VIF Information Alerts - 22 July 2019

Snub for Imran Khan: No US welcome at airport, takes metro to Pakistan envoy’s house
Published: Hindustan Times

22 Jul 2019

With his country in financial doldrums, Khan made it a point to travel by a commercial flight, Qatar Airways, instead of a private jet, to cut down expenses. When his flight touched down at Dulles airport, reportedly there was no high ranking US administration official to welcome him. Later, Khan took a metro ride to the Pakistani envoy’s house.Click here to read... [2]

Pak hires lobbying firm to advance its interests in US
Published: Deccan Herald

20 Jul 2019

Pakistan has hired the services of a leading lobbying firm to ensure effective representation of Islamabad's interests in the US, a media report said on Saturday amid strained relations between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi witnessed the contract signing and held discussion with Reynolds and his team members in Washington, Pakistani news agency APP reported. Qureshi said he was confident that Holland & Knight would be able to work efficiently with the Pakistani embassy to advance Pakistan’s interests in the US.Click here to read... [3]

Royal Navy Rushes Nuclear Submarine To The Gulf After Iran Tanker Arrest
Published: International Business Times

22 Jul 2019

With heightened tensions in the Gulf following Iran seizing a British-flagged oil tanker, the Stena Impero, on Friday in the Strait of Hormuz, the Royal Navy is sending a nuclear-powered attack submarine to the region to bolster its force there. Sources, according to the Express, said the Astute-class submarine would perform a purely defensive role. The Navy will use the submarine’s sophisticated covert electronic intelligence gathering equipment to safeguard British and international shipping.Click here to read... [4]

Tear gas, rubber bullets fired as Hong Kong returns to chaos
Published: The Daily Star

22 Jul 2019

Hong Kong descended into chaos Sunday night as riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at anti-government protesters hours after China's office in the city was daubed with eggs and graffiti in a vivid rebuke to Beijing's rule. Acrid clouds of tear gas wafted through the city's densely packed commercial district as police battled masked protesters after another huge protest march, with seemingly no end in sight to the turmoil engulfing the finance hub.Click here to read... [5]

Terror cases dip in North East: Report
Published: The Asian Age

22 Jul 2019

North East witnessed lowest terror incidents and related civilian deaths last year in more than two decades, since 1997, said Defence ministry’s annual report 2018-19.
“The year 2018 witnessed the lowest number of insurgency incidents and civilian deaths since 1997,” said the report. It said that the overall security situation in the North Eastern (NE) states improved substantially since 2013. The report said that compared to 2017, insurgency incidents have registered a decline of 18 per cent in the year 2018.Click here to read... [6]

First battle group to be along Pakistan border
Published: The Tribune

21 Jul 2019

An Indian Army Corps under the Western Command has been chosen to depute the first integrated battle group (IBG). This is part of a series of steps to restructure the Army to make it leaner and more agile. Besides, the next phase is to have two similar IBGs in the Himalayas facing China. The IBG on the western front will have different equipment, training and attack tactics than the ones for Himalayas facing China.Click here to read... [7]