BNP founder and first Balochistan CM Sardar Ataullah Mengal passes away in Karachi

Veteran politician and founder of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), Sardar Ataullah Mengal, passed away in Karachi on Thursday, party leader Sanaullah Baloch said.

He had been ill for a long time and was admitted to a private hospital in Karachi, according to the BNP. He was 92.

Born in 1929, Mengal spent his childhood in Lasbela and later moved to Karachi. He was declared the chief (sardar) of the Mengal tribe in 1954.

Mengal was introduced to politics by Mir Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo, a founding member of the National Awami Party (NAP) – who also briefly served as the governor of Balochistan in 1972-73. In 1962, Mengal was elected to the West Pakistan provincial assembly; Bezinjo ran his election campaign.

Mengal became the first chief minister of Balochistan in May 1972 and remained in that position until his government was dismissed by then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Feb 1973.

Mengal chose to go into self-exile in London during General Ziaul Haq's era. He returned to Pakistan in the 1990s and formed the BNP.

He also remained the head of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (Ponm).

He hailed from the Wadh tehsil in Balochistan's Khuzdar.

The late Baloch leader will be buried in his ancestral graveyard in Wadh and details of his funeral will be announced later, the BNP said.

Paying rich tribute to his father, the late leader's son and current BNP chief, Akhtar Mengal, said he had not lost only his parent but also his "guiding light and teacher".

"He taught me the difference between the good and the bad. To fight for injustice with conviction. He was a beacon of hope for our nation and land," Akhtar said.

Condolences poured in from politicians and journalists on Mengal's death.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he was saddened to hear about Mengal's passing away.

"An era of intellect, tolerance and honourable politics has concluded in Pakistan with Sardar Ataullah Mengal's death. His long struggle for Balochistan's rights and democracy is an unforgettable part of our history," Bilawal said.

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BNP founder and first Balochistan CM Sardar Ataullah Mengal passes away in Karachi

Veteran politician and founder of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), Sardar Ataullah Mengal, passed away in Karachi on Thursday, party leader Sanaullah Baloch said.

He had been ill for a long time and was admitted to a private hospital in Karachi, according to the BNP. He was 92.

Born in 1929, Mengal spent his childhood in Lasbela and later moved to Karachi. He was declared the chief (sardar) of the Mengal tribe in 1954.

Mengal was introduced to politics by Mir Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo, a founding member of the National Awami Party (NAP) – who also briefly served as the governor of Balochistan in 1972-73. In 1962, Mengal was elected to the West Pakistan provincial assembly; Bezinjo ran his election campaign.

Mengal became the first chief minister of Balochistan in May 1972 and remained in that position until his government was dismissed by then prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Feb 1973.

Mengal chose to go into self-exile in London during General Ziaul Haq's era. He returned to Pakistan in the 1990s and formed the BNP.

He also remained the head of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (Ponm).

He hailed from the Wadh tehsil in Balochistan's Khuzdar.

The late Baloch leader will be buried in his ancestral graveyard in Wadh and details of his funeral will be announced later, the BNP said.

Paying rich tribute to his father, the late leader's son and current BNP chief, Akhtar Mengal, said he had not lost only his parent but also his "guiding light and teacher".

"He taught me the difference between the good and the bad. To fight for injustice with conviction. He was a beacon of hope for our nation and land," Akhtar said.

Condolences poured in from politicians and journalists on Mengal's death.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he was saddened to hear about Mengal's passing away.

"An era of intellect, tolerance and honourable politics has concluded in Pakistan with Sardar Ataullah Mengal's death. His long struggle for Balochistan's rights and democracy is an unforgettable part of our history," Bilawal said.

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WhatsApp hit with record 225 million euro Irish privacy fine

Ireland fined Facebook's WhatsApp a record 225 million euro ($266m) on Thursday for privacy breaches after the EU privacy watchdog pressured the country to take a tougher line with a bigger penalty.

WhatsApp said the fine was “entirely disproportionate” and that it would appeal. Still, the Irish fine is significantly less than the record $886.6m fine meted out to Amazon by the Luxembourg privacy agency in July.

Ireland's Data Privacy Commissioner (DPC), which is the lead data privacy regulator for Facebook within the European Union, said the issues related to whether WhatsApp conformed in 2018 with EU data rules about transparency.

“This includes information provided to data subjects about the processing of information between WhatsApp and other Facebook companies,” the Irish regulator said in a statement.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said in a statement that the issues in question related to policies in place in 2018.

“WhatsApp is committed to providing a secure and private service. We have worked to ensure the information we provide is transparent and comprehensive and will continue to do so,” the spokesperson said.

“We disagree with the decision today regarding the transparency we provided to people in 2018 and the penalties are entirely disproportionate,” the spokesperson's statement said.

EU privacy watchdog the European Data Protection Board said it had given several pointers to the Irish agency in July in order to address criticism from its peers for taking too long to decide in cases involving tech giants and for not fining them enough for any breaches.

