National

Spies bust in Qatar testified India’s involvement in espionage, sabotage: FO

Published

4 weeks ago

November 2, 2023

Stresses UN Safety Council should act, fulfill accountability of upholding peace in Gaza
Asserts repatriation plan targets solely migrants residing in Pakistan with out documentation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday underscored its longstanding issues in regards to the Indian sabotage community and espionage actions, saying arrest of Indian spies just lately in Qatar bore testimony to the New Delhi’s involvement in espionage and sabotage networks working in numerous international locations, particularly in Center East and different areas.

On the weekly press briefing on Thursday, International Workplace Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch famous that reviews of dying sentences handed all the way down to Indian Navy officers in Qatar would have despatched shockwaves via India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs.

The overseas workplace spokesperson pointed to the 2016 arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, a senior Indian Navy officer, on costs of sabotage and espionage inside Pakistan, as a major instance of such actions.

Qatar’s latest court docket verdict sentenced eight former Indian Navy officers to dying for severe espionage costs, accusing them of spying for Israel and dealing for the Indian intelligence company, RAW. They have been reportedly caught finishing up espionage actions in Qatar, offering Israel with particulars of Qatar’s secret programme to buy superior submarines from Italy.

“This episode additionally exhibits India’s reckless and irresponsible conduct in clear violation of worldwide legislation and the UN precept of state sovereignty”, she identified, including it calls into query India’s reliability as a reputable associate.

‘UNSC should act for peace in Gaza’

Expressing issues over the dire state of affairs in Gaza, the FO spokesperson Baloch acknowledged that UN Safety Council should act and fulfill its accountability of upholding peace. She mentioned the world physique should name for lifting the siege, defending civilians and facilitating humanitarian corridors for provision of uninterrupted important provides to the beleaguered individuals of Gaza.

“World physique should name for lifting the siege, defending civilians and facilitating humanitarian corridors for provision of uninterrupted important provides to the beleaguered individuals of Gaza” she reiterated.

Baloch additionally strongly condemned the continued Israeli navy actions in Gaza, referring to them as insupportable and tantamount to warfare crimes. Baloch urged the worldwide neighborhood to intervene and halt the continued genocide in occupied Palestine, emphasising the necessity for the United Nations to advocate for an finish to the siege, cessation of bombing, and the opening of humanitarian corridors.

‘Unlawful foreigners’ repatriation plan’

Alluding to the unlawful foreigners’ repatriation plan, the overseas workplace spokesperson mentioned this is applicable to all foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan regardless of their nationality and nation of origin. She mentioned this course of will proceed in an orderly and phased method. She mentioned this resolution is in train of Pakistan’s sovereign home legal guidelines and compliant with relevant worldwide norms and ideas.

She clarified that the repatriation plan particularly targets migrants residing in Pakistan with out correct documentation and doesn’t embody refugees.

The inside ministry is investigating reviews of alleged mistreatment of Afghan nationals, she added.

The FO spokesperson shared that the inside ministry is addressing the problem of 12,000 counterfeit passports recovered in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabian authorities just lately disclosed the restoration of over 12,000 Pakistani passports from Afghan nationals, allegedly procured via a number of passport facilities working inside Pakistan. The Ministry of Inside has constituted a high-level committee to scrutinise the matter.

‘India continues human rights violations in IIOJK’

As regards the state of affairs in Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the spokesperson mentioned Indian occupation forces proceed to commit human rights violations within the occupied territory. She mentioned that seventeen Kashmiris have been killed and ten others wounded within the month of October. She mentioned the worldwide neighborhood should urge India to carry an finish to its occupation and implement the UNSC resolutions that acknowledge the correct of self-determination of the individuals of Kashmir.

She mentioned Pakistan will proceed to increase political, diplomatic and ethical help to Kashmiris for the simply and peaceable settlement of Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

‘PM’s to attend ECP Summit’

Responding a query, he acknowledged that Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar will embark on an official go to to Tashkent, Uzbekistan to take part within the Financial Cooperation Group (ECO) Summit commencing on Wednesday subsequent.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch mentioned the Prime Minister, on the summit, will reaffirm Pakistan’s dedication to ECO imaginative and prescient 2025 and promotion of cooperation within the areas of commerce, transport, connectivity, vitality, tourism and financial development and productiveness.

The Prime Minister will current Pakistan’s imaginative and prescient for the longer term work of the group and promotion of regional connectivity and mutual prosperity.

The Prime Minister may also interact in bilateral discussions with the management of Uzbekistan and different taking part leaders.

National

Commerce physique declares closure of retailers unsuitable option to management smog, air pollution

Published

5 mins ago

November 30, 2023

Pakistaneo.com

ISLAMABAD: The official commerce physique of the retail sector within the nation has opposed the closure of markets and retailers in view of controlling the rising smog, as the federal government is attempting to manage mitigate air air pollution by decreasing industrial exercise.

