WASHINGTON: On the first day of the 117th Congress, a lawmaker has introduced a bill in the US House of Representatives to terminate the designation of Pakistan as a Major non-NATO Ally.
Introduced by Republican Congressman Andy Biggs, the bill removes Pakistan’s designation as a major non-NATO ally, a status that allows for various benefits such as access to excess US defence supplies and participation in cooperative defence research and development projects.
The bill also notes that the US President cannot issue a separate designation of Pakistan as a major NATO ally unless a presidential certification that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing to significantly disrupting the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in Pakistan.
It also seeks a presidential certification that Pakistan has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to preventing the Haqqani Network from using any Pakistani territory as a safe haven and that the Pak government actively coordinates with Afghanistan to restrict the movement of militants, such as the Haqqani Network, along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
The bill also asks the president to certify that Pakistan has shown progress in arresting and prosecuting Haqqani Network senior leaders and mid-level operatives.
Currently, there are 17 major non-NATO allies. Brazil was the last country to given this designation by President Donald Trump in 2019.
The designation gives the countries to entry into cooperative research and development projects with the Department of Defense (DoD) on a shared-cost basis, participation in certain counter-terrorism initiatives, purchase of depleted uranium anti-tank rounds, priority delivery of military surplus (ranging from rations to ships).
It also gives them access to War Reserve Stocks of DoD-owned equipment that are kept outside of American military bases, offers them loans of equipment and material for cooperative research and development projects and evaluations and permission to use American financing for the purchase or lease of certain defence equipment.
The designation among other things expedites export processing of space technology and permission for the country’s corporations to bid on certain DoD contracts for the repair and maintenance of military equipment outside the United States.
However, President Trump in January 2018 suspended all financial and security assistance to Pakistan. The outgoing Trump Administration even considered terminating the designation of Pakistan as a Major non-NATO ally.
Under the Obama Administration, the US designated India as a Major Defense Partner. (AGENCY)
Bill introduced in US House to terminate designation of Pak as Major non-NATO ally
Foggy morning in Delhi with ‘moderate’ air quality
NEW DELHI: A thick layer of fog engulfed the National Capital on Monday morning briefly affecting the visibility.
With the cold weather conditions continuing, the minimum temperature settled at 11.4 degrees C , while relative humidity was pegged at 100 per cent at around 0830 hrs here, the MET department said.
The temperature at 1000 hrs was around 13.6 degrees Celsius, as per the IMD.
According to the Meteorological department, the day temperature is likely to hover around 18 degrees C with likelihood of dropping towards the evening.
Rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours upto 0830 this morning was 14.8 mm at Safdarjung centre, 5.3 mm at the Palam centre, Lodi road 18.6 mm and Ayanagar 15.2 mm.
Meanwhile, the rains on Sunday helped in dispersion of the particulate matter from the city’s air improving the air quality with the index value on Monday morning measured at 153 falling under the moderate category at around 0900 hrs.
The weatherman has forecast a possibility of thunderstorm with rain during the day, while the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 18 degrees C , the MET official added.
People on the streets were seen with make shift bonfires at the corners to keep themselves warm despite minimum temperature not being very low, but dense fog and absence of the Sun intensified the cold affect.
Due to the fog commuters faced problems due to less visibility , making the traffic move at slow pace in the early hours.
The weatherman has forecast a generally cloudy sky on Tuesday with light rain, while minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to hover around 11 and 17 degrees respectively.
On Sunday, the maximum temperature had settled at 15.8 degrees C , which was four points below the season’s average. (AGENCY)
US Congress Passes “Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act” For Pakistani Women
Washington: The US Congress has passed the “Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act” which will expand the number of scholarships available to Pakistani women to receive higher education under a merit and needs-based programme.
Passed by the House of Representatives in March 2020, the bill was passed by the United States Senate by a voice vote on January 1. The bill now heads to the White House for US President Donald Trump to sign into law.
The bill requires the US Agency for International Development to award at least 50 per cent of scholarships under a Pakistan-based higher education scholarship programme to Pakistani women, from 2020 to 2022, across a range of academic disciplines and in accordance with existing eligibility criteria.
The bill also requires USAID to consult with and leverage investments by the Pakistani private sector and Pakistanis residing in the United States to improve and expand access to education programmes in Pakistan.
Among other thing, it requires USAID to brief Congress annually on the number of scholarships awarded under the programme, including breakdowns by gender, discipline, and degree type; the percentage of recipients who were involuntarily pushed out of the programme for failure to meet programme requirements; and the percentage of recipients who dropped out of school, including due to retaliation for seeking education.
