Category: National

Punjab government has suspended four doctors and sought explanations from senior officials after a video surfaced from Lady Willingdon Hospital in Lahore.

According to an official notification issued on Friday, Medical Superintendent Dr. Farah Inam and Head of the Gynecology Department Prof. Dr. Uzma Hussain have been directed to submit their explanations within three days.

Authorities have also suspended the postgraduate training of four doctors, including Dr. Tayyaba Fatima Toor, Dr. Maham Amin, Dr. Zainab Tahir and Ayesha Afzal. The doctors have been instructed to report to the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department following the disciplinary action.

The competent authority termed the incident a serious case of negligence in the discharge of official duties, highlighting malpractice and administrative lapses.

The Current also contacted King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Lahore, for a response. 

A spokesperson said, “There is no response from the college, but the Chief Minister’s complaint cell has taken notice of the official complaint (4795913). All four PGRS have been suspended.”

Reports indicate that the video shows doctors inside an operating theatre during surgical procedures, where they appeared to treat the environment like a competition. 

Commentary in the footage suggests that teams attempted to complete surgeries in the shortest possible time.

The incident reportedly took place during C-section procedures. Despite a clear ban on recording inside operating rooms, the procedures were filmed, raising serious concerns about patient privacy and professional conduct.

Pakistan on Thursday termed remarks by S. Jaishankar as “undiplomatic,” a day after he criticised Islamabad’s role in indirect talks between Iran and the United States (US).

The Foreign Office (FO) stated that the language used by the Indian minister reflected frustration.

During a weekly briefing, a spokesperson noted that such rhetoric “betrays a deeper sense of frustration”.

“When arguments run thin, invective appears to fill the gap. Pakistan does not subscribe to such megaphone theatrics. Our approach is anchored in restraint, decorum and not in rhetorical excesses,” the spokesperson said.

A day earlier, Jaishankar had stated that India cannot act as a ‘dalaal’ nation in global geopolitics, using a term considered derogatory in South Asia while responding to criticism over Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue in the Middle East.

In India, the Indian National Congress also criticised the government over the remarks.

Party leader Jairam Ramesh said that Jaishankar was attempting to cover up what he described as a setback to India’s regional diplomacy following Pakistan’s emergence in a mediating role.

He argued that Pakistan being considered for mediation reflects on India’s diplomatic approach under Narendra Modi.

Ramesh further stated that Pakistan had previously faced isolation after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, but its current role indicates a shift in regional dynamics.

“The External Affairs Minister said last night that India is not a broker country. Be that as it may, the fact remains that the colossal failures in our diplomacy, outreach and narrative management have made a broken country a broker country,” he said.

In a separate statement, Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned the government’s position, referring to past attempts by India to mediate in international conflicts.

The Indian government, during an all-party meeting, stated that Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi had conveyed to US leadership that the conflict in West Asia should end.

Officials maintained that India has been responding to developments and remains focused on the safety of its citizens in the Gulf region and its energy requirements.

Opposition members, however, termed the government’s response unsatisfactory and called for a debate in parliament on the situation.

Operation Ghazab lil Haq has resumed after a temporary pause, with military actions continuing against militant networks operating in areas under the Afghan Taliban, reports quoted security sources as saying.

Officials stated that the operation is a targeted campaign against militant leadership, support structures, command networks and facilitators.

“Operations under Ghazab Lil Haq will continue until the objectives are achieved and the Afghan Taliban regime reviews its misplaced priority of supporting terror proxies over the welfare of the Afghan people and Pakistan,” the sources added.

Separately, it has emerged that Noor Wali Mehsud, head of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is currently being sheltered in Kabul.

According to officials, Mehsud is residing in a multi-storey building inside the Diplomatic Enclave, a restricted zone that houses key government and foreign missions. They noted that the presence of other occupants in the building is being used as a human shield to prevent any targeted action.

Officials raised concerns over what they described as continued facilitation of militant elements by the Afghan Taliban.

Operation Ghazab lil Haq was launched last month following clashes along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border after Afghan Taliban forces fired on multiple locations, prompting a response from Pakistan.

The situation escalated after Afghan forces initiated a border offensive following Pakistani air strikes on militant positions. Pakistan has previously targeted camps of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Islamic State Khorasan inside Afghanistan after a series of attacks, including a suicide bombing in Islamabad.

