Burden of proof in Azhar case not on us: Jaishankar

BEIJING, Feb 22: Foreign secretary S Jaishankar, in Beijing for bilateral talks, has countered China's demand for "solid evidence" against Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar, saying the "burden of proof" was not on India as the Jaish-e-Muhammed chief's actions were well documented.

During a seven-hour dialogue with Chinese officials on Wednesday, he said India had overwhelming support from the international community for Azhar to be sanctioned by the UN Security Council's 1267 committee, and that Beijing's may be a minority voice. "This time around, it's not India but other countries (that moved the plea for sanctions). So, there's a body of world opinion," he said later, referring to a recent move by the US, France and the UK. Jaishankar said these countries "seem very well convinced, else they would not have taken the initiative to move that proposal... The burden of proof is not on India."

Another reason cited by China for stopping the UNSC committee from censuring the Jaish chief is what it describes as a lack of consensus in the committee. To this, Jaishankar said, "There isn't a consensus because China hasn't joined it."

The Chinese officials Jaishankar met were led by executive vice-minister for foreign affairs Zhang Yesui. Jaishankar also had a separate meeting with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, after which the two sides agreed to work on the reconstruction of Afghanistan and coordination on international affairs.

China also indicated that it was not yet ready to significantly change its stance on India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers' Group, but said it has an "open approach". Chinese officials said "there are still issues of procedure and processes" that needed "further clarification and discussion" because of which they were "not in a position to bring it to a definite conclusion".

The Chinese also raised the issue of President Pranab Mukherjee inviting the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, whom China regards as a separatist, to a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Indian officials said that the event was not political, and that Dalai Lama was one of the Nobel Laureates invited to discuss a social issue.

Indian Foreign Secy holds talks with China's top diplomat ahead of key strateguc dialogue

BEIJING, Feb 21: Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today held talks with China's top diplomat Yang Jiechi ahead of a key strategic dialogue tomorrow to improve bilateral ties hit by Chinese reluctance to support India's admission into the NSG and back a United Nations ban on JeM leader Masood Azhar.

Jaishankar, who arrived in China from Sri Lanka, met Yang, who besides being the State Councillor is Beijing's Special Representative for border talks between India and China.

In Chinese official hierarchy, State Councillor of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) is regarded as the top diplomat functioning directly under the country's leadership. Jaishankar is expected to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, besides attending an upgraded strategic dialogue with China's Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui tomorrow.

Underlining the significance of the strategic dialogue, which was upgraded during Wang's visit to New Delhi last year, China has deputed Zhang Yesui, also the head of the influential CPC committee of the Chinese Foreign Ministry for the parleys. Ahead of the talks, China has appeared unrelenting in its opposition to impose the UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Azhar and ambivalent on India's membership to the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Putting the onus on India to prove Azhar's involvement in the Pathankot terrorist attack, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on February 17 that China will back the move to list him only if there was solid evidence. Last year, China twice put a technical hold on India's application to 1267 sanctions committee of the UNSC and again blocked a resolution moved by the US - and backed by France and the UK - in January.

"Whether last year's application by India or this year's by relevant country our position is consistent. Our criteria is only one, we need solid evidence. If there is solid evidence the application can be approved. If there is no solid evidence there is hardly consensus," Geng said.

On India's admission into the NSG, again blocked by China, he reiterated China's stand, "We stick to two-step approach namely, first NSG members need to arrive at a set of principles for the entry of NSG by non-NPT state parties, and then move forward discussions of specific cases," he said. Also, bilateral ties have strained over the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), over which India has protested as it goes through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

China defends the ambitious project, saying it is development project and made no difference to its stand that Kashmir issue should be resolve by India and Pakistan.

Officials say the strategic dialogue will cover the whole gamut of bilateral ties. Two sides have been stressing that both sides are holding talks at various levels to iron out differences stressing that dialogue is the best way forward.

Commenting "friction points" including Azhar and NSG, Geng said "differences between China and India are inevitable, but through various forms of in-depth exchanges, including the upcoming Strategic Dialogue, differences can be minimised and new agreement can be reached on further cooperation". Officials say Jaishankar's talks here in the next two days were expected to set the tone for bilateral ties this year.

