Neighborhood News Digest – 17 March 2023

Afghanistan

Taliban's policies on women affecting Afghanistan's relations: Ex-minister – Business Standard

Taliban's policy on women's education and work will impact negatively Afghanistan's relations with the international community, former Minister of Finance, Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal said, TOLOnews reported. In an interview with TOLOnews, the former Minister of Finance said that the constitution and the people's support are important for governance. Click here to read... [2]

No change in India’s stand on Taliban regime: MEA – Indian Express

Days after members of the Taliban regime in Kabul attended an online course from IIM Kozhikode organised through the Ministry of External Affairs run-programme, India on Thursday said there has been no change in its position on not recognising the Taliban regime in Kabul. It also said there was no official diplomatic communication regarding this. Click here to read... [3]

Afghanistan to construct large canal on Amu Darya that can lead to water deficit in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – AKI Press

The website of Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan Mullah Abdul Ghani Bardar Akhund reported on March 9 that the official had visited Balkh province, bordering Turkmenistan, and checked the construction of the Kosh Tepa canal. The Kosh Tepa canal is a large hydraulic structure of the Afghan government, according to "Chronicles of Turkmenistan". The start of its construction was announced a year ago, in March 2022. Click here to read... [4]

Iran, Afghanistan to expand trade ties: envoy – Mehr News Agency

Referring to the visit of Afghanistan’s caretaker of the Commerce and Industry Ministry Nooruddin Azizi to Iran, Kazemi Qomi in a tweet on Thursday wrote that fruitful talks have been made between the Iranian and Afghan sides to increase trade exchanges between the two countries. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

Joint Virtual Inauguration of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline by Prime Ministers of India & Bangladesh - PM India

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline on 18 March 2023 at 1700 Hrs (IST) via video-conference. This is the first cross border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh, built at an estimated cost of INR 377 crore, of which the Bangladesh portion of the pipeline built at a cost of approx. INR 285 crore, has been borne by the Government of India under grant assistance. Click here to read... [6]

Russia seeks direct ruble payment system with Bangladesh - English Alarabiya

Russia is seeking a direct payment system in rubles with Bangladesh to settle repayment of a loan for building a nuclear power plant as Western sanctions hinder fund transfers, a Bangladesh government official said on Thursday. Bangladesh is constructing the first of two nuclear power plants in collaboration with Russia’s state-owned atomic company Rosatom under a $12.65-billion project, 90 percent of which is financed through a Russian loan repayable within 28 years, with a 10-year grace period. Click here to read... [7]

Bhutan

Govt. to grant investment allowance to businesses for economic growth – Kuensel

The government has decided to grant an “investment allowance” to any investment made in projects for the promotion and development of 14 high-priority sectors, for research and development, improving energy efficiency, and developing and improving digital services. An investment allowance is a type of tax break that is extended to companies as a means of motivating the companies to invest in various ventures. Click here to read... [8]

Explained | Bhutan’s graduation from the UN list of Least Developed Countries – The Hindu

“We are taking it with a lot of honour and pride, we are not nervous,” said Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering at the United Nations Least Developed Countries (LDC) Summit that concluded on March 9 in Doha, Qatar. Mr. Tshering was referring to the fact that come December, the landlocked Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan will no longer be on the list of LDCs. It will become only the seventh country to graduate from the list. Click here to read... [9]

Maldives

Maldives: Proposed amendment may restrict media’s election access - IFJ

Media stakeholders, legal experts and civil society organisations have expressed their concern that a proposed amendment to elections legislation could restrict foreign and freelance journalists’ ability to monitor election processes. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Maldives Journalists Association, call on the Maldivian government to consult with journalists and other media stakeholders before drafting legislation and amend the existing proposal to protect press freedom. Click here to read... [10]

PPM-PNC coalition to hold protest across the Maldives - Avas

The opposing PPM-PNC has decided to hold a protest in all inhabited islands of the Maldives, calling for the release of their leader, former President Abdullah Yameen. The Criminal Court, on December 25 last year, convicted President Yameen of accepting bribes and money laundering and sentenced him to 11 years in jail. President Yameen will not be able to contest the upcoming presidential election until the Criminal Court's conviction is quashed by a higher court. Click here to read... [11]

Myanmar

More than two years on, impact of Myanmar military coup ‘devastating’ - UN News

Now in its third year, Noeleen Heyzer said that “the impact of the military takeover on the country and its people, has been devasting.” She thanked Member States for renewing the resolution for the continuation of her mandate and support for an “all-stakeholder approach in promoting a Myanmar-led process, reflective of the will of the people”, to end the suffering and death. Click here to read... [12]

UN controversially helping Myanmar junta to repatriate Rohingyas - Mizzima

The Myanmar Accountability Project, MAP, has obtained an internal communication from the UN’s top official in Myanmar, the Resident Coordinator, Ramanathan Balakrishnan, which reveals a shocking double standard. In it, Mr Balakrishnan openly confirms that the UN’s Refugee Agency, UNHCR, is participating in a pilot project to repatriate Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar, despite what the document says is “UNHCR’s assessment that conditions in Rakhine State (to which they will be returned) are currently not conducive to the safe and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees.” Click here to read... [13]

