In order to avoid a severe crisis vis-à-vis availability of life-saving drugs in the local market, the government has lifted the ban on import of medicines and raw material from India. Ban on other trade items will remain. The exemption is given in the best interest of the public and in order to maintain supply of medicines to patients.
India has published the final National Register of Citizens (NRC), a list of bonafide citizens in the state of Assam, excluding nearly two million people amid fears they could be rendered stateless. 1.9 million people were excluded from a total of 3.1 million. The government says it carried out the mammoth exercise to detect and deport undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh.
National anthems of Pakistan and Kashmir will be played at noon on Friday in line with the government’s move to observe ‘Kashmir Hour’ every week, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) ) Director General Major Gen Asif Ghafoor. Sirens would also blare during the hour at 12pm. DG ISPR also appealed to the country’s youth to participate in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) govt’s initiative.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is mulling over complete closure of airspace and to prohibit the use of Pakistan land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan, said the Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry. “Legal formalities for these decisions are under consideration… #Modi has started we’ll finish,”! Fawad Chaudhry said in a Tweet following the federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold a session in New York on August 16 to deliberate over the prevailing situation in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) days after India scrapped Article 370, Radio Pakistan reported. The request to convene the meeting was made by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. China also backed Pakistan’s request, asking for the UNSC to meet behind closed doors.
Court in India has acquitted six men accused of killing a 55-year-old Muslim dairy farmer. The court citied lack of evidence, raising questions over prosecution’s failure to make its case despite videos of a crowd beating Pehlu Khan. Videos shot on mobile phones showed Khan begging for mercy as mob of cow vigilantes stopped his truck and set upon him.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has shown satisfaction with the current safety plan in place for next month’s Davis Cup tie between Pakistan and India in Islamabad. ITF had another round of security assessment after India requested the Tennis chiefs to reconsider if proper security measures were in place. India’s request came in the aftermath of Pakistan’s decision to expels Indian diplomats.
Indian authorities have decided to ease restrictions in Indian occupied Kashmir ahead of the Eidul Azha by making ATMs functional and opening bank branches. People have been allowed to withdraw money, according to a Tweet by development commissioner Shahid Choudhry. However, there has been no confirmation elsewhere of the leniency in curfew and no reports of people heading to shopping areas for Eid.
13 members of the Indian diplomatic staff in Pakistan, have reportedly left the country with their families via Wagah border. The staff members left after Pakistan decided to severe diplomatic ties with India in response to New Delhi’s illegal annexation of disputed Jammu and Kashmir region. Pakistan expelled Indian diplomats and also decided to suspend bilateral trade with India.
As tensions escalate between Pakistan and India, Pakistan has decided to suspend the last public transport service between the countries: the ‘Dosti’ Bus. The bus service has been suspended for an indefinite period of time. Two days ago, train service to India called the ‘Samjhota express’ had also been suspended. Railway minister Sheikh Rasheed announced the news via Twitter.