It said a WhatsApp fine should take into account Facebook's turnover and that the company should be given three months instead of six months to comply.

Data regulators from eight other European countries triggered a dispute-resolution mechanism after Ireland shared its provisional decision in relation to the WhatsApp inquiry, which started in December 2018.

In July, a meeting of the European Data Protection Board issued a “clear instruction that required the DPC to reassess and increase its proposed fine on the basis of a number of factors contained”, the Irish regulator said.

“Following this reassessment, the DPC has imposed a fine of 225 million euros on WhatsApp,” it said.

The Irish regulator also reprimanded and ordered WhatsApp to bring its processing into compliance by taking “a range of specified remedial actions”.

The Irish regulator had 14 major inquiries into Facebook and its subsidiaries WhatsApp and Instagram open as of the end of last year.

Austrian privacy campaigner Max Schrems, who has taken on Facebook in several privacy cases, said he would monitor the company's appeal closely.

“It is to be expected that this case will now be before the Irish Courts for years and it will be interesting if the DPC is actively defending this decision before the Courts, as it was forced to make such a decision by its EU colleagues at the EDPB,” he said.

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Pakistan condemns India’s ‘barbaric act’ of snatching Syed Ali Geelani’s mortal remains

Pakistan on Thursday condemned in strong words the “barbaric act” of snatching the mortal remains of the iconic Kashmiri leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, from his family by the Indian authorities.

Geelani was laid to rest in a tight military siege at Haiderpora in Srinagar early Thursday morning under the close watch of the Indian security forces. Indian authorities had put strict restrictions on people's movement and the whole area was cordoned off.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar in a statement said, as the family was preparing for the last rites of Syed Geelani, that a heavy contingent of the occupation forces raided his residence in Srinagar, harassed family members and snatched Syed Geelani’s body.

“When the family members told the raiding party that Syed Geelani’s will was to be buried in the ‘Cemetery of Martyrs’ in Srinagar, they were reportedly told that India would not allow Geelani’s burial at the place of his choosing,” he said.

The FO spokesperson said the government of India is so afraid of Geelani and what he stood for, that they have now resorted to this inhuman act even after his passing away.

“This shows the degree of callousness on part of the Occupation Forces and demonstrates beyond doubt that India would trample all civil and human values in perpetuating its occupation of IIOJK,” the statement added.

Indian media subsequently reported that Geelani has been buried. A curfew has been imposed in the valley and all internet services suspended.

The spokesperson urged the international community to take serious note of this unprecedented and egregious situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir and hold India to account for its breaches of international human rights and humanitarian laws.

Although Geelani and his family wanted him to be buried at the Cemetery of Martyrs in Srinagar, Indian authorities did not allow it, fearing agitation from people of occupied Kashmir.

He was buried just a few meters away from his house in Haiderpora, Srinagar.

A small number of people mainly some close relatives were allowed to participate in the funeral prayers and to have a last glimpse of the martyred leader.

The Indian army had laid restrictions all across the occupied valley to prevent a mammoth gathering on Geelani's funeral.

“Soon after the news of Syed Ali Geelani’s demise spread out, announcements were made from mosques around Srinagar calling out people to come out of their homes to pay homage to Syed Ali Geelani,” according to a Radio Pakistan report.

However, Indian authorities, the report added, used coercive measures to dissuade people from coming out of their homes. Several Hurriyat leaders and activists including Mukhtar Ahmad Waza have been rounded up by the Indian authorities as well.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has also fervently appealed to the people of Kashmir to come out of their homes and hold a large protest against the cruelty of the Modi regime.

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Pakistan condemns India’s ‘barbaric act’ of snatching Syed Ali Geelani’s mortal remains

Pakistan on Thursday condemned in strong words the “barbaric act” of snatching the mortal remains of the iconic Kashmiri leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, from his family by the Indian authorities.

Geelani was laid to rest in a tight military siege at Haiderpora in Srinagar early Thursday morning under the close watch of the Indian security forces. Indian authorities had put strict restrictions on people's movement and the whole area was cordoned off.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar in a statement said, as the family was preparing for the last rites of Syed Geelani, that a heavy contingent of the occupation forces raided his residence in Srinagar, harassed family members and snatched Syed Geelani’s body.

“When the family members told the raiding party that Syed Geelani’s will was to be buried in the ‘Cemetery of Martyrs’ in Srinagar, they were reportedly told that India would not allow Geelani’s burial at the place of his choosing,” he said.

The FO spokesperson said the government of India is so afraid of Geelani and what he stood for, that they have now resorted to this inhuman act even after his passing away.

“This shows the degree of callousness on part of the Occupation Forces and demonstrates beyond doubt that India would trample all civil and human values in perpetuating its occupation of IIOJK,” the statement added.

Indian media subsequently reported that Geelani has been buried. A curfew has been imposed in the valley and all internet services suspended.

