PM, COAS PLEDGE NOT TO LET HOSTILE FORCES DISRUPT BALOCHISTAN’S PEACE, UPLIFT
tan Khwarij who shed the blood of innocent people would not be spared he said
The prime minister stated that Balochistan was an important and beautiful province of Pakistan, and all obstacles in its path to development and prosperity would be removed The prime minister said that the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives for the motherland and the innocent civilians would not go to waste The prime minister made it clear that dialogues could only be possible with those who respect the constitution of Pakistan and salute the national flag
While addressing the participants of the meeting, the prime minister commended the sacrifices and contributions of the people of Balochistan towards national progress and development and resolved that enemies of Pakistan bent on creating unrest in Balochistan, would be defeated with full force and national support
The prime minister further said that the entire nation was grieved by the recent tragic incident occurred in Balochis-
The participants offered Fateha for the Shuhada of recent terrorist attacks in Balochistan, expressing solidarity with the victims families, and praising the bravery of security forces for their timely response in preventing further loss of innocent lives The committee unequivocally condemned the cowardly terrorist attacks targeting innocent Pakistanis and resolved to intensify counter-terrorism efforts in the province, leveraging multi-domain resources to eradicate terrorism
A comprehensive review of the security situation in Balochistan and ongoing operations against terrorists was conducted and the committee decided to further solidify intelligence sharing and coordination among Security Forces and law enforcement agencies
in Islamabad on Thursday
We expect the Afghan authorities to take robust action against these terror groups and prevent their activities that endanger Pakistan’s security” she emphasized Mrs Baloch confirmed that invitations have been extended to all heads of government of SCO member countries, including the Prime Minister of India for the forthcoming meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Organization
The FO Spokesperson said We have also received some confirmations She said this meeting is scheduled to take place in Islamabad on the 15th to 16th of October Responding to a question, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan does not have trade relations with India
Pentagon and Pakistani officials regarding the presence of Da’ish and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) within Afghanistan labeling such claims as unfounded At a recent press briefing, Fitrat categorically dismissed the Pentagon s assertion that Da’ish operates in Afghanistan asserting that Da’ish has been eliminated from Afghan soil and that the group s presence is a fabrication
He also addressed concerns about TTP activities stating TTP does not maintain any bases on Afghan soil and the fear surrounding Afghanistan s territory unwarranted Fitrat accused TTP of having well-established bases in Pakistan, from which they conduct operations against Pakistani military forces These statements come in response to recent comments by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder PM Shehbaz alleged that TTP utilises Afghan territory for its operations emphasizing that Pakistan has undertaken significant measures against
these terrorist activities He claimed that terrorists are launching attacks from Afghan soil which has prompted Pakistani authorities to act Meanwhile, Major General Ryder from the Pentagon had highlighted the presence of various terrorist groups in Afghanistan including Da’ish and criticised the Taliban s role as the ruling entity in the country Additionally the Afghan Ministry of Interior, in its annual report, reiterated that Da’ish activities in Afghanistan have ceased, asserting that there is no evidence to support claims of its continued presence
Nadeem Naqvi appointed interim CEO of Pakistan S tock Exchange
U
Another bit of good news, another sign of the IMF coming through
MO O D Y S upgrading of Pakistan s rating, from Caa3 to Caa2 represents a vote of confidence in the Shehbaz government, for it has come ahead of the IMF Board of Directors formal approval of the $7 billion EFF which Pakistan has applied for Moody’s accompanying statement does mention the staff level agreement reached in July between the IMF team and the government This is an indication that the IMF BoD will indeed come though for if there was any doubt Moody’s would probably have held back It is worth noting that Moody s upgrade became likelier ever since Fitch s upgraded Pakistan to CCC+ (from CCC) in July, also mainly because of the staff-level agreement, but also because Pakistan had successfully completed the Standby Arrangement in the last fiscal year Th3e third global credit-rating agency, Standard & Poor, maintained Pakistan at CCC+ in July While Moody’s has given Pakistan a positive outlook, Standard & Poor maintained its ‘stable’ outlook while Fitch’s does not assign an outlook for ratings of CCC+ and below It is also noteworthy that the news was greeted by a rise in the value of the rupee which indicates how the underlying problem is one of foreign exchange availability
The improvement in the rating means that Pakistan will be able to get better interest rates on its loams
