ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday welcomed additional provisional measures by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, reaffirming its support for the Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
The ICJ decision on Friday added to the pressure on an increasingly isolated Israel, coming just days after Norway, Ireland and Spain said they would recognize a Palestinian state, and the chief prosecutor of a separate international court sought arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The case against Israel was initiated by South Africa in December 2023, where it labeled Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip as “genocidal,” asserting that they intended to destroy the Palestinian people in ways specified under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s foreign office said Islamabad supported the application filed by South Africa before the ICJ against Israel under the 1948 Genocide Convention, in follow up to which the ICJ announced additional provisional measures for Rafah.
“Pakistan demands immediate and unconditional implementation of the latest orders of the ICJ... We call on the UN Security Council to play its role in ending Israel’s ongoing brutal military campaign across Gaza; allowing unhindered flow of humanitarian assistance; taking effective measures to protect civilians in Gaza; and holding Israel accountable for its crimes,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the inalienable right to self-determination of the Palestinians for a viable, secure, contiguous and sovereign State of Palestine on the basis of the pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.”
Israel besieged the Gaza Strip and launched airstrikes following a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, prompted by the deteriorating conditions of the Palestinian people living under the Israeli occupation.
To date, the Palestinian death toll has reached about 36,000, predominantly women and children, as Netanyahu’s administration continues its military campaign that has demolished hundreds of residential neighborhoods along with hospitals and educational institutions.
Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
In recent months, the South Asian country has repeatedly raised the issue of Israel’s war on Gaza, launched last October, at the United Nations through its permanent representative, Ambassador Munir Akram.
“As required by the latest ruling of ICJ, Israeli occupation authorities should keep the Rafah crossing open for unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance, and ensure unimpeded access to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission or other investigative body mandated by the United Nations to investigate allegations of genocide,” the foreign office added.
Pakistan welcomes ICJ ruling on Gaza, reaffirms support to Palestinians
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Pakistan welcomes ICJ ruling on Gaza, reaffirms support to Palestinians
- The ICJ decision added to the pressure on an increasingly isolated Israel, coming just days after Norway, Ireland and Spain announced they will recognize Palestine as a state
- The case against Israel was initiated by South Africa in December 2023, where it labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza Strip as ‘genocidal’ and said they intended to destroy Palestinians
UK lists former Pakistan PM’s son as ‘deliberate tax defaulter’ over £9.4 million unpaid dues
- Hasan Nawaz, identified as property developer, has been fined £5.2 million over unpaid taxes
- He was previously declared bankrupt by the High Court of Justice in London in a 2024 case
ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom’s tax authority listed Hasan Nawaz, son of Pakistan’s three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as a “deliberate tax defaulter” this week, imposing a penalty of £5.2 million on unpaid taxes totaling £9.4 million.
According to details, Hasan Nawaz, identified as property developer, failed to pay the amount between April 6, 2015, and April 5, 2016. The list ranks him as the second-highest defaulter.
In the UK, a “deliberate tax defaulter” is an individual or business that has intentionally evaded taxes or made false declarations to underpay their tax liabilities. Under the rules, those who owe more than £25,000 in tax and have received penalties for deliberate default can have their names published on the list of deliberate tax defaulters.
“Amounts in the list relate to the tax/duty on which penalties are based and the penalties charged, where the penalty meets the criteria for publishing under the Publishing Details of Deliberate Defaulters legislation,” His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, responsible for enforcing tax laws, inscribed at the outset of the document. “The list does not necessarily represent the full default of the taxpayer.”
Nawaz Sharif and his family have long faced corruption allegations, including the Panama Papers case, which led to his disqualification as prime minister in 2017. While he has denied such charges against him in the past, the revelation that his son has defaulted on millions in UK taxes revives concerns about financial impropriety and hidden wealth.
In 2024, Hasan Nawaz was declared bankrupt by the High Court of Justice in London following a petition filed by HMRC over unpaid liabilities.
HMRC regularly publishes a list of tax defaulters, updating it quarterly to include individuals and businesses penalized for deliberate tax defaults.
