Epaper_24-04-17 LHR

g SAUDI FM CONVEYS COMMITMENT TO ENHANCE STRATEGIC, ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

Saudi Arabia vows to enhance investment in Pakistan

standards and hypocrisy on the global stage, particularly in the wake of the deaths of six Western workers in Gaza

On the occasion FM Dar warmly welcomed the high-powered delegation from the KSA describing their visit as a significant milestone in his extensive political career

international laws The situation in Gaza represents a grave failure of international norms and is utterly unacceptable, he stated With over 33 thousand lives lost and restrictions on aid delivery, the plight of Gaza is intolerable ” He lamented what he perceived as double

During their discussions, both leaders explored avenues to elevate the existing cordial cooperation between the two nations to a strategic partnership with a focus on bolstering investment in Pakistan Dar highlighted the effectiveness of SIFC in expediting foreign investment processes, reaffirming Pakistan’s dedication to fortifying its investment landscape

C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 03

Pthe spokesperson added THREE-YEAR PROGRAM During his visit to Washington Aurangzeb will also attend the

meetings organized by the IMF and World

which kick off in

with two

change, and

The meetings which bring central bankers together with finance and development ministers academics and representatives from the private sector and civil society to discuss the state of the global economy will kick off with the IMF s publication of its updated World Economic Outlook Pakistan held elections in February this year which

were marred by allegations of rigging with opposition leader Imran Khan jailed and barred from running, and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party subject to a crackdown

The shaky coalition that emerged led by Shehbaz Sharif is now tasked with engineering an economic turnaround by implementing a raft of unpopular belttightening measures I do think that we will at least be requesting for a three year program, Aurangzeb said Because that s what we need, as I see it, to help execute the structural reform agenda ”

“By the time we get to the second or third week of May I do think we ll start getting into the contours of that discussion he added BALANCING US-CHINA RIVALRY akistan has close economic ties to both the United States and China, which has put it in a tricky position as the two countries have embarked upon a costly trade war “From our perspective it has to be an and-and discussion Aurangzeb said when asked how the Sharif government plans to conduct its trading relationships with the world s two largest economies

[The] US is our largest trading partner, and it has always supported us, always helped us in terms of the investments,” he said “So that is always going to be a very very critical relationship for Pakistan ” “On the other side a lot of investment especially in

infrastructure came through CPEC he said referring to the roughly 1,860-mile long China-Pakistan Economic Corridor designed to give China access to the Arabian Sea Aurangzeb said there was an “very

capacit y by 1 275mn ton annually with new production line

Led by the luminary Anwar Maqsood this unprecedented tribute promises to be a transformative experience offering a glimpse into the genius and artistry of Moin Akhtar that continues to captivate hearts across generations Produced by Bazm-e-Urdu in collaboration with the Sharjah Book

Authority this event guarantees

began remarks prepared for a news conference by addressing what she called an unprecedented attack on Israel by Iran and its proxies, saying Treasury would use its sanctions authority and work with allies to “continue disrupting the Iranian regime’s malign and destabilising activity

The United States is using financial sanctions to isolate Iran and disrupt its ability to fund proxy groups and support Russia s war in Ukraine, the Treasury Department said Treasury has targeted more than 500 individuals and entities connected to terrorism and terrorist financing by the Iranian regime and its proxies since the start of the Biden administration in January 2021 Yellen said That has included targeting Iran s drone and missile programs and its financing of the Palestinian group Hamas the Houthis in Yemen, Hizballah in Lebanon, and Iraqi militia groups, she said “From this weekend’s attack to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, Iran’s actions threaten the region’s stability and could cause economic spillovers ” Yellen said without giving details She spoke at a news conference during this week s meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, which bring top finance officials to Washington from around the world Iran on Saturday launched more than 300 drones and missiles against Israel its first direct attack on the country in retaliation for a suspected Israeli air strike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 11 killed elite military officers Israel s military said that it shot down almost all the drones and missiles, and that the attack caused no

deaths but the situation has increased fears of open warfare between the longtime foes

