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Cairo/New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Indian Naval Ship (INS) Trishul has concluded its port call at Safaga Naval Base in Egypt as part of ongoing operational deployment, the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.

The port call further reinforced the growing India–Egypt defence and maritime partnership , in the backdrop of the 11th India–Egypt Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting held in Cairo in April 2026.

The 11th JDC meeting provided an institutional framework for advancing defence commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation signed in September 2022, following the elevation of bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2023.

"During the visit, the Commanding Officer of INS Trishul called on RAdm MD Abd El Maksoud, Commander, Red Sea Naval Base, Egypt. Discussions covered maritime security in the Gulf of Suez and the strategic significance of the Red Sea. The ship's crew also visited Egyptian Naval Ship ENS Port Said (976), gaining insights into its operational capabilities and the best practices followed by the Egyptian Navy," read a statement issued by the ministry.

"The visit further featured reciprocal interactions between personnel of the Indian and Egyptian navies, along with joint diving training activities. These professional engagements provided opportunities for exchange of operational experience, sharing of Best Practices and furthering mutual understanding between the two navies," it added.

The port call reaffirmed the longstanding defence ties between India and Egypt and their shared commitment to maritime security and regional stability. Following completion of the engagements, INS Trishul proceeded for the next phase of her operational deployment.

Last week, INS Trishul had concluded its port call at Souda Bay in Greece as part of her ongoing deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. The visit, Indian Navy stated on Friday, provided an opportunity to further strengthen maritime engagement between the Indian Navy and the Hellenic Navy through professional interactions, operational discussions and cultural engagements.

During the port call, the Commanding Officer of INS Trishul called on senior functionaries of the Hellenic Navy, as well as the heads of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC) and US Naval Support Activity (NSA), Souda Bay.

"The interactions focussed on operational logistics requirements, cooperation and mutual support amongst partner navies. The discussions provided an opportunity to exchange views on areas of common interest and explore avenues for facilitating operational support and cooperation," the Indian Navy mentioned.

"Professional engagements between Indian and Hellenic Naval personnel included cross-visits and interactions. Hellenic Naval personnel also visited INS Trishul and were familiarised with the ship and its capabilities through an onboard tour. These interactions provided an opportunity for personnel of both navies to gain insights into each other's professional practices and exchange experiences," it added.

--IANS

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Dhaka, Nov 11 (IANS) Religious preacher Mufti Tariq Masood, who enjoys immense popularity in Pakistan, has repeatedly used social media to defend child marriage, challenge modern age-of-consent frameworks and encourage people to view young girls through the prism of marital readiness, a report has detailed.

"Over the years, this immensely popular preacher has repeatedly used his platform to defend child marriage, challenge modern age-of-consent frameworks, and encourage audiences to view young girls through the prism of marital readiness. What is often presented as religious guidance increasingly resembles the normalisation of ideas that place children within the domain of adult sexuality," a report in Sri Lanka's 'Daily Mirror' stated.

In one of the videos shared on a social media platform, Masood joked that if someone could not find a 16-year-old bride, he could provide them a bride of two-year-olds and perhaps four-year-olds. His remarks sparked an outrage, with critics accusing him of promoting child marriage and normalising the sexualisation of minors. He dismissed the criticism and termed it a misunderstanding. His supporters said that his remarks had been taken out of context and was only an ill-conceived joke.

Critics have alleged that controversial clips from Masood's speeches frequently disappear from online platforms following copyright complaints and takedown requests, resulting in people facing difficulty to access his words directly.

"This creates a peculiar dynamic: critics are accused of misrepresenting his views, while attempts to reproduce the original material for scrutiny frequently risk removal. Consequently, the debate becomes less about what was actually said and more about competing narratives. Whenever criticism emerges, it is routinely dismissed as part of a secular, liberal, or Western agenda rather than engaged with on its merits," the report in Daily Mirror stated.

The problem here does not lie in a joke or viral moment. However, it lies in a world view reflected in speeches, lectures and sermons. The four-year-olds comment might be rejected as a humour if it existed in isolation but it does not, according to the Daily Mirror report.

The comment seen along with years of statements defending underage marriages, opposing statutory age restrictions and promoting marriage shortly after puberty and discussing the physical sustainability of nine-year-olds and 10-year-olds for marital ties, the jokes may seem less accidental and more symptomatic of a deeper ideological position.

