ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, will be attending an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) today, Friday, to discuss the situation in Palestine, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
US President Donald Trump announced a plan to permanently uproot more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza after assuming office, saying his country would turn the area into an international beach resort.
The plan was widely denounced by majority-Muslim nations and global rights organizations as the US president suggested that the Palestinian population could relocate to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.
Dar will discuss the deteriorating situation in Palestine, the ensuing humanitarian crisis, and the “illegal and immoral” proposals for the displacement of Palestinians at the OIC meeting in Jeddah, according to Pakistan’s foreign office.
“The DPM/FM will reaffirm Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their just cause,” the foreign office said on X.
In a post on X, the OIC said the meeting underscores the firm rejection of policies of displacement, annexation, aggression and destruction, while reaffirming that the Palestinian cause remains the central issue of the Islamic world.
The meeting comes days after Arab leaders adopted an Egyptian reconstruction plan for Gaza worth $53 billion, which seeks to avoid Palestinian displacement in contrast to Trump’s “Middle East Riviera” vision.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said on Tuesday Egypt, in cooperation with Palestinians, had worked on creating an administrative committee of independent, professional Palestinian technocrats to govern Gaza after the Israel-Gaza war ends.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the Arab League’s approval of the Egyptian plan, urging the United Nations to ensure the implementation of its resolutions calling for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Islamabad does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”
Pakistani state media reported that Dar would advocate for Israel’s full withdrawal from all occupied territories, including Jerusalem, at the OIC meeting.
Pakistan deputy PM to attend today OIC’s extraordinary meeting on Palestine
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Pakistan deputy PM to attend today OIC’s extraordinary meeting on Palestine
- Shortly after assuming office, US President Trump had announced a plan to permanently uproot more than 2 million Palestinian people from Gaza
- The OIC says its meeting underscores firm rejection of displacement policies, reaffirming the Palestinian cause remains central to the Muslim world
Pakistan Ulema Council urges pilgrims to abide by Hajj code of conduct
- More than 112,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj under government, private schemes this year
- The code of conduct highlights sacredness of the Hajj period, aims to ensure hassle-free experience
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), a body of Pakistani clerics and religious scholars, urges Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to comply with the Hajj code of conduct and not to engage in any violation of rules during the annual pilgrimage, it said on Tuesday.
This year’s annual pilgrimage will take place in June, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme and 23,620 Pakistanis through private tour operators. The total quota granted to Pakistan was 179,210, which could not be met.
The Hajj code of conduct urges pilgrims to refrain from disputes, and embody dignity and humility throughout the pilgrimage, according to the PUC. It highlights the sacredness of the Hajj period and the significance of sincere intention solely for the pleasure of Allah.
“Every Pakistani leaving for Hajj should comply [with] Saudi Arabia’s code of conduct and relevant instructions, and stay away from violating the requirements and regulations of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior,” PUC Chairman Tahir Ashrafi said in a statement, following his meeting with Pakistani Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yusuf.
In the last few years, some Pakistani nationals have been found to be involved in violations of the code, including chanting political slogans. In 2022, the Madinah police had arrested at least five Pakistani nationals for “abusing and insulting” then Pakistani information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and minister for narcotics control Shahzain Bugti at the Prophet’s Mosque in the city.
Religious Affairs Minister Yusuf was due to leave for Saudi Arabia later on Tuesday to inspect arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims.
“Serving the pilgrims is our goal,” he was quoted as saying by the PUC.
More than 17,000 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have reached the Saudi holy city of Madinah via over 70 flights on their way to perform the annual pilgrimage, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry.
Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operation on April 29 which will continue till May 31. Pilgrims will continue to leave for Madinah during the first 15 days of the operation and afterwards, they will land in Jeddah and travel directly to Makkah.
Lahore’s ‘Roses of Humanity’ art installation honors Gaza children killed in Israeli strikes
- Israel’s 18-month war on Gaza has killed more than 52,000 people, many of them women and children
- The installation features thousands of fabric roses, each representing a child whose life was cut short
ISLAMABAD: The Alhamra Arts Council in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore has opened an immersive art installation for visitors to honor the memory of children killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, highlighting the devastating human toll of the war.
Israel’s 18-month offensive against Hamas has killed more than 52,000 people, many of them women and children, and displaced more than 90 percent of Gaza’s population, Palestinian officials say. The Israeli military has also blockaded aid to the Gaza Strip since March.
In remembrance of the innocent lives lost in Gaza, the Lahore-based Labour & Love social enterprise, in collaboration with The Fundraisers BBS, has set up the installation at the Ustad Allah Bux Gallery, encouraging reflection on the situation in Gaza,
The installation features thousands of hand stitched fabric roses, each one representing a child whose life was cut short, transformed into a symbolic garden of remembrance, enveloped in evocative soundscapes, gentle fragrance and thoughtful lighting design.
