Bringing some hope to the family of Sarabjit Singh, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday assured India that he will consider the case of the Indian prisoner who has been on death row in the country for over 20 years.
"Presently, there are no Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody on fisheries related charges. However, some Indian nationals have been arrested in Sri Lankan waters on charges of smuggling narcotics and contrabands," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said in Rajya Sabha.
An India-Pakistan judicial panel, that visited Lahore's Jinnah Hospital where Sarabjit Singh was under treatment, has recommended that jail authorities "ensure adequate security for all Indian prisoners" to avoid such incidents in future.
Longtime diplomatic observers feel that if Narendra Modi were to become prime minister or even a Cabinet official if the BJP captures power in the next election, there is no way the State Department would refuse him entry into the US, unless Washington wanted to risk the unravelling of the carefully nurtured US-India strategic partnership. Rediff.com's Aziz Haniffa reports from Washington, DC.
Sarabjit, 49, is in the Intensive Care Unit of the state-run Jinnah Hospital in Lahore, where he was admitted on Friday after being brutally beaten with blades and pieces of a ghee tin by at least six other prisoners within his barrack at the Kot Lakhpat Jail.
Indian national Sarabjit Singh, who is in a deep coma, has been put on ventilator support after being assaulted by a group of prisoners in a Pakistani jail. Sarabjit, 49, is in an Intensive Care Unit of the state-run Jinnah Hospital in Lahore. He was admitted to the hospital on Friday after being brutally beaten by at least six other prisoners within his barrack at the Kot Lakhpat Jail.
Alarmed by increasing incidents of Indian firms being cheated by their Chinese counterparts, the Indian embassy here has put out an advisory warning traders from entering into any financial dealings, without doing due diligence first.
No request for asylum has been received from the Hindus who have recently crossed over to India on pilgrimage visas, the government said on Sunday.
Three people were arrested on Thursday following a scuffle with the police outside the Ecuadorean embassy where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has taken refuge to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual offences.
Ecuador has said that it will announce its decision on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's application for asylum later on Thursday, after Britain reportedly threatened to enter the country's embassy in London to arrest him. Ecuador and Britain appeared to have reached a diplomatic impasse over Assange, who has taken refuge in its embassy.
West Bengal celebrated the 66th Independence Day with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hoisting the tricolour at the Indira Gandhi Sarani in a departure from the traditional venue near Writers Buildings since 1948.
To honour victims of the shooting inside a Gurudwara in Wisconsin, US President Barack Obama has ordered that the American flags be flown at half-staff at all the US government buildings and its diplomatic missions overseas till August 10.
To honour victims of the shooting inside a gurudwara in Wisconsin, United States President Barack Obama has ordered that the American flags be flown at half-staff at all the US government buildings and its diplomatic missions overseas till August 10.
Besides Florida and Louisiana, the Houston Consulate provides service to Indian community and businesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas states.
Friday's incident at Herat has dampened somewhat the spirit behind the invitation. It reminds Modi much before he officially becomes prime minister, of the challenge that awaits his government, says Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com
The Bangladesh police have arrested four people in connection with the killing of a Saudi diplomat in Dhaka early this year in what has been described as a case of mugging.
Automatic spending cuts in the US from March 1 could impact the visa processing time by the American missions in countries like India and China, the State Department has said.
Possibility of yet another Mumbai-style attack in India cannot be ruled out and such a threat will arise if the Taliban or Haqqani network succeed in seizing large parts of Southern Afghanistan, a veteran Indian diplomat has said.
India on Wednesday asserted that law of the land rpt law of the land will prevail in the alleged rape case involving a French consulate official and rejected any scope of 'parallel' investigation in the backdrop of reports that France was doing its own investigation into the case.
India and other foreign countries have asked Nigeria to quickly release the bodies of their nationals killed in a plane crash in Lagos that claimed the lives of 153 people on board and an unknown number on the ground.
India and the UK on held their annual foreign office consulations during which they discussed a number of key bilateral issues with focus on trade and visa besides regional matters.
India has given to Pakistan fresh evidence against Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Saeed and asked Islamabad to act against the 26/11 mastermind.
The outreach initiative has been launched in the wake of a directive from the Indian government asking consulates to have regular interaction with Indian nationals to understand their problems and come up with solutions.
'To expect that he has a magic wand to resolve all differences and announce breakthroughs in all issues during his first visit to the US is to be unrealistic,' says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
The White House has outrightly refused to negotiate with Al Qaeda for the release of its citizen, who was kidnapped by the terrorist outfit in Pakistan last year.
The United Nations Security Council has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on Israeli embassy staff in India, saying any acts of terrorism are "criminal and unjustifiable". A statement issued by UNSC President Kodjo Menan of Togo said Council members "condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in New Delhi, India aimed at Israel's diplomatic personnel, which resulted in injuries to diplomatic personnel and civilians."
Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade has moved a federal court here to dismiss the visa fraud case against her, saying there is lack of personal jurisdiction since she had been accorded full diplomatic immunity by the US Department of State.
Controversial Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz, who is at the centre of the memogate scandal was on Thursday issued one-year multiple entry visa for Pakistan.
The United States on Wednesday said employment of domestic workers will now be on agenda for the bilateral talks with India with which it is in conversation to "determine the way forward" in resolving the 14-day-long diplomatic row.
Terming as a "serious blunder" the frisking of former president A P J Abdul Kalam at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport, India on Thursday said it would not accept any violation of rules that permit exception for certain dignitaries of the country.
China on Wednesday dismissed as "untrue" charges that an Indian diplomat was ill-treated at a court in Yiwu when he was trying to secure the release of two Indians kidnapped by Chinese traders and said the police have launched action against five local suspects in the abduction case.
'The Government of India should insist on strong action against those responsible in the instant case while discouraging our media from blowing the incident out of proportion.'
India and Pakistan on Sunday exchanged lists of their nuclear installations and facilities under a two-decade-old pact prohibiting attacks on atomic assets, days after senior officials of the two sides held talks here on nuclear and conventional CBMs.
'One wonders why there is so much outrage about the alleged treatment of the Indian national accused of perpetrating these acts, but precious little outrage about the alleged treatment of the Indian victim and her spouse?' The statement issued by Preet Bharara, the US Attorney, whose office is prosecuting Devyani Khobragade, the Indian diplomat arrested in New York last week.
Islamabad and New Delhi need to learn lessons from Sarabjit Singh's tragic saga and accord importance to evolving a prisoners' policy. And until then there will be many more Sarabjit Singhs as the years roll by, notes Seema Mustafa.
David Tyler, visa chief at the consulate, said the number of applications for tourist, business and education visas had reached the pre-September 2008 level and they were likely to issue 200,000 visas this year.
Britain is pulling out all its diplomats from Iran, a day after its embassy in the country was stormed by protesters who ransacked the compound, evoking outrage worldwide.
Starting December 1, the US Consulate General in Chennai will be the US Mission to India's sole blanket L category visa acceptance and processing centre ("blanket" L visas are issued to managers, executives, or specialised knowledge professionals transferring within their company).
Commerce, Connectivity, Consular and Community -- External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has urged Indian ambassadors in Central Asia to find ways to explore the massive potential that the strategically-important region offers. Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who travelled to Tajikistan with the foreign minister, reports.
It is unconscionable to choose between Sardar Patel, who united India physically, and Indira Gandhi, who gave meaning, content and pride to the unity of the nation and became a martyr at the altar of national unity, says Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
© 2025 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances