Pakistan, Russia agree to coordinate efforts for Afghan peace
Published: The Dawn

30 Jan 2019

Pakistan and Russia on Tuesday agreed to continue coordinating their positions on efforts for peace in Afghanistan. The understanding was reached during Russian Special Representative on Afghanistan Ambassador Zamir Kabulov’s meetings with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua. Mr Kabulov was in Islamabad for consultations on regional political situation and the Afghan peace process.Click here to read..

Dhaka refuses to accept new Pak envoy
Published: The Express Tribune

29 Jan 2019

Diplomatic ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh stooped to new lows after the latter on Tuesday refused to accept Saqlain Syedah’s documents as Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the country and sought a new name for the post. Diplomatic sources told The Express Tribune that the government of Prime Minister SheikhHasina Wajid did not mention any reason for refusing to accept Syedah’s credentials.Click here to read..

Malaysia’s Mahathir seeks China’s understanding on scrapped $20bn rail deal
Published: Business Recorder

29 Jan 2019

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday asked for China’s understanding over Malaysia’s plan to cancel a $20-billion rail project that spearheads China’s infrastructure push in the Southeast Asian nation, saying Kuala Lumpur could not afford it.

Since winning power last May, Mahathir has repeatedly vowed to renegotiate or cancel what he calls “unfair” Chinese projects authorised by predecessor Najib Razak, whose near-decade long rule ended in electoral defeat amid a massive financial scandal.Click here to read..

Refugees in West Bengal get land titles amid citizenship row
Published: New Age

30 Jan 2019

Authorities in India’s West Bengal state have given land titles to about 30,000 refugees who have lived in settlement colonies for years, and promised that thousands more will also get property rights, as a row over their citizenship intensifies. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee handed the title deeds on Monday, and said those living in more than 200 settlements will also get land rights, even though their settlements are on private or federal government land.Click here to read..

Myanmar's ruling party clashes with military over charter change proposal
Published: Business Standard

29 Jan 2019

Myanmar’s ruling party clashed with military lawmakers on Tuesday as it proposed steps towards changing the constitution, its biggest challenge in nearly three years to the army’s power over politics as enshrined in the charter.

The proposal could foment tension between the army and Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), who have been at loggerheads over the charter since the party’s historic landslide election win in 2015.Click here to read..