President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has directed his administration to increase tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium imports by an additional 25%, raising the total duty to 50%.
Trump stated that the tariff hike was in response to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decision to impose a 25% tax on electricity exports to the U.S.—a move that itself was a reaction to Trump’s initial 25% tariffs on Canadian imports.
The new tariffs will take effect Wednesday morning, according to a Truth Social post in which Trump also reiterated his call for Canada to become the “Fifty-First State” of the U.S.
“Due to Ontario, Canada, placing a 25% tariff on ‘Electricity’ entering the United States, I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to impose an ADDITIONAL 25% tariff, bringing it to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS IN THE WORLD,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday morning.
“This will take effect TOMORROW MORNING, March 12th,” he added.
Following the announcement, the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw extended losses, dropping over 500 points, while the S&P 500 declined 0.8% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.4%.
After the unceremonious ouster of Sheikh Hasina from the helm of power in Bangladesh, the country taken over by Islamists was set to witness a coup by the Bangladesh military with the backing of Pakistan’s ISI.
As per an IndiaTodayreport, a senior Bangladeshi army official has been put under surveillance for trying to stage a coup in the army. Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman issued the order after receiving information that Lieutenant General Faizur Rahman, a Quarter Master General (QMG), was planning to replace him.
The move comes after the Chief’s secretariat was informed that meetings were being held without his knowledge under the leadership of Lt Gen Faizur Rahman, a notorious Jamaat sympathiser. The meetings with divisional commanders were convened to rally support against the acting Chief of the Bangladesh Army. However, he could not garner enough support.
Lt Gen Faizur Rahman convened a meeting of key divisional commanders (GOCs) in the first week of March, however, the Army Chief’s secretariat somehow learnt about the meeting and issued a warning to the top authorities. Following that, top officials withdrew from the meeting.
In January and February 2025, Lt General Faizur Rahman met with Jamaat leaders and Pakistani diplomats. When the Bangladesh Army Chief found out about these meetings, he grew concerned and placed him under surveillance.
Among those involved in the coup conspiracy are 10 general officers commanding (GOC)— Major General Mir Mushfiqur Rahman, who is currently the GOC of the 24th Infantry Division and area commander of Chittagong and wants to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. Major General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Tariq, GOC of the 33rd Infantry Division and area commander of Comilla Bangladesh also supported the “Jamaati General”.
Other alleged conspirators are Major General Hussain Muhammad Masihur Rahman, GOC of the 19th Infantry Division and area commander of Ghatail; Major General Mohammad Kamrul Hasan, GOC of the 66th Infantry Division and area commander of Rangpur; Major General Mohammad Asadullah Minhajul Alam, GOC of the 10th Infantry Division and area commander of Cox’s Bazar and Major General ASM Ridwanur Rahman, GOC of 10th the Infantry Division and area commander of Jalalabad, Major General Jahangir Mahmudullah Emdadul Islam, GOC of the 7th Infantry Division and area commander of Barisal; Major General Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, GOC of the 11th Infantry Division and area commander of Bogura, Major General SM Kamal Hossain.
Meanwhile, reports are coming in that former Bangladeshi army chief Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan and Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq alongside retired Lt generals Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy and Ehteshamul Haque and former brigadier general Shamim Kamal are planning to launch a new political party with the backing of anti-Waqar army personnel and the anti-Hindu Islamist outfit Jamaat-e-Islami.
On 11th March, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi ordered the city police to file a First Information Report (FIR) against former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and others in a case involving the misappropriation of public funds. The police have been given until 18th March by the court to produce a compliance report.
“This court is of the considered opinion that the application u/s 156(3) CrPC deserves to be allowed. Accordingly, the concerned SHO (Station House Officer) is directed to register FIR immediately under section 3 of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007 and any other offence that appears to have been committed from the facts of the case,” Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal pronounced.
“This court does not find any merit in the arguments advanced by Ld. APP (additional public prosecutor) for the state that it is impossible to collect any evidence at this stage due to lapse of time and non-availability of any particulars of the printing press. This court cannot presume the fact that ordering investigation will be a futile exercise without even giving a chance to the investigating agency, especially in this era of scientific and technological advancement,” she conveyed.