There does seem to an element of Catch-22 in this, as a downgrade, by increasing the cost of borrowing, would make countries more liable than defeauly However, the rating agencies also have to provide an objective service, and cannot afford to be too wrong Pakistan would also be pleased with Moody’s assessment that the danger of default has receded, True, it has not disappeared but the alarmist calls that Pakistan was headed down Sri Lanka’s path seem to have died down Pakistan should not be too happy with the credit rating because it means that approval of the IMF BoD will not be followed by a further round of upgrades Not should the Pakistani taxpayer be particularly happy that the cost of borrowing from global money markets has grown less, because it merely means that the country will borrow, with the taxpayer being forced to pay the debts increase Pakistan should look forward to the time when ratings upgrades merely recognise a vibrant economy, and are not important for a national borrowing plan
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late)
Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Punjab being targeted by separatists At Penpoint
THE will-they-or-won’t they drama about the PTI s planned rally for Islamabad could not conceal the fact that its cancellation did not really make that much of a difference to the real purpose of the rally: the release of party
chief Imran Khan from jail
Perhaps the rally’s purpose, which was to develop an atmosphere of uncertainty was better achieved by two highly dramatic events which gave the impression that the country was unstable and the writ of the government did not run Both events related to Punjab and Balochistan, respectively the most populous and largest provinces However, while Punjab is a battleground between the PML(N) and the PTI (with the PPP refusing to concede that it has been shut out by this rivalry) Balochistan has a different kind of political structure and neither of these two parties are really competitive there Punjab s problems with dacoits in the kutcha of the Indus dates back to time immemorial The badlands along the banks of the Indus, with their thick forests, provide an ideal refuge for anyone in conflict with society or merely seeking isolation Hindu rishis no longer inhabit these forests meditating for years However the forests still provide a place of refuge for criminals Policing these areas is often a matter of containment rather than eradication Only in 2013 the authorities conducted an operation against the Chhotu Gang a huge gang of dacoits It deployed anti-aircraft guns as well as light and heavy machineguns all acquired from Afghanistan It has just taken a decade for the dacoits to have regrouped It is to be expected that their old contacts with Afghanistan would be revived, this time across militant strongholds in North and South Waziristan, and across Dera Ismail Khan, all three districts in KP, as well as across Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur which are Punjab districts The police maintained a permanent checkpost in the badlands in Rahim Yar Khan district and it is there that a rocket was fired on a police party returning after completing its period of duty The resulting 11 policemen killed was not just about the danger of having dacoits at large, but was also about the sectarian terrorists who might have sought refuge there after feeling pressure from the ongoing operation in KP The Baloch connection is not just becqause the incident occurred near the Punjab-Balochistan border, but because the dacoits who killed the policemen were ethnic Baloch More Baloch, residents of the province and not just because of ethnicity killed Punjabis stopping buses and trucks on the highway in Musakhel district in Balochistan pulling people off and killing them if they identified them as Punjabis This was clearly Baloch separatism at work, and was met by the Army with the killing of 21 terrorists
I n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e v e r s u s i l l e g a l B a n g l a d e s h i s
Each incident was perhaps enough to make it clear that Pakistan still suffered from instability and all the positive developments which had been witnessed since the present government took over, would be overcome However, both incidents occurring and with such a small intervening period showed a country where the government was not in control
It is worth noting that the incidents occurred in provinces that the PML(N) or its allies in the Centre ruled The PTI government in KP and the PPP government in Sind remained unaffected This is even though the KP’s involvement in the Rahim Yar Khan incident while tangential cannot be ruled out; and the incident did occur on the Punjab-Sindh border in an area where there were a large number of ethnic Baloch on both sides of the border Incidentally, the presence of ethnic Baloch in Punjab and Sindh should provide evidence that Baloch nationalism is not very strong Indeed, they illustrate some of the divisions among the Baloch Both Punjabi and Sindhi Baloch are Seraiki speakers though Punjabi Baloch speak a separate language though Sindhi Baloch speak Seraiki as a dialect of Sindhi One of the divides among the Baloch is linguistic A large number speak Seraiki, like their Sindhi cousins, while others speak Balochi, an Indo-Iranian language like Pashto or Farsi while there are also a number of Brahui speakers Brahui is a Dravidian language and seems to be a Western outlier of the people who created the Indus Valley Civilization, of which the Mehrgarh Civilization, near the Bolan Pass was probably the predecessor The theory is that the Indus Valley peoples were Dravidians and driven south by Aryan invaders A remnant remained and that constitutes today’s Brahuispeaking population To add to this linguistic palette it should be remembered that the Baloch of Dera Ghazi Khan speak a dialect of Seraiki (or a sub-dialec t, if one considers Seraiki a dialect of Punjabi, not a language in its own right) called Balochki, which is influenced by Balochi Now while the Baloch in both Punjab and Sindh identify as ethnic Baloch they also are secure about their provincial identity as Punjabi or Sindhi Baloch Interestingly, Balochistan is home to a subnational or provincial movement Balochistan has got a significant and contiguous Pashtun population, actually those provinces of Afghanistan conquered by
Freedom or fear?