On October 10, 2014, Malala shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Indian children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi for her “struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education”. (AGENCY)
Farmers’ protest: Several roads remain closed in Delhi
NEW DELHI: Routes connecting Delhi to Ghaziabad and Noida via Ghazipur and Chilla borders remained partially closed on Monday due to the farmers’ protest against the Centre’s agricultural reforms, the traffic police said.
They advised commuters to take alternative routes for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Bhopra and Loni borders.
Farmers from different states have been camping at various border points of Delhi for 40 days now to demand the repeal of the three farm laws enacted in September and a legal backing for the minimum support price (MSP)
The farmers had a difficult morning on Sunday as overnight rains left their tents waterlogged, firewood and blankets soaked, and intensified the cold. However, the farmers have said the weather will not dampen their spirit and they will continue the protest till their demands are met.
Since the farmers arrived at the national capital’s borders in late November, the Delhi Traffic Police has been posting alerts on its official Twitter handle to inform commuters about road closures across the city.
In a series of tweets on Monday, the traffic police said Singhu, Auchandi, Piau Maniyari, Saboli and Mangesh borders are closed for traffic movement.
“Please take alternate route via Lampur Safiabad, Palla & Singhu school toll tax borders. Traffic has been diverted from Mukarba & GTK road. Please avoid Outer Ring Road, GTK Road & NH-44,” it said.
“The Chilla and Ghazipur borders are closed for traffic coming from Noida & Ghaziabad to Delhi because of farmer protests. Please take alternate route for coming to Delhi via Anand Vihar, DND, Bhopra & Loni Borders,” it said.
The traffic police said Tikri and Dhansa borders are also closed for traffic movement.
“Jhatikara Border is open only for LMV (Cars/Light Motor Vehicles), two wheelers and pedestrian movement,” it said in another tweet.
According to the traffic police, people travelling to Haryana can take the routes via Jharoda (only single carriageway), Daurala, Kapashera, Badusarai, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders.
After five rounds of inconclusive talks, the government and 40 farmer unions reached some common ground during the sixth round of negotiations on December 30 to resolve protesting farmers’ concerns over rise in power tariff and penalties for stubble burning.
However, the two sides remained deadlocked over the main contentious issues of the repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP.
The seventh round of talks between the government and farmer unions is scheduled to be held later on Monday. (AGENCY)
India records 16,504 new COVID-19 cases
NEW DELHI: Daily new COVID-19 cases in the country remained below 20,000 for the third consecutive day taking the virus caseload to 1,03,40,469, while the recoveries surged to 99.46 lakh, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
A total of 16,504 tested positive for coronavirus infection in a day. The death toll increased to 1,49,649 with 214 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 99,46,867 pushing the national recovery rate to 96.19 per cent, while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent.
The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 3 lakh for the 14th consecutive day.
There are 2,43,953 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country which comprise 2.36 per cent of the total caseload,the data stated.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
According to the ICMR, 17,56,35,761 samples have been tested up to January 3 with 7,35,978 samples being tested on Sunday.
Kashmir remains cut off from rest of the country
SRINAGAR: The Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the country for the second consecutive day on Monday following closure of the 270-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway due to snowfall, landslides, shooting stone and mudslide at several places.
Meanwhile, the national highway, the only road connecting Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh with Kashmir valley, the historic 86-km-long Mughal road and Anantnag- Sampthan Kishtwar road have been closed for winter months due to snowfall and slipery road conditions.
Traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway was suspended on Sunday due to fresh snowfall on both sides of the Jawahar tunnel, Shaitan Nallah and Banihal, a traffic police official told UNI today. About three feet of snow has accumulated in the Kashmir side of the tunnel while two feet of snow has accumulated in the Jammu side of the tunnel.
The official informed that there was fresh snowfall till late last night on both sides of the tunnel.
However, he said, rain triggered landslides, shooting stones and mudslides at several places on the highway, the only road linking Kashmir valley with the rest of the country.
However, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for maintenance of the road, have put into service sophisticated machines and men to clear the landslides and shooting stones. However the official warned that there is a prediction for more snow and rain on the highway during the next few days which could again disrupted the traffic movement.
Meanwhile, large number of vehicles, including those carrying essentials, are stranded at different places on the highway. Once the road is put through, the stranded vehicles will be allowed to move before which fresh traffic would not be allowed, he said adding stranded vehicles between Jawahar tunnel and Banihal will be allowed first to move towards Jammu.
Stranded passengers said over phone from Banihal that locals opened their houses for them. There are about 400 passengers, including women and children besides elders at Banihal.
