Till results we are apart; Mayavati

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This comes after the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, wherein the BSP and the Congress fought separately, but the former extended its support to the grand old party after the declaration of the results.

Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) seems to have put the plans for a grand alliance of opposition parties on hold by declaring that the party would contest on all seats in Madhya Pradesh during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. According to an announcement by party’s vice president Ramji Gautam, the BSP is preparing to contest on all 29 Lok Sabha seats of Madhya Pradesh.

Notably, this comes shortly after the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, wherein the BSP and the Congress fought separately, but the former extended its support to the grand old party after the declaration of the results.

Ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, Mayawati had in October declared that she would not get into pre-poll alliance with the Congress party, blaming leaders like former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh. She had, however, said that the intentions of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for a BSP-Congress alliance was “honest”.

But after the Congress party fell short of majority by winning 114 seats in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, Mayawati extended support to ensure that a Congress-led government was formed in the state. She had said that the BSP had decided to support the Congress party so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could be kept out of power.

This comes even as Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has said that talks are on among all opposition parties for a Mahagathbandhan ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2019. He also suggested that seat sharing discussions were also underway at different levels, saying that parties that are powerful in a particular state would be given more seats in that region.

“All opposition parties have decided to come together and form a Mahagathbandhan. Talks are on for the same. Whichever party is more powerful in a state will be given more number of seats,” the veteran leader wrote on microblogging site Twitter in Marathi.

In another significant political development, Telangana Rashtra Samithi supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday met Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Following the meeting the Telangana Chief Minister said that soon a “concrete plan” would be formulated.

The TRS chief, who had declared after the Telangana Assembly elections that he would play an active role in national politics, is also slated to meet Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Earlier, he had met Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik.

Daily Update

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Narendra Modi to inaugurate India’s longest rail-road bridge in Assams

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Bogibeel Bridge, India’s longest rail-cum-road connecting the north and south banks of the turbulent Brahmaputra in the eastern parts of Assam, on Christmas Day. The 4.6-kilometre-long structure will be the fourth rail-road bridge on the Brahmaputra river in Assam, the others being the Saraighat Bridge, Naranarayan Setu and the New Saraighat Bridge.

Bogibeel’s inauguration comes a year after Modi inaugurated the country’s longest bridge, the Dhola-Sadiya, over the Lohit river in 2017.

Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda had laid the foundation stone for the Bogibeel Bridge in January 1997, but work on the project began only in April 2002 when former prime Atal Bihari Vajpayee inaugurated the construction. Today is also the 94th birthday of the former prime minister.

K Chandrashekar Rao to meet Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav in New Delhi to push for third front

Telangana chief minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) will remain in New Delhi today and meet leaders of political parties in a bid to push for a non-Congress non-BJP alternative third front. On Monday, he had met met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and said that they would soon come out with a “concrete (political) plan” while asserting that the dialogue for a federal front will continue. He had also met Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik in Bhubaneswar to stress on the a “dire need” for unification of regional parties to provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP ahead of the 2019 general elections. “I can say certainly that there is a dire need for unification of regional parties in the country. We strongly believe that there has to be an alternative to the Congress and the BJP,” Rao told reporters after meeting Patnaik.

BJP accused Congress of “duping” farmers in states ruled by it by “not” waiving off their loans as promised and dubbed the party as “anti-farmers”. BJP alleges that Congress had promised waiver of all farm debt in the five states of Karnataka, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan but has now turned back on its promise.

Industrial activities, construction work to remain shut in Delhi today

All industrial activities and construction work will remain suspended today following an order from the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA). The EPCA had on Monday imposed a three-day ban on all such activities in pollution hotspots across Delhi-NCR in view of the national capital’s ‘severe’ air quality. Delhi is facing its highest pollution level since Diwali. On Monday, 32 areas in the city recorded ‘severe’ air quality while it was ‘very poor’ in five areas, the CPCB data showed.

In NCR, Noida recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 464. Faridabad and Ghaziabad also recorded ‘severe’ air quality and Gurgaon recorded ‘very poor’ air quality, the data showed.

The overall PM2.5 level — fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometer — was recorded at 407 and the PM10 level at 581 here, the CPCB said.

