In a defiant stance, Sri Lanka on Thursday said it will not allow a UN panel to enter the country to investigate alleged human rights abuses during the last stages of the country’s civil war, which could put the country in a confrontation course with the world body.
“We will not allow the UN Panel to enter the country. We may not issue them visas,” external affairs minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris told reporters.
He termed as “unnecessary” Mr Ban Ki-moon’s appointment on Tuesday of the three-member panel to advise him on any violations of international human rights.
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Bomb blast in Colombo injures nine
Colombo, June 24: An explosion rocked a crowded commercial hub of the Sri Lankan capital injuring nine people, the police said, but ruled out any involvement of the Tamil Tigers.
A grenade was hurled at Bodhiraja Mawatha in Pettah which led to injury to nine people, the police said. It was the first blast in Colombo after the government defeated LTTE in May 2009 after decades of savaged civil war.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital with most of them suffering only minor wounds.
The police rushed to the fruit stall where the explosion took place in the busy market place and were investigating. —PTI
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Iran offers rail link to Pakistan
Islamabad, June 24: As the United States continues to pressurise Pakistan against implementing the gas pipeline project with Iran, the West Asian nation has offered Pakistan a rail link, officials said.
Iranian ambassador to Pakistan Mashallah Shakeri says that Iran was keen to establish Iran-Pakistan-Turkey rail link. In a meeting with Pakistan water and power minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, he said the proposed rail project will further boost bilateral relation with Iran. Mr Ashraf also agreed to the proposal saying “Pakistan would fully support the project as it would enhance regional cooperation.”