Karachi Police has decided to establish two more specialised units in Sindh --in addition to an existing one -- for the security of Chinese nationals working in the province on projects relating to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

A meeting chaired by Inspector General of Police A D Khowaja at the Central Police Office also decided to recommend to the provincial government the recruitment of over 1,400 policemen for the new units.

The participants exchanged views about 'restructuring' of the Special Protection Units and provision of security to the CPEC and non-CPEC projects in the province.

Read more

Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat Ahmed Patel has written a letter to Union home Minister Rajnath Singh, urging him to order an 'impartial' probe into the Islamic State link row.

The Congress leader's letter comes in the wake of Bharatiya Janata Party's allegations in connection with a nabbed IS terrorist who was learnt to be working in a hospital associated with him.

In a letter to the home minister, Patel said: 'As a Member of Parliament of India, who has taken an oath to uphold the sovereignty and the integrity of India, I call upon you to take cognisance of the matter and as the home minister of India instruct relevant law enforcement agencies to take this investigation to its logical end in an impartial and objective manner, in a manner which befits such a serious offence.'

'Those guilty, irrespective of faith or any affiliation must be brought to justice. Your government has my unstinted support in this endeavour,' he wrote.

He further said that matters of national security should not be politicised and reduced to 'baselessly maligning political opponents for petty electoral gains'.

'We should rise above political differences in matters which involve national security. Framing terror charges must be done by law enforcement agencies and the judiciary and not by political leaders in press conferences from party headquarters.'

Gujarat Chief Minister had demanded Patel's resignation over his alleged ISIS link.

"If Ahmed Patel was a patron of hospital from where two suspected ISIS terrorists were arrested then should he be not held responsible," Rupani had said during a press briefing here.

Earlier on October 25, the Gujarat anti-terrorism squad (ATS) arrested two suspected ISIS operatives-- Kasim Timberwala and Aabed Mirza-- ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.

One of the nabbed terrorists Kasim was employed with a hospital, associated with Patel, as a technician.

'My party and I appreciate the ATS's effort to nab the two terrorists. I demand strict and speedy action against them. The allegations put forward by BJP are completely baseless (sic),' he posted on Twitter.

Patel, however, refuted all allegation levelled against him and requested the BJP not to politicise the issue in wake of the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat.  -- ANI

Opposition National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said Kashmir was incomplete without Pandits and his party wants them to return, though he opposed the idea of creating a separate homeland for them in the Valley.

Addressing a delegates' session of the NC at the Sher-e- Kashmir Cricket Stadium here after a gap of over 15 years, he said Kashmiri Pandits were part of the state and his party will strive to bring them back to the Valley.

"Let me tell you that they have to return to Kashmir. Kashmir is incomplete till they return. They are part of this state and we will bring them back. I do not accept this homeland (for Pandits). They have to live with Muslims here and Muslims will protect them," he said.

Earlier, the party passed resolutions on several issues, including one on the return of Kashmiri Pandits.

"The tragic exodus of our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters is a dark chapter in history of J&K and remains a source of pain and agony for every conscientious citizen of the state.

"Their dignified return and rehabilitation remains unfulfilled and no headway has been made in this direction," he said.

"While the stakeholders might differ on the features of the return and rehabilitation initiative, there is overwhelming unanimity over the need to take all possible steps to facilitate their return with utmost honour and dignity," the resolution read.  -- PTI

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not go through his statement on Jammu and Kashmir wholly and said he was imagining a ghost and attacking it.

'It is obvious the PM has not read the whole answer to the question put to me on Jammu and Kashmir. Those who criticise must read the whole answer and tell me which word in the answer was wrong. The PM is imagining a ghost and attacking it,' Chidambaram told ANI.

The former finance minister also clarified that neither his party nor he criticised the 'surgical strike' through his statement on Kashmir.

'Neither the Congress nor I criticised the 'surgical strike'. We pointed out that these were cross-border actions and such actions had been done in the past too, as admitted by the Army Chief,' he said.

Chidambaram has drawn flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for his statement that people in Kashmir who demand azaadi actually seek autonomy for the state.

"My interactions in Jammu and Kashmir led me to the conclusion that when they ask for azaadi, most people want autonomy," Chidambaram had said.

The prime minister, while addressing a gathering in Bengaluru on Sunday, came down heavily upon Chidambaram and said his remark shows how the party feels on surgical strikes and bravery of our Army.  -- ANI

Nearly a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation, the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bills returned to banks are still being 'processed in all earnest' through a sophisticated currency verification system, the Reserve Bank of India has said.

In reply to an Right to Information query, the central bank said it has processed about 1,134 crore pieces of Rs 500 notes and 524.90 crore pieces of Rs 1,000 junked notes, having face value of Rs 5.67 lakh crore and Rs 5.24 lakh crore respectively, as on September 30.