Rift in Karnataka Congress

In an attempt to pacify its disgruntled MLAs, the Congress seems to have come up with a formula of revaluation and rotation. The Cabinet, which went through a second round of expansion and a rejig last week, will be revaluated after a year leading to the removal of non-performing ministers. This comes amid news of discontent within the ranks and file of the JD(S) and Congress both of which had been postponing the expansion for a long time to steer clear of such controversy. Nonetheless, as HD Kumaraswamy dropped two of his sitting ministers, but signs of discord appeared soon after as former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi hinted that there are other Congress MLAs who may follow him. Seven-time MLA Ramalinga Reddy said, “I am disappointed with the yardstick for certain people. It’s not the same for everyone. I’ve never lobbied for a ministerial post. I will not either. But yes I’m disappointed.”

Bethlehem boasts largest Christmas in years; Pope urges Christian community to share more this season 

Pilgrims from around the world flocked to Bethlehem for what was believed to be the biblical West Bank city’s largest Christmas celebrations in years. Hundreds of locals and foreign visitors milled in Manger Square as bagpipe-playing Palestinian Scouts paraded past a giant Christmas tree. Crowds flooded the Church of the Nativity, venerated as the traditional site of Jesus’s birth, and waited to descend into the ancient grotto. The West Bank has seen a spike in violence in recent weeks, set off by a pair of deadly shootings targeting Israeli soldiers and settlers claimed by the Islamic militant group Hamas. Israel has ratcheted up security at checkpoints as it presses on with its manhunt for suspected Palestinian assailants. However, other visitors seemed unconcerned by recent violence in the area. Palestinian tourism officials and hotel operators have reported their strongest season in years.

Meanwhile, the Pope Francis on Monday assailed the “insatiable greed” of today’s consumerism, calling on people in his Christmas homily to make “sharing and giving” more a part of their lives. “Mankind became greedy and voracious,” the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics said in an address to thousands of followers in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Samsung Galaxy S9 to start receiving Android Pie update

South Korean giant Samsung has finally started to roll-out the very first Android 9.0 Pie-based update for its Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus smartphones launched earlier this year. The update is in the form of the brand new OneUI which Samsung had been beta testing for the past month on the Galaxy S9 smartphones. The update is currently rolling out in Germany and a subsequent roll-out globally should follow soon.

Global oil prices sink 6% as economic slowdown fears grip market

Oil prices plunged more than 6 percent to the lowest level in more than a year on Monday, pulling back sharply late in the session as fears of an economic slowdown rattled the market. US crude futures and global benchmark Brent hit their lowest levels since 2017 during the session, putting both benchmarks on track for losses of about 40 percent in the fourth quarter. The fourth-quarter price decline is likely to cause producers to throttle back on their output, said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia agreed this month to cut oil production by 1.2 million barrels per day from January. Should that fail to balance the market, OPEC and its allies will hold an extraordinary meeting, United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said on Sunday

आज का राशिफल

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मेष —परिवार में मनमुटाव हो सकता है। दु:खद समाचार मिलने से तनाव रहेगा। भागदौड़ रहेगी। नौकरी में मातहतों का सहयोग नहीं मिलेगा। लेन-देन में जल्दबाजी न करें। समय पर आवश्यक वस्तु न मिलने से खिन्नता रहेगी। पुराना रोग परेशानी का कारण रहेगा। आय में निश्चितता रहेगी।

वृष –प्रयास सफल रहेंगे। सामाजिक कार्यों में रुचि रहेगी। मान-सम्मान मिलेगा। आय में वृद्धि होगी। जोखिम उठाने का साहस कर पाएंगे। निवेश शुभ रहेगा। बाहर जाने का मन बनेगा। प्रतिद्वंद्वी सक्रिय रहेंगे। नौकरी में कार्य की प्रशंसा होगी। परिवार की चिंता रहेगी।

मिथुन– अतिरिक्त व्यय होने से तनाव रहेगा। घर में अतिथियों का आगमन होगा। अच्छे समाचार प्राप्त होंगे। प्रसन्नता व उत्साह में वृद्धि होगी। आय बनी रहेगी। विवाद को बढ़ावा न दें। शारीरिक कष्ट संभव है। भाइयों का सहयोग मिलेगा। बड़ा कार्य करने का मन बनेगा। लाभ होगा।