The spokesperson urged the international community to take serious note of this unprecedented and egregious situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir and hold India to account for its breaches of international human rights and humanitarian laws.

Although Geelani and his family wanted him to be buried at the Cemetery of Martyrs in Srinagar, Indian authorities did not allow it, fearing agitation from people of occupied Kashmir.

He was buried just a few meters away from his house in Haiderpora, Srinagar.

A small number of people mainly some close relatives were allowed to participate in the funeral prayers and to have a last glimpse of the martyred leader.

The Indian army had laid restrictions all across the occupied valley to prevent a mammoth gathering on Geelani's funeral.

“Soon after the news of Syed Ali Geelani’s demise spread out, announcements were made from mosques around Srinagar calling out people to come out of their homes to pay homage to Syed Ali Geelani,” according to a Radio Pakistan report.

However, Indian authorities, the report added, used coercive measures to dissuade people from coming out of their homes. Several Hurriyat leaders and activists including Mukhtar Ahmad Waza have been rounded up by the Indian authorities as well.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has also fervently appealed to the people of Kashmir to come out of their homes and hold a large protest against the cruelty of the Modi regime.

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Chaman border could be closed for some time over security threats: Sheikh Rashid

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday said the authorities may close the Chaman border crossing “for some time today” in view of threats.

Addressing a gathering in Islamabad today, the minister said he had spoken to the Frontier Constabulary, following which the border management could decide to close the border.

The minister's remarks come a few days after Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa reaffirmed that Pakistan's borders were secure despite the challenges the country faces and that the armed forces were "prepared to meet any situation".

While Rashid, in his statement today, indicated of a security threat at the Chaman border, he insisted that the situation at the Torkham border was "normal”.

The minister said the Pakistan Army was deployed at the border and that the forces were keeping a check on movement along the divide.

He was of the view that crisis and bloodshed in Afghanistan was under control, adding that “we want complete peace there.”

The minister said he had asked the Islamabad police chief to beef up its Eagle Squad.

“This region is going to be very important," Rashid said. "Islamabad is our capital and the whole world have their eyes on it."

He also highlighted the government's plan to revamp police stations at the outskirts of Islamabad.

Responding to a question, the interior minister said the clamour for a national government was a "dream". He did, however, say that the government was ready for a "national reconciliation".

He commented on the opposition's planned long march towards the capital, saying the "time is not feasible" for such an activity due to the evolving regional situation. “But if they are persistent with their plan, then the law enforcement [agencies] will perform their duties under the law to deal [with any law and order situation].”

The minister denied the presence of any American nationals in Pakistan, saying “those who had arrived [from Afghanistan] have returned via the port. We allowed 600 Japanese yesterday and also permitted the U-19 team of India, and if anyone else asks so, we will grant them a 21-day transit visa.”

In response to another question, Rashid said Indian media wanted to lay the blame of the situation in Afghanistan on the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), adding that the Indian intelligence agency Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) were in a state of despair after all their plans "foiled".

He further said that "all Pakistanis are proud of their national institutions in view of their services for the country."

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Chaman border could be closed for some time over security threats: Sheikh Rashid

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday said the authorities may close the Chaman border crossing “for some time today” in view of threats.

Addressing a gathering in Islamabad today, the minister said he had spoken to the Frontier Constabulary, following which the border management could decide to close the border.

The minister's remarks come a few days after Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa reaffirmed that Pakistan's borders were secure despite the challenges the country faces and that the armed forces were "prepared to meet any situation".

While Rashid, in his statement today, indicated of a security threat at the Chaman border, he insisted that the situation at the Torkham border was "normal”.

The minister said the Pakistan Army was deployed at the border and that the forces were keeping a check on movement along the divide.

He was of the view that crisis and bloodshed in Afghanistan was under control, adding that “we want complete peace there.”

The minister said he had asked the Islamabad police chief to beef up its Eagle Squad.

“This region is going to be very important," Rashid said. "Islamabad is our capital and the whole world have their eyes on it."

He also highlighted the government's plan to revamp police stations at the outskirts of Islamabad.

Responding to a question, the interior minister said the clamour for a national government was a "dream". He did, however, say that the government was ready for a "national reconciliation".

He commented on the opposition's planned long march towards the capital, saying the "time is not feasible" for such an activity due to the evolving regional situation. “But if they are persistent with their plan, then the law enforcement [agencies] will perform their duties under the law to deal [with any law and order situation].”

The minister denied the presence of any American nationals in Pakistan, saying “those who had arrived [from Afghanistan] have returned via the port. We allowed 600 Japanese yesterday and also permitted the U-19 team of India, and if anyone else asks so, we will grant them a 21-day transit visa.”

In response to another question, Rashid said Indian media wanted to lay the blame of the situation in Afghanistan on the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), adding that the Indian intelligence agency Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) were in a state of despair after all their plans "foiled".

He further said that "all Pakistanis are proud of their national institutions in view of their services for the country."

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