US, China, Iran strongly condemn Balochistan terrorist attacks

The News, Pakistan

Global condemnations and pledges of counter-terrorism support for Pakistan have poured in after the killing of 54 people, including 10 soldiers and four law-enforcement personnel, by insurgents in parts of the Balochistan province on Sunday night and Monday.

Of the terror victims, 23 civilians were gunned down and 35 vehicles, which carried them, were torched in were identified by ethnic Baloch attackers as residents of the Punjab province.

The United States condemned the massacres and announced continued support to Pakistan for fighting terrorism. In a statement here, the US Embassy said it “condemned in the strongest terms” the fatal Balochistan attacks, which targeted both security personnel and civilians in Musakhel area.

“Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those killed in yesterday’s attacks. The United States will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism,” it emphasized.

China, too, decried Balochistan attacks and offered enhanced help for countering terrorism. A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry Lin Jian told a daily news briefing in Beijing that his country strongly condemned the terrorist attacks and expressed deep condolences over the lives lost. “China stands firm against all forms of terrorism.

We will continue giving staunch support to Pakistan in their effort to advance counter-terrorism operations, uphold social solidarity and stability, and protect the safety of the people,” he said. The spokesman said Beijing was ready to further enhance counter-terrorism and security cooperation with Islamabad and jointly safeguard peace and security in the region.

Kolkata protest turns violent, cops use force

Hindustantimes,

Kolkata : A citywide protest in Kolkata against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at a public hospital descended into violence on Tuesday as police lobbed tear gas shells and fired water cannons to disperse protesters who smashed down metal barricades in a thwarted bid to march towards the state secretariat Nabanna and demand West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which supported the “Nabanna Abhijaan” (journey to Nabanna) march, condemned the violence against the protesters and called for a strike on Wednesday, even as leaders of the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress alleged the march was orchestrated by Opposition groups and pointed to instances of police personnel being attacked.

Tuesday’s violence, which left dozens of protesters and 12 police personnel injured, was a fresh nadir for the weeks-long agitation against the grisly August 9 crime, which stunned the state and prompted nationwide protests.

“Common people gathered on the streets to raise their voice against the administration but police tried to silence them. Supporters of many political parties took part without their flags,” said Subhankar Haldar, one of the organisers of the protest.

The 31-year-old woman was raped and murdered inside the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata early on August 9. Her body was found around 9am and Sanjay Roy, a 31-year-old civic volunteer with the police, was arrested.

IMF only viable path for country to overcome economic crisis

The Daily News, Sri Lanka,

President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday stressed that the agreement with the International Monetary Fund is the only viable path to overcoming the economic crisis. He added that significant relief has been received to the country through this agreement.

The President added that he was determined to have quick recovery and sustaining this recovery and fostering long-term economic growth require adherence to the agreement with IMF.

“I was determined not to let us fall into the trap Greece did, where after reaching an agreement, they held an election and a referendum that rejected the deal, leading to another economic collapse. It took Greece a decade to recover.

My goal was a quick recovery, and that’s what we’ve achieved”, the President said. Speaking at the 37th Annual Conference of the Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA) at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo on Monday (26), the President highlighted the critical role of public support in ensuring the success of the government’s economic recovery programme.

The President added that despite the challenges, the agreement we reached has led us out of crisis and brought hope for growth and relief to the people. “For instance, energy prices have stabilised, and we’re seeing positive results in other areas.

Some argue we should change or discard the agreement, but that’s unrealistic. The path we agreed upon with the IMF is the only viable one, and it has provided us significant relief, stretching payments and giving us time until 2042 to adjust,” the President said.