The judge also pointed out that the action taken report (ATR) was not filed on multiple days despite the court’s repeated orders, which caused the delay in this case. “Quite surprisingly, in the present case, the ATR filed on behalf of the concerned SHO is completely silent on the aspect as to whether the alleged hoardings were present on the date and time alleged by the complainant,” she observed.
Kejriwal and other AAP officials are facing charges of embezzling public funds to erect massive hoardings in the Dwarka neighbourhood of Delhi in 2019. Kejriwal, former AAP MLA Gulab Singh, and Dwarka Councillor Nitika Sharma are accused in the 2019 complaint of using government funds to spend on political advertisements on massive billboards.
A metropolitan magistrate dismissed the complaint on 15th September 2022. This infuriated the complainant, who filed a revision petition. The sessions court, however, later reversed the ruling and provided the magistrate instructions to revisit the matter. The revisionist court sent the case back to a magistrate court on 21st January of this year, instructing it to make a new decision on the application.
Special Judge Vishal Gogne noted that the prior dismissal had not established whether the accused offence was cognisable. The fresh petition was filed under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) wherein the magistrate can direct the police to register an FIR and order a probe into a cognisable offence. Shiv Kumar Saxena, the complainant in this case charged Kejriwal with “misusing public money by putting huge size hoardings” in several locations throughout Dwarka.
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, BJP leader P.C. George made a controversial statement at a conference in Pala, Kottayam district, Kerala. Addressing the Christian community, he urged them to marry off their daughters before the age of 24 to prevent them from becoming victims of “love jihad.” He claimed that over 400 Christian girls in the Meenachil taluk alone had fallen prey to this menace.
The conference, organized by Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt and the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC), was initially focused on raising awareness about drug abuse. However, concerns about “love jihad” have been growing within Kerala’s Christian community, with discussions on this issue continuing for years.
P.C. George further stated that of the 400 missing girls in Meenachil, only 41 had been rescued. He cited a recent case from March 8, where a 25-year-old woman left her home at 9:30 PM and remained missing. According to him, early marriage (by the ages of 22-23) could protect girls from such dangers. His remarks stirred reactions among the predominantly Christian audience, who are increasingly worried about this issue.
George also expressed concerns that if a woman reaches 28-29 years of age and secures a job, she may become reluctant to marry, leading to family dependency on her income. He believes early marriage is a simple solution to avoiding “love jihad.”
Why P.C. George make the statement?
George’s statement is not an isolated remark. The issue of “love jihad” has been a longstanding debate in Kerala, particularly within the Christian community, which has raised alarms multiple times. He claims Christian girls are being targeted, yet society is not addressing the problem openly.
This concern is not new—Christian groups have repeatedly alleged that young women are being lured into relationships and coerced into religious conversions. The church has also voiced such fears. For instance, in the past, church authorities claimed that girls were being sent abroad under the pretence of love jihad, where they were exploited.
George’s remarks aim to revive these concerns, particularly in areas like Meenachil, where the Christian population is significant. He sees this as a social threat and wants people to be more aware.
A 2019 letter to the Home Minister on Love Jihad
The issue of “love jihad” in Kerala dates back several years. On September 24, 2019, National Commission for Minorities Vice Chairman George Kurian wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, stating that Christian girls were being specifically targeted. He claimed that between 2005 and 2012, around 4,000 Christian girls had been converted through deceitful romantic relationships. Kurian demanded an NIA investigation and stricter laws.
In his letter, Kurian cited specific cases, such as a Christian girl in Kozhikode who was raped, blackmailed, and forced to convert. Another case involved a girl being abducted. He argued that such incidents were systematically orchestrated and that Christian girls were becoming easy targets for extremist groups. Despite his concerns, no major action was taken, but fear within the community continued to grow.
The church’s stance on Love Jihad
The church has been vocal about “love jihad” as well. In 2020, the Syro-Malabar Church released a report claiming Christian girls were being deliberately targeted. The church accused the Left-wing government of ignoring the issue. Father Varghese Vallikatt stated in a video that “love jihad” was real and that girls were being sent to places like Syria and Afghanistan to be used as sex slaves. In response, the church initiated awareness programs to educate the community.