Islamabad has maintained that TTP leadership operates from Afghan territory, an assertion denied by Kabul.

Last week, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had announced a “temporary pause” in operations at the request of the brotherly Islamic countries of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, and the Republic of Turkiye in view of Eidul Fitr. 

The minister had stated that the pause would be effective from midnight on March 18/19, 2026, to midnight on March 23/24, 2026.

Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has directed all foreign airlines operating in and out of Pakistan to carry additional jet fuel on their flights due to the ongoing US-Iran war situation.

Officials said the measure was introduced after fuel reserves at major airports, including Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, fell sharply. 

Airlines are now required to load return fuel to ensure aircraft can complete their journeys safely.

Airline sources said that on Wednesday, a foreign airline flight from Karachi to Doha had to land in Muscat to refuel. 

Airline officials confirmed that foreign carriers arriving from Pakistan have had to offload cargo and passenger baggage to comply with the additional fuel requirement.

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar faced criticism from his own country after his remarks at an all-party meeting on the West Asia crisis, where he responded to concerns over Pakistan’s reported role in potential United States(US)–Iran talks, went viral. 

According to remarks cited from the meeting, Jaishankar said, “We are not a dalaal (broker) nation,” while addressing questions around Islamabad’s reported mediation efforts.

He also said there was “nothing new” about Pakistan’s role, adding that the country had been “used” by the United States since 1981.

The comments came amid reports that Pakistan could host negotiations between the US and Iran, with US President Donald Trump appearing to endorse Islamabad’s role. During the meeting, the government also conveyed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told Trump that the war must end soon.

The remarks triggered massive criticism online, as Indian users questioned both the language and the government’s position.

One reaction stated, “If Trump had asked Modi to mediate, it would have been his entire election campaign this year… So please do not disguise this foreign policy failure as ‘dalali’.”

Another said, “Was India a ‘Broker Country’ when Modi was desperate to mediate between Russia and Ukraine? Selective brokering or selective memory?”

A similar response read, “I wanted to ask, who was negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine? Who was playing the ‘DALAL’ role.”

Several users also objected to the wording used by the minister. One comment said, “Such poor choice of words… Has he done any refresher training in Entire Foreign Affairs,” while another stated, “This language is insulting, unnecessary and undiplomatic.”

Another response said, “The ability to broker peace is an indicator of influence in the global sphere.” A separate comment added, “Jaishankar used to be a career diplomat… The word ‘Dalal’ is the language of street vandals.”

Some reactions linked the remarks to India’s diplomatic position. One user wrote, “That’s just a polished way of admitting that both he and Modi are powerless in this situation.”

Others referenced Pakistan’s important role, with one comment stating, “Imagine calling peace efforts ‘dalaali’ just because you weren’t invited to the table.”

Along with all these reactions, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also responded, saying, “Thinks of himself a hi fi dalal, remarks reflect personal frustration.”

Journalist Asma Shirazi said, “You speak such language when grapes are sour and defeat is unforgettable.”

Claims that Kasim Khan, the son of former prime minister Imran Khan, attempted to get Pakistan’s GSP+ status revoked gained traction online after his address at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), although he did not explicitly call for any such action.

A post on X by Reema Omer (Legal Advisor, International Commission of Jurists) clarified the context of the widely shared clip, stating, “This particular clip is not from a ‘conference to revoke Pakistan’s GSP+ status’”.

She added, “It is from the General Debate under Item 9 of the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council. Kasim Khan speaks about rising intolerance and political persecution in Pakistan (among other concerns, some of which are factually inaccurate) and calls on the Council to urge Pakistan to end the persecution and release political prisoners. GSP+ isn’t mentioned”.

GSP+ (Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus) is a European Union trade arrangement that grants developing countries tariff-free or reduced-tariff access to EU markets in return for implementing international conventions.

During the session, Kasim raised the case of his father, Imran Khan, stating that his treatment violated international human rights conventions. He described the case as not an “isolated incident” and termed it the “most visible example of a much wider pattern of repression in Pakistan since 2022”. 