Nepal

Republic set to elect its third Vice President today – The Kathmandu Post

Nepal will elect its third Vice President on Friday. The vice presidential election will be held at the Parliament building at New Baneshwor, Kathmandu. “All preparations are complete. Voting will take place from 10 am to 3 pm on Friday,” said Shaligram Sharma Paudel, spokesman at the Election Commission. The final list of candidates published by the commission includes Ashta Laxmi Shakya from the CPN-UML, Pramila Yadav and Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav from the Janata Samajbadi Party, and Mamata Jha from the Janamat Party. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal’s ambassadors wait—months on end—for political access in Delhi, Beijing – The Kathmandu Post

The “neighbourhood first” policy that New Delhi adopted after the election of Narendra Modi as India’s prime minister in 2014 has proven to be no more than lip service, at least when it comes to the South Block’s treatment of the Nepali ambassador. Nepal’s Ambassador to India Shankar Sharma has been trying—without success—for 10 months to sit for an official meeting with External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar. Click here to read... [15]

Nepal's PM likely to visit India next month on his first overseas trip – The Telegraph

Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' is likely to travel to India on an official visit next month - his first foreign trip since assuming the office for the third time in December last year, a media report said on Thursday. Though the official date of his visit to India is yet to be announced, boosting bilateral ties and talks on trade, energy, agriculture, culture and air service will prominently feature in his talks with Indian leaders. Click here to read... [16]

Chinese Rocket That Delivers Spy Satellites Burns Up Over Nepal Skies – NDTV

A Chinese rocket which was used to deliver spy satellites into space on Saturday burned up over the skies of Nepal, the United States Naval Institute (USNI) reported, according to Epardafas. A similar incident occurred over Texas last week. The Chang Zheng 2D 'Long March' rocket re-entered the atmosphere on Saturday after more than 200 days in space and burned up over the skies of Nepal, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell. Click here to read... [17]

Pakistan

Govt vows no compromise on nukes amid IMF deal delay – Dawn

The premier and the finance minister asserted on Thursday that there would be “no compromise” on the country’s nuclear and missile programme and they are “jealously guarded by the state”. The statements from the top came amid concerns raised by some quarters after the visit of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) head to Pakistan last month and the government’s failure to strike a deal with IMF to resume a stalled loan programme, which would offer a critical lifeline to avert an economic meltdown. Click here to read... [18]

Cash-Strapped Pakistan To Receive $500 Million From Chinese Bank – NDTV

A Chinese bank has assured Pakistan that it will provide another refinanced USD 500 million loan within the next few days, bringing the total of commercial loans up to USD 1.7 billion out of the total committed amount of USD 2 billion, The News International reported. The Pakistani authorities are running from pillar to post to get 100 per cent confirmation from friendly donor countries and multilateral creditors before moving toward striking a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves rise by $18m – Firstpost

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank rose by $18 million in the week ending on March 10, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) said on Thursday. According to the handout issued by the SBP, its reserves stood at $4.319 billion while net foreign reserves held by commercial banks were $5.527bn. Arif Habib Limited calculated that the reserves were sufficient to cover nearly a month of imports, the Down reported. Click here to read... [20]

Security in Pakistan’s Punjab jails on high alert – The Print

The Inspector General of Prison Punjab has put the security of jails throughout Punjab on high alert and instructed all senior jail officials to never leave the jails and to be there at all times, The Dawn reported. The IG Prison Mian Farooq Nazir has ordered all Deputy Inspectors General (DIG) of Prisons and Superintendents (SP) of Jails, including DIG Rawalpindi Region and superintendent of Jail Adiala Asad Javed Warraich to further improve the security of jails. Click here to read... [21]

PTI chief appears amenable to govt offer of talks – Dawn

After a court kept his arrest warrants in play and police showed their resolve to execute the warrants, PTI Chairman Imran Khan appeared to show some flexibility in his stance, saying on Thursday that he was “ready to talk to anyone” for the sake of the country and democracy. As per court orders, Mr Khan is supposed to be arrested and presented before a court in the Toshakhana case on March 18 after his arrest warrants were issued for skipping proceedings multiple times. Click here to read... [22]

Sri Lanka

The all-powerful Sri Lankan Presidency - The Hindu

The main ask — and the most popular chant — of the ‘Janatha Aragalaya’ [people’s struggle] witnessed in Sri Lanka last year was “Gota go home”. Scores of angry citizens, who took to the streets to protest acute shortages of essentials and long power cuts, squarely blamed the country’s most powerful leader for their misery. They deemed the former military man unfit to govern or occupy the country’s top office, and ousted him dramatically. Click here to read... [23]

India continues to support debt-ridden Sri Lanka, distributes ration - Business Standard

India, under its 'Neighbourhood First' policy, has always come forward to help debt-ridden Sri Lanka, and in the latest instance, New Delhi distributed the ration in Kalmunai, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said. Click here to read... [24]