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  • Israel strikes Gaza after failed UN ceasefire bid

    Israel strikes Gaza after failed UN ceasefire bid

    Israel pressed its offensive against Hamas in Gaza on Saturday after the United States blocked an extraordinary UN bid to call for a ceasefire in the two-month war.

    Hamas and the Palestinian Authority swiftly condemned the US veto as the Hamas-run health ministry put the latest death toll in Gaza at 17,487 people, mostly women and children.

    An Israeli strike on the southern city of Khan Yunis killed six people, while five others died in a separate attack in Rafah, the ministry said Saturday.

    Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas over its unprecedented attack on October 7 when militants broke through Gaza’s militarised border to kill around 1,200 people and seize hostages, 138 of whom remain captive, according to Israeli figures.

    Vast areas of Gaza have been reduced to rubble and the UN says about 80 percent of the population has been displaced, with dire shortages of food, fuel, water and medicine reported.

    “It’s so cold, and the tent is so small. All I have are the clothes I wear, I still don’t know what the next step will be,” said Mahmud Abu Rayan, displaced from Beit Lahia in the north.

    A UN Security Council resolution that would have called for an immediate cease-fire was vetoed by the United States on Friday.

    US envoy Robert Wood said the resolution was “divorced from reality” and “would have not moved the needle forward on the ground.”

    Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said the cease-fire “would prevent the collapse of the Hamas terrorist organization, which is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, and would enable it to continue ruling the Gaza Strip.”

    Hamas slammed on Saturday the US rejection of the cease-fire bid as “a direct participation of the occupation in killing our people and committing more massacres and ethnic cleansing.”

    Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said it was “a disgrace and another blank cheque given to the occupying state to massacre, destroy and displace.”

    The veto was swiftly condemned by humanitarian groups, with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) saying the Security Council was “complicit in the ongoing slaughter.”

    Israel’s military said Friday it had struck 450 targets in Gaza over 24 hours, showing footage of strikes from naval vessels in the Mediterranean.

    The health ministry reported 40 dead near Gaza City in the north, and dozens more in Jabalia and the main southern city of Khan Yunis.

    Humanitarian Catastrophe

    Following two months of conflict and bombardment, UN chief Antonio Guterres said Friday “the people of Gaza are looking into the abyss.”

    “People are desperate, fearful and angry,” he said.

    “All this takes place amid a spiralling humanitarian nightmare.”

    Many of the 1.9 million Gazans who have been displaced by the war have headed south, turning Rafah near the Egyptian border into a vast camp.

    With the death toll of medical workers in the conflict mounting, more than a dozen World Health Organization member states submitted a draft resolution on Friday that urged Israel to respect its obligations under international law to protect humanitarians in Gaza.

    They called for Israel to “respect and protect” medical and humanitarian workers exclusively involved in carrying out medical duties, as well as hospitals and other medical facilities.

    Only 14 of the 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip were functioning in any capacity, according to United Nations’ humanitarian agency OCHA.

    With the civilian toll mounting, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Friday that Washington believes Israel needs to do more to protect civilians in the conflict.

    “We certainly all recognize more can be done to… reduce civilian casualties. And we’re going to keep working with our Israeli counterparts to that end,” he said.

    The death toll also rose in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces shot dead six Palestinians on Friday, the territory’s health ministry said.

    Israel said Friday it has lost 91 soldiers in Gaza.

    It said two others were wounded in a failed bid to rescue hostages overnight, and that “numerous terrorists” were killed in the operation.
    Hamas claimed a hostage was killed in the operation, and released a video purporting to show the body, which could not be independently verified.

    Hamas rocket parts, launchers and other weapons as well as a one-kilometer tunnel were found at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, the army said, as it warned residents to move west.

  • Pak vs Australia’s PM XI: Storm in Canberra leads to a draw

    Pak vs Australia’s PM XI: Storm in Canberra leads to a draw

    The practice match between Pakistan and Australia’s Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra ended in a draw due to a massive electrical storm in Canberra, Australia.

    Pakistan declared on 391 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the first innings thanks to a double century by captain Shan Masood.

    In the second innings, Australia’s PM XI scored 367 runs for the loss of four wickets. PM XI’s Matt Runshaw scored 136 runs, Cameron Bancroft 53, Cameron Green 46, Marcus Harris 49, and Nathan McSweeney scored 40 runs.

    For Pakistan, Khurram Shehzad, Faheem Ashraf, Abrar Ahmed, and Imam-ul-Haq took one wicket each.

    This four-day match was a part of the preparation for the Test match series. The three-match Test series between Pakistan and Australia will be played from December 14 to January 7.

  • State Bank of Pakistan to announce monetary policy decision on December 12

    State Bank of Pakistan to announce monetary policy decision on December 12

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is set to unveil its monetary policy on Tuesday, December 12. A statement released by the central bank on Friday informed that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of SBP will convene in Karachi on December 12 to deliberate on monetary policy. 

    Subsequently, the central bank will issue the official monetary policy statement. In its preceding meeting on October 30, the MPC judiciously opted to uphold the policy rate at 22%, citing global market volatility. 

    The committee underscored the imperative of persisting with a stringent monetary policy stance to mitigate inflation.

    PKR ends another week in green

    The Pakistani currency is experiencing an upward trend against the US dollar for the past several sessions, concluding the week in positive territory on Friday. 

    According to the SBP, the Pakistani rupee gained 0.09 per cent, closing at Rs283.87 against the US dollar.

  • IMF board’s January meeting to shape future disbursements for Pakistan

    IMF board’s January meeting to shape future disbursements for Pakistan

    The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Executive Board is scheduled to convene on January 11 to endorse the Staff-Level Agreement (SLA) with Pakistan, marking the inaugural review of the $3 billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA).

    In June, the IMF Executive Board granted approval for a crucial nine-month arrangement with Pakistan, aimed at supporting its economic stabilisation programme.

    This approval facilitated an immediate disbursement of $1.2 billion, with the remaining funds to be disbursed over the programme’s timeline, contingent upon two quarterly evaluations.

    Following negotiations between IMF staff and Pakistani authorities on November 15 in Islamabad, the SLA was successfully reached, paving the way for Pakistan to access SDR 528 million (approximately $700 million).

    This latest disbursement brings the cumulative total under the nine-month $3 billion SBA to nearly $1.9 billion.

    While the initial plan had tentatively slated the IMF Board meeting for December 7 to approve the initial tranche, the confirmed date is now set for January 11.

  • Overseas workers’ remittances to Pakistan dip to $2.3 billion

    Overseas workers’ remittances to Pakistan dip to $2.3 billion

    In November 2023, overseas workers sent a total of $2.3 billion in remittances to Pakistan, reflecting an 8.6 per cent decrease from the $2.5 billion recorded in October 2023, as per data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). 

    However, on a yearly basis, there was a 3.6 per cent increase in the monthly inflow compared to the same month in the previous year.

    Remittances are a crucial element in supporting Pakistan’s external accounts and play a vital role in boosting the country’s economic activity while also supplementing the disposable incomes of households dependent on remittances.

    The recent rise in remittances was attributed to an improved exchange rate following a crackdown against currency smugglers and hoarders. 

    This crackdown resulted in a reduction of the rate gap between the open and interbank markets. However, despite this positive trend, remittances have observed a decline on a monthly basis again this November.

    In the first five months of the fiscal year 2024, remittances amounting to $11 billion have been recorded, in contrast to $12.3 billion in the same period of the previous year.

    Breaking down the remittances, it was noted that overseas Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia sent the highest amount in November 2023, totaling $540.3 million. 

    This amount represented a 12.5 per cent monthly decline but was 5.5 per cent higher than the remittances in the same month of the previous year. 

    Remittances from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also declined on a monthly basis by 13.6 per cent, from $473.9 million in October to $409.4 million in November. 

    However, there was a yearly improvement of 7.6 per cent. Remittances from the United Kingdom increased by 3.5 per cent to $341.7 million compared to October 2023.

    Conversely, remittances from the European Union declined by nearly 10 per cent on a monthly basis, amounting to $268.3 million in November 2023. Overseas Pakistanis in the US sent $261.5 million in November 2023, experiencing a month-on-month decrease of 7.7 per cent.

  • Pakistan Stock Exchange surges 2.33% to reach 66,223.63 points

    Pakistan Stock Exchange surges 2.33% to reach 66,223.63 points

    The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) maintained its upward trajectory, with the benchmark KSE-100 index reaching a new pinnacle on Friday. 

    At the close, the index concluded at 66,223.63, marking a noteworthy increase of 1,505.56 points, or 2.33 per cent.

    While surpassing the 66,000 level earlier in the day, a temporary slowdown occurred in the second half due to profit-taking. 

    Nevertheless, bullish activity returned during the final hour, propelling the benchmark index to an intra-day peak of 66,273.73.

    The market displayed widespread buying across key sectors such as cement, chemicals, commercial banks, fertiliser, oil and gas exploration companies, OMCs, and power generation and distribution sectors. 