Earlier this month, a leading minority rights organisation expressed serious concern over the abduction, forced conversion and marriage of a minor Hindu girl in Pakistan, highlighting the vulnerability of minority children amid escalating atrocities across the country.

According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), 14-year-old Bindiya Kumari, a ninth-grade student, should be attending school rather than being caught up in allegations of abduction, forced religious conversion and child marriage.

The rights body said that her case has exposed the gap between Pakistan’s assurances of minority protection and the ground reality, with her family seeking intervention even as lawmakers question the authorities’ failure to act.

It cited minority representatives who have alleged that Bindiya was abducted from Sibi in Pakistan's Balochistan province and taken to Sindh, where her conversion and marriage were reportedly facilitated through arrangements linked to Mian Abdul Haq, popularly known as 'Mian Mithu'.

“Authorities must establish the facts through a fair investigation. But fairness does not require silence, and an investigation should never become an excuse to leave a child without protection,” the VOPM stated.

The rights body said Bindiya’s case was raised in the Balochistan Assembly on October 19 and subsequently taken up by the Senate Minority Caucus on October 29. Lawmakers called for her immediate recovery, questioned the police response and stressed the need for coordination between Sindh and Balochistan.

--IANS

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Islamabad, Nov 11 (IANS) Pakistan is witnessing deepening poverty and a human development crisis, a report has detailed. The national poverty rate in Pakistan increased from 22 per cent in 2018-19 to 29 per cent in 2024-25, implying that about 70 million poor people in the country live below the national poverty line, a report in leading Pakistani daily Dawn mentioned citing the World Bank's Pakistan Poverty and Equity brief.

The Gini index in Pakistan has risen from 28.4 per cent to 32.7 per cent. According to the World Bank, Pakistan's reversal in poverty reduction has been caused due to economic shocks driven by Covid-19 pandemic, the floods in 2022, high inflation, and currency depreciation.

According to United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) 2025 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, 38.3 per cent of Pakistan's population is multidimensionally poor. As many as 32 million people are vulnerable to multidimensional poverty.

The depreciation also showcased in the 2026 Global Hunger Index, which placed Pakistan at the 106th spot among 122 nations. Pakistan has the highest hunger score in South Asia. Increase in food price in Pakistan is driven by declining household purchasing power and constrained access to food. According to the report, undernourishment in Pakistan rose from law in 2018 to medium while child wasting increased towards the 'high' threshold.

"All these reports reflect the severity of the crisis. A nationally representative mental health survey (2018-22), published in the British Medical Journal, revealed distressing facts. The survey found that every third Pakistani lives with a diagnosable mental or behavioural disorder; one in five meets the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder," Naseer Memon, senior adviser, water governance, at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, wrote in Dawn.

"A shocking 6 per cent reported suicidal thoughts, and more than one in 10 had depression. Such staggering rates of mental disorders have been linked to lower income and poor education, unemployment, age, and disrupted family circumstances," Memon added.

In October, Pakistan was ranked second-worst in South Asia on the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026 with a score of 25.5, trailing only Afghanistan, showcasing the country's deteriorating food insecurity and malnutrition challenges, local media reported.

The report published on the GHI website stated, "With a 2026 Global Hunger Index score of 25.5, Pakistan has a serious level of hunger," Pakistan's Geo News reported. Pakistan was only behind Afghanistan, which had a score of 28.6 on the GHI.

Pakistan was placed at the 106th position out of 122 countries globally on the GHI. Pakistan's score dropped from 36.2 in 2002 to 25.5 in 2026, showing some improvement, as per the report. The GHI score of Pakistan is based on four components: child stunting, undernourishment, child wasting and child mortality.

--IANS

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Vientiane, Nov 11 (IANS) The Lao government has endorsed a National Action Plan for 2026-2030 aimed at strengthening migration management, protecting migrant workers' rights and promoting safe, orderly and legal migration.

The plan was officially endorsed at a ceremony in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday, co-chaired by Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Anoupharb Vongnorkeo and Tanja Pacifico, chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Laos and Thailand. More than 70 representatives from government agencies, United Nations organizations, international organizations, and other relevant sectors attended the event.