The
DU R I N G our school days when the historic Assam agitation broke out we used to go to Tihu town to join various protest demonstrations against the outsiders (read non-Assamese Indians) and the movement was initially known as ‘Bohiragata Kheda Andolan’ (agitation to deport outsiders) to create a prosperous Assam for the indigenous population Later it was redefined as the agitation against illegal migrants (read Bangladeshi/East Pakistani nationals) by the intellectuals and media barons in Guwahati Simultaneously an armed movement also surfaced with an initial trigger from the economic domination of Hindi speaking people in eastern Assam After decades as the mighty river Brahmaputra kept on rolling the issue came alive with an incident in Sibsagar where a community was compelled to apologize for a crime committed by some individuals (belonging to that group) The accused individuals, who physically assaulted a minor female arm wrestler at Babupatty on 13 August 2024, were already brought into the legal process But still the entire community (read Marwari) was made responsible for the crime Shockingly a responsible State minister was present on the occasion where some aged males and females were forced to kneel down to convey the public apology
The Sibsagar incident was enjoyed by a number of parochial Assamese individuals terming it as an example of Asomiyagiri (domination of Assamese community) They made it clear that anyone living in Assam must respect the Asomiya language and culture Otherwise they would have to leave the State, and that was the exact narrative that inspired the people of Brahmaputra valley to join the student-ed agitation Amazingly some people in Assam still nurture a daydream of crafting the State as a land of Assamese-speaking people only They bluntly defy the argument that hundreds of thousands of Assamese families (mostly students) today live outside the State as proud Indians
However the Sibsagar resolution annoyed a large number of logical Assamese personalities who outrightly denounced the attitude of the agitators of constructing a strong divide between Asomiya and non-Asomiya nationals Many social media users pointed them out as senseless and troublemakers Some advised them to come out of Assam and visit the country to develop a vivid sense of nationalism with pride A few urged them to raise voices against the illegal Bangladeshi Muslims who have emerged as a threat to the locals of Assam They strongly argued that Asomiyagiri will not survive if those illegitimate foreigners started dominating the politics of the country in future The ecstasy of success in Sibsagar was also short-lived as a rape incident shook the conscience of the entire Assamese population A minor at Dhing area in central Assam faced gang rape on 22 August as she was returning home from tutorial classes in the evening hours At least three youths belonging to the Muslim community on a two-wheeler chased the class x girl and finally overpowered her Locals found her in an unconscious condition on a roadside and sent her to a nearby health centre Later she was shifted to Nagaon town for better treatment
Hundreds of Assamese women supported by students hit the street and condemned the police forces for its repeated failure to protect the women in their locality A large number of angry protesters sat on the road with bright sunlight beating down on them alleged that months back an aged lady was raped in their locality, where the police did only a cover-up They accused the habituated rapists of being suspected migrants and demanded justice for the victim girl A few of them even chanted slogans demanding an encounter (meaning extrajudicial killing) for the monsters Meanwhile, following a call by the Dhing unit of All Assam Students Union (AASU), all commercial establishments and educational institutions were closed in the locality They demanded stringent actions against the culprits Criticizing the State Home Department for its failure to protect the women in their own places
the agitators insisted that the indigenous females must be safeguarded at any cost The protest demonstrations in Dhing continued for days demanding the arrest of all criminals involved with the fateful incident Realising the charged situation Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who was full of praise for the Sibsagar resolution, made a stern comment through his social media handling over the Dhing incident Expressing serious concern over it, Sarma (also in charge of State Home portfolio) directed the State police chief GP Singh to rush to the location and ensure swift actions against the monsters He asserted that the horrific incident at Dhing involving a minor was a crime against humanity and the government would not spare the perpetrators And the news broke in next day morning hours that one of the prime accuseds in the gang-rape died by drowning as he tried to escape police custody by jumping into a pond Tafajjul Islam who was arrested after the horrible incident, had been taken to the place where it took place for recreating the crime scene According to the police personnel on duty, Tafazzul attacked them and tried to escape After two hours of search by State Disaster Response Force personnel his body still handcuffed was recovered from the pond The local villagers did not join in his funeral as it was conducted by the close family members only
Meanwhile, a number of protest rallies were organized in different parts of Assam supporting the demand of Dhing-lady agitators A group of indigenous people’s organisations even issued a deadline to Miya Muslims (indicating Muslims of Bangladesh origin) to leave upper Assam within a week They were loud and clear that the Dhing rape was committed by the Miyas only and urged the government to do the needful Representatives of All Tai Ahom Students Union Bir Lachit Sena Asomiya Yuva Manch Asomiya Mahila Manch All Assam Adivasi Students Union All Assam Chutia Students Union All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students Union, among others, termed the Miyas as cancerous to the Assamese society and insisted on a quick eradication
Nava Thakuria is an independent Indian journalist based in Kamrup Assam
The news broke in next day morning hours that one of the prime accused in the gang-rape died by drowning as he tried to escape police custody by jumping into a pond. Tafajjul Islam, who was arrested after the horrible incident, had been taken to the place where it took place for recreating the crime scene.
