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Saturday, 3 August, 2024 I | 27 Muharram, 1446
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XV No 34 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
SAYS ENTIRE MUSLIM WORLD INCLUDING PAKISTAN AGGRIEVED OVER ISMAIL HANIYEH’S KILLING
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NOTES EVERY PEACE-LOVING HUMAN BEING QUESTIONING NON-IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAWS AGAINST ISRAEL
NA offers fateha, passes resolution to condemn Haniyah’s assassination
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ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday strongly condemned the unabated bloodshed of Palestinians by the Israeli occupational forces and the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, warned that the lava of public anger would get out of control if the Zionist state was not held accountable. “The Zionist state has crossed all the limits of crimes… The lava of public anger is boiling… If justice does not prevail and the Zionist state killing innocent people is not held to account, the lava of public fury will be in no one’s control. It will risk the annihilation of world’s peace and development,” the prime minister said addressing the National Assembly after the House unanimously passed a resolution calling Haniyeh’s killing
a ‘deliberate conspiracy to sabotage’ Gaza ceasefire efforts and condemning the ongoing Israeli “state oppression and brutality” in Gaza. The prime minister, who earlier also highlighted the issue in the cabinet meeting chaired by him a while ago and coalition parties meeting on Thursday, said the whole Muslim world including the Pakistani nation was grieved over Ismail Haniyeh’s killing. Thanking the members from both sides of the aisle for evolving a consensus on the resolution, he said the parliament’s voice would resonate the world over to shock the enemies of Pakistan and strengthen its friends. He highlighted that the Palestinian people were suffering the worst bloodshed by the Zionist state for the last nine months which killed around 40,000 people including thousands of women and children. “The cities have turned into cemeteries. The cries have taken over the joys and
BYC calls off Gwadar sit-in after signing seven-point agreement with govt QUETTA
smiles of the playing children. Palestine is giving a deserted look,” the prime minister said and questioned the inaction and helplessness of the world to end the Israeli oppression. He said not only the Muslims rather every peace-loving human
istani nation,” Siddiqui said. Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Amir Muqam, echoed these sentiments, calling the resolution a significant step. He urged all parliamentary parties to join a walk on Youm-e-Istehsaal-e-Kashmir on August 5 to condemn Indian oppression in Jammu and Kashmir. MNA Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri of JUI-F condemned Haniyeh’s killing in a missile attack in Tehran, labelling Israel’s claim to Palestinian land as illegitimate and created by imperial forces. Pakistan Muslim League-Zia chief, MNA Ijazul Haq, decried the attack as a violation of Iran’s sovereignty. He praised the resolution and called for similar unity on other national issues. Chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), Mahmood Khan Achakzai, suggested filing a case against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, accusing him of crimes against humanity. STAFF REPORT
being, regardless of faith or creed, was questioning the non-implementation of the international laws and human rights charters for which the world bodies including the United Nations were created. “This is a question by an infant who was killed moments after his
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani nation observed the day of mourning on Friday in solidarity with the Palestinian brothers and sisters and to condemn the ongoing Israeli brutalities besides mourn the assassination of Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The decision was taken in a consultative meeting of the governmentallied parties held in Islamabad under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the deteriorating situation in Palestine. In an a joint declaration, it was also announced that the funeral prayer in absentia for the chief of Political Bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh, who was martyred in Tehran on Wednesday, will be offered after Friday prayers across the country. The meeting also decided to present a resolution in the Parliament to express full solidarity with the people of Palestine. The participants of the meeting
birth. This is a question by a mother, now in paradise, whose baby was aborted after she was killed. This is a question by a child awaiting his mother in the hospital… Finally, the answer has to be given,” he remarked. He told the House that all includ-
Pakistan gets $31.1b from IMF since 1958, parliamentary panel reviews loan details g
STAFF REPORT
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) called off its sit-in in Gwadar after successful negotiations and signing of a seven-point agreement, Balochistan’s interior minister confirmed on Friday. The sit-in was called off after an agreement was signed between Dr Mahrang Baloch, representing the protesters, and the Gwadar district’s deputy commissioner, according to the administration. According to a statement issued by the Balochistan Home Ministry, the agreement has led to the restoration of internet services in the region. “The ministry vowed to open all the roads for traffic and remove obstacles from the roads,” the deputy commissioner added. “The arrested people would be released after the protestors disperse peacefully,” it added. The BYC has been holding protests for almost a week at the Marine Drive in Gwadar and other areas to decry the alleged human rights violations against the people of Balochistan, enforced disappearances, and alleged extrajudicial killings of the Baloch people. Following days of protest, negotiations between the government and the BYC began on Wednesday evening after which officials announced that talks had been “successful” and BYC had agreed to call its sitin off after signing a deal. “Negotiations