India cautiously welcomes Pakistan’s bid to list Hafiz Saeed under terrorism law

NEW DELHI, Feb 20: India Monday cautiously welcomed Pakistan’s move to list militant leader Hafiz Saeed and four of his aides under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act, imposing restrictions on their movement and communication with the media.

“Hafiz Saeed is an international terrorist, the mastermind of Mumbai terrorist attack and responsible for unleashing wave of terrorism against Pakistan’s neighbours through LeT/JuD (Lashkar-e-Toiba/Jamaat-ud-Dawa charity) and their affiliates,” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said. The 10 terrorists who attacked Mumbai in 2008 holding the city to ransom from 26-29 November belonged to the LeT, according to the sole terrorist captured alive by the police.

Swarup, however, qualified his remarks with the hope that the listing of Saeed under Pakistan’s terrorism Act would be only the “logical first step”—implying that India was looking forward to more steps like bringing Saeed to justice—to follow.

130 'Terrorists' Killed, 350 Arrested In Pak's Anti-Terror Drive: Report

LAHORE/PESHAWAR, Feb 20: More than 130 suspected terrorists have been killed and over 350 people, mostly Afghans, arrested in Pakistan as part of a nationwide crackdown by security forces following a string of suicide bombings in the country. At least 15 terrorists were killed in another targeted strike by the Pakistani forces across the Afghan border on Sunday, Geo News reported.

A high-value target, known for recruiting terrorists and training suicide bombers, was also reportedly gunned down and at least 12 terror sanctuaries, including a hideout and weapon depot camp of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar's commander were also pounded.

In Pakistan's northwest tribal region, at least 11 Afghan terrorists were killed during a gun battle with the security forces. The gunbattle occurred in Sapperkot and Para Chamkani in Kurram Agency.

Pakistan had reportedly launched "strikes" against militant bases in Afghanistan on Saturday.

The killing of militants and arrests were part of a nation-wide crackdown following a spurt in terror attacks.

Pakistani Punjab police spokesman Niyab Haider said that, "More than 350 suspects have been taken into custody (in Punjab), mostly Afghans, since the Lahore blast last Monday on the Mall Road."

"During Saturday and Sunday the police have arrested More than 200 people mostly Afghans and Pashtoon as they did not have identification papers. Police have also arrested those who had given them their houses on rent," he said.

According to a spokesman of the Crime Investigation Department, "Police are focusing on intelligence-based search operations to get maximum results. Deployment at all sensitive government installations has been increased and the operation in and around localities of shrines in the province is also being conducted."

He said illegal weapons have also been recovered from some of the suspects who have been shifted to undisclosed location for identification.

Police have also taken a man into custody who had rented his house to handler Anwarul Haq of the Lahore blast. According to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Haq had brought the Afghan suicide bomber to the Mall Road.

On Saturday, an anti-terrorism court handed over Haq to Counter Terrorism Department on a 30-day remand.

Tahrik-i-Taliban Pakistan splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar had claimed the responsibility for the Lahore blast.

China protests to India over Taiwanese delegations visit

Beijing/New Delhi, Feb 15: China has lodged a protest with India for hosting a Taiwanese parliamentary team and asked it to deal "prudently" with Taiwan-related matters, even as New Delhi today dismissed the issue saying no "political meanings" should be read into such trips.

Briefing the reporters in Beijing today, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said, "China lodged representations with India" over the Taiwan parliamentary delegations visit to New Delhi.

"We hope that India would understand and respect China's core concerns and stick to the One-China principle and prudently deal with Taiwan-related issues and maintain sound and steady development of India-China relations," Geng said.

The remarks evoked a prompt reaction from New Delhi, where External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "We understand that a group of Taiwanese academics and business persons, including a couple of legislators, is visiting India. Such informal groups have visited India in the past as well for business, religious and tourist purposes.

"I understand that they do so to China as well. There is nothing new or unusual about such visits and political meanings should not be read into them."

