Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Deputy Chairman Senate, Syedaal Khan on Thursday held separate meetings with Interior Secretary Captain (Retd.) Khurram Agha and Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Dr. Usman Anwar here at Parliament House.

According to a news release issued by the Senate Secretariat, the meetings focused on the overall law and order situation in the country, internal security, the performance of law enforcement agencies, and matters relating to public safety and national security.

During his meeting with Interior Secretary, Captain (Retd.) Khurram Agha, discussions were held on internal security, counter-terrorism measures, the maintenance of law and order, and issues related to national security.

On the occasion, Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan said maintaining law and order and safeguarding the lives and property of citizens were among the foremost responsibilities of the state. He emphasised that effective coordination and cooperation among all institutions were essential to achieving these objectives.

He said a peaceful and secure environment was the foundation of development, investment, and public prosperity.

The deputy chairman also appreciated the services and sacrifices of law enforcement agencies in maintaining peace and strengthening internal security across the country.

Later, during his meeting with Director General Federal Investigation Agency Dr. Usman Anwar, discussions were held on the agency’s overall performance, measures to combat cybercrime, human trafficking and financial crimes, action against illegal activities, and efforts to enhance the institution’s professional capacity.

Deputy Chairman Senate, Syedaal Khan commended the FIA for its role in safeguarding national interests, upholding the rule of law, and combating crime.

He said the agency was playing a vital role in addressing emerging challenges and strengthening public confidence in state institutions.

He particularly appreciated the FIA’s successful operations against cybercrime, human trafficking, and financial corruption.

DG FIA Dr. Usman Anwar briefed the deputy chairman on the agency’s performance, ongoing reforms, and initiatives aimed at enhancing institutional capacity in line with modern requirements.

He reaffirmed the FIA’s commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities in protecting national security, ensuring the rule of law, and serving the public interest.

The deputy chairman appreciated the contributions of the relevant institutions to internal security, the rule of law, and public safety.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to further strengthening cooperation and coordination among state institutions on matters of national importance.

Islamabad: Global technology giants and major corporate brands are allegedly hosting, amplifying, and monetizing a violent wave of anti-minority hate music in India, according to an investigative report released by a Washington-based think tank.

The study alleges that mainstream digital platforms have effectively become primary vehicles for spreading highly provocative, dehumanizing content targeting religious minorities, specifically Muslims and Christians.

The findings were detailed in a comprehensive report published by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate (CSOH), a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to researching extremism, radicalization, and online harms.

Titled “Profiting from Hate Music: The Role of YouTube, Meta, Spotify, and Apple Music in Hosting and Monetizing India’s Hate Music Industry,” the study maps the rapid ascent of “Hindutva Pop” or “H-Pop,” a highly lucrative genre of music that is allegedly weaponized by Hindu nationalist groups to vilify religious minorities, promote a majoritarian ideology, and cultivate fear, anger, and hostility.

Drawing on a database compiled between January 2025 and January 2026, CSOH identified 523 distinct Hindutva pop hate songs actively hosted across YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Meta’s Music Library that reportedly violate the platforms’ own content policies.

According to the report, “210 songs were identified on YouTube, 109 on Spotify by 53 artists, 103 on Meta’s Music

Library, and 101 on Apple Music by 59 artists. YouTube songs alone have been viewed over 198 million times; Meta’s Music Library songs were used in more than 5.9 million Instagram Reels.”

According to the report, roughly half of all identified tracks (263 of the 523 songs) contain explicit calls for violence, urging listeners to eliminate, attack, or expel Muslims and Christians to establish an exclusively Hindu nation.

On YouTube alone, 104 of these songs allegedly contain direct incitement or threats of violence and have received at least 97 million views.

The remaining songs, while not explicitly calling for violence, are claimed to promote hatred through dehumanizing language, derogatory slurs, and conspiracy theories designed to foster conditions that contribute to real-world harm.

Unlike global hate groups that operate in the shadows, India’s H-Pop industry thrives in the mainstream, enjoying the active patronage and impunity granted by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

This political backing and entrenched popularity have allowed the genre to become a core tool for political and social polarization.

