India urges Pak to expedite release, repatriation of 188 Indians
New Delhi, July 1: India has urged Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners, who have completed their sentences, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday. The MEA also said, “As a result of sustained efforts by the government of India, 2,661 Indian fishermen and 78 Indian civil prisoners have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2014. These include 500 Indian fishermen and 20 Indian civil prisoners who have been repatriated from Pakistan since 2023 till date.” Further, New Delhi has shared with Islamabad lists of 386 civil prisoners and 53 fishermen in its custody, who are Pakistani or believed-to-be-Pakistani, it said. “India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad, the lists of civil prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody,” it said. Under the provisions of the Agreement on Consular Access signed between India and Pakistan in 2008, such lists are exchanged every year on January 1 and on July 1. (PTI)
Parl panel calls for statutory status for NTA
New Delhi, July 1: Members of a parliamentary panel on Wednesday sought statutory status for the National Testing Agency (NTA) even as they lauded the successful conduct of the NEET-UG re-exam. The panel members, however, expressed concern over the computer-based test (CBT) mode for the NEET-UG exam from next year and called for taking the interests of the marginalised sections into account. Sources said the panel members asked the officials how the NTA will conduct the examination of this scale on its own next year, as the re-exam was successfully held only after the entire government came into action. From the prime minister to the junior-most official, all were involved in its conduct, they noted. The sources said the MPs suggested giving more powers to the NTA for independently handling an exam of this magnitude and suggested giving statutory status to the agency. (PTI)
Centre issues show-cause notice to Delhi Gymkhana Club
New Delhi, July 1: The Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has issued a show-cause notice to the Delhi Gymkhana Club, asking it to explain why an eviction order should not be passed against it under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. The notice, issued by Estate Officer Bipin Kumar Singh on June 29, has directed the club and all persons concerned occupying the premises to submit their response by July 7 and appear for a personal hearing on the same day at 2.30 pm. (PTI)
