Category: Uncategorized

  • G7 backs ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Gaza, reaffirms Ukraine support

    G7 foreign ministers said Wednesday that they supported “humanitarian pauses and corridors” in the Hamas-Israel war but refrained from calling for a ceasefire.

    The group also said after talks in Japan that their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia “will never waver” while calling on China not to support Moscow in the conflict.

    “We stress the need for urgent action to address the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza… We support humanitarian pauses and corridors to facilitate urgently needed assistance, civilian movement, and the release of hostages,” a joint statement said.

    The ministers also “emphasize Israel’s right to defend itself and its people in accordance with international law as it seeks to prevent a recurrence” of the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.

    It added: “We call on Iran to refrain from providing support for Hamas and taking further actions that destabilize the Middle East, including support for Lebanese Hezbollah and other non-state actors, and to use its influence with those groups to de-escalate regional tensions.”

    ‘Overall security’

    The Israeli military has relentlessly bombarded Gaza since October 7, when Hamas militants launched an attack that left 1,400 dead in Israel, most of them civilians, according to Israeli authorities.

    The Hamas-run health ministry says the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 10,300 people.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday there would be no fuel delivered to Gaza and no ceasefire unless more than 240 hostages seized by Hamas were freed.

    He also said Israel would assume “overall security” in Gaza after the war ended, while allowing for possible “tactical pauses” before then to free captives and deliver aid to the besieged territory.

    However, Washington said Tuesday it opposed a new long-term occupation of Gaza by Israel.

  • ‘Nawaz Sharif cannot play without his own umpires’: Imran Khan

    ‘Nawaz Sharif cannot play without his own umpires’: Imran Khan

    The legal saga surrounding Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s jail trial and the controversial cipher case took center stage in Islamabad this week.

    On Tuesday, three witnesses provided their testimonies against the PTI chief and his party’s Vice Chairman, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

    Judge Zulqarnain presided over the proceedings at Adiala jail under the special Official Secrets Act court. PTI legal representatives included Barristers Salman Safdar, Taimur, and Gohar Ali Khan, while special prosecutors comprised of Shah Khawar, Zulfikar Abbas Naqvi, and Raja Rizwan Abbasi.

    During the proceedings, PTI’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, representing Khan, raised concerns over the trial’s confined space within the jail premises, emphasizing that it wasn’t in line with legal protocols.

    Family members met the two leaders before witnesses’ statements and cross-examination were conducted; legal teams consulted with Khan and Qureshi. The PTI chief met with his wife Bushra Bibi and sisters Aleema Khan, Noreen Khanum, and Uzma Khan, within the jail premises.

    Qureshi’s daughter, Meharbano, was also present during the trial. She also spoke with the media outside the jail, and demanded justice and a fair trial for her father.

    “Let the family in; no one can have security concerns from their family. Fair trial is my father’s right and as a daughter, I have the right to see the trial,” she added.

    Contempt of court petition

    Adiala jail superintendent responded to the contempt of court petition filed by Khan on Wednesday, requesting the court to dismiss the contempt of court petition.

    “Can’t even think of disobeying the court order,” he stated in his reply.

    The superintendent told the court there is no permanent facility to make phone calls abroad on WhatsApp. He informed the court that the PTI chief spoke with his children on October 18, after the jail took special measures to make the call possible.

    “Arrangements are made for prisoners to speak with family and lawyers at the jail PCO,” he said, adding that the court can direct the Punjab Home Department to amend the rules with regard to making phone calls.

    The court, meanwhile, adjourned the hearing of the contempt petition till Monday due to the absence of Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.

    Islamabad High Court

    Islamabad High Court’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb asked the Attorney General of Pakistan to ensure that the cipher case trial was not conducted in an inappropriate manner, otherwise, it might collapse like a house of cards.

    An IHC bench, comprising Justice Aurangzeb and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, heard the intra-court appeal filed by Khan against his jail trial and the appointment of the special court’s judge in the cipher case.

    The court adjourned the proceedings to November 14, allowing time for the attorney general to present arguments.

