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Palestinians rebury bodies exhumed from Gaza cemetery

Palestinians rebury bodies exhumed from Gaza cemetery
People bury their dead on January 5, 2024, in Rafah on the southern Gaza Strip following Israeli bombardment, amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (AFP)
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Updated 07 January 2024
AFP
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Palestinians rebury bodies exhumed from Gaza cemetery

Palestinians rebury bodies exhumed from Gaza cemetery
  • Hamas on Saturday accused Israeli military of “destroying 1,100 graves” at Gaza cemetery
  • Israel’s relentless bombing of Gaza since Oct. 7 has resulted in killing of over 22,700 Palestinians 
Updated 07 January 2024
AFP
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GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Bereaved Palestinians on Saturday reburied bodies exhumed from a cemetery in Gaza City, where the Israeli army has been leading a ground offensive against Hamas militants since late October, an AFP video showed.
The footage from the cemetery in Al-Tuffah neighborhood showed bodies wrapped in bags and laid out on mounds of soil.
Other bodies were strewn around smashed up graves, as a dozen men clad in masks worked with shovels to rebury them, the video showed.
Hamas on Saturday accused the Israeli military of “destroying 1,100 graves” at the cemetery and “stealing 150 bodies of recently buried martyrs.”
When reached for comment by AFP, the Israeli army said they were checking the claims without elaborating further.
“We were surprised to see the bodies exhumed” on Saturday morning, said a local man surnamed Aliwa, who was among the people reburying the bodies. He declined to give his first name.
Without offering evidence, he accused the Israeli army of “running over bodies” with a “bulldozer.”
Imprinted in the soil near the graves were what looked like track marks.
“We are currently retrieving the corpses present in the cemetery,” he said, adding that only a “small number” of bodies had been identified.
The war began on October 7 with an unprecedented Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of around 1,140 people on the Israeli side, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
The militants also took around 250 hostages, 132 of whom remain in captivity, according to Israel.
Israel responded by bombarding the territory and sending in ground forces, killing at least 22,722 people, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

Topics: War on Gaza Palestine Israel

In latest challenge to army, Islamabad judge suspends order requiring vetting of TV news analysts

In latest challenge to army, Islamabad judge suspends order requiring vetting of TV news analysts
Updated 28 sec ago
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In latest challenge to army, Islamabad judge suspends order requiring vetting of TV news analysts

In latest challenge to army, Islamabad judge suspends order requiring vetting of TV news analysts
  • Pakistan’s media regulator had instructed TV channels to seek army media wing’s approval before inviting retired officers as defense analysts 
  • Justice Babar Sattar is among six Islamabad judges who has accused army’s ISI spy agency of coercing them in ‘politically consequential’ cases
Updated 28 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Justice Babar Sattar of the Islam­abad High Court (IHC) this week suspended an order by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority instructing TV channels to seek clearance from the military’s media wing before inviting retired military officers on current affairs programs as analysts.

Sattar was hearing a case challenging the much-debated April 2019 PEMRA notification, following which the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had released a list of 26 retired officers that it said were allowed to appear as defense analysts.PEM

“The Islam­abad High Court has suspen­ded a Pemra’s notification requ­i­ring defense analysts to obtain clearance from the ISPR before appearing on television programs,” Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported.

Most major Pakistani media outlets also reported on the development. 

“Based on the presented arguments, the court suspended the notification, stating that it would remain ineffective until a final decision is announced in the case.”

The next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11, 2025.

At a hearing of the case in September, Sattar had questioned the federal government on the military media wing’s “exclusive right” to decide who qualified to appear on TV as a defense analyst. The court also questioned why PEMRA had issued that notification in the first place and whether it had received a request from within the Pakistan army or ISPR.

PEMRA’s lawyer sought more time from the court to respond.

“Let PEMRA produce before the Court the original noting file on the basis of which the impugned notification was processed, recommended and issued to assist the Court as to why PEMRA felt the need to issue the said notification,” Justice Sattar wrote. 

During that hearing, the court had asked PEMRA’s counsel about the watchdog’s authority to regulate the content of discussions on TV and issue directions for the pre-clearance of individuals by ISPR or others. 

PEMRA’s lawyer pointed to Section 20-A of the PEMRA Ordinance, which relates to the obligation of licensees to uphold the sovereignty, integrity and security of Pakistan. 