between the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and the district administration have been successful and the organisers of the committee have agreed to end their sit-ins across the province,” Balochistan’s Interior Minister Mir Zia Ullah Langov said in a statement. “I appeal to the people to protest, but do not damage the protest site, attack the forces, or hurt the common people,” he said, adding that the government would “not allow anyone to take the law into their hands under the guise of protest.” The seven-point agreement The seven-point agreement was signed by Gwadar Deputy Commissioner Hamoodur Rehman and Dr Mahrang. The statement said that the BYC would end its protest once all the protesters arrested by security forces in Balochistan and Karachi were released. “Protesters who have been sent to jail on judicial remand will be released by August 5 following court proceedings, the agreement stated. The Balochistan government will be in contact with authorities in Sindh to ensure the release of those arrested therein, the agreement stated, adding that all cases registered against the Raji Muchi (Baloch National Gathering) protesters will be withdrawn. It, however, noted that cases related to the loss of lives during protests will not be dismissed. “All highways will be reopened as soon as the sit-in ends, two hours after which mobile network will also be restored”, the document said. A committee consisting of officials from BYC and the district administration will also be established, while all items confiscated from the protesters by the government will be returned within a week, it stated. “No one will be subjected to harassment or retortion for participating in the protest once the sit-in ends,” the agreement added.
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Friday expressed unanimous solidarity with Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation and the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. In the second meeting of the eighth session, the lower house passed a resolution extending condolences to Haniyeh’s family and the people of Palestine. The resolution was supported by both the opposition and treasury benches. Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, condemned Haniyeh’s killing. He declared Israel a terrorist state, responsible for mass killings and human rights violations. Siddiqui criticised the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) response to the ongoing Gaza conflict and urged the Muslim world to take action beyond mere resolutions. “This attack on Haniyeh is an assault on the ummah and the Pak-
‘Funeral in Absentia’: Pakistan observes mourning day in solidarity with Palestine
SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS SEEKS A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF IMF LOANS, INCLUDING AMOUNTS RECEIVED AND INTEREST PAID OVER YEARS PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan has secured SDR21.789 billion (approximately $31.1 billion) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) out of a sanctioned amount of SDR29.673 billion since 1958. As per a media report, the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, has requested a detailed breakdown of IMF loans, including amounts received and interest paid over the years. According to the Economic Affairs Division which shared this information during the parliamentary panel’s meeting on Thursday, Pakistan has paid SDR2.815 billion (over $3.60 billion) in interest to the IMF since 1984. Since its first agreement in 1958, Pakistan has participated in 24 IMF programs, including the latest 2023 Stand-By Arrangement (SBA). The country has also
accessed special IMF facilities for emergencies, such as the 2010 floods and the COVID-19 pandemic. The outstanding principal amount currently stands at SDR6.369 billion. The IMF’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR) is an international reserve asset created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement member countries’ official reserves. To date, a total of SDR660.7 billion (around US$943 billion) have been allocated globally by the Fund. The largest-ever allocation, SDR456 billion, was approved on August 2, 2021, to address global reserve needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary for the Ministry of Economic Affairs, provided an overview of 298 projects funded through multilateral and bilateral sources. This includes 146 multilateral and 152 bilateral projects. Key multilateral contributors are the World Bank with 63 projects, the Asian Devel-
opment Bank with 54 projects, and the Islamic Development Bank with 14 projects. Bilateral funding includes 16 projects from China, 15 from Korea, and 13 from Saudi Arabia, among others. The committee was informed of 58 World Bank loan-financed projects in Pakistan, with a commitment of $14.806 billion, of which $6.162 billion has been disbursed. Notable projects include the Dasu-Islamabad Transmission Line and the Tarbela Four Expansion Project. The committee has requested the EAD to provide details of completed or closed projects from 2002 onward and to update progress reports before the next meeting. They plan to review sector-wise projects to assess completion status and address delays. Chairman Abro also questioned the handling of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) proposals, noting ongoing issues with these agreements.
strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli brutalities in Palestine for the last nine months, and expressed full solidarity with the Palestinian brothers and sisters. Funeral in absentia Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, parliamentarians and hundreds of thousands of people on Friday offered funeral prayers in absentia for martyred Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Islamabad. The funeral prayer was held across the country as part of the government’s decisions made on Thursday which also included the observance of a day of mourning. STAFF REPORT
ing the resolutions of the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council, decisions of the International Court of Justice, human rights declarations, protests, and appeals for peace from the world went unread.
