Latest news with #FO
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Dar signs convention on establishment of International Organization for Mediation in China
Pakistan became on Friday a co-signatory to China's newly set up Hong Kong-based International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed). In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar signed the convention on the establishment of the IOMed in Hong Kong. 'Today's signing ceremony not only marks beginning of a new era in the realm of international mediation and diplomacy, but also the birth of an important global institution to support principles of multilateralism and mediation,' the deputy PM said. He said that Pakistan is proud to stand among the founding members of the IOMed, adding that the country looks forward to collaborating with the Secretariat of IOMed and IMAC of Pakistan. 'We believe that peace and security, as well as global prosperity, can be promoted and preserved through strict adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, faithful implementation of UN Security Council resolutions as well as international law,' Dar said. The idea for the establishment of the IOMed was one of the key outcomes of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing in April 2019. China initiated discussions for the establishment of IOMed in 2021, and invited Pakistan to join negotiations as one of its founding members, the statement added. The organisation is open to all countries; is based on respect for the sovereignty, core interests and legitimate concerns of every country; aims to promote dialogue and trust between parties concerned based on equality; and desires inclusion of various legal systems, and their mediators, the FO said. Earlier, the FO said that deputy PM will also hold several bilateral engagements on the sidelines of the meeting in China.
Gulf Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
French teacher suspended for 2 months after holding minute's silence in class for Gaza victims
A teacher in France has been suspended for nearly two months after holding a minute's silence for Gaza victims in her class. The physics and chemistry teacher at the Janot-Curie high school in Sens, Yens, was told by the local education authority that she failed to respect the principle of neutrality when she was suspended on 31 March. On 25 March, days after resumed Israeli strikes ended the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the teacher is accused by the Dijon education authority of having organised a minute of silence for the Palestinians killed in the week before. This was done on her own 'personal initiative', the education authority told The Independent – but this claim has been disputed by teaching unions. "Respecting neutrality is a duty for civil servants, enshrined in their status, and any failure to comply with this obligation triggers disciplinary proceedings," the authority explained. But the education branches of French unions FO, CGT and Sud insist that the students had requested the silence. 'The teacher agreed, at the end of her class, to observe this time of homage with the students who wished to do so," they said. A child cries as Palestinians gather to receive a hot meal at a food distribution point in the Nuseirat camp for refugees in the central Gaza Strip on May 24, 2025. Agence France-Presse "We demand that this teacher be reinstated immediately, that all charges be dropped, and that her dignity be officially restored in the eyes of the school, staff, and parents," the unions added in a joint statement. Equally outraged were political figures including the first-secretary of the Socialist Party (PS), Olivier Faure. 'A minute of silence requested by the students, with those who do not want to join being able to withdraw, to pay tribute to the victims in Gaza, and it is the teacher who is suspended... really???' he wrote on X. 'We are standing on our heads.' It comes as France's relationship with Israel becomes increasingly strained, after Israeli ministers responded furiously to condemnation by Western allies over its actions in the Gaza Strip, including the previous 11-week blockade on aid and its resumed offensive. Strongest condemnation President Emmanuel Macron joined the UK and Canada in issuing their strongest condemnation yet of Netanyahu's government. A statement demanded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu halt his 'egregious' actions in Gaza, threatening 'concrete actions' over the 'intolerable' human suffering inflicted on the enclave. Following the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington DC on Wednesday night, Netanyahu echoed earlier statements by fellow ministers laying the blame at the door of the UK, France and Canada. 'I say to President Macron, Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Starmer: When mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers thank you, you're on the wrong side of justice,' he wrote on social media. 'You're on the wrong side of humanity and you're on the wrong side of history.' The Independent
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Pakistan condemns Modi's ‘reckless provocation'