In Gaza more than 33 000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive launched against Hamas after the group attacked Israel on Oct 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies Yellen said Washington was continuing to use economic tools to pressure Hamas but said Treasury was emphasising that its sanctions should not impede lifesaving aid She called for urgent action to end Palestinian suffering in the narrow enclave, noting that Gaza s entire population of more than 2 million people was facing acute food insecurity and that most of the population had been displaced “It is incumbent on all of us here at these meetings to do everything in our power

Pak istani culture, cuisines attrac t audience at Nowruz festival in

nature and love for life Zhaning Ming said that the celebrations of the festival are of great significance for many countries in the SCO family especially this year as the secretariat celebrates its 20th anniversary of its establishment Fortunately, the joyous atmosphere stays unchanged, and now Beijing has warmer weather and spring blossoms It is the most beautiful time of the year he added The secretary general appreciated the national handicrafts and gourmet food prepared and showcased by countries of the SCO family on the occasion On behalf of Kazakhstan chairmanship of SCO Ambassador of Kazakhstan Shakhrat Nuryshev expressed congratulations to all attendees and said

AF T E R IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva talked to the Atlantic Council before the arrival of federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in Washington about some of the conditions under which the IMF would lend to Pakistan it was inevitable that Mr Aurangzeb would use his own appearance before the Council his first engagement during the visit to lay out his negotiating position After Mr Aurangzeb had had his say it was hard to avoid the image of two Wild West gunfighters taking up positions on a dusty street is some desert town However, the appearances are being maintained, as what Mr Aurangzeb is saying is more or less what Ms Georgieva was saying Where she said that Pakistan was in need of reforms, Mr Aurangzeb said that the country was willing to carry out those reforms As those reforms are not magic, but involve raising revenues so that Pakistan can repay its debts, the negotiations will probably involve the placing of a greater burden on the consumer as he is likelier than not to be forced to pay more for both electricity and gas The price of oil is tied to world markets and there is no relief in that direction with escalating tensions in the Middle East driving up oil prices Pakistan is over a barrel because it urgently needs foreign exchange to service its debt A recent World Bank report has identified Pakistan as one of

that

heavily

Athe Bangladesh media that Indian border guards are continuously involved in border killing of Bangladeshi people There have been reports of aiding illegal immigrants, helping armed dacoits, transferring fake money and trafficking of illegal drugs in Bangladesh by the Indian troops deployed at the border The government is very well aware of this Indian insurgency but the Prime Minister Hasina Wajid doesn t want to annoy the Modi government by taking to task the culprits involved in all this rubbish

The basic difference between India Out Campaign in Maldives and in Bangladesh is that in Bangladesh the head of government, Prime Minister Hasina Wajid, is doing all her best to crush this campaign but in Maldives the head of state , President Mohammad Muizzu, is standing with his people .

Against the will and desire of her people, Hasina has always played a role very subservient to India throughout her political career In her wild inclination towards India she even crosses all moral and ethical limits In a recent statement she ridiculed rather insulted all supporters of the India-Out Campaign with her derogatory remarks She said, “First burn your wives’ Indian sarees, then boycott India” Her statement is being harshly criticized by people from all walks of life The people of Bangladesh are a very hardworking and determined type of people They have all abilities to perform miracles According to the WTO s World Statistical Review 2023, Bangladesh ranks second in garment exports as a single country But unfortunately the Prime Minister of such a diligent and hardworking nation is depressing and discouraging her people by saying that they don’t have an ability to produce sarees for their wives On the other hand the India-Out Campaign is becoming popular day by day in Maldives too Maldives is the smallest country in Asia and its economy mainly depends on tourism A report issued by Maldives’ Ministry of Tourism says, “The emergence of tourism in 1972 transformed the country’s economy moving rapidly from dependence on fisheries to tourism In just three and a half decades the industry became the main source of income Tourism is also the country s biggest foreign currency earner and the single largest contributor to the GDP According to the latest data released by the tourism ministry of Maldives in 2023 around 1 8 million people visited the country for tourism purposes The tourists included 209 198 from India 209 146 from Russia and 135 090 from Germany According to the United States Institute of Peace, on 4th January, social media posts from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising the beauty of India’s beaches in Lakshadweep sparked a diplomatic row with the Indian Ocean island nation Maldives