in
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are supposed to be joyous occasions This reckless behaviour endangers lives, and it also reflects a deeper issue within society How can we claim to honour our nation’s independence when our celebrations are marred by actions that put our fellow citizens at risk? It is as if we have forgotten the true meaning of freedom; a freedom that was won the hard way It should be cherished not tarnished by senseless acts of violence
If we are not even capable of celebrating our own Independence Day in a responsible and dignified manner, how can we ever hope to bring about the much-needed revolution in the country? This is a question that we must ask ourselves
In essence, a revolution requires not just change at the top, but a transformation in the mindset of the people As a nation, are we ready to embrace progress, respect the rule of law, and prioritise the wellbeing of our fellow citizens?
As such, aerial firing is not a symbol of bravery or patriotism; it is a manifestation of a mindset that is dangerously detached from the realities of civic responsibility If we truly want to see Pakistan move forward we must begin by changing ourselves by adopting behaviours that reflect maturity, respect as well as a true understanding of what it means for us to be independent
The relevant authorities should take strict action against those indulging in aerial firing, and to educate the public about the dangers it poses Truly Independence Day should be a time to celebrate our freedoms, not to jeopardise them Let us honour our nation by celebrating in a way that reflects the values and principles upon which it was founded Let the Independence Day be a day of joy and fun, not worries for others SYED KALBE JAFFAR NAQVI KARACHI
Exploited and forgotten
AGAINST the official minimum monthly wage of a working person security guards get paid only around 50 per cent and that too, for a 12-hour shift Overtime, transportation allowance and food are the stuff of dreams for them How can they support their families with this meagre salary, especially when indirect taxes are imposed on even essential commodities?
Just imagine the physical, mental and financial condition of a security guard who is expected to risk his
NAvA ThAkurIA
Ov e R the past few days two notable statements have significantly influenced the geopolitical landscape of the Middle east Interestingly, these statements did not come from Israel or hamas, the primary actors in the ongoing conflict in the region Instead, they originated from the key players in a conflict occurring more than a thousand miles away the war in Ukraine
The first statement came from Moscow where Russian officials declared that the conflict in Ukraine would reach a resolution by the end of 2024 Shortly after, Kyiv responded with a similar timeframe for a potential resolution The significance of these statements lies in their potential to reshape global political dynamics particularly in the Middle east which has long been a region of strategic importance for global powers
The Russia-Ukraine war has already had far-reaching consequences, not only for europe but also for other parts of the world The conflict has drawn in resources attention and diplomatic efforts from major global players including the United States european nations and crucially Russia Russia s involvement in the Middle east has been substantial, particularly in Syria, where it has supported the Assad regime A resolution to the Ukraine conflict would likely allow Russia to refocus its efforts and resources in the Middle east potentially altering the balance of power in the region Moscow s statement about resolving the conflict by the end of 2024 suggests that Russia is preparing for a strategic shift, possibly aiming to reassert its influence in the Middle east once the war in Ukraine is concluded On the other hand Ukraine s similar statement indicates its confidence in
achieving a resolution within the same timeframe This could imply a forthcoming change in the international order, where Ukraine might emerge stronger and more aligned with Western powers Such an outcome could influence Western strategies in the Middle east especially in terms of how they engage with both Russia and Middle eastern nations
The timing of these statements is crucial The Middle east is currently a region of heightened tensions particularly with the ongoing conflict between Israel and hamas The statements from Moscow and Kyiv serve as a reminder that the Middle east is deeply interconnected with broader global conflicts
As the war in Ukraine progresses towards its potential resolution the outcomes could have a ripple effect influencing not only european security but also the strategic calculations of Middle eastern countries For the Middle east, the implications of these statements are profound A resolution in Ukraine could lead to a reconfiguration of alliances and rivalries in the region Russia’s potential re-engagement in Middle eastern affairs coupled with a strengthened Western-aligned Ukraine could lead to shifts in power dynamics, impacting ongoing conflicts and diplomatic negotiations At the beginning of its invasion, Russia’s strategy was to swiftly and decisively crush Ukraine aiming for a quick victory On the other hand Ukraine s strategy focused on resisting just long enough to weaken Russia s resolve to continue fighting however neither side succeeded in fully achieving its goals, leading to a protracted conflict that has now lasted over two years Initially both sides made bold state-
