Pakistani lawyers on Saturday gave a seven-day deadline to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resign on the Panama Papers scandal otherwise they will launch a nationwide movement against him.

The Supreme Court Bar Association and the Lahore High Court Bar Association announced their joint stance.

"Both bar associations are of the view that in light of the Supreme Court's ruling on the Panama Papers case (that questioned the moral authority of the premier to rule), PM Nawaz Sharif should no longer hold his office and should therefore resign," a joint statement issued by the both bar associations said after their convention in Lahore.

It said the judgement in the Panama case has clearly indicted Sharif and his children for financial improprieties and corruption and a joint investigation team has been formed to probe him.

"For fair and independent inquiry against the premier, Nawaz Sharif should step down till the final report of the JIT. In case he does not resign till May 27 the lawyers throughout Pakistan will launch a nationwide campaign and movement to ensure his resignation," the statement said.

Before the convention the lawyers supporting the ruling PML-N clashed with the members of the office-bearers of both bars in a bid to stop them from launching a movement against the premier.

The United States has agreed arms deals with Saudi Arabia worth almost USD 110 billion, a White House official said on Saturday, the first day of President Donald Trump's visit to the traditional US ally.

"This package of defence equipment and services support the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region in the face of Iranian threats," the official said.

It will also bolster the kingdom's "ability to contribute to counter-terrorism operations across the region, reducing the burden on the US military to conduct those operations," the official added.

Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson "will attend a signing ceremony" for the deals, the official said.

The official described the agreements as "a significant expansion of the over seven-decade-long security relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

The army on Saturday foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control in north Kashmir's Naugam sector. Two soldiers and two terrorists were killed in the operation, which is still underway.

Officials said the army engaged a group of infiltrators near Naugam sector in Kupwara district and gunned down two terrorists in the ensuing gunbattle.

"In an operation to foil infiltration, two jawans made the supreme sacrifice in Naugam, Kupwara. Two terrorists were also killed in the encounter," the army spokesperson said, adding that the operation is still underway.

A Kolkata-based Muslim cleric has offered a reward of Rs 20 lakhs for anyone who puts a garland of Kulbhushan Jadhav's shoes around the neck of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, saying that the Indian citizen has been sentenced to death in a frivolous case.

Syed Sha Atef Ali al Quaderi was in the news recently for issuing a 'fatwa' against Sonu Nigam after the singer had raised objection to the use of loudspeakers in shrines to send out sermons.

He has offered a reward of Rs 20 lakh for anyone who puts a garland of Jadhav's shoes around Sharif's neck and parades him across India.

The cleric said today that there will be no deadline for the job.

"Pakistan calls itself an Islamic country, but it is giving shelter to terrorists and supporting terror. It's the job of its prime minister to take strict action against terrorism," he said.

Quaderi said as a prime minister Sharif has "failed totally" while a Pakistan military court has sentenced Jadhav to death in a frivolous case.

He said Pakistan has given shelter to many "so-called Islamic terror groups" and that it should first state which portion of the Holy Quran says that terror be spread.

Top Congress leaders today said the initiatives taken in Kashmir during the United Progressive Alliance's 10 year-rule have been reversed, as they discussed the prevailing situation in the valley at a key meeting chaired by former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

The party leadership also felt that there is a sense of alienation at all levels in the state that requires the urgent attention of the government.

The views were expressed by members of the Congress policy planning group constituted by party chief Sonia Gandhi, at its first meeting held at the residence of Singh who chairs the group.

Barring former home minister P Chidambaram, eight of the nine members of the key strategy group attended the meeting and expressed their views frankly.

The meeting assumes significance in view of the prolonged unrest in the Kashmir Valley, since the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter last July.

Sources said all the members were concerned over the "reversal" of the key initiatives and work done during the 10 years of the Congress-led UPA government when they claimed, peace had returned to the state and its people were assimilating across the country.

Senior member of the committee Ambika Soni said all the members expressed their views "freely and frankly" over the situation in Kashmir.

"The leaders expressed deep concern over the situation in the valley," she said after the meeting.

All the leaders said that the various initiatives taken by the UPA government and Congress leadership have been "reversed" and washed away and the situation in the state has turned "serious".

Former J&K chief minister and senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation in the state and the increased sense of alienation there.

Bharatiya Janata Party national president Amit Shah on Saturday said the 'Kashmir problem' emerged because of the Congress, expressing confidence that Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government

will soon control the present situation in the Valley.

"What else the Congress can say. Kashmir problem emerged because of the Congress," Shah said while addressing media in Chandigarh.