“A total of 15,000 fabric roses represents the number of children reported killed in Gaza by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as of June 2024 a number that, heartbreakingly, has since grown,” said Nuria Iqbal, who curated the installation.
“Together, these roses form a radiant tribute to humanity, reminding us that dignity flourishes when we are seen, heard and held in compassion.”
The installation will be on display at the gallery from May 18.
Iqbal shared that each of the roses was crafted from discarded fabric, once cast aside and now reborn in beauty, symbolizing the forgotten lives of the children of Gaza.
“The varied colors and textures of the fabric reflect the rich diversity of creation and the strength of unity amidst difference,” she added.
The development comes at a time when Hamas has dismissed as pointless ceasefire talks with Israel, accusing it of waging a “hunger war” on Gaza where famine looms, as the Israeli military prepares for a broader assault.
The comments from Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim on Tuesday followed Israel’s approval of a military plan involving the long-term “conquest of the Gaza Strip,” according to an Israeli official.
The former Gaza health minister said the world must pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to end the “crimes of hunger, thirst, and killings.”
UK may restrict students from countries, including Pakistan, with high asylum claims
- The move follows the ruling Labour Party’s poor performance in last week’s local elections
- Of 108,000 asylum claims in Britain last year, 16,000 were from people with student visas
LONDON: The British government may restrict visa applications from students living in countries that are considered most likely to claim asylum in a move designed to bring down annual net migration, a government official said.
The move comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party was punished in local elections in England last week by voters angry over issues, including illegal immigration.
The government is expected next week to publish a policy document, known as a white paper, which will set out how the government plans to reduce net migration, which reached 728,000 people in the year to June last year.
“Our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system,” the Home Office said in a statement.
High levels of legal migration have long dominated Britain’s political conversation and were one of the major drivers for the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Out of the 108,000 people who claimed asylum in Britain last year, 16,000 had student visas, government data shows. The government does not provide a breakdown of the nationalities of those who had student visas, who went on to claim asylum.
But the government said people from Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka were the most likely to claim asylum in Britain after arriving on a work, student, or a visitor visa.
In the aftermath of the party’s poor local election results last week, some Labour members of parliament urged the government to do more to take a more decisive approach on issues such as bringing down net migration.
Jo White, who represents a group of lawmakers in previously Labour heartlands known as the “Red Wall,” said the government should stop “pussyfooting around.”
Pakistan PM briefed on preparations against ‘threat’ from India on visit to ISI headquarters
- Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir
- Islamabad denied the charged and both countries have since exchanged gunfire, taken diplomatic measures against each other and expelled citizens
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday visited the headquarters of Pakistan’s premier Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency where he was briefed on the country’s preparations against a “conventional threat” from India, Sharif’s office said, amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists on April 22. Islamabad has rejected the charge and both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, taken diplomatic measures against each other, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” and there have been fears that India may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan. The Pakistan military has conducted two missile tests since the standoff, with Islamabad saying it had “credible intelligence” that India was planning to attack Pakistan.
Sharif’s office said his visit to the ISI headquarters entailed a detailed briefing on the prevailing security environment, with a particular focus on preparedness for conventional threat in the light of India’s “increasingly aggressive and provocative posture along Pakistan’s eastern border,” regional developments and the evolving threat matrix, including conventional military options, hybrid warfare tactics and militant proxies.
“The prime minister and accompanying dignitaries underscored the imperative of heightened national vigilance, seamless inter-agency coordination, and reinforced operational readiness to deter and decisively respond to any violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Sharif’s office said.
“The leadership reaffirmed Pakistan’s unambiguous resolve to defend the homeland against all threats— conventional or otherwise.”
India’s interior ministry has asked several states to conduct mock security drills on May 7 to ensure civil preparedness, a government source told Reuters. They did not say which states or mention Pakistan.
The drills will include air raid warning sirens, evacuation plans and training people to respond in case of any attacks, added the source, who asked not to be named.
Separately, Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated his country’s National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Center (NIFTAC) Headquarters. It integrates over 50 federal and provincial departments and agencies into a unified intelligence and threat management architecture supported by a centralized national database. At the sub-national level, the platform is linked to six provincial intelligence and threat assessment hubs, including those in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to ensure seamless coordination between the federation and provinces.
“This integrated framework is designed to harmonize intelligence gathering, analysis, and operational responses across multiple domains,” Sharif’s office said. “By leveraging the full spectrum of institutional capabilities, NIFTAC will enhance national preparedness, optimize resource utilization, and enable a coherent and timely counterterrorism response.”
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militancy in its northwest by religiously motivated militant groups like the Pakistani Taliban. The South Asian country has also been faced with a decades-long insurgency by Baloch separatists in its southwest, which has intensified in recent months.