“When asked as to what does pre-clearance of individuals providing content on TV have to do with the sovereignty or security of Pakistan and how can PEMRA impose a prior restraint on speech, the learned counsel for PEMRA seeks further time to assist the Court,” the written order had read. 

Pakistani journalist bodies and many journalists have long accused the government and the powerful military of censoring the press. Both deny allegations and insist they do not suppress the freedom of the press.

Sattar’s new order is not his first challenge to the army. He was among six Islamabad High Court judges who earlier this year wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council watchdog and accused the military’s ISI spy agency of intimidating and coercing them over legal cases, particularly “politically consequential” ones.

The judges provided various examples of alleged interference, including a case concerning Pakistan’s imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan. The letter also mentioned incidents where the judges said their relatives were abducted and tortured and their homes were secretly surveilled, aiming to coerce them into delivering favorable judgments in specific cases.

The army denies it interferes in political matters. It has so far refrained from commenting on the judges’ letter regarding the ISI’s alleged interference and intimidation.

Topics: islamabad high court Justice Babar Sattar PEMRA

Imposing ‘dala’ pickup trucks symbolize Pakistan’s power gulf

Imposing ‘dala’ pickup trucks symbolize Pakistan’s power gulf
Updated 3 min 3 sec ago
AFP
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Imposing ‘dala’ pickup trucks symbolize Pakistan’s power gulf

Imposing ‘dala’ pickup trucks symbolize Pakistan’s power gulf
  • Hilux has become a symbol of power, affluence and intimidation in a society marked by significant class divisions
  • “Dala,” as it is locally known, also serves as euphemism for military intelligence agencies involved in covert operations
Updated 3 min 3 sec ago
AFP

KARACHI: In Pakistan’s largest city, cars inch forward in bumper-to-bumper traffic. But some seamlessly carve through the jam: SUVs flanked by Toyota Hilux pickup trucks.
The Hilux has become a symbol of power, affluence and intimidation in a society marked by significant class divisions.
“The vehicle carries an image that suggests anyone escorted by one must be an important figure,” 40-year-old politician Usman Perhyar told AFP.
“It has everything — showiness, added security and enough space for several people to sit in the open cargo bed.”

This photograph taken on November 12, 2024 shows security personnel riding on the back of a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck locally known as 'Dala', bearing a flag of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), along a street in Karachi. (AFP)

On Karachi’s chaotic roads, Hiluxes part the traffic, speeding up behind cars and flashing their lights demanding drivers move out of their way.
The Hilux first became popular among feudal elites for its reliability in rural and mountain regions.
But in recent years, the “Dala,” as it is locally known, has soared in popularity as an escort vehicle among newly successful urban business owners.
Guards with faces wrapped in scarves and armed with AK-47s can be packed into the back of the truck, its windows blacked out.
“It is a status symbol. People have one or two pickups behind them,” said Fahad Nazir, a car dealer based in Karachi.

This photograph taken on November 11, 2024 shows local politician Usman Perhyar (L) driving a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck locally known as 'Dala', along a street in Karachi. (AFP)

The Hilux debuted in 1968, but the model that became popular in Pakistan was the mid-2000s Hilux Vigo.
It was later upgraded and rebranded as the Revo, with prices ranging from 10 to 15 million rupees (approximately $36,000 to $54,000).
Their prices have remained steady and they retain excellent resale value in a market traditionally dominated by their manufacturer, Toyota.
“Amongst whatever luxury items we have, this is the fastest-selling item,” car seller Nazir told AFP.

This photograph taken on November 20, 2024 shows politician Ali Warraich escorted by his private security personnel on a fleet of Toyota vehicles, to a meeting with residents in Gujrat, Punjab province. (AFP)

Dealers say there was a spike in rentals during February’s national elections.
“I swear to God, you can’t run an election without a Revo,” said Sajjad Ali Soomro, a provincial parliamentarian from Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
In the eastern city of Gujrat, politician Ali Warraich — from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party — finds it essential to travel with an escort of two of the trucks.
They allow him to navigate off-road terrain to attend dozens of weddings and funerals a month.
“Politics without this vehicle has become nearly impossible,” he tells AFP. Without one, he argues, potential supporters could question his influence and turn toward competitors.
“As a result, it has become a basic necessity,” he said.