BJP leader P.C. George has consistently highlighted this issue, particularly in Meenachil, a stronghold of Syrian Catholic Christians. He urges parents to take precautions and emphasizes that the 400 missing girls are just a small part of a larger problem. His stance aligns with that of the church, which views “love jihad” as a significant social threat.
Media coverage and political response
The Times of India covered church concerns on “love jihad” in 2019. Movies like The Kerala Story have also explored the issue, linking it to terrorism. The church has conducted screenings in schools and community centres to raise awareness. In 2020, KCBC requested the Kerala government to investigate missing girls, but the Left-led government dismissed these concerns. However, both the church and the BJP continue to push the issue, seeing it as a major threat to the Christian community.
The debate over “love jihad” in Kerala is not new. Whether it is P.C. George’s recent statement or the church’s past warnings, the issue keeps resurfacing. While the Christian community views it as a serious concern for their daughter’s safety, the Left-wing government denies its existence. Whether the reported numbers—400 or even 4,000—are accurate remains a matter of investigation. However, this debate is far from over.
On 28th February this year, former judge S Muralidhar courted controversy by claiming that laws against deceitful and forced conversions are ‘anti-choice.’ He made the remarks during a panel discussion on anti-conversion laws in the country.
S Muralidhar, who retired as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Orissa, said, “These anti-conversion laws are not so much a law against forced conversions, but are laws against the freedom of choice.”
“There is a presumption in all these laws that if a person belonging or born into a certain religion decides to embrace another religion, then such a decision must be due to some kind of intimidation,” he further claimed.
S Muralidhar continued, “This basic presumption explains why the law shifts the burden of proof onto the person who’s charged with converting another against the person’s will.”
He alleged that anti-conversion laws are targeted against Dalits and minorities.
The retired judge claimed, “Now, a Dalit seeking to embrace Buddhism will now have to explain to a district magistrate why they are making that choice. They’ll have to first of all announce to the whole world…One can reasonably argue that after the Puttaswamy privacy judgement, this kind of a law should not withstand legal scrutiny because it straight away hits at the freedom of choice, freedom of privacy, choice of religion, of course but what goes along with religion.”
S Muralidhar also objected to the fact that people other than the victim of forced conversion can also file complaints. He alleged that this provision in anti-conversion laws is giving way to vigilante groups.
“Who can complain about forced conversion is only a person who’s been a victim of a forced conversion. But the law allows anyone…any cousin, any relative…and thus vigilante groups are actually going around looking at notice boards and collector’s offices or registrar offices to find who’s put up a notice that they want to have an inter-faith marriage and in this case they’ll also have ready information on who wants to convert and thus subject the person to public intimidation,” the ex-judge claimed.
The development comes amid the raging controversy over the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), a legislation which is meant to protect indigenous communities in the Northeastern state but is vehemently opposed by Christian evangelist groups.
When Justice S Muralidhar released Gautam Navlakha from house arrest
In August 2018, the Pune Police arrested Gautam Navlakha and 4 other urban naxals in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence.
The cops pointed out that Navlakha and his comrades wanted to whip up sentiments under the garb of an ‘anti-caste event’ and assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of a larger conspiracy. The urban naxals were then put under house arrest.
In November 2018, a Delhi High Court Bench comprising of Justice S Muralidhar set aside the order of a local court that granted transit remand to the Maharashtra police to shift Gautam Navlakha to Pune.
He stated that the transit remand did not comply with CrPC rules. Justice S Muralidhar ruled that the arrest of Gautam Navlakha was untenable by law and thus released him from house arrest.
The accused urban naxal Gautam Navlakha had reportedly visited the United States thrice in the period between 2010-2011 and written to a US district court judge seeking clemency for Fai, who was arrested by the FBI in 2011 on the charges of accepting funds to the tune of several million from the ISI and the Pakistan government.
In another case, on 31st December 2023, the Delhi Police interrogated Navlakha in Mumbai in connection with the NewsClick funding case. He was questioned about his association with NewsClick’s founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha, as well as his shareholding in the company, PPK NewsClick Studio Pvt Ltd.
