On Wednesday, Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar claimed that Pakistan’s media was “freer” than that of the West, citing “stricter regulations” in the latter case. During a World Economic Forum side interview, the prime minister said as much to CNBC. In the course of the conversation, Kakar discussed the nation’s economic prospects, the impending election, and the accusations made against former prime minister Imran Khan. When asked if they thought the next elections would be “rigged,” the prime minister responded that those who had such concerns should wait until the votes were completed before questioning the conduct. “At first, they said that there would be no elections. He stated, “They are saying that this election is one of the most rigged in history right now when we are having one.
It revealed on Sunday that a special flight from Pakistan carrying the fourth cargo of relief supplies for their compatriots in the beleaguered Palestinian enclave reached Jordan under Israel’s ceaseless air and ground strikes on Gaza.
At least 23,968 individuals have died in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israeli aggression against the beleaguered enclave in the last 100 days, according to the ministry of health there. According to the ministry, since fighting broke out on October 7, it has documented an additional 60,582 injuries. Amidst the thousands of demonstrators that gathered in downtown Washington on Saturday, demanding an immediate ceasefire, family members of Palestinians slain in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza shared heartbreaking tales with the gathering. Protesters in the US capital reaffirmed their demand that US President Joe Biden halt arming Israel and yelled “free Palestine” and “ceasefire now” during one of the biggest pro-Palestinian rallies to date. “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea,” some shouted.
On Friday, Prime Minister Anawaar-ul-Haq Kakar stressed the importance of increasing trade, investment, and collaboration in a number of fields, such as migration, mobility, agricultural technology, education, and tourism, while also recognising Pakistan’s long-standing cordial relations with Italy. According to a statement from the PM Office, he met with Italy’s ambassador to Pakistan, Andreas Ferrarese, and they talked about their bilateral relations. The prime minister acknowledged the ambassador’s efforts to promote economic connections and ease cooperation across a range of disciplines during the meeting and expressed gratitude for his contributions to fortifying bilateral relations. The Italian ambassador conveyed his appreciation for the prime minister’s hospitality and the great cooperation he had received during his visit to Pakistan. Also, he gave Prime Minister Kakar an update on significant events that occurred during his term.
In reaction to the movement’s attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which resulted in a dramatic regional broadening of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the United States and Britain initiated air and sea strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen. President Joe Biden issued a warning in a statement, warning that he would not think twice to take additional action if necessary, as witnesses in Yemen reported explosions around the country. “These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation,” Biden stated. According to a statement from the British Ministry of Defence, “early indications are that the Houthis’ ability to threaten merchant shipping has taken a blow.”
At a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the prime minister would be present at three major thematic events: averting a new era of global conflict; reviving trust in the international system; and averting economic disintegration. She continued, “We also believe that such unilateral, arbitrary, and subjective designations and reports are counterproductive and undermine the objective of advancing religious freedoms.” According to the spokesperson, Pakistan backed South Africa’s case to the International Court of Justice on Israel’s breach of its 1951 Genocide Convention commitments for the Palestinian people in Gaza. “We consider this legal action timely and an important step towards holding Israel to account for its well-documented atrocities unleashed against Palestinian people since 7 October 2023,” she stated.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar emphasised the need to strengthen trade and commercial ties, which had not yet reached their full potential, even as he acknowledged that Pakistan and Africa have enjoyed outstanding political connections over the years. In addition, he emphasised Pakistan’s commitment to Africa and stated his intention to deepen bilateral and regional relations with African nations. The PM Office Media Wing said in a news statement that the prime minister had lunch with a group of resident envoys from several Asian and African nations. The HCs of Bangladesh, Brunei, Malaysia, Mauritius, and South Africa were present in the conference together with the ambassadors of Algeria and Sudan. The Charges d’ Affaires of Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, and Nigeria were among the other attendees.
Pakistan has denounced the US State Department for its “biassed and arbitrary assessment” and labelled it as “a Country of Particular Concern.” “We categorically reject Pakistan’s designation as ‘a Country of Particular Concern’ by the US State Department,” a Foreign Office (FO) spokeswoman declared. We are shocked to learn that the classification is based on an assessment that is arbitrary and biassed and is not grounded in the actual world. She went on to say that Pakistan is a diversified nation with a long history of religious peace. “Pakistan has implemented extensive measures to safeguard minority rights and advance religious freedom in accordance with its Constitution.” “We note with deep concern that India, the biggest and serial violator of religious freedom, has once again been excluded from the US State Department’s designation list,” Baloch stated, voicing objections to the list.
Despite low voter turnout and a boycott by the main opposition, Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, emerged victorious in the general election on Monday, securing an absolute majority and a fourth consecutive term, as many had projected. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which did not cast a ballot in 2014 but did so in 2018, chose not to participate in the general election in protest of Hasina’s unwillingness to resign and allow an impartial body to monitor it. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the prime minister of Bangladesh since 1996, is the father of Hasina, who is 76 years old. She has garnered international attention for providing refuge to Rohingya Muslims who are escaping persecution in Myanmar, and she has been credited with revitalising the economy and the clothing sector.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that, due to a lack of security assurances, it was forced to postpone a mission to deliver medical supplies to northern Gaza on Sunday. Since December 26, WHO said, it had been forced to postpone four times a scheduled expedition to deliver critically needed medical supplies to Al-Awda Hospital and the primary pharmacy in northern Gaza. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of WHO, expressed his dismay at the extent of the devastation and health needs in northern Gaza. “Further delays will lead to more death and suffering for far too many people,” he wrote in a post on X. As part of a diplomatic drive, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued his meetings with Arab leaders on Monday.