Pakistan March inflation to drop below 1% — market analysis
- Topline Pakistan Research says the decline may mark the lowest level in over three decades
- The research firm cautions any major deviation in commodity prices will impact the inflation rate
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani market research organization on Wednesday estimated a further decline in inflation in the ongoing month, projecting it to fall below 1%, marking the lowest monthly year-on-year (YoY) reading in over three decades.
Topline Pakistan Research, a division of Topline Securities, a prominent brokerage house in Pakistan, gathers and analyzes market data along with consumer behavior and socio-economic indicators.
In recent years, Pakistan has grappled with high inflation, with consumer prices reaching a record 38% in May 2023. However, subsequent monetary policy measures and a series of economic reforms led to a substantial decline, bringing the annual inflation rate down to 1.5% in February 2025.
“Pakistan’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Mar 2025 is expected to bottom out and clock in at 0.5-1.0% YoY (+0.9 percent MoM), lowest monthly YoY reading in over 3 decades, taking 9MFY25 average to 5.38% compared to 27.06% in 9MFY24,” Topline Pakistan Research stated in its estimate.
It noted the anticipated decline in March 2025’s CPI was likely to follow a 2.3% reduction in electricity prices, resulting from a higher fuel cost adjustment of Rs2 per kilowatt hour (kWh) compared to Rs1/kWh in the previous month.
The transport segment index is also expected to decrease by 0.7% month-on-month, owing to a decline in diesel and petrol prices by an average of 2%.
Given these developments, Topline Pakistan Research said it was also revising its inflation forecast for fiscal year 2025 downward from 6-7% to 5-6%.
With the expected inflation rate of less than 1 percent for March 2025, the research organization said the real interest rates will be significantly higher than Pakistan’s historic average of 200-300 basis points, standing at 1,100-1,150 basis points. However, based on fiscal year 2026 inflation estimates of 8-9%, real rates are projected to be 300-400 basis points positive.
Topline Pakistan Research also cautioned any major deviation in commodity rates from current levels, especially fuel prices, could result in change in inflation estimates.
Pakistani drama breaks silence on blasphemy killings
- Hum Network’s 11-part television drama began airing in December, handling the taboo topic with sensitivity
- Producer Sultana Siddiqui calls it her duty to ‘raise awareness about crucial social issues’ that impact society
KARACHI: An axe-wielding mob chases a terrified group; a daring Pakistani television drama has for the first time tackled the deeply sensitive issue of the dozens murdered for alleged blasphemy.
Islam is the official religion in Muslim-majority Pakistan, and accusations of insulting religious sentiments can easily incite mob violence.
Blasphemy is an incendiary charge, and the issue is rarely discussed by major media broadcasters due to security concerns.
But producer Sultana Siddiqui challenged that with an 11-part television drama, which has earned praise since it began airing in December for handling a taboo topic with sensitivity.
“This issue has not been raised before because of fear,” Siddiqui, founder of the Hum Network media company, told AFP.
Her drama “Tan Man Neelo Neel,” or “Bruises on Body and Soul,” tells the stories of people in a small Pakistani town, and has generated millions of views and widespread praise on social media.
“I took the risk in a careful manner,” she said. “That’s why people appreciated it.”
In the drama, the case of blasphemy centers around a character who falsely claims a dance performance takes place in a mosque, rather than the abandoned mansion it happened in.
That storyline of false allegations is an echo of reality.
Pakistan’s independent Human Rights Commission, in a report last month, described the “impunity for perpetrators of hate and violence.”
It detailed cases of people killed, and followers and places of worship of Pakistan’s minority religions, including Christians and Hindus, being attacked over false claims.
“Law enforcement... have often failed to rescue blasphemy suspects from vigilante violence,” the commission said.
“A careful examination of various blasphemy allegations shows that these are invariably based on fabrications, malicious disinformation and fake news.”
Siddiqui said she was motivated by a 2017 case in the city of Mardan when a mob beat 23-year-old journalism student Mashal Khan to death after accusing him of posting blasphemous content online.
“I couldn’t sleep after hearing Mashal’s mother say that ‘not a single bone in his body was left unbroken — even his finger bones were fractured,’” she said.
“I kept wondering: How brutally must they have beaten him?“
Mohammad Iqbal, the murdered student’s father, said that the producer had chosen the “right topic” and had “honored his son.”