On 9th March, Canada’s Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, announced a new foreign aid package worth $272.1 million to fund development projects in Bangladesh and the Indo-Pacific region. The announcement comes at a time when USAID funding has been stopped by the United States President Donald Trump.
In a statement, Hussen emphasised that Canada is committed to strengthening ties with Bangladesh and the wider Indo-Pacific. He highlighted that Canada’s focus is on healthcare, women’s empowerment, and climate change initiatives.
He stated, “Canada continues to fiercely strengthen our long-lasting friendship with Bangladesh and the wider Indo-Pacific region with our long-standing people-to-people ties. By supporting vulnerable communities’ healthcare services, empowering women, and addressing climate change, we are creating a brighter tomorrow for the global community.”
Funding spread across 14 projects
Reportedly, the funding will provide assistance to 14 different projects, with contributions from other international partners and donors. The Liberal government’s decision is being seen as a reflection of its approach to foreign aid, specifically in contrast to recent funding cuts announced by the United States.
Contrast with US approach under Trump
In the past couple of months, the United States administration, under President Donald Trump, has significantly reduced its foreign aid commitments. Trump and his newly appointed government efficiency czar, billionaire Elon Musk, placed a 90-day freeze on US foreign aid through USAID. The decision effectively shut down global aid programmes.
As a result, thousands of government contract employees were let go. Furthermore, foreign aid workers and supporters have argued that the President exceeded his authority by dismantling a congressionally approved agency.
On the other hand, Trump’s administration has defended the move, arguing that foreign aid primarily benefits liberal political agendas and is an unnecessary drain on taxpayer money. Billions of dollars were being funnelled through USAID for programmes that had no benefit for US taxpayers. For example, a $21 million fund was allocated for “voter turnout” in India, which, according to Trump, could have been used to push Prime Minister Narendra Modi out of office during general elections.
There are several such examples that show taxpayers’ money was used to fund projects, illegal immigrants, and more in the US and worldwide.
On 8th March, billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk sparked controversy with his post on social media platform X, suggesting that ActBlue, a fundraising platform, is under investigation for its role in protests against his company, Tesla.
Source: X
In his post, Musk wrote, “An investigation has found five ActBlue-funded groups responsible for Tesla ‘protests’: Troublemakers, Disruption Project, Rise & Resist, Indivisible Project, and Democratic Socialists of America. ActBlue funders include George Soros, Reid Hoffman, Herbert Sandler, Patricia Bauman, and Leah Hunt-Hendrix. ActBlue is currently under investigation for allowing foreign and illegal donations in criminal violation of campaign finance regulations. This week, seven ActBlue senior officials resigned, including the associate general counsel. If you know anything about this, please post in replies. Thanks, Elon.”
Though the President of the United States, Donald Trump, did not comment on it separately, he shared a screenshot of Musk’s post on his social media platform, Truth Social. The accusations made by the duo tie into broader Republican concerns over foreign influence and left-wing activism. Notably, the US administration under Trump has taken a strict stance on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that channel millions into causes linked to the Democrats.
What is ActBlue?
ActBlue is a Democrat-leaning fundraising platform. It facilitates small-dollar donations to left-leaning candidates and causes. The platform was established in 2004 and has raised over $16 billion. Reports suggest that it plays a crucial role in financing election campaigns, NGOs, and activist groups.
Republicans also have a similar platform known as WinRed, which operates on similar lines but on a much smaller scale. According to experts, ActBlue has a very opaque funding flow. Furthermore, there are accusations of foreign funding being funnelled through unverified contributors.
One of the biggest issues with such platforms is that they allow anonymous funding. In many countries, foreign funding has to be declared by NGOs—for example, in India. However, funding platforms are often misused to funnel foreign contributions without informing the government.
According to the US State Department, there are no limits or restrictions on the receipt of foreign funding by NGOs operating in the US. However, laws are in place to restrict contributions from terrorist organisations. Furthermore, there is a restriction on direct financial support of political candidates by foreign individuals.
Now, as Musk has accused ActBlue of indirectly funding anti-Tesla and anti-X protests, there is a possibility that the Trump administration is moving ahead with a crackdown on the platform, similar to its approach towards USAID-funded NGOs and groups receiving taxpayers’ money from international projects.
