VIF Neighborhood News Digest: January 21, 2020

PAKISTAN

'Disgruntled' lawmakers appear in PTI ranks: Dawn
January 21, 2020

Already facing tough time from party allies, a group of ‘disgruntled’ PTI lawmakers have surfaced in Punjab openly expressing their resentment for being ignored in the distribution of public funds and public welfare projects. “We have faced ‘ruthless’ discrimination from the Shahbaz government during the past one decade and the situation seems no different in the Buzdar dispensation as our constituencies are still being ignored in terms of development projects,” said PTI MPA Sardar Shahabuddin, while speaking to Dawn on Monday. Click here to read... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Senior US Diplomat in Pakistan to Discuss Afghanistan: Tolo
January 21, 2020

The principal deputy assistant secretary, Alice Wells, has begun a four-day official visit to Pakistan Sunday and will speak about Afghanistan with Pakistani officials, VOA reported. The report said that Wells' trip comes amid warming bilateral relations following meetings last year between President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. Wells is scheduled to discuss with senior government officials in Islamabad issues related to bilateral and regional concerns. She will also hold meetings with civil society representatives during her stay in the country, a State Department spokesperson told VOA in an email. Click here to read... [3]

BANGLADESH

Japan ready to help resolve Rohingya crisis, its envoy tells PM: Dhaka Tribune
January 21, 2020

Newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito has said Japan is ready to extend any kind of assistance in resolving Rohingya crisis as the country wants a sustainable solution to the problem. He said this when he made a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her parliament office on Monday, reports UNB. Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. “Japan is ready to extend any kind of assistance to resolve the Rohingya issue. Japan wants a sustainable solution to the Rohingya problem,” the Japanese ambassador was quoted as saying. Click here to read... [4]

MYANMAR

Myanmar panel finds war crimes committed in Rakhine but no genocidal intent: Myanmar Times
January 21, 2020

An international panel set up by the government to probe accusations of human rights abuses in northern Rakhine State said Monday it found that war crimes had been committed but there was no indication of genocidal intent. The Independent Commission of Enquiry presented its findings to President U Win Myint earlier in the day. “On the basis of the information available to it and of the investigations carried out in northern Rakhine State and elsewhere, that war crimes, serious human rights violations, and violations of domestic law took place during the security operations between 25 August and 5 September 2017,” the panel said in a press statement. Click here to read... [5]

SRI LANKA

Karu will settle UNP issue this week: Mujibur: Daily Mirror
January 21, 2020

Stating that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya would resolve the UNP crisis within this week, a UNP MP today said that prominent members of the party should be prepared to make sacrifices to safeguard the party’s future. UNP MP Mujibur Rahaman told a press conference today that Speaker Jayasuriya would resolve the issue this week through an arrangement which could be accepted by everyone including Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa. “We trust that Karu Jayasuriya will resolve the issue within the party in the coming days and we hope to see an end to the party’s current crisis,” he said. Click here to read... [6]

NEPAL

Sapkota for House Speaker is a win for the Maoist faction of ruling party: The Kathmandu Post
January 21, 2020

After a month-long negotiation, Nepal Communist Party Co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday managed to extract a concession from Co-chair KP Sharma Oli—Agni Sapkota for the House Speaker. Oli had long been trying to install Subas Nembang as the new Speaker but Dahal’s exercise has paid off and Sapkota is now the candidate of choice for both chairs of the ruling party. Sapkota’s selection has settled a month-long row and provided insight into Dahal’s machinations within the ruling party, especially at a time when he has appeared to be on the backfoot against Oli, who is also the prime minister. Click here to read... [7]

BHUTAN

GST: Protecting domestic products a major concern: Kuenselonline
January 21, 2020

If the Goods and Services Tax (GST) law is passed, protection of the domestic manufacturers and their products is the primary concern among the private sector players. This was raised during the GST consultation and awareness meeting the Phuentsholing business group had with the Finance Minister Namgay Tshering and his team on January 18. Business specific questions were raised. A hume pipe manufacturer based in Pasakha, Kipchu said his pipes would lose competition considering the seven percent GST on the same product from across the border. Currently, hume pipes are taxed at 10 percent Bhutan Sales Tax (BST). Click here to read... [8]

CHINA

Xi urges military to focus on improving capabilities: China Daily
January 21, 2020

President Xi Jinping urged the Chinese military on Monday to strive this year to realize its goals and missions given by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people. "We are determined to build a moderately prosperous society and eradicate absolute poverty before the end of this year. We also aim to achieve the goals set for our national defense system and the People's Liberation Army this year. There are numerous tough tasks for us to do," said Xi, who also is general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. Click here to read... [9]

Meng Wanzhou extradition hearings finally begin, with defence blasting fraud case against Huawei CFO as ‘fiction’: South China Morning Post
January 21, 2020

The formal extradition hearings that will help decide the fate of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou got under way in Vancouver on Monday, more than a year after her arrest, in a case that has infuriated Beijing and symbolizes challenges to the geopolitical order posed by China’s rise. Click here to read... [10]