Latest news with #Pakistani-origin
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Fear in POK village as grooming gang leader faces deportation from UK
Abdul Rauf, a convicted leader of the infamous Rochdale grooming gang, is constructing a new home in his native village of Charhoi in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), even as he continues to live freely in Rochdale, UK, more than a decade after being released early from who was convicted of trafficking and abusing minors, has avoided deportation from the UK by claiming he is stateless. But evidence emerging from his village in POK raises serious questions about that a time when Rauf's dark secrets have come to light, his neighbours in the UK are living in fear of his presence, while people in his village in POK, where he comes from an influential family, are alarmed and unsettled. Now working as a delivery driver, 55-year-old Rauf served just two-and-a-half years of a six-year sentence handed down in 2012 for his role in the grooming and sexual abuse of at least 47 underage girls, some as young as victims were plied with alcohol and drugs before being raped by members of the nine-man gang, which Rauf many such cases, Pakistani-origin grooming gangs in UK towns lured and raped young girls for years, while authorities allegedly ignored reports to avoid offending cultural sensitivities. The shocking cases moved the country and ignited a long campaign for justice, culminating in a recently announced national enquiry into grooming campaign was started by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who in January discussed the negligence in investigations of grooming gangs in the UK."This is insane," Musk posted on CALLS HIMSELF STATELESS, HOME IN UK, POKRauf, originally from Kotli district of POK, had claimed that his renunciation of Pakistani citizenship made him stateless, and thus ineligible for deportation under UK and international the UK-based Daily Mail reported that Rauf has not only maintained links with his native village, but is actively investing in it. He is now paying for the construction of a house near the Charhoi bazaar and reportedly plans to live there if and when he is residents in Charhoi confirmed that Rauf initially allowed his elder brother to live in the under-construction home, but later asked him to vacate it. "His brother lived there for a few months," one resident told The Daily Mail, "but came back to his old home when his children told him to leave Abdul Rauf's house and go back".The same villagers dismissed Rauf's claim that he would be at risk in Pakistan due to public opinion about his resident said: "Locals know about the case, but since his family is influential and financially strong, this topic is not much discussed". That comment contradicts the core of Rauf's legal defence, that returning to Pakistan would put him in danger due to the stigma of his losing an appeal against being stripped of his British nationality in 2018, and further losing his deportation appeal in 2022, Rauf remains in the IN UK SCARED OF LEAVING KIDS: 'DISGUSTING'This is as Pakistan refuses to accept Rauf without valid travel bureaucratic deadlock has allowed Rauf to continue living in the same Rochdale neighbourhood where he once committed his crimes, triggering renewed fear and anger among residents."He has loads of people there, having parties, and we don't like the look of them," Angie Harrison, a local mother of two young daughters said. "My kids used to go around and play with his kids. It's disgusting. What is this country coming to?"Another woman, who lives just a few doors away from Rauf's terraced house, said police told her that he had "done his time" when she demanded they remove him. "Nobody can believe that monster is still here, after what he did to those young girls."advertisementRauf was once a respected member of Rochdale's Muslim community, known for his role as a qari, or Quran reciter. But during the gang's trial, it emerged that he had trafficked a 15-year-old girl in his taxi to isolated spots and to a flat where she was raped by multiple men, including Rauf growing frustration over the UK government's inability to deport foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes has been compounded by revelations that Rauf has received over GBP 2,85,000 in public aid to fund his legal efforts against members of the Rochdale gang are also still in the UK. Adil Khan, 55, continues to live in Rochdale despite also renouncing his Pakistani Aziz, another ringleader, likewise cannot be deported for the same reason. Their continued presence in the community has added to public latest developments come amid criticism of how government agencies have handled grooming gang cases.A recent report by British lawmaker Dame Louise Casey highlighted systemic failures, including attempts to downplay or obscure the ethnic background of many perpetrators in the grooming gangs one instance, the word "Pakistani" had been deliberately "tippexed" (overwritten after use of correction fluid) out of a child sex abuse file, a decision Casey labelled as emblematic of officials "shying away" from uncomfortable truths.- Ends advertisement
India.com
3 days ago
- Business
- India.com
India's actions after Pahalgam terror attack are still hurting Pakistan, Pakistani traders are now...
