Latest news with #ZakirHussain
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Cannabis-addicted Hamas supporter is jailed for saying Jews should be burnt less than a month after October 7 attacks that killed more than 1,000 Israelis
A Hamas supporter with a £600 a week cannabis habit has been jailed for nearly six years after he called for Jews to be 'burnt alive'. Zakir Hussain, 29, took to social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, to write a spate of anti-semitic posts over the three-month period. The posts followed the rise in tensions between Israel and Palestine which has seen significant protesting in London. Hussain first posted on X on 3 November 2023, less than a month after the 7 October attack by Hamas which saw over 1,000 Israelis killed. He said: 'Hezbullah come quick finish them like rodents.' Later that month Hussain said '7 October was a beautiful day, Jews stop hiding.' On 25 December 2023, he wrote: 'October 7 was a beautiful day', 'In the UK, we are hunting them for fun' and 'Go on Hamas, finish them and maybe we can find the beheaded urine babies.' The posting continued into January 2024, where Hussain said on 5 January: 'I'm in London, any Jew out there come out and stand up for your religion.' Four days later he posted: 'Wish it was more in that festival slaughter them IDK terrorists, burn them alive' in reference to the 7 October attack. 'He also wrote 'Long live Hamas, Hezbollah' and 'Hamas, Houthi, Hezbollah finish these little rats.' His final post came on 10 January when he said: 'Burn them alive, no religion can abuse children the way they do.' Hussain admitted four counts of expressing support for a proscribed organisation and seven counts of stirring up racial hatred between 3 November 2023 and 10 January 2024. Judge Anthony Leonard, KC said: 'On 14 September 2023, you created an account on your social media platform now known as X on a username which could not be connected to you but which included a 9/11 reference.' The judge said a pre-sentence report revealed Hussain was spending £600 a week on cannabis at the time of the offences. Hussain refused to give his PIN to police but once they got into his phone, they found still images 'indicative of a mindset that was supportive of Hamas.' 'You are not being punished for your sympathy but for what your posts may have garnered support for a proscribed organisation,' the judge continued. Hussain believed 9/11 was a planned attack and that the US government knew about and allowed it to happen, the court heard. Judge Leonard told Hussain he had 'focused on hate speech instead of educating yourself.' Hussain, who had a previous conviction for robbery in 2012, was jailed for five years and eight months, with an extended period on licence of three years. Wearing a green t-shirt, he waved to the public gallery as he was led to the cells. Hussain, of no fixed address, admitted four counts of expressing support for a proscribed organisation and seven counts of stirring up racial hatred between 3 November 2023 and 10 January 2024.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Drug-addict Hamas supporter called for Jews to be ‘burnt alive'
A Hamas supporter with a £600-a-week cannabis habit has been jailed after calling for Jews to be 'burnt alive'. Zakir Hussain, 29, used the social media site X to write a spate of anti-Semitic posts over a three-month period. Hussain first posted on November 3 2023, less than a month after the Oct 7 Hamas attacks in which more than 1,000 Israelis were killed. He wrote: 'Hezbullah come quick finish them like rodents.' Later that month, Hussain wrote: '7 October was a beautiful day, Jews stop hiding.' On December 25 2023, he commented: 'October 7 was a beautiful day', 'In the UK, we are hunting them for fun' and 'Go on Hamas, finish them and maybe we can find the beheaded urine babies'. The posting continued into January last year, when Hussain wrote on January 5: 'I'm in London, any Jew out there come out and stand up for your religion.' Four days later he posted: 'Wish it was more in that festival slaughter them IDK terrorists, burn them alive' in reference to the Oct 7 attack. He also wrote: 'Long live Hamas, Hezbollah' and ' Hamas, Houthi, Hezbollah finish these little rats.' 'Burn them alive' His final post came on Jan 10, when he wrote: 'Burn them alive, no religion can abuse children the way they do.' Hussain, of no fixed address, admitted four counts of expressing support for a proscribed organisation and seven counts of stirring up racial hatred between November 3 2023 and January 10 last year. He was jailed for five years and eight months, with an extended period on licence of three years. Judge Anthony Leonard KC said a pre-sentence report revealed Hussain was spending £600 a week on cannabis at the time of the offences. Hussain refused to give his PIN to police but, once they got into his phone, they found still images 'indicative of a mindset that was supportive of Hamas'. 'You are not being punished for your sympathy but for what your posts may have garnered in support for a proscribed organisation,' the judge said. Hussain believed 9/11 was a planned attack that the US government knew about and allowed to happen, the court heard. Judge Leonard told Hussain he had 'focused on hate speech instead of educating yourself'. Hussain, wearing a green T-shirt, waved to the public gallery as he was led to the cells.