A three-member womens parliamentary delegation from Taiwan visited India earlier this week amidst signals of increasing engagement between the two sides.

Taiwan currently has Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre located in New Delhi. India's office in Taiwan is called India-Taipei Association.

China which considers Taiwan as part of its mainland opposes any diplomatic relations as well as political contacts with Taipei by countries which have diplomatic relations with it.

China has been objecting to such visits to India, maintaining that countries that have diplomatic relations with it should fulfil their commitment to the One China policy.

Elaborating further on Chinas stand on Taiwanese Parliamentary delegation to India, Geng said, "those who are visiting India are so-called legislators from Taiwan" and Beijing is opposed to any official contacts between Taiwan and other countries with whom China has diplomatic relations.

"The reason why China lodged the representation is because that we have been requiring countries that have diplomatic relations with China to fulfil their commitment to the One China principle," he said.

"So by making our representation we are urging the Indian side to stick to the One China principle and take concrete actions for steady development of China-India relations," he said.

He also declined to answer a question about when the protest was lodged with India, saying that "not all the information about diplomatic activities are open to the public".

"All I can tell is China has lodged diplomatic representation with India," he said.

India playing with ‘fire’ by courting Taiwan: State media

BEIJING, Feb 15: India is playing with fire and will suffer losses by challenging the one-China policy and increasing engagement with Taiwan, the nationalistic tabloid Global Times said on Wednesday.

Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province which could be reunited by force if necessary.

India doesn’t maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, an island off the southeastern coast of China, that follows democracy and has a free press.

A rare women’s parliamentary delegation from Taiwan began an India visit on Monday, a possible sign that both countries are attempting to increase political engagement without New Delhi changing its “one-China” policy.

It did not go unnoticed by China and its state-run media.

“At a time when new US President Donald Trump has put the brakes on challenging China over the Taiwan question, agreeing to change course and respecting the one-China policy, India stands out as a provocateur,” it said.

“Some Indians view the Taiwan question as an Achilles’ Heel of the mainland. India has long wanted to use the Taiwan question, the South China Sea and Dalai Lama issues as bargaining chips in dealing with China,” writer Yu Ning wrote in an opinion piece for the newspaper, known to publish critical pieces on India and its policies.

“By challenging China over the Taiwan question, India is playing with fire,” Yu wrote.

Why is India doing this? Yu argued that one reason was India’s unease with President Xi Jinping’s belt and road initiative (BRI).

“With the advancement of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in recent years, India’s strategic suspicions about China have been growing. It stubbornly misinterprets the flagship project of the One Belt, One Road Initiative that will benefit countries along the route, including India,” Yu wrote.

“As the corridor passes through the disputed Kashmir, some Indian strategists have advised the Modi government to play the Taiwan card, using the commitment of the One-China policy as leverage in exchange for China’s endorsement of ‘One India’,” the article said.

The newspaper also blamed Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen for inciting India.

“Tsai is exploiting India’s vigilance and strategic suspicions against China. The pro-independence leader came up with the ‘new southbound policy’ to ramp up trade and economic interactions in Southeast Asia, South Asia and Oceania, in which India is considered ‘not one of the, but the most’ important country…Tsai hopes to put pressure on the mainland by tying India and Taiwan closer.”

Yu argued that India wants to benefit from trade with and investment from Taiwan but should be wary about Tsai’s “political intentions and avoid being used to confront the mainland”.

The best way for India, Yu said was to join the BRI to attract more investment from China. Or suffer.

“The best way for India to develop is by participating in the BRI and attract more investments from the mainland. Pro-independence forces in Taiwan have become more isolated in the world. Those who want to use the Taiwan question to contain the mainland will have to suffer losses.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half-brother killed in Malaysia

SEOUL/ KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half-brother has been assassinated in Malaysia, South Korean media reported Tuesday, with one TV station saying he was attacked at the main airport with poisoned needles.

Officials in Seoul could not be reached for comment on the reported death of Kim Jong-nam. Malaysian police said an unidentified Korean had been taken sick at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and had since died.

If confirmed, Kim’s case would be the highest-profile death under the Kim Jong-un regime since the execution of the leader’s uncle Jang Song-thaek in December 2013.

