INDIA HAS MAINTAINED THAT SUSPENSION OF WORK IS HARMING THE INTERESTS OF J&K PEOPLE AND ALSO DEPRIVING THE PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN OF IRRIGATION AND POWER BENEFITS THAT MAY ACCRUE FROM REGULATED WATER RELEASE

The recent focus on the Indus Waters Treaty should provide an impetus to other associated ventures in Jammu and Kashmir that have remained stalled, not necessarily in the interest of India. One such project is the Tulbul Navigation Project, a ‘navigation lockcum-control structure’ at the mouth of the Wullar Lake, a large freshwater lake in Bandipore district of J&K. The Jhelum feeds the lake basin. Depending on the season, the lake size varies from 30 to 260 sq km. Small streams such as the Harbuji, Arrah, Erin, Pohru and Bandipur flow into it.

The Jhelum was traditionally used for navigation and floating timber. However, during winter months from October to March, the flow of water in the river greatly reduced, leading to shallow waters and emergence of sand bars, obstructing navigation, especially between Sopore and Baramulla, a 22-km stretch. The onset of spring with rainfall and melting of snow from the surrounding mountains led to an increase in the discharge, often causing flooding. The rising demand of the local population to overcome the problem of navigation during winters led to the conception of the Tulbul project in the early ’80s to control the Jhelum floodwaters within the banks of the Wullar.

According to the original Indian plan, the barrage — as a control structure — was expected to be 133.8 metre (439 feet) in length and 12.19 metre (40 feet) in width, and was to have a maximum storage capacity of .3 million acre-feet of water. The aim was to regulate the release of water from the natural storage in the lake to maintain a minimum draught of 1.37 metre (4.5 feet) in the river up to Baramulla during the lean winter months. This was to ensure round-the-year navigation from Anantnag to Srinagar to Baramulla. It was perceived that as floodwaters receded, the control structure at the lake’s exit would retard the rapid emptying and depletion of water through October to March. This would in turn reduce downstream silt flows, which would be to the advantage of both the Uri project in India and the Mangla project in Pakistan and augment their power output.

PROJECT STALLED SINCE 1987

Construction of the Tulbul barrage commenced in 1984 but was stopped three years later when Pakistan objected to the project that it perceived to violate the Indus Waters Treaty 1960. Since 1987, there has been an ongoing dispute between the two countries over the project. India’s plea is that the Jhelum provides an important means of transport for goods and people. To sustain navigation throughout the year, a minimum depth of water is needed. India has made it clear that the project is not meant for storing water or increasing the size of the lake. On the other hand, Pakistan contests it as a ‘storage project’ and charges India with violation of the provisions under the treaty. In response, India has maintained that suspension of work is harming the interests of J&K people and also depriving the people of Pakistan of irrigation and power benefits that may accrue from regulated water release.

As a policy, post Shimla Agreement 1972, India wanted to resolve the issue bilaterally without mediation. Several rounds of talks have been held, but the issue has remained unresolved. This is despite the fact that the treaty permits India limited storage of water of the Western rivers — a general storage capacity of 5-lakh acre-feet on the various channels of the Jhelum (excluding Jhelum Main) and 10,000 acre-feet on the Jhelum Main itself. Pakistan’s objections during discussions basically stem from the apprehension that such a project may damage or disrupt its triple-canal project — Upper Jhelum Canal, Upper Chenab Canal and Lower Bari Doab Canal — and a fear that the stored water could be used as a weapon by India during hostilities.

Taking serious cognisance of Pakistan’s inimical policy towards India, it is felt that time is now ripe to exercise full rights on the Western rivers according to the treaty and revive this project. Moreover, it is in our national interest to ensure that the work on the project is resumed without further loss of time for the ‘economic and social benefit’. We must continue to maintain that the regulating structure is permitted under the Indus Waters Treaty for the nonconsumptive use of navigation. Experts feel that the real benefit of the project will go to the energy sector because a better discharge during lean season will add to the unutilised capacities of the downstream projects: Uri-1, Uri-2 and Lower Jhelum.

It must be emphasised that this is a navigation project, and the hype created by Pakistan is truly misplaced. If the project is helpful for India for both navigation and curtailment of flooding, there is no denying the fact that it would be equally beneficial to Pakistan, a point it seems to be overlooking. As in the event of severe floods in India and Pakistan in 2010 and 2014, acceptance of such a project would go a long way in helping both the countries protect themselves against floods and drought. Our endeavour should be to highlight a win-win solution.