He was asked to respond to the Congress allegations, which had reportedly accused NDA government of failing to control the situation in Kashmir.

Concerned over the "disturbed" situation in the Valley, the Congress had formulated a policy-planning group for Jammu and Kashmir on April 19, to take forward the peace initiative in the state.

The policy-planning group is chaired by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and includes former Home Minister P Chidambaram and CWC members Karan Singh and Ghulam Nabi Azad, besides the J-K Congress in charge Ambika Soni.

The Congress has been critical of the Centre as well as the PDP-BJP coalition government over the handling of the situation in J-K since July last year.

When asked about Kashmiri students indulging in stone pelting at the security personnel, Shah said such situations had emerged in the past as well.

"Kashmir faced such situations several times since 1989 (since onset of militancy in the state). It is not for the first time that such a situation had erupted and these situations were controlled. Whenever security agencies adopted a tough stand, such situations arose. I am confident that this situation will soon be controlled," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated Hassan Rouhani on his re-election as the President of Iran and affirmed India's commitment to strengthen the "special relationship" between the two nations.

"Heartiest congratulations to my friend, President @HassanRouhani on his re-election," Modi tweeted in English and Persian languages.

"India remains committed to strengthening our special relationship with Iran," he added.

The prime minister expressed confidence that Iran will continue to achieve new heights under the dynamic leadership of President Rouhani.

Rouhani, a 68-year-old cleric, won a resounding re-election victory today as voters backed his efforts to rebuild foreign ties and kickstart the struggling economy. 

Rouhani, who spearheaded a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, framed the election as a choice between greater civil liberties and "extremism".

He defeated 56-year-old hardline cleric Raisi, who had had positioned himself as a defender of the poor and called for a much tougher line with the West.

The government may have to step in and enact a law to ban triple talaq if the Muslim community fails to "change" the practice, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Saturday.

"It is for the society to take up the issue and it will be good if the (Muslim) society itself changed the practice. Otherwise, a situation may arise where the government will have to bring in a legislation (banning triple talaq)," Naidu said while addressing a meeting in Amaracati.

"This is not to interfere in anybody's personal matters, but at the same time it's a question of justice to women. All women should have equal rights. Equality before law...that's the issue," the Union information and broadcasting minister said.

He recalled that laws were enacted to rid certain evil practices even in the Hindu society, like child marriage, sati and dowry.

"The Hindu society discussed child marriages and Parliament passed a legislation banning it. Second is sati sahagaman, an ancient practice, wherein a woman too ended her life following her husband's death. Now it is prohibited by law, by the Hindu society itself. Third is dowry. The Dowry Prohibition Act was passed and the Hindu society accepted it," the Union Minister pointed out.

"When it felt that such practices were against the society's good, the Hindu society discussed them and brought in reforms. Some more reforms are also needed and efforts should be made in that direction," he added.

"See humans as humans and don't separate them as Hindus, Christians or Muslims. No injustice should be done to women by such discrimination," Venkaiah maintained.

Calling the International Court of Justice's order on Kulbhushan Jadhav as a provisional order, Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan prime minister's adviser today said that UN court has only stayed the execution but hasn't given order on consular access to the Indian citizen. 

Aziz also said that the International Court for Justice cannot set aside Jadhavs death sentence.

Jadhav had confessed to carrying out terrorist activities inside Pakistan and was a naval officer using a fake passport. He was sentenced according to the countrys law, Aziz said while addressing the media in Islamabad.

He further added, "It is wrong to say that Pakistan lost at the ICJ."

Azia said that there was paucity of time earlier and Pakistan will strengthen its legal team for the next time,

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday announced that the family of each paramilitary jawan who dies in action will be given a compensation of Rs 1 crore each.

He also declared that 34,000 posts of paramilitary constables were upgraded as head constables.

Addressing a 'Sainik Sammelan' of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force at the Sherathang border outpost, the home minister said the nation appreciates and is proud of the sacrifice of its paramilitary jawans.

The paramilitary forces have been fighting the Naxals in central and eastern parts of the country, militants in Jammu and Kashmir, and guarding the borders in inhospitable terrains.

"The sacrifice of our jawans cannot be compensated with money. But the families of martyrs should not face any difficulty. Therefore, I will ensure that family of each paramilitary jawan gets at least Rs 1 crore as compensation," he said.

The announcement came nearly a month after the killing of 25 Central Reserve Police Force jawans by Naxals at Sukma in Chhattisgarh.

Arvind Kejriwal, who has been the loudest opponents of the EVMs, isn't convinced yet.