    Nawaz wants his own umpires

    Talking to media persons outside Adiala Jail, Imran Khan’s lawyer Barrister Umair Niazi said the PTI chief had criticised PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and also rejected the trial of civilians in military courts.

    The PTI lawyer quoted Mr Khan as saying that Nawaz Sharif cannot play without his own umpires and is again looking towards them. All political parties, except the PML-N, are calling for a level playing field, he added.

    Khan expressed concern over the fresh wave of terrorism in the country and said this was because of a “weak” Afghan policy as Mr Bhutto-Zardari, being the foreign minister, did not visit Kabul to address the issue of terrorism.

  • Nawaz Sharif will visit Balochistan on November 13

    Nawaz Sharif will visit Balochistan on November 13

    Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif will visit Balochistan on November 13, marking his first visit within the country after his return to Pakistan on October 21.

    Nawaz Sharif will meet more than 20 electable politicians and known political personalities of the province.

    According to Samas, the politicians will join PML-N after meeting Sharif.

    On the other hand, the PML-N will announce seat adjustment with the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).

    The former prime minister will also meet with the newly formed party structure in Balochistan.

  • ‘Be considerate’: Hasan Raheem outraged at racist comment about Afghan cricket team

    ‘Be considerate’: Hasan Raheem outraged at racist comment about Afghan cricket team

    Tuesday’s World Cup thriller between Afghanistan and Australia ended with the latter grabbing victory from the former after Glen Maxwell’s blistering knock of 201 runs.

    As X (formerly Twitter) became flooded with memes and tweets about Maxwell’s performance, one user went viral for celebrating the loss of the Afghan cricket team by comparing it to the ongoing illegal deportations of Afghan refugees. The user wrote:

    “Afghanistan to World Cup se bhi deport ho gaya.”

    The comment drew outrage from Twitter users, including singer Hasan Raheem who quoted the tweet and responded:

    Zunaira Imam, the wife of actor and director Usman Mukhtar expressed her disdain over the insensitive tweet by writing:

    “This is not funny. This is not a joke. People are suffering right now. Our policies are not only harming Afghans but also Pashtuns who are being wrongfully incarcerated or deported. People’s pain and hardship should not be the punchline for a joke.”

    Right now, more than 100,000 Afghan refugees are detained in holding centres despite most of them being registered in Pakistan. Aurat March has highlighted cases such as that of a 17-year-old boy who was picked up and deported without informing his family.

    READ MORE: ‘Afghan-looking’ Pakistanis taken to holding centres for deportation, says Aurat March

    In light of the trauma Afghan families face with the on-going deportations, X users were aghast at the insensitivity of the tweet. Especially when Pakistanis are championing the right for Palestinians to be given back their land.

  • ECP ready to conduct ‘free, fair, transparent’ election in country

    ECP ready to conduct ‘free, fair, transparent’ election in country

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is ready to conduct “free, fair, and transparent” general elections in Pakistan on February 8, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja said on Tuesday.

    Sikandar Raja met with caretaker Prime Minister (PM) Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar at PM House to brief him about  preparations for the upcoming general elections in the country.

    During the huddle, PM Kakar reassured the CEC that the interim government will fully cooperate with ECP, providing all necessary resources to make the general elections free, fair, and transparent.

    PM Kakar also said that the caretaker government will also provide funds and security to make polls possible.

    On the other hand, CEC also invited PM Kakar to visit ECP to review preparations for the upcoming elections.

    He further said the process of updating electoral lists is in the final phases, and they will soon be dispatched to all respective districts.

  • Bangladesh Garment Workers Reject 56% Pay Rise

    Bangladesh Garment Workers Reject 56% Pay Rise

    Bangladesh raised the minimum monthly pay for the country’s four million garment workers by 56.25 percent on Tuesday, a decision immediately rejected by unions seeking a near-tripling of the figure.

    The South Asian country’s 3,500 garment factories account for around 85 percent of its $55 billion in annual exports, supplying many of the world’s top fashion names including Levi’s, Zara and H&M.

