Neighborhood News Digest – 15 December 2023

Afghanistan

Pakistan punishes Kabul with Sirajuddin Haqqani ‘Disclosure’-The Khama Press

Pakistan has let out its worst-kept secret that the top mujahideen personnel of its anti-Russian and, later, anti-US campaigns in Afghanistan, some of whom are Taliban now in power, carried the privileged ‘green’ Pakistani passports. The dramatic ‘disclosure’ highlighted that Sirajuddin Haqqani, Interior Minister in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, was holding a Pakistani passport and that it had been cancelled, which, according to analysts, is a part of Pakistan’s move to punish the Kabul regime. Click here to read... [2]

Deadline extended for Afghan refugees in Pakistan; overstay fines set at $100 per month-The Khama Press

The caretaker federal cabinet of Pakistan extended the deadline for the repatriation of Afghan nationals without proper documentation to February 29, 2024, on Wednesday. This extension aims to aid those waiting to relocate to Western countries under their respective resettlement plans. Click here to read... [3]

Iranian FM calls on UN to help millions of Afghan refugees- The Khama Press

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran’s Foreign Minister, has described Afghan migrants as a ‘serious challenge’ to Iran’s public resources, including health and education, and has called for the United Nations’ attention to the situation of millions of ‘Afghanistan’s refugees.’ The Iranian Foreign Minister, on Wednesday, emphasized the return of Afghan migrants to their country on the sidelines of the ‘Global Refugee Forum’ meeting. Click here to read... [4]

US envoy meets Islamic Cooperation Officials to discuss Afghanistan- The Khama Press

Thomas West, the United States special envoy to Afghanistan, has announced that in his meeting with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation officials, he discussed issues such as the humanitarian and economic challenges in Afghanistan, refugees, and the rights of women and girls. The United States’ special envoy for Afghanistan announced last week, the start of his ten-day trip to several countries, including Pakistan, emphasizing that these travels would continue until Friday, 15 December. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

257 aspirants win back candidacy so far- The Daily Star

Another 43 aspirants got their candidacy back yesterday after winning appeals against its cancellation. So far, 257 aspirants got back their candidacy for the upcoming parliamentary election. Of the 43, 15 are independent, four are from Jatiya Party, and others are from Bangladesh Nationalist Movement, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Trinamool BNP, Sangiskrik Muktijote and others. Click here to read... [6]

Home ministry restricts ‘anti-polls’ political events – The Daily Star

Acting quickly on the Election Commission's directive, the home ministry yesterday asked police and other authorities concerned to take measures so that no political programmes other than electioneering take place from December 18. The ministry asked recipients of a circular to take steps so that rallies or any other political programme that may obstruct election preparation or and discourage people from casting votes are stopped from December 18 until after the election. Click here to read... [7]

Human trafficking: Govt on hard line to prevent mass acquittals – Dhaka Tribune

The law enforcers are active in preventing human trafficking; they are arresting the culprits, filing cases, and submitting charge sheets in the cases. But at the end of the trials, most of the accused are acquitted, while jail sentences are lenient compared to the severity of the crimes. In 2021 and 2022, all the accused in the resolved cases were acquitted. However, from January to September this year, only 57 accused were sentenced to various terms, and two got life imprisonment. Click here to read... [8]

Bhutan

Bhutanese living abroad unite to prepare for National Day – The Bhutan Live

The National Day celebrations this time are expected to be much more exciting. The grand celebrations at the Changlimithang, specifically the Lucky Draw event, are being made inclusive even for those living abroad. But the thing is that the National Day has always been inclusive, an occasion that has brought Bhutanese together, irrespective of the place or country they are in. And as always, Bhutanese living abroad have started coming together to prepare for the special day in their own special ways. Click here to read... [9]

Parties commit to continue implementing chain-link fencing – Kuensel

As a nation heavily dependent on imports and reliant on agriculture, the strategic use of chain-link fencing stands as a vital measure to mitigate human-wildlife conflict (HWC) and safeguard food security. Bhutan Tendrel Party (BTP) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), following the precedent set by the former government, have pledged their commitment to providing chain-link fencing. Click here to read... [10]

Maldives

After asking New Delhi to withdraw its troops from Maldives, Prez Muizzu stops India from conducting hydrographic surveys- Deccan Herald

