Jamaat leaders look at poll return, could form political party

​hindustantimes, Leaders of the banned politico-religious organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (Jammu and Kashmir) are likely to return to the democratic arena in Jammu and Kashmir and are considering launching a political party to contest in the upcoming assembly elections, three people privy to the discussions said on Tuesday.

The development comes days after polls were announced in the Union territory, the first assembly elections in a decade and a virtual referendum on a slew of landmark decisions such as the scrapping of the region’s special status in 2019.

“The necessary documents are in place and the party will be announced in the next few days. The name has been finalised and the party is likely to be called J&K Justice Development Front,” said a senior Jamaat-e-Islami (Jammu and Kashmir) leader, who did not want to be named.

If the political outfit is formed, it will be the first time since 1987, before militancy began in Kashmir, that the Jamaat will contest elections in the region.

“The outfit will be on the lines of Muslim United Front (MUF) — an amalgam of various parties that contested assembly elections in 1987. It will comprise leaders of different social and religious groups and will be headed by Shameem Ahmad, who is closely associated with Jamaat,” said the same person cited above.

In 2019, the Centre imposed a five-year ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami (Jammu and Kashmir), citing the outfit’s ties with terrorist groups. The first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade will be held in three phases on September 18 and 25, and October 1. This is also the first assembly polls in the restive region since its special status and statehood were scrapped five years ago and is likely to be the last step before the Union territory’s statehood is restored.

The Jamaat was first banned in 1975 and again in 1990, at the beginning of the militancy in Kashmir. Later, police also blamed it for running the terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen. Since 2022, 77 properties linked to the Jamaat across the UT have been attached across J&K.

Reports of dozens Pakistani pilgrims dead, 18 injured after bus overturns in Iran

Dawn, At least 35 Pakistani pilgrims have died and 18 have been injured after a bus overturned at a checkpost in Iran’s Yazd, according to initial reports by DawnNews TV.
The bus overturned owing to brake failure, DawnNews TVreported, after which it caught fire.

A total of 53 passengers were on the bus, most of whom were from Larkana, Ghotki and other cities in Sindh, DawnNews TV reported.

The injured were taken to hospitals in Yazd, DawnNews TV reported.

TSMC breaks ground on first Europe chip fab with eye on auto sector

Nikkie Asia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. on Tuesday broke ground on its first fabrication facility in Europe to provide a steady supply of automotive chips for one of the region’s core industries.

The ceremony for the plant in Dresden, Germany, was attended by TSMC Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

TSMC chose Dresden because it is “very close to our customers,” and also offers “access to many talented people,” Wei said. Scholz said that semiconductors are central to Germany’s future as an industrial nation, according to Reuters.