at its own beaches, three Maldivian junior ministers were quick to criticize the Indian prime minister, which led to calls from Indian social media users to boycott Maldives as a tourist destination ” The people of Maldives have expressed their grave resentment on Modi s statement in which he has indirectly asked his people to avoid going to the beaches of Maldives and to choose Lakshadweep for their excursion trips The ownership of Lakshadweep Island is also a reason for conflict and confrontation between India and Maldive, as this Island is claimed by India as part of its territory while the Maldives considers it a disputed area It is also a point to be noted that Maldives had a good relationship with India before September 2023 when Mohamed Muizzu was elected the President of Maldives Before that during the presidency of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, things were quite different He had been doing all his best to strengthen the working relationship with India as his political philosophy had always been India First Internally the people of Maldives were not in favour of giving India the status of the most important They wanted the betterment, development and prosperity of their own country to be given all preference So they vehemently expressed their reaction and resentment against ‘India First’ policy of President Ibrahim Mohamed

of many terrorist groups operating in Africa

most notably Al-Shabab

technologies

explosives is the primary reason for the increase in the lethality of terrorist strikes According to reports numerous terrorist groups including the TTP and BLA exploit weapons left behind by NATO and ISAF in Afghanistan Pakistan has already requested an international investigation into the TTP s access to these weapons Following the USA’s hurried exit from Afghanistan, Pakistan warned the world that terrorist organizations particularly those linked with Al-Qaeda and IS could gain access to illegally disposed remaining weaponry Pakistan is not the only regional country facing the threat of terrorist groups using this armament; it also jeopardizes the peace and stability of other neighboring states

The usage of sophisticated US weaponry and equipment demonstrates the consequences of their forces premature and hurried exit for the entire region and beyond However once the Taliban took control of Kabul in August 2021, Pakistan became the country most affected by terrorism in the region Pakistan is the world’s fourth most impacted country by terrorism, while Afghanistan the new safe haven for terrorist organizations is ranked sixth Islamabad has consistently expressed concerns about the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, but the temporary Taliban government has always dismissed all such assertions The Pakistani military has already successfully eradicated the TTP from the state s oversight Terrorism has claimed the lives of thousands of Pakistanis including military personnel and civilians However the involvement of regional competitors and the Afghan Taliban lent assistance to the TTP, IS, and BLA, jeopardizing Pakistan’s internal security All of these groups use Afghan land to carry out terrorism against Pakistan According to a United Nations Security Council review Al-Qaeda continues to operate sanctuaries and training centers in Afghanistan The group also conducts terrorism in other African countries Al-Qaeda directed members

A s a w ay fo r w a rd , r e g i o n a l a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l p ow e rs mu s t e n g ag e t h e A f g h a n Ta l i b a n ov e r t h e p r e s e n c e o f t e r ro r i s t o rg a n i z a t i o n s i n t h e i r c o u n t r y O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e A f g h a n Ta l i b a n s h o u l d r e c o g n i z e t h a t s e p a r a t i n g f ro m i n t e r n a t i o n a l t e r ro r i s t o rg a n i z a t i o n s i s c r i t i c a l t o t h e i r g l o b a l a c c e p t a n c e T h e p r e s e n c e o f t e r ro r i s t o rg a n i z a t i o n s s u ch a s A l - Q a e d a a n d I S m ay p o t e n t i a l ly r e s u l t i n a n i n t e r n a l p ow e r s t r u gg l e w i t h i n A f g h a n i s t a n , w h i ch i s u n d e s i r a bl e t o b o t h r e g i o n a l p ow e rs a n d t h e i n t e r i m A f g h a n g ov e r n m e n t

