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Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan asks world to take ‘decisive action' after Israeli strike kills civilians in Gaza
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday condemned a recent Israeli airstrike that killed several civilians in Gaza, demanding the world take 'decisive action' to hold the Jewish state accountable. The statement came two days after Gaza's civil defense agency said at least 34 people, including more than a dozen civilians who were waiting to collect aid, were killed by Israeli fire. Pakistan's Foreign Office said the country strongly condemns the Israeli airstrike and extends its condolences to families of the victims, reaffirming its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people. 'This egregious attack constitutes yet another serious violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, underscoring the scale and severity of the crimes perpetrated by the occupying power,' it said in a statement. 'The Government of Pakistan calls upon the international community to take immediate and decisive action to end Israeli impunity, ensure the protection of civilians, and hold Israel accountable for its actions.' Hours before the statement, a prominent Al Jazeera journalist, who had previously been threatened by Israel, was killed along with four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday in an attack condemned by journalists and rights groups. 'Anas Al Sharif and his colleagues were among the last remaining voices in Gaza conveying the tragic reality to the world,' Al Jazeera said. More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel began pounding the territory on Oct. 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack on Israel, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The Foreign Office once again reiterated Pakistan's support for the Palestinian cause and called for a just, sustainable and peaceful resolution of the Palestine issue, in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions that uphold the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. 'This includes the establishment of an independent, sovereign, viable, and contiguous Palestinian State, based on the pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,' it added.
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Bangladesh court hears graft case against ex-PM Sheikh Hasina
DHAKA: A court in Bangladesh on Monday heard cases brought by the anti-corruption organization against ex-leader Sheikh Hasina and her family, including her daughter who has served as a top UN official. Three officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) read out testimonies in three separate cases over an alleged land grab of lucrative plots in a suburb of the capital Dhaka. Hasina, 77, fled Bangladesh by helicopter on August 5, 2024, after weeks of student-led protests against her autocratic rule. She has defied orders to return from India, including to attend her separate and ongoing trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity, over the deadly crackdown on the uprising. Hasina has been named in six corruption cases, along with her US-based son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and her daughter Saima Wazed, who has been serving as the World Health Organization's Southeast Asia chief in New Delhi. 'If found guilty, Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and Saima Wazed could face up to 14 years in prison,' ACC lawyer Khan Mohammad Mainul Hossain told AFP. Wazed is on leave from the WHO and a new official has taken up a post as 'officer-in-charge.' In total, six cases have been filed of alleged corruption connected to Hasina. Among those named in other cases, some slated to be heard later in August, are Hasina's sister, Sheikh Rehana, and her children — including British lawmaker Tulip Siddiq. Tulip Siddiq resigned as the UK government's anti-corruption minister in January, denying any wrongdoing after being named in multiple probes in Bangladesh. Siddiq's lawyers have said the allegations against her are false.
Arab News
12 hours ago
- Arab News
Nearly half of Pakistani businessmen confident in country's direction — Gallup
KARACHI: Nearly half of Pakistani businessmen believe the country is moving in the right direction, a Gallup Pakistan survey published on Monday showed, with sentiment climbing to its highest level since late 2021 amid signs of political and economic stabilization. The 'direction of country' score — the percentage of respondents who think Pakistan is on the right track minus those who think it is headed the wrong way — rose 62 points in the second quarter of 2025 to –2 percent from –64 percent a year earlier, according to the Gallup survey, whose results are based on interviews with 524 businesses in the manufacturing, services and trade sectors conducted between July 23 and 27. The improvement comes after Pakistan secured a $7 billion IMF bailout in September 2024 to avert a sovereign default and began implementing fiscal and structural reforms aimed at stabilizing its crisis-hit economy. '46 percent of businessmen rated the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government's management of the economy as better than its predecessor, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), compared to just 24 percent a year ago,' the Gallup report said. 'While the score remains marginally negative, it marks the highest level of confidence in national direction since Q4 2021,' it added. 'This uptick suggests a moderate easing of political and economic uncertainty from the perspective of the business community.' Sixty-one percent of surveyed businessmen rated their ongoing operations as 'good' or 'very good,' up six percentage points from the previous survey wave. The manufacturing sector showed slower signs of recovery than trade and services. Top concerns were rising prices, high energy costs and taxes. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said controlling inflation should be the government's highest priority. Pakistan's consumer inflation rose to 4.1 percent year-on-year in July, up from 3.2 percent in June, driven by higher food, fuel and medicine prices. High utility costs were cited by 18 percent of respondents, while 11 percent pointed to taxation. The survey also recorded a notable decline in reported bribery, with 15 percent admitting to paying a bribe in the past six months, down from 34 percent in Q4 2024. Traders reported the highest bribery rate at 20 percent, followed by 13 percent among service providers and 12 percent among manufacturers. Gallup Pakistan Executive Director Bilal Ijaz Gilani described the results as reflecting a 'cautiously improving mood' among businesses. 'While the shift is incremental, it reflects a growing sense of stabilization among economic actors,' he said. 'As always, sustained momentum will depend on continued macroeconomic reforms, policy consistency, and greater institutional responsiveness, especially toward businesses operating outside the formal sector.' Gilani said the most notable change was improved perceptions of the country's direction and growing trust in the government's economic management. While the survey points to a rebound in business confidence, analysts say Pakistan's long-term economic trajectory will depend on its ability to sustain reforms, rein in inflation, and ease the cost of doing business in the $375 billion South Asian economy.