“We, those most affected, have rarely spoken about it publicly,” he told AFP.
“At last, this conversation is happening on television.”
Siddiqui said she had long wanted to address the issue and had been carefully collaborating with fellow directors and writers to address the subject matter appropriately.
“I, too, fear extremists who might not like me and could harm me,” she said.
“However, I believe we should address these issues with them in a respectful manner.”
Siddiqui said it was her “duty to educate people” and “raise awareness about crucial social issues” that impact society.
Pakistani dramas boast a massive viewership and their popularity serves as a powerful vehicle for social change.
A Gallup survey conducted in October 2023 suggested that two-fifths of the country watch dramas.
“We should have spoken about such issues much earlier,” said Mustafa Afridi, the writer of the show.
“If we had, perhaps we wouldn’t be in this situation today, perhaps our children wouldn’t be dying.”
Pakistan’s media industry has been wary of the topic — and fallen foul in the past of accusations of creating blasphemous content.
The release of the 2019 award-winning film “Zindagi Tamasha,” or “Circus of Life,” was halted after the Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) objected to its portrayal of a cleric they deemed “blasphemous.”
In 2020, a music video shot at Lahore’s Wazir Khan mosque sparked furious protests after singer Bilal Saeed was filmed dancing with actor Saba Qamar.
Police filed a case against them, and they apologized — and were eventually acquitted two years later.
Arafat Mazhar, the director of the Alliance Against Blasphemy Politics group, said Siddiqui’s show had “sparked a viral critique of blasphemy-related mob violence.”
He called the reaction “unprecedented.”
“It wasn’t just that people were watching a drama about mob violence — it was that the conversation centered on mob violence at such a large scale for the first time,” he told AFP.
“The battle against blasphemy violence is not just about speaking out against mob killings. It is about challenging the structures that create and sustain them.”
Pakistani PM meets Saudi crown prince, discusses economic ties, security cooperation
- Sharif’s visit comes at a time when Islamabad is seeking to strengthen trade and investment ties with friendly nations
- Riyadh has promised Islamabad a $5 billion investment package that cash-strapped Pakistan desperately needs
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today, Thursday, and discussed cooperation in the economic, trade, investment, energy and defense sectors, the premier’s office said in a statement.
Sharif’s four-day visit to the Kingdom comes as Islamabad seeks to strengthen trade and investment ties with friendly nations. Riyadh in particular has promised a $5 billion investment package that cash-strapped Pakistan desperately needs to shore up its dwindling foreign reserves and fight a chronic balance of payment crisis.
Islamabad and Riyadh signed 34 memorandums of understanding and agreements worth $2.8 billion last year to enhance private sector collaboration and commercial partnerships. The two nations are also in “advanced” talks relating to investment in the Reko Diq copper and gold mine, one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas, as per Pakistani officials.
In October last year, Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih announced the Kingdom planned to allocate a significant portion of its $200 billion annual construction and material procurement contracts to Pakistan. Last month, Pakistan also signed an agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development to defer by one year a $1.2 billion payment on the country’s oil imports.
“The meeting reaffirmed the strong and historic ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, with discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in economic, trade, investment, energy and defense sectors,” Sharif’s office said in a statement after he met the Saudi crown prince.
“The Prime Minister appreciated the Kingdom’s commitment to increasing investments in key sectors, which will contribute to Pakistan’s economic growth and stability.”
The statement said both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defense and security cooperation as well, “recognizing the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing regional security challenges.”
They also discussed the “evolving regional situation as well as geopolitical landscape” and agreed to work closely at all levels to promote a “shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.”
“Both the leaders emphasized the need to further strengthen people-to-people ties, cultural exchanges, and educational collaboration,” the statement concluded.
Separately, Sharif also met Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih and Mohammad Al-Tuwaijri, the head of the Joint Task Force for Economic Engagement. The discussions focused on strengthening economic cooperation, attracting Saudi investments and expediting joint initiatives in key sectors.
“The PM reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating Saudi investors, highlighting the country’s strategic position and investment-friendly policies,” the PM’s office said. “He emphasized Pakistan’s vast potential in energy, infrastructure, agriculture and technology, inviting Saudi businesses to explore opportunities under the Special Investment Facilitation Council.”
