Maldives Top Lawyer, Appointed By Previous Government, "Brutally Stabbed"

Hussain Shameem, the prosecutor general of Maldives, who was appointed by the previous government, was brutally stabbed today, local media reported.

Mr Shameem was appointed by Ibrahim Mohamed Solih-led Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) government. The MDP recently initiated impeachment proceedings against the current President Mohamed Muizzu.

The assault took place earlier today, leaving Mr Shameem hospitalised and currently under treatment at the ADK Hospital, according to a statement from a prosecutor's office official.

According to local media reports, the attack on Mr Shameem took place early in the morning. "Prosecutor Hussain Shamim has been attacked on the streets of the city. He is being treated at ADK. The attack was not carried out with a sharp object," the Maldives police said in a statement.

The incident comes against the backdrop of escalating violence in the island nation, with recent disturbances witnessed in the Maldivian Parliament during a crucial vote on parliamentary approval for the Muizzu government.

As tensions flared in the parliamentary proceedings when members of the opposition disrupted the session, dramatic visuals circulating on social media depicted a physical altercation between MDP MP Isa and People's National Congress (PNC) MP Abdullah Shaheem Abdul Hakeem. 

The opposition party accuses President Muizzu of a pro-China stance, particularly after the controversial docking of a Chinese spy ship in its capital Male. A row in parliament ensued, culminating in the decision to begin impeachment proceedings.

The Maldivian opposition parties have jointly expressed their dissatisfaction with the current regime's perceived anti-India pivot. In a joint press statement, they criticised the shift in foreign policy as "extremely detrimental" to the country's long-term development. The opposition stressed the importance of maintaining relationships with all development partners, especially the country's longstanding ally, for the stability and security of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

A Maldives Jumhooree Party (JP) leader, Qasim Ibrahim, even urged President Muizzu to formally apologise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of India.

"Regarding any country, especially a neighbouring one, we shouldn't speak in a way that affects the relationship. We have an obligation to our state that must be considered. President Solih did consider this obligation and issued a Presidential Decree banning the "India Out" campaign. Now, Yameen (former president Abdulla Yameen) is questioning why Muizzu, who participated with him in the India Out Campaign, has not nullified the Presidential Decree," he said.

President Muizzu's anti-India rhetoric reached new heights, with the demand for the withdrawal of Indian troops stationed in the Maldives by mid-March, citing their presence as a security threat.