Kim Jong-un has been trying to strengthen his grip on power in the face of growing international pressure over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

The latest missile launch on Sunday brought UN Security Council condemnation.

South Korea’s national news agency Yonhap quoted a Seoul government source as saying Kim Jong-nam was killed on Monday. The source gave no further details.

The 45-year-old was poisoned by two unidentified female agents using poisoned needles at an airport in Kuala Lumpur, according to South Korean broadcaster TV Chosun. The report, citing what it called multiple government sources, said the two women hailed a cab and fled immediately afterwards.

In Malaysia, the police chief in charge of Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Assistant Commissioner Abdul Aziz Ali said a Korean in his forties was found sick at the airport on Monday. Airport authorities rushed him to the hospital and he died on the way, the police chief said.

“We do not have any other details of this Korean man. We do not know his identity,” Abdul said.

Jong-nam was born from his father’s extra-marital relationship with Sung Hae-rim, a South Korean-born actress who died in Moscow. He was once considered heir apparent but fell out of favour with his father Kim Jong-il following an embarrassing botched attempt in 2001 to enter Japan on a forged passport and visit Disneyland. He has since lived in virtual exile, mainly in Macau.

Kim Jong-un took over as North Korean leader when their father died in December 2011.

Jong-nam, known as an advocate of reform in the North, once told a Japanese newspaper that he opposed his country’s dynastic power transfers. He was reportedly close to his uncle Jang Song-thaek, once the North’s unofficial number two and political mentor of the current leader.

Jong-nam has been targeted in the past. In October 2012 South Korean prosecutors said a North Korean detained as a spy had admitted involvement in a plot to stage a hit-and-run car accident in China in 2010 targeting Kim Jong-nam.

In 2014 Jong-nam was reported to be in Indonesia — sighted at an Italian restaurant run by a Japanese businessman in Jakarta — and was said to be shuttling back and forth between Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and France.

In 2012 a Moscow newspaper reported that Jong-nam was having financial problems after being cut off by the Stalinist state for doubting its succession policy.

The Argumenty i Fakty weekly said he was kicked out of a luxury hotel in Macau over a $15,000 debt.

Last year South Korea warned of possible North Korean assassination attempts on its territory. It noted previous attempts to assassinate Hwang Jang-Yop, the North’s chief ideologue and former tutor to Kim Jong-Il, who defected to the South in 1997 and died of natural causes in 2010.

Don’t demonise Donald Trump, analyse him: S Jaishankar

MUMBAI, Feb 14: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Tuesday emphasised on the need to be patient with US President Donald Trump.

“Don’t demonise Trump, analyse Trump… India may not be part of the problem but India will be affected by Trump’s policies,” Jaishankar said at the Gateway of India Geoeconomic Dialogue in Mumbai.

About the nternational community’s wariness of political changes and economic uncertainties following Trump’s election, he said, “There is a view on how to fix America and how to fix the world. It will have consequences for everyone, including us.”

Regarding Trump’s proposed overhaul of immigration policies and the H1-B visa, Jaishankar said that India needs to distinguish offshoring from outsourcing to engage with the US.

“We have to get the message across to the US that outsourcing helps you to be competent, offshoring damages the economy,” he said, adding that the key is “not to advance or retreat”.

Jaishankar said that there is concern in the international community that incidents of terrorism are being traced to Pakistan.

“In the neighbourhood, there is recognition that terror is product of them (Pakistan),” he said, adding: “Bilateral relations are necessarily security-centric. We can’t live with a situation of terrorism, but with little trade. The issue boils down to whether Pakistan is willing to make a fundamental break in its policy.”

He also urged member nations not to give up on the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC). “I won’t say that we have given up on SAARC. There are fundamental obstacles in proceeding down that path. SAARC today is stuck,” said Jaishankar.

Referring to the initiatives taken over the last two years in the Gulf region, Jaishankar said that India’s business ties with the gulf countries are very important.

“In the early 1990s when we opened up our economy, ASEA countries were our natural partners, whether it was in energy or business co-operation. Remittances received from 7 million Indians living in the Gulf countries are as much as India’s IT exports to the US,” he said.

