Man Throws Fermented Fish at Election Commission in Bizarre Protest

DALLAS: A conference in Dallas, Texas, has called for a peaceful and lasting settlement of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. The conference was organised by Friends of Kashmir to mark the anniversary of India’s 2019 decision to revoke the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir. Members of the Pakistani and Kashmiri diaspora, community leaders and representatives of Sikhs for Justice attended the event. Pakistan’s Consul General in Houston, Aftab Chaudhry, was the chief guest. Friends of Kashmir International Chairperson Ghazala Habib presided over the gathering. Speakers expressed solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). They also voiced concerns about the situation in the region following the revocation of Article 370 and Article 35A. Addressing the participants, Chaudhry said Pakistan would continue providing diplomatic, political and moral support to the Kashmiri people. He said India’s decision to revoke the region’s special status had added further complexity to the long-running Kashmir dispute. Ghazala Habib urged the international community to pay greater attention to the concerns and rights of Kashmiris. She also highlighted cooperation between Kashmiri and Sikh communities in raising issues related to justice and human rights. Other speakers, including Aftab Siddiqui, Syed Fayaz Hasan, Ghulam Jahangra and Dr Fareeha Qazi, called for stronger international efforts to address the Kashmir dispute through peaceful means. Gurvinder Singh, who represented the Sikh community, stressed the importance of involving younger generations in campaigns focused on justice and human rights. At the conclusion of the conference, participants adopted a resolution calling for an internationally supported and peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue in line with relevant UN resolutions. The resolution also urged the international community to help protect the fundamental rights of the Kashmiri people and maintain attention on the disputed region.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has announced a sit-in outside the Governor House in Sindh today against the government’s decision not to reduce the petroleum levy. The party has also prepared a 15-day schedule for the protest campaign. JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said an increase in petroleum product prices leads to higher costs across the country and puts additional pressure on ordinary citizens. He criticised what he described as an unequal tax system, saying the country’s elite class was not paying its fair share of taxes while poor people continued to struggle with rising expenses. Naeemur Rehman also alleged that privileged groups enjoyed various benefits without paying their due share, while taxes were not being properly collected from the incomes of owners of independent power producers (IPPs). Meanwhile, JI Karachi chief Munim Zafar said the government had already collected around Rs100 billion more than its targeted revenue from the petroleum levy. He accused the government of turning the petroleum levy into a major source of revenue after failing to achieve its broader tax collection targets. The JI has also announced a protest sit-in in Lahore against the petroleum levy. The demonstration will be held at Charing Cross on The Mall. The party has been demanding a reduction in the petroleum levy, arguing that lower fuel-related charges could help ease inflationary pressure on households and businesses. JI leaders said their protests would continue until the government addressed their concerns and provided relief to citizens facing rising living costs.