Gilani reiterates his demand for disbanding of VDCs in IOK

Srinagar, June 18, 2016 (PPI-OT): In occupied Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Syed Ali Gilani, has reiterated his demand that Indian Army-sponsored terrorist militia, Village Defence Committees, in the territory be disbanded without any further delay.

Syed Ali Gilani in a statement in Srinagar said that the presence of this terrorist force in Jammu and Kashmir was brutal face of state terrorism in occupied Kashmir as its members could kill any person at will. He expressed surprise over the recent statement of the puppet Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, in the so-called Kashmir Assembly that there was no proposal to disband the Village Defence Committees even after admitting the involvement of its members in serious crimes. Mehbooba Mufti had conceded that 221 cases had been lodged against the VDC members in different police stations for committing crimes like murder, rapes and rioting.

Syed Ali Gilani, Aasiya Andrabi and Jamaat-e-Islami of the occupied territory in their statements denounced the authorities of Delhi Public School in Srinagar for forcing a female teacher to resign for wearing Abaya. Students of the school staged demonstrations against the authorities’ action. They demanded apology to the teacher by the school administration. On the other hand, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of two martyred youth, Altaf Ahmed and Imtiyaz Ahmed, in Sopore and Bandipora areas. The youth were killed by Indian troops in Bomai area of Sopore, yesterday. Complete shutdown was observed in Pattan, Palhallan, Hyderbagh, Goshbugh, Chrandrahama and Wusan areas of north Kashmir to mourn the killings.

Hurriyet leaders including Muhammad Musaddiq Aadil, Farooq Ahmed Tawheedi, Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Muhammad Ramzan Khan, Bashir Ahmed Qureshi, Shakeel Ahmed Butt, Advocate Zahid Ali, Qutab Aalam and Imtiyaz Reshi visited the residences of the martyred youth and paid tributes to them.

Meanwhile, the puppet authorities in a written reply to the so-called Assembly disclosed that 799 persons of various age groups were arrested from January 2015 to January 2016 and 133 among those were booked under draconian law, Public Safety Act. The occupation authorities arrest Hurriyet leaders and activists every now and then to stop them from carrying out their political activities.

In New Delhi, Indian police arrested two Kashmiri girl students from the airport when they were returning home from Bangladesh where they are pursuing MBBS.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Phone: 92-51-4435548, 4435549
Fax: 92-51-4861736

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief calls for timely completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Lahore, June 18, 2016 (PPI-OT): President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Sheikh Muhammad Arshad has said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor is a ray of hope and all conspiracies against this mega project should be tackled with iron hands. In a statement issued here, the LCCI President urged the government to ensure timely completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it is bound to turn Pakistan into a great investment destination.

He said that CPEC would start a new era of progress and prosperity in the country; therefore it should be handled with extra care. The LCCI president said that it will not be wrong to say that the economic benefits of this project are hard to estimate. China has already promised to invest more than 46 billion dollars in this connection. This project has the potential to work as a big push theory of economics.

Arshad said that the CPEC is an overall cooperation platform with a focus on the long-term development of bilateral cooperation in various fields. He said that this mega project should be completed at any cost, as it has the undoubted potential to turn Pakistan into a pivot of regional cooperation. He said if Pakistan used this opportunity wisely, the CPEC would enable it to harvest the economic benefits, which can considerably strengthen its regional power and esteem and prove the country as the priceless long-term ally for Beijing.

For more information, contact:
Shahid Khalil
Information Department
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)
11-Shahrah-e-Aiwan-e-Tijarat,
Lahore -54000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-222-499
Fax: +92-42-36368854
Website: www.lcci.org.pk

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President condemns politics of agitation

Lahore, June 18, 2016 (PPI-OT): The Vice President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Nasir Saeed has demanded of all the political parties to show maturity and commitment with the country and try to resolve issues through talks as politics of agitation is pushing the national economy to the wall. In a statement issued here, Nasir Saeed said that trade and economic activities are being submerged therefore the business community appeals the protestors to stay away from such politics which is creating anarchy like situation.

He said that the country is facing a huge economic loss only because wrong statements and irrational attitude of political players. He said that a week of stalled economic activity costs the country around $ 500 million or $2 billion per month and a weak economy like Pakistan cannot afford even one million dollar loss to exports.

He said that at a time when country is facing severe internal and external challenges, the situation is bound to affect the national interests. The LCCI Vice President said that such activities would not only tarnish the image of the country in the eyes of international community but would also hinder economic growth. He said that the leadership of all political parties should join hands for strengthening the economy instead of hatching conspiracies against the Government for their vested interests.

He said that the political leaders should settle issues through talks, which is a democratic, and the just forum for this purpose instead of disturbing the business activities and public life through holding sit-ins and rallies. He said that in the past, politics of agitation has caused irreversible loss to the national economy besides tarnishing the soft image of the country. He said that in the present scenario, country cannot afford to bear more economical loss. He said that business community is the main stakeholder of the economy and it should not be treated as useless thing.

For more information, contact:
Shahid Khalil
Information Department
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)
11-Shahrah-e-Aiwan-e-Tijarat,
Lahore -54000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-222-499
Fax: +92-42-36368854
Website: www.lcci.org.pk

Wall Street Journal Summoned in Libel Suit Filed By High-Ranking Venezuelan Official, as Represented by Elio Perez Law Offices

NEW YORK, June 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — The Wall Street Journal‘s parent companies, Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and News Corp., were served papers this week in a libel suit by high-ranking Venezuelan politician Diosdado Cabello-Rondón, claiming that he was defamed in an April 18 newspaper article tying him to drug trafficking and money laundering.

Cabello, vice president of the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela and the country’s interim president during a failed 2002 coup d’état, contends that the article, “Venezuelan Officials Suspected of Turning Country into Global Cocaine Hub,” used unnamed sources to assert incorrectly that he was the “biggest target” of a U.S. Justice Department investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering. The suit also claims that allegations linking him to the launch of a large cocaine shipment from Venezuela’s Paraguaná peninsula were false and defamatory.

“The defendants did not obtain any information about Mr. Cabello’s alleged involvement in such a shipment from anyone involved in an official investigation,” said Elio Perez, Cabello’s attorney.

Further, said Perez, The Wall Street Journal article, subtitled “U.S. probe targets No. 2 official Diosdado Cabello, several others, on suspicion of drug trafficking and money laundering,” spawned a “tsunami” of republications of the libelous allegations by various U.S. and international outlets.

“Mr. Cabello is a distinguished Venezuelan politician and military leader who has served his country and its people faithfully for decades,” said Perez. “The allegations of his involvement in serious crimes are reckless, wrong, and damaging to him in his profession as a public official.”

The suit claims that Dow Jones and News Corp. made false statements with actual malice, “with knowledge that the statements were false or with reckless disregard as to whether they were false or not.” It further states that the alleged falsehoods do not relate to Cabello’s official roles in Venezuela and amount to “at least negligence.”

Secretary Kerry to Attend Interfaith Iftar to Mark World Refugee Day

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will attend an interfaith Iftar reception to mark World Refugee Day at7:30 p.m. on June 20, 2016, at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling, Virginia.

Secretary Kerry will meet with interfaith leaders, refugees who have been resettled to the United States, and representatives from refugee resettlement organizations, as well as give remarks as a part of the event.

Remarks will be open to the press.

Pre-set time for cameras: 6:00 p.m. through the main entrance at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society at 46903 Sugarland Road; Sterling, VA 20164.

Final access time for journalists and still photographers: 7:00 p.m. at the main entrance at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society.

Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport).

Source: U.S. State Department.