Reuters, Karachi
Pakistan’s parliament on Tuesday amended the constitution to reinstate secret military courts that try civilians charged with terrorism offences, something activists have warned will lead to human rights abuses.
The government and Pakistan’s powerful military say the country’s civilian judicial infrastructure is ill-equipped to deal with such cases, partly as judges fear becoming victims of revenge attacks by militants.
China no threat to independence: Lanka
AP, Colombo
Discussions between Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Chinese Defence Minister Gen Chang Wanquan have indicated possible defence-related pacts between the two countries.
Following his meeting with the Chinese minister, President Sirisena said that agreements to be reached with China would ‘not do any harm’ to the independence of the country.
Philippines complains drug war reports hurting tourism
AFP, Bangkok
The Philippines’s tourism secretary urged the media Wednesday to “tone down” coverage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war, complaining that reports on extrajudicial killings were scaring away foreigners. On a trip to Thailand accompanying Duterte, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo insisted the Philippines was a safe destination but said journalists were making the country a hard sell because of their focus on the killings.
China denies building station on shoal
Reuters, Beijing
China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday denied reports that China will begin preparatory work this year for an environmental monitoring station on disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. China seized the shoal, which is northeast of the Spratly islands, in 2012 and denied access to Philippine fishermen.
