Afghan Sikh Community Leaders in Britain urging UK, Dutch and all European Governments to stop deportation of all Afghans – Sikhs, Hindus & Muslims.

An emergency crises appeal made live from Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar, Southall in West London on the UK based satellite TV station Sikh Channel has resulted in putting the extradition of a family to Afghanistan on hold.

Fantastic News – Joint action by Afghan family, all Dutch and UK Sikh Institutions. and of course by Waheguru’s grace, the deportation an Afghan Sikh family (mother (36), daughter (19), son (13) and daughter (9) to Afghanistan has been stopped temporarily. We were informed late Friday afternoon, 22 June 2012 that this Sikh family would be deported on 25 June 2012 at 11.30 am. Through this joint effort, Ardas of Sangat and Media attention, we have prevented a humanitarian disaster and crisis as the Judge ruled Monday morning that the eviction had to be put on hold for the time being.

Fantastisch Nieuws – Gezamenlijke inzet van Afghaanse familieleden en Sikh organisaties uit Nederland en het Verenigd Koninkrijk. Ook met name door Waheguru’s gratie is de uitzetting van een Afghaanse Sikh familie (moeder (36), dochter (19), zoon (13) en dochter (9)) voorkomen. Vrijagmiddag (22 June 2012) laat werden wij geconfronteerd met het feit dat deze familie op 25 June 2012 om 11.30 uur zou worden uitgezet. Door deze gezamenlijke inzet, Ardas van Sangat en Media aandacht, hebben wij een humanitaire ramp en crisis voorkomen – doordat de rechter op Maandag heeft geoordeeld dat de uitzetting tijdelijk moet worden opgeschort.

Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar
Afghan Ekta Cultural Religious/Community Centre
65-75 King Street Southall,UK
UB2 4DQ United Kingdom
www.gurunanakdarbar.org.uk

Let us all lobby our MPs and MEPs together with all NGOs to put our case forward. Afghanistan remains unstable as just last week a bomb was exploded in the capital Kabul.

News Source: Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/22/taliban-attack-kabul-lake-resort

The Tribune – Three countries come together to check immigration fraud

Prabhjot Singh, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 26. To fight “fraudulent immigration”, Canada, the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia today cautioned prospective visitors and immigrants against falling a prey to unscrupulous immigration agents.

“All three governments are united in combating immigration fraud,” Sidney Frank, Minister, Immigration, Canadian High Commission, announced here today. He was accompanied by Thomas Greig, Regional Director, K Border Agency, and Jose Alvarez, Minister-Counsellor, Immigration, Australian High Commission, New Delhi. Also present was Canadian Consul-General of Canada in Chandigarh Scot Slessor.

Maintaining that they had been involved in a number of efforts to crack down on unscrupulous immigration agents, the visiting officials said the purpose was not to reveal names or number of attempted frauds, but to create awareness among prospective immigrants.

“They need not go to agents as websites of our countries provide the necessary information they need to file their applications for visas. “Ultimately, it is the unsuspecting applicants who suffer besides facing criminal action and ban on immigration up to 10 years.” They said that unscrupulous agents travelled to villages promising fast-track approval for visas abroad. “What they promise is too good to be true and as such prospective applicants should avoid being duped.”

They said that prospective applicants should not believe that “forged” documents were acceptable and that the decision of the visa officer could be influenced with money or other pressures.

“Many people are being cheated with job offers overseas that do not exist. Stop and think before your hand over your money, passport and personal details. If the job offers sounds too good to be true, it could be a scam.

“Crooked immigration agents often advise applicants to provide fake documentation or enter into marriages of convenience,” said Sidney Frank. “Don’t be fooled.Your investment will be lost, you will be caught and will be denied entry to Canada.”

“We welcome genuine visitors, students and workers. We will not tolerate abuse of our immigration systems and have a zero tolerance to fraud,” said Thomas Greig. “I strongly advise anyone who wants a visa for the UK not to listen to agents who offer to sell forged documents and say that they can guarantee a visa. We have very effective processes for detecting fraud and work with our international partners and Indian authorities to do so.