Lahore

The Pakistani government has long expressed its concerns over the continued existence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, but the international community has been unable to adequately engage the interim administration on this matter A recent video appeared on social media showing TTP and Afghan Taliban commanders planning terrorist strikes in Pakistan, adding to Pakistan s assertions that the interim Afghan government has sheltered terrorist groups According to the UN the TTP receives consistent financial support from the Afghan Taliban These challenges were expected to occur following the premature withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan The USA s rapid withdrawal from Afghanistan without forming a strong national militia or central government after a two-decade-long war creates suspicions that everything was done on purpose to keep the region volatile The latest strikes in Moscow by IS terrorists sponsored by the West fueled this notion even more

An unstable South Asia benefits both India and its global allies The latter tends to entangle Russia and China in regional disputes India is hostile to the BRI’s flagship project the CPEC Terrorist attacks against the CPEC continue revealing the participation of international forces All of these attacks were carried out by terrorist organizations operating from Afghanistan, lending credence to the theory that the USA deliberately left Afghanistan in the hands of the Afghan Taliban As a way forward regional and international powers must engage the Afghan Taliban over the presence of terrorist organizations in their country On the other hand the Afghan Taliban should recognize that separating from international terrorist organizations is critical to their global acceptance The presence of terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and IS may potentially result in an internal power struggle within Afghanistan which is undesirable to both regional powers and the interim Afghan government

The writer is a research fellow at Epis

organizations to meet community needs Today this work is under assault by those who seek to erase our gains, fracture the community along sectarian lines, or silence our voices in US politics First a bit of history: Just six decades ago there was no organized Arab American community There were people of Arab descent in America most being descendants of World War I era immigration As that wave had come primarily from Syria or Lebanon, the organizations they formed emphasized their country-specific or village identities Palestinian clubs also brought together descendants of a few Palestinian villages As was the case with many other immigrant communities of this era, churches or mosques were the major institutions that organized the early immigrants of Arab descent After the freeze on immigration from the Arab world was lifted in the 1950s the numbers of Arab immigrants increased and grew more diverse with respect to their countries of origin and religious affiliations This change in the community s composition, coupled with the growing population of children and grandchildren of those who had come prior to and during the WWI era accelerated the formation of an Arab American identity The new and more diverse group of Arab immigrants and students who came to the USA during this time brought with them ideas of political pan-Arabism that had gained currency across the Arab world The offspring of the WWI generation of immigrants came to embrace an Arab American identity for different reasons They were mobile more integrated into American society and coming of age in a period of American life when a number of ethnic identity movements were born Instead of the narrower country, village, or sect-based identities, they were drawn to

Ethnic, not sec tarian

those who shared their cultural heritage of language, music, and even food It was not ideology that brought them together, but a shared heritage Importantly, it was also Palestine an issue that was a part of the community’s shared heritage for two reasons

First it was understood to be an issue of a grave injustice done to the Palestinian Arab people many of whom had family in the USA, with their numbers growing as a new wave of immigrants came after the 1967 War

A second reason for Palestine growing in importance in shaping the Arab American identity was the discrimination and exclusion encountered by many Arab Americans regardless of their country of origin if they expressed sympathy for the Palestinian cause or even if they said nothing but were presumed to be pro-Palestinian because they were of Arab descent The “injustice over there” was compounded by an “injustice over here ”

While the earliest major national organizations the Association of Arab American University Graduates and National Association of Arab Americans were different in focus and composition, they shared a commitment to building a community based on a shared heritage and identity including the issue of Palestinian rights

They deemphasized divisions based on religious affiliation national origin or immigrant/native-born status This effort to build a unified voice proved easy for some, yet challenging for others especially during Lebanon’s long civil war Some who fled that conflict

brought their sect identity and grievances with them Tension between those who principally identified as Lebanese, Palestinian, or Syrian, or those who emphasized their Christian or Muslim identities also took a toll on the efforts to build a unified community Still we persisted

In 1980 former Senator James Abourezk and I launched the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee to combat negative stereotypes of Arabs in media and popular culture, and discrimination in all areas of life

The community was ready As we traveled from city to city the events we held brought into our fold tens of thousands of Arab Americans from every generation country and religious affiliation I recall a 1981 dinner in Chicago of about 1,500 The local organizer began the night asking, in turn, for those from Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, and down the line to stand He finished by noting how wonderful it was that we had brought together such a diverse crowd with a shared identity and unity of purpose

