Pakistan serves beef to Nepal earthquake survivors

April 30, 2015

Kathmandu, Apr 30: After experiencing major devastation and loss of lives in the April 25 earthquake, Nepal is left with an unsavoury taste in the mouth when it received packets of 'beef masala' as part of the relief package from Pakistan.

Since the majority-Hindu country treats cows as sacred and there is a blanket ban on slaughtering the animal, the development has the potential of triggering diplomatic acrimony between the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries.

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Indian doctors at Kathmandu's Bir Hospital told Mail Today that packets of 'beef masala' were sent by Pakistan on Tuesday as part of relief aid to the temblor survivors. These doctors - drawn from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) - are members of a 34-member medical team sent to Nepal for treating the survivors.

"When we reached the airport to collect the food items from Pakistan, we found packets of ready-to-eat meals, including packets of 'beef masala'. There were other food items too," Dr Balwinder Singh told Mail Today.

Perplexed, the doctors chose to have food from a hotel instead. "We did not touch the Pakistani aid," Dr Singh said.

"Most of the local people are not aware of the contents. When they understand, they avoid it," said another doctor on the condition of anonymity. He added: "Pakistan has hurt Nepal's religious sentiments by supplying the masala. Shockingly, it did not care about the sensitivity of the matter."

Exclusive photographs of the 'beef masala' packets supplied to Nepal are with Mail Today.

These pictures clearly show that the place of origin of these packets was Nowshera Cantt in Pakistan. These packets also prominently mention that these are not for sale and the contents include 'potato bhujia' and 'beef masala' (see photograph, right).

A top Nepal government official said: "The matter has been conveyed to Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and the intelligence chief. We are also starting an internal inquiry to verify the facts. If the report is correct, we will raise the matter at the diplomatic level with Pakistan. India, being our key partner, will also be informed of the developments."

Tasneem Aslam, spokesperson for Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs, told Mail Today: "I am not aware of the issue... I am not responsible for the dispatch. The relief aid is sent by the National Disaster Management Authority."

A press note uploaded on the website of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan (http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/), states: "(The) National Disaster Management Authority has dispatched the second of two sorties of C-130 aircrafts on April 28 in collaboration with Pakistan Army, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan Air Force. The relief goods include 250 tents, 200 food packs (2.6 tonne), 1,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), 1,000 blankets and 33 cartons of medicines. These relief goods have been provided from NDMA stocks...."

The food items have been manufactured by PANA Force Foods. The consignment was supplied after receiving orders from Pakistan's NDMA.

"PANA Force food processing centre aims at providing quality goods at affordable prices. Currently, the company is supplying two brands of products to Pakistan Army commonly known as Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) and Emergency Pack Ration (EP Ration or high-energy biscuits) whereas a plant for the production of dehydrated vegetables and fruits is under construction," the official website of PANA Force Foods mentions.

The website also states that the processing centre provides food to civil population during natural calamities, like earthquakes and floods.

According to Hindu belief, eating beef is a religious offence since cow is a sacred animal and treated on a par with one's mother.

In Nepal - for long the world's only Hindu state - the first royal order officially prohibiting cow slaughter stated that the punishments for the crime were death and confiscation of all property of the offender.

The first Civil Code of Nepal, the Muluki Ain of 1854, stated: "This kingdom is the only kingdom in the world where cows, women, and Brahmins may not be killed." It trumpeted Nepal as the 'purest Hindu kingdom' and simultaneously signaled to Nepalese citizens that Hindu religious creeds would be the law of the land.

But an amendment in 1990 to the Civil Code made cow slaughter punishable by 12 years in prison.

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News Network
April 20,2020

Mangaluru, Apr 20: Dakshina Kannada police have warned of stringent legal action against people who share photos of the coronavirus victims in the district and other patients on social websites.

District superintendent of police B M Laxmi Prasad in a release, warned the people that strict legal action will be taken against those who flout rules.

Police have noted that a picture of one of the COVID-19 victims in the area is being shared on social media.

Providing any information about coronavirus-infected patients or victims publicly is a punishable offence, he said.

The police are putting together information about the people who shared the photo and other information about the COVID-19 in the district and have initiated legal action.

A 50-year old woman from Bantwal had died of Covid-19 at the Wenlock hospital here on Sunday.

She is the first coronavirus victim in the district.

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News Network
July 17,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 17: The Karnataka State Board of AUQAF has ordered that management committees at Muslim Khabarastans, shall not refuse burial to Muslims died due to COVID-19.

"...in exercise the powers conferred under Waqf Act 1995, it is hereby ordered that management Committees/Muthawallies/Administrators responsible for the management of Muslim Khabarastans in the state of Karnataka irrespective of registered or unregistered in the Waqf, shall not refuse the burial of Muslims died due to COVID-19 pandemic," read an order from the Karnataka State Board of AUQAF on Thursday.

"They shall co-operate with all the Nodal Officers designated for this purpose regarding the decent burial. Non co-operation or refusal on the part of the management will be construed as an insult committed to the deceased. Any violation of the above order will attract the punitive provision of Indian Penal Code and removal from the management as per the provisions of the Waqf Act 1995," the order read.

It further said that the Waqf Officers, District Wakf Advisory Committees of the state, shall ensure the adherence of this order, and circulate the same to all the Khabarastan managements, registered or unregistered in the state.

"No further deliberation in this regard is solicited except compliance of the order in letter and spirit. Any dereliction in this regard will be viewed seriously," it read.

Giving a background on the issue of burial of COVID-19 deceased, the order read, "It is observed that, number of deaths are being occurred in various Districts of Karnataka, due to COVID-19 pandemic and it is reported that, some of the management committees of Khabarastan, are not cooperating to bury the dead bodies of COVID-19."

"A decent burial is a right of the dead person" as per the law of the land and the Islamic jurisprudence. It is needless to emphasize the importance of burial of Muslim dead bodies in Shariah. The dead body of a Muslim is treated with the utmost respect by the Ummah, joining in the funeral (Tadfeen), participating in the Namaz-e-Janaza and the burial are considered as Farz-e-Kifaya in Muslim law. According to the tradition of Islam, the person who participates in the funeral is entitled to Mountain sized reward (Sawaab)," the order read.

As per the order, the board, in its earlier circular had also cautioned the management of Waqf institutions and Khabarastan which were reluctant to allow the decent burial in the Khabarastan would be punished under the provisions of Indian Penal Code and the punitive provisions of the Waqf Act 1995 as well.

"The District Magistrates and the Superintendent of Police in the districts have been requested to prosecute the erring management committees who are responsible for non co-operation in this regard. Hence, the following order," it added.

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News Network
March 26,2020

New Delhi, Mar 26: While the humans are on lockdown and spending time with their families, animals are free and without any fear roaming around on the otherwise busy roads. From Malabar civets to large Indian bisons, animals are enjoying this time.

Indian Forest Officer Susanta Nanda recently shared a video with the caption, "Indian bison( the gaur) goes for a street walk. The largest extant Bovine, is native to South and Southeast Asia. It can be very aggressive. Rare to see in markets."

The 8-second video shows the large animal freely walking in the market area of Chikmagalur district, Karnataka, while the few onlookers on the road get aside and watch the Bison with utmost amazement.

The videos of animals having a gala time on the roads have become common. After the video was posted online, it became a hit. The clip garnered over 3.1k views and over 100 retweets.

Twitter is amazed at the video. Have a look at the comments.

One user wrote, "Oh! We should vacate this place for them. Guess humans have stayed for too long."

Another Twitter user wrote, "That’s one thing people would follow social distancing with!"

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