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ABBAS CALLS FOR EMERGENCY UNSC SESSION ON ‘BLOODY MASSACRE’ AS ISRAELI STRIKES KILL 210 PALESTINIANS Sunday, 9 June, 2024 I |2 Zil-Hajj, 1445
PALESTINIAN GOVT SAYS OVER 400 INJURED IN ISRAELI BOMBING
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GAZA
NETANYAHU CALLS RESCUE OPERATION ‘THAT WILL BE WRITTEN IN HISTORY’
AGENCIES
ALESTINIAN President Mahmoud Abbas late Saturday night called for an emergency UN Security Council session on what he called “the bloody massacre that was carried out by the Israeli forces” at the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, Reuters reports quoting the WAFA news agency. The Government Media Office in Gaza has said that “the Israeli massacre that took place in Nuseirat refugee camp has led to the killing of 210 Palestinians and the injury of more than 400,” Al Jazeera reports.In a statement on its official Telegram channel, the media office said the injured were taken to al-Awda Hospital in the camp and Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah. Scores of civilians today were killed and others were injured in the intense Israeli bombardment on the central Gaza Strip, Wafa reports. According to medical sources, 15 civilians, including children and women, were killed and others wounded in an Israeli occupation’s bombing of the central Governorate, especially the Nuseirat camp. The occupation warplanes launched raids in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, which resulted in the killing of several civilians and the wounding of others. Meanwhile, a number of people were also killed and dozens were injured in a series of Israeli raids, artillery shelling, and shooting targeting Al-Maghazi, Al-Nuseirat and Al-Bureij camps along with Al-Zawaida town, in the central Gaza Strip.
Israeli drones randomly opened heavy gunfire at civilians in the Nuseirat refugee camp. In Bureij refugee camp, six civilians were killed and others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike targeting a house. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir alBalah is facing challenges in dealing with the increasing number of people killed and wounded in the ongoing and indiscriminate Israeli bombing against the Strip. The hospital further facing a severe shortage of medicines, medical consumables, and fuel, in addition to the cessation of the main electric generator. Medical sources announced the inability of the ambulance and emergency system to respond to distress calls and transport the wounded in the central Governorate, stressing that the occupation deliberately undermined the medical system by targeting 130 ambulances and
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stopping dozens of them. Meanwhile, the hospital operates with only one generator, noting its failure will lead to the death of a large number of patients and wounded and to a health disaster, especially since it provides its services to more than a million Palestinians, according to medical sources. It is noteworthy that nine out of 36 hospitals are partially operating in the Gaza Strip, and all of them face a severe shortage of equipment, personnel, and medical supplies. For about an hour, intense artillery shelling has continued on the Al-Zaytoun and Tal Al-Hawa neighbourhoods in Gaza City, and the Nuseirat, Al-Maghazi, and Al-Bureij camps in the central Gaza Strip. In a related context, occupation warboats bombed the shores of the Gaza Sea in the vicinity of the port, west of Gaza City. Hamas military spokesman says Is-
raeli army killed captives in Nuseirat operation The spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, who goes by nom de guerre Abu Obeida, says that the attacks carried out today by the Israeli military in central Gaza represent a “complex war crime”. He also said that “the first to be harmed by [the Israeli army] are its prisoners”, in a reference to the around 120 captives still held in the Gaza Strip. Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh has said that Israel cannot force its choices on Hamas and the group will accept no deal that does not achieve security for Palestinians, Reuters reports. “Our people will not surrender and the resistance will continue to defend our rights in the face of this criminal enemy,” Haniyeh said in his statement. “If the [Israeli] occupation believes that it can impose its choices on us by force, then it is delusional,” he added. Colombia will suspend coal sales to Israel over Gaza conflict: president Colombian President Gustavo Petro has announced that his government will suspend coal exports to Israel while it continues its bombardment in the Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera reports. “We are going to suspend coal exports to Israel until the genocide stops,” he wrote on X. An operation that will be written in history: Netanyahu Netanyahu has said that the operation to rescue four Israeli captives from the Nuseirat refugee camp, where at least 210 Palestinians were killed, was “successful”, and the country will “do our best to get back the whole of them”, Al Jazeera reports.
