New Delhi, January 14

The government is planning to raise 15 new battalions in the country’s two important border guarding forces—the BSF and the ITBP—to fortify defence along the strategic frontiers with Pakistan, Bangladesh and China.A senior official in the Union Home Ministry said it was “actively considering” raising six fresh battalions in the Border Security Force (BSF) and nine in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force. Each battalion of these forces comprises about 1,000 operational jawans and officers.Sources in the BSF said the force had projected enhancing manpower by sanctioning of new units so that they could be deployed in the Assam and West Bengal flanks of the Indo-Bangladesh border even as a similar addition in numbers was required to effectively guard the India-Pakistan International Border (IB), especially in Punjab and Jammu regions, in the near future.“The exact locations for the new battalions could be gauged as and when they are raised but a few areas along Bangladesh and Pakistan will remain a priority owing to their vulnerability profile such as infiltration, drugs smuggling, human trafficking and illegal migration,” a senior BSF officer said.Similarly, the ITBP has been trying to reduce the inter-BoP (border out post) distance at the 3,488-km long icy frontier that it is tasked with guarding.“The original projection was to have 12 fresh battalions for the ITBP but the force requires nine such units in the near future,” a senior ITBP officer said. — PTI

Donald Trump. Reuters file

Washington, January 12

The United States on Friday expressed hope that Pakistan would do the right thing and “turn over” the terrorists and honour its commitment to it, according to a Trump administration official.“I have a feeling, I am hopeful that Pakistan will do the right thing and turn over the terrorists and honour their commitment,” Steven Goldstein, the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs told reporters at a news conference here.Responding to questions, Goldstein said the US had so far not heard from Pakistan on its reported decision to suspend its military and intelligence cooperation with it in retaliation of the Trump administration’s decision to freeze all its security assistance.

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“We would hope that Pakistan would come to the table and that they would turn over those terrorists that we have asked be turned over. We’ve indicated very clearly that we believe that can happen,” Goldstein said.The United States, he said, had only suspended the aid; and the money had not been reallocated.“So now it is the job of Pakistan to take seriously their commitment to us, and most importantly to the people of Pakistan who would most be hurt by this, by any terrorist activity, and come forward. So, our position hasn’t changed. They have not yet come forward,” Goldstein said.At a separate news conference, the Pentagon said Pakistan had the ability to address terrorist threat inside the country.“We believe Pakistan has the ability to address this threat,” Pentagon chief spokesperson Dana White told reporters at a news conference.“This is an opportunity for them to take decisive action, and we look forward to working with them to encourage them to do so,” White said in response to a question on recent development on the US-Pak relations front.Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a federal register notification formally designated Pakistan as a “special watch list” country for severe violations of religious freedom.Tillerson had on January 4 placed Pakistan on a special watch list for the violations. PTI

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 5

The J&K Police have busted a module of overground workers which was forging documents of Army men to procure mobile phone SIM (subscriber identity module) cards to later distribute them among militants in north Kashmir.The police have arrested six members of the module, including the owners of two printing press units, from Baramulla.The module, according to the police, was busted on the information provided by military intelligence which alerted the security forces about the racket.Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain Mir said, “The module has been operating for quite some time in Baramulla. The investigation into the matter is on.”.The police did not divulge the names of the six arrested persons, claiming that it would hamper the investigation.Sources said a large number of fake Army rubber stamps and documents had also been seized by the police.

Donald Trump. Reuters file

Washington, January 2

The United States has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad’s response to terrorism on its soil.The confirmation comes on the same day when US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but “lies and deceit” and providing “safe haven” to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.“The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time,” a senior administration official told PTI on condition of anonymity.“The President has made clear that the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan’s actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance,” he said.

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The US administration continued to review Pakistan’s level of cooperation, the official said.Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they had given America “nothing but lies and deceit” despite having received more than USD 33 billion in the last 15 years.“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!” Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US till the time it saw a change in behaviour from them in fight against terrorism.Within hours, the Pakistani Defence Ministry fired back alleging that it had got “nothing but invective and mistrust” for all the actions it took in support of America’s war against terrorism.“Pak as anti-terror ally has given free to US: land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs, but they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis,” the Pakistan Defence Ministry said in a tweet.Trump who returned to the White House from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he spent his Christmas and New Year vacation did not respond to shouted questions from reporters on “what is your plan on Pakistan?”Several US lawmakers came out in support of Trump adopting a tough approach on Pakistan.“I support the decision today by President Trump to end aid to Pakistan,” Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma said.“You’re either with the US, or against us. We will always help our friends, but for too long, the US has propped up countries that do not share our goal to end terrorism. I’m proud to see our President take bold steps to put America first,” Mullin said.“I couldn’t agree more,” tweeted Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky. “I’ve been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate,” said Paul.Samantha Vinograd, CNN’s national security analyst spoke in favour of Trump’s move.“As a way to make it clear to the Pakistanis that enough is enough, if President Trump actually follows through, it could be an effective move,” she said in an opinion piece published on the CNN website.“It isn’t the only step by any means, but it could be the right one,” she said.“Great start. Why give millions to countries who would harbour our enemies?” Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr tweeted on Monday. PTI

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 1      

India on Monday exchanged its list of nuclear installations with Pakistan under a non-aggression treaty signed by the two neighbour that prevents them from carrying out surprise attacks on the other’s nuclear facilities.

In a press statement on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs said that this was the 27th such exchange between the neighbours since the treaty — called Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations — was signed between then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto on December 31, 1988.