Addressing a ceremony on Thursday Chairman CAP Tariq Mehboob noticed that heavy transport, burning of waste and crop residue and non-compliant factories contribute to smog probably the most, not the retail sector.

“No different nation or area is shutting down markets to manage air air pollution. As is the case in China and our neighboring nations, the main focus should be on controlling motion of huge automobiles which use low high quality gas and emit black smoke; cracking down on burning of waste and stopping factories which might be polluting by burning wooden, tyres, and many others. because of the absence of pure fuel,” he identified.

Talking to media, Tariq Mehboob stated, “For the reason that previous one 12 months, the retail timings are already restricted to 10 PM as per the orders of the Court docket. For the previous few weeks, extra restrictions have been utilized together with late opening and full day closures that are leading to big losses to retail companies and allied sectors, employment and tax technology.”

For the reason that Covid-19 pandemic, shutting down retail has turn into the norm each time any disaster emerges and it solely has a superficial influence on the issue. Retailers have skilled over 30 extended bouts of restrictions on working timings and days over the previous 4 years, with compliant retailers being the worst affected each time.

Much less distinguished markets seldom observe any restrictions imposed by authorities resulting from restricted enforcement capability, as per CAP.

“Not too long ago, ad-hoc modifications to notifications have resulted in confusion and abrupt disruptions for our companies and workers. Furthermore, eating places and different service sectors have been allowed to stay open whereas retailers should shut, so motion of small automobiles nonetheless continues throughout closed interval.

We can’t help the closure of any industrial exercise as a result of it doesn’t addressing the basis causes of smog. Shutting down just one sector repeatedly won’t create the specified leads to smog discount or electrical energy saving,” acknowledged Asad Shafi, Vice Chairman CAP.

On this challenge, Tariq Mehboob defined that, “implementation of full retail shutdown in 6 main divisions of Punjab on final Sunday has resulted in a rare lack of Rs. 10 billion for retail companies, the home provide chain and tax revenues.

That is along with losses already incurred over the previous few weeks throughout associated restrictions. November and December is the height season for retail and companies have allotted their funding a number of months prematurely. Whereas nearly all the pieces else stays open, the organized retail sector has repeatedly turn into the sufferer to abrupt selections and knee-jerk reactions from the authorities. Our business is structured to run 7 days per week and after we are restricted in timings or off-days, we take successful as most of our prices proceed for the closed interval. Furthermore, our suppliers and distributors additionally endure as a result of demand of their services and products are affected, resulting in a domino impact. Such counter-productive selections are creating an pointless drag on revitalizing the financial system and boosting employment.”

The federal government ought to take us into confidence at each stage and applied balanced options that don’t damage the financial system. Whereas we wholeheartedly abide by the choice of the Punjab Authorities, we want to suggest an alternate method which will successfully contribute to smog discount with out adversely affecting home commerce.”

“For instance, the federal government is closing retail on weekends that are the best sale days and hypothetically solely decreasing smog for 10-12 hours of retail timing for 2 days.

If retail closure is seen as a vital measure, our suggestion is to contemplate adjusting the day by day retail working hours to start at 1 or 2 pm, permitting for a day by day saving of 4-5 hours within the morning which might be extra sustainable. This modification goals to strike a steadiness between mitigating smog influence and persevering with financial actions, and, consequently, employment and taxation revenues.

Moreover, manufacturers have thousands and thousands of followers on their social media and authorities can collaborate with them to coach and talk to common public for such initiatives on how you can scale back air air pollution and keep away from its dangerous results.

National

KP witnessed 563 terror incidents in 2023, reveals report

Published

1 hour ago

November 30, 2023

Pakistaneo.com

PESHAWAR: The Anti-Terrorism Division (CTD) on Thursday launched a report on the fear incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2023.

In line with the CTD report, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) witnessed as many as 563 terror incidents this yr. Out of 563 incidents, police had been focused 243 occasions.

In line with the report, the very best 132 incidents of terrorism had been reported in Dera Ismail Khan, 103 incidents in Khyber and 89 terror incidents had been reported in Peshawar?

The report additional revealed that 86 occasions terrorists attacked North Waziristan and 50 occasions South Waziristan? The report additional stated that as many as 837 terrorists had been taken into custody.

The best variety of arrested outlaws was from Peshawar 245.

National

Sindh broadcasts winter holidays for colleges

Published

2 hours ago

November 30, 2023

Pakistaneo.com

KARACHI: The Sindh authorities on Thursday introduced winter holidays for personal and authorities colleges and different instructional establishments, throughout the province.

In line with a notification issued by the Sindh Schooling and Literacy Division, the winter holidays will begin from December 22 to December 31.

All private and non-private training establishments within the province will stay closed as a result of winter holidays from December 22 to December 31.