As a country of origin, transit and destination for international migrants, Laos faces growing challenges and opportunities associated with cross-border migration, particularly as people seek employment and better livelihoods abroad, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The new action plan aims to ensure that migration takes place through safe, orderly and legal channels while safeguarding migrant workers' rights, according to a report from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

Developed with support from IOM, the plan outlines nine strategic areas covering cross-cutting and sector-specific priorities. Its overarching vision is to make migration a choice rather than a necessity, while ensuring that all workers have access to decent work and social protection.

Speaking at the ceremony, Anoupharb highlighted the long-standing contribution of migration to Laos' socio-economic development. He emphasized that effective migration management is essential to strengthening human resource development and supporting sustainable economic growth.

In October, the Lao government officially released the results of the 2025 Population and Housing Census, revealing that the working-age population has grown to 65 per cent of the country's total population, creating an opportunity to accelerate economic growth.

The findings, released Tuesday, show that Laos has an estimated combined resident and non-resident population of 7.55 million, including 7.24 million people living in the country and 313,766 Lao citizens residing abroad. Among the resident population, females account for 49.2 per cent, while males make up 50.8 per cent.

People aged 15-64 represent 65 per cent of the resident population, offering Laos an opportunity to benefit from a demographic dividend through job creation, skills development, and investment in human capital.

In terms of education, the overall literacy rate for individuals aged six and above has risen to 83.6 per cent.

For the first time, the census employed modern technologies, including electronic maps to define survey areas, digital devices for data collection through computer-assisted personal interviewing, and real-time data monitoring to improve efficiency and accuracy.

--IANS

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Kabul, Nov 11 (IANS) Afghan authorities burned more than 53 tons of illegal drugs in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar on Wednesday, provincial police spokesman Mullah Assadullah Jamshid said.

The contraband, which included opium, heroin, methamphetamine, hashish and other illicit substances and materials used in drug production, had been seized over the past three months during a series of operations in different districts, the official said.

The drugs were publicly burned at a ceremony attended by government officials and tribal elders, he added, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Police also arrested 227 individuals on charges of involvement in the drug trade during the period, Jamshid said.

He warned that strict action would be taken against anyone involved in producing or trafficking illegal drugs in the province.

On November 1, local police official said Afghan security forces dismantled eight clandestine heroin processing laboratories and arrested 17 suspected drug traffickers in western Ghor province.

Acting on intelligence and a tip-off, counter-narcotics units conducted a targeted raid on the outskirts of Chaharsada district, destroying the facilities and seizing substantial quantities of precursor chemicals and illicit narcotics used in heroin production, provincial police spokesman Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Badri said.

The suspects have been taken into custody and transferred to judicial authorities, with case files submitted for further legal proceedings, Badri added.

The operation is part of an intensified nationwide campaign against the narcotics trade, targeting traffickers, cultivators and production networks in a concerted effort to dismantle Afghanistan's illicit drug economy.

On October 18, police burned nearly one tonne of illegal drugs in the western Afghan province of Farah, provincial police spokesman Kalimullah Nangyal said.

The narcotics, including 955 kg of opium-type drugs, hashish and 36 kg of methamphetamine, were seized during a series of operations recently and publicly burned on Sunday, the official said.

Police also arrested a suspected drug smuggler, who would be handed over to the judiciary after the completion of a preliminary investigation, the official added.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Wednesday hailed Indian diaspora for its contribution to global exchange of ideas, knowledge, innovation, culture and enterprise, describing it as a "living bridge" between India and the world.

Speaking at the launch of the website for 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2027 Convention at New Delhi's Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, EAM Jaishankar said that Indian diaspora is an integral part of India's present and an important stakeholder of country's future.

The website was jointly launched by the External Affairs Minister and the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari. The 19th PBD Convention will be held in Kolkata, West Bengal, from January 7–9, next year in partnership with the Government of West Bengal.

"The Indian diaspora thereby serves as a living bridge between India and the world. It contributes to the global exchange of ideas, knowledge, innovation, culture, and enterprise. Now, the diaspora is not merely connected to India through its past; it is also an integral part of India's present and an important stakeholder of India's future," said EAM Jaishankar at the event which was also attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

"It is with this spirit that we have chosen the theme, 'From Roots to Return: Reigniting Diaspora Connect with Bharat', for the 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. This theme reflects our endeavour to deepen the connection of overseas Indians with their civilisational, cultural, and ancestral roots. It seeks to create meaningful opportunities for the younger generation of the diaspora to rediscover their heritage, understand contemporary India, and build a stronger and more enduring connection with the land of their ancestors," he added.