कर्क— चोट व रोग से बाधा संभव है। लेन-देन में जल्दबाजी न करें। रोजगार प्राप्ति के प्रयास सफल रहेंगे। व्यावसायिक यात्रा सफल रहेगी। अप्रत्याशित लाभ के योग हैं। सट्टे व लॉटरी से दूर रहें। आय के नए स्रोत प्राप्त हो सकते हैं। निवेश में जल्दबाजी न करें। प्रमाद न करें।

सिंह— शारीरिक कष्ट से काम में बाधा उत्पन्न हो सकती है। थकान व कमजोरी महसूस होगी। अप्रत्याशित खर्च सामने आएंगे। दूसरे के काम में हस्तक्षेप न करें। कीमती वस्तुएं संभालकर रखें। धनहानि हो सकती है। व्यवसाय ठीक चलेगा। मित्रों से सहयोग प्राप्त होगा।

कन्या —-ऐश्वर्य के साधनों पर खर्च हो सकता है। आय में अधिक वृद्धि के योग हैं। डूबी हुई रकम प्राप्त हो सकती है। व्यावसायिक यात्रा लाभदायक रहेगी। व्यापार में वृद्धि तथा आय के नए स्रोत प्राप्त हो सकते हैं। थकान महसूस होगी। कोई अपना ही विरोध कर सकता है। सावधानी रखें।

तुला —-लाभ के अवसर हाथ आएंगे। आर्थिक नीति में परिवर्तन संभव है। तत्काल लाभ नहीं मिलेगा। काफी समय से अटके काम पूरे होने का समय है, प्रयास करें। नए काम मिलेंगे। समय पर अर्थ की व्यवस्था होगी। पार्टनरों का सहयोग प्राप्त होगा। वैवाहिक प्रस्ताव मिल सकता है। धनार्जन सुगम होगा।

वृश्चिक—- कानूनी अड़चन तथा स्वास्थ्‍य की नरमाहट से बाधा संभव है। पूजा-पाठ में मन लगेगा। आत्मिक शांति रहेगी। कुसंगति से हानि होगी। नौकरी में कार्यभार बढ़ेगा। कानूनी अड़चन दूर होकर अनुकूलता रहेगी। निवेश शुभ रहेगा। परिवार का सहयोग मिलेगा। लाभ होगा।

धनु —वाहन, मशीनरी व अग्नि आदि के प्रयोग में लापरवाही न करें। बोलचाल में हल्के शब्दों के इस्तेमाल से बचें। समय पर काम नहीं होने से तनाव रहेगा। प्रयास करते रहें। कोई भी बड़ा निर्णय लेने में जल्दबाजी न करें। व्यवसाय ठीक चलेगा। नौकरी में कार्यभार रहेगा।

मकर —किसी अपने के व्यवहार से क्षोभ उत्पन्न होगा। परिवार में कोई मांगलिक कार्य हो सकता है। जीवनसाथी से सहयोग प्राप्त होगा। कोर्ट व कचहरी के काम निबटेंगे। आय में वृद्धि होगी। मित्रों के साथ समय मनोरंजक व्यतीत होगा। प्रसन्नता रहेगी। जल्दबाजी न करें।

कुंभ —सुख के साधन जुटेंगे। भूमि व भवन इत्यादि के खरीद-फरोख्त की योजना बनेगी। बेरोजगारी दूर करने के प्रयास सफल रहेंगे। आय के स्रोतों में वृद्धि के योग हैं। निवेश शुभ रहेगा। नौकरी में प्रमोशन प्राप्त हो सकता है। व्यापार लाभदायक रहेगा। आंखों को चोट से बचाएं।

मीन— आनंददायक यात्रा हो सकती है। स्वादिष्ट भोजन तथा मनोरंजन प्राप्ति के योग हैं। विद्यार्थी वर्ग सफलता प्राप्त करेगा। अध्ययन में मन लगेगा। किसी प्रबुद्ध जन से मार्गदर्शन प्राप्त होगा। नौकरी में अधिकारी संतुष्ट रहेंगे। लाभ के अवसर हाथ आएंगे। थकान रह सकती है।