IsraelÊs
ments suggesting that the conflict would soon be over These declarations turned out to be overly optimistic but the impact of their failure to materialize was more damaging to Russia than to Ukraine Russia s reputation as a military superpower suffered significantly, as the world saw its inability to quickly overpower a much smaller and less equipped nation The early predictions of a swift victory were soon proven wrong highlighting the unpredictability of conflict Although the rationale behind these early statements from both sides seemed sound given the circumstances
due to its cultural and religious ties with Azerbaijan a country that could become a potential threat to Russia if supported by a powerful ally Azerbaijan has traditionally served as a buffer between Russia and Iran, and it is currently aligned with Russia however dominating the Caucasus is a difficult task and Russia may need to explore opportunities in the broader Middle east to secure its strategic interests
The possibility of a war involving Iran on one side, and Israel and the USA on the other, is increasingly becoming a credible threat This potential conflict carries significant risks especially for the USA which stands to lose more than it might gain The USA has little incentive to engage in another major war, particularly in a region as volatile as the Middle east however, the stakes are different for Russia, which sees the prospect of such a war as an opportunity to regain its strategic footing after its setbacks in Ukraine Russia supports a conflict between Iran and several strategic interests drive the US-Israel alliance First, such a war would entangle the USA in a prolonged and costly military engagement far from Russia’s borders This would distract the USA and limit its ability to counter Russian moves in other regions particularly in eastern europe and Central Asia By drawing the USA into a new conflict, Russia hopes to shift the balance of power and relieve some of the pressure it faces on its western front, particularly following the war in Ukraine Moreover a conflict in the Middle east would present Russia with opportunities to expand its influence in the re-
to reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and beyond.
European censorship, Elon Musk and the Telegram arrest
The EU’s speech regime raises understandable doubts in the US about its arrest of Pavel D urov
Russianborn entrepreneur a cause célèbre for free speech but is his detention or exaltation warranted? hard to know, which speaks to the problem with europe s censorship regime Conservatives in the U S are rallying around Mr Durov “Liberté Liberté! Liberté?” Tesla CeO elon Musk tweeted Chris Pavlovski CeO of the right-wing video platform Rumble said the arrest crossed a red line French President emmanuel Macron dismissed claims that Mr Durov is being politically targeted, but the government has offered few details about the reasons for his arrest Telegram s largely hands-off approach to moderating content has made it popular among terrorists as well as genuine political dissidents Journalists use the app to communicate with sources, though terrorist groups and authoritarian governments also use it to spread propaganda as Russia has in Ukraine Paris prosecutors say Mr Durov was detained in relation to an investigation into criminal activity on the platform, including child pornography, drug trafficking, money laundering and its refusal to cooperate with law enforcement Those are serious offenses if true
But many suspect this is merely a pretext because europe is also imposing speech controls on other media platforms France in 2020 sought to require sites to remove hate speech, though
most of its law was blocked by the country’s top court The european Parliament then stepped into the breach with its Digital Services Act which compels platforms to curb harmful content including so-called hate speech disinformation and propaganda
The european Commission is even conducting “stress tests” to ensure platforms police harmful content Companies can be fined up to 6% of their worldwide revenue if deemed noncompliant Thierry Breton the european Commissioner for Internal Market and a former French telecom executive, is wielding the law as a cudgel to censor speech worldwide Consider his threat against Mr Musk mere hours before Mr Musk’s recent live interview on X com with Donald Trump I understand that you are currently doing a stress test of the platform and in this context, I am compelled to remind you of the due diligence obligations set out in the Digital Services Act (DSA) ” Mr Breton wrote Amplification of harmful content in connection with relevant events including live streaming might generate detrimental effects on civic discourse and public security, he warned he added, ominously, that formal proceedings are already underway against X under the DSA related to dissemination of illegal content and the effectiveness of the measures taken to combat disinformation he underscored that regulators will not hesitate to make full use of our toolbox