"Sir, u never provided the machines pl," Kejriwal tweeted.

The long-awaited EVM Challenge to establish that the Electronic Voting Machines cannot be tampered will start from June 3, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi announced on Saturday.

Political parties will have to apply for the same by May 26. 

The Election Commission doesn't expect anyone to win the challenge as the poll body says it is just to reassure political parties that have raised doubts about the machines used to conduct every Lok Sabha and state elections held after 2002. 

The Election Commission of India on Saturday demonstrated the working of electronic voting machines and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail System, while brushing aside the EVM tampering allegation.

After the demonstration, Dr Nasim Zaidi, Chief Election Commissioner of India address the press conference. Here are some highlights. 

- Improving integrity of election process is shared responsibility of both, the EC and political parties

- There was no manipulation or tampering of EVMs in Bhind. It was a wrong campaign

- Complaints came after elections in five states, but we did not receive any credible material information on EVM tampering from complainants

- Advanced encryption technology, one-time programmable chip, tamper detection and self diagnostic features in the new generation EVMs will ensure that the machines are tamper proof

- Each micro-chip has a unique identification number and a digital signature of the manufacturer. Therefore, any attempt to change a microchip is detectable

- A mock poll is conducted on each EVM before it is finally released

- EC machines are standalone and not connected to internet, making manipulation impossible

- No Trojan Horse can be introduced in EVMs to alter results as chips are one-time programmable

- Non-ECI machines will immediately get detected due to mismatch of ballot unit and control unit

Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone has expressed his concern over the Hindi remake of his iconic film Rambo, saying "hope they don't wreck it".

Stallone originally played the action character John Rambo in Hollywood film series consisting First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo IIIand Rambo.

Tiger Shroff, who is known for his martial art prowess, has been finalised to reprise Stallone's role in the Indian version of the movie.

Taking to Twitter, Stallone wrote, "I read recently they are remaking Rambo in India!! Great character... Hope they don't wreck it."

Tiger, in his reply to the Rocky star, promised that he will not let him down.

"Humbled and blessed to be walking the road you lay down. you are irreplaceable and I hope I don't let you down sir @TheSlyStallone #RamboRemake," the Baaghi star wrote.

The Indian Rambo will follow the last surviving member of an elite covert unit of the Indian Armed Forces who returns home to discover a war waging in his own land.

Tiger also shared his first look, where he appeared fierce and intense.

"Grew up on this character, humbled and blessed to step into his shoes years later. #RamboRemake," he captioned the picture.

The remake will be helmed by Bang Bang director Siddharth Anand.  

Hazi Khan, 55, was detained yesterday from his village in Jaisalmer and is being interrogated in Jodhpur, DIG, Security, H Raghvendra Suhasaa told PTI. 

Hazi Khan has visited Pakistan three times and is suspected to have connections with the ISI, he said.

Some vital information and incriminating documents have been recovered from his possession which are being verified, he said. 

The accused, a local farmer, was on the intelligence radar for some time. 

"We are conducting raids at few more places today," the officer said. "The man has not been arrested so far," the officer added.

Iran's state television has declared incumbent President Hassan Rouhani the winner of the country's presidential election, giving him a second four-year term.

With nearly 40 million votes in Friday's hard-fought poll counted so far, Rouhani was leading the race with 56.88 percent, the interior ministry said on Saturday. 

Ebrahim Raisi., Rouhani closest rival, won 38.55 percent of the vote.

Mostafa Mirsalim, a conservative, got 1.13 percent, while reformist Mostafa Hashemitaba got 0.52 percent.

"I congratulate the great victory of the Iranian nation in creating a huge and memorable epic in the continuation of the path of 'wisdom and hope'," tweeted Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, referring to the government's slogan.

Days after the International Court of Justice stayed the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan on Saturday said that it would try the former Indian Navy officer as per Pakistan's laws.

Pakistan will handle Kulbhushan Jadhav's case as an espionage case, The News quoted Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan as saying.

Talking to media in Warsak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Nisar said, Jadhav case would be taken to its logical conclusion in accordance with the law of the land.

Earlier, while addressing a passing out parade of Frontier Core, Nisar had reiterated the claim that Jadhav was a spy and was involved in subversive activities. 

So, Pakistan would treat him (Jadhav) according to law of the land, Daily Pakistan quoted Nisar as saying.

Earlier in a major reprieve to India, the primary judicial organ of the United Nations cited that both -- India and Pakistan -- were bound by the Vienna Convention and that the rights invoked by New Delhi under the Vienna Convention were plausible.

