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Pakistan condemns Israeli storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, urges global action

Pakistan condemns Israeli storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, urges global action
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visits Al-Aqsa compound also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City August 13, 2024, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video. (Temple Mount Administration/Handout via REUTERS)
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Updated 16 August 2024
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Pakistan condemns Israeli storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, urges global action

Pakistan condemns Israeli storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, urges global action
  • Foreign office urges the world to bring an end to ‘repeated transgressions’ against Jerusalem’s holy sites
  • Gaza conflict has claimed the lives of over 40,000 Palestinians since the war began last year in October
Updated 16 August 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli forces and extremist settlers on Friday, urging the world to come up with a plan of action that could bring an end to “repeated transgressions” against the sanctity of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Israeli nationals, led by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed the mosque in occupied East Jerusalem under police protection.

Al-Aqsa Mosque holds significant religious importance for Muslims across the world and is considered the third holiest site in Islam, after the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the illegal storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by hundreds of extremist settlers led by office bearers of the Israeli occupation authorities,” foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said while addressing her weekly media briefing.

“Pakistan calls on the international community, especially the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), to take immediate action to end these serious and repeated transgressions against the sanctity of holy sites in Jerusalem,” she added.

Baloch highlighted that the desecration of one of Islam’s holiest sites and obstruction of the rights of worshippers had deeply hurt Muslim sentiments. She described the Israeli acts as a violation of the Geneva Conventions and a blatant disregard of multiple UNSC resolutions focusing on the city of Jerusalem.

Calling for an end to the killing of Palestinians in Gaza, she said Israel should be held accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“Yesterday, marked a tragic milestone in the ongoing war on the people of Gaza,” she continued. “Israeli occupation forces have massacred 40,000 people, majority of them women and children.”

She said Pakistan shared the concerns of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) about the peril posed by Israel’s policies that aimed at altering the Arab and Islamic characters of Jerusalem.

The foreign office called for the protection of the Islamic character of Al-Aqsa and to ensure the freedom of worship for the Palestinians.

Topics: Pakistan Al-Aqsa Mosque Israel

Record-high pollution sickens thousands in Pakistan’s cultural capital of Lahore

Record-high pollution sickens thousands in Pakistan’s cultural capital of Lahore
Updated 49 sec ago
AP
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Record-high pollution sickens thousands in Pakistan’s cultural capital of Lahore

Record-high pollution sickens thousands in Pakistan’s cultural capital of Lahore
  • Authorities warn a complete lockdown could be imminent if smog-related guidelines are ignored
  • Lahore remained world’s most polluted city Wednesday morning as air quality index rose to over 1,100
Updated 49 sec ago
AP

LAHORE: Record-high air pollution in Pakistan’s cultural capital of Lahore is sending more people to hospitals and private clinics, doctors said Wednesday as authorities warned a complete lockdown could be imminent if residents fail to don face masks and follow other guidance related to smog.
The warning came after residents out on the streets in Lahore, which has a population of 14 million, were seen overwhelmingly without masks. Doctors say most people are complaining of either having a cough or that they feel their eyes are burning.
“Tens of thousands of patients suffering from respiratory diseases were treated at hospitals and clinics in a week,” said Salman Kazmi, vice president of the Pakistan Medical Association.
You can see people coughing whenever you go, but they still hardly wear face masks, he said.
Lahore remained the world’s most polluted city Wednesday morning, with air quality index hitting a record high of over 1,100. Anything over 300 is considered hazardous to health.
A toxic smog has shrouded the city since last month.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior minister in the Punjab province asked people to wear face masks to avoid a complete lockdown in the city. Lahore is the provincial capital.
Authorities in the city have already banned barbecuing food without filters, as well as the use of motorized rickshaws — and wedding halls must close by 10 p.m.
The government said it was also looking into methods to induce artificial rainfall to combat the pollution.