EAM Jaishankar said that the role of Indian diaspora will contribute to India's growth and development.

"As India moves forward towards the vision which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid out of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the role of our diaspora will be increasingly important. The knowledge, expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and technology capabilities and also the global networks, they will all contribute to India's growth and to India's development. Equally, our progress at home, the expanding opportunities and the new avenues that they offer to the diaspora, we are confident we'll help them to collaborate, to reconnect and to contribute more."

The 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, he said, will be an opportunity to celebrate shared heritage and to renew a partnership for the future.

Kolkata, the host city for 19th PBD, holds a very special place in the history of India and in the history of the Indian diaspora, stated EAM Jaishankar.

"From here, many set sail for Mauritius, for Fiji, for the Caribbean, and they carried with them their languages, customs, and faith. Their journeys, often which were marked by sacrifice and hardship actually laid the foundations of a global Indian presence."

--IANS

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Quetta, Nov 11 (IANS) Another three civilians were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, a leading human rights organisation said on Wednesday. The latest incident comes against the backdrop of a growing wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances across the province.

Human rights body Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) revealed that 21-year-old labourer Jaleed Ahmed, 23-year-old farmer Umar Ullah and 43-year-old farmer Naseer were subjected to enforced disappearance at the hands of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) personnel on November 3 from the Paroom area of Panjgur district.

In a separate incident, Pakistani forces, along with state-backed death squad members, allegedly attacked a civilian residence in Jamaldini village of Nushki district on Wednesday, subjecting women to torture before setting the house ablaze, local media reported.

Citing Balochistan Post, it reported that the attackers stormed the residence of a civilian named Altaf Jamaldini, who was allegedly shot dead by a government-backed group on Tuesday.

According to eyewitnesses, those present at the site were harassed and tortured. The women were subsequently locked inside rooms, while other houses and tents in the area were set ablaze.

The incident has triggered strong public outrage, with residents accusing the police of patronising criminal elements rather than protecting civilians and preventing such acts of violence.

Meanwhile, the BYC alleged that Pakistani forces were committing the worst human rights violations in Balochistan on a daily basis, intensifying what it described as “ongoing Baloch genocide”

The rights body condemned the unlawful detention of 21-year-old woman Shaishta Noor Kalmati, who was forcibly taken from her home in the Jiwani area in Balochistan on the night of November 9 by Pakistani forces.

The BYC stated that Shaishta suffers from a heart condition, has undergone surgery, and requires ongoing treatment, medication, and medical supervision. She also has a blood disorder that poses immediate risks to her life and health.

“Taking a young woman whose life depends on continuous medical care from her home and holding her in custody constitutes a grave violation of her health, life, and fundamental rights,” the rights body stated.

According to the BYC, Shaishta was sent to one week of remand on Tuesday after being produced before a court by Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department.

Citing reports, it said that she had been named in an unknown FIR around two years ago.

“If a case had been registered against her, the law required that she be arrested and promptly produced in court, not forcibly taken from her home in the darkness of night, leaving her family terrified. Being named in a case does not justify a person's enforced disappearance, unlawful detention, or the denial of their fundamental human rights,” the BYC noted.

--IANS

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Moscow/Warsaw, Nov 11 (IANS) Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said Wednesday it has dismantled a Polish intelligence network in the Kaliningrad region, a Russian enclave on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, which was collecting information on military facilities.

The operation led to the detention of two Polish intelligence agents gathering and passing on data about Russian troops, military sites, the socio-economic situation and migration policy in the Kaliningrad region, the FSB said in a statement.

Seven other Polish nationals and three Russian citizens in contact with Polish intelligence services were formally warned against engaging in activities that could be classified as high treason or espionage, it said.

Polish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maciej Wewior said the reports released by the FSB "are being verified," calling for caution regarding statements by the Russian side, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Russia has an obligation under a bilateral agreement to formally notify us of the detention of Polish citizens, if the reports are true," Wewior told Polish news outlet Interia.

Late September, Russia issued a warning over NATO's military activities in the Baltic region, saying it is prepared to use all means at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, to defend its territory if NATO attempts to blockade Russia's Kaliningrad region.

Russian embassies in Britain, Belgium and Ireland posted warnings concerning the Kaliningrad region on their Telegram accounts, saying that Russia would use its "entire arsenal" to defend its territory if NATO countries attempted to "blockade" the region. Posts by the Russian embassies in Britain and Ireland explicitly said that this could include the use of nuclear weapons.

