ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday arrived in Saudi Arabia to participate in an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Executive Committee on Aug. 7 to discuss Israel’s ongoing war in Palestine, the Pakistani foreign office said.
The meeting was convened on requests by Palestine and Iran to discuss the ongoing Israeli aggression against Palestine and other regional states. At least 39,550 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli military campaign in Gaza triggered by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year.
Upon arrival at the Madinah airport, FM Dar was received by Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Farooq, and Saudi foreign ministry director-general in Madinah, Ibrahim bin Muhammad Saeed Al-Sobhi, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
“As one of the staunchest supporters of the Palestinian cause, Pakistan has always been at the forefront in raising its voice at all international fora, including the OIC,” the foreign office said in a statement.
Dar would use the meeting to present Pakistan’s “serious concerns about the dire situation in Gaza and the wider Middle East region,” according to the foreign office.
“He will emphasize the urgency of peace and provision of relief assistance to the people of Gaza,” it said. “On the sidelines, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other OIC member states.”
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with 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.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the United Nations, the OIC and other multilateral platforms and demanded international powers and bodies stop Israeli military actions in Gaza. The South Asian country has also dispatched several aid consignments for the Palestinians.
Pakistani FM arrives in Saudi Arabia to attend special OIC meeting on Palestine
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Pakistani FM arrives in Saudi Arabia to attend special OIC meeting on Palestine
- Meeting convened by State of Palestine and Iran to discuss ‘Israeli aggression against Palestine and other regional states’
- Dar will use OIC meeting to present Pakistan’s ‘serious concerns about dire situation in Gaza and wider Middle East region’
Gunmen abduct two polio vaccinators in Pakistan’s Dera Ismail Khan district
- Kidnapping happened ahead of nationwide anti-polio campaign which will begin on April 21 to vaccinate 45 million children
- Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain only two countries where paralyzing polio virus has not been eradicated
QUETTA: Gunmen attacked a vehicle and abducted two polio workers who were on their way home after visiting a health facility in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to local police.
The kidnapping happened ahead of a nationwide anti-polio campaign which will begin on April 21 to vaccinate 45 million children.
“Raza Muhammad and Muhammad Asif were kidnapped at gunpoint by unknown persons and taken away,” police said in a statement, which said they had been returning from a training for the upcoming vaccination campaign.
It wasn’t immediately clear who was behind the abductions but authorities have previously blamed militants for such attacks.
Insurgents falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize children despite the government and medical experts’ vehement denials.
Pakistan has reported six new cases of polio since January.
According to the World Health Organization, Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the potentially fatal, paralyzing virus has not been eradicated.
Three Balochistan Constabulary officers killed in blast in southwest Pakistan
- Bus was carrying around 40 police officers when it was hit by IED blast in Mastung district
- Pakistan has been battling a low-level separatist insurgency in Balochistan for decades
QUETTA: Three officials of the Balochistan Constabulary police force in Pakistan’s southwest were killed on Tuesday in an IED blast that targeted their vehicle, according to a statement from the local government.
The bus was carrying around 40 police officers when it was hit by the blast in Balochistan’s Mastung district, around 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the provincial capital Quetta, local administration official Raja Muhammad Akram told media.
Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the provincial government, said the vehicle was returning from Kalat when it was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED).
“Three personnel of the Balochistan Constabulary were martyred in the blast,” he added.
Pakistan has been battling a separatist insurgency in Balochistan for decades, where militants target state forces, foreign nationals, and non-locals in the mineral-rich southwestern province bordering Afghanistan and Iran. The separatists seek independence from the Pakistani state.
Although Pakistani authorities say they have quelled the insurgency, violence in Balochistan has persisted.
No group has claimed Tuesday morning’s attack. However, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is the most active group in the region and often carries out deadly attacks against security forces.
Last month, ethnic Baloch separatists attacked a train with 450 passengers on board, sparking a two-day siege during which dozens of people were killed.
More than 200 people, mostly security officials, have been killed in attacks since the start of the year by armed groups fighting the government in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, according to an AFP tally.
Last year was the deadliest year in a decade in Pakistan, following a trend of rising militancy since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, denounced Tuesday’s attack and vowed to continue the “fight against terrorism” until its eradication.
With inputs from AFP
Pakistan Petroleum, Finland’s Metso sign mineral development agreement
- Pakistan has world’s largest copper-gold mineral zones and is also rich in lithium which is used to make batteries
- Pakistanis trying to tap underutilized natural reserves’ potential and last week hosted international minerals summit
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and Finland’s globally renowned Metso Corporation have signed a memorandum of agreement to promote the exploration and processing of mineral resources in Pakistan, state media reported on Tuesday.
Pakistan is endowed with various mineral resources, including salt, coal, copper, gold, chromite, bauxite, and gemstones. It is also rich in lithium used to make batteries, as well as other minerals. The government estimates natural reserves in the country are worth $6 trillion but despite the rich deposits, the mineral sector contributes only 3.2 percent to GDP and 0.1 percent to global exports.
The country is now aiming to tap this underutilized potential and last week organized a minerals summit attended by top government officials and heads of companies from various countries including the US, UK, Europe, China and the Middle East.
“The two sides signed an MOU for the development of mineral sector,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
“This key partnership is aimed at promoting the exploration and processing of mineral resources in Pakistan.”
As a major supplier of natural gas, PPL contributes around 20 percent of Pakistan’s total natural gas supplies as well as produces crude oil, natural gas liquid and liquefied petroleum gas, according to the company’s website.