• LT GEN PRAMOD GROVER groverp999@gmail.com
• (The writer is an expert on the Indus Waters Treaty. Views expressed are personal)

 

 

 

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PILs seek quashing of the government”s decision.

New Delhi, November 14 Amidst unprecedented panic rush in banks and ATMs across the country, the Supreme Court would hear on Tuesday a batch of PILs seeking quashing of the government’s decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes on the grounds that it infringed citizens’ right to life and trade among others.A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice D Y Chandrachud has listed for hearing as many as four pleas against the November 8 decision of the Narendra Modi government that these notes are no longer a legal tender.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Out of the four, two PILs have been filed by Delhi-based lawyers Vivek Narayan Sharma and Sangam Lal Pandey, respectively. Two other pleas have been filed by individuals, S Muthukumar and Adil Alvi, on the demonetisation issue.The apex court, on November 10, had agreed to hear the pleas on Tuesday.The petitioners have alleged that the sudden decision has created chaos and harassment to public at large and the notification of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance be either quashed or deferred for some time.The Centre has also filed a caveat in the registry saying it should be heard if the bench agrees to hear and pass orders on any such plea.Sharma, in his plea, has termed the notification of DEA as “dictatorial”, claiming that it did not grant reasonable time to citizens for exchanging the specified bank notes to legitimate notes to avoid “large scale mayhem, life threatening difficulties”.The plea has sought either quashing of the notification or a direction to the Centre for grant of “reasonable time frame” to citizens to exchange the demonetised currency notes to avoid difficulties being faced by the people. — PTI

Task force set up to expedite recalibration of ATMs

People try to withdraw cash from an ATM in New Delhi on Monday. PTI

New Delhi, November 14 The government has set up a task force under the chairmanship of RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra to ensure that ATMs across the country are ready to dispense higher denomination notes in the shortest time.”The number of ATMs which will be recalibrated and which can dispense Rs 2,000 notes will be stepped up…To make this whole process faster, to expedite this whole process, a task force was decided to be set up under the chairmanship of Deputy Governor,” Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said.The team has been mandated with working closely with banks and various agencies involved in disbursement of cash and recalibration of hardware and software of the ATM network, he said.”The task force would ensure that ATM network is activated in the quickest time,” he said, adding that it will have its first meeting either today or tomorrow.The eight-member task force, which will have officials from Finance Ministry, Home Ministry and banks, has been mandated to chalk out a strategy for expeditious reactivation of all ATMs. Besides, the panel will have members from National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Chief General Manager of Department of Payment and Settlement Systems (DPSS) and Department of Currency Management of RBI.A representative each of ATM OEMs, Managed Service Providers, cash in transit (CIT) companies and white label ATM (WLA) operators will be invited to the deliberations of the task force. It may also invite others, if needed.Recalibration of ATMs involves multiple agencies — banks, ATM manufacturers, NPCI, switch operators, among others — making it a complex operation requiring immense coordination, RBI said in a statement.Rituraj Sinha, president, Cash Logistics Association of India, said, “It gives us a great deal of encouragement to work even harder after the Finance Ministry has taken cognisance of our recommendation to set up an ATM task force.” “In a meeting yesterday, we discussed specific methods to ease bottlenecks in the system as we are facing a logistics problem,” he added.There are about 2 lakh ATMs in the country and it has become necessary to recalibrate all cash handling machines to dispense the new design high security notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 denomination. — PTI

AND THE AFTER-EFFECTS…

Marriage season hit hard

New Delhi: With demonetisation leading to temporary cash crunch, the big fat Indian wedding season has turned into a nightmare for both traders and families. “Should I first pay the tentwallah or the jeweller? I go through dilemmas like this everyday. Thanks to the government’s decision to ban Rs 500 and 1,000 notes, I don’t have enough cash to pay people,” says Rajinder Gupta, whose daughter is getting married on November 24. Though supporting the government move, he says it’s “ill-planned” and “badly timed”. Ranging from Rs 5,000 to as high as Rs 51,000, different wedding bands have offered their customers a one-month timeline for the full payment. But people are not even in the position to pay the advance. PTIAllow banks to hire ex-staff: AssochamNew Delhi: The government should allow banks to hire retired bank employees on a massive scale for speedy currency swap and cash withdrawal in the wake of demonetisation move, industry body Assocham said. “Just like General Election when staff across different departments is mobilised; different types of staff can be used for helping the over-stretched banks, grappling with the huge task of dealing with the demonetised currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 and dispensing the new notes,” it said in an appeal to the PM. It also advised employing retired staff on short-term contract. SBI and some other banks have already roped in retired employees. “While preference can be given by banks to re-employ their own retired personnel, even cross-bank staff would be helpful,” Assocham Secretary General DS Rawat said. PTI