Kaliningrad region, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea, is separated from the Russian mainland and lies between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. It is a strategically important military outpost for Russia, hosting air defense systems, missiles and naval forces. The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO has further changed Russia's strategic environment in the Baltic region.

Russia has accused NATO of rehearsing scenarios this year aimed at blockading the Kaliningrad region.

--IANS

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Tehran, Nov 11 (IANS) The navy of Iran's Army said Wednesday a "violating" oil tanker caught fire earlier in the day after hitting naval mines east of the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday as the oil tanker was transiting the "unsafe and forbidden" region east of the waterway, the navy announced in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported. It said that its naval forces are monitoring the strait's eastern waters, stressing that safe passage through the waterway requires coordination with the Iranian armed forces and compliance with maritime regulations.

Separately, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Ali Abdollahi on Wednesday warned the United States and Israel against making any new miscalculation, saying that "any point that serves as a focal point for threats against the existence of the sacred establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran will become a direct target of asymmetric operations."

He said in a message carried by Iranian media that the armed forces would carry out orders issued by the country's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei without hesitation.

On Tuesday, the navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said that two "violating" oil tankers suffered massive explosions on the "unauthorized" route in the Strait of Hormuz.

Both tankers had turned off all their navigation and identification systems, caught fire, and were stopped, the navy said in a statement on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News.

It added that one of the vessels exploded after hitting naval mines, while the other, supported by the "aggressive" US fighter aircraft and seeking to "surreptitiously cross the illegal route", was set on fire following an incident.

The IRGC's navy reiterated the warning that the "unauthorised" route in the strait is "unsafe," and that all those seeking to transit it in cooperation with the "terrorist" US Army would suffer the same fate.

Iran tightened its grip on the strait on February 28, barring safe passage of vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States following their joint strikes on Iranian territory.

--IANS

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Islamabad, Nov 11 (IANS) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan's lawyer Salman Safdar has said that former Pakistan Prime Minister could face a brain haemorrhage or heart attack if he is not provided timely medical treatment, local media reported on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, Safdar said he had recently met Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, at the prison and told the court about their condition, leading Pakistani daily 'The Nation' reported.

He urged the court to shift Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi to a hospital and set up an independent medical board to examine them. Safdar said that Imran Khan's blood pressure had reached 192 on November 1 and warned that he could face serious medical complications if proper treatment is not given.

Safdar voiced concern over worsening eyesight of Bushra Bibi and said that her next surgery was scheduled for November 15. However, he said that she did not agree to undergo another procedure at the same hospital or under the supervision of her previous doctors.

He raised question over taking Bushra Bibi to prison immediately after her first surgery while her eyes were still bandaged and called for detailed reports regarding her previous procedures.

Last week, the core committee of PTI voiced fresh concerns over the health of Imran Khan, while urging the country's Chief Justice to ensure implementation of court orders about his treatment.

The PTI core committee held a meeting after reports claimed that Imran Khan's blood pressure had reached 192. In a statement issued following the meeting, the committee voiced "grave concern" over Imran Khan's health, citing the alleged lack of medical facilities and not allowing him to meet his family and personal doctors, Pakistan's 'Dawn' reported.

In a statement, the PTI core committee said, "The core committee unanimously resolved that protecting Imran Khan’s health and life is an urgent humanitarian issue, and that any negligence, delay or irresponsibility in this regard is unacceptable. His health should be treated as a serious humanitarian and medical emergency rather than merely a political or legal dispute."

It urged the government to allow Imran Khan to meet his personal physicians, make arrangements for necessary medical evaluation and conduct diagnostic tests of Imran Khan without delay and shift him to Shifa International Hospital for carrying out his medical examination.

It urged Pakistan's Chief Justice to ensure implementation of orders about Imran Khan's treatment and give the matter "immediate attention" considering its "exceptional humanitarian importance," Dawn reported.

Imran Khan has remained in prison since August 2023 after convictions that his party has termed politically motivated. Since his ouster from office in 2022 through a no-confidence vote, Imran Khan has faced several cases, including allegations involving state gifts and an unlawful marriage case. Imran Khan's health has deteriorated during his prison sentence, drawing criticism from PTI members.

--IANS

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