Topics: Lahore Smog Pakistan Smog smog Delhi smog

UAE diplomat urges greater food security collaboration with Pakistan at Karachi summit

UAE diplomat urges greater food security collaboration with Pakistan at Karachi summit
Updated 30 min 40 sec ago
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UAE diplomat urges greater food security collaboration with Pakistan at Karachi summit

UAE diplomat urges greater food security collaboration with Pakistan at Karachi summit
  • UAE Consul General in Karachi emphasizes his country’s commitment to supporting Pakistan
  • Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb says current Pakistani policies are leading to stability
Updated 30 min 40 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: A top United Arab Emirates diplomat said on Wednesday his country was actively investing in Pakistan, as he highlighted the possibility of greater bilateral collaboration in food security while addressing a major economic conference.
UAE Consul General Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi was speaking at the Future Summit, a two-day event taking place in Karachi that aims to foster business ties and economic partnerships and has drawn participation from local and international leaders.
Pakistan has been working to enhance trade and investment to address a prolonged economic crisis that has compelled its governments to seek external financing from friendly nations and global lending organizations.
Among the various economic sectors the government plans to strengthen is agriculture, which has faced reduced yields, particularly amid erratic weather patterns attributed to climate change.
“The UAE is making significant investments in Pakistan,” Al-Rumaithi told the participants of the Future Summit. “There are opportunities for collaboration between the two countries in food security sectors.”

UAE Consul General Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi speaks during the Future Summit in Karachi on November 6, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Future Summit)

The UAE diplomat highlighted his country’s commitment to supporting Pakistan, noting that both nations share longstanding brotherly ties.
He underscored that Pakistani nationals, particularly in the health care sector, play a vital role in the UAE’s workforce.
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, also present at the conference, said the government’s policies were steering Pakistan toward economic stability.
During his address, he noted improvements in key economic indicators, citing “a decrease in the current account deficit, an increase in remittances, the stabilization of the rupee and a reduction in the policy rate,” according to state-owned Radio Pakistan.
The minister stressed the need for institutional reforms to enhance transparency, address gaps in areas like tax collection and leverage technological advancements to improve governance.

Topics: the future summit UAE consulate karachi Pakistan UAE ties

PM Sharif visits Gilgit-Baltistan, inaugurates housing for 2022 flood-hit families

PM Sharif visits Gilgit-Baltistan, inaugurates housing for 2022 flood-hit families
Updated 45 min 54 sec ago
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PM Sharif visits Gilgit-Baltistan, inaugurates housing for 2022 flood-hit families

PM Sharif visits Gilgit-Baltistan, inaugurates housing for 2022 flood-hit families
  • The new homes have been built in northern Pakistan’s Ghizer district
  • The 2022 floods killed over 1,700, destroyed houses across Pakistan
Updated 45 min 54 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated a model village for flood-affected families in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region during a day-long visit to Ghizer on Wednesday, pledging to provide residents with ownership documents to help them acquire new houses.
Pakistan is among the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. It faced devastating floods triggered by unprecedented monsoon rains in 2022, which killed over 1,700 people, destroyed farms, homes and public infrastructure, and resulted in financial losses exceeding $35 billion.
Many residents in GB also lost their homes, primarily due to glacial lake outburst floods, which also swept away some key river bridges in the region.
“Today, I have come here after two years,” the prime minister told the inauguration gathering in a speech that was televised. “When I came here in August 2022, it was terrible and almost all the homes were destroyed by rains and floods. Many people’s houses had been razed to the ground.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the inauguration ceremony of Bubar Village Flood Rehab Project in Ghizer, in Pakistan’s northern region of Gilgit Baltistan on November 6, 2024. (Photo courtesy: PMO)

“That was an unfortunate day in history,” he added. “A new society has been established today for the flood affected people. They will be given their ownership documents. I have already given these documents to five or six families.”
Scientists blame Pakistan’s erratic weather patterns on climate change.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif interacts with the locals in Bubar Village, in Pakistan’s northern region of Gilgit Baltistan on November 6, 2024. (Photo courtesy: PMO)

This year, the South Asian country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall, while some areas of the country faced deadly heatwaves in May and June.
Sharif is also scheduled to inaugurate several development projects, including Naltar Expressway, Greater Water Supply in Hunza and the 54MW Hydropower plant in Attabad, according to a statement released by his office.

Topics: Gilgit Baltistan Prime Minsiter Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistani PM congratulates Donald Trump as he claims ‘powerful mandate’

Pakistani PM congratulates Donald Trump as he claims ‘powerful mandate’
Updated 06 November 2024
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Pakistani PM congratulates Donald Trump as he claims ‘powerful mandate’

Pakistani PM congratulates Donald Trump as he claims ‘powerful mandate’
  • Trump spoke before roaring crowd of supporters at Palm Beach County Convention Center, flanked by VP running mate Senator JD Vance
  • Trump’s now likely win against Democrat Kamala Harris will cap a stunning political comeback four years after he left the White House
Updated 06 November 2024
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday congratulated Republican Donald Trump as he claimed victory in the 2024 US presidential contest against Democrat Kamala Harris, which would cap a stunning political comeback four years after he left the White House.