This photograph taken on November 12, 2024 shows paramilitary personnel riding on the back of a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck locally known as 'Dala', as they patrol along a street in Karachi. (AFP)

The truck has also become a trademark in the suppression of dissenting voices, activists told AFP, with the word “Dala” serving as a euphemism for military intelligence agencies involved in covert operations.
The unmarked cars with plainclothes men inside were used extensively by authorities rounding up senior PTI leaders and officials in recent crackdowns — reinforcing the vehicle’s notorious reputation.
“Every time I see this vehicle on the road, I go through the same trauma I endured during my custody with agencies,” said one PTI member who was picked up earlier this year.
Former leader Khan was bundled into a black Dala by paramilitary soldiers when he was arrested in May 2023 in the capital Islamabad, a detention he blamed on the powerful military leadership.
He later accused political heavyweight and three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif of trying to win the election “through Vigo Dala” — a swipe alleging the military was “carrying” his campaign.
Pakistani poet and activist Ahmad Farhad, known for criticizing the military’s involvement in politics, was taken away in a Hilux after a raid on his home in May by what he said were intelligence agencies.
“Sometimes, they park these vehicles around or behind my car, sending a clear message: ‘We are around’,” he told AFP. “A Dala aligns with their business of spreading fear, which they take great satisfaction in.”
In Karachi, a city rife with street crimes, the imposing Dala deters even outlaws.
“A typical mobile snatcher would opt for maybe looting a car as opposed to a truck,” said 35-year-old automobile enthusiast Zohaib Khan.
Increased street crime has led to more security checks by police, further slowing down movement across the city. But Hiluxes are immune.
Police “don’t typically stop me because they feel that I might be someone who might impact them in a bad way or harm them in some way or the other,” Khan said.

Topics: Dala pickup trucks Pakistan Hilux Vigo Arab News Pakistan

Pakistan confirms this year's eighth case of mpox virus 

Pakistan confirms this year's eighth case of mpox virus 
Updated 29 min 50 sec ago
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Pakistan confirms this year's eighth case of mpox virus 

Pakistan confirms this year's eighth case of mpox virus 
  • Latest case detected in 32-year-old man with a travel history outside Pakistan
  • Mpox is mild but people with weak immune systems at higher risk of complications
Updated 29 min 50 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistan's health ministry on Friday confirmed the country's eighth case of the mpox virus this year in a patient who had recently returned from travels abroad.

People who contract mpox get flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of complications from the infection. 

Pakistan confirmed its first mpox case in August and has since implemented screening protocols at all airports and border entry points. 

"The 32-year-old patient has been isolated and treated," Health Ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah told Arab News. "He is experiencing mild symptoms and is expected to recover soon."

The spokesman added that the patient had recently returned from travelling in a Gulf country. 

The World Health Organization in August declared a global health emergency over the spread of a new mutated strain of mpox named clade I, which first emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has since spread to several countries, leading to increased monitoring and preventive measures worldwide. 

Pakistan has so far not reported any cases of the new mutation. 
 

Topics: MPOX Karachi

Pakistan, China to build expressway linking Gwadar port to airport

Pakistan, China to build expressway linking Gwadar port to airport
Updated 20 December 2024
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Pakistan, China to build expressway linking Gwadar port to airport

Pakistan, China to build expressway linking Gwadar port to airport
  • Starts of operations at Chinese-funded airport in Balochistan was pushed back for a security review in August after deadly militant attacks 
  • Airport will handle domestic and international flights, according to Civil Aviation Authority, and be one of the country’s biggest airports
Updated 20 December 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad and Beijing have agreed on the construction of an expressway connecting Pakistan’s southern deep-sea port of Gwadar with a new airport being developed by China in the coastal town, state-run APP news agency said on Friday. 

In a statement earlier this month, the Pakistan Airports Authority reiterated its commitment to opening the New Gwadar International Airport by the end of December, after the start of operations at the Chinese-funded airport in Pakistan’s Balochistan province was pushed back for a security review following deadly attacks by separatist militants in the area in August. 

The airport will handle domestic and international flights, according to Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority, and will be one of the country’s biggest airports.

“Pakistan and China on Thursday agreed on the construction of an expressway connecting the Gwadar Port with the new Gwadar Airport,” APP reported on Thursday after meetings between Chinese officials and Pakistani Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who is on a visit to China. 

“Additionally, feasibility studies for new motorways, including the Mirpur-Muzaffarabad and Karachi-Hyderabad routes, were agreed to be initiated at the earliest.”

