News

Indian troops in Kashmir use rape to punish communities: Pakistan

Published

3 years ago

23/10/2021

MNN

UNITED NATIONS, (APP)

Reaffirming it’s support for the full and equal participation of women in UN peacemaking, conflict prevention and peace-building efforts, Pakistan Thursday called for protecting females in situations of conflict and foreign occupation.

“Women and girls in these situations are extremely vulnerable to sexual violence, including the use of rape as a weapon of war,” Ambassador Munir Akram said in statement submitted to the UN Security Council, which held a debate on women, peace and security.

The Pakistani envoy said that there was documented evidence that Indian occupation forces in Kashmir use rape as a means of targeting the Kashmiri women, whom they often accuse of being sympathizers of freedom fighters.

In perpetrating rape and sexual violence, Ambassador Akram pointed out, the Indian occupation forces aim to inflict punishment and humiliation on the entire community.

“This is corroborated by the two reports of 2018 and 2019 of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights, the international media and human rights organizations.”

In his remarks, the Pakistani envoy also emphasized that women must facilitate the Security Council in addressing the root causes of conflict and in creating an enabling environment for them to rise to their fullest potential to contribute to peace.

“This could be achieved by protecting women against all types of violence,” Ambassador Akram added.

While remaining committed to advancing the gender perspective in UN peace operations, he said Pakistan had taken practical steps in the field:

In 2019, dispatch its first all-female community engagement team to Africa’;
Increasing number of Pakistani women peacekeepers serving as doctors, nurses and police officers in some of the most challenging environments;
Achieved 50 percent female participation across our community engagement platoons serving in various UN peacekeeping missions, and,
A female Pakistani police officer appointed this year as the police commissioner in the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS).

The Pakistani envoy also emphasized that gender equality should be accompanied by continued adherence to equitable geographical representation of women from developing countries in leadership positions.

The principle of equal geographical representation of women must be ensured at all levels, including at the time of recruitment, promotion and selection for senior level positions at the UN Secretariat.

News

President Muizzu sends condolences over death of Iranian President Raisi

Published

8 hours ago

20/05/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has expressed sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences following the untimely death of Iranian President Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi in a tragic helicopter crash. The crash also claimed the lives of Iran’s Foreign Minister Abdollahian and other senior officials.

In a post of social media, President Muizzu conveyed his deepest sympathies, praying to Almighty Allah to bless the souls of those lost in the incident and grant them Jannatul Firdaus. He extended his thoughts and prayers to the bereaved families and the people of Iran during this time of profound grief.

President Muizzu emphasised the solidarity of the Maldivian government and its people with Iran, underscoring support in this period of mourning. He acknowledged the devastating impact of the accident and reinforced the Maldives’ commitment to standing by Iran in the face of this tragedy.

The expression of condolences comes amidst ongoing efforts in Iran to cope with the loss of their leader and other senior officials, highlighting the shared grief and unity between the two nations during this difficult time.

Source(s): PsmNews

World

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi & Foreign Minister dead in helicopter crash

Published

9 hours ago

20/05/2024

Ebrahim Raisi, 63, was elected president in 2021, having had a decades-long career in the country’s judicial system under his belt

Iranian state media have confirmed that President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in the country’s northwestern province of East Azerbaijan. His entire entourage, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Governor of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati have also perished, Press TV said.

The head of state had traveled to the border region after joining Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on Saturday to inaugurate a dam. Raisi had pledged to visit each of Iran’s 30 provinces at least once a year, and was thus regularly moving around the country.

Reports of a “crash landing” began circulating earlier on Sunday, with Iranian state media citing Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi. According to media outlet IRNA, the weather was foggy in the area where the presidential helicopter is believed to have gone down.

According to the media, Raisi was traveling in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter. Low visibility and the impassibility of the area made search operations difficult, IRNA also wrote. Though rescue teams reportedly launched a search operation within an hour of the incident, adverse weather conditions hampered the process.

According to the media, Raisi was traveling in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter. The rescuers finally managed to locate the crash site on Monday morning with the help of Turkish surveillance drones. The wreckage was discovered in the woodland area of a mountain slope. The aircraft was heavily damaged and charred. There were no signs of survivors, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said.

With Raisi’s passing, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber is expected to take office as interim leader.

A representative of the republic’s conservative wing, Raisi, was elected back in 2021. Before assuming Iran’s top job, he had worked his way up from Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutor in Tehran in the 1980s and 1990s all the way to Attorney General and, later, Chief Justice.

Source(s):RT News

News

Technical Chinese team to assist in 5M tree planting programme

Published

1 day ago

19/05/2024

The Ambassador of China to the Maldives Wang Lixin has affirmed that a technical team of China will visit the Maldives to conduct a soil analysis, prior to the commencement of the five million tree planting programme.

Addressing the media, Ambassador Lixin stated that the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy is engaged in collaborative efforts with the Chinese company, Fujian Forestry Administration regarding the programme. The ambassador further disclosed that the technical team will conduct a comprehensive study on the soil and will identify and elucidate the various types of plants which can be cultivated in the Maldives easily.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced the national initiative to plant five million trees across the country at the high-level segment of the Twenty-Eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai.

The programme will commence annually on June 5, commemorating World Environment Day. Trees will be planted in all residential islands and resorts under the programme. The administration previously revealed that neighbouring nations will be contributing trees to the initiative.

Source(s): PsmNews