General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, NI (M), Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, who is on an official visit to Jordan, called on his Majesty King Abdullah IL Ibn Al Hussain
General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, NI (M), Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, who is on an official visit to Jordan, called on His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussain. During the meeting, both dignitaries discussed various areas of interest including, bilateral politico-diplomatic and military cooperation and prevailing regional security situation.
Jordanian King Abdullah Ibn Al Hussain conferred the medal ‘Order of the Star of Jordan’ to Chairman JCSC General Sahir Shamshad Mirza in recognition of his meritorious services. CJCSC also held separate meetings with Major General Yousef Ahmed Al-Hnaity, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) and Brigadier General Muhammad Hyasat, Commander of the Royal Jordan Air Force.
Courtesy: ISPR.
General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), COAS engaged in a candid discourse with members of prominent US think tanks and media
General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), COAS engaged in a candid discourse with members of prominent US think tanks and media. COAS, during the interaction, put across Pakistan’s perspective on regional security, transnational terrorism and importance of maintaining strategic stability in South Asia.
COAS said that Pakistan is a country of consequence both from geopolitical and geoeconomic perspective and wishes to develop itself as a hub of connectivity and a gateway to Central Asia and beyond, however, eschews Bloc Politics and believes in maintaining balanced relationships with all friendly countries.
COAS highlighted that Pakistan desires to broaden bilateral engagement with the U.S through long term multi domain partnership. He highlighted that his interactions during the visit to the U.S with Political and Military leadership have been very positive and forward looking for further strengthening the relationship. COAS also highlighted that Pakistan has stood as a bulwark against transnational terrorism for decades for ensuring regional stability and global peace and security. It has made unparalleled contributions and sacrifices in its enduring fight against terrorism and will continue to fight till logical end, in line with the aspirations of people Pakistan.
COAS also stressed upon the need for resolution of Kashmir Issue as per the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and the UNSC Resolutions. He said, “Kashmir is an internationally accepted dispute and no unilateral action can alter the nature of this dispute against the wishes of millions of people of the area.” COAS also emphatically highlighted the immediate need for ending the sufferings in Ghaza, provision of humanitarian assistance and implementation of two state solution for enduring peace in the region. Earlier on arrival, COAS was received by the Ambassador of Pakistan to US.
Courtesy: ISPR.
Gaza media office says 100 Journalists killed since Israeli attacks began
At least 100 journalists have been killed since Israel’s war on Gaza began on October 7, according to new figures released by the government media office in Gaza. Palestinian journalist Muhammed Abu Hweidy was the latest to be killed in an Israeli air raid on his home in the east of Gaza City on Saturday, the media office said. “The number of journalists killed has risen to 100, men and women, since the start of the brutal war on the Gaza Strip, after the martyrdom of journalist Mohammed Abu Hweidy in an Israeli airstrike in the Shujaiya neighborhood,” the office said on Telegram social media.
(Courtesy: Al-Jazeera).
Pakistan extends deadline for Afghans awaiting third-country resettlement
More than 450,000 Afghans have left the country since Pakistani authorities launched a deportation drive in October. The Pakistani government has announced that undocumented Afghans awaiting paperwork to resettle to a third country will be allowed to stay in Pakistan for two more months. The extension of the deadline on Wednesday from the end of this year to February 29 comes amid Pakistan’s drive to expel more than one million foreigners living in the country without paperwork.
According to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), more than 450,000 people have returned to neighbouring Afghanistan since the deportation campaign began in early October. Ninety percent of them did so “voluntarily”, according to the Pakistani government, but the UNHCR says they cited fear of arrest as the primary reason for their decision to leave. Announcing the extension, interim information minister Murtaza Solangi said anybody overstaying the new deadline would be fined $100 monthly, with a cap set at $800. “These measures were aimed at encouraging the Afghans residing illegally in Pakistan to obtain legal documents or finalise evacuation agreements as soon as possible in a third country,” Solangi added.
(Courtesy: Al-Jazeera).
Pakistan uses artificial rain for the first time to fight pollution
Cloud seeding was used to counter the hazardous smog in the megacity of Lahore, one of the world’s most polluted cities. Artificial rain has been used for the first time in Pakistan in a bid to combat hazardous levels of pollution in the megacity of Lahore, says the provincial government.
Planes equipped with cloud-seeding equipment flew on Saturday over the eastern city, often ranked one of the worst places globally for air pollution. “It drizzled in at least 10 areas of Lahore,” caretaker chief minister of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, told reporters, adding that the authorities were monitoring the impact of artificial rain in a radius of 15km (nine miles).
(Courtesy: Al-Jazeera)
RLNG price raised amid high system losses
With system losses touching a record 14.5 per cent, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on Friday notified about 10pc increase in the sale price of Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) for two Sui gas companies SSGCL and SNGPL for the current month with effect from Dec 1 owing to higher international prices, particularly of two spot cargoes. The RLNG sale price for Karachi-based Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd has been jacked up at transmission stage by 10.1pc to $13.264 per mmBtu from $12.05 per unit in November and $11.47 per mmBtu in October. The sale price at distribution stage was raised by 10.11pc to $15.45 per unit for December against $14.034 per mmBtu in November and $13.36 per mmBtu in October.
Likewise, the RLNG’s sale price for Lahore-based Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd has been increased by 9.74pc to $13.68 per mmBtu at transmission stage from $12.47 per mmBtu in November and $11.86 in October. The sale price at distribution stage for SNGPL was jacked up by 10.77pc to $14.8 per mmBtu, compared to $13.49 per unit in November and $12.84 per mmBtu in October. The overall increase in absolute terms for SSGC’s transmission price amounted to $1.22 per mmBtu and $1.42 per unit at distribution point. The increase in RLNG price for SNGPL at transmission stood at $1.2 per mmBtu and $1.32 per unit for distribution.
(Courtesy: Dawn)
France grounds plane carrying 300 Indians over ‘human trafficking’
A Nicaragua-bound plane carrying more than 300 Indian passengers has been grounded in France over suspected “human trafficking”, authorities said on Friday. The plane had taken off from the United Arab Emirates and was detained after an anonymous tipoff. The aircraft carrying passengers “likely to be victims of human trafficking” was detained on Thursday, the Paris public prosecutor’s office said. The national anti-organised crime unit JUNALCO has taken over the investigation, prosecutors said.
(Courtesy: Dawn)
Taiwan spots Chinese warships, aircraft near island ahead of elections
Taiwan has reported spotting Chinese warships around the island and aircraft crossing the Taiwan Strait’s sensitive median line weeks before elections in the democratically governed nation. On Saturday, the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X that since 1:30pm (05:30 GMT) it had detected J-10, J-11 and J-16 fighters as well as early warning Chinese aircraft operating in the airspace to the north, middle and southwest of Taiwan.
Ten aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait, or areas close by, working with Chinese warships to carry out “joint combat readiness patrols”, the ministry said, adding that its armed forces have taken steps to respond. The uptick in Chinese military activity in the Taiwan Strait comes just weeks before Taipei heads to the polls. Earlier this month, the defence ministry also spotted warships and a balloon near the island at night. While Beijing has been sending warplanes and vessels around Taiwan on a near-daily basis, nighttime activity by Chinese aircraft and the appearance of a balloon are rare.
(Courtesy: Al-Jazeera)