He referred to political detentions, military trials of civilians and journalists being “silenced, abducted or driven into exile”, and reiterated allegations of rigging in the February 2024 general elections.

He also noted Pakistan’s commitments under the GSP+ framework to uphold international conventions, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Convention against torture. He claimed that Imran Khan’s detention was arbitrary, that he was being kept in solitary confinement, and alleged restrictions on family visits and denial of medical care.

Following the circulation of the clip, several users linked his remarks to Pakistan’s GSP+ status, stating that referencing such commitments was aimed at influencing the arrangement even if it was not stated directly.

One user wrote, “The ultimate nepo-baby pivot: trading the livelihoods of 240 million people for one very expensive family reunion. A masterclass in weaponised privilege. And throwing in a BNM cameo just to ensure the politics are as foolish as they are delusional. Who’s the lad’s advisor?”

Another stated, “Pakistan isn’t a perfect country but we don’t need foreigners nitpicking and twisting facts. Yes I said ‘foreigners’. Now go cry in a corner”.

A user asked, “Are people still supporting these party & its shenanigans?”

One post read, “Sad. Condemnable. The kids are being used as a political fodder. Turning against Pakistan for mere vendetta and vested agenda. This calls for a ban on their communication with Imran Khan if it violates the law of Pakistan and goes against national interest.”

A user stated, “It is deeply concerning to see Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan aligning with BNM leader Naseem Baloch to lobby against Pakistan’s GSP+ status with the EU. Using personal grievances to target the national economy while sitting alongside known anti state figures crosses a clear line.”

Another commented, “Shameless Niazi’s illegitimate followers where were you all at that time when Imran Niazi was Prime Minister and was putting his opponents in jail through false cases? You are filthy people, eternal enemies of Pakistan the entire Niazi family”.

One post read, “I REJECT jemaima’s Son Addresses in UNHRC session 61 – Geneva We Pakistani refute all his allegations against Pakistan.”

A user wrote, “If anyone thinks this is justified in ANY WAY, shame on you. These people with their supporters and sympathisers should get out of our country with their bs”.

Another said, “Twisting facts now? You made a direct attack at Pakistan’s GSP+ status. How disgusting. Doesn’t really make a difference to your lot if millions of Pakistanis are pushed to literal hunger right?”

One post read, “They want the common citizen of Pakistan to suffer coz their father is in jail for stealing???”

Pakistan has delivered a ceasefire proposal from the Trump administration to Iran, according to Al Jazeera sources and senior Iranian officials.

The document, handed over by Islamabad, contains specific United States (US) demands aimed at de-escalating the ongoing war in the Gulf. 

While the exact details of the proposal remain undisclosed, reports suggest it may align with a 15-point US plan previously circulated.

Officials from Washington and Tehran are expected to meet in Islamabad in the coming days. A senior Iranian official confirmed that both Pakistan and Turkey are being considered as venues for diplomatic discussions.

Former Pakistani Ambassador to the US and United Nations (UN) Masood Khan said that Pakistan has earned its position as a lead mediator by maintaining an equidistant posture. He noted that Pakistan previously facilitated sensitive conversations between the two sides last June.

Despite these diplomatic movements, Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam denied that direct or indirect negotiations have taken place. He described the reports of progress as “Trump’s claims”, but acknowledged that friendly countries were engaged in consultations to end the hostilities.

On the ground, military activity continued to expand. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched its 80th wave of strikes, targeting northern and central territories and US bases. 

Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaqari questioned the US claims of seeking a deal, asking if Washington was “negotiating with itself”. He also stated that regional stability would not return until the US acknowledged the role of Iranian armed forces.

The IRGC also called for Muslim unity against the US and Israeli regimes.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed 23 operations against US sites over a 24-hour period using drones and missiles.

The UN Human Rights Council is scheduled to hold an urgent debate this Friday regarding a strike on a school in Minab, and according to Iran’s education ministry, 243 students and teachers have been killed since Feb 28. 

Domestically, Iran is facing its 26th day of a continuous internet blackout. NetBlocks reported that the blackout has passed the 600-hour mark, cutting off civilians from international networks.

The conflict also continues to impact global economic forecasts. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warned of a global recession if oil prices reach $150 a barrel. He stated that if Iran remains a threat to trade in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices will stay above $100 for years.