After the devastation wrought by Israel s bombardment of Beirut, we launched a project “Save Lebanon” to bring wounded Lebanese and Palestinian children to the USA for treatment unavailable in Lebanon given the destruction of West Beirut s hospitals

After the children came and were sent to US hospitals and to the Arab American communities that had offered to host them, I heard complaints from a few in the community In one place they said, “we’re Palestinians and you sent us a Lebanese child (or vice versa) ” Or “we’re Christian and you sent us a Muslim boy (or vice versa) Still we persisted In the end each of the communities fell

in love with the children they hosted and embraced with pride what they had done for these innocent victims of war As I went from city to city raising money to bring more children I spoke about this embrace: “We brought the children here to heal them but in the end they healed us During the next decade we witnessed several key developments: the Jesse Jackson presidential campaigns, the first to welcome Arab Americans into the political mainstream; the strengthening and growth of Arab American institutions focusing on social services preserving and promoting our history and culture; the intense pushback by major pro-Israel American Jewish groups who called our community a fiction and pressured others to

constituency that is courted by political campaigns; Arab Americans elected to federal,

and

levels of government; social service and

agencies care for new immigrants and educate others about our contributions to

and

American Heritage Month become formally recognized by a presidential proclamation and celebrated by governors and legislatures in almost every state, due in large part to the work of the Arab America Foundation Of course, with this increased recognition has come increased pressure from those forces who seek to stymie our growth and silence our voices

We’ve seen: Arab Americans emerge as an

O u r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s h a v e b e e n u n i t e d i n r e j e c t i n g t h i s e f fo r t t o e r a s e o u r n o n - s e c t a r i a n e t h n i c A r a b A m e r i c a n i d e n t i t y a n d d r a g u s b a ck t o t h e d ay s o f d i v i s i o n We m a i n t a i n t h e r i g h t t o d e f i n e o u r s e l v e s b a s e d o n o u r h i s t o r y a n d o u r s h a r e d h e r i t a g e . We r e m a i n u n i f i e d i n o u r e f fo r t s t o f i g h t a g a i n s t d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a n d p o l i t i c a l e x cl u s i o n , a n d o u r s h a r e d c o m m i t m e n t t o f i g h t fo r j u s t i c e fo r Pa l e s t i n i a n s a n d a m o r e b a l a n c e d A m e r i c a n fo r e i g n p o l i c y t h a t p ro m o t e s p e a c e , s e c u r i t y, a n d p ro s p e r i t y fo r a l l o f t h e c o u n t r i e s o f t h e A r a b wo r l d

TA ny i n d e p e n d e nt m e d i a o rg a n i s at i o n o r n e w m e d i a p l at f o r m t h at d a re s to m ove away f ro m t h e g ove r n m e nt n a r rat i ve s i s f a c i n g at t a c k s a n d i nt i m i d at i o n f ro m t h e g ove r n m e nt. M a ny p o p u l a r Yo uTu b e c h a n n e l s c r i t i c a l o f t h e g ove r n m e nt h ave b e e n g i ve n n o t i ce s o r a l re a d y s h u t d ow n

Tlithium batteries and photovoltaic products have not only enriched global supply and alleviated global inflationary pressure but also contributed greatly to the global response to climate change and green and low-carbon transformation, Xi said China is committed to the basic national policy of opening up and hopes that the German side can provide a fair transparent open and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises in Germany President Xi stressed ‘LONG-TERM, STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE’

Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the allround strategic partnership between China and Germany Xi said that over the past 10 years despite tremendous changes in the international landscape, China-Germany relations have maintained steady growth, and bilateral cooperation has strengthened and deepened across the board, providing impetus for the development of both countries Currently transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe and humanity faces growing risks and challenges, he noted These problems cannot be resolved without major-country cooperation, Xi said As China and Germany are respectively the second and third largest economies in the

Iranians anxious as Israel weighs strike response

DUBAI: The prospect of Israeli retaliation against Iran for its drone

world the consolidation and development of their relations carries significance that goes beyond the bilateral scope and has a major impact on the Eurasian continent and the entire world, Xi said, calling on the two countries to view and develop bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective and work together to inject greater stability and certainty into the world