Musk’s allegations – Who is targeting Tesla?
Musk has ignited controversy with allegations that several left-leaning organisations, including The Disruption Project, Indivisible, and the Democratic Socialists of America, are behind the protests against his automobile company, Tesla. There has been consistent targeting of Tesla, including protests, sabotage, and online smear campaigns, since Musk took a position in the Trump administration.
Interestingly, the Left has been against Musk since he took over Twitter (now X). Notably, Democrats have not only demanded that he be stopped from acting as head of DOGE but have also called for his deportation.
Musk, in his post, suggested that the left-leaning NGOs are backed by ActBlue and billionaires like George Soros and Reid Hoffman for coordinated attacks on his companies.
In recent times, several attacks on Tesla have taken place, including vandalism at Tesla showrooms and charging stations in the US and France. In one incident, a woman was arrested in Colorado for allegedly trying to set a Tesla dealership on fire. In another, gunshots were fired at a Tesla sales centre in Oregon. In coordinated attacks on X, advertisers have been pressured by the Left to withdraw from the platform over political content policies. However, 2025 saw return of majority of X advertisers. However, even the return has come under fire as some Democrat senators have urged DOJ to investigate if Musk is using his access to White House to force advertisers to return to X.
While some of these incidents are deemed unrelated, Musk has insisted that NGO-backed networks are orchestrating a larger movement. Notably, his allegations have gained traction after seven senior ActBlue officials abruptly resigned from the organisation, suggesting the platform is indeed under some form of investigation by the Trump administration.
The Trump administration’s crackdown on NGOs
Since President Trump returned to the Oval Office for his second term, he has launched multiple investigations into left-leaning NGOs and foreign funding sources. ActBlue seems to be one of the platforms at the centre of scrutiny, especially after Musk’s post on social media.
Trump’s administration recently threatened to cut funds for institutes allowing illegal protests. Notably, in the past year, there were several instances where NGOs backed by Soros were found to be involved in anti-Israel protests after Israel launched counter strikes on Hamas.
A key part of Trump’s strategy to “clean up the system” from such elements is DOGE, which Musk co-chairs. The aim of DOGE is to cut wasteful spending and investigate questionable federal grants, including funding for organisations backed by USAID—a government fund that Musk has shut down. Some private funders, including the Soros’s Open Society Foundations, have also long been on Musk’s radar, as they have been accused of indirectly supporting so-called activist movements, particularly in US universities.
Notably, the Trump administration’s crackdown on these organisations is not limited to funding. There are reports that legislation is being considered to limit NGOs’ involvement in political lobbying and prevent them from using taxpayers’ money for questionable activities, such as supporting illegals. Those who support the move say it is long-overdue accountability, while opponents see it as a Republican war on ‘civil society’.
NGO funding wars – How this fight extends beyond ActBlue
ActBlue is just one part of a wider conflict in the US political landscape. Republicans argue that left-wing NGOs, university networks, and international non-profits function as a shadow funding ecosystem that helps Democrats control the public narrative. For example, there is a “dark money” group called the “Sixteen Thirty Fund” that finances American Left and it has been on Republican’s radar for a long time. In 2021, Politico reported that the group finances attack ads against Trump and vulnerable Republican senators during elections. The group funnelled $410 million in 2020 to aid Democratic efforts to remove then-President Donald Trump.
Reportedly, Trump’s team is considering restricting NGOs from receiving foreign funding and limiting international collaborations involving USAID-backed entities. The administration is also investigating whether NGOs bypassed campaign finance laws by funneling money through ActBlue’s donation network.
Responses and political implications
ActBlue has denied any involvement in Tesla-related activism. Insiders have dismissed the allegations as “paranoid conspiracy theories.” Reid Hoffman, whom Musk accused of funding the anti-Tesla protests, denied any connection and stated that Musk’s erratic behaviour is driving public backlash. In a post on X, he said, “Just one more of Elon’s false claims about me: I never funded anyone for Tesla protests. I don’t condone violence. But it’s clear Americans are angry at him – it’s easier to explain away their anger, than to accept that actions have consequences.”