The report connects this digital wave to a dramatic increase in offline violence. These highly provocative songs are routinely played during religious processions and rallies outside mosques, which the study claims has already been linked to deadly communal violence.

“Hate music is one of the oldest and most dangerous instruments of mass violence, and we have seen where it leads, from Rwanda to Myanmar,” says Raqib Naik, Executive Director of CSOH.

“What makes India’s Hindutva pop so alarming is its reach. These companies and platforms, most of them based in the United States, have handed these artists a global stage, an audience of hundreds of millions, and the tools and revenue streams to keep producing more”.

“Through this report, we have been able to demonstrate what was long suspected: while American social media platforms have been censoring content even remotely critical of the ruling Modi government, they have simultaneously amplified, patronized, and funded content that calls for violence against Muslims and Christians,” says Kunal Purohit, independent journalist and co-author of the report.

The investigation alleges severe double standards and systemic moderation failures by Western tech platforms.

To test how these platforms enforce their rules, researchers reported a sample of 225 highly violative songs using the companies’ own moderation systems. Only 18 were removed, meaning more than 90 percent of the reported hate songs remained online.

Furthermore, the report unmasked the financial engines allegedly funding this machinery. In-stream advertisements for 103 major brands, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s NotebookLM, Amazon Prime, Adobe, Dell, and Levi’s, were documented running directly alongside H-Pop tracks, appearing on 83 percent of the videos that explicitly call for violence.

On Meta, 20 of the 30 prominent H-Pop artists analyzed had fully monetized Facebook accounts.

The CSOH report concludes with a series of urgent recommendations for the said tech giants outlining concrete steps for them to enforce their own content policies, improve the detection of coded hate speech, and curb the spread and monetization of hate music.

Islamabad: Pakistan and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has agreed to deepen cooperation in culture, heritage conservation, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, while reaffirming close coordination for Pakistan’s SCO Chairmanship in 2027 and preparations for a series of major cultural initiatives.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi and SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev at the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture.

Welcoming the SCO Secretary-General and his delegation, Khichi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the objectives and principles of the SCO, saying culture served as a bridge for peace, dialogue and mutual understanding.

Highlighting Pakistan’s rich civilizational heritage, including the Indus Valley Civilization, Gandhara Civilization, Buddhist heritage, Islamic architecture and diverse intangible cultural traditions, he said cultural diplomacy remained an effective tool for promoting regional harmony and cooperation.

The minister said Pakistan was ready to expand collaboration with SCO member states in heritage conservation, museums, archaeology, cultural tourism, creative industries, handicrafts, performing arts and youth exchanges.

Referring to Pakistan’s growing role within the organization, he said the country was expected to assume the SCO Chairmanship in 2027 and host the 24th Meeting of the SCO Ministers of Culture.

Khichi also highlighted Pakistan’s proposal to designate Lahore as the SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27, saying preparations were under way for a year-long calendar of cultural activities in Lahore alongside major programmes in Islamabad and Karachi.

He said Pakistan planned to organize four flagship cultural events in Lahore, complemented by year-round activities, while embassies and consulates of SCO member states in Pakistan would be invited to participate through cultural performances, exhibitions and artistic troupes.

The minister invited the SCO Secretary-General and member states to participate in the annual Lok Virsa Folk Festival to be held in Islamabad in November 2026, describing it as an ideal platform to showcase the cultural heritage of SCO countries through handicrafts, folk music, performing arts and traditional cultural displays. He also proposed dedicating a segment of the festival to celebrating the Shanghai Spirit and regional cultural cooperation.

To institutionalize cultural collaboration among SCO member states, Khichi proposed establishing an SCO Museum Cooperation Network, an SCO Archaeology Cooperation Programme, an SCO Digital Heritage Platform, an SCO Youth Cultural Exchange Programme and an SCO Heritage Tourism Initiative focusing on Gandhara and Silk Road heritage.

He also stressed joint archaeological research, digital preservation of heritage and stronger collaboration among museums and cultural institutions.