Local residents provided accommodation, food and other facilities to stranded passengers. The stranded passengers demanded that they should be allowed to use new Banihal-Qazigund tunnel to reach Kashmir. However, the tunnel is likely to be dedicated to people in March.
The national highway connecting UT Ladakh with Kashmir has been closed for winter months by the authorities due to accumulation of heavy snow and slippery road conditions.
The Anantnag-Sampathan road and Mughal road connecting south Kashmir with Rajouri, Poonch and Kishtwar in Jammu region have also been closed for winter months due to accumulation of heavy snow on theseroads.
Air traffic remains suspended at Srinagar airport
SRINAGAR: Air traffic remained suspended at Srinagar International Airport for the second consecutive day on Monday due to fresh snowfall and poor visibility.
Meanwhile, due to closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway and cancellation of all incoming and outgoing flights at Srinagar airport on Monday, air fares have witnessed a major hike during the past 24 hours.
No aircraft could land at or take off from the Srinagar airport on Monday so far, officials said.
They informed that there was fresh snowfall during the night and visibility remained poor. However, so far no flight has been cancelled, officials said adding morning flights which were scheduled to land from New Delhi from 0900 hrs are delayed.
They informed that snow clearance work on the runway has been started, adding that flight operations will resume when the visibility improves.
Large number of passengers, who are scheduled to travel to different parts of the country, particularly New Delhi, Amritsar and Jammu, had arrived at the Airport today morning.
There is no word from the Airport authorities about the status of their flights today, they said adding they had to return back to their homes in the evening on Sunday after all flights were cancelled.
Tourists also face the similar situation and had to return back to their hotels yesterday and are face uncertainty today also.
Passengers alleged that Srinagar-Delhi fare which was just Rs 3500 to Rs 5000 about few days ago now costs in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15000. If you search online fare of different Airlines between Srinagar to other parts of the country, you will see a huge jump despite repeated assurance by the authorities to keep a strict check on airfare when the highway is closed.
People associated with tourism industry also expressed concern over the steep increase in airfare. They said they were expecting a good winter season but unjustified increase in airfare will force tourists to travel to other places in the country because of low air fare, they said and demanded immediate intervention by Union Territory (UT) and central governments.
Vacant posts in State Police Forces
I f sanctioned strength in Police Forces in States and Union Territories of the country, that also not as on date, has any semblance and purpose, it needs to be ensured that the strength was maintained. The data put out by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) in respect of the vacant posts in Police Forces in the country is to the extent of more than 5.32 lakh. The whooping number of vacant posts is there despite more than 1.19 lakh police personnel having been recruited during the year 2019 which otherwise had lot of strains on the economy due to the impact of COVID19 pandemic. The notable thing about such a yawning gap between the requirements, that too on conservative basis and the available present strength, is not only noticed in our armed and special armed police but in civil police force too that has to attend to multifaceted duties and assignments including field duties of various hues. Looking to spurt in crimes against women on account of mindset of the offenders, recruiting women personnel in adequate number is a prerequisite in respect of containing such crimes. IIt is not that the respective state and UT Governments are , perhaps, not conscious of the shortage in the Police Force due to which the most sensitive area of law and order and allied issues receive not fuller attention but the lethargy in taking decisions coupled with efforts to grapple with struggling economies and also ”managing” things as they are , no proper attention is seen being paid to the problem. There are encouraging instances to be seen also where even during the last two years and more , the UP Administration managed to recruit as many as 50,000 new personnel in its Police Force and if the figures during the last net three years put together are taken , as many as 1.37 lakh personnel have been recruited in the UP Police Force . Why so much of gap in the required strength and recruited persons was allowed to remain there and pile up continuously over years in a row, is another subject to be looked into. However, the idea behind citing the innovative and much required initiative as shown by the UP Government in this matter, at least, should be a guiding factor for other States and UTs to emulate. A gap of the projected requirement as on January 1 last year of 26.24 lakh and actual strength of 20.91 lakh, does not augur well with managing the affairs of our Police Forces especially in respect of personnel matters. Let us not be in the habitual practice of only criticising our Police Force but sincerely feel the problems and difficulties they have to be in constant state of undergoing – in terms of their staggered duties, shortage of staff, prolonged hours of duties, less of time for rest and physical activities to keep them fit and healthy, avoidable bossism and less of flexibility in matters of sanctioning of leave and other benefits , transfer and promotion policies being clamouring for reforms and changes and the like The stereo type of projecting the force reaching quite late or ”at the end ” of an incident as mischievously projected in most of our Bollywood movies should never in practical life percolate to the levels of belief or framing an opinion about our Police Force. We have valiant Police heroes like Tukaram Omble who caught and kept grappling Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Qasab with bare hands facing volley of bullets piercing through his brave chest for shielding other personnel behind him. While we expect each of our police person of whatever rank to be brave dedicated and valiant , we also expect the respective state and UT Governments together with the Ministry of Home Affairs to Start the process of recruitment forthwith in the different wings of the Police Force. Not only shall there be an impressive difference felt in overall policing activities but as many as nearly 600 thousand unemployed shall get jobs, thereby meaning unemployment in the country to that extent getting a diminution, even if very small or negligible.