China has pledged over $65 billion in infrastructure, energy and other projects in Pakistan under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, the program in Pakistan is also developing the deep-water port close to the new $200-million airport in Gwadar, a joint venture between Pakistan, Oman and China that is close to completion.

Although no Chinese projects were targeted in the latest militant attacks in August, they have been frequently attacked in the past by separatists who view China as a foreign invader trying to gain control of impoverished but mineral-rich Balochistan, the site of a decades-long insurgency. 

Recent attacks, including one in which two Chinese workers were killed in a suicide bombing in Karachi, have forced Beijing to publicly criticize Pakistan over security lapses and there have been widespread media reports in recent weeks that China wants its own security forces on the ground to protest its nationals and projects, a demand Islamabad has long resisted. 

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Gwadar Port Gwadar airport

Washington says hopes to continue ‘constructive’ engagement with Pakistan on nuclear issues

Washington says hopes to continue ‘constructive’ engagement with Pakistan on nuclear issues
Updated 20 December 2024
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Washington says hopes to continue ‘constructive’ engagement with Pakistan on nuclear issues

Washington says hopes to continue ‘constructive’ engagement with Pakistan on nuclear issues
  • The US said this week it was imposing new sanctions related to nuclear-armed Pakistan’s long-range ballistic-missile program
  • State Department spokesman says latest designations based on concerns on missile program, didn’t affect other areas of cooperation
Updated 20 December 2024
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Vedant Patel, a spokesman for the US Department of State, said on Thursday Washington hoped to continue to engage “constructively” with the Pakistani government on nuclear issues, including its concerns over the South Asian nation’s long-range ballistic missile program.

On Wednesday, the US said it was imposing new sanctions related to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic-missile program, including on the state-owned defense agency that oversees the program, the National Development Complex. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the measures slapped on the NDC and three firms were imposed under an executive order that “targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.” The sanctions freeze any US property belonging to the targeted entities and bars Americans from doing business with them.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry has called the US actions “unfortunate and biased” and said they would harm regional stability by “aiming to accentuate military asymmetries,” an apparent reference to the country’s rivalry with nuclear-armed India.

“The US is committed to maintaining the global nonproliferation regime, and Pakistan is an important partner in that. However, we have been clear and consistent about our concerns with Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program,” Patel told reporters at a press briefing, adding that it was a longstanding policy by Washington to deny support to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.

“The Department of State will continue to use sanctions and other tools to protect our national security and ensure that US exporters and US financial systems cannot be abused by proliferators. And it’s our hope to continue to engage constructively with the Pakistani Government on these issues,” the spokesman added. 

He said the latest designations were based on US concerns regarding Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, but didn’t affect other areas of US-Pakistan cooperation.

A State Department factsheet said the Islamabad-based NDC had sought to obtain components for the country’s long-range ballistic-missile program and missile-testing equipment. It said the NDC “is responsible for the development of Pakistan’s ballistic missiles,” including the Shaheen family of missiles. 

The other entities slapped with sanctions were Affiliates International, Akhtar and Sons Private Limited and Rockside Enterprise, all located in Karachi, the factsheet said. It said the companies worked with the NDC to acquire equipment.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists research organization says the Shaheen series of missiles is nuclear-capable.

Pakistan conducted its first nuclear-weapons test in 1998, becoming the seventh country to do so. The Bulletin estimates Pakistan’s arsenal at about 170 warheads.

Separately, US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer on Thursday said Pakistan was developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually could allow it to strike targets well beyond South Asia, making it an “emerging threat” to the United States.

The senior White House official’s surprise revelation underscored how far the once-close ties between Washington and Islamabad have deteriorated since the 2021 US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. It also raised questions about whether Pakistan has shifted the objectives of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs long intended to counter those of India, with which it has fought three major wars since 1947.

Speaking to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Finer said Pakistan has pursued “increasingly sophisticated missile technology, from long-range ballistic missile systems to equipment, that would enable the testing of significantly larger rocket motors.”

If those trends continue, Finer said, “Pakistan will have the capability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the United States.”

The number of nuclear-armed states with missiles that can reach the US homeland “is very small and they tend to be adversarial,” he continued, naming Russia, North Korea and China.

“So, candidly, it’s hard for us to see Pakistan’s actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the United States,” Finer said.


With inputs from Reuters

Topics: Pakistan US Ties Pakistan missile program US

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