Hasina world’s longest-serving female head of government
Dhaka, Nov 4: At 76-years-old, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a political phenomenon who has guided the rise of this nation of 170 million from rustic jute producer into the Asia-Pacific’s fastest-expanding economy over the past decade, Time said in a cover story on the world’s longest-serving female head of govt. In office since 2009, after an earlier term from 1996 to 2001, she has been credited with subduing both resurgent Islamists and a once meddlesome military, Time said. Having already won more elections than late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher or Indira Gandhi, Hasina is determined to extend that run at the ballot box in January. “I am confident that my people are with me,” she says in an interview with Time in September. “They’re my main strength.” Bangladesh has taken an authoritarian turn under Hasina’s Awami League party. (IANS)
Ex-PTI leader nabbed from his Islamabad residence
Islamabad, Nov 4: Fawad Chaudhry, a former federal minister and an ex-member of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party, was arrested from his residence here and “taken to an unknown place” on Saturday, according to media reports. “Chaudhry, who is currently a member of the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party, was arrested on Saturday,” the Dawn newspaper reported quoting his wife, Hiba Fawad Chaudhary. Hiba Fawad Chaudhary posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Fawad arrested and taken to unknown place (sic).” Chaudhary was a senior leader of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Geo News quoted her as saying that her husband was arrested by police and men in plainclothes and “we have not been told why Fawad is being arrested.” Earlier in January, Fawad was arrested from his residence after he publicly “threatened” the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a media talk outside Khan’s residence in Zaman Park. Later in June, Chaudhry issued an apology to the electoral watchdog for allegedly using “intemperate” language targeting the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja. (PTI)
Motion against anti-Hindu hate crimes tabled
London, Nov 4: A British-Indian London Assembly member tabled a motion this week calling on the Metropolitan Police to include the breakdown of hate crimes by religion to tackle growing instances of anti-Hindu hate. Krupesh Hirani addressed the assembly, which deals with issues affecting Londoners as part of the Mayor of London-run Greater London Authority, to highlight instances of “Hinduphobia”. His motion, tabled on Thursday and agreed unanimously, called for the Met Police to work with local Hindu communities to encourage confidence in reporting hate crimes targeting Hindus. “Hinduphobia has absolutely no place in London and beyond. Sadly, there has been a worrying rise in hate crimes faced by our community over the past year,” said Hirani. Hirani referenced the Crime Survey for England and Wales, which shows that Hindus are the second most likely targeted religion. (PTI)