श्रीमद भागवत सप्ताह ज्ञान यज्ञ का आयोजन 25 दिसंबर से

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पंचकूला 24 दिसंबर
नववर्ष के शुभागमन पर संगीतमय श्रीमद भागवत सप्ताह ज्ञान यज्ञ का आयोजन 25 दिसंबर से 30 दिसंबर तक किया जा रहा है। 31 दिसंबर 2018 को रात्री 8 से 12 बजे तक भागवत जी का विश्राम एवं भंडारा प्रसाद वितरित होगा। कथा साढ़े 3 बजे से साढ़े 6 बजे तक होगी। यह आयोजन अग्रवाल भवन सेक्टर 16 पंचकूला में किया जा रहा है। जिसमें कथा ब्यान नंगली दरबार के संत स्वामी सुरेश्वानंद पुरी जी महाराज पंचकूला वाले लोगों को श्रीमद भागवत कथा का रसपान करवायेंगे। इस आयोजन में हजारों लोगों के पहुंचने की संभावना है।

एक पत्रकार वार्ता में परम भागवत कथा समिति के प्रधान श्री हरबंस लाल सिंगला, महासचिव नवराज राय धीर ने बताया कि हर वर्ष यह आयोजन किया जाता है। इस दौरान स्वामी जी का जन्मोत्सव मनाया जाएगा। उन्होंने लोगों से अपील की कि वह अधिक से अधिक संख्या में पहुंचे। प्रतिदिन रात्री भोजन की व्यवस्था होगी। कार्यक्रम के निवेदक श्री अद्वैत स्वरुप हीरापुरी परमज्ञान ट्रस्ट पंचकूला एवं परम सेवा ट्रस्ट पंचकूला है।

पंचांग 25 दिसम्बर 2018

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विक्रमी संवत्ः 2075, 

शक संवत्ः 1940, 

मासः पौष़, 

पक्षःकृष्ण पक्ष, 

तिथिः तृतीया दोपहर 01.48 तक है, 

वारः मंगलवार, 

नक्षत्रः पुष्य अपराहन् 03.55 तक, 

योगः वैधृति रात्रि 09.49 तक, 

करणः विष्टि, 

सूर्य राशिः धनु, 

चंद्र राशिः कर्क, 

राहु कालःप्रातः 7.30 से प्रातः 9.00 बजे तक, 

सूर्योदयः 07.15, सूर्यास्तः 05.27 बजे।

विशेषः आज उत्तर दिशा की यात्रा न करें। अति आवश्यक होने पर मंगलवार को धनिया खाकर, लाल चंदन, मलयागिरि चंदन का दानकर यात्रा करें।

Shareef Convicted as Badmash

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He, however, was acquitted in the Flagship Investment case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was on Monday sentenced to seven years in jail by an anti-corruption court in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case. It, however, acquitted him in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal.

Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik announced the verdict in the two remaining corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision last week.

Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former Premier in the Al-Azizia reference, and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case, Geo TV reported.

Mr. Sharif was present in the court when the verdict was announced.

The Supreme Court set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former Prime Minister.

Three cases — the Avenfield properties case, the Flagship Investment case and the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case — were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017, following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Mr. Sharif.

Mr. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017.

In July 2018 Mr. Sharif; his daughter, Maryam; and his son-in-law, Captain (retd.) Mohammad Safdar, were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September.

“Khan sahab learn something from us about inclusive politics & minority rights,” Owaisi

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Unlike Pakistan, India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities, says Mr. Owaisi

Member of Parliament and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over the latter’s remark that he would show the Narendra Modi government “how to treat minorities”.

In a tweet on Sunday, Mr. Owaisi said Mr. Khan should instead take a lesson from India’s inclusive politics and minority right.

“According to the Pakistani Constitution, only a Muslim is qualified to be President. India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities. It’s high time Khan sahab learns something from us about inclusive politics & minority rights,” he said.

Addressing an event in Lahore on Saturday, Mr. Khan referred to actor Naseeruddin Shah’s remarks on mob violence in India and said, “We will show the Modi government how to treat minorities. Even in India, people are saying that minorities are not being treated as equal citizens.”

SC declines urgent hearing of BJP’s plea for ‘rath yatras’ in West Beng

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‘Peaceful rally cannot be stopped on the basis of conjectures’

The Supreme Court on Monday refused urgent hearing on an appeal by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the Calcutta High Court order’s denial of permission for rath yatra in West Bengal. According to news agency ANI, the Supreme Court registrar refused to accord urgent hearing before the vacation bench on an appeal by the BJP.

