Pak officials harass guests invited to Indian High Commission's Iftar party
Islamabad: Guests invited to Indian High Commission's Iftar party in Islamabad on Saturday evening faced "unprecedented level of harassment" due to enhanced security checks by the Pakistani officials who stopped some invitees on one pretext or other.
Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria hosted the annual event at Serena Hotel for which guests were invited from all over Pakistan. Those attending the event said that additional security deployment was made around the luxury hotel.
A journalist said that he saw more than usual security presence but those having invitation cards and identity documents were allowed to attend.
"My invitation card was checked and I was asked questions about profession and residence, and allowed to go in," he said.
"Unprecedented level of harassment at @serena_hotels Islamabad. #India embassy iftaar happening & police & anti terrorism force misbehaving with anyone trying into get in the hotel. Got screamed at, my driver abused. Sorry, not being an entitled prick. This was genuine harassment," tweeted noted journalist Mehreen Zahra-Malik.
Another journalist, on condition of anonymity, told PTI that he did not attend as he feared about questioning and security checks. He also said that there were reports that some invitees were called by anonymous callers and told not to attend the event.
Senior Pakistan People's Party leader Farhatullah Babar said that every gaze deflected towards odd visitors in hotel's lobby.
"Came to Serena for iftar hosted by Indian HC. Hotel seems barricaded. Told that iftar cancelled. When insisted, I was told to use other gate. Other gate also closed and told to go back to front gate again. What's going on, something fishy," he tweeted.
Babar said that he somehow managed to attend the Indian mission's iftar despite efforts by the local authorities to stop invitees on one pretext or other.
High Commissioner Bisaria in his brief address to the audience said that some of the guests could not make to the party.
"I want to apologize because some of you faced a lot of trouble to come here and some of our friends could not come," he said.
Bisaria also said that people had come from Lahore and Karachi to attend the event and thanked them for coming.
India has not been engaging with Pakistan following the attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together.
Tensions flared up between the two sides after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14.
Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was handed over to India.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
