Afghans have broken 'shackles of slavery': Pak PM Imran Khan
Islamabad, Aug 16: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday seemed to endorse the Taliban taking over Kabul by saying that Afghanistan has broken the "shackles of slavery" in the neighbouring war-torn country.
The longstanding war in Afghanistan reached a watershed moment on Sunday when the Taliban insurgents closed in on Kabul before entering the city and took over the presidential palace, forcing embattled President Ashraf Ghani to join fellow citizens and foreigners to flee the country.
Khan made these remarks while addressing a ceremony to launch the first phase of the Single National Curriculum (SNC) from Grade 1 to 5, which was part of the manifesto of his ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
The premier spoke how the parallel education system led to the existence of "English medium" schools, resulting in the adoption of "someone else's culture" in Pakistan.
When you adopt someone's culture you believe it to be superior and you end up becoming a slave to it, he said, adding that it creates a system of mental salves that is worse than the actual slavery.
In the same breath, he indirectly likened the ongoing upheaval in Afghanistan with the people of the country breaking the shackles of slavery".
Khan said becoming a mental slave was worse than being an actual slave, adding that subjugated minds can never make big decisions.
Pakistan is accused of facilitating the Taliban rebellion which ultimately resulted in the capturing of the country after being ousted about 20 years ago.
Officially Pakistan has maintained that it wanted a broad-based inclusive government in Afghanistan and was also hosting the Afghan leaders to create consensus for a peaceful transformation.
Meanwhile, Khan launched the SNC despite criticism because it put emphasis on religious teaching instead of modern national sciences. All provinces agreed to introduce it except the Sindh province.
Khan rejected all criticism and announced that the plan to introduce the education system from Grade 1-12 in the coming years would go ahead.
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Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Kochi makes emergency landing
Bengaluru(PTI): An Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Kochi made an emergency landing at Bengaluru after a fire was noticed in one of the engines, the Bangalore International Airport Limited said on Sunday.
All the passengers and crew were evacuated and no one was injured, Air India Express said in a statement. According to sources, the fire was noticed minutes after the take off.
The crew members alerted the Air Traffic Controller and a full scale emergency was declared.
Soon after emergency landing at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, the fire was extinguished.
"On May 18, 2024, IX 1132 from Bengaluru to Kochi made an emergency landing at BLR Airport at 2312 hrs, due to a reported fire in one of the engines," a spokesperson of the BIAL, which manages KIA, said in a statement.
A full-scale emergency was declared, and the fire was promptly extinguished upon landing. All 179 passengers and six crew members have been successfully evacuated from the aircraft, the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) spokesperson said.
An Air India Express spokesperson said that due to suspected flames from the right engine after takeoff, the Bengaluru- Kochi flight 'elected' to return and carried out a precautionary landing at Bengaluru . The ground services also reported flames, resulting in an evacuation.
"The crew accomplished an evacuation with no injuries to any guests. We regret the inconvenience this has caused and are working to provide alternative arrangements for our guests to reach their destination as soon as possible," it said.
"A thorough investigation with the regulator shall be accomplished to establish the cause,” it said.
