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📰 Lebanon border tensions rise

📰 Lebanon border tensions rise

and Bangladesh signs U.S. aid deal

Ross Crabtree & Billy Robinson
September 17, 2024

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South Asia prominently features in today's dispatch, wherein Washington has dispatched a delegation to Dhaka to support economic growth under the interim administration.

In Pakistan, an anti-terrorism court has granted bail to politicians aligned with Imran Khan. Meanwhile, Kashmir and Jammu are preparing for historic elections.

More details below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇵🇰 Anti-terrorism court grants bail to Imran Khan-linked MPs: An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan granted bail on Monday to 10 lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. According to an AFP journalist, the lawmakers were among 30 PTI members remanded last Tuesday, following a major rally in Islamabad. The court set bail at 30,000 rupees ($100) for each of the 10 MPs. PTI has faced a severe crackdown since Khan's imprisonment in August of last year on charges he claims are politically motivated to block his return to power. The MPs, some arrested in their National Assembly offices, were charged under a newly enacted protest law and the anti-terrorism act. They stand accused of violating the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, which was passed shortly before the rally. Rights groups have criticised the law as a tool to suppress freedom of speech and peaceful protest. Tensions between PTI and Pakistan's military have persisted since Khan was ousted from office two years ago.

2️⃣ 🇮🇷 Iran asserts commitment to missile programme: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed on Monday that Tehran will not abandon its missile program, stressing that such a deterrent is crucial for national security, particularly in a region where Israel regularly launches missile strikes on Gaza. Despite years of pressure from the West to limit its missile development, Iran continues to resist these demands. Recently, the U.S. and its allies have accused Iran of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict, resulting in further sanctions on both Moscow and Tehran. Both nations have denied these allegations. Pezeshkian emphasised the importance of missile defence, drawing parallels with Gaza, where Israel often targets Hamas. He reiterated Iran’s stance that international efforts should focus on disarming Israel before placing similar expectations on Tehran. He also denied reports that Tehran has supplied hypersonic missiles to Yemen’s Houthi forces, following the group’s claim that it used such a missile in its recent strike on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to make the Houthis pay a "heavy price" after the missile, for the first time, reached central Israel on Sunday.

3️⃣ 🇺🇸 🇧🇩 Washington sends a delegation to Dhaka in an effort to boost economic growth: A U.S. delegation met Sunday with Nobel laureate and interim Bangladeshi leader Muhammad Yunus to reaffirm support for "inclusive economic growth," according to the U.S. embassy in Dhaka. Yunus, who assumed power after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled amid a mass uprising, is seeking U.S. assistance to "rebuild the country" and recover stolen assets. Hasina, accused of corruption and human rights violations, had strong ties with India, China, and Russia. The U.S. delegation, led by Brent Neiman, discussed economic reforms and signed a $202.25 million aid agreement. Yunus emphasised his administration's efforts to reset the economy and reform key institutions. U.S. officials also met with American businesses operating in Bangladesh, where concerns over safety, profit repatriation, and supply chain issues were raised. The meeting occurred amidst labour unrest in the country’s garment sector, as workers demand higher wages and better conditions.

4️⃣ 🇮🇱 🇱🇧 Israel's Netanyahu announces expanded war objectives to include Lebanon border: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the objectives of the Gaza war have expanded to include the return of Israelis who fled the Lebanese border region. Since the war began nearly a year ago, Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah have engaged in frequent cross-border clashes, displacing thousands and raising fears of a broader regional conflict. Netanyahu’s security cabinet approved the decision during an overnight meeting, emphasising the "safe return" of northern residents. This follows remarks by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who told a U.S. envoy that military action was the only option to secure the return of Israel’s northern communities. Hizbollah has signalled a willingness to stand down if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza, but Gallant cautioned that time is "running out."

5️⃣ 🇬🇧 🇮🇹 UK PM Starmer discusses immigration with Italian president Meloni: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Monday to discuss strategies for addressing irregular immigration. Starmer expressed interest in understanding Italy's significant decrease in migrant arrivals. The meeting, which included a visit to a national immigration coordination centre with Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, has drawn criticism from within Starmer’s Labour Party. Some members have condemned his engagement with Meloni, leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, labelling it as troubling. Starmer, who promised to combat illegal immigration following Labour's election win in July, has distanced himself from the Conservative government’s previous policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Major Story

🇮🇳 KASHMIR & JAMMU PREPARE TO VOTE IN HISTORIC ELECTIONS

For the first time in a decade, Kashmir is holding elections in 47 assembly seats amidst a backdrop of long-standing violence and unrest. The region, a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, has been the cause of three wars between the two nuclear-armed nations. Since the 1990s, an insurgency against Indian rule has claimed thousands of lives, including civilians and security forces.

This election, spread across three phases, also includes 43 seats in neighbouring Jammu, a Hindu-majority region. It is the first since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy in 2019, stripping its statehood and placing the region under federal control. Thirteen parties are competing for control of the 90-seat assembly, with the major contenders being the People's Democratic Party (PDP) led by Mehbooba Mufti, and the National Conference (NC) led by Omar Abdullah, both former chief ministers.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting, but with a weak base in the Kashmir valley, its chances are uncertain. The BJP had previously formed a government in alliance with the PDP after winning in Jammu in 2014, but the coalition collapsed in 2018. Another significant player is Engineer Rashid, recently released from jail after five years, who previously won an upset victory in the general election over Abdullah.

Elections in Kashmir have often been marked by violence and low voter turnout, with many residents and separatist leaders boycotting them, seeing the process as an attempt by Delhi to assert control. However, for the first time in decades, separatist leaders are participating, including the outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) party, which has allied with Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party (AIP).

Despite the ongoing tension, some locals are viewing this election as a chance for political change. Many opposition parties have pledged to restore statehood and autonomy, while the BJP has ruled out reinstating autonomy but promised to restore statehood "at an appropriate time."

Although there is scepticism about the return of Kashmir's autonomy, many residents are focused on pressing issues like unemployment, corruption, and political instability. Others see their participation as a way to send a message rejecting the 2019 revocation of Article 370, which stripped the region of its special status. Despite promises of development by the BJP, locals have yet to see substantial benefits, while violence and unemployment remain pressing issues. The outcome of the election will be a key indicator of the region’s political future and its relationship with Delhi.

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Other News

1️⃣ 🇾🇪 Houthis claim to have repelled US-made reaper drone: Salvagers successfully towed a Greek-flagged oil tanker, which had been ablaze for weeks following attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, to a secure location without causing any oil spill, according to a European Union naval mission on Monday. The tanker, named Sounion, was moved to safer waters away from Yemen. Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed responsibility for shooting down another American-made MQ-9 Reaper drone, with online video evidence showing a surface-to-air missile strike and the wreckage scattered on the ground. These incidents highlight the ongoing challenges in managing the rebels’ extended campaign amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict. Despite allowing the Sounion's relocation, the Houthis continue to threaten vessels in the Red Sea, a crucial shipping route that previously handled $1 trillion in goods annually.