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  • History will judge us all, warns UN Secretary-General

    History will judge us all, warns UN Secretary-General

    The Secretary-General UN Antonio Guterres has said “Everyone must assume their responsibilities. This is the moment of truth. History will judge us all,” as Israel imposed a total blockade of the internet on the Gaza Strip before the heaviest bombardment of the area has ever seen.

    He reasserted his call for a humanitarian ceasefire in the war-torn Middle East, the release of hostages, and that aid be delivered at the scale needed.

    Earlier on Friday, the UN voted for a humanitarian truce in Gaza and adopted a non-binding resolution where 120 countries voted in favor, 14 were against and 45 abstained. The Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour emphasized, “Enough is enough, the carnage against our people needs to stop and humanitarian assistance should begin to enter the Gaza Strip.”

    It is important to note that Gaza has now no communication access and there is a complete blackout in the besieged area while the Israeli Ambassador in the UN has demanded the resignation of the Secretary-General. Gilad Erdan believes, “understanding for the campaign of mass murder of children, women, and the elderly, is not fit to lead the UN.”

  • Why was Shahid Khaqan Abbasi barred from flying abroad?

    Why was Shahid Khaqan Abbasi barred from flying abroad?

    Former Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi faced a brief hiccup on Friday when he was initially stopped from flying abroad due to his name being on the no-fly list, as per Shahzad Ali of Samaa.

    However, after clarification, he was allowed to proceed with his travel plans to China.

    Mr. Abbasi and his wife were at Islamabad Airport to catch a flight to China when immigration authorities informed him that he was on the stop list based on orders of the Sindh court.

    Consequently, he was told he couldn’t continue his journey and had to return from the airport lounge.

    Eventually, the issue was resolved, and he was permitted to travel.

    When reached for comment, Mr. Abbasi denied any disruption and stated that he had already departed for China.

    Despite attempts to contact the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) immigration authorities for clarification, no response was received.

    Earlier last month, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s son Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi was prevented from leaving the nation at the Islamabad airport by immigration officials.

    On a foreign carrier, flight EK-613, Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi was scheduled to travel for Dubai.

    Due to the fact that Abdullah’s name was on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) stop list, the FIA immigration officers stopped him.

    Earlier, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s bail had been extended by the Sindh High Court in a case related to an unauthorized appointment at Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

    The court also ordered that Abbasi’s name and those of the other defendants be added to the Exit Control List (ECL).

    The case involved allegations against Abbasi, Arshad Mirza, Imranul Haque, and Yakoob Babar, with the former petroleum secretary also being present during the court hearing.

  • Sheikh Rashid petitions court to withdraw review request in Faizabad sit-in case.

    Sheikh Rashid petitions court to withdraw review request in Faizabad sit-in case.

    Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the leader of the Awami Muslim League (AML), submitted an application for the withdrawal of his review plea in the Faizabad sit-in case before Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Friday.


    In the top court’s miscellaneous application, the former minister argued that he had no affiliation with Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) and had not participated in the relevant sit-in.


    Multiple pleas were filed challenging the SC verdict — given by the apex court’s two-member bench comprising now-Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Mushir Alam — on the Faizabad sit-in staged by the TLP in 2017 against the then-Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.
    Rashid’s withdrawal request follows the federal government’s request to have the review petitions from Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z) President Ijaz Ul Haq withdrawn.


    The three-member Supreme Court bench led by CJP Isa will hear review petitions in the Faizabad sit-in case on November 1.

  • Protesting railway workers bring trains to halt

    Protesting railway workers bring trains to halt

    Railway employees are protesting against the delays of salaries by limiting the trains on the tracks after rounds of negotiations failed because the state institute has not been able to pay the staff.

    The situation got worse on Friday when several intercity trains from Lahore to Karachi – including the Karakoram Express, Pak Business Express, and Karachi Express – could not depart on their scheduled routes as the employees staged protests on the tracks.

    Amidst all this is the protest of passengers for being stranded for hours at the platform and being punished for the crime of relying on the national railway.

    Some of the protesting employees are claiming to have not been paid for the months of August and September while the others have experienced significant delays. They halted the washing line before proceeding to block the track. They also stopped by the Business Express train from Karachi to Lahore and forced the passengers to disembark. They were reportedly chanting slogans against the management and expressed their anger over the difficulties they are experiencing due to this crisis. Some even complained about the electricity and gas supply being cut off due to this crisis.