The combined value of the processed notes is Rs 10.91 lakh crore approximately, according to the reply.

'Specified Bank Notes are being processed in all earnest in double shift on all available machines (sophisticated counting machines),' the RBI said in reply to the RTI query filed by a PTI correspondent.

The central bank was asked to provide details of demonetised notes counted so far.

Replying to a question on providing the deadline for completing the counting exercise, it said, 'The verification of notes withdrawn from the circulation is an ongoing process'.

The RBI said at least 66 Sophisticated Currency Verification and Processing machines were being used for counting of junked Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes that were deposited with various banks post demonetisation.

The government had on November 8 last year banned the use of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes and allowed the holders of these currency bills to deposit them with banks or use them at certain notified utilities. -- PTI

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Delhi in December to attend the Russia-India- China foreign ministers' trilateral meeting, in what could be the first high-level Sino-India dialogue after President Xi Jinping commenced his second term.

Wang will visit Delhi to attend the RIC meeting and hold talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and meet India's top leadership, Chinese official sources told PTI in Beijing when inquired about commencement of India-China dialogue to improve bilateral ties as President Xi began his second term.

The once-in-a-five-year Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China which concluded here last week endorsed a second five-year term for 64-year-old Xi and elected a new set of leaders to rule the country for the next five years.

While no dates were mentioned for Wang's visit, officials said he will attend the RIC meeting in December, which will also provide an opportunity for talks on bilateral ties in the aftermath of the 73-day standoff at Doklam which ended on August 28.

Last month, Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the sidelines of the 9th BRICS Summit in Chinese port city Xiamen and agreed to move forward. Media reports previously said the RIC meeting was planned for April this year but Wang did not confirm dates in the backdrop of China's protests over the Dalai Lama visiting Arunachal Pradesh in the same month.  -- PTI

The government's recapitalisation plan for public sector banks is likely to propel credit growth by up to 700 basis points to 15 per cent and as consequence push up gross domestic product numbers to 7 per cent in the next fiscal, says a report.

The government recently unveiled a Rs 2.1 lakh crore, (representing 1.2 per cent of GDP), recapitalisation package for public sector lenders which will be injected over two years.

The capital infusion will be funded through three sources -- Rs 18,139 crore from budgetary provisions, Rs 58,000 crore from the market as the government dilutes its stake and Rs 1.35 lakh crore through recapitalisation bonds issued by the government.

According to the report by brokerage firm Ambit Capital, lending growth at across banking system was estimated to be at 8 per cent in 2018-19.

However, with recent recapitalisation (recap) plans in play, the credit system is expected to grow to 12-15 per cent during the time period under review.

'This in turn is likely to improve prospects of growth for the industrial sector as well as the services sector, thereby propelling headline GDP growth to 7 per cent year-on- year in FY19 from 5.8 per cent in FY18,' the report said.

As per Ambit estimates, industry is likely to see a 7 per cent growth in 2018-19 from 5 per cent in the current fiscal.

Services is projected to grow at 7.3 per cent in the current fiscal and rise to 7.5 per cent in the succeeding year.

Besides, agriculture growth is expected to get a boost from an estimated 1.5 per cent this fiscal to 4.2 per cent in the next financial year.

Meanwhile, Ambit expects government to side-step fiscal prudence as it focuses on winning 14 elections in coming 18 months.

'The government side-stepping fiscal prudence assumes significance particularly because the government has already spent 96 per cent of the full-year fiscal deficit, which has been the highest in the past many years,' it said.

Interestingly, the report noted that contrary to popular belief among other experts, the recap plan can be viewed as being 'fiscally neutral' only if central government's accounts are seen in isolation that is distinct from the PSUs it owns.  -- PTI

Addressing a public meeting in Karnataka's Biadr, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress over former Union minister P Chidambaram's remark on Kashmir.

"Why are Congress leaders lending their voice to those who want Azadi in Kashmir. This is an insult to our brave soldiers. Congress will have to answer for the recent statement of their leaders on Kashmir. The statement was unacceptable. Yesterday's statement of a Congress leader on Kashmir clearly shows how the party feels on surgical strikes and the bravery of our army," the PM said.

"People have no expectations from the Congress party. Do you remember the lies Congress was spreading on Doklam? People of India trusted them so much but this is their conduct. Congress is disconnected with the aspirations of our country," he said.

Chidambaram, in his statement, had pitched for greater autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir.

However, the Congress on Sunday sought to distance itself from his remarks.

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and 'will always remain so unquestionably'.

Chhattisgarh state minister Rajesh Munot has welcomed the Central Bureau of Investigation probe into a 'sex CD' row allegedly involving him.

Terming the CD fake, he said it will now be found who is 'behind the political conspiracy'.