    But conditions are dire for many of the sector’s four million workers, the vast majority of whom are women whose monthly pay starts at 8,300 taka ($75).

    Workers have gone on strike to demand a near-tripling of their wages, with violent scenes in recent days, while employers offered 25 percent.

    The minimum wage is fixed by a state-appointed board that includes representatives from the manufacturers, unions and wage experts.

    “The new minimum monthly wage for garment factory workers has been fixed at 12,500 taka ($113),” Raisha Afroz, the board secretary, told AFP.

    The figure was immediately rejected by unions, which have been demanding a 23,000 taka minimum.

    Unions say their members have been hard hit by persistent inflation, which in October reached nearly 10 percent, and a cost of living crisis partly triggered by the taka depreciating about 30 percent against the US dollar since early last year.

    “This is unacceptable. This is below our expectations,” said Kalpona Akter, head of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation.

    Hundreds of workers staged an angry protest just yards from the labour ministry after the announcement.

    “I reject this new monthly minimum wage,” said garment worker Sajal Mia, 21.

    “It is an injustice to us. The authorities didn’t take the situation of the market into the account. They’re only concerned about their own interests,” he added.

    The panel normally sits every five years and in 2018 raised the basic minimum from 5,000 taka to 8,000. Garment workers also get at least 300 taka per month as an attendance fee.

    Earlier Tuesday, police fired tear gas at thousands of workers who set a bus on fire outside Dhaka, as tensions rose ahead of the announcement.

    Police said violence broke out in the industrial city of Gazipur as about 6,000 workers walked out of their plants and staged protests.

    “They torched a bus. We fired tear gas to disperse them,” Gazipur industrial police unit chief Sarwar Alam told AFP.

    Police said around 600 factories that make clothing for many major Western brands were shuttered last week and scores were ransacked as the worst wage protest in a decade hit major industrial areas and a suburb of the capital.

    Four factories were torched and at least two workers were killed in the violence, with tens of thousands of workers blocking highways and attacking factories.

    There was no comment from top brands who source tens of billions of dollars of clothing from Bangladesh and for whom South Asian factories are a vital part of their supply chains.

    But last month brands including Gap, Levi Strauss, Lululemon, and Patagonia wrote to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina calling for a “successful conclusion” to wage negotiations.

    “The consultations should seek to raise the minimum wage to a level that corresponds with a wage level and benefits that are sufficient to cover workers’ basic needs and some discretionary income,” they said.

    The protests have coincided with separate violent demonstrations by opposition parties demanding the resignation of Hasina ahead of elections due in January.

  • Punjab imposes partial smart lockdown for four days

    Punjab imposes partial smart lockdown for four days

    The Government of Punjab, after approval from the Chief Minister, has ordered “restricted movement” in some areas of Punjab to combat smog. 

    The areas of Lahore Division (District Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Kasur), District Gujranwala, District Hafizabad, and District Narowal, have the worst Air Quality Index (AQI), becoming potential hotspots for Conjunctivitis, and will go under lockdown.

    From Thursday to Sunday i.e., November 9, 2023, to November 12, 2023, all markets, shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas, gymnasiums, schools

    (public and private), and offices (public and private) will remain closed in these areas.

    Also, movement of people will be limited to and from these areas by public and private transport.

    The following will be exempted from closure:

    •           Pharmacies/ Medical Stores

    •           Medical Facilities and Vaccination Centers

    •           Petrol Pumps

    •           Oil Depots

    •           Tandoors

    •           Bakeries,

    •           Grocery / Karyana stores

    •           Milk / Dairy Shops

    •           Sweet Shops,

    •           Vegetable / Fruit Shops

    •           Chicken / Meat Shops

    •           E-commerce 

    •           Postal / Courier Services

    •           Utility Services (Electricity, Natural Gas, Internet, Cellular Networks /Telecom.

    Large departmental stores will only keep their grocery /pharmacy sections open while all other sections will remain closed.

    It has been suggested by the government that people buy groceries and medicines within the vicinity of their residence.

