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GUNS GO SILENT AS FIRST THREE ISRAELI HOSTAGES FREED UNDER GAZA TRUCE
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Monday, 20 January, 2025 I 19 Rajabul Murajjab, 1446
Rs 50.00 | Vol XV No 195 I 40 Pages I Lahore Edition
g US PRESIDENT SAYS GAZA CEASEFIRE DEAL HOSTAGES, ALL WOMEN, OFFICIALLY HANDED OVER TO RED CROSS’ IN GAZA ‘ONE OF TOUGHEST NEGOTIATIONS’ HE CITY AHEAD OF THEIR RETURN TO ISRAEL HAS EVER BEEN PART OF g ISRAELI MILITARY SPOKESPERSON CONFIRMS ‘EMILY, DORON AND ROMI NOW SAFE’ g
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GAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM AGENCIES
ALESTINIANS burst into the streets to celebrate and return to the rubble of their bombedout homes on Sunday, and Hamas released the first three hostages under a ceasefire deal that halted fighting in Gaza. Next prisoner swap slated for Saturday In a statement, Hamas says that the next prisoner exchange will occur next week on Saturday (January 25), Al Jazeera reports. Israel’s public broadcaster Kan says that four Israeli captives will be released during this exchange. Captives are ‘now in safe hands’, says Israeli military Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari has just held a press briefing in which he said, “Emily, Doron and Romi are now in safe hands” and have been “reunited” with the Israeli military and domestic security agency Shin Bet Armed Hamas fighters drove through the southern city of Khan Younis with crowds cheering and chanting. In the north of the territory, bombed into oblivion in the war’s most intense fighting, people picked their way on narrow roads through a devastated landscape of rubble and twisted metal. “I feel like at last I found some water to drink after being lost in the desert for 15 months,” Aya, a displaced woman from Gaza City who has been sheltering in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip for over a year, said after the fighting stopped. “I feel alive again.”
Freed Gaza hostages reunited with their mothers The Israeli military said the three fe-
male hostages freed by Hamas as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal were reunited with their mothers inside Israel, AFP reports.
Gazans tramp across rubble to return to homes as ceasefire takes hold KHAN YOUNIS, GAZA STRIP AGENCIES
Even before the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was fully in place Sunday, Palestinians in the war-battered Gaza Strip began to return to the remains of the homes they had evacuated during the 15-month war. Majida Abu Jarad made quick work of packing the contents of her family’s tent in the sprawling tent city of Muwasi, just north of the strip’s southern border with Egypt. At the start of the war, they were forced to flee their house in Gaza’s northern town of Beit Hanoun, where they used to gather around the kitchen table or on the roof on summer evenings amid the scent of roses and jasmine. The house from those fond memories is gone, and for the
alyst for more investment flows into Pakistan. Aurangzeb underscored the government’s commitment to shifting Pakistan’s economic model towards export-led growth, which is crucial for achieving long-term balance of payments stability. The Finance minister also highlighted the importance of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0), a flagship component of Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI) which would further deepen economic cooperation between the two countries. “The second phase of CPEC will bring more Chinese companies and investments into Pakistan, offering significant opportunities for growth and development,” Aurangzeb said. As part of his diplomatic outreach, the Finance minister invited Hong Kong to send delegations to Pakistan to explore trade and financial opportunities. He noted that Hong Kong could serve as a suitable platform for joint ventures between Chinese and Pakistani companies, fostering stronger economic and financial ties between the two nations. “We are committed to enhancing our financial cooperation with Hong Kong and we believe there is immense potential for collaboration in areas such as infrastructure, trade and investment,” Aurangzeb remarked.
