Neighborhood News Digest – 13 April 2023

Afghanistan

China Spells Out Its Position on Afghanistan – Tolo News

The embassy of China in Kabul shed light on 11 points that clarified the country’s position regarding Afghanistan. The point first, the embassy said in a statement, was that China respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and that it also respects the independent choices made by the Afghan people and respects the religious beliefs and national customs of Afghanistan. Click here to read... [2]

Afghan acting FM's visit to Pakistan on the cards – The Express Tribune

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, is expected to visit Islamabad as the two neighbouring countries continue to struggle to find common ground on how to deal with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates. Sources informed The Express Tribune on Wednesday that Islamabad and Kabul are currently in contact with each other to finalise the date for the visit of the Taliban's chief diplomat. The visit is expected to take place in the coming weeks, according to the sources. Click here to read... [3]

Afghanistan: Taliban aim to bolster defence, will build anti-aircraft missiles – Firstpost

As the Taliban administration plans to increase forces by a third and develop anti-aircraft missile capability, the military leader told Reuters in a rare encounter with international media that the military has received the largest portion of funding in Afghanistan’s budget. The Afghan Taliban, who seized political power in Afghanistan when they captured Kabul in August 2021, face harsh international criticism for their policies, including limitations on women’s access to employment and school, which has slowed their efforts to get diplomatic recognition. Click here to read... [4]

No obstacles for United Nations to function in Afghanistan: Taliban – The Hindu

The Taliban's chief spokesman said on April 12 that there are no obstacles for the United Nations (UN) to function in Afghanistan, after they barred Afghan women from working at the global body. Last week, the country's Taliban rulers took a step further in the restrictive measures they have imposed on women and said that female Afghan staffers employed with the U.N. Mission can no longer report for work. The ban is being actively enforced by the country's intelligence agency, which reports to the Taliban's leadership in Kandahar. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh

Japan proposes industrial hub in Bangladesh with supply chains to northeast India – Firstpost

Japan has suggested building an industrial hub in Bangladesh with supply networks to landlocked northeastern states in India and beyond, including Nepal and Bhutan, according to Reuters. This comes after Japan PM Fumio Kishida’s visit to India last month. He promoted the idea of a new industrial centre for the Bay of Bengal and northeast India that may support development in the impoverished region with 300 million people. Hiroshi Suzuki, Japan’s ambassador to India, said on Tuesday that this can be a win-win plan for India and Bangladesh. Click here to read... [6]

BNP wants to introduce Pakistan-style politics in Bangladesh: Report - Print

Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has stirred a controversy with his ‘Pakistan period was better than present time,’ which has sparked widespread criticism especially on social media according to BangladeshLive News. Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League President “Bangabir” Abdul Kader Siddique termed Alamgir’s remark as seditious, reported BangladeshLive News which stated that with his statement, the BNP proved that they wanted to launch a political imbued with Pakistani ideology. Click here to read... [7]

Agartala-Akhaura rail link likely to open by 2023 end – Dhaka Tribune

Gangapuram Kishan Reddy, minister of tourism, culture and development of the North Eastern Region of India, on Wednesday inspected the Nischintapur railway yard, which will connect Tripura with Bangladesh's Akhaura. There will be an integrated checkpoint next to the Nischintapur railway yard that will connect travellers to the Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link station so they can take the train to Kolkata through Dhaka. Click here to read... [8]

Bhutan

Paro’s NC debate centres around social development– Kuensel

Apart from reviewing national policies and laws, social development was the top priority during Paro’s NC public debate. The public debate was telecast live from Shari Higher Secondary School on April 7. Aspiring NC candidate from Sharpa Gewog, Jigme, 40, said that he would strengthen the rule of law for every interest and rights of all Bhutanese. Click here to read... [9]

