directives of authorized departments, mobile Internet services have been temporarily suspended in certain areas of Balochistan,” the PTA said in an official statement.
“This measure has been taken to ensure public safety, given the security situation in these areas,” it added.
The PTA statement did not specify the areas where mobile Internet services have been suspended, nor was there any clarification from other departments on whether the government was planning an operation against militants in these regions.
However, mobile Internet has already been down in the province’s Kech, Panjgur, Gwadar, Khuzdar, Loralai, Dukki, Ziarat, Harnai and Zhob districts for the last three days, causing significant hardships for students and the business community in these areas.
“Hundreds of students and businesses have been affected by the mobile Internet suspension,” Abdul Majid Dashti, a lawyer based in Turbat, told Arab News, adding that cellphone Internet had been down for nearly three days in the area.
Sadaqat Baloch, a journalist in Pakistan’s coastal town of Gwadar, which is central to CPEC, said authorities suspended mobile Internet in the area a day after the Quetta railway station bombing.
“People of the Makran region, including Khuzdar, are now deprived of mobile Internet, which has been creating problems for them,” he added.
The provincial government’s spokesperson was unavailable for comment on the recent mobile Internet suspension.
Pakistan felicitates Palestinians on 36th independence anniversary, reaffirms support
- Palestinians proclaimed the Declaration of Independence on Nov. 15, 1988, in Algiers
- Pakistan calls support to the Palestinian cause a ‘consistent facet’ of its foreign policy
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday felicitated the people of Palestine on the 36th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, saying its support for the Palestinian cause has been the most consistent feature of the country’s foreign policy.
Proclaimed on November 15, 1988, during a meeting of the Palestine National Council in Algiers, the Declaration of Independence envisioned a sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem as its capital.
It marked an important movement in the Palestinian struggle for self-determination and has since been a symbol of their aspirations for statehood.
“On the occasion of Declaration of Independence Day of the State of #Palestine, we extend our heartiest felicitations to its people and the Government,” the foreign office said in a social media post.
“Pakistan’s unflinching support to the Palestinian cause has been a consistent facet of our foreign policy,” it added. “We reaffirm our strong commitment to the Palestinian right to self-determination and our unwavering support for the establishment of an independent, viable, and contiguous state of Palestine, with Al-Quds-Al-Sharif as its Capital.”
The anniversary comes as the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 43,700 since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign more than a year ago, displacing nearly the entire population of the Palestinian territory.
Most of those killed in Israeli airstrikes and ground offensives are reported to be women and children, while the international community fears that the conflict could spread to the rest of the Middle East.
The situation has also exacerbated humanitarian concerns, with the United Nations warning of an impending famine in the besieged territory, where residents face acute shortages of food, water and medical supplies.
Muslims in Pakistan’s smog-shrouded Punjab province pray for rain
- The special prayer was held at over 600 government-run mosques in the province
- Punjab grapples every winter with smog, but the situation has worsened recently
LAHORE: Pakistan’s Punjab province declared a health emergency due to toxic smog on Friday, banning construction, shutting schools for another week and moving universities online, while hundreds of thousands of Muslims prayed for rain and forgiveness.
The faithful gathered at over 600 government-run mosques in the province for “Namaz-e-Istisqa,” a voluntary prayer for rain often offered in times of calamities, said Talha Mahmood, spokesman for the provincial Religious Affairs department.
“Today, we prayed for rain to decrease smog, though it is caused by humans’ own mistakes,” said Muhammad Ejaz, 48, who led prayers at a mosque in the sprawling provincial capital Lahore, adding the prayer aimed at seeking God’s forgiveness for people’s sins.
The province, Pakistan’s most populous, grapples every winter with smog, but air pollution has worsened in recent years, as a result of cold air trapping dust, low-grade diesel fumes and smoke from illegal stubble burning on fields.
Sajid Bashir, spokesman for the provincial Environment Department, attributed this year’s severe pollution to a lack of rain in September and October.
“Last year, rain spells reduced particulate matter; this year, we’re still waiting,” he said on Friday.
Lahore has topped Swiss group IQAir readings as the world’s most polluted city, for most of the week.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, announcing smog-reduction measures at a press conference, said the government had ordered the closure of construction, brick kilns, and furnace-based plants in Lahore and the city of Multan.
She said there would be a complete three-day lockdown from next Friday if the situation does not improve.
Last week the province ordered schools to close until Nov. 17, and on Friday the shift to online learning was extended for another week. Colleges and universities will also shut down, moving to virtual classes.
Authorities have already banned entry to parks, zoos, playgrounds and other public spaces.
Other parts of South Asia are also dealing with high levels of pollution and Punjab blames neighboring India for contributing to its hazardous air quality. New Delhi, the world’s most polluted capital, has banned non-essential construction, moved children to virtual classrooms and asked residents to avoid using coal and wood from Friday.
Pakistan orders VPN ban over militant use, with religious body calling them ‘un-Islamic’
- Interior ministry says ‘terrorists’ have been exploiting VPN services for violence, financial transactions
- Government has set up a portal for VPN registration, which can be done by the end of the ongoing month
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior sent a letter to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) on Friday, asking it to block illegal Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) across the country while citing their use by militant groups for financial transactions and violent activities.
This directive follows international criticism of Pakistan’s Internet restrictions, notably after the February general elections, where allegations of electoral manipulation led to the blocking of social media platform X.
Media reports also suggested the government was setting up a national firewall, which had led to the slowdown of Internet speed across Pakistan, saying the decision was taken to curb “anti-state narratives” by political activists.
More recently, the PTA launched a new portal for VPN registration, saying it wanted to ensure secure and uninterrupted operations for online users and businesses.
“I am directed to refer to the subject cited above [about blockage of illegal VPNs] and to state that VPNs are increasingly being exploited by terrorists to facilitate violent activities and financial transactions in Pakistan,” the ministry’s letter to the PTA chairman noted.
“Of late, an alarming fact has been identified, wherein VPNs are used by terrorists to obscure and conceal their communications,” it added. “VPNs are also being used for discreetly access pornographic and blasphemous contents.”
Earlier this week, the PTA already disclosed that nearly 20 million Pakistanis try to access pornographic websites on a daily basis that were banned by the authorities in 2011.
The letter requested the top PTA official to block illegal VPNs nationwide while pointing out that registration of VPNs with PTA could be made the end of the ongoing month.
VPN users in Pakistan have already reported significant disruptions to services since last weekend, with issues relating to connectivity and restricted access.
Pakistan’s decision to impose online restrictions have been questioned by free speech activists and businesses alike.
PREDA, Pakistan’s first membership-based organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of professionals, also wrote a letter to the government earlier in the day, appealing for the adoption of stable digital policies to support growth and build an eco system for global competitiveness.