The list is usually exchanged on January 1. The agreement came into force on January 27, 1991.

The first such exchange took place on January 1, 1992.

Capt Amarinder Singh. File photo

Chandigarh, December 22

The year 2017 saw Congress storming to power in Punjab and the Amarinder Singh-led dispensation announcing a slew of measures on austerity and ending red tape and the drug menace.Putting up its second best performance after 1992, the Congress won 77 seats in the 117-member Assembly while the SAD-BJP alliance was relegated to third spot with 18 seats.The AAP-LIP grouping secured 22 seats.After guiding the party to victory, 75-year-old Amarinder Singh was sworn-in as the state’s 26th chief minister along with nine ministers, including Navjot Singh Sidhu and Manpreet Singh Badal.The winning streak of the Congress continued during the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha by-election and civic polls.Amarinder Singh claimed “empty coffers” remained the main challenge for his government even as the opposition parties– the SAD, the BJP and the AAP–charged the new regime with reneging on poll promises, including implementation of farm debt waiver and smartphones.The Congress, which promised to end all kinds of mafia in the state, found itself in a tight spot when one of the cabinet ministers Rana Gurjit Singh faced allegations of impropriety in the multi-crore sand mining, forcing Amarinder to set up a one-man commission to probe the charges.Amarinder had also to deal with his bete noire–Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa–who fired a salvo against him alleging that he was “not acting” against some Akali leaders.Though Amarinder downplayed Bajwa’s displeasure saying he had no idea what grudge the MP was nurturing, he was often of the view that he was waiting for evidence to act against those guilty.After assuming charge, Amarinder took over 100 decisions, including announcing the end to VIP culture by deciding to stop use of red and other coloured beacon lights, besides a two-year ban on foreign travel of all ministers.His government also announced the formation of a Special Task Force (STF) under the leadership of ADGP Harpreet Sidhu to tackle the drug menace.Sidhu’s continuation as a celebrity-judge in a TV show also came under cloud during the year. However, Punjab’s Advocate General did not find any conflict of interest between Sidhu’s office as state cabinet minister and his work on television shows.After the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat fell vacant following the death of actor and politician Vinod Khanna in April, the Congress put up its senior leader Sunil Jakhar who handed down a crushing defeat to BJP candidate Swaran Salaria from the constituency which was considered a stronghold of the saffron party.The AAP chose to appoint Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann as chief of its state unit as part of an organisational revamp.But the party faced a setback when former convenor of the state unit Gurpreet Singh Waraich resigned from its primary membership.AAP MLA and noted Supreme Court lawyer HS Phoolka gave up the post of the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly for fighting 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases. Later, the AAP chose Sukhpal Khaira as leader of opposition.However, the firebrand Khaira was summoned by a court in October in a drug case which he termed as “planned political vendetta” against him for raising voice against sand mining.The state also witnessed murders of two Dera Sacha Sauda followers in Khanna, a priest, RSS leader Ravinder Gosain in Ludhiana and Hindu outfit leader Vipan Sharma in Amritsar.In the later part of the year, Punjab Police claimed to have solved targeted killing cases, including the sensational murder of RSS Jagdish Gagneja with the arrest of five accused, including a British national. The state police blamed Pakistan’s spy agency ISI for hatching a conspiracy to destabilise the state.The stubble-burning issue also attained political overtones when Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought a meeting with Amarinder to discuss it.But Amarinder refused to meet the AAP leader while asking him to refrain from trying to “politicize” such a serious issue and sought intervention of the Centre to resolve crop residue burning problem.On the vexed Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, Amarinder sought its resolution through negotiations with Haryana even as the opposition party in Haryana INLD vowed to undertake digging of the canal.However, several leaders of the party were stopped from marching into Punjab in February.During his visit to Amritsar in December, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the British government should apologise for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, calling it a tragedy one “must never forget”. PTI

Moga, December 16

A 52-year-old former Army man was allegedly beaten to death by some unidentified persons at Maur Nau Abaad village in Baghapurana sub-division of the district, the police said.The body of Gurbachan Singh was recovered from the outskirts of the village. His brother Harjit Singh said he had gone the village gurdwara in the morning and later his body was found. The police said a case of murder under Section 302 had been registered against unknown persons. — TNS

The apex court said the Constitution Bench would commence final hearing from January 17 on the petition challenging the Aadhaar scheme itself.

New Delhi, December 15The Supreme Court on Thursday extended till March 31 next year the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar with various services and welfare schemes.A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in an interim order, also modified its earlier order with regard to linking of Aadhaar with mobile services and said the deadline of February 6 next year for this purpose also stood extended till March 31.The bench, which also comprised Justices AK Sikri, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, said that for opening new bank accounts, an applicant would not be required to provide Aadhaar number to the bank.

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However, the applicant would have to show the proof to the bank that he/she had applied for the Aadhaar number, Justice Chandrachud, who wrote the unanimous interim order, said.The apex court said the Constitution Bench would commence final hearing from January 17 on the petition challenging the Aadhaar scheme itself.On Thursday, Attorney General KK Venugopal had submitted before the top court that the deadline of mandatory linking of Aadhaar with various services and welfare schemes could also be extended up to March 31 next year.Recently, a nine-judge constitution bench of the apex court had held that Right to Privacy was a Fundamental Right under the Constitution. Several petitioners challenging the validity of Aadhaar had claimed it violated privacy rights.Some petitioners in the top court have termed the linking of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) number with bank accounts and mobile numbers as “illegal and unconstitutional”. PTI