Poor voter turnout at common forums upset election officials – Kuensel

The last common forum for Damphu Throm, Tsirang on April 9 at the Damphu Middle Secondary School saw only 16 voters including five females. The thromde has about 250 eligible voters. However, this was not an exception. At the end of the common forum for the National Council elections in Tsirang, dzongkhag election officials said that voter turnout at the common forums has been dismal. Click here to read... [10]

Bhutanese entrepreneur Tshering Dorji focused on mission to create cleaner environment for Bhutan – The Print

Tshering Dorji, Bhutan’s young social entrepreneur is driving transformation in Trashiyangtse, The Bhutan Live reported, adding that Tshering remained focused and disciplined in his mission to create a cleaner environment for Bhutan, despite facing criticism and opposition from friends and family. Despite being the only waste entrepreneur in Trashiyangtse today, Tshering’s business has created income-earning opportunities for the local people while making the town much cleaner than it was a few years ago. With plans to buy more machines and expand his business, Tshering is eager to do more if given financial support. Click here to read... [11]

Maldives

Maldives temporarily halts leasing uninhabited islands - Edition

Due to amendments being made to the regulations, the leasing of uninhabited islands has been temporarily halted. The Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources, and Agriculture on Wednesday issued a notice announcing amendments to the Uninhabited Islands Act, which governs the lease of islands in the Maldives. Therefore, under Section 11 of the Act, the acceptance of applications for the lease of uninhabited islands has been temporarily suspended. Click here to read... [12]

CIVIL COURT OF MALDIVES UPHOLDS THE DE-REGISTRATION OF MALDIVIAN DEMOCRACY NETWORK BY THE MALDIVIAN GOVERNMENT - Front Line Defenders

On 28 March 2023, the Civil Court of Maldives ruled in favor of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment (MoYSCE) upholding the decision to de-register the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) on 19 December 2019. MDN was arbitrarily de-registered in 2019 by the MoYSCE amid a violent smear campaign against the human rights organisation and its staff. Shahinda Ismail, woman human rigths defender and Executive Director of MDN filed action before the Civil Court of Maldives challenging the arbitray de-registation. Click here to read... [13]

Myanmar

Myanmar military airstrike: Death count reaches 133 as global outcry grows - News9Live

At least 133 people, including women and children, were killed in an airstrike by the Myanmar junta’s military during an event in Pazi Gyi Village in Sagaing’s Kantbalu Township, according to a report. The death count is expected to increase as charred bodies of the victims were being recovered by the relatives and locals, CNN quoted human rights minister of the ousted shadow National Unity Government Aung Myo Min. Click here to read... [14]

ASEAN "strongly condemns" deadly air strike in Myanmar - DeviDiscourse

The chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said on Thursday the bloc "strongly condemns" a military air strike this week on a village in Myanmar, which is reported to have killed up to 100 people including civilians. ”All forms of violence must end immediately, particularly the use of force against civilians," chair Indonesia said in a statement. Click here to read... [15]

Thailand: Myanmar Activists Forcibly Returned - HRW

Thai immigration officials forcibly returned three Myanmar opposition activists to Myanmar, putting them at grave risk of persecution and other abuses, Human Rights Watch said today. Myanmar junta authorities should immediately reveal the whereabouts of the activists – Thiha, 38, Htet Nay Win, 31, and Saw Phyo Lay, 26 – and any charges against them. Click here to read... [16]

Nepal

Indian envoy pays courtesy call to Nepal Home Minister, discusses range of bilateral issues - The Statesman

Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava made a courtesy call to Nepal Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha to discuss a wide range of issues relating to both nations. Srivastava reached the office of the Home Minister in Singhadurbar, the administrative capital of Nepal and discussed Nepal PM Parachanda’s visit to India, diplomatic relations between India and Nepal, border security and other issues. Nepal’s Deputy as well as Home Minister Shrestha assured the Indian Ambassador about the timely visit of the Nepali Prime Minister and committed to making the diplomatic relationship between the two countries stronger. Click here to read... [17]