Other news outlets had yet to call the race for Trump, but he appeared on the verge of winning after capturing the battleground states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia and holding leads in the other four, according to Edison Research.

Harris did not speak to her supporters, who had gathered at her alma mater Howard University. Her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, briefly addressed the crowd after midnight, saying Harris would speak publicly on Wednesday and there were still votes to count. 

“Congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump on his historic victory for a second term,” Sharif said on X. “I look forward to working closely with the incoming Administration to further strengthen and broaden the Pakistan-US partnership.”

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, a coalition partner in the Sharif administration, also congratulated Trump and his team.

“This is an anti-war victory. An anti war mandate. We hope the new administration will prioritize peace and help end the cycle of perpetual global conflict.”

Ties between Islamabad and Washington, once close allies, have just started to warm after many years of frosty relations, mostly due to concerns about Pakistan’s alleged support of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies this support.

Relations strained further under the government of former prime minister Imran Khan, who ruled from 2018-22 and antagonized Washington throughout his tenure, welcoming the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and later accusing Washington of being behind attempts to oust him. Washington has dismissed the accusations. 

The government of PM Sharif that took over after Khan and is now in its second term has tried to mend ties but analysts widely believe the United States will not seek a significant broadening of ties with Islamabad in the near future but remain mostly focused on security cooperation, especially on counterterrorism and Afghanistan.
 

Topics: Trump Harris US elections 2024 Donald Trump

Pakistan files terrorism charges against guard for attacking Chinese nationals in Karachi

Pakistan files terrorism charges against guard for attacking Chinese nationals in Karachi
Updated 06 November 2024
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Pakistan files terrorism charges against guard for attacking Chinese nationals in Karachi

Pakistan files terrorism charges against guard for attacking Chinese nationals in Karachi
  • The incident followed last month’s suicide bombing in the city that killed two Chinese workers
  • Pakistan’s foreign ministry says it is ‘resolute’ in bringing the perpetrator of the crime to justice
Updated 06 November 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistani police have filed terrorism charges against a security guard accused of opening fire on four Chinese nationals at a textile mill in Karachi, injuring two on Tuesday.
The attack took place at Liberty Textile Mill in the SITE Industrial Area, according to a police report.
The Chinese nationals — identified as Wang Xing Zhong, Zheng Luwen, Zhou Baolin and Wei Sixian — were at the mill to install new machinery. They reportedly arrived daily in a bulletproof vehicle with security provided by a private firm and the Special Protection Unit (SPU) of Sindh Police.
According to the report, filed on the request of the factory’s security head Najib-ur-Rab, the Chinese nationals had just started working on machinery installation in the knitting department on the first floor when the attack occurred.
“At around 8:15 a.m., a security guard named Sharifullah, employed by Executive Security Company and stationed at Liberty Mill for four to five months, went to the first floor and, for unknown reasons, began firing indiscriminately at the Chinese nationals with a 9mm pistol, intending to kill,” the police report said.
Two of the Chinese nationals, Wang Xing Zhong and Zheng Luwen, were seriously injured and were rushed to the hospital in the factory’s ambulance. The guard fled the scene.
Police recovered 16 used 9mm shell casings at the site.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry condemned the attack, saying the country “remains resolute in bringing the responsible individual to justice.”
It added that it was working closely with the interior ministry and the Chinese embassy in Islamabad to ensure a thorough investigation.
China, breaking with tradition, recently spoke out publicly against security threats to its workers and nationals in Pakistan, where hundreds work on Beijing-funded projects linked to the over $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Last month, two Chinese nationals were killed in a suicide bombing near the international airport in Karachi. In March this year, a suicide bombing killed five Chinese engineers and a Pakistani driver in northwestern Pakistan as they headed to the Dasu Dam, the largest hydropower project in the country.
In 2022, three Chinese educators and their Pakistani driver were killed when an explosion tore through a van at the University of Karachi. A bus blast in northern Pakistan in 2021 killed 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals.
Pakistan announced in a joint statement with China last month it had agreed to increase security for Chinese citizens and projects in the South Asian nation, as Beijing called for urgent security measures following a surge in militant threats.
Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar has directed police to conduct a “thorough investigation,” his office said soon after the recent shooting incident.
According to a statement, the minister also directed an audit of security companies providing protection to Chinese nationals and other foreigners.
“The physical and mental fitness tests of guards assigned to important duties like security should be done,” the statement quoted Lanjar as saying.

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Chinese nationals Pakistan Karachi

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