Secretary-General Yermekbayev briefed the minister on the SCO’s evolving agenda and highlighted the organization’s expanding cooperation in culture, tourism, trade and people-to-people exchanges. He reaffirmed the SCO Secretariat’s full support for Pakistan’s Chairmanship and encouraged the country to introduce innovative initiatives to further strengthen regional cooperation.

He welcomed Pakistan’s preparations for cultural programmes in Lahore and appreciated its proactive approach to cultural diplomacy. He suggested organizing film festivals, handicrafts exhibitions, music festivals and cultural forums under the SCO framework and invited Pakistan to participate in the Special SCO Cultural Exhibition to be held in China from October 18 to 22, 2026.

The SCO Secretary-General also emphasized expanding regional tourism cooperation by connecting tourism stakeholders and travel agencies across SCO member states and dialogue partners, saying enhanced cultural exchanges would contribute to regional peace, mutual understanding and sustainable development.

Secretary, National Heritage and Culture Division, assured the SCO Secretary-General of the division’s full cooperation in implementing the proposed initiatives and informed the meeting that preparations for SCO-related cultural activities had already begun. He said an inter-ministerial coordination meeting would soon be convened to finalize arrangements.

Both sides agreed to strengthen institutional linkages, expand people-to-people contacts and enhance practical cooperation in culture, museums, archaeology, heritage conservation, tourism and creative industries while maintaining close coordination for the successful implementation of SCO cultural initiatives during Pakistan’s forthcoming Chairmanship.

The meeting was attended by SCO Deputy Secretary-General Sohail Khan, Secretariat official Margulan Ibrahimov, Protocol Officer Bekhruz Sodikov, National Coordinator (SCO) Dr. Mohammad Faisal, Director (SCO) and Assistant Director (SCO-I) Aisha Shahid.

Islamabad: Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Amna Baloch and Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Nurlan Yermekbayev on Thursday unveiled a commemorative postage stamp here, marking the 25th anniversary of the SCO.

The stamp symbolizes Pakistan’s enduring commitment to the SCO and its vision of regional peace, mutual trust, cooperation, and shared prosperity, a statement issued by the Foreign Office Spokesperson said.

Islamabad: A delegation of students from the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) visited the Capital Police College, Islamabad, to gain insight into the training and professional development programmes being conducted for police personnel.

An official told reporter on Thursday that the visiting students were briefed on the promotional, capacity-building and specialized training courses offered at the Capital Police College to enhance the professional skills of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police officers.

During the visit, Deputy Superintendent of Police Training, Mashooq Ali escorted the delegation to various branches of the college and provided a detailed briefing on different training modules, modern policing techniques and the facilities available for professional learning.

The students also interacted with training staff and observed different aspects of police education aimed at strengthening operational efficiency and public service delivery.

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reserved its verdict regarding the court’s authority to hear bail petitions in cases involving amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, following the conclusion of arguments from all parties.

During the proceedings, counsel for the petitioner, Ebad-ur-Rehman Lodhi, argued that while appeals against final judgments of the High Court would be heard by the Federal Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court retains the jurisdiction to hear bail matters if relief is denied by the High Court.

He further contended that Section 32 of the NAB Ordinance is not applicable to bail proceedings.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar raised a pivotal legal question during the hearing: whether a bail petition can be converted into an appeal if the court decides to grant bail. He noted that if the Supreme Court were to convert a bail plea into an appeal, it would effectively become an appellate forum, whereas, under the amended NAB law, the Federal Constitutional Court serves as the designated appellate authority.

Justice Mazhar asked the legal counsel to clarify how the Supreme Court could function as an appellate authority in bail matters and requested that a clear legal pathway be presented to the court.

In his rebuttal, Ebad-ur-Rehman Lodhi urged the court to protect its judicial mandate, stating, “For the sake of justice, the court should not surrender its authority for the ulterior motives of the administration.” He further argued that the law does not grant the Federal Constitutional Court the authority to hear bail cases, and urged the apex court to retain its jurisdiction in such matters.

Following the completion of arguments, the Supreme Court reserved its judgment on the matter.