“On uncovering a fraud, including false education and language certificates, the visa is refused and the applicant faces a 10-year ban on travelling to the UK as well as possible action by the Indian authorities,” Greig said.

“Fraud is a criminal offence in Australia and can lead to severe penalties for those involved. But ultimately the responsibility for a visa application lies with the applicant,” said Jose Alvarez.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120627/punjab.htm#3

The Tribune – Despite debt, things not that bad: Dhindsa

Sarbjit Dhaliwal, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 26. Admitting that the state was caught in a debt trap, Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa today said: “The situation is not as bad as is being projected by the Opposition. The state economy is better than what it was during the Congress Government from 2002-2007,” he said.

Dhindsa said he did not hidden facts about the state economy and there was a clear mention of all issues in the Budget speech. The revenue and fiscal deficit had increased because of certain factors, including payment of arrears to employees and revision of pay scales.

He said the committed expenditure, which was about 89 per cent of the total revenue receipts, would be brought down to 80 per cent by the end of the current fiscal year. Explaining the differences in figures in the Budget and during the preparation of the Annual Plan, he said the actual figures on the expenditure on the salary of employees was not available at the time of preparing the Annual Plan.

Dhindsa said that the Budget was development-oriented and it would give a new direction to the state economy. “We hope to make a breakthrough in the field of diversification in the farm sector”, he said. He said that figures presented by former Finance Minster Lal Singh regarding the debt burden on PSUs were not correct.

Supporting the Budget proposals Justice Nirmal Singh, Akali MLA from Bassi Pathana, said it was a Budget with foresight.

Adequate provisions had been made for welfare schemes. There was a provision for incentives to improve attendance of girl students in schools.

Provisions had been made to give a boost to agro industries that would generate employment in rural areas. Justice Nirmal Singh said the SAD-BJP government had kept crores of rupees in the Budget to promote sports. Several stadiums were under construction. It was highly appreciable that there was a special focus on youth.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120627/punjab.htm#11

The Hindu – Pakistan press council member sets up panel for Sarabjit release

Acting on a request by Press Council of India (PCI) Chairman Justice Markandey Katju, a member of the Pakistani Press Council has begun efforts to set up a committee and start a movement for the release of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh.

In a letter written to Justice Katju on Thursday, Pakistan Press Council member Syed Faseih Iqbal said that convinced by Justice Katju’s viewpoint he had written to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan about launching a movement for Sarabjit’s release.

“I have noted your standpoint on Sarabjit Singh’s imprisonment and agree with your observation that people on both sides of the border generally land in trouble due to their country of origin, not an original fault of theirs,” Mr. Iqbal said.

“I have therefore personally written to Mr I A Rehman, Secretary General of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, for his immediate consideration to the possibility of setting up the Committee and launching a movement for release of Sarabjit Singh,” he added.

Mr. Iqbal said that he had written to the Pakistani Human Rights Commission as he felt that human rights organisations active in Pakistan can be more effective in this regard.

Mr. Iqbal expressed hope that concerted efforts would lead to the release of Sarabjit Singh, other similar prisoners on both sides of the border, and also resolve other humanitarian problems between the two countries.

Earlier, Justice Katju had in a letter to Iqbal said that he had reservations about the judgement convicting Sarabjit Singh as the main witness Shaukat Salim had retracted his statement and said it was given under police pressure.