FinMin begins daily review

New Delhi: Keen to end the misery of millions of cash-starved citizens, the Finance Ministry on Monday began a daily review exercise to assess problem areas and put in place remedial measures. Nearly a week after the government withdrew Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as part of a crackdown against black money and corruption, queues outside banks and ATMs have only got longer. Senior officials in the Finance Ministry have been allocated different states and banks to monitor currency supply situation and plan remedial actions quickly, official sources say. Shaktikanta Das, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, chaired a meeting of the Joint Secretaries tasked with currency management. PTIBanks ignored RBI order on Rs 100-ATMs?New Delhi: In anticipation of the huge demand for lower currency notes, ahead of the demonetisation move, the Reserve Bank of India had asked banks to set up ATMs that dispensed only Rs 100 notes. On November 2, six days before PM Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would become illegal from midnight of November 8, the RBI had asked banks to recalibrate 10 per cent of its ATMs to exclusively dispense Rs 100 notes. How many banks complied with that directive is not known. However, the long queues at ATMs and the resultant chaos all across the country would imply that the directive may have been ignored. The RBI had also moved as early as May this year to provide incentive for setting up ATMs that dispensed only Rs 100 notes. In a circular on May 5, it promised to pay 50 per cent of the cost of such ATMs up to Rs 2 lakh. IANS

NOTE BAN: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Defunct currency valid for utility payment till Nov 24

A youth shows new currency note of Rs 500 at a bank in New Delhi on Sunday. PTI photo

New Delhi/Mumbai, November 14

With banks struggling to cope with the rush to get alternative currency, the government has extended the use of old defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes for paying household utility bills, fuel, taxes and fees and purchases from co-operative stores till November 24.The government also extended suspension of toll on National Highways across the country till midnight of November 18.While withdrawing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from the night of November 8-9, the government had allowed use of the old currency at government hospitals, railway ticketing, public transport, airline ticketing at airports, milk booths, crematoria/burial grounds and petrol pumps for 72 hours.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)This list was later expanded to include payments for metro rail tickets, highway and road toll, purchase of medicines on doctor prescription from the government and private pharmacies, LPG gas cylinders, railway catering, electricity and water bills and ASI monument entry tickets.(Read: Banks closed today; queues get longer outside ATM kiosks)As banks struggled to give alternate currency, the deadline was extended by another 72 hours. That deadline was to end at midnight tonight, but has now been extended till November 24, official sources said.

More relaxations

— Defunct Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes valid for paying household utility bills, fuel, taxes and fees till November 24.— No toll on National Highways across the country till midnight of November 18.— No parking charges at airports till November 21.— Banks to waive ATM charges on all transactions November 10 to December 30.Old currency can also be used for purchases at consumer co-operative stores like Kendriya Bhandar with valid ID proof as also for paying court fee.But payments towards utility bills will be restricted to only individuals or households for arrears and/or current bills. No advance payments will be allowed.Charges on ATM transactions waived till Dec 30In yet another move to lessen woes of people facing cash crunch, the RBI on Monday directed banks to waive ATM charges on all transactions done by savings bank customers till December 30.The waiver will be applicable on transactions done by a customer through his or her own bank ATM as well those of other banks.”It has been decided that banks shall waive levy of ATM charges for all transactions (inclusive of both financial and non-financial transactions) by savings bank customers done at their own banks’ ATMs as well as at other banks’ ATMs, irrespective of the number of transactions during the month,” the central bank said in a late evening notification.The waiver is applicable on transactions done at ATMs from November 10 till December 30, 2016.In August 2014, the number of mandatory free ATM transactions for savings bank account customers at other banks’ ATMs was reduced to three transactions per month in the six metro centres (Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad).A customer was permitted at least five free transactions per month for use of own bank ATMs.Banks could charge up to Rs 20 (plus service tax, if any) beyond the permitted transactions.Parking charges at airports suspended till Nov 21The government also extended the suspension of vehicle parking charges at all airports till the midnight of November 21.According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the move to extend the suspension is expected to facilitate the smooth movement of passengers.Earlier on Monday, the government had extended the suspension of the fee collection at all the toll plazas on National Highways till November 18.Even the Indian Railways has said it will accept the demonetised currency notes as payment for ticketing and catering purposes till November 24. — Agencies