should it be warranted to protect eU citizens from serious harm ” This is thuggish stuff european regulators are trying to meddle in the U S presidential election Yet the missive drew nary a peep from the Biden Administration Does the White house support europe s efforts to censor American political speech? It’s a fair question given support by President Biden nominees for europe’s digital regulation U S Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter this spring averred that every government has the right and the responsibility to target illegal conduct that violates the laws of its jurisdiction U S Trade Representative Katherine Tai put out a statement agreeing with the eU s view that online platforms should exercise greater responsibility in content moderation All of this explains why Mr Durov’s arrest is inciting skepticism American conservatives in particular worry that europeans are trying to make an example out of Mr Durov to drive more internet censorship with a wink and nod by the Biden Administration Paris could dispel such suspicions by providing more details about its investigation, and the White house ought to encourage this Trust in government is declining in democracies around the world and leaders don t help themselves or their countries when they blur lines between criminal conduct and speech they find offensive
B angladesh has long fared poorly when it comes to upholding human rights
The seven largest European companies have risen the most on the stock market since the Russian invasion began, but their American counterpar ts are wor th over t wice as much, according to a new repor t
Tmanufacturers in the United States and europe has skyrocketed over the past two and a half years, in the wake of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza This is confirmed in a study by the financial and strategic consultancy Accuracy which analyzed the performance of the seven main U S companies in the industry and their european counterparts whose stock market capitalization has increased by 59 7% since 24 February 2022, when the invasion of Ukraine began The rise is much higher than that of the benchmark stock market indexes on both sides of the Atlantic (S&P 500 and eurostoxx 50) which in the same period recorded increases of just over 13% and 7% respectively
The U S companies are honeywell International, RTX Corporation, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, L3harris and huntington Ingalls On the european side, the companies included in the study are France’s Safran Dassault Aviation and Thales; the U K s BAe Systems; Germany s Rheinmetall; Italy s Leonardo and Norway s Kongsberg Gruppen Ignacio Lliso, a partner at Accuracy, explains that the companies they selected were those whose activity is heavily influenced by the defense sector
Although the study covers the period from January 2021 to March 2024 the largest increase in share prices occurred between the third quarter of 2023 (when Israel s offensive on Gaza began) and the first quarter of 2024 During these six months, the global capitalization of the 14 military industry giants grew by 20% “In the week following the hamas terrorist attack on 7 October, the average value of the shares of the companies in the sample increased by around 9% while the [stock] market remained stable says the report whose findings are based on the Capital IQ database The increase in the stock market value of companies meant that share value went from representing 11 1 times their eBITDA (earnings before interest taxes depreciation and amortization) to 18 8 times But it was not just their share value that soared:
dr MuhaMMad akraM zaheer
CORPORATE CORNER
in
Thankfully, no one was
WFP
“As last night’s events show, the current deconfliction system is
and
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on
Cain added A clearly marked UN humanitarian vehicle – part of a convoy that had been fully coordinated with the [Israeli Defence Forces] IDF – was struck 10 times by IDF gunfire, including with bullets targeting front windows ” UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at a briefing at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday This is the latest incident to underscore that systems in place for coordination are not working,” he said, adding that “we will continue to work with the IDF to ensure that incidents like that do not happen again
Reiterating that parties must respect international humanitarian law at all times, the UN Spokesperson said civil-
TEHRAN A G E N C I E S Iran’s production of highly enriched uranium continues and it has not improved cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog despite a resolution demanding this at the agency s last board meeting watchdog reports seen by
ians must be protected, and their essential needs, including food, water, shelter and health, must be met wherever they may be in Gaza “This applies to those under evacuation orders regardless of whether they move or not and those who leave must have enough time to do so as well as a safe route and safe places, he said The team had been returning from a mission on Tuesday night to Kerem Shalom with two WFP armoured vehicles after escorting a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian cargo routed to Gaza s central area Despite being clearly marked and receiving multiple clearances by Israeli authorities to approach, the vehicle was directly struck by gunfire as it was moving towards an IDF checkpoint ” WFP said Just a few metres from that checkpoint at the Wadi Gaza Bridge WFP reported that the vehicle sustained at least 10 bullets – five on the driver s side,
