Statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh vandalised in Pakistan

A statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was vandalised on Saturday by two men in this Pakistani city.  The nine-feet statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was unveiled at the Lahore Fort in June. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the leader of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. Police have arrested the culprits and registered an FIR under the country's blasphemy laws against them. 

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The two men were angry after India revoked the special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The suspects belonged to Tehreek-Labbaik Pakistan of Maulana Khaim Rizvi.  The Walled City of Lahore Authority that is responsible for the matters of the Lahore Fort has expressed shock and vowed to repair the statue soon after Eid. 

"This is quite unfortunate incident. We will enhance security at the Lahore Fort so that no such incident should take place in the future, Walled City of Lahore Authority spokesperson Tania Qureshi told PTI. "The statue's restoration will be carried out from next week. Once it is repaired it will be opened for the public again."

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Pakistan's reaction after Article 370's abrogation:

Meanwhile the relation between India and Pakistan has been strained after Pakistan took a series of unilateral decision following India's scrapping of Article 370. It claimed that the issue of Kashmir is not India's internal matter. Pakistan has expelled Indian envoy Ajay Bisaria from the country. As per sources, Pakistan has also decided to not send its High Commissioner-designate who was supposed to take charge in August. In a series of other moves by the neighbouring country, it has decided to downgrade ties with India. It has also decided to suspend bilateral trade with India and review all bilateral arrangements with India. Pakistan has also said that it will take India's internal matter of Kashmir to United Nations, including the Security Council. It has also decided to observe 14 August, its Independence Day in solidarity with 'Kashmiris'. and declared August 15, India's Independence as 'Black Day'. It has on Thursday decided to stop Samjhauta Express - a train service between India's Attari and Pakistan's Lahore.

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