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif India-Pakistan trade relations: After Pakistan attacked India through a massive terror attack in Pehalgam, India took various actions against Pakistan including banning ships carrying Pakistani-origin cargo from docking at its ports. The move from India has significantly disrupted Pakistan's trade logistics and it has reportedly led to shipping delays of 30–50 days and higher freight and insurance costs. Here are all the details you need to know about how the Indian action is hurting the business of terrorist nation Pakistan. Why Pakistani importers are suffering! As per a report carried by PTI news agency, quoting Dawn newspaper of Pakistan, Pakistani importers said the Indian ban on shipping Pakistan goods has resulted in longer shipping times and higher freight charges, due to which they are facing losses. 'Mother vessels are not coming to Pakistan due to this Indian action, which delays our imports by 30 to 50 days,' said Javed Bilwani, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry also said that the importers are now relying on feeder vessels, which raises costs of their trade. How Indian action is hurting Pakistan The Pakistani newspaper also reported an increase in shipping and insurance costs after the Indian ban on the shipping of Pakistani goods. 'There is no significant impact on exports…, except for a rise in insurance costs. Shipping charges had already gone up even before the escalation,' said Aamir Aziz, an exporter of textile made-ups. Pakistan's exports are heavily reliant on imported inputs for value addition. Why India-Pakistan trade relations went down? Readers should note that the India-Pakistan trade relations soured after the Pulwama terror attack, following which India raised the import duty to 200 per cent on all goods imported from Pakistan. Also, it should be noted that the formal trade relations between two neigbours have remained stalled since 2019. Talking of data, the bilateral trade between the two declined from USD 2.41 billion in 2018 to USD 1.2 billion in 2024. Moreover, India's imports from Pakistan decreased from USD 547.5 million in 2019 to just USD 480,000 in 2024. (With inputs from agencies)
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Of Munir Ali and shaping cricketing lives
Munir Ali breathes cricket. After helping shape the career of his nephew Kabir Ali, who represented England in one Test and 14 ODIs, and then making Moeen Ali the cricketer he was — World Cup winner and an all-format champion — his current pet project is creating internationals out of his four grandsons. The latest source of pride is 17-year-old Isaac Mohammed who scored a 28-ball 42 against the visiting Indian U-19 team on Friday to leave his 70-year-old grandfather chuffed. 'He's [Isaac] is similar to Moeen, the way he plays. I remember he got out a few weeks ago and his father said 'you could have played the right shot.' Isaac replied, 'if that ball had gone for a six you would have said well played'. So that is the attitude.' As rosy and happy as it all seems now, things were tough for Munir in his early days. Born to a Pakistani-origin father and British mother, Munir worked as a male nurse and did odd jobs even as he completed his coaching badges to nurture the next generation's cricketing aspirations. The race barrier was an added hurdle. 'I remember Bishan Singh Bedi, a family friend of ours, saying to Kabir, 'you need to be 20 times better than the white guys'. He also said 'when you're playing in the team, you have to believe that you're the number one. Think like that and everything comes automatically'.' Moeen followed this advice diligently, going on to represent England in 68 Tests, 138 ODIs and 92 T20Is. But Munir felt his son could have finished with better numbers. 'I always ask the question, why did Moeen bat so low (No. 8, 9)? Why couldn't anybody else bat at No. 8? Why the sacrifice? To accommodate others. But he's still very lucky. He scored 3000 Test runs [3094], 200 wickets [204]. He's one of few who've done that.' Munir, who runs the Moeen Ali Cricket Academy here, said that while his son's success had indeed made it better for children with immigrant backgrounds, challenges remained. The racism scandal at Yorkshire involving player Azeem Rafiq is still fresh in memory. Birmingham, in fact, has 31% population with Asian ethnicity. 'To be honest, apart from Worcestershire, there were a lot of other counties with similar things. Yorkshire was very obvious, yes. My home county is Warwickshire and I love it. That's where I do my cricket development. But even Moeen had to leave once, and he developed his game at Worcestershire.' 'So it's been a difficult journey. But it's getting better. Chief Executive [of Warwickshire] Stuart Cain is very good with me and very helpful. I am hoping only the best things happen.'