He underscored that both China and Germany have made major contributions to the progress of human civilization The two countries do not have clashing fundamental interests between them and pose no security threat to each other, he stated, adding that cooperation between China and Germany benefits not just the two sides but also the world at large

The more instability in the world the greater the need for the two sides to strengthen the resilience and vitality of their relations, Xi said, calling for joint efforts to keep to the overall direction of cooperation and development in growing bilateral ties and stick to the characterization of an allround strategic partnership

China s policy toward Germany is highly stable and consistent, Xi said, noting that the two sides need to continue engaging in close exchanges with an open mind and enhance strategic mutual trust As long as the two sides uphold mutual respect seek com-

mon ground while reserving differences enhance exchanges and mutual learning and pursue win-win cooperation China-Germany relations will continue to enjoy solid and sustained progress, he added For his part, Scholz noted that GermanyChina relations are now in good shape The two countries have had close exchanges at all levels and in all fields he said The two sides have successfully held intergovernmental consultations and high-level dialogues on strategic and financial issues and will hold a dialogue on climate change and green transition, Scholz added

The German chancellor said that in Chongqing and Shanghai he had experienced the tremendous achievements of China s economic development in recent years and was impressed by the close cooperation between the business communities of Germany and China

He voiced opposition to protectionism and expressed support for free trade, saying Germany is willing to strengthen relations with China deepen dialogue and cooperation in various fields and promote people-topeople exchanges in education culture and other areas, which he said are crucial for Germany, China and the world

As an important member of the European Union Germany is ready to play a positive role in promoting the sound devel-

opment of EU-China relations Scholz added COLLABORATION ON MULTILATERAL FRONTS

Underscoring that China and Germany share a lot in common on the issue of world multipolarity, Xi pointed out that a multipolar world is, in essence, one where countries with different civilizations systems and paths respect each other and coexist in peace

He said China and Germany need to independently carry out collaboration on multilateral fronts, push the international community to take real actions to better address global challenges such as climate change unbalanced development and regional conflicts and make greater contributions to the balance and stability of the world

The German side stands ready to enhance communication and coordination with the Chinese side to jointly tackle climate change and other global challenges, commits to upholding the multilateral international order and promoting world peace and development and disapproves of conflict and confrontation Scholz said adding that Germany opposes protectionism and supports free trade

The two sides also exchanged views on the Ukraine crisis, the Gaza conflict, and other international and regional issues of common concern

the Middle East Chinese experts emphasized that Beijing s recent actions demonstrate its commitment to playing a constructive role in de-escalating tensions in the Middle East and maintaining stability in the Gulf region They note that China s impartiality in mediating conflicts in the region has earned support and trust from regional countries Experts also point out that causality on the recent Iran-Israel conflict is clear Noting that the current regional situation is very sensitive AmirAbdollahian said Iran is willing to exercise restraint and has no intention of further escalating the situation Wang also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee told Amir-Abdollahian that China strongly condemns and firmly opposes the attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, regarding it as a serious violation of international law and unacceptable China has noted Iran’s statement that its action taken was limited and was an act of self-defense in response to the attack against the Iranian consulate in Syria Wang said Wang told Faisal that China appreciates Saudi Arabia s emphasis on resolving issues through diplomatic means, and that China is willing to work together with Saudi Arabia to avoid further escalation of confrontation in the Middle East

Noting that Saudi Arabia highly expects China to play an active and important role in this regard Faisal said the Saudi side is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China to promote an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in Gaza, start the implementation of the two-state solution, and help achieve stability in the Middle East at an early date Wang’s phone calls with his counterparts of Iran and Saudi Arabia reflect that there are high expectations for China to mediate regional conflicts Liu Zhongmin a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday China has been actively involved in resolving hotspot issues in the Middle East in recent years, and this mediation has become an integral part of

Wang Yi contac ts S audi, Iranian counterpar ts, discusses Iran-Israel tensions ‘Bad