  • One month of Israeli attacks, death toll crosses 10,000 in Gaza: What we know about day 32

    A month has passed since the declaration of war by Israel on Palestine. More than 10,000 people in Gaza have been killed including 4,104 children, while many are still trapped under the debris of destroyed infrastructure. Israeli blockades have led to scarcity of fuel, food and electricity.

    ‘Little pauses’, no ceasefire: Netanyahu

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted that there will be no ceasefire until the hostages being held in Gaza are released, adding that only “tactical little pauses” will be accepted.

    “An hour here, an hour there – we’ve had them before,” Netanyahu said in an interview with ABC News. “I suppose we’ll check the circumstances, in order to enable goods, humanitarian goods, to come in, or our hostages, individual hostages, to leave.”

    While many around the world are calling for a ceasefire, the US has urged for a “humanitarian pause” without specifying the duration of the pauses.

    Considering the casualties and destruction of Gaza, human rights groups and organisations are calling for an immediate ceasefire.

    On the contrary, Hamas has reportedly offered to set hostages free if Palestinian captives are released from Israeli jails.

    Netanyahu also told ABC News that Israel would have “overall security responsibility” after the fighting with Hamas is over “for an indefinite period”, implying a continued occupation of the territory.

    Job losses costing Palestinians $16m a day

    The UN’s labour agency has revealed that job losses in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank are costing Palestinians $16m a day.

    The International Labour Organization (ILO) reported on Monday that 182,000 jobs have been lost in Gaza (61 percent of total employment).

    An additional 208,000 jobs losses have been recorded in the occupied West Bank, (24 percent of total employment).

    Aid into Gaza

    The Palestinian Red Crescent teams received 93 trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent through the Rafah crossing on Monday.

    The supplies consisted of food, water, relief items, medical equipment and medications.

    Since October 21, a total of 569 trucks have been sent whereas before October 7, 750 to 850 trucks used to enter Gaza daily.

    Israel, however, has still not allowed fuel into Gaza.

  • Two policemen martyred in suspected militants attack on oil company in Dera Ismail Khan

    Two policemen martyred in suspected militants attack on oil company in Dera Ismail Khan

    Suspected militants on Tuesday attacked an oil and gas company in Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan), resulting in two police officials being martyred and three getting injured.

    The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) confirmed that the terrorist attack occurred in Drazanda tehsil of DI Khan.

    The injured police officials and the bodies were shifted to hospitals, said the DSP. He also confirmed that one of the injured policemen is in a critical condition.

    The DSP stated that police officials were deployed for security of the oil company, adding that the search for terrorists is underway.

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, stating that strict action is required to wipe out terrorists from Pakistan.

    This was the fifth attack on DI Khan in the last few days.

    Earlier, on Monday, militants attacked the Gul Imam police station in Tank Area, DI Khan.

  • Despite calls for her removal from Sephora, Huda Beauty donates one million dollars to Gaza

    Despite calls for her removal from Sephora, Huda Beauty donates one million dollars to Gaza

    Huda Kattan, the brains behind the successful beauty brand ‘Huda Beauty’, has consistently raised her voice to end the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The beauty mogul went viral a few weeks ago when she shut down an Israeli supporter who threatened to boycott her products.

    “I don’t want blood money,” Huda fired back.

    Since then, Israeli supporters are circulating a petition to attempt to remove Huda Kattan’s products from beauty giant retailer Sephora. But despite the backlash, Huda Beauty announced on its Instagram account that the brand was donating one million dollars to humantarian organisations in Gaza.

    “it’s been A MONTH of immense suffering in Gaza, and unfortunately things are getting worse.

    It’s important that we always stand on the side of the oppressed & use our platforms to shed light on any injustice. We cannot stand by and pretend like this is not happening.

    Our Huda Beauty brands, including Huda Beauty, Kayali and WISHFUL will be donating $1 million to humanitarian organisations in Gaza.

    This is only because of you that we are able to make this donation, so thank you for your support. Together we can bring change.”

    Social media users applauded Huda’s heroic stance.