    Thursday’s trading session had already seen a positive trend, with the KSE-100 settling at 64,718.08, reflecting a gain of 800.35 points, or 1.25 per cent.

    This continued momentum is attributed to enhanced economic indicators following the recent agreement between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) authorities on the first review of the Stand-By Agreement (SBA) last month.

  • Fans do not like Bollywood star-kids Netflix film The Archies

    Fans do not like Bollywood star-kids Netflix film The Archies

    Netflix’s The Archies, a launch pad for Shahrukh Khan’s daughter Suhana, Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda, the late Sri Devi’s daughter, Khushi, has just been released on Netflix. The film made headlines for its close-to-the-original comic depiction but after its release on December 7, the film has mostly been planned, especially on Twitter. Netizens have varying things to say, most of them, uncomplimentary.

    Critics like Sucharita said the movie felt like a whole lot of nothing.

    One user said that the movie was cute. “The actors aren’t the best but they all look gorgeous”.

    Others outrightly criticised the film as “pathetic” and a “disgusting display of nepotism”.

    The meme brigade actively took part in roasting the film as one user posted, “If you’re struggling with heart problems, don’t watch this series. These kids’ acting might just trigger a heart attack, and I don’t think even CPR could save you from that drama!”

    One user was also reminded of Abhishek Bachchan while seeing Agastya.

    Some criticised that the new actors were not given due credit even though they performed better.

    Others are strongly criticising the promotional PR as a waste of money.

  • Mahira Khan snapped with Hollywood star Andrew Garfield

    Mahira Khan snapped with Hollywood star Andrew Garfield

    The Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is unfolding right now. Pakistani cinema is gaining recognition on the global platform with movies like Wakhri and In Flames being featured at the event. showcase the talent and creativity of Pakistani filmmakers.
    On Thursday, Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt walked the red carpet at the festival. She not only attended the event but also posed with several Pakistani celebrities. Alia was dressed in an elaborate floral silver gown for the red carpet event.
    Hollywood actors including Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Sharon Stone, Michelle Williams, Freida Pinto, Joel Kinnaman, Paz Vega and Sofia Vergara were also in attendance at the festival.
    Pakistani stars, including Mahira Khan, Humayun Saeed, Ahad Raza Mir were also there, mingling with international stars like Alia Bhatt and Andrew Garfield. Humayun Saeed was also photographed with Adrien Brody, Nicolas Cage, Henry Golding, and Joel Kinnaman. His wife, Samina Humayun Saeed, was captured in a picture with Alia Bhatt. Take a look at the pictures below to see our Pakistani stars at the festival.

  • Minor child worker Rizwana’s first day at school

    Minor child worker Rizwana’s first day at school

    Rizwana, 13, a domestic worker who was assaulted by the wife of a civil judge, has started her education.

    Sarah Ahmed, chairperson of the Child Protection Bureau, stated that the girls studying in Child Protection School welcomed Rizwana on her first day.

    She added that along with education, Rizwana will also be taught cooking, given psychological counselling, and her medical monitoring will also continue.

    The young domestic worker, beaten up during employment by the wife of a civil judge in Islamabad, was under treatment in Lahore General Hospital for five months. Rizwana was brought to the facility from Sargodha with injuries on her head, face and back.

    According to the medical report, due to lack of timely treatment, Rizwana’s wounds were infected with worms, the girl had 15 injury marks on her body including her head, while her internal organs were also affected.

  • Farah Gogi declared proclaimed offender in £190 million scandal case

    Farah Gogi declared proclaimed offender in £190 million scandal case

    The names of the suspects in the £190 million scandal case were published as proclaimed offenders by an Accountability Court of Islamabad on Friday, SAMMA has reported. 

    The names of individuals allegedly involved in the corruption case, including former Accountability Adviser Shahzad Akbar, ex-Special Assistant Zulfi Bukhari, Zia Al Mustafa, and Farah Gogi, were displayed on Friday outside the Judicial Complex as proclaimed offenders. Farah Gogi is currently not in Pakistan, having successfully evaded authorities till now.

    The Accountability Court asked individuals facing charges in the said case to appear before the court on January 6.

    Judge Muhammad Basheer of the Accountability Court ordered to publish the names of suspects involved in the £190 million scandal. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, are also suaoects in the same case.

    According to the order issued by Judge Muhammad Bashir, the investigation officer of the case, Mian Umar Nadeem, stressed that the arrest warrants for Shahzad Akbar, Zia-ul-Mustafi Naseem, Zulfi Bukhari, Ahmed Riaz, Farhat Shahzad, and others implicated in the reference should be strictly implemented.