Cancellation of talks ‘unfortunate’, India says
Pakistan on Saturday called off talks between its National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, citing the “preconditions set by India” as the reason behind the decision. The move came hours after Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that the talks would take place only if Pakistan would provide an assurance that Aziz would not meet separatists from Jammu and Kashmir. Saying it had “carefully analysed” Swaraj’s statements, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the talks would not “serve any purpose” if they were conducted on the basis of the conditions laid down by the Indian minister. In response, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup called the cancellation of talks “unfortunate”. Swarup emphasised that India had not set preconditions for the talks, adding that it had only asked Pakistan to “respect the spirit” of the agreement between the two countries signed in the Russian city of Ufa earlier this year. Last year, the Indian government cancelled Foreign Secretary-level talks with its neighbour after Pakistani representatives met with the Kashmiri separatists.
Government working to strengthen consumer courts: Paswan
The Narendra Modi-led Central government was working to strengthen consumer courts in the country, Union Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Saturday. Various measures were being implemented, such as allowing complaints to be filed from anywhere and simplifying legal procedures, to make consumer courts stronger, Paswan said in Hyderabad. He added that the government had raised the maximum limit on the amount of money to be dealt with by the various levels of consumer courts and will allow conciliation in disputes for any amount of money. The Centre will propose a new national consumer authority to address complaints arising from transactions with e-commerce portals, the minister said.
India says Dawood Ibrahim has 9 residences in Pakistan
A dossier being prepared by India on Dawood Ibrahim says the underworld don has nine residences in Pakistan, including a house situated near the residence of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. According to the news agency PTI, the dossier, which will be handed over to Islamabad, says that Dawood Ibrahim is known to “frequently change his locations and addresses". The underworld don also has three Pakistani passports, the dossier claims, and moves between his residences “under the protection of Pakistani agencies”. India has accused Pakistan of harbouring Dawood Ibrahim, who was declared a global terrorist by the United States’ State Department in 2003. He was also named as an associate of al-Qaeda by the United Nations’ Security Council the same year.
Raja alleges ‘hidden agenda’ behind assets case
Former Union Telecom Minister A Raja on Saturday alleged that there was a “hidden agenda” behind the filing of a disproportionate assets case against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Raja, who is also an accused in the 2G spectrum scam, questioned the registration of the case, saying that a senior CBI official had earlier told a court that there was no evidence of disproportionate assets against him or his family. Accusing the CBI and other central agencies of “inconsistency”, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader said that he had written a letter to the investigating officer in the case. The CBI has alleged that the former minister allegedly amassed disproportionate assets worth more than Rs 27 crore between 1999 and 2010.
Supreme Court asks Centre to review farmer policy
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the central government to review its national policy on farmers to address the ongoing agrarian crisis and the increasing number of farmer suicides in the country. A two-judge bench of the court asked Additional Solicitor-General Pinky Anand to file an affidavit laying out the Centre’s plan to tackle the crisis. While Anand argued that the number of farmer suicides in the country had reduced over the last few years, the court said that the government had to ensure that there was “no case of farmer suicide in the country”. It asked the government to file its reply in six weeks. The bench’s remarks came while it was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Punjab-based NGO Youth Kamal Organisation, which wants the Centre to provide financial assistance to farmers in the country.
Pakistan on Saturday called off talks between its National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, citing the “preconditions set by India” as the reason behind the decision. The move came hours after Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that the talks would take place only if Pakistan would provide an assurance that Aziz would not meet separatists from Jammu and Kashmir. Saying it had “carefully analysed” Swaraj’s statements, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the talks would not “serve any purpose” if they were conducted on the basis of the conditions laid down by the Indian minister. In response, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup called the cancellation of talks “unfortunate”. Swarup emphasised that India had not set preconditions for the talks, adding that it had only asked Pakistan to “respect the spirit” of the agreement between the two countries signed in the Russian city of Ufa earlier this year. Last year, the Indian government cancelled Foreign Secretary-level talks with its neighbour after Pakistani representatives met with the Kashmiri separatists.
Government working to strengthen consumer courts: Paswan
The Narendra Modi-led Central government was working to strengthen consumer courts in the country, Union Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Saturday. Various measures were being implemented, such as allowing complaints to be filed from anywhere and simplifying legal procedures, to make consumer courts stronger, Paswan said in Hyderabad. He added that the government had raised the maximum limit on the amount of money to be dealt with by the various levels of consumer courts and will allow conciliation in disputes for any amount of money. The Centre will propose a new national consumer authority to address complaints arising from transactions with e-commerce portals, the minister said.
India says Dawood Ibrahim has 9 residences in Pakistan
A dossier being prepared by India on Dawood Ibrahim says the underworld don has nine residences in Pakistan, including a house situated near the residence of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. According to the news agency PTI, the dossier, which will be handed over to Islamabad, says that Dawood Ibrahim is known to “frequently change his locations and addresses". The underworld don also has three Pakistani passports, the dossier claims, and moves between his residences “under the protection of Pakistani agencies”. India has accused Pakistan of harbouring Dawood Ibrahim, who was declared a global terrorist by the United States’ State Department in 2003. He was also named as an associate of al-Qaeda by the United Nations’ Security Council the same year.
Raja alleges ‘hidden agenda’ behind assets case
Former Union Telecom Minister A Raja on Saturday alleged that there was a “hidden agenda” behind the filing of a disproportionate assets case against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Raja, who is also an accused in the 2G spectrum scam, questioned the registration of the case, saying that a senior CBI official had earlier told a court that there was no evidence of disproportionate assets against him or his family. Accusing the CBI and other central agencies of “inconsistency”, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader said that he had written a letter to the investigating officer in the case. The CBI has alleged that the former minister allegedly amassed disproportionate assets worth more than Rs 27 crore between 1999 and 2010.
Supreme Court asks Centre to review farmer policy
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the central government to review its national policy on farmers to address the ongoing agrarian crisis and the increasing number of farmer suicides in the country. A two-judge bench of the court asked Additional Solicitor-General Pinky Anand to file an affidavit laying out the Centre’s plan to tackle the crisis. While Anand argued that the number of farmer suicides in the country had reduced over the last few years, the court said that the government had to ensure that there was “no case of farmer suicide in the country”. It asked the government to file its reply in six weeks. The bench’s remarks came while it was hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Punjab-based NGO Youth Kamal Organisation, which wants the Centre to provide financial assistance to farmers in the country.
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