    Owing to Pakistan’s plummeting economy and the growing financial crisis of different institutions the employees are frustrated. The outgoing Chief Executive Officer Shahid Aziz highlighted the adversity of the circumstances by stating that a bailout package of Rs 35 billion is awaited to save the struggling institution.

  • More than 1000 Pakistani doctors volunteer to help in Gaza

    More than 1000 Pakistani doctors volunteer to help in Gaza

    Alkhidmat Health Foundation has announced that over 1000 doctors from Pakistan, including 400 females, have volunteered their services to provide treatment to the critically wounded and injured in Gaza. Currently, the death toll has hit 7000 dead civilians and right now there is fear of further genocide as Israel has cut off all communication services, leaving media organisations and human rights organisations completely in the dark. The few videos that have released so far show intense bombing and vicious attacks on refugee camps.

    Speaking to ‘The News’, the chairman of Al-Khidmat Health Foundation Dr Zahid Latif, said: “Since Saturday when we launched an online appeal for healthcare volunteers to serve in the Gaza strip, over 1,000 medical specialists including orthopedic, vascular and general surgeons, anesthetists, pediatric surgeons, emergency and critical care specialists and gynaecologists have registered with us to help their injured and sick brethren in Gaza.”

    Gaza is undergoing a healthcare crisis, tethering on the brink of collapse as they overpile with civilians and children wounded and critically injured from the ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Al-Shifa hospital currently holds 62,000 displaced Gazans, and more than 600 babies are in incubators out of which 120 are on critical life-or-death situations, according to Dr. Amr.

    Dr Zahid said among the 40 per cent health care specialists who have volunteered to go to Gaza, there were female specialists including genealogists, pediatricians, surgeons, including nurses who expressed their desire to go and help the wounded in Gaza.

    He further added the organisation has approached the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Islamabad, as well as the office of Cairo, Egypt to let them know about how Pakistani health professionals are willing to provide services in Gaza, despite how difficult it is to enter the region at this moment.

    “We very well know that at the moment, it is almost impossible to go to Gaza due to ongoing war but we are under tremendous pressure from Pakistani healthcare fraternity to make arrangements for them to go to Gaza. At the moment, the WHO and our partner organisations have not given us any green signal to send the healthcare professionals to any neighbouring country of Israel for serving in Gaza,” Dr Latif said.

    Currently, Al-Khidmat organisation is sending medicines, medical supplies, hygiene facilities and safe delivery kits to aid hospitals in Gaza through the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), while their Turkish-based partner is providing food and other facilities to the reigion.

    “There are around 50,000 pregnant ladies in Gaza, who need medical assistance for safe deliveries and at a time when most of the health facilities have been destroyed by the Israeli forces, safe deliveries can only be carried out at homes where they would need safe delivery kits and proper awareness,” Dr Latif said.

  • ‘We made a mistake, forgive us’: Khurshid Shah apologises for PPP being part of PDM govt

    ‘We made a mistake, forgive us’: Khurshid Shah apologises for PPP being part of PDM govt

    Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khurshid Shah has publicly admitted that his party’s decision to join the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) coalition government was a mistake.

    In an interview on Dawn News, Shah sought forgiveness for the move, emphasizing the need for a specific election date.

    “We were there 16 months [in the government]. We made a mistake, forgive us. We committed a mistake,” Shah stated, acknowledging the party’s misstep.

    The PPP leader stated that the past should be left behind and emphasized the need for a specific election date.

    When asked again if the PPP had erred by participating in the previous coalition
    government, Shah reiterated, “I say forgive us, we made a mistake. There, are you content? Now, provide the [election] date.”

    He mentioned that the PPP’s support wasn’t directed at any specific government but rather aimed at upholding democracy and the parliament.

    “We upheld and safeguarded the slogan of ‘vote ko izzat do’ (respect the vote), not the PML-N. Despite that, we say, forgive us, as we were part of the government for 16 months, so please forgive us.

    “It was a mistake, so now announce the elections. What else are we requesting?”

    In response to a query regarding the PPP’s initial congratulatory message to caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and subsequent accusations of favoritism towards the PML-N, Shah clarified, “The PML-N is part of that [caretaker government], we are not. We could also have joined and secured four ministries, but we realized that by doing so, we might hinder the prospect of timely elections.”

    He further emphasized that the PPP’s primary goal was to ensure elections proceed in accordance with the law and the Constitution.