“In my opinion what went against him (Sarabjit) was that he was an Indian, just as what went against Dr Chishty was that he was a Pakistani. I request you to set up a Free Sarabjit Singh Committee and start a campaign for his release,” Justice Katju had written. (PTI)

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3331990.ece

Vilvoorde Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan, 20 May 2012

Vilvoorde, Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Panj Piaré

Vilvoorde, Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji
The Nagar Kirtan on its way to Heldenplein

Vilvoorde, Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Vilvoorde, Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Following the Palki Sahib

Vilvoorde, Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Gurdwara Guru Nanak Dev Ji
14 Lange Molen Straat
B-1800 Vilvoorde (Vlaams-Brabant)
Vilvoorde is just north of Brussel and near to Brussel Airport

To see more Belgium and Netherlands gurdwara pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622147381380/

More Belgium pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Krishna-Khar talks put off

Ashok Tuteja, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 26. The talks between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, which were to be held in Islamabad in mid-July, have been postponed. However, the development has nothing to do with the arrest of Syed Zabiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal, one the key plotters of the Mumbai attack.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna was scheduled to travel to Pakistan on July 17-18 to review the progress in the second round of the dialogue process with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar.

According to MEA spokesman Syed Akbaruddin, the two sides were now looking at the possibility of holding the meeting between the foreign ministers sometime in August.

Meanwhile, the foreign secretaries of the two countries would meet in New Delhi on July 4-5 to prepare the ground for the talks between the foreign ministers. Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani will discuss issues like peace and security, including confidence-building measures, Jammu and Kashmir and promotion of friendly exchanges.

Since the talks between the two diplomats will take place days after the arrest of Jundal, India is expected to raise the issue at the meeting and reiterate its demand that Pakistan bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage.

On the postponement of the talks between the foreign ministers, the MEA spokesperson said: ”This is purely a scheduling issue…please don’t mix it with the substance of the relationship.”

He said Krishna’s visit was indeed planned in mid-July but other developments had intervened since then. In this connection, he referred to the presidential election in India on July 19, followed by the monsoon session of Parliament, likely to begin on July 26. ”With these considerations in mind, we are looking at dates sometime in August.”

The political events in Pakistan last week when Yousuf Raza Gilani was disqualified as the country’s Prime Minister by the Supreme Court and the election of his successor, also appear to have influenced the decision to postpone Krishna’s visit.

On the arrest of the Jundal, Akbaruddin said the credit for the achievement could not go to any particular agency but the country as a whole. On reports that the MEA was almost in the dark until yesterday about the arrest of the Mumbai attack plotter, he said ”these are matters of a sensitive nature which could not be discussed in public domain.”

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120627/main3.htm

BBC News – Pakistan clarifies name of death row Indian

Wednesday 27 June 2012. Pakistan has clarified that it will free another Indian prisoner and not Sarabjit Singh as reported by newspapers and campaigners.

Early reports said that Sarabjit Singh – on death row in Pakistan for more than 21 years for spying and carrying out bomb attacks – would be released.

The announcement sparked celebrations at Mr Singh’s home in India.

Hours later Pakistan said that another prisoner called Surjeet Singh would be freed.

Reports on Tuesday evening said the Pakistani law minister had ordered the release of Sarabjit Singh, who was sentenced for four bomb attacks that killed 14 people in the Lahore and Faisalabad in 1990.

He has always denied carrying out the bombings.

The Indian government has repeatedly asked Pakistan for him to be pardoned on humanitarian grounds.

The length of his time in prison – much of it in solitary confinement – meant that his case has received much coverage in the Indian and Pakistani press.

Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper had quoted Law Minister Farooq Naek as saying that Mr Singh’s death sentence had been commuted to life imprisonment by President Asif Ali Zardari.

‘Confusion’

But later Pakistani presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babbar told the Press Trust of India news agency there was “some confusion”.

“First, it is not a case of pardon. More importantly, it is not Sarabjit. It is Surjeet Singh. His death sentence was commuted in 1989 by President [Ghulam] Ishaq [Khan] on the advice of [former prime minister] Benazir Bhutto,” Mr Babbar said.

Surjeet Singh has been imprisoned in Lahore for over 30 years on charges of espionage, reports say.

Pakistan’s law minister had conveyed to the government that Surjeet Singh had completed his life term and ought to be released and sent back to India, Mr Babbar said.

“Keeping him in jail any longer will be illegal confinement,” he added.

Pakistan and India frequently arrest each other’s citizens, often accusing them of being spies after they have strayed across the land or maritime border.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18595839