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Pak defends US-designated terrorist Hafiz Abdur Rauf whose image India flagged

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New Delhi, May 12: Pakistan has tried to debunk the fact that Hafiz Abdur Rauf, who led the funeral of terrorists killed in the recent Operation Sindoor strikes, is a US-designated global terrorist and senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader, terming him as “a common family man”.

Behind Abdur Rauf, high-ranking Pakistani military officers stood in solemn attendance, and coffins draped in Pakistan’s national flag underscored what Indian officials called the state’s overt support for terrorism.

At a press briefing in New Delhi, Indian officials shared a photograph of Rauf leading the funeral procession, accompanied by Pakistan Army officers in uniform.

The image has since gone viral, sparking widespread debate and outrage. Rauf, who is the brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, is a US Treasury-designated Specially Designated Global Terrorist under OFAC sanctions, with a known history of managing LeT finances and propaganda.

Pakistan’s military attempted to downplay the revelation, with the DGISPR describing Rauf as a “common family man” and a “preacher”. His national identity card was presented to the media in an effort to portray him as a non-combatant.

However, official documentation — including Rauf’s CNIC number (35202-5400413-9) and birthdate (March 25, 1973) — matched those listed in the US sanctions.

During a recent media briefing on Operation Sindoor, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri questioned Pakistan’s narrative while holding the damning photo, stating, “They claim that only civilians were killed in the strikes on the 7th of May. We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of 7th May were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets?”

The Pakistani military has also tried to confuse the issue by conflating Hafiz Abdur Rauf with Abdul Rauf Azhar, another of Masood Azhar’s brothers and a senior Jaish-e-Mohammed commander, who was reportedly eliminated in Operation Sindoor.

They questioned how someone declared dead by India could lead a funeral later the same day. However, the two are separate individuals, both on international watchlists, and both deeply embedded in the terror ecosystem of Pakistan.

Rauf Azhar, JeM’s operations chief, was a key planner of the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and played a central role in the 2001 Parliament attack, 2016 Pathankot airbase strike, and 2019 Pulwama bombing.

Meanwhile, the presence of Pakistani top brass at the funeral further reinforced allegations of institutional support for terrorists.

Among those in attendance were Lt Gen Fayyaz Hussain Shah, Corps Commander, IV Corps, Lahore; Maj Gen Rao Imran Sartaj, GOC, 11 Infantry Division; Brig Mohammad Furqan Shabbir, Commander, 15 Hybrid Mechanised Brigade; Punjab IGP Dr Usman Anwar; and Punjab MLA Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth.

According to the US Treasury, Hafiz Abdur Rauf worked directly under LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, managing fundraising and training operations. He has also been a key figure in Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), a LeT front posing as a charity but used to finance terrorist activities.

Both FIF and Rauf were sanctioned by the US on November 24, 2010, following Indian intelligence inputs post the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The visuals from Muridke — where the funeral was held — depict a state ceremony, not a private religious service.

“It is not clear to us, in fact, seeing some of the coverage of the aftereffects of these strikes, including the funerals for the terrorists that were held yesterday. I think a lot of you have seen the reports and the coverage in the media. If only civilians, or if any civilians were killed in these attacks, I wonder what message this picture actually sends to all of you. This is a question that is worth asking,” Misri had said while holding a photograph that showed UN-proscribed Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba’s top Commander Hafiz Abdur Rauf leading the funeral prayers of LeT terrorists killed in Indian airstrikes in Muridke on Wednesday.

The fallout is another example of how Pakistan shields designated terror groups and fosters terrorism.

Crime

FIR against 600 protesters for violence during Assembly ‘gherao’ in Ranchi

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Ranchi, Aug 13: Jharkhand Police have registered an FIR against 600 protesters who were allegedly part of unrest and violence that erupted during the Assembly gherao in Ranchi on August 10, officials said on Thursday.

Of these, 100 individuals have been named as accused, while 500 unidentified protesters have also been booked.

According to the FIR lodged at the Assembly Police Station, the accused have been charged with breaking police barricades erected as part of security arrangements, manhandling and misbehaving with police personnel, obstructing government work, and pelting stones at security forces during the protest.

Police said a large number of students and other protesters had gathered for the Assembly gherao. While nearly 90 per cent of the participants were peaceful, officials claimed that about 10 per cent turned aggressive and escalated the situation.

The police also alleged that some outsiders arrived at the protest site in vehicles and attempted to intensify the disturbances.

The clashes and stone-pelting reportedly left more than 14 police and security personnel injured. To bring the situation under control, the police fired tear gas shells, used water cannons, and carried out a lathi charge.

Authorities are now working to identify the unnamed accused. Investigators are examining video footage from the protest site, CCTV recordings, and drone camera footage.

Police officials said facial recognition and artificial intelligence-based technologies may also be used, if required, to identify those involved in the violence.

The students have been agitating over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in various recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) for the last 20 days.

Among their key demands is a CBI probe into the alleged examination irregularities. The Assembly gherao on August 10 was organised as part of this ongoing agitation.

Meanwhile, the Ranchi district administration has beefed up security in anticipation of the next phase of the ongoing student protest.

Agitating students are preparing to lay siege to the Chief Minister’s residence on August 20, though no formal announcement has been made.

More than 100 additional armed personnel have been deployed for the CM’s security, including personnel from the Jharkhand Jaguar and the Jharkhand Armed Police.

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Karnataka bandh gets mixed response as schools, businesses function normally; Kannada activists detained

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Bengaluru, Aug 13: The Karnataka bandh called by Kannada and pro-farmer organisations protesting the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu received a mixed response across the state on Thursday, with normal public life largely unaffected in state capital Bengaluru and across the state.

Kannada activists were detained by police as a precautionary measure, while schools, colleges, shops, markets and commercial establishments functioned normally.

The bandh has been called to protest the directions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Police have deployed tight security across Bengaluru and appealed to protesters to maintain peace. They have also warned against forcibly shutting down shops and other establishments.

President of the Federation of Kannada Organisations (also known as Kannada Okkoota) and Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha President Vatal Nagaraj was detained by police after he joined the protest in support of the bandh.

Meanwhile, major Kannada and farmer organisations are scheduled to meet Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at his residence in Sadashivanagar at 10 a.m. on Thursday to submit a memorandum opposing the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

In Bengaluru, schools and colleges have continued to function as usual, with students attending classes from the morning. No holiday has been declared for educational institutions across the state. Parents’ organisations decided not to support the bandh as classes and examinations are being conducted and students should not be inconvenienced.

Public transport services have also largely remained unaffected across Bengaluru and other parts of the state. Shops, markets and other commercial establishments have opened as usual, with most districts extending only moral support to the bandh.

However, as a precautionary measure, bus services from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu have been temporarily suspended, causing some inconvenience to passengers travelling to the neighbouring state.

In Ramanagara, protests intensified at Ijuru Circle, one of the city’s major junctions. Activists of Karunadu Sene and the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Praveen Shetty faction) staged a large demonstration against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Carrying empty pots, the protesters sought to draw the government’s attention to the drinking water shortage faced by several parts of the state.

Despite the statewide bandh call, normal life has continued in most places, with authorities maintaining heightened security and monitoring protests to prevent any untoward incidents.

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Lok Sabha adjourned sine die after Vande Mataram recitation

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New Delhi, Aug 13: The Lok Sabha, on its last working day of the Monsoon Session, was adjourned sine die on Thursday. The adjournment followed the recitation of Vande Mataram in the House, with all Parliamentarians, from Treasury to Opposition benches, standing in respect for the National Song.

The House proceedings started on a stormy note, with the Opposition members engaging in sloganeering and holding placards while trying to corner the government over ‘jawab do, jawab do’ chants.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made a brief appeal to maintain order and urged all the members to stand up for the recitation of the National Song.

As the 3.10-minute-long National Song was recited, all the MPs stood in rapt attention while some sang along.

What made the moment remarkable was the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the House, a grouse held by the Opposition throughout the stretch of the Monsoon Session, particularly after the passage of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill last month, aimed at tackling widespread cheating and paper leaks.

The recitation of the full National Song in the Lower House comes days after the Presidential assent to the Vande Mataram Bill, which brought it on equal footing with the National Anthem.

As per the Home Ministry guidelines issued in February this year, the recitation of all six stanzas of the National Song has been made mandatory at all official functions and gatherings, with all protocols to be followed as accorded to the National Anthem.

Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, last month. The legislation gave Vande Mataram the same statutory protection as that of the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. After the President’s assent, the bill has become law and offences will be punishable with imprisonment up to three years, a fine, or both.

The Lok Sabha proceedings of the Monsoon Session, from July 20 to August 13, remained marred by the Government-Opposition face-off with little legislative business conducted in the House.

Among the key legislations cleared by the House were the NEET Amendment Bill, some Taxation bills and the recommendation of the FCRA amendment bill to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

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