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Israel’s killing machine must be stopped in Gaza, West Bank: Pakistan tells UNGA

Israel’s killing machine must be stopped in Gaza, West Bank: Pakistan tells UNGA

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Israel's killing machine must be stopped in Gaza, West Bank: Pakistan tells UNGA

Pakistan, on behalf of a group of 14 countries, on Friday again pushed for a ceasefire in Gaza, while underscoring the need for an international mechanism to protect Palestinian civilians from Israel’s bombing, and intensified efforts towards peacefully resolving the Middle East conflict.

“The Israeli killing machine must be stopped in Gaza and the West Bank,” Ambassador Munir Akram told the UN General Assembly which met to hear the remaining speakers of its Dec. 12 emergency session, when he made Pakistan’s national statement.

He said, “The international community must also establish an accountability mechanism and a special tribunal to investigate Israel’s atrocity crimes.”

The 193-member Assembly has already adopted a resolution, by an overwhelming majority, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and reiterating its insistence that parties to the conflict comply with international law, all hostages be released immediately and without conditions and humanitarian access be ensured.

The Assembly acted after the United States vetoed the Security Council’s ceasefire resolution.

“We deeply regret that calls from the UN Secretary-General and the General Assembly were not heeded by Israel and it continues its criminal attacks against the Palestinian people,” the Pakistani envoy said.

The group of countries he spoke for include: Algeria, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, IIran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Nigeria, Syria and Venezuela.

“We are witnessing a human tragedy of epic proportions unfolding in front of our eyes,” Ambassador Akram said.

Israel’s indiscriminate bombardments from air, land, and sea, along with intense ground operations across Gaza have now continued for over two months, killing more than 18,000 people, most of them women and children, wounding close to 50,000.

“Entire families and neighborhoods have been wiped out,” the Pakistani envoy said, noting that the number of people killed is the highest in proportion to population since this century began.

Drawing particular attention to the 134 UNRWA staff members who were killed in Gaza, he said this was the highest-ever-recorded killing of United Nations personnel in the history of the Organization.

“Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, blockading of food and other essentials, and forced displacement of Palestinians are flagrant violations of humanitarian law and may amount to the crime of genocide,” Ambassador Akram said.

“The collective punishment endured by the besieged people of Gaza is unprecedented in modern history, he said.

“We must also be appalled at those who, by blocking the call for a ceasefire in the Security Council, have enabled the continuation of the Israeli slaughter of innocents.”

Meanwhile in Tel Aviv, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan re-affirmed Washington’s continued support for Israel’s brutal war on the Gaza Strip after he was told by top Israeli official that the onslaught on the besieged Palestinian territory ‘will last more than several months’.

Sullivan arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Minister of Military Affairs Yoav Gallant.

According to media reports, Sullivan said he discussed the timeline of Israel’s war on Gaza, which in its third month now, with Netanyahu and other top officials.

“I’m here today on President [Joe] Biden’s behalf to emphasize our continued commitment to support Israel in its fight against Hamas.”

In his remarks to the Assembly, Ambassador Akram rejected Israel’s portrayal of its aggressive actions as anti-terrorism measures and its relentless bombing of Gaza as an exercise of self-defence.

“The root cause of the crisis lies in Israel’s prolonged occupation and denial of Palestinians’ inalienable right to self-determination. Israel’s murderous campaign against the occupied people of Palestine struggling for their freedom cannot be justified under the guise of self-defence,” he added.

The Pakistani envoy recalled that the Arab-OIC summit meeting in Riyadh had called on all countries to stop exporting weapons to Israel, and highlighted the need for intensified efforts to find a durable solution.

Earlier, Palestinian Ambassador Riyadh Mansour described the Israeli assault as a war against Palestinian history and existence.

Israel is deliberately targeting hospitals, homes, mosques and churches, he pointed out, adding that the occupation forces are killing engineers and doctors and poets and academics, as well as those who would document the crime and inform the world — the journalists.

Further, the Palestinian envoy said that Israel has been deliberately making Gaza unliveable for human life, inflicting maximum pain to force a people out of their country, pointing out that It had confessed to that goal.

However, he pointed out, Israel has failed in its efforts to bully and silence member states of the United Nations. Highlighting the global call for a ceasefire, emanating from people around the world, as well as the human rights community, Ambassador Mansour noted that, while the Security Council was blocked by a single veto, 153 countries in the General Assembly voted in favour of that resolution.

Palestinian children now know much more about death than about life, he said, underlining that one million Palestinian children in Gaza were facing a death sentence that could take effect at any moment.