Nawaz Sharif questions removal of his govts, criticises PTI’s economic policies MURREE
STAFF REPORT
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has once again raised questions about the removal of his governments which he pointed out were democratically-elected, emphasising the adverse effects of the PTI government’s policies which, he claims, have significantly worsened the plight of Pakistan’s poor by driving inflation to record highs. During a discussion with PML-N parliamentary members in the Senate, Nawaz scrutinised the potential repercussions of adhering to IMF conditions, pondering how they could further compound the challenges faced by the impoverished. He urged PTI founder Imran Khan to stop blaming PML-N for harming democracy, asserting that it was Khan’s party, not his, that undermined democratic processes. He referenced the Charter of Democracy signed with late premier Benazir Bhutto of the PPP, highlighting their mutual commitment to uphold democratic principles and respect the electoral mandate. Stating this, the former three-time prime minister advocated for an investigation to scrutinise the conduct of various individuals throughout Pakistan’s history. Nawaz reminisced about his tenure, noting his efforts to end power outages and reduce electricity tariffs. He also praised Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for his loyalty and bravery during difficult times. Nawaz commended the federal and Punjab governments under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz for their efforts in significantly reducing inflation and emphasized the importance of cutting energy tariffs. He lauded Maryam for her role in decreasing flour prices and acknowledged a consistent decline in food prices across the board. Additionally, he praised Shehbaz Sharif’s dedication to alleviating the common man’s burdens, which he identified as a primary goal of their administration.
Acting Punjab governor signs controversial defamation bill into law LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
The controversial Punjab Defamation Bill, 2024, has become a law after acting Governor Punjab Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan signed it. The bill that garnered immense criticism, particularly from journalists and digital rights activists, received the final nod from Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, who currently holds the position of acting governor in the absence of Punjab Governor Sardar Salim Khan, as per the sources. The sources added that Governor Sardar Salim has gone on leave. The Punjab Assembly, on May 20, passed the Punjab Defamation Bill, 2024 amid a strong and noisy protest by the opposition as well as immense backlash from journalists and rights bodies including those based internationally. Reacting to the development, Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari slammed the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) deceptive attitude, saying that the party de-
ceived journalists. “The bill was signed by the acting governor by sending the Punjab governor on leave under a plan,” said Ansari. The senior journalist added that the PPP was apparently with the journalists and was conniving with the provincial government from within. “A meeting of the action committee will be called soon and future strategy will be announced,” said the journalist. Farieha Aziz — co-founder of Bolo Bhi, an organisation focused on advocacy, policy, and research on digital rights and civic responsibility — insisted that the “law must be challenged”. Speaking to media, Aziz maintained that the fact this bill has received the assent of the governor shows consultations were for optics. She added that the government does not care for input or to legislate in a democratic and transparent manner. “The Defamation Bill which now goes on to become an Act, has been introduced to privilege the ruling elite and control all dissent through hefty fines by introducing a
claimant-friendly law without recourse for defendants as it should exist in accordance with the principles of natural justice,” said the Bolo Bhi co-founder. Aziz, a vocal proponent of free speech, added that this will create a chilling effect and there will be selective casualties. Earlier, Governor Khan — a PPP stalwart — had promised that all stakeholders would be taken into consultation before signing this bill. However, in his absence, Malik Muhammad Ahmad took over and signed the bill turning it into a law. Speaking during the Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’ last month, the Punjab governor had urged the provincial government to review the defamation bill passed by the legislature. He maintained that there is a need to review the defamation bill of the Punjab Assembly, as it was not the final word and that the provincial government should review it again and remove the objectionable clauses.
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Punjab’s defamation law challenged in LHC LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
The recently passed defamation law by the Punjab Assembly has been challenged in the Lahore High Court. Journalists Jafar Ahmed Yar and Raja Riaz, represented by Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, filed the application. The petition names the Chief Minister and Governor of Punjab as respondents, through the Principal Secretary of the Punjab Government. The petitioners argue that the new defamation law contravenes the constitution and existing legislation. They contend that the creation of a new law is redundant given the presence of the defamation ordinance and the defamation act. Furthermore, the journalists claim they
were not consulted during the drafting of the law, which they believe is intended to control the media. The petition urges the court to nullify the defamation law and to halt its implementation until a final decision is made. On the other hand, the Governor’s House has confirmed that Acting Governor Punjab Malik Ahmed Khan has signed the Defamation Bill. Once officially notified, the law will come into effect across Punjab, applicable to all citizens. The law, passed by the Punjab Assembly, encompasses print, electronic, and social media. It allows for defamation cases against false and untrue news, including content spread through YouTube, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.