Indian tourists in Nepal to be allowed to use Indian e-wallets to boost trade - First Post

In order to boost trade and tourism by eliminating currency hassles, Nepal and India are set to sign an agreement for cross-border digital payment using the e-wallet. According to a report in the Kathmandu Post, The deal is expected to be signed during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to India scheduled for sometime before mid-April. Click here to read... [18]

Nepal reports first Covid-19 death in over three months - Asia News Network

Nepal on Tuesday reported the first Covid-19 death in 94 days. The last time the country witnessed Covid-19-related death was on January 7. The countrywide death toll has reached 12,021 since the pandemic began, the Health Ministry said. The country reported 74 new PCR-confirmed coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the nationwide infection tally to 1,001,951. Click here to read... [19]

Pakistan

8-member SC bench to take up pleas against bill aimed at curtailing CJP’s powers tomorrow – Dawn

An eight-member larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC) will take up three petitions challenging a bill seeking to curtail the powers of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) tomorrow (Thursday) at 11:30am. The bill, titled the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, is aimed at depriving the office of the CJP of powers to take suo motu notice in an individual capacity. Click here to read... [20]

Will Sweden’s decision to close Pakistan embassy set a precedent for other EU countries? – India Narrative

Sweden has closed its Islamabad embassy indefinitely due to security concerns. The decision will have implications on bilateral relations like trade, education and people-to-people ties besides tarnishing Pakistan’s image globally as an unsafe country. A short statement posted on the embassy website said: “Due to the current security situation in Islamabad, the Embassy of Sweden is closed for visitors”. It did not say when it will resume its operations in Pakistan. Click here to read... [21]

Pakistan economy on ventilator, oxygen with Army – The New Indian Express

The dramatic rise in the number of terrorist attacks, the political unrest and the terrible floods that hit Pakistan last summer are all factors contributing to the worsening economic crisis the country is facing. As a direct consequence of this, inflation has reached an all-time high. Click here to read... [22]

IMF slashes Pakistan’s economic growth rate to 0.5% for FY23 – The Indian Express

The IMF has lowered its forecast for Pakistan’s economic growth rate from 2 per cent to just 0.5 per cent for the current fiscal year, amid high inflation and a growing unemployment rate in the cash-strapped country. This showed an unambiguous deterioration of economic fundamentals over the last six months since October when the IMF forecast the country’s gross domestic product to grow by 3.5 per cent against 6 per cent for 2022 ago and inflation at 20 per cent against 12.1 per cent. Click here to read... [23]

Sri Lanka

India, France and Japan to announce Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring plan today – Daily News

Japan, India, and France will hold a press briefing today on the margins of the Spring meetings to announce the launch of the debt restructuring negotiations process on Sri Lanka,” IMF said on Tuesday, quoting a Japanese Finance Ministry statement. The three creditor countries have been working closely for a coordinated debt restructuring for Sri Lanka, the statement said. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his state finance minister Shehan Semasinghe will also join the in-person live streaming. Click here to read... [24]

SLPP division visible after reports – Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) appears to be divided after media reports that President Ranil Wickremesinghe will contest for presidency at the next election scheduled for next year. According to informed sources, the president has indicated that he will contest next time. After such media reports emerged, State Minister of Investment Promotion Dilum Amunugama who is an SLPP MP said we would def¬initely support the president if he contests. The president is from the United National Party (UNP). However, SLPP General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam said his party’s National Organizer Basil Rajapaksa would be the ideal candidate of his party to contest the presidential election. Click here to read... [25]

SLPP stronger than ever before - Prof. Bandara - Daily News

MP Professor Ranjith Bandara said that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has become a stronger political movement than ever before. He was speaking at a media conference held at the SLPP party headquarters. MP Bandara added that the members who separated from the SLPP were allowed to act freely because they are a political movement that protects and stands for the democratic multi-party system. Click here to read... [26]