News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
Pakistani Importers Grapple With Shipping Delays, Cost Surge After India's Cargo Ban
Last Updated: Pakistani exporters have also noted a rise in shipping and insurance costs, though many say the overall impact on exports has so far remained limited India's ban on ships carrying Pakistani goods from anchoring at its ports has disrupted trade routes, leading to higher freight costs and longer delivery times, according to reports. The comprehensive ban, effective from 2 May 2025, was imposed following the Pahalgam terror attack. It blocks both the direct and indirect import or transit of goods originating in, or exported from, Pakistan. As a result, Pakistani importers have reported delays and increased shipping charges, Dawn newspaper reported on Sunday. 'Mother vessels are not coming to Pakistan due to this Indian action, which delays our imports by 30 to 50 days," said Javed Bilwani, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He stated that importers are now relying on smaller feeder vessels, which has driven up costs. Exporters have also noted a rise in shipping and insurance costs, though many say the overall impact on exports has so far remained limited. 'There is no significant impact on exports…, except for a rise in insurance costs. Shipping charges had already gone up even before the escalation," Aamir Aziz, a textile exporter, told the publication. Pakistan's export sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials for value addition. With the Pakistani government already restricting imports to preserve foreign currency reserves, any disruption in the supply chain could have far-reaching effects, Dawn added. Trade ties between India and Pakistan have been tense since the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, after which India raised import duties on Pakistani goods to 200 per cent. Formal trade has largely remained frozen, with bilateral trade shrinking from USD 2.41 billion in 2018 to USD 1.2 billion in 2024. Pakistan's exports to India dropped from USD 547.5 million in 2019 to just USD 480,000 in 2024. Following the new ban, Indian authorities are also cracking down on efforts to bypass the rules. Last week, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 39 containers at Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai. The containers, holding over 1,100 metric tonnes of Pakistani-origin goods worth around Rs 9 crore, had been routed through Dubai and the UAE. The Ministry of Finance confirmed the seizure in an official statement. It said the goods violated India's import regulations, which prohibit both direct and indirect imports from Pakistan. One partner of the importing firm has been arrested in the case. (With inputs from PTI) Location : Pakistan First Published:
India Gazette
6 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
Pakistani goods worth Rs 9 crore seized at Navi Mumbai port; one arrested
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 39 containers carrying 1,115 metric tonnes of Pakistani goods valued at approximately Rs 9 crore at the Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai, officials said. In an operation codenamed 'Operation Deep Manifest', the illegal import of Pakistani-origin goods routed through third countries, primarily via Dubai, UAE, has been busted, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement Thursday. The goods being shipped into India were in blatant violation of import policy conditions and prohibitions imposed by the government on direct or indirect import or transit of Pakistani-origin goods. The finance ministry said one of the partners of an importing firm was arrested on Thursday. Following the Pahalgam terror attacks, the government had imposed a comprehensive ban, effective May 2, 2025, on the direct or indirect import or transit of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan. Previously, such goods were subject to a 200 per cent customs duty. Despite these stringent measures, some importers attempt to bypass the government policy by misdeclaring the origin of goods and by manipulating the related shipping documents, the finance ministry said. 'In two separate cases, these consignments were seized at Nhava Sheva port. The consignments were falsely declared as UAE-origin, masking their Pakistani origin. However, investigations revealed that these goods actually originated from Pakistan and were merely transshipped via Dubai for import into India,' the Ministry of Finance statement read. Investigations revealed that the goods were initially transported from Pakistan to Dubai on one set of containers and vessels, and subsequently transferred to another set of containers and vessels bound for India. Further examination of goods and analysis of documents gathered during investigations conducted so far uncovered cargo movement trails from Karachi port, Pakistan, and transshipments at Jabel Ali port, Dubai - en route to Indian ports. Furthermore, money transfers/financial linkages with Pakistani entities were traced, raising serious concerns about illicit financial flows. 'The entire modus operandi was orchestrated through a complex web of transactions involving Pakistani and UAE nationals, aimed at obscuring the true origin of the goods, namely Pakistan,' the finance ministry added. In the context of 'Operation Sindoor' and the prevailing heightened security environment, the DRI intensified its vigil through augmented intelligence gathering and data analytics to target consignments emanating from Pakistan. (ANI)
