India: Disappointing Year for Human Rights

Failure to Address Impunity, Police Reform, Torture, Women’s Rights

(New York) – The Indian government during 2011 failed to hold rights violators accountable or to carry out effective policies to protect vulnerable communities, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2012.

The government took no action to repeal the widely discredited Armed Forces Special Powers Act, disregarding the recommendations of political leaders and advisers, Human Rights Watch said. The government also ignored the urgent need for police reform despite widespread complaints of torture and unlawful killings as well as deplorable working conditions for police personnel….

Read more » Human Rights Watch

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‘Karachi Sindh Aahey’- (Karachi is an integral part and heart of Sindh)

– People of Karachi and rest of Sindh meet at CHOKUNDEE to pledge preservation of Sindhi Heritage and welcome New Year!

Every year on 31st December, Sindh Democratic Forum (SDF) arrange DUYA/ Pirathna for the prosperity of Sindh and rest of the world and bid farewell to the last sunset of every year at some selected place of cultural and historic importance.

Today we are going to gather at one of Sindh’s greatest sign of cultural richness CHOKUNDEE graveyard Karachi. Please join us having candles and flowers to say good bye to the last sun of 2011 and pray for the prosperity of humanity and revival of peace and tranquility in Sindh, Pakistan and rest of the world.

Meeting time is 4.pm sharp and own Karachi, an integral part and heart of Sindh.

Taliban jihadis hang 8-year-little boy in southern Afghanistan

Militants hang 8-year-old boy in southern Afghanistan

By David Ariosto, CNN

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — An 8 year-old boy was hanged by militants in Afghanistan’s Helmand province after the boy’s father — a police officer in the southern city of Gereshk — refused to comply with militants’ demands to provide them with a police vehicle, officials said.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the hanging, saying “this action is not permitted in any culture or any religion,” according to a statement Sunday, which provided details of the incident.

Karzai said he has ordered local authorities to root out the militants and arrest them “as soon as possible.” …

Read more → CNN

Army’s one-day spending equivalent to one-year education ministry budget – The News

by Umar Cheema

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan spends Rs1.35 billion per day over the three armed forces just under the head of salaries and operating expenses only, Rs8.60 million daily on the president and prime minister, Rs7.8 million per day on the Senate and National Assembly but a paltry amount of three lakh rupees per day to take care of human rights, show the budget documents.

It further discloses that the Army’s one-day spending is equivalent to the running year’s total allocation for education ministry, and the air-force’s per day expenditures far exceed what was allocated to the health ministry for running the financial year ending this month.

Harrowing tale of Pakistani policemen lynched in Bahrain

By Salman Siddiqui

KARACHI: Kashif Mehmood joined the Bahraini police force soon after he graduated from the Pakistani school in Bahrain.

He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps who joined the Bahraini police after migrating from Gujranwala’s Mandi Bahauddin area, some 30 years ago. …

Read more : The Express Tribune

Indian budget projects economic growth

India’s government has unveiled its annual budget, saying that the economy is expected to grow at 9% in 2012.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the growth rate for the current fiscal year was projected at 8.5%.

He said inflation would decrease over the next fiscal year – the current rate is 8.4%. But food price inflation, at 17%, “remains a concern”.

Mr Mukherjee promised action on food security and pledged an increase in social spending. …

Read more : BBC

Development of Sindh: Shallow Promises

– Mushtaq Rajpar

PPP ruled Sindh government is about to present third budget of their tenure. Be ready for new promises, pledges and schemes. Are you interested listening and read all that? What did Sindh government achieved in the current outgoing fiscal year 2009-10?

People of Sindh want to know. Can Sindh government publish a Development Review or Economic Review and inform the public on state of economy, development and projects announced last year in the budget.

Rs 113 billion were allocated for development, including Rs 16 billion by federal government. How much actually has been achieved?

Newspapers report suggest development funds were not utilized more than 42%. This is height of negligence and ineptness of an elected government. Sindh continues to live in backwardness; people live under hard socio-economic conditions.

Budget 2009-10

· Rs. 113 development out lay included Rs 75 billion ADP: Where did this money go?

· The federal government was to be asked to settled the issue of Rs204 billion arrears of GST on services. Did they get arrears back?

· Rs. 2 billion were allocated for Thar Coal Development