ATMs will start dispensing Rs 2k notes from today: Fin Min

A man displays new 2000 Indian rupee banknotes after withdrawing them from a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Kolkata. Reuters file photo

New Delhi, November 14

Allaying fears of shortage, the Finance Ministry on Monday said there is enough cash in the system and delivery channels are being augmented across the country to help cash-starved citizens.Giving details of the high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi late last night, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said it was decided to activate all channels for dispensing cash.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)With regard to rural areas, he said the cash holding limit for 1.2 lakh banking correspondents (BCs) has been increased to Rs 50,000 and banks have been given flexibility to increase this limit on case to case basis.It has been also decided to provide cash multiple times to the BCs, so that rural population is served.Besides, supply of cash to 1.3 lakh branch post offices would be enhanced so that public can get banknotes.Together, these 2.5 lakh delivery points, mostly in rural areas, would be able to give bigger quantum of cash to the public, he added.For the urban population, Das said recalibration of ATMs has already started and they will start dispensing the new Rs 2,000 currency notes from today or tomorrow.However, he clarified that the higher cash withdrawal limit of Rs 2,500 is only for recalibrated ATMs.Additionally, a large number of micro-ATMs will be deployed to help people withdraw cash through debit cards.To mitigate their hardship, the RBI has started distributing high security Rs 500 notes from yesterday. — PTI

REPORT SAYS CHINA CONTINUES TO AID PAKISTAN’S MISSILE PROGRAMMES THROUGH SALES OF SENSITIVE DUAL-USE TECHNOLOGY

NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s continued use of front companies and other deceptive methods to obtain dual-use goods for its nuclear programme means it cannot “expect to be welcomed” into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a new report by experts at King’s College of London has said.

The report contends that the scale of Islamabad’s procurement of sensitive material from Beijing is “so substantial that it must be concluded that the Chinese state is either complicit in supplying Pakistan’s programmes, or negligent in its control over stateowned enterprises”.

“Pakistan’s strategic nuclear and missile industries”, prepared by Project Alpha of the Centre for Science and Security Studies at King’s College, concluded Pakistan has a “deliberate strategy of using deceptive methods to obtain dual-use goods” that has been demonstrated by its “systematic use of front companies to supply its strategic industries”.

Islamabad maintains a network of at least 20 trading companies in mainland China, Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore that it uses to “covertly funnel dualuse goods to its strategic programmes”.

“While the full extent of their overseas operations are not clear, these trading companies probably purchase goods from manufacturers in China, Europe, the United States and elsewhere and then arrange their export to Pakistan,” the report said.

The deceptive methods of acquiring dual-use goods undermines “Pakistan’s claim that it is a responsible actor in the nonproliferation domain: Pakistan cannot expect to be welcomed into the NSG when it continues to secretly and systematically undermine NSG members’ national export control systems by targeting companies through the use of front companies and other deceptive techniques,” the report said.

With educational institutions remaining closed for about five months now, the ‘School Chalo’ programme is gaining popularity in the Valley. a file photo

Awantipora/New Delhi, Nov 6After ‘Operation Calm Down’ in south Kashmir, the Army is now focusing on another operation —‘School Chalo’, under which it identifies areas and provides students with free coaching and make them participate in extra-curricular activities.“We know we have to deal with the situation on the internal front and we are doing that with the desired results. During my interaction with locals, I felt they were worried about the studies of their children, but at the same time anxious about their security. That is when I asked my boys to work out a plan for providing education to students,” says Maj Gen Ashok Narula, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Victor Force.The Army had launched Operation Calm Down in August-September to clear various parts of the Valley of militants and protesters using minimum force.With educational institutions remaining closed for about five months now and over 30 schools being burnt down over the past weeks, Major General Narula’s directions under the ‘School Chalo’ programme is becoming increasingly popular in the Valley.Various formations under his command have started identifying teachers in localities, urging them to hold classes in schools or community houses to impart education to children, who have been deprived of it ever since the unrest broke out on July 9 this year, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter.“Besides being an Army officer, I am the father of two children. So here I approached the issue as a father and not as an Army officer and ensured that these children should hold books in their hands, rather than a stone,” the GOC said.Using a local slogan, ‘chyem ne zaroorat daulat-o-rubab, faqat gochum school te kitab (I don’t need money and fame, I need books and school)’, Army officers and men now perform a different kind of task — to convince the parents to send their children to makeshift dwellings to study.The Army officer cited the performance of 292 students of Army Goodwill School, Pahalgam, who were being taught by well-qualified teachers.“Unhindered by the turmoil which has engulfed the state, these students have not only finished and revised their syllabus but have also participated wholeheartedly in various functions like Eid and Independence Day. These (activities) were also the reasons given to parents in other localities to convince them to send in their children,” said Major General Narula. — PTI

