Afghan Minister Submits 100-day Plan; Tripura Withdraws Counter-insurgency Law; Pakistan Hangs Baloch Insurgents

Event Notice: Contested Terrain: The Future of Afghan Women, Today, 12:15 -1:45 p.m., (New America)

Afghanistan

Minister of Commerce and Industries submits 100-day plan

Minister of Commerce and Industries Humayoun Rasa submitted his policy plan for the next 100 days on Thursday, outlining his strategies for developing the Afghan economy (TOLO). He said that corruption is the biggest obstable he faces. However, attracting domestic and foreign investments, resolving transit problems between Afghanistan and Pakistan, reviewing the process of Afghanistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization, evaluating industrial parks and government owned companies, and even increasing the capacity for employment at the Commerce Ministry were central points of the plan. “As it can be seen, due to security problems in the current year, investments might decrease,” Rasa said. “But the largest challenge in implementing our 100 day plan is corruption, which has spread across Afghanistan and it will take time to tackle,” he added.

Man walks naked in protest, beaten up by onlookers

A man in Kabul protested unemployment and injustice in Afghanistan in an unusual way — by running naked on the streets on Thursday (IBT). Pictures of the man, walking nude along busy roads in the capital city, caused a storm of activity on social media sites. The man was reportedly beaten up by people who were offended by his public nudity and later pictures posted on Twitter by Pajhwok Afghan News showed him lying on the ground with bruises on his body. A similar protest by a woman wearing body armor and walking the streets of Kabul to bring attention to the issue of sexual harassment earlier this year brought a similar reaction; she was also attacked and is now reportedly in hiding.

India

Northeastern state of Tripura withdraws controversial counter-insurgency law

Authorities in the northeastern state of Tripura have decided against renewing a controversial  counter-insurgency law called Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) (BBC, TOI, HT). Speaking to the media after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar announced the withdrawal of the law with immediate effect, adding that the insurgency in the state had “come down to near zero.” Sarkar told reporters that his government reviewed the situation in the areas affected by rebel violence and decided against the renewal of the law, repeal of which had been requested “at various levels.” The law gives the security forces the powers of search and seizure as well as legal protection to soldiers who may kill a civilian “by mistake or in unavoidable circumstances during an operation.” According to the provisions of the law, the situation in Tripura was reviewed and the law was renewed every six months since February 1997. AFSPA was introduced in certain parts of India for the first time in 1958 to tackle separatist movements but anti AFSPA activists have long argued that the “draconian” law has been misused in many instances, including staging fake killings in some states.

Heat wave death toll reaches 1,300

Extreme heat wave conditions persist in large parts of India, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Rajasthan and the capital, Delhi, with temperatures nearing 50°C (122°F) in some areas in the past week (TOI, NDTV, ZeeNews). Officials put the death toll at more than 1,300, with most of those killed being elderly or laborers suffering sunstroke or dehydration. Hospitals have been put on alert and doctors’ leaves have been cancelled. Disaster management official JC Sharma in Andhra Pradesh said three-member committees verify each claim of a heatwave death before compensation announced by the state government is handed over to the victims’ families. According to a government meteorologist in Hyderabad, YK Reddy, this current heat wave has extended twice as long as previous years.

Pakistan

Pakistan hangs Baloch insurgents behind plane hijacking

Pakistan hanged three Baloch insurgents on Thursday — 17 years after they hijacked a passenger plane with 30 people on board and attempted to fly it to India (BBC). The men, Shabbir Rind, Shahsawar Baloch, and Sabir Rind, were members of the left-wing Baloch Students Organization, and were demanding more resources for their region. The plane was diverted and stormed by troops and the men were sentenced to be executed in October 1998, but they remained on death row because of Pakistan’s moratorium on the death penalty. That moratorium was lifted in March of this year after the Peshawar school massacre last year.

US, Pakistan to hold nuclear talks next week

The United States and Pakistan will hold talks on nuclear non-proliferation and strategic regional stability next week when Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry visits Washington on May 30 (Dawn). The talks include six working groups on economy and trade, energy, counter-terrorism and law enforcement, defense and nuclear non-proliferation, education, and science and technology. The U.S. raid in Abbottabad that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden had interrupted the dialogue process, but relations have improved in the past two years. Rose Eilene Gottemoeller, the under secretary of state for arms control and international security, will lead the U.S. team.

— Emily Schneider and Shuja Malik

Edited by Peter Bergen

WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP/Getty Images