Pakistan steps up arrests of Afghans without papers
Islamabad, Feb 19: Authorities have stepped up arrests of Afghan citizens in Pakistan’s capital and a nearby city in an effort that the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad described on Wednesday as a push to force the expulsion of all Afghan refugees from the country. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry promptly dismissed the allegation, saying that the authorities were only trying to facilitate conditions for the swift return of Afghans to their home country. Pakistan has long threatened to deport Afghans living in the country illegally. Separately, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month approved a March 31 deadline to deport those awaiting relocation to third countries unless their cases are swiftly processed by the governments that have agreed to take them. (AP)
Indian national held in incident that hurt Nepal Deputy PM
Kathmandu, Feb 19: Nepal police have arrested an Indian national in connection with an incident at a tourism event in which Deputy Prime Minister Bishnu Paudel sustained a minor burn injury. Kamlesh Kumar, 41, who was responsible for filling a balloon with hydrogen gas during the inauguration of ‘Visit Pokhara Year 2025’, has been arrested, Deputy Superintendent of Police Basanta Sharma said. On February 15, two sets of hydrogen gas-filled balloons exploded when Deputy Prime Minister Paudel and Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City Dhanraj Acharya released them along with a banner soon after lighting candles through an electric switch as part of the ceremony. The balloons caught fire as the candles lit for the festival were too close to them. DSP Sharma said a case has been registered against Kumar in Kaski district court. (PTI)
Shooting rocks Lankan capital, underworld figure dead
Colombo, Feb 19: A noted underworld figure died after he was shot on Wednesday morning within the court premises sending shock waves through the judicial district of Hulftsdorp, a suburb of Colombo. Noted criminal suspect Ganemulle Sanjiwa died after admission to the hospital, Dr Rukshan Bellana, director of the National Hospital said. Sanjiwa was brought for a hearing to the main magistrate’s court from the prison at the southern town of Boossa when he was shot at by a gunman, who was present at the hearing disguised as a lawyer, police said. (PTI)
Man gets 10-yr jail sentence for attack on Japan’s ex-PM
Tokyo, Feb 19: A Japanese court on Wednesday convicted a man who threw a homemade pipe bomb at Japan’s former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a 2023 campaign event, sentencing him to 10 years in prison, court officials said. Ryuji Kimura, 25, was found guilty of attempted murder in the April 15, 2023 attack on Kishida at a small fishing port in the western city of Wakayama, as well as four other crimes including violations of laws on explosives and other weapons. (AP)