  • ‘Unfair to blame Babar and Inzamam’: Mickey Arthur

    ‘Unfair to blame Babar and Inzamam’: Mickey Arthur

    Pakistan Cricket Team Director Mickey Arthur has said, “We did not play well in this tournament, but it will not be right to blame Babar Azam, Inzamam, or anyone, I know the players and staff tried their best.”

    Mickey Arthur said that he is proud of the best bowling of the tournament, proud of the way the bowlers fought back hard. “Everyone is trying but our batting is not coming into form.”

    He said “We improved our bowling today, but could not score runs in the batting, and could not play the last five overs properly, if we had made 300, could have defended it.”

    Mickey Arthur said that the team did not play the quality of cricket that is required in the World Cup. “Against Afghanistan, we were average in all three areas.”

    He said that he will try to finish the tournament in a good way by winning the remaining three matches.

  • Actress Indy Moore arrested alongside several Jewish American activists protesting Gaza genocide

    Actress Indy Moore arrested alongside several Jewish American activists protesting Gaza genocide

    As Israel cut off all communication services in Gaza before initiating the heaviest bombing the region has ever seen, Palestinian activists and human rights organisations are outraged as they cannot keep in touch with media organisations or their loved ones who are under Israeli siege.

    Yesterday, a massive sit-in was announced by anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice For Peace to protest against the on-going genocide in Gaza. More than 200 Jewish American activists were arrested by the police. Among them was ‘Pose’ actress Indya Moore, who could be seen chanting “Not in our name” along with the rest of the protesters as she was arrested by the police.

    Indya was also among the several actors who signed a letter asking Joe Biden to end the genocide of Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to enter through. Other celebrities who had signed the letter included Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Oscar Isaac and Academy Award winner Joaquin Pheonix.

  • Gen Bajwa’s relative cleared in FIA investigation

    Gen Bajwa’s relative cleared in FIA investigation

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has cleared Sabir Hameed, also known as Mithu, a close relative of former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, in a case pertaining to suspicious transactions, The News has confirmed on Saturday.


    The FIA closed an inquiry against the well-known businessman as no evidence in support of allegations leveled against him was found.
    Hameed, who works for a large real estate company, gave the FIA investigators access to all of the records he had, including tax returns through the fiscal year 2022, bank statements, information on both domestic and foreign real estate, automobiles, offshore businesses, and so forth.


    The people close to him said that the FIA initially called the close relative of the former army leader on October 23. Hameed is a hardworking Pakistani who does transparent business but his rivals levelled baseless allegation against him to vilify him, FIA said after conducting an in-depth inquiry.


    In addition, Hameed was required to bring a list of all the countries he has visited as well as an explanation of why. A list of all offshore/shell firms and business vehicles owned by the ex-army chief relative, his spouse, and family members was also instructed to be brought.

  • New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza ceasefire

    New York police arrest hundreds at Jewish protest urging Gaza ceasefire

    Hundreds of people were arrested Friday when police broke up a large demonstration of mostly Jewish New Yorkers who had taken over the main hall of Grand Central station in protest of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, police and organizers said.

    The New York Police Department said at least 200 people had been arrested, while protest organizers put the number at more than 300.

    Photos from the scene showed long lines of young people standing in handcuffs and wearing black sweatshirts with the words “Not In Our Name” and “Cease Fire Now” printed in white.

    The massive sit-in was called by the group Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City, which said thousands of its members had attended the protest, blocking the main concourse of the city’s central rail station.

    Pictures showed the terminal packed with protesters who held up banners reading “Palestinians should be free” and “Mourn the dead, fight like hell for the living.”

    Organizers called the peaceful sit-in “the largest civil disobedience New York City has seen in 20 years.”

    Rabbis launched the event by lighting Shabbat candles and reciting the Jewish prayer for the dead, known as the kaddish.

    “While Shabbat is typically a day of rest, we cannot afford to rest while genocide is unfolding in our names,” said Rabbi May Ye, in a statement released by organizers.

    “The lives of Palestinians and Israelis are intertwined, and safety can only come from justice, equality, and freedom for all,” the rabbi said.

    Israel launched its bombardment of Gaza after Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on 7 October, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 220 others, according to Israeli officials.

    The Hamas-run health ministry said Friday that Israeli strikes on Gaza had now killed 7,326 people, more than 3,000 of them children.