Source: X
A political-business collision
Musk is playing a key role in Trump’s administration. The fight over ActBlue and NGO funding is not just about Tesla; it represents a larger battle over political power, funding networks, and control over public discourse. The investigations into ActBlue’s finances are still ongoing, according to Musk. However, the controversy signals that NGOs, billionaires, and tech giants will continue to lock horns in the coming days.
On Tuesday (11th March), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) which seeks independence of Balochistan from Pakistan hijacked a passenger train named Jaffar Express carrying around 400 passengers. The train with nine coaches was heading from Quetta in Balochistan to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired on by the Baloch fighters. These rebels had blown the railway tracks forcing the train to stop and boarded it.
In a statement, the Baloch Liberation Army said that if the Pakistani authorities launched an operation against them, they would kill all the hostages. While several media reports claim that 400 people have been taken hostage by BLA fighters, the rebel group in its statement said that they have taken over 100 passengers hostage.
“Any military incursion will be met with an equally forceful response. So far, six military personnel have been killed, and hundreds of passengers remain under BLA custody. The Baloch Liberation Army takes full responsibility for this operation,” the BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said adding that women, children and Baloch passengers were released.
Jeeyand Baloch said that this has been done to ensure that only serving personnel of the “occupying forces” remain with them. The BLA spokesperson further stated that the operation is being carried out by the BLA Majeed Brigade Fateh Squad and STOS.
According to a statement from the BLA, women, children, and Baloch passengers have been freed, while military personnel remain captive. The BLA has held 182 passengers as hostages, the group’s statement released on Telegram said. It also warned of executions of hostages if Pakistani army intervened.
Meanwhile, the Balochistan government’s spokesperson Shahid Rind said that emergency measures have been imposed and all institutions have been mobilised to deal with the situation.
A shocking case has come to light in Karnal, Haryana where a Muslim youth married a 16-year-old girl from Bihar nine months ago by masquerading as a Hindu. He introduced himself as Ram, but later his real name turned out to be Sheikh. He forced the minor girl into prostitution shortly after the marriage and employed her at a spa. The development surfaced when she was injured in an accident and was discovered to be HIV positive in her medical examination. Now, the police and child welfare committee are extensively investigating the matter.
According to media reports, the victim disclosed that she was from Bihar and believed her husband to be a Hindu at the time of the marriage. However, the truth about his real identity came out soon. He pressured her to work in the spa centre. She informed him after learning about her illness, but he still left her to work there. The girl stated that 1-2 people used to have sex with her every day. On 8th March, during Women’s Day, the police raided a spa centre in Karnal and located her there.
The girl was taken to the child welfare committee following the search. During counselling, she narrated her horrific ordeal. The teenager has been placed in a child protective facility and continues to be in shock, according to committee chairman Umesh Chanana. Now, the committee is looking for her family members. The City Police Station has registered a case against her spouse, the spa centre operator and others. A hunt is underway to nab the accused.
The spa centre’s information is being used to identify those who have had sexual encounters with the girl so that they can be probed and treated. This could be an instance of conversion, according to the child welfare committee. The issue has also been connected to love jihad, based on the sources.
In an embarrassing turn of events for Pakistan, its envoy to Turkmenistan KK Ahsan Wagan was denied entry into the United States despite having a valid visa and all travel documents. The US airport authorities deported the Pakistani envoy who was heading to Los Angeles on a vacation.
As per Pakistani media reports, KK Ahsan Wagan was stopped at the airport due to “controversial visa references”. However, the US authorities did not specify the exact reason behind this rare decision. The Pakistan foreign ministry confirmed this incident and claimed: “Ambassador K K Wagan was deported from the US. He had an immigration objection which led to his deportation.”
The Pakistani diplomat was then forced to return to his last port of departure.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Secretary Amina Baloch were informed of the incident. The Pakistani Foreign Affairs Ministry has directed its consulate in Los Angeles to investigate the issue.
Incidentally, the Pakistani diplomat was denied entry into the US just days after President Donald Trump threatened to impose a travel ban on people from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Reports say that this travel ban would be imposed based on a government review of countries’ security and vetting risks.