Pakistan needs to shut down terrorism factory: Jaishankar

MUMBAI, Feb 14: Pakistan needs to shut down "terrorism factory" and there is now international concern about it, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today said.

He also asserted that India has not given up on SAARC, but it will keep looking for other opportunities for regional integration "since SAARC is stuck".

Speaking on ties with China, Jaishankar said "it does not help to duck issues" and admitted that there was a need to invest more to manage the relationship better.

Jaishankar was speaking during a discussion on "Political change and economic uncertainties" at the Gateway Dialogue event, co-hosted by Ministry of External Affairs.

Jaishankar said that western countries may not be open about Pakistan and terrorism problem but they have concerns.

"Western countries may not be open about Pakistan and terrorism problem but they have concerns. The issue really here is whether Pakistan is willing to take fundamental steps.

They need to shut down terrorism factory," he said.

"The thinking on Pakistan is necessarily security-centric because the fact is we can live in a situation of a very little threat but not in a situation of terrorism on and off, which will be the case as long as the factory keeps running," he said.

"Terrorism in the past was seen as our problem but now it's a bigger problem. There is today international concern (on terrorism)," he said.

He said India's multilateral engagement is not just good "for branding purposes but it also works in India's interest".

"We are approaching multi-polarity. Everyone is playing everybody," he said.

Visualising a greater role for India on the international scene, he said time has come for the country to take a lead on global stage since the major countries are 'narrowing down'.

"At a time when horizons of a lot of major countries are getting narrower...If the major (countries) are pulling back there is a space out there and it is in our interest to use that space. In my views, we should be looking at the more powered position in an international forum," he said.

He also said that India should not give up on SAARC.

"We haven't given up on SAARC. We can't and we shouldn't," India's top diplomat said.

"When it comes to regional integration, we will keep looking for other opportunities since SAARC is stuck," Jaishankar said.

"At a time when major powers are rethinking their multilateral engagement, India's track record stands out," he added.

Noting that Japan has a big role to play, Jaishankar said, "Our view of the (bilateral) relationship in the past has been narrow."

"A bigger Indian economy is in the strategic interest of Japan," he said.

On multilateralism, he said, "Multilateralism is not because we are good guys but because it serves our interest."

"Like, when we went to Paris and helped reach that agreement, it was done because we had our own assessment of the threat of climate change to India. I believe under the circumstance that was the best agreement that we could get," he said.

"These are issues where we have a stake and we are in a position to make a contribution, make difference and find a solution," he added.

Commenting of India's position after Brexit, he said there is still a strong interest, including free trade agreement with the EU.

16 killed, 53 hurt as suicide bomber hits Mall Road in Lahore

ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: At least 16 people were killed and 53 more injured when a suspected suicide bomber set off his explosives during a protest outside the Punjab Assembly on the main thoroughfare of the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Monday evening.

The blast occurred as a large number of chemists and pharmaceutical manufacturers were staging a demonstration against a new drug control act on the Mall Road, where several key government buildings are located. It was not clear if the protest was the target of the blast.

The media reported that the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Lahore’s traffic police chief Ahmad Mobin and two other senior police officials were among the dead, authorities said.

Drone camera footage aired on Samaa TV channel showed a powerful blast shortly after a man approached a group of protesters on the Mall Road. “Apparently it was a suicide blast, but police are still investigating to know the exact nature of the blast,” Punjab police spokesperson Nayab Haider told local media.

The blast shattered windows of nearby buildings and some cars caught fire. Ambulances and fire tenders rushed to the scene as contingents of soldiers and paramilitary Pakistan Rangers were deployed. The injured were taken to Mayo Hospital and Ganga Ram Hospital.

An Easter Day bombing in Lahore last year killed more than 70 people in a public park. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar had also claimed responsibility for that attack.

Elsewhere in Pakistan, a roadside bomb killed two members of bomb disposal squad on the outskirts of the southwestern city of Quetta, said police officer Abdur Razzaq Cheema. Another eight people were wounded, he said. A Taliban-linked group, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, said it planted the bomb.