The (IAEA) Director General (Rafael Grossi) expresses the hope that his initial exchange with President Pezeshkian will be followed by an early visit to Iran and the establishment of a fluid, constructive dialogue that swiftly leads to concrete results ” said one of the two confidential quarterly IAEA reports sent to member states on Thursday here has been no progress in the past quarter on several long-standing issues that have soured relations between the IAEA and Tehran, including Iran s barring of IAEA inspectors specialised
two on the passenger side and three on other parts of it
Though this is not the first security incident to occur during the 10-monthlong war the agency said it is the first time that a WFP vehicle has been directly shot at near a checkpoint despite securing the necessary clearances as per standard protocol
The incident is a stark reminder of the rapidly and ever shrinking humanitarian space in the Gaza Strip where increasing violence compromises our ability to deliver lifesaving assistance WFP said The already critical situation is exacerbated by restricted access and heightened risks, leading to decreased food supplies reaching those in desperate need the UN food agency stated Humanitarian workers are increasingly coming under fire and face a multitude of challenges to deliver lifesaving aid in Gaza, according to WFP
Pakistan concerned about growing conflic ts subver ting global peace &
in
Ukraine Africa South Asia and the South China Sea, are stark indicators of the erosion of the internation al peace and security order, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram has said as he voiced “deep concern” over the grave challenges confronting the world Speaking to a group of Fulbright scholars at the Pakistan Mission on Wednesday, he underscored the need for adhering to the principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter for ensuring global peace and stability according to a mission’s press release
However, Ambassador Akram warned that persistent violations of these principles have exposed the world to unprecedented risks saying that the failure of the multilateral system to address these conflicts underscores the need for a renewed commitment to the core tenets of international cooperation The visiting Fulbright scholars belonging to different countries, including Pakistan, are studying for their Master’s and PhD degrees in different American universities Discussing the UN Secretary-General initiative of the Summit of the Future (SOTF) which will be held next month, Ambassador Akram said that it aims to build a new global consensus for multilateral action to
RFI, PID Karachi host session on ‘Role of Media in Promoting Social, Economic, and Strategic Stability’
KARACHI: Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori meeting with German Consul General Dr Rugiger Lotz at Governor House
KARACHI:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday granted a 10-day protective bail to Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) leader Aliya Hamza in a cyber-terrorism case with Justice Ali Baqar Najafi presiding over the petition detailing the cases registered against her Accompanied in court by her father-in-law Jameel Malik and lawyer Ishtiaq A Khan Aliya Hamza’s legal proceedings have drawn significant attention
During the hearing the federal government s lawyer informed that the cyber-terrorism case was lodged against Aliya Hamza with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)
The court queried whether she had obtained interim bail prior to this hearing to which her lawyer confirmed there had been no prior knowledge of the cyber-terrorism charges against her Additionally a petition filed by Aliya Hamza’s husband cited that details of the cases registered against her in Punjab had not been disclosed, prompting a request for the court to order their release
This report appearance follows
her recent legal challenges On August 23 Aliya Hamza moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking protective bail for cases filed in Faisalabad and Sargodha urging the court to expedite the hearing
This came after her release from Gujranwala prison on July 31, where she was detained in relation to the May 9 violence case
Despite posting Rs 50 000 in surety bonds and receiving a release order from a sessions court, she was re-arrested on June 6 in another related case shortly after her release by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) for similar charges Background incidents highlight her repeated arrests; after being granted bail in three cases by Mi-
anwali police and exiting Sargodha jail Gujranwala police apprehended her due to her alleged involvement in additional cases related to the same May 9 incidents, though she was not initially named in the FIRs Meanwhile, PTI activist Sanam Javed also faced the courts in a connected May 9 case with the ATC in Gujranwala granting a four-day physical remand upon police request for 30 days Aliya Hamza s legal battles underscore the ongoing complex political and legal challenges faced by PTI leaders as they navigate through multiple arrests and court proceedings amidst turbulent political climates