China’s Middle East diplomacy which is also shaping China’s approach in resolving hotspot issues Liu said Moreover China is willing to play a constructive role in de-escalating the tensions between Iran and Israel as well as maintaining the hardwon peace and stability in Gulf region brought about by the resumption of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Liu said Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday night, a move to retaliate for an Israeli strike on its Damascus consulate on April 1 Israeli military chief Lt Gen Herzi Halevi said on Monday that Israel is considering its next steps but that the Iranian strike will be met with a response according to the Associated Press Apart from exchanging views with Arab countries China is also talking with Israel about the current conflict Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese government on Middle East issues, met with Israeli Ambassador to China Irit Ben-Abba Vitale on Monday Zhai elaborated on China’s principled position on the conflict in Gaza and said that China is deeply concerned about the current escalation of regional tensions and conflicts and bloodshed serve the interests of no one All parties concerned should exercise maximum calm and restraint

To ensure the effective implementation of the new curriculum 200 teachers will undergo specialized training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Introducing entrepreneurship education at an early stage is expected to not only cultivate entrepreneurial spirit but also equip students with valuable life skills

This forward-thinking initiative aligns with the government’s target to transition away from traditional educational methods towards a more innovative and practical approach Entrepreneurship c urric ulum launched in federal schools to foster innovation

and teamwork

‘ transfer to adiala Jail’: iHC

ities Subsequently she was taken into custody by the anti-graft watchdog However she was moved to Banigala home after it was declared a sub-jail in a latenight notification Her shifting to the residence has been under discussion for weeks as she and her husband denied submitting any application to declare the residence a sub-jail

Almost a week after her arrest, Bushra Bibi had challenged the residence’s status as a sub-jail, urging the IHC to let her complete her 14-year sentence in Adiala Jail

at Banigala At the outset of the hearing Justice Aurangzeb expressed his displeasure at no lawyer appearing before the court from Bushra Bibi s side

MSC Aries was on the ship seized by Iran’s forces along with another Pakistani His family lives in Karachi and Azad Kashmir and some of his relatives live in London who shared their worries with the media

The vessel was seized by Iran amid rising tensions across the region after a deadly Israeli

re-

due to sentences

other cases Following the Toshakhana verdict Bushra had arrived at Adiala Jail, where the National Accountability Bureau s team was already present, to surrender to the author-

In a subsequent hearing the Adiala Jail administration had opposed moving her back to the prison, claiming that overcrowding posed security threats for the former first lady Last month, Justice Aurangzeb had asked if the authorities sought permission from Imran before converting his Banigala residence into a sub-jail

A day ago, Bushra Bibi filed another petition before the IHC, alleging violations of her fundamental rights during her incarceration

He asked why the former first lady’s counsels were absent “If they had won this case Bushra Bibi would have gone to [Adiala] jail but they (lawyers) themselves do not want Bushra Bibi to go to jail, the judge remarked Remarking that the lawyers had made light of the proceedings, Justice Aurangzeb said that despite him stating at the previous hearing that he would decide the matter today the lawyers were absent The state counsel then informed the court that a meeting between Bushra and Imran had been arranged at Eidul Fitr Justice Aurangzeb then said “Even this side is not working properly and even now is not doing [things] right Politics is being played with the court from both sides The judge went on to note that PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen had arrived at the court but then left and did not return

‘israel needs to be shown that its ac tions have costs’: pakistan’s un ambassador

bated citing it as another potential sanction option ‘US and other key actors must take further steps’ Describing Gaza as a hell for its residents, Akram stressed the plight of innocent civilians trapped in the crisis He noted that not only are innocent civilians being bombed but also those attempting to assist them are suffering from Israeli attacks Akram dismissed Israeli claims of accidental killings of World Central Kitchen workers and suggested it was a deliberate attack He said: There must be a response from the international community to such actions by a rogue regime Akram highlighted a shift in the US stance on supporting Israel, stating: “It has moved from opposing the cease-fire to accepting a cease-fire He insisted that more action is needed: We hope that the United States government and other friends of Israel will agree with us to take steps in order to hold the Israeli regime accountable He