A military court awarded death sentence to Jadhav on April 10 on spying and terrorism charges. According to law, he can make a clemency appeal to the Chief of the Pakistan Army within 60 days of the verdict of the appellate court. This means Jadhav can challenge till the end of Saturday his death sentence in an appellate court.

The temple officials received a call from an unknown person in the morning and threatened that the shrine would be "destroyed".       

The caller alleged that there was corruption in the administration of the temple, police said.      

Based on a complaint from the temple management, a case was registered and investigation was on. Steps were on to collect call detail record, they said.        

More police personnel were deployed in the temple premises and bomb squad intensified checks, police said. 

The Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple is one of the major pilgrimage centres in the Kerala, visited by millions of devotees every year.

The Shiv Sena today asked the government not to get over excited over the ruling given by the International Court of Justice in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case until the Indian national is brought back home safely.

 

It, however, hailed the efforts taken by the external affairs ministry to secure the release of the former navy officer, who has been sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan on espionage charges.

"Pakistan's arguments have been decimated in the court at The Hague. But the fight has not ended yet. We cannot forget the handiwork of Pakistan and also Sarabjit Singhs murder in a Lahore jail. Thus, the government should not get over excited over the ICJ order and remember that worries won't end till Kulbhushan Jadhav is brought back safely," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

 

It said the diplomatic moves made by the external affairs ministry from the very beginning proved to be important in Jadhavs case.

 

"External affairs minister (Sushma Swaraj) had been from the beginning assuring that India will do everything possible to save Jadhav's life and her assurances have proved true at the first stage. She needs to be congratulated for this," it said.

 

The Sena also praised Indias lawyer at the International Court of Justice, Harish Salve, saying the credit of the interim order going in Indias favour went to the effective way he presented our case, laying out facts and the manner in which Pakistan had violated clauses of the Vienna Convention.

Since Jadhav's arrest last year in March, India had sought consular access to him over a dozen times. It wasn't granted even once by Pakistan.

 

On May 18, in a major boost to India, which moved the UN's highest judicial body against the death sentence, the ICJ instructed Pakistan to take all "necessary measures at its disposal" to ensure that Jadhav was not executed pending a final decision by it.

A 23-year-old girl in Kerala allegedly chopped off a man's genitals after he tried to rape her.

The seriously injured man was admitted to the hospital following the incident which took place on Friday night.

As per the police, the man was known to the woman and her family and also used to visit her house to conduct pujas.

The woman, in her complaint, alleged that the man was harassing her for many years.

Police have registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act against swami.

Yesterday, The Bharatiya Janata Party said that the live demo of EVMs and VVPATs by the ECI will ensure credibility and the authenticity of the voting machine will be retained. 

"It is Election Commission's duty to convince every citizens and every political party about the credibility of the EVM. It is between the election commission and the parties who are crying foul needlessly. I am sure that the Election Commission will ensure credibility and the authenticity of the EVMs will be retained," BJP leader S Prakash told ANI.

He said that certain parties were creating huge ruckus against EVM hacking to cover up their own lapses in winning over the mandate of the people and the Election Commission's demo will remove their doubt.

While earlier in the week, the poll panel had said it would offer an 'opportunity' to the political parties to prove that EVMs used in the recently held assembly polls were tampered with or can be tampered even with laid down safeguards.

The ECI also convened an all-party meeting over the issue of EVM and other electoral reforms. In its communication to the presidents of all the seven national and 48 state political parties, the poll panel sent a status paper on EVMs and VVPAT. -- ANI

'No one was stranded, there were no unfortunate incidents, 1,800 tourists (against reported 15K) were affected and arrangements were made for them. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and other authorities are working on clearing the debris and route will be opened today; all the suitable arrangements are in place,' Rawat tweeted.

Rawat further assured saying, 'Information of landslides was shared with various towns along yatra route and that helped avoid stranding on the roads. Road will reopen today.'

A major landslide occurred near Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway yesterday, which caused an impediment for the Chardham pilgrims visiting Badrinath. -- ANI

Jewellers across the state observed a day-long strike yesterday to protest against the murder.

The 48-hour ultimatum given by the jewellers for the incident was about to end today, but the police arrested the five accused before that.

The jewellers community had voiced its concern over safety issues post the murder.

Two traders, Vikas and Megh Agarwal -- were gunned down by six armed persons who entered their shop 'Mayank Chain', in the Koylawali Gali, in the busy market area of Holi Gate on May 15 night.

They escaped with gold worth Rs 4 crore.

Four police officials were suspended following the incident. -- ANI