Two different selection processes for B.Sc Nursing
If Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) is the only recognised authority in conducting a process of making selections for professional courses in Jammu and Kashmir and therefore, issues lists purely based on merit, how can authorities of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) simultaneously issue a “list of its own” for B.Sc Nursing etc?There can be no takers for the pleas made and that too belatedly by the Institute, that they had made these admissions (related on their list) based on having ”already invited applications in 2019″. The trivialising the selection process like such a parallel and divergent manner for admission to the Institute’s Madre Meharban College of Nursing , Soura when the BOPEE has already selected candidates for such courses, shall lead to confusion and mess and perhaps, two batches shall be there in the SKIMS for the academic session of 2021. Why should there be a negation of regulating and centralising process in an area where the standards are set to go through the proper process of examination and merit, is beyond comprehension. It could set in motion such practice going parallel to the already recognised ways to secure admission in other professional courses like medicine and engineering etc. Besides, on comparative list, the grades or marks secured in SKIMS examination show a huge contrasts in the tests of BOPEE faced by the same candidates where only 2 ”toppers” out of 15 in the former, have gone through in the latter’s list which reveals more than it hides any. A viamedia must be found out especially in the interests of those candidates who cannot afford higher fees etc in pursuing courses in private college.
NHAI to use software to track delays in files processing: Gadkari
NEW DELHI, Jan 3:
To curb red-tapism and enhance transparency, NHAI will deploy software specifically to track files that will pin-point officials behind delays in disposing of matters, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said.
This will be a part of several measures to enhance efficiency and transparency at NHAI, road transport minister Gadkari said.
In June last year, the National Highways Authority of India had said that it has become the first construction sector organisation to go ‘fully digital’ with cloud-based Data Lake Software.
“Red-tapism will no longer be tolerated…Delayed decision-making results in losses. To eradicate red-tapism, we will be bringing a software that will specifically detect how much time one particular official has taken in disposing of any file,” Gadkari told PTI.
The minister said several proposals have been made to enhance efficiency and transparency in NHAI and he had a detailed discussion with NHAI Chairman SS Sandhu and Highways Secretary Giridhar Aramane.
Lauding the efforts by the NHAI Chairman and Highways Secretary, he said: “In our system, we are trying red-tapism is eliminated and decision making is made fast and transparent. Work should happen timely, corruption-free, in a time-bound manner and efficiently. Those who do not take timely decisions will be tracked”.
He also warned of stern action against such officials.
Besides, Gadkari said project management consultancy system will be introduced soon — where alignment, land acquisition, forest environment clearance, utility shifting, construction, designing, road safety and roadside amenities — everything will be provided about the project.
New technologies are being promoted, while attention is being paid on reducing the cost of construction of projects without compromising with the quality, he added.
Admitting that the hurdles were there in the way of innovation and reforms, Gadkari said the ministry is overcoming problems and moving ahead fast.
“I take pride that work worth Rs 17 lakh crore has been done by Ministries during the NDA-1 regime without any corruption,” the minister noted.
NHAI in June last year had announced introducing Data Lake software to forecast the delays, likely disputes and expedite decision making.
“As one of the biggest reforms, the NHAI has gone ‘fully digital’, with the launch of unique cloud-based and artificial intelligence-powered big data analytics platform – Data Lake and Project Management Software,” it had said.
NHAI had earlier said that disputes can be minimised, as Data Lake software has provisions to keep track and check on all the constraints like delays in land acquisition and ensure work is carried out within the deadlines in a transparent manner.
Unhappy over the work culture of delay, Gadkari in October had warned officials that it was time to show the exit door to non-performing assets, complicating and delaying projects by creating obstacles.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has become a breeding ground for inefficient officials who are creating hurdles and referring every matter to committees and it was time to ‘suspend’ and ‘terminate’ them and bring in reforms in its functioning, the minister had said.
NHAI has been mandated the task to develop, maintain and manage national highways, the arterial roads of the country, for inter-state movement of passengers and goods.
National highways have a total length of about 1.32 lakh km to serve as the arterial network of the country. Although national highways constitute only about 2 per cent of the road network, it carries 40 per cent of the total road traffic. (PTI)