I had requested Chief Minister Raman Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party state president and national leadership for a high-level enquiry into the matter, Munot told ANI.

"The CBI will now probe as to who is behind the fake CD and who hatched the political conspiracy," he said, adding, "Please check facts before levelling allegations. Assassinating character of a person and making fake CDs is a matter of concern."  -- ANI

At least nine newborn babies died at the government-run Civil Hospital in Gujarat's Ahmedabad within 24 hours, while five others were referred from the facility to other health centres.

"The babies were referred with critical conditions such as severe birth asphyxia, extreme preterm with birth weight 1.1 kg (usual 2.5 kg), hyaline membrane disease, and septicemia," said Gargi Pathak, a doctor at the Civil Hospital.

On the other hand, three babies born at the hospital had severe birth asphyxia, while one had a meconium aspiration syndrome.

"All doctors and nurses were on duty in the neonatal intensive care unit. This unit with around 100 beds is the ultimate referral centre in Gujarat," Dr Pathak said.

This has come weeks after the Gorakhpur tragedy that took lives of more than 70 children at Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College.

Following this, it was also reported that at least 49 children had died in Farrukhabad in one month, in Uttar Pradesh.  -- ANI

Image only for representation.

Novelist Kamila Shamsie posts this photo on Instagram with the caption, 'In conversation with #malala at #llflondon2017. She really is awe-inspiring. And very very funny.' Photograph: Kind courtesy @kshamsie/Instagram 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that his Diwali celebration with soldiers in the Gurez Sector of Jammu and Kashmir was an unforgettable experience.

"Celebrating Diwali with soldiers in the Gurez Sector of Jammu and Kashmir was an unforgettable experience for me. I salute the soldiers on behalf of the countrymen, for the commitment with which they defend our borders. We must try to know the tales of valour of our soldiers as much as possible," he said, while speaking to the nation in his monthly radio address Mann ki Baat.

The prime minister, moving on to another recently-celebrated festival, Chhath, said the tradition of asking for the prasad in the Chhath Pooja teaches people to kill their ego.

"Normally, people consider it inferior to ask for something from others. But in Chhath, there is a tradition of asking for the prasad. The spirit behind this tradition is to kill one's ego, the emotion which obstructs one's progress. Every Indian must be proud of such a tradition," he said.

He further said that the Chhath festival also entailed a strong spirit of cleanliness.

"People gather together to clean houses as well as the ghaat and rivers before festivals. This is a festival of environment protection, discipline and freedom from disease," he added.

Meanwhile, ahead of the Guru Nanak Jayanti, the prime minister urged people to follow the path shown by Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

"We will be celebrating the Guru Nanak Jayanti on November 4. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is not only the first Guru of Sikhs, he is also the Jagat Guru. He worked for the welfare of humanity. He emphasised on women empowerment and respect. He travelled 28,000 km on foot and spread the message of humanity during his journey. He showed people the path of truth, honesty, sacrifice and infused a feeling of service in people," Prime Minister Modi said.  -- ANI

Amanda Staples, a former Republican candidate for Maine's state Senate has accused former United States President George H W Bush of groping her years ago.

Bush is already gripped amid controversy, after he received allegations from women of touching them inappropriately, and the new woman is fifth in the row to put similar claims.

As reported in The Hill, Staples, in an Instagram post, said that she visited the former president at his family compound in Kennebunkport, during her campaign in 2006, where he grabbed her from behind in a photo session, saying, "Oh I'm not THAT President."

Earlier, Heather Lind, who starred in the AMC series "Turn: Washington's Spies," had alleged that the former US president sexually assaulted her when they posed for a photograph several years ago.

Bush reportedly Bush apologised to the actress, reasoning, "President Bush would never -- under any circumstance -- intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologises if his attempt at humour offended Ms Lind."

A statement issued by Bush's office, defending him, read, "At age 93, President Bush has been confined to a wheelchair for roughly five years, so his arm falls on the lower waist of people with whom he takes pictures."

Bush has also been accused for the same by New York actress Jordana Grolnick, followed by author Christina Baker Kline and Liz Allen, a former journalist and Democratic candidate for city council in Erie, Pa. -- ANI

Photograph: ANI

At least two terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Mir Mohalla of the Hajin area of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora on Sunday.

The firing has stopped for now, but heavy stone-pelting is underway.

The troops of 45 Bn Central Reserve Police Force, the Special Operations Group and 13 Rashtriya Rifles were carrying out a cordon and search operation in the region, when the encounter broke out.Further details are awaited. -- ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet US President Donald Trump ahead of the East Asia Summit in Manila next month to review key aspects of the bilateral relations between the two countries including the initiative to improve connectivity in the Asia Pacific that US secretary of state Rex Tillerson discussed on his recent visit to India.