On Tuesday, seven Pakistani army soldiers were killed when their vehicle was targeted by an improvised explosive device in the southwestern Balochistan province, Pakistan’s military said in a statement.
Sharif was accompanied by federal ministers and services chiefs at Tuesday’s inauguration of the NIFTAC headquarters, which will coordinate Pakistan’s national counterterrorism strategy. He commended all stakeholders involved in operationalizing this vital capability and described NIFTAC as a quintessential national platform for collaborative threat assessment and response.
“Dismantling the nexus between terrorism, illicit networks, and external sponsorship requires robust and efficient institutional mechanisms,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
“[NIFTAC] will play a pivotal role in uprooting terrorism and its support structures from the country.”
Bears dominate Pakistan stocks as risk-averse investors wary of India standoff fallout
- Benchmark index surged to intraday high of 990 point but later succumbed to selling pressure, hitting an intraday low of 683 points
- Moody’s on Monday warned that India-Pakistan standoff could set back Islamabad’s economic reforms as world powers called for calm
KARACHI: Pakistan’s stocks lost more than 500 points on Tuesday after early morning gains as risk-averse investors remained wary of the country’s ongoing tensions with nuclear-armed neighbor India, analysts said.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index rose as much as one percent or 900 points after trading kicked off at the bourse in the morning, following a surprise move by the central bank on Monday to slash the key policy rate by 100 basis points 11 percent to spur growth amid challenges posed by US trade tariffs and geopolitical tensions with archrival India.
However, as the day progressed, profit-taking emerged across key sectors, gradually eroding the morning gains. The index ultimately succumbed to selling pressure, hitting an intraday low of 683 points and closing the session at 113,568 level, down by 533 points or 0.47 percent.
“Index remained bullish in intraday trade following the State Bank of Pakistan’s 100 basis points policy rate cut [on Monday],” Najeeb Ahmed Khan Warsi, head of online trading at Foundation Securities Ltd., told Arab News in Karachi, adding that the rate cut had lifted investor sentiment and triggered buying across key sectors such as oil, cement, and energy.
Market participants were optimistic about lower financing costs and improved earnings potential under a more accommodative monetary policy stance, Warsi added.
At 11 percent, the interest rate is at its lowest since December 2021, creating further room for the economy to expand amid easing inflation.
Shankar Talreja, director of research at brokerage firm Topline Securities Ltd., said the market was positive in the morning primarily on the back of reports that banks would release payments to settle energy sector debt, also called circular debt.
Energy scrips like Pakistan State Oil, Oil & Gas Development Company Ltd. and Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. rallied more than two percent in daily trade “on the hope of payment disbursement from the banking sector to settle the Rs1.2 trillion circular debt,” said Muhammad Rizwan, director brokerage at Chase Securities Pakistan, in a note to clients.
Talreja said there was a solid ground for the central bank to cut borrowing costs.
“However, the market was uncertain earlier on the timings just due to geopolitical tensions,” he said in a text message to Arab News.
But Tuesday’s early morning rally proved short-lived as investors started selling their shareholdings to book profits, dragging the benchmark index 0.5 percent to close at 113,568 points.
Cement stocks bore the brunt of profit-taking and dropped as much as three percent.
“Indo-Pak issues (are) clouding the gains actually,” Talreja said.
“Despite an unexpected cut in the monetary policy statement, investors preferred to book gains in PSX as border tensions are still at a high level,” said Rizwan of Chase Securities.
Warsi said profit-taking, regional uncertainty with India and caution ahead of the new federal budget for FY26 were weighing on investor sentiment despite a supportive monetary stance.
Pakistan is expected to announce its budget for 2025-26 next month.
On Monday, Moody’s said the standoff with India could hurt Pakistan’s $350 billion economy, which is on a path to recovery after securing a $7 billion bailout program from the International Monetary Fund last year and staving off a default threat.
“Sustained escalation in tensions with India would likely weigh on Pakistan’s growth and hamper the government’s ongoing fiscal consolidation, setting back Pakistan’s progress in achieving macroeconomic stability,” Moody’s said.
“A persistent increase in tensions could also impair Pakistan’s access to external financing and pressure its foreign-exchange reserves,” it added.
The report comes two days after Reuters reported that India has asked the IMF to review its loans to Pakistan.
India’s economy is not expected to see major disruptions since it has “minimal economic relations” with Pakistan — although higher defense spending could weigh on New Delhi’s fiscal strength and slow fiscal consolidation, Moody’s added.
Pakistan on Tuesday also accused India of altering the flow of the Chenab River, one of three rivers placed under Pakistan’s control according to the now suspended Indus Waters Treaty of 1960.
The stoppage of water is likely to negatively impact Pakistan’s agriculture, which contributes more than 20 percent to gross domestic product.
