Domestic Politics
Bangladesh’s Ex-Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia, who was convicted for corruption, was released from prison on Wednesday. Officials cited her deteriorating health and the urgent need for medical care as the reasons for her release. [Al Jazeera]
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa pardoned and released Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayake, who was sentenced to death for slitting the throats of Tamil civilians, including four children, during the country’s civil war. [Al Jazeera]
Amidst the rising cases of COVID-19 patients in Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with opposition leaders to deliberate on a joint strategy to combat the virus. Imran Khan reportedly logged out of the video conference without listening to the suggestions of other leaders. In protest, Shehbaz Sharif, the opposition leader in the national legislature, and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, chief of Pakistan People’s Party, exited the conference as well. [The Diplomat]
International Relations
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who visited Afghanistan this week to mediate between rival politicians President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, called the negotiations “frustrating”. However, he expressed his intention to continue to convince all the involved parties to bring peace to the region. [Reuters]
In the virtual summit with SAARC leaders held on March 15, India decided to set up an electronic platform to assist members in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. This platform will be used to exchange information, knowledge, expertise, and best practices to jointly combat the outbreak. [The Hindu]
Health
In an attempt to contain the spread of the Covid-19, Afghani officials announced the release of 10,000 prisoners aged above 55. They clarified that the released prisoners will not include members of Islamist militant groups such as the Islamic State or the Taliban. [Reuters]
94,000 migrant workers returned to the Indian state of Punjab from Covid-19 hotspots including the US, UK, Spain, and Italy. Punjab’s Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh, expressed concern about the returnees failing to take adequate precautions and possibly causing the disease to spread further. [South China Morning Post]
Society
Healthcare professionals in India’s capital city, New Delhi, complain of ostracisation and discrimination due to fears that they may be Covid-19 positive. Many were forced to vacate their rented homes by landlords and homeowners. [CNN]
Image Source: The Economist
South Asia in Review: March 27, 2020
Read more about the latest events from South Asia.
March 27, 2020