New Delhi, November 3 The suicide case of ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal which triggered a political row has been handed over to the Crime Branch of Delhi Police, considering “the sensitivity of the matter”.Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Taj Hassan confirmed the development and said the Crime Branch has initiated inquest proceedings in the case.The 70-year-old ex-serviceman from Haryana’s Bhiwani district consumed poison in the lawns behind Jawahar Bhavan, which houses some offices of the Ministry of External Affairs, on November 1. He was rushed to RML Hospital where he died later.Grewal’s suicide had yesterday snowballed into a huge political showdown in the capital with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi being detained twice by Delhi Police amid high drama and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also being detained by the policemen.”The case has been transferred from New Delhi district to Crime Branch keeping in mind the sensitivity of the matter.District police, especially the New Delhi district police, is usually busy with law and order duties. The New Delhi district is a sensitive area since it houses the residences of MPs and important landmarks,” said another senior police officer.Grewal, along with three of his companions, had come to the city apparently to submit a memorandum to the Defence Ministry over the issue of OROP. — PTI

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 26

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has decided to do away with having a system of “blanket blacklisting” and put in place a new “blacklisting” policy that will remove the dichotomy between tackling corruption in defence deals and having a method to deal with foreign companies which pay bribes.The new “blacklisting” policy has been okayed, it will be formally approved in the forthcoming Defence Acquisition council (DAC) meeting planned after Diwali. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar heads the DAC, which is the apex decision-making body of the MoD.The new policy will have a pointed product specific ban, aimed at punishing the corrupt among the foreign suppliers and not hold to ransom the country’s military and defence needs. The new policy envisages that a person of a foreign company, if found to be indulging in corruption, will not be allowed to deal in another case of the company’s subsidiary. During the tenure of the Congress-led UPA (May 2004 to May 2014), a “blanket blacklisting” was followed and several new procurements were held up.The MoD has decided to do away with “blanket blacklisting” of foreign companies, which were found guilty of offering bribes, a top official in the MoD said. Blacklisting a firm may not be a good option as it just forecloses options for India. There are no more than four to five equipment makers that are largely integrators of specialised parts produced by niche companies.A sub-committee formed by the MoD will issue guidelines on the extent of blacklisting, its tenure and the procedure.The challenge is from corrupt elements on the one side and cutting down on the delays in equipping the forces with the best equipment, weapons and aircraft on the other.In 2015, a committee headed by former Union Home Secretary Dhirendra Singh submitted a report on defence procurement procedure (DPP) and suggested that misdeeds of an entity or its employees should not be visited on the equipment or system.In other words, it has been suggested that there is no need to block the supply of equipment in case some bribery charge emerges.The question before the MoD was how to deal with foreign companies which — despite being the best in their class — offer bribes or are forced to offer bribe to bag contracts in India.In August 2014, just months after the Narendra Modi Government took over the MoD informally decided that “blanket bans” will not help, now this has been firmed up in way of a policy.The MoD banned the Bofors artillery gun in the late 1980s. Since then, there has been no artillery gun purchase. In 2013, the purchase of AgustaWestland helicopters was stopped midway. In both cases, suspected bribery charges emerged.After the new policy is implemented, the MoD will not buy helicopters or have any business relationship with AugustaWestland – a subsidiary of the Finmeccanica – but will be free to negotiate with the other company within the conglomerate.To give an example, a source said Finmeccanica, headquartered in Italy, is the source of critical equipment like main guns for warships and heavy torpedoes. The Navy has been affected as companies owned by Finmeccanica are needed. The Navy hasn’t been able to procure torpedoes for the Scorpene submarine, which is slated to be commissioned in January 2017.