Tehmina Janjua becomes Pakistan's first woman foreign secretary

ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: Tehmina Janjua, Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, was today appointed as the country's first woman foreign secretary.

Janjua will replace incumbent foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, who will be taking charge as Pakistan's new ambassador to the US, Foreign Office said tonight.

"Tehmina Janjua will assume the post of Foreign Secretary in the first week of March 2017," it said in a statement.

Janjua is a seasoned diplomat with a career spanning over 32 years. She holds Masters degrees from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad and Columbia University, New York.

Janjua has rich experience of working in bilateral and multilateral domains both at Headquarters and Missions abroad, the statement said.

She also served as Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistans envoy to Italy.

At present she is serving as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations in Geneva since October 2015.

Last year, she had raised Kashmir issue at the UNHRC and was engaged in a war of words with Indian diplomats.

North Korea fires ballistic missile

WASHINGTON, Feb 12: President Donald Trump said the United States was “100%” with ally Japan late on Saturday night in response to a ballistic missile test by North Korea in an apparent message to the leaders of the two countries meeting at a Florida resort.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was more forthright telling reporters at a hastily convened news conference the test was “absolutely intolerable” and urged North Korea to “fully comply with the relevant (United Nations) security resolutions”.

The US president, who has sounded more aggressive in the past vowing to end North Korea’s weapon testing, said in a short one-sentence statement: “I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100%.”

There was no threat of retaliation or even a response.

Just the day before, Trump had said in a joint statement with Abe: “The US and Japan strongly urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and not to take any further provocative actions”.

The missile tested by North Korea on Friday flew 500km before plunging into the sea, in the stretch between the Japan and the Korean peninsula, according to the South Korean defence ministry, which first announced the test.

“We suspect North Korea demonstrated a show of force in order to test the Trump administration and US responses,” said a South Korean military official who declined to be identified, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The US response did come, but took a while. At a photo-op in the evening, before dinner, Trump ignored a question shouted out by a reporter from the protective pool about the North Korean missile test. He had been briefed about it. A White House official had told reporters earlier in the day: “We are aware of the missile launch by North Korea. We are continuing to closely monitor the situation.”

When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced earlier this year that his country was close to testing an intercontinental missile, that could reach the US, Trump said in a tweet, “It won’t happen.” That was before his inauguration.

In recent weeks, his defence secretary James Mattis assured allies Japan and South Korea, during a visit, of full American support and threatened an “effective and overwhelming” response to North Korean nuclear attack on the US or its allies. As a candidate, Trump had caused concern at home and in the region saying he would be fine with Japan and South Korea, currently protected by an American umbrella, going nuclear to defend themselves against a nuclear North Korea.

He is not pushing it clearly, and the allies may have reasons to feel somewhat more reassured after the Mattis visit, experts noted the absence of South Korea from the short statement Trump read out on Saturday night.

ISI agent, a prime suspect in Kanpur train accident, arrested in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU, Feb 7: One of the key suspects in the Kanpur train derailment in November has been arrested from Tribhuvan International Airport after being deported from Dubai.

A special team of Nepal Police arrested Samshul Hoda along with three others. Hoda has been detained from the Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday, said deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Pashupati Upadhyaya.

“We have heard that Hoda is wanted in a railway accident that took place in Kanpur last year killing 150 people,” Upadhyaya said. “Nepal Police will also work in close coordination with the Indian Police for Hoda’s alleged involvement in criminal activities in India,” he said.

The three others arrested are identified as Brij Kishor Giri, Ashish Singh and Umesh Kumar Kurmi, all from Kalaiya district in southern Nepal.

The police have brought Hoda and three other accused criminals to Nepal from Dubai in coordination with the Interpol, Upadhyaya told PTI.

Hoda is the mastermind of a twin murder in Bara district of Nepal, the police said. Hoda has links with international criminal groups and he has been involved in a number of criminal activities in Nepal and India, Upadhyaya said.

A case has already been registered against him in Bara District Court, he added. The role of ISI is being suspected in the incident after Bihar police in January arrested three persons claiming that they were working for the Pakistani intelligence agency to target Indian railways.