guidance to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding negotiations with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stressing that the country’s national interest should be the primary focus. According to party insiders, the two leaders met on Sunday for a meeting that lasted two hours, which also included Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and other senior party leaders. The discussion revolved around the current political situation, the ongoing talks with PTI, and the nation's
economic stability. Nawaz highlighted the importance of unity in the country, urging that all political factions work together for the greater good. "For the sake of the nation, we must all come together," he said, reinforcing the need for a united front. PM Shehbaz briefed Nawaz on the progress of negotiations with PTI, sharing that the country's economic situation was improving, and the overall national conditions were moving in a positive direction. He updated his brother on the current status of talks and PTI’s demands, stating that the country’s economic recovery was on track. The meeting also discussed the potential involvement of other stakeholders in the negotiation process, beyond the government committee. Nawaz expressed his belief that political stability was critical to the country’s economic well-being, adding that PML-N would continue to serve the people effectively, ensuring relief from inflation and promoting economic stability.
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PM Shehbaz, Nawaz discuss progress in talks with PTI
LAHORE STAFF REPORT
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held an important meeting with PML-N President Nawaz Sharif in Lahore on Sunday. During the meeting held at Jati Umra, the two leaders discussed the country’s political situation and key matters, including negotiations with the PTI. During the meeting, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif provided
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past year, Abu Jarad, her husband and their six daughters have trekked the length of the Gaza Strip, following one evacuation order after another by the Israeli military. Seven times they fled, she said, and each time, their lives became more unrecognizable to them as they crowded with strangers to sleep in a school classroom, searching for water in a vast tent camp or sleeping on the street. Now the family is preparing to begin the trek home — or to whatever remains of it — and to reunite with relatives who remained in the north. “As soon as they said that the truce would start on Sunday, we started packing our bags and deciding what we would take, not caring that we would still be living in tents,” Abu Jarad said. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people.
Pakistan set to issue Panda Bonds by June, aiming to attract $200m Chinese investment: Aurangzeb Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb on Sunday said Pakistan was set to issue Panda bonds by June 2025 aimed at raising approximately $200 million in investment from Chinese investors. In an interview with Hong Kong’s TVB News, he explained that the bonds were part of Pakistan’s broader strategy to tap into China’s capital markets, attract investment from one of the world’s largest economies, and bolster the country’s economic growth, ensuring sustainability in the balance of payments. “We are optimistic about the prospects of Panda bonds and hope to raise around $200 million through this issue,” he said, adding that this initiative would not only strengthen economic ties with China but also serve as a cat-
“The three returnees have just arrived at the initial reception point in the Gaza envelope area, and they are now meeting with their mothers,” said the military, which shared an image of released hostage Emily Damari alongside her mother smiling and waving with a heavily bandaged hand. In Tel Aviv, hundreds of Israelis in a square outside the defense headquarters watched the hostage release on a giant screen. The crowd cheered, embraced and wept as three female hostages could be seen exiting a vehicle in Gaza surrounded by armed Hamas men. The hostages got into vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross as the crowd of fighters chanted the name of the armed wing of Hamas.
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21 Pakistanis identified among survivors of Moroccan boat tragedy: FO irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said that 21 Pakistani nationals have been identified among the survivors of the Moroccan boat tragedy. “Based on verified information, 21 Pakistani nationals have been identified among the survivors of the boat tragedy near Dakhla, Morocco,” the foreign office said in a statement on Sunday. The statement added that through diplomatic mission in Rabat, immediate assistance has been mobilised for the affected nationals. In response, the Pakistani embassy in Rabat has been promptly mobilized to assist the affected citizens. The embassy has arranged for immediate provisions, including food, water, medicines, and clothing for the survivors. Local authorities at the Moroccan port are providing shelter and medical aid to the stranded Pakistanis, as per the spokesperson’s statement. A consular team from the embassy is currently in Morocco overseeing the relief operation, ensuring the well-being of the citizens. Pakistan’s government is collaborating with relevant authorities to provide further assistance. The Pakistan government is also working on facilitating the repatriation of the affected citizens. The spokesperson reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding its citizens abroad and stated that the situation will continue to be closely monitored. “The government remains in close coordination with relevant authorities in Morocco to ensure comprehensive support for our affected citizens and finalise repatriation procedures.