Published 12:51 IST, December 10th 2019
Muhajirs attacked and targeted in Pakistan, PM Imran Khan spews anti-India bile on CAB
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again attempted to interfere in the internal matter of India, this time over the Citizenship Amendment Bill
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again attempted to interfere in the internal matter of India, this time over the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Seemingly blind to the violation of human rights by the Pakistani army in various parts of his country and ignoring the minorities in his own countries, Imran Khan on Tuesday has "strongly condemned" the Bill and alleged that the Bill is part of the "RSS Hindu Rashtra design of expansionism propagated by the fascist Modi Govt."
Imran Khan's attack is consistent with the fake narrative that he, his government, and the Pakistani military-terrorist ecosystem have been attempting to peddle since the abrogation of Article 370 by India.
Pakistan Army launches brutal crackdown against Muhajir community
On the same day that Imran Khan was misfiring Twitter salvos in India's direction, in videos emerging from Pakistan, the country's army could be seen attacking innocent people from the Muhajir community in Sindh's Karachi. People from the minority community accused the Qamar Bajwa-led Pakistan Army of forced displacement. The Muhajir community wanted to pay homage to the brave hearts who laid down their lives in the struggle of retrieving their usurped rights. The MQM commemorates the Martyrs Day on December 9 every year. Since 2016, Pakistan's military establishment has barricaded Azizabad.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain slammed Pak's armed forces
Pakistan's military establishment's crackdown against the Muhajirs prompted strong condemnation from MQM chief Altaf Hussain, who slammed the country's armed forces for "unleashing terror" and their "brutal repression" on the community. 'Muhajir' in Urdu means migrants or refugees. The population who migrated from parts of India including Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Delhi, Bihar during partition in Pakistan's Sindh, came to be known as the Muhajir.
CAB passed in the Lok Sabha
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed minutes after midnight on Tuesday by the Lok Sabha, where the government and its allies have an overwhelming majority. It was passed with a vote of 311 in its favour and 80 against it out of 391 members who were present and voted. The Bill will be discussed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The government does not have a majority there but is expected to receive support from neutral parties. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is contentious; its critics say it is unconstitutional, and protests have been held in several parts of India against it. A bandh called by a body of student organisations is currently underway in several states in the Northeast.
What is the CAB?
The CAB seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan hailing from minority communities in those countries. Through this bill, Indian citizenship will be provided to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from the three countries to India till December 31, 2014.
Updated 17:48 IST, December 10th 2019