According to Bihar police, the three were paid Rs3 lakh by a Nepali man who had connections with Hoda.

India in talks with China over repeated blocks in designating Masood Azhar

NEW DELHI, Feb 7: With China opposing U.S.’ proposal in the U.N. for designating Pathankot attack mastermind and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, India on Tuesday said it has taken up the matter with Beijing.

“We have been informed of this development and the matter has been taken up with the Chinese government,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

He was asked about India’s reaction to U.S. pushing for a ban on Azhar in the U.N. and China yet again blocking it.

However, he did not elaborate when and where the issue was taken up with China.

According to senior government sources, the U.S., supported by the U.K. and France, moved a proposal at the U.N.’s Sanctions Committee 1267 in the second-half of last month to proscribe Azhar.

The proposal, which was finalised after “consultations” between Washington and New Delhi, said JeM is a designated terror outfit and so its leaders cannot go scot-free, sources said.

“However, China opposed the U.S. move by putting a hold on the proposal,” a source said, adding the Chinese action came just before the expiry of the 10-day deadline for any proposal to be adopted or blocked or to be put on hold.

The American proposal came barely weeks after India’s efforts to get Azhar banned by the U.N. were blocked by China in December last.

The “hold” remains for six months and can be further extended by three months. During this period, it can anytime be converted into a “block,” thereby, ending the life of the proposal.

Amid uncertainty in US, Indian startup founders are moving to Canada

TORONTO, Feb 6: Till last year, Sharoon Thomas and Rituparna Panda, co-founders of the startup Fulfil.io, were on a predictable path – planning to move to the United States. As the immigration climate got muddied during the 2016 US Presidential election, they did find themselves in a North American nation, except that they arrived in Toronto last October.

“Cracking the US immigration system is very hard,” Thomas, who hails from Kochi and is the startup’s CEO, said. The main issue is, there is “no stability.”

So they opted to immigrate under the Canadian Startup Visa or SUV programme, due to the “clarity” it offers. The logic is simple – building a startup is challenging enough without the added “risk” of maintaining immigration status.

They now work out of the office of Extreme Accelerator. In an interview with the Hindustan Times at its office in downtown Toronto, Extreme Accelerator’s co-founder Sunil Sharma saw an opportunity in the concern over the immigration policies of the Donald Trump Administration south of the border.

He said, “Many founders from many countries such as India, are either in the United States on a temporary immigration status or are desiring to go to the United States. Our feeling is that both of those scenarios are now at greater risk than in the past with new policies that are relooking at immigration, including the coveted H1B visa. With that situation now more difficult to predict with any certainty, there is a very strong case for Canada to step forward and try to bring some of those founders here where we have a much more open and transparent immigration programme and policies.”

In fact, he plans to announce a dedicated fund aimed at enticing such entrepreneurs to Canada soon. Sharma believes Indians, whether in India or in Silicon Valley, are among “the world’s most prolific creators of startups” and wants to attract some to Canada, as he said, “We think India is a great country to co-create startup companies with. The concept is to create mini multinational companies, where there’s a Canadian headquarters and an Indian operation and teams in both countries.”

The fund has already been soft-launched and brought in five teams of founders, including two from India. The SUV programme allows for up to five co-founders of a company and their immediate families to immigrate to Canada.

While the SUV is a pilot programme scheduled to end in 2017 and offers 2,750 visas, the new opening could give it a more permanent shape.

Sharma is also chair of the Canadian Accelerator and Business Incubation Association, which has the “mandate to manage the startup visa list and programme for the Government.”

The effort is now to show the government the programme is “working” and needs to be strengthened.

The uptake of the SUV has been low since its launch, but its proponents hope the new environment will make the number of applicants grow appreciably.

Panda, who is from Delhi, found Canada “very welcoming”.

Fulfil.io offers a business suite for retailers to compete with giants such as Amazon, and two of its co-founders, Prakash Pandey and Tarun Bhardwaj, are in Bangalore.

Thomas and Panda are hopeful their India-based colleagues will also “eventually” make their way to Canada.