Mohamed Firuzul Abdul Khaleel, Undersecretary for Public Policy at the Maldives President’s Office, stated that the Muizzu government has decided against renewing the hydrography agreement in the territorial waters of the Indian Ocean archipelago, at prss conference on December, 14. This decision by the new government, after asking New Delhi to withdraw its troops from the Maldives. The agreement between Maldives and India was signed on June 8, 2019 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Maldives at the invitation of then President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The Hydrographic Survey would allow India to study survey of the Maldivian territorial waters, study and chart reefs, lagoons, coastlines, ocean currents and tide levels. The agreement was supposed to expire on June 7, 2024. Click here to read... [11]

Parliament approves MVR 49.8 billion budget for 2024 – Sun Online International

The Parliament has approved the budget proposed for the upcoming year. The Parliament's Budget Committee brought amendments to the original budget proposed by the Finance Ministry. While the ministry presented a budget of MVR 49.5 billion, the modifications made by the committee increased the overall budget to MVR 49.8 billion. Click here to read... [12]

Myanmar

Coup in Myanmar: China mediates temporary ceasefire in Myanmar conflict - Wion News

Representatives from Myanmar's ruling military have held talks, facilitated by China, with three armed rebel groups leading an anti-junta offensive, state media reported a junta spokesperson as saying on Monday. Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar fighting pushes more refugees into Kamjong 4052 refugees shelter in relief camps - The Sangai Express

Kamjong, a border district in Manipur, has witnessed more influx of Myanmar Nationals in the last couple of days as the armed confrontations between ethnic rebel groups and Myanmar military junta remain unabated. According to Kamjong district administration, over 2060 Myanmar Nationals have crossed the border recently and are taking refuge in Manipur after this week's intense gunfight in the neighbouring country. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal

Sewa Lamsal becomes Nepal’s first female foreign secretary - Asia News Network

The government has promoted joint secretary Sewa Lamsal to secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Thursday took the decision, according to the Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma, who is also the government spokesperson. Click here to read... [15]

Man Arrested For Trying To Slap Ex-Nepal PM KP Oli During Campaign - NDTV

A person attempted to physically assault Nepal's former Prime Minister and Opposition CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli during a popularity campaign in the Dhankuta district of eastern Nepal. The assailant, identified as Mahesh Rai by the local police, attempted to slap Mr Oli while he was being greeted and offered flowers during the Mid-hill East-West campaign of the opposition UML. Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan

Regulator says no date decided yet to release Pakistan’s election schedule amid delay fears – Arab News

Pakistan’s election regulator said on Thursday it had not decided on a date yet to release the schedule for upcoming polls, amid widespread fears that elections in the country would be delayed once again. Elections in Pakistan were originally expected to take place in November after the country’s national and two provincial assemblies were dissolved in August before reaching the end of their tenure. However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided to redraw hundreds of national and provincial constituencies based on a digital census carried out in April, before arranging the electoral contest. Click here to read... [17]

Bilawal Bhutto Named PM Candidate By Pakistan Peoples Party – NDTV

The Pakistan Peoples Party on Thursday announced that its chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would be its prime ministerial candidate and his father Asif Ali Zardari the presidential nominee in the general election scheduled to be held on February 8. The announcement comes as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMN-L) party had already announced that its chief and former three-time premier Nawaz Sharif would be the nominee for the post of prime minister. Click here to read... [18]

'Politically motivated': Pakistan PM reacts to Supreme Court's Article 370 verdict – India Today

Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Thursday alleged that India's Supreme Court verdict upholding the abrogation of Article 370 was "politically motivated" as he reaffirmed his country's moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir. The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld the Centre government's decision of August 2019 to abrogate Article 370, which bestowed a special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Click here to read... [19]

Sri Lanka

SJB in trouble with allies, seniors as Premadasa shuns reconciliation with Prez – Daily Mirror Online

The minority allies of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) - Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) - remain disappointed after its leader Sajith Premadasa said in Parliament that he would not patch up with President Ranil Wickremesinghe in view of future elections, an informed source said. These two allies backed by some SJB MPs have tried hard to form an alliance between the SJB and the United National Party (UNP) led by the President to face the elections pending next year. Click here to read... [20]

India red flags Colombo and Male over inbound Chinese survey vessel – Hindustan Times

After Chinese Research Survey Vessel Shi Yan 6 completed its survey off the coast of Sri Lanka and reached Singapore on December 2, Beijing has asked permission from Colombo and Male to allow another Research Survey Vessel to dock at their ports and conduct a deep water exploration of South Indian Ocean from January 5 till late May, 2024. While India has already raised objections with both Sri Lanka and Maldives and asked them not to allow the Chinese vessel to conduct exploration of Indian Ocean for future military operations, the vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 is currently off the coast of Xiamen in South China Sea and will travel via Malacca to these countries after securing permission. Click here to read... [21]