India ready to cooperate on trade, connectivity: Envoy
India is ready to cooperate with Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states on connectivity and trade given the initiatives take into account the “sovereignty and territorial integrity” of the countries in the group, ambassador VK Gokhale said on Thursday.
“We support enhanced connectivity and unimpeded trade in the SCO region and believe that such initiatives should be pursued in an inclusive and sustainable manner with due respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all members,” he said.
The Indian envoy was speaking at the flag-raising ceremony at the SCO secretariat on Thursday to complete the entry of India and Pakistan into the Beijing-led group. The two countries were admitted to the group at the end of the two-day SCO summit in Astana this month.
India has repeatedly flagged its “sovereignty” concerns with Beijing about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – the flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — passing through PoK.
China has been frequently highlighting the links between SCO with the BRI. India’s concerns could be amplified if there is increasing overlap between Beijing’s focus on BRI and SCO’s agenda. Gokhale also brought up the issue of terrorism and extremism in the region.
“India’s historical and cultural linkages with the region date back several centuries and we enjoy long-standing relations with each of the SCO members. Now as a full member of the SCO, we look forward to further deepening these relations for mutual benefit. We would also like to deepen practical cooperation in our joint fight against terrorism and extremism,” he said.
“With India’s joining, SCO now represents 20% of the world’s GDP, 22% of the world’s area and 42% of the world’s population, Stability and progress of SCP will be beneficial for the region and the world at large,” he added.
In a judgment which has raised eyebrows among the legal fraternity, a local court in Kashmir has given a three-month jail term to a man 12 years after he sodomised a five-year-old boy.
The court found Showkat Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Wurpash in north-eastern district of Kashmir’s Ganderbal, guilty under section 377 of RPC (unnatural sexual offence).
Legal experts, however, said that three months was too less a sentence for this heinous crime, the punishment for which can extend to 10 years in jail.
Senior advocate and general secretary Bar Association, Bashir Sidiq, said the quantum of sentence awarded by the court was very less. “It is a fit case for appeal. The state should file an appeal,” he said.
The judgment was announced last week by chief judicial magistrate Raja Mohammad Tasleem of Ganderbal court. Tasleem also imposed a fine of ₹8,000 on the accused, 75% of which has to be given to the victim.
The case dates back to 2005 when a resident of Ganderbal approached police that his minor son was sexually assaulted by his neighbour Bhat after he took away the boy to a garden on May 15, 2005.
A police spokesman said during the investigation the accused was found involved in the crime following which the case was produced before the court on October 14, 2005.
According to the court judgment, Bhat was caught in the act by another neighbour and victim’s cousin who was working in his garden when he heard a noise.
The doctor, who had examined the boy, also deposed before court that the victim had blood stains on his ‘anal verge and buttocks’.
“On local examination of the victim, there was hematoma with laceration (cut or tear in skin) on left side of the anal verge. The witness being an expert has opined that examination was suggestive of sexual assault,” the CJM’s judgment says.
The prosecution said they are planning to challenge the sentence.