Israel arrests Al-Aqsa mosque Imam after Friday sermon mourning Haniyeh
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STAFF REPORT
A senior Muslim cleric was detained on suspicion of inciting “terrorism” on Friday after he mourned slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque, his lawyer confirmed. Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, 85, the former grand mufti of Jerusalem and current head of its Supreme Islamic Council, called Haniyeh a “martyr” in his sermon at the mosque in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the lawyer said. Haniyeh was killed in Tehran early on Wednesday in an attack that Iran and the Palestinian group blamed on Israel. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh’s death. “(Sabri) is currently in Al-Maskobiya (police compound) under investigation on suspicion of inciting terrorism, because he mourned Ismail Haniyeh during the Friday sermon and described him as a martyr,” his lawyer Hamza Qatina said. Israeli police, without naming Sabri, said they had “opened an investigation into an imam suspected of making inciting statements and supporting terrorism during a sermon given (on Friday)”. Sabri was charged with inciting terrorism in June for allegedly praising Palestinian gunmen who killed four Israelis, including a soldier, in October 2022. At the time, he denounced a “fabricated” campaign against him. A man in his twenties was also arrested for making “inciting statements” during Friday’s prayers, the Israeli police statement added. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is Islam’s third holiest site and a Palestinian national symbol. But it also revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, the site of the ancient temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
PM writes to Chinese govt seeking debt reprofiling g
PAKISTAN NEEDS THREE TO FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION ON MATURITY OF $12B IN DEBT FROM SAUDI ARABIA, CHINA, AND UAE TO SECURE IMF’S BAILOUT PROFIT
STAFF REPORT
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that he had written a letter to the Chinese government seeking debt reprofiling for Pakistan. This move aims to secure the International Monetary Fund’s approval for a $7 billion bailout by next month. “I have written a letter to China, it’s a matter of public domain now, for [debt] reprofiling,” the PM stated during a federal cabinet meeting. As per media reports, PM Shehbaz informed the federal cabinet that Chinese President Xi Jinping showed “keen interest in his idea” of using local coal for power generation to reduce imports. “I told the president that Thar coal could help Pakistan cut down on imports and save $1 billion in foreign exchange,” the
PM said. On Sunday, Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb said that Pakistan is in dire need of a three to five-year extension on the maturity of $12 billion in debt from Saudi Arabia, China, and the UAE to secure approval from the IMF’s Executive Board for a new bailout package. Upon his return from China, the finance minister said during a press conference that the country is not seeking additional foreign loans but is requesting the re-profiling of existing foreign deposits. This includes $5 billion from Saudi Arabia, $4 billion from China, and $3 billion from the UAE. The finance minister said that the IMF demanded external financing assurances for the 37 months under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The South Asian nation had initially borrowed these funds for one year and
has been securing extensions due to an inability to repay. The current request to reschedule the debt for three to five years aims to reduce uncertainty at the time of loan maturities. Most of the funds secured from the KSE and the UAE were used to boost the country’s forex reserves and to meet other financial needs while most of the Chinese loans were used to install power plants under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). ‘Reducing electricity prices key agenda’ The state-run news agency APP reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while chairing a cabinet meeting, stated that the government was focused on providing relief to electricity consumers, as reducing electricity prices was a key agenda for the government. PM Sharif emphasised that without a reduction in power prices, neither the
agricultural sector nor the industrial sector could expand effectively. Competitiveness in the industry was directly linked to lower electricity prices. He noted that the PML-N government had resolved the 20-hour daily load-shedding issue. At that time, few were willing to invest in electricity production, with China being the only country showing interest in investing in power generation. In 2015, the prime minister mentioned that some of the fastest power-producing plants in history were installed. He said that agreements with the power producers should not be criticized, as they represented a sincere effort to address Pakistan’s most pressing challenge. Efforts were underway to resolve issues with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) as the issue could not be resolved overnight.