Military procurement won’t be held up

• The new policy will have a pointed product-specific ban that will aim at punishing the corrupt suppliers and not holding toransom the country’s military and defence needs
• It envisages that a foreign firm’s employee, if found to be indulging in corruption, will not be allowed to deal in another case of the company’s subsidiary
• During the tenure of the Congress-led UPA (May 2004 to May 2014), a “blanket blacklisting” was followed and several new procurements were held up

NEW DELHI: The government has downgraded the status of military officers compared to their counterparts in civilian administration, a new defence ministry letter accessed by Hindustan Times has revealed.

A civilian principal director, who was equivalent to a brigadier, has been equated to a twostar general, a director-ranked officer to a brigadier and a joint director to a colonel, triggering widespread resentment in military circles.

Until now, a colonel was equivalent to a director and a lieutenant colonel to a joint director.

The letter, dated October 18, talks about rank ‘”equivalence” between defence officers and “armed forces headquarters civil service officers”. It says issues regarding rank equation were examined in detail.

“By this equation, a captain is equivalent to a civilian Group B section officer. This isn’t mischief, but mischief-plus by bureaucrats,” said an army officer on condition of anonymity.

The letter, signed by a joint secretary, says the government has referred to administrative orders issued by the army, navy and air force during 2003-08.

Several serving officers Hindustan Times spoke to said the orders mentioned in the letter were only for internal cadre management.

“They have deliberately misinterpreted the orders. It’s an attempt to reverse clearly established protocols established by successive pay panel reports and court rulings,” said another officer, who did not wish to be named.

He said the diktat was also against the spirit of recommendations made by a GoM headed by Pranab Mukherjee after the 6th Pay Commission report.

The letter states the rank equation laid down in it is to be followed in assigning duties/ functional responsibilities and for all purposes such as channel of reporting, detailing of officers for training courses, providing stenographic assistance etc. Hindustan Times is in possession of the letter.

A defence ministry official said he was aware of the communication but not all the details, adding that the letter says some points have been reiterated.

The letter says in the recent past some directorates have sent communications questioning the established rank equations by relying on incorrect information.

BJP Yuva Morcha activists protest against the film “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”. PTI

New Delhi, October 22Senior Army officials and veterans were “upset” over the force being dragged into “politics” over films after the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) demanded that producers of movies employing Pakistani actors pay Rs 5 crore to an army welfare fund.The controversy erupted after Karan Johar’s ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ ran into a storm of protests led by MNS because Pakistani actor Fawad Khan has a role in it.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The film has been allowed to be released after its producers met with three conditions put forward by MNS chief Raj Thackeray, including payment of Rs 5 crore to Army Welfare Fund.”All contributions (to welfare fund) are to be voluntary.Extortion is not allowed. We would want people to contribute on their own rather than under any coercion,” a senior army official said today.He said the army is “upset” over being dragged into this politics.”The army is completely apolitical. It is wrong to drag the force into politics,” another army official said.”(We) would never support it,” Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd), former military secretary, said when asked if he supports the move of the MNS.”Why should the armed forces be made a part of this extortion? By accepting this money they would become a ‘receiver’ of tainted money,” tweeted Air Vice-Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd).Army sources said they have a system in place to check all contributions and can even reject a contribution made under duress or by any person whom the force does not want to be associated with. — PTI

Islamabad, October 19

Amid Indo-Pak tensions, Pakistan’s media regulatory authority on Wednesday decided to enforce a complete ban on Indian TV and radio contents from Friday and warned that the licences of those found guilty of violating the ban will be suspended.

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) decided to ban airing of Indian content from October 21 at the request of the federal government, it said.

“The ban will come into effect at 3 pm on October 21, and radio and television stations which violate the ban will have their licences suspended without a prior show cause notice,” PEMRA said in a statement.

The ban extends to all Indian content on cable and radio being aired in Pakistan.

The authority also decided to cancel one-sided rights given to Indian media by the government of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf in 2006.

PEMRA has already decided to get tough with Indian contents after complaints that most of the local channels were using more than 5 per cent foreign contents as allowed by it.

The regulator on August 31 said that strict action would be taken against the channels airing foreign content more than the prescribed limit and traders selling illegal DTH sets.

The decision was implemented from October 16 as PEMRA launched crackdown on those channels using foreign contents illegally.

Earlier in October, PEMRA granted its chairman Absar Alam final authority to revoke or suspend licences of companies illegally using Indian content.

Tensions have run high between India and Pakistan since the terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri on September 18.

Later, India said it carried out “surgical strikes” across the LoC and destroyed terrorist launch pads on September 28.

Pakistan has denied any surgical strikes took place, but said two of their soldiers were killed in cross-border firing by the Indian Army. — PTI