People protest in Karachi over forced marriages, conversions of minor Christian girls

IANS | April 1, 2026 3:23 PM

Islamabad, April 1 (IANS) Christian groups and rights activists staged a protest in Pakistan's Karachi, expressing deep concern over what they described as a rising wave of forced marriages and religious conversions involving minor girls from their community across the country, a leading minority rights group said on Wednesday.

July Charter a continuous act of deception by interim govt: B'desh Home Minister

IANS | April 1, 2026 2:56 PM

Dhaka, April 1 (IANS) Bangladesh's Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed strongly condemned the 'July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, 2025', issued during the previous Muhammad Yunus-led interim government term, terming it an "endless document of deception" and a "national fraud", local media reported.

Pakistan's transgender community highlights discrimination in securing jobs

IANS | April 1, 2026 2:10 PM

Islamabad, April 1 (IANS) Members of the transgender community in Pakistan's Faisalabad have expressed concerns over the discrimination and the non-implementation of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018, especially the failure to implement the three per cent job quota in government and semi-government institutions, local media reported on Wednesday.

Silent revival bid by operatives linked to defunct NJT under close watch in South India

Vicky Nanjappa | April 1, 2026 1:10 PM

New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) The fall of the National Thowheed Jamath (NJT), which masterminded the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka, came as a major relief for the security agencies. The NJT had not only spread its ideology in Sri Lanka, but was active in the southern states, especially in Tamil Nadu. While the NJT remains largely defunct today, the agencies are keeping close tabs on operatives linked to the outfit, prior to its fall.