Metso is a frontrunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing and metals refining industries globally. The company’s website says it helps to improve customers’ energy and water efficiency, increase productivity, and reduce environmental risks with its product and service expertise.
Pakistan condemns Israeli attack on Baptist Hospital in Gaza
- Israeli military says took steps to reduce harm to civilians before it struck compound, saying it was used by Hamas to plan attacks
- Health officials at hospital evacuated patients after call from someone who identified himself as Israeli security shortly before attack
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday condemned the bombing of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza by Israeli forces on Palm Sunday, calling it part of a pattern of targeting medical facilities, which constituted a “flagrant violation” of international humanitarian law.
The Israeli military said in a statement it had taken steps to reduce harm to civilians before it struck the compound, which it said was being used by Hamas fighters to plan attacks. Hamas rejected the accusation and called for an international investigation. Health officials at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital evacuated patients after a phone call from someone who identified himself as Israeli security shortly before the attack.
The hospital - an institution run by the Anglican Church in Jerusalem - was no longer operational, according to Gaza's health ministry. No casualties were reported in the strike.
“That it occurred on Palm Sunday, a sacred occasion for Christians, underscores Israel’s blatant disregard for religious sanctity and civilian lives,” the Pakistani foreign office said.
“Israel’s relentless assaults have crippled Gaza’s healthcare system, depriving critically ill patients of vital medical care. Coupled with the blockade on humanitarian aid, these actions reflect a deliberate strategy to prolong suffering and entrench conflict.”
Pakistan demanded an immediate end to Israel’s “ongoing atrocities,” saying they had resulted in the indiscriminate killing of innocent and unarmed Palestinians, including women and children, and the “systematic destruction” of civilian infrastructure.
“Pakistan calls for an immediate halt to the hostilities by Israeli occupying forces and reiterates its support for the two-State solution, with a viable, independent and sovereign State of Palestine on pre-June 1967 borders with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital,” the statement added.
“Pakistan urges the international community to take decisive action to hold Israel accountable and protect Palestinian civilians from further violence.”
Sunday's strikes came as Hamas leaders began a fresh round of talks in Cairo in a bid to salvage a stalled ceasefire agreement with Israel, as Egypt, Qatar, and the United States attempted to bridge gaps between the sides.
Media footage widely showed significant destruction in and outside the hospital compound's church, and patients who could not leave.
The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem said the warning to evacuate the hospital came 20 minutes before the strike that destroyed the two-storey genetic laboratory, and damaged the pharmacy and emergency department buildings and other surrounding structures.
"We call upon all governments and people of goodwill to intervene to stop all kinds of attacks on medical and humanitarian institutions," the church said in a statement.
The Palestinian foreign ministry and Hamas condemned the attack, saying Israel was destroying Gaza's healthcare system. Israel says Hamas systematically exploits civilian structures, including hospitals, which the group denies. Israeli forces have carried out numerous raids on medical facilities in Gaza.
With inputs from Reuters
Police register case after dozen suspects attack KFC in Rawalpindi over Gaza war
- Last week, KFC and Domino’s Pizza outlets were attacked in cities of Karachi and Lahore also
- Police have described the assaults as being motivated by anger over Israel’s latest war in Gaza
ISLAMABAD: Police said on Tuesday a case for “rioting and abusive behavior” had been filed after around a dozen people attacked a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant with sticks, abusing staff and customers while referring to the war in Gaza.
Last week, KFC and Domino’s Pizza outlets were attacked in the cities of Karachi and Lahore also, causing some damage but no injuries, with police describing the assaults as being motivated by anger over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Boycott campaigns have hit Western brands in many Muslim countries since the start of the war in October 2023, spearheaded by the BDS Movement, a global, Palestinian-led campaign advocating for non-violent pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian rights under international law. The movement calls for the boycott of certain companies and organizations that it says have invested in Israel or donate to its military and are directly profiting from its economy.
While not officially on the BDS boycott list, KFC has faced backlash from pro-Palestinian advocates in many countries who believe the brand’s operations in Israel contribute to the conflict, but the company maintains it is non-political and denies supporting the Israeli military or government.
“A case of rioting and abusive behavior at a branch of a fast-food chain in the Cantt area has been registered,” Rawalpindi police said in a statement.
“The case was filed under the complaint of the branch manager at the Cantt police station. The involved suspects have been identified after the case was registered.”
The statement said 10-12 individuals armed with sticks entered the branch and started using abusive language toward staff members and customers.
In videos of the episode widely shared on social media, the ransackers can be heard referring to the killings of “innocent women and children” in Gaza as they beat the main counter of the fast-food chain as well as chairs and tables with sticks and shout at people to leave.
“The suspects will be arrested and brought to justice. Police personnel have been deployed at branches of international food chains,” the police statement added.
“Lawlessness, rioting, and misconduct with citizens will not be tolerated under any circumstances. A clear message has been sent that anyone violating the law and engaging in rioting will be dealt with firmly.”
The previous attacks in Karachi and Lahore were widely blamed on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) religious-political party, known to lead violent protests in the country, most prominently in support of blasphemy laws and to call on the government to cut diplomatic ties with Western nations where Qur’an desecrations have taken place and caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) made.
However, TLP spokesperson Rehan Mohsin Khan distanced the party from the attacks and told Arab News last week that while TLP’s stance on the Palestine issue was “clear,” violent protests were “not part of our policy.”
“If one or two members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan were present among the protesters out of their love for Gaza, it does not mean that it was the policy of the party or we support violence,” he said.
“We are in favor of peaceful protests, and we are trying to pressure the Pakistani government to officially boycott all these products.”