Arab News
22-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Cherry festival in northern Pakistan draws crowds amid growing exports to China
SKARDU, Gilgit-Baltistan: As Pakistan begins to export cherries to neighboring China, a colorful one-day festival in Skardu this week drew hundreds of visitors, highlighting the potential of agri-tourism and cherry farming in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region, officials and growers said. Home to the Khunjerab Pass — the highest paved international border crossing in the world — GB is often described as Pakistan's gateway to China. The region's cold climate is ideal for growing high-quality fruits such as cherries, apricots and apples. 'This is the 5th National Cherry Festival, and we are organizing Agri-Mela as part of the festival,' Zakir Hussain, deputy director at the GB agriculture department, told Arab News on Friday. 'The aim of this festival is to introduce cherry as a cash crop.' He said the event, organized in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan, aimed to raise awareness about harvesting, marketing and the economic importance of cherries. According to the GB agriculture department, the region produces 8,000 to 9,000 tons of cherries annually, with dried cherry marketing now also underway. 'Almost 3,000 tons of cherries had been exported to China in 2024,' Hussain said, adding that GB was the leading cherry-producing region in Pakistan. Local farmers say the festival boosts their income and visibility. 'We have been growing cherries for the last 12 to 13 years and we have 200 to 300 cherry trees in our orchard,' said Skinder Ali, a 40-year-old farmer. 'Whenever the festival is held in Gilgit-Baltistan, we participate. And due to this event, we get access to the market at the national level.' The festival also attracted tourists from other parts of the country. 'We especially came to Skardu to see the cherries, and we are from Islamabad,' Zohra Begum, a 52-year-old visitor, said. 'We have been visiting [the stalls] for the last hour... The taste of cherries is very good ... So far we have purchased 10 kilograms. Let's see how much we purchase later.' 'I am a traveler and biker from Lahore,' said Mohsin Abbas, another tourist. 'We were in Shigar last night when we came to know about the festival. So we came here... We have tasted the cherries and they are very delicious.' Ghulamullah Saqib, an agriculture expert and trainer, said the region's climate is well suited for cherries, which require 800 to 1,000 chilling hours to bear fruit. 'There are 14 varieties of cherry that are found in Gilgit-Baltistan,' he added.
Hans India
12-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Cybersecurity Becomes a Priority for Businesses Amid Rising Global Uncertainty
Cyberattacks tend to surge during periods of global instability, from political unrest to economic slowdowns. Amid this situation, Mr. Zakir Hussain Rangwala, CEO of BD Software Distribution Pvt. Ltd., has shared his insights with The Hans India on how organisations can navigate these challenges. He emphasised that now more than ever, businesses must prioritise cyber resilience to safeguard their operations and data from increasingly sophisticated threats. Mr. Zakir Hussain Rangwala CEO- BD Software Distribution Pvt. Ltd. As per Mr Zakir Hussain, these situations give cybercriminals and advanced threat groups more opportunities to target vulnerable organisations. Businesses across all sectors and sizes face increased risk, even if they are not directly involved in these external events. Cyber attackers take advantage of such instability to launch well-planned and aggressive campaigns. These include ransomware, phishing, data breaches, and supply chain attacks. Their goals may vary—ranging from financial gain and data theft to causing operational disruptions—but the results are often serious: data loss, downtime, reputational damage, and financial impact. Organisations with limited cybersecurity measures are particularly vulnerable, but even well-protected companies can be at risk through third-party vendors or remote teams. This makes it more important than ever for businesses to take a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity. To stay secure in this challenging environment, businesses need to be proactive and build strong cyber resilience. Start by using advanced security tools such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Extended Detection and Response (XDR), and threat intelligence platforms to quickly identify and respond to threats. Adopting a Zero Trust model helps reduce access-related risks by continuously verifying users and devices. Regular security checks and patch management are also key to closing potential vulnerabilities. Training employees to identify phishing and follow safe online practices plays a crucial role. In addition, organisations should maintain secure, frequently tested data backups to support fast recovery if an incident occurs. Finally, having a clear and tested incident response plan ensures that operations can be restored quickly and efficiently. As a trusted value-added distributor, BD Soft supports businesses with the tools and expertise needed to stay protected during uncertain times. With a wide portfolio of global cybersecurity solutions, fast deployment support, and expert guidance, BD Soft helps organizations strengthen their defences and maintain business continuity—regardless of external challenges.
New Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
The four-day India-Pakistan crisis and why civilian safety can't remain an afterthought
At the crack of dawn on May 10, Zakir Hussain had just one prayer on his lips -- that he be able to rescue his young children from the intense Pakistani shelling targeting his village of KheriKeran. Located in the Bantalab area, approximately fourteen kilometres from the Kanachak sector of the India-Pakistan international border, KheriKeran falls in one of the transitional zones where the international border begins to give way to the Line of Control. Zakir's home was among those hit as over thirty shells rained down on the village, which lies deep in the interiors. The 45-year-old sadly would go on to become one of at least twenty-one civilians killed in the cross-border shelling, with most casualties reported south of the Pir Panjal range. The escalation followed the launch of Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory military campaign initiated by India in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of twenty-six civilians. The intensity of the shelling was not confined to forward posts. In the interior region of Surankote in Poonch district, around 25 kilometres from the LoC, Pakistani shelling reached unprecedented levels. Residential buildings sustained significant damage and civilian injuries rose. Among the wounded was a young girl with a fractured rib caused by shrapnel. Even more heart-wrenching was the story emerging from Kulani village in Poonch near the Line of Control, largely ignored by national media. There, a young couple mourned the loss of their 12-year-old twins, Zoya and Zain, who were killed in the shelling on May 10. These accounts reflected the unseen and underreported dimensions of the current crisis. While strategic analysts and political commentators focus on military maneuvers, international posturing and diplomatic fallout, the human toll has been dangerously overlooked. In the wider discourse on the India-Pakistan military confrontation, these ground-level tragedies deserve far more attention. A clinical, dispassionate bottom-up assessment of the four-day crisis is essential, not merely to understand the operational dynamics or strategic calculus, but to reflect on the lived experiences of border residents. Their stories must be central to any credible evaluation of the conflict, lest policy be shaped by distortion, political expediency, or selective empathy. Poonch bore the brunt again First, the toll of at least fifteen civilian deaths in Poonch during the recent India-Pakistan military escalation raises urgent and uncomfortable questions. No other region experienced casualties on this scale. Poonch town, a historical settlement nestled along the Line of Control (LoC), has once again borne the brunt of cross-border hostilities. Historically, Poonch was a princely state (or jagir) under the suzerainty of the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. Though subordinate to the Dogra rulers, it enjoyed a notable degree of internal autonomy. Its strategic location rendered it geopolitically significant. In 1947, with the first India-Pakistan war, the state of Poonch was bisected by the newly-drawn ceasefire line, which would later become the LoC. Since then, the town has remained one of the most vulnerable civilian centers in any India-Pakistan military flare-up, both for its geography and its tragic geopolitical inheritance. Anyone familiar with Jammu and Kashmir's topography and the cycles of crisis knows that Poonch is among the worst exposed. Sitting in a low-lying bowl, surrounded by Pakistan-held heights, the town is perilously positioned. Having observed intermittent border tensions for over four-decades, I was nevertheless struck by the sheer absence of civil preparedness this time. If retaliation, such as Operation Sindoor, was on the table, why weren't defensive precautions in place? Why were no functioning civilian bunkers available? Why was civil defence not preemptively activated? Locals are asking these very questions, and rightly so. A crisis of this magnitude demands more than military precision. It demands comprehensive protection for civilian populations who are routinely caught in the crossfire. The failure to implement even the most basic protective measures reflects a chronic governance gap: an inability to map known vulnerabilities and build resilience along the LoC.