The two sides also discussed enhancing institutional collaboration to accelerate investment projects and ensure smooth implementation and strengthening the Pakistan-Saudi economic partnership through “structured engagements and swift execution of joint projects.”
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. Petroleum products mostly from Saudi Arabia make the major chuck of Pakistan’s import bill. The Kingdom is also home to more than two million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the top source of remittances.
‘Great time’: In Pakistani capital, padel pops up as new favorite Ramadan sport
- Padel is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and Islamabad residents are bewitched by global craze this Ramadan season
- Padel games provide fun-filled pastime, opportunity to socialize and means to enjoy exercising without hard strain during fasting month
ISLAMABAD: On a recent Ramadan night, Mamoon Sabri, 27, slipped into a tracksuit an hour after the iftar meal and headed to his new favorite getaway: a padel court.
Racket in hand, he walked onto the artificial turf at The Pad, Islamabad’s first padel club, as a group of his friends also arrived. Soon they began hitting forehands and backhands across the net, slamming the ball off the back wall, scooping it over the net and teasing each other with shots close to the wall — and so went on an hour-and-a-half long game of padel.
The racket sport, a mix of tennis and squash that is the fastest-growing sport in the world, is also gaining traction in Pakistan, especially in Ramadan, with its culture of sports and physical activities in parks, streets, and sports grounds after iftar and until the pre-dawn suhoor meal, fostering a sense of community and promoting health at the same time.
At The Pad and other padel courts in the Pakistani capital, padel games are offering people both a fun-filled pastime and an opportunity to socialize and exercise in the hours between iftar and suhoor. A Ramadan tournament is taking place at The Pad currently, with more than 50 teams participating in all-girls, mixed doubles and advanced team categories.
As of 2024, there are approximately 30 million amateur padel players worldwide, with the sport, founded in Mexico in the 1960s, now played in over 130 countries, according to the International Padel Federation.
“Padel is a great time and Ramadan is always a great time for sports in Islamabad anyway because everyone wants to play, everyone wants to stay awake till sehri [suhoor] one way or the other,” Sabri, a sports broadcaster and consultant, told Arab News shortly after winning a men’s doubles game.
Mustafa Mirza, a co-founder of The Pad, said the club was fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie in Ramadan.
“Padel is a social hub and it is linked more with the lifestyle,” Mirza said. “We have an excellent response in Ramadan. We feel that the people who were not familiar with padel, because they ventured out in Ramadan and they found this sport to be so challenging and rigorous, and then they have taken part in it.”
Indeed, from dedicated sports clubs to pop-up facilities in upscale neighborhoods, there is a surge in courts and players this Ramadan, with families, friends, and even corporate groups gathering late into the night and enjoying the sport’s social nature. Many players said they would cap off their matches with post-game hangouts at nearby cafés and restaurants where they could enjoy suhoor in groups.
Mahnoor Khan, a 27-year-old employee at a telecom company, said she had come to the courts for the first time with her husband and a group of friends, describing padel as a “very good sport for family and friends.”
“In Islamabad you don’t have a lot of options other than dining out, so this is the very first time that they have introduced something that is other than dining out for socializing,” she told Arab News. “You have a good game, and you go out after iftar or whenever … I think the concept is now spreading really fast.”
Zainab Ameen, who manages The Pad club with her husband, another co-founder Ameen-ud-Din Hafeez, said though the club had only launched a few months ago, the response was “tremendous.”
“We never thought that we will get this kind of response. We just started with two courts and when we got a very good response, we opened two more. And now, we are going to open a futsol [arena],” she told Arab News.
What makes padel particularly appealing during Ramadan is that as a low-impact sport, padel lets one enjoy exercising without any hard strain on the muscles, thus serving as an effective means of staying fit without feeling exceedingly overwhelmed in Ramadan.
“It’s a very low skill floor for the game to play. So, anyone who is starting off will have a good time because they are going to feel like, ‘Wow, what a shot, I am a machine’,” Sabri said.
“But then there is also a very good skill ceiling … It’s a very interesting mixture in a way most racket sports are.”