The lawyer associated with the plea said they have been informed by the apex court registry that the matter would be listed in the normal course. The top court is closed for winter vacations.

The party, which sought an urgent hearing on the petition, had planned to launch the yatra from three districts of the state.

The Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Chief Justice Debasish Kargupta and Justice Shampa Sarkar had sent the case back to the single bench to consider intelligence inputs given by the state agencies.

The division bench passed the order after hearing an appeal filed by the Mamata Banerjee government, challenging the single bench order.

The party approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to hold the campaign ‘Save Democracy Rally’, which would cover 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The ruling Trinamool Congress government in the state had denied permission for the rath yatra on December 15 after much parleys on the grounds that it might lead to communal tension.

SC to hear Ram Mandir title dispute on January 4

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Appeals are listed before a Bench of CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S.K. Kaul

The volatile Ayodhya dispute appeals have been listed before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India on January 4, 2019.

The Supreme Court’s main cause list for January 4 shows that an application for early hearing and the appeals are listed before a Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S.K. Kaul. On October 29, a three-judge Bench led by Justice Gogoi had ordered the appeals to be listed in January 2019 before an appropriate Bench to fix a date for hearing.

The October order had come when the parties had sought an early hearing. At the time, Justice Gogoi had orally told them that the decision when to start hearing the appeals would be in the realm of discretion of the “appropriate Bench” before which the matter would come up in January.

“We have our own priorities… whether hearing would take place in January, March or April would be decided by an appropriate Bench,” the Chief Justice had remarked.

Majority opinion

On September 27, the apex court, in a majority opinion, had declined the plea made by Islamic bodies and individuals to refer the question as to whether prayer in a mosque is an essential part of Islam to a seven-judge Constitution Bench.

The majority verdict, in its last paragraph, had further directed the Supreme Court to start hearing the pending cases from October 29. This direction had triggered questions whether the court intended to deliver a judgment in the appeals before the May 2019 elections.

In 2017, when the court had started to hear the appeals after a hiatus of over seven years, senior advocate Kapil Sibal had suggested it to adjourn the hearings to after the general elections in May 2019.

HC verdict

The Ayodhya appeals are against the September 30, 2010 decision of the Allahabad High Court to divide the disputed 2.77 acre area among Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and the Ram Lalla. The High Court had concluded that Lord Ram, son of King Dashrath, was born within the 1,482.5 square yards of the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid premises over 9,00,000 years ago during the Treta Yuga.

PM’s Foreign Visits Proving Fruitful

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Positive and constructive discussions were held on full operationalisation of the Trilateral Transit Agreement

A crucial trilateral meeting of officials from India, Afghanistan and Iran on the strategically-important Chabahar port was held on Monday during which they agreed on the routes for trade and transit corridors between the three countries.

The first meeting of the follow-up committee for implementation of the trilateral Chabahar agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran at the level of Joint Secretary or Director General was held in the Iranian port city of Chabahar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

On the occasion, India Ports Global Limited company opened its office and took over operations at the Shaheed Behesti port at Chabahar.

Positive and constructive discussions were held between the three sides on full operationalisation of the Trilateral Transit Agreement for international transit and transport through the Chabahar Port. They agreed on the routes for the trade and transit corridors between the three countries, the MEA said.

It was agreed to finalise at the earliest, the protocol to harmonise transit, roads, customs, and consular matters.

Chabahar Agreement

During the meeting, it was agreed to allow cargo movement at Chabahar using Transports Internationaux Routiers Convention provisions, the MEA said.

It was decided to hold an event to promote and popularise the potential of Chabahar on February 26, 2019.

A study would also be initiated for determining measures to make the route attractive, decrease logistic costs and pave the way for smooth operationalisation of the Chabahar Agreement.

The next Follow-up Committee meeting, followed by the second Coordination Council Meeting at the level of secretaries or deputy ministers, will held in India.

Transit and Transport Corridor

In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations.

The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nation’s southern coast is easily accessible from India’s western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar.

The Chabahar Port is considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries after Pakistan denied transit access to India.