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Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

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Govt wants more women in police department: Maryam Nawaz

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said government wants to increase number of women in the police department.

Maryam, while addressing the passing-out parade ceremony at Chung Police Training College, said, “I salute you all. I am happy the first Sword of Honour has been awarded to a female police officer. I am proud of you. I was waiting for this event since taking oath as chief minister, she said.

“When I wore the police uniform for the first time, I realised it is a big responsibility,” said the chief minister and added she was happy to see 530 women passing out.

She said she happy to see women police officers performing duties.

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“When I wore the uniform for the first time today, I felt it was a big responsibility. I am proud of women serving in police department,” said CM Maryam.

She said there were 7,000 women police personnel serving in Punjab. “I want to increase women participation in Punjab police. Lady cops are superhuman. Women are soft hearted so they forgive.

However, there should be no tenderness in your heart for the oppressor,” said the chief minister and asked the lady police officers to take pity on the oppressed and hold the oppressor accountable for his misdeeds.

“THERE IS NO REVENGE IN MY HEART”

Maryam said there was no feelings of revenge in her heart. “If, being the chief minister, I decide something against someone, I do it with a heavy heart,” she said.

“To be a chief minister is not an easy task. I had to make hectic efforts reach this place,” she said.
She paid glowing tribute to her father Nawaz Sharif and uncle Shehbaz Sharif.

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PASSING OUT PARADE

Earlier, a passing out parade was held at Chung Police Training College. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended the ceremony as a special guest.

Maryam inspected the parade dressed in police uniform. She also distributed prizes to police officers who exhibited excellent performance.

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Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP’s decision

Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP’s decision

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Supreme Court reinstates Balochistan Assembly speaker, annuls ECP's decision

The Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the decision of Election Commission (ECP) and reinstated Balochistan Assembly Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, also annulled the ECP’s order of re-polling at 12 polling stations of PB 51 Chaman.

Justice Khan asked the ECP counsel under which regulation the commission ordered re-election at 12 polling stations?

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that the ECP considered only 12 polling stations but ignored others.

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Justice Khan remarked that the ECP had neither conducted an inquiry nor followed any rules. The DG Law submitted that the ECP took into account those 12 polling stations regarding which it had received plea. There was high voter turnout in these 12 polling stations.

Justice Mazhar said that the ECP should have taken into account the entire constituency. Had the ECP performed according to rules, people would not have had to come to court.

The court referred the case back to the ECP after consulting the parties and ordered the commission to decide the issue within 10 days.

It may be remembered that the ECP had ordered re-polling on the application of Khaliq’s opposing candidate Asghar Khan Achakzai and withdrew the notification of his success. PML-N’s candidate Khaliq challenged the ECP decision. 

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Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

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Govt, Opp prepare power-sharing framework for NA committees

The government and opposition on Thursday prepared a power-sharing formula for formation of National Assembly committees, after which the negotiations entered the final stage.

The government alliance will get chairmanship of 26 committees of the National Assembly while opposition will have chairmanship of 11 committees.

Similarly, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee will be from the opposition and the chairman of the Kashmir Committee will be appointed from the government side.

The speaker will be the chairman of the National Assembly House Business Advisory Committee.

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According to the framework, standing committees will have 13 members and Public Accounts Committee will have 16 members from the government alliance.

Likewise, Kashmir Committee will have 15 members while House Business Advisory will have 18 members from the coalition government.

The number of opposition members in the standing committees of the National Assembly, Public Accounts Committee and Kashmir Committee will be 7-7.

Apart from this, the chairman of 14 committees of the National Assembly will be from the Muslim League-N, while PPP will get chairmanship of eight committees.

MQM will get chairmanships of two committees. Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) will get one chairmanship each.

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10 committees will be chaired by independent members supported by PTI while one committee will be chaired by JUI.

Out of the 20 members of the standing committees, 14 members will be appointed from the government side and six from the opposition parties.

Each standing committee will have seven members from PML-N, four from PPP and one member each from PML-Q and MQM.

In the standing committee, five independent members of PTI and one member of JUI will be given membership as committee members.

Of the 23 members of the Public Accounts Committee, 16 MPs will be included from the government and seven from the opposition.
About 22 members of the Privileges Committee, 15 members will be included from the government and seven from the opposition side. Of 16 members in the government assurances committee, 11 will be from the government and five from the opposition.

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In the 22-member Kashmir Committee, the government’s quota will be 15 while the opposition will contribute with seven members. Of the 26 members of the House Business Advisory Committee, 18 will be from the government and eight from the opposition.

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