ISLAMABAD: Condemning the provocative comments, Pakistan has taken note of the recent remarks by the prime minister of India, delivered in Gujarat with the theatrical flourish of a campaign rally rather than the sobriety expected of the leader of a nuclear-armed state. Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said, 'The hate-driven invocation of violence in his remarks is deeply disturbing, not only for its content but for the dangerous precedent it sets in a region already burdened by volatility.' We regret the continued erosion of maturity and decorum in Indian statecraft, he added. Such statements blatantly violate the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, which obliges member states to resolve disputes peacefully and to refrain from the threat or use of force against the sovereignty or political independence of other states. Modi in his address to a Gujrat rally said that people of Pakistan should come forward to get their country rid of terrorist. The FO spokesperson said Pakistan views these remarks as a reckless provocation, intended to distract from the ongoing human rights abuses and demographic engineering in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan's record as a leading contributor to UN peacekeeping and its consistent cooperation in global counter-terrorism efforts speak louder than any hostile soundbite. Ambassador Shafqat said, adding if extremism is indeed a concern for the Indian government, it would do well to turn inward—toward the alarming rise of majoritarianism, religious intolerance, and the systematic disenfranchisement of minorities under the increasingly brutal Hindutva ideology. Pakistan remains committed to peace based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. However, any threat to its security or territorial integrity will be met with firm and proportionate measures, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. The spokesperson urged the international community to take serious note of India's escalating rhetoric, which undermines regional stability and the prospects for lasting peace. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Pakistan slams Modi's speech as dangerous and hate-driven
Listen to article Pakistan condemned on Tuesday recent comments by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "reckless provocation" and a threat to regional peace. Delivering a speech in Gujarat a day prior, Modi had said, "The people of Pakistan must come forward to rid their country of terrorism. Their youth will have to come forward'. "Live a life of peace, eat your bread or [choose my] bullet," he added. Modi then about India's progress, saying the country has passed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy. He then attacked Pakistan, saying, 'India believes in tourism, but Pakistan sees terrorism as tourism. That's dangerous for the world'. #WATCH | Bhuj, Gujarat: "... sukh chain ki zindagi jiyo, roti khao, warna meri goli to hai hi...," says PM Narendra Modi. He further says, "The people of Pakistan need to come forward to get their country rid of terrorism. Their youth will have to come forward...'" — ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2025 Modi further claimed that Indian forces had destroyed Pakistani air bases after attacks in the past and when Pakistan targetted civilians in May, India answered with double the force. Reacting to the remarks, the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed regret over the "continued erosion of maturity and decorum in Indian statecraft". Modi's speech was 'delivered in Gujarat with the theatrical flourish of a campaign rally rather than the sobriety expected of the leader of a nuclear-armed state," noted the Foreign Office in its statement. 'The hate-driven invocation of violence in his remarks is deeply disturbing, not only for its content but for the dangerous precedent it sets in region already burdened by volatility,' the FO added. 🔊PR NO.1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣ Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Recent Remarks by the Prime Minister of India. — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 26, 2025 'These remarks violate the principles of the United Nations Charter,' the FO noted further. 'Member states are obligated to resolve disputes peacefully and to refrain from the threat or use of force.' Moreover, Modi's comments are an attempt to distract from what it described as ongoing human rights abuses and demographic changes in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), added the statement. READ: Pakistan's military dismisses Indian water threat as 'insane thinking' Pakistan's contributions to UN peacekeeping and global counter-terrorism efforts 'speak louder than any hostile soundbite,' the FO maintained, accusing the Indian government of promoting extremism through 'majoritarianism, religious intolerance, and the systematic disenfranchisement of minorities'. Reiterating its commitment to peace and sovereign equality, Islamabad warned that any threat to its security would be met with a 'firm and proportionate' response, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter. Islamabad urged the international community to take note of what it described as India's 'escalating rhetoric', which it said undermines regional stability and the prospect of lasting peace. India-Pakistan conflict The latest escalation between Pakistan and India began on April 22, when an attack in the IIOJK resort town of Pahalgam killed 26 people. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident, despite providing no public evidence. In response, India undertook a series of hostile actions the next day on April 23, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), cancelling visas for Pakistani citizens, closing the Wagah-Attari border crossing, ordering the shutdown of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, and reducing diplomatic staff at each other's embassies. Pakistan strongly rejected the accusation, calling it unsubstantiated, but took reciprocal measures through its National Security Committee (NSC). These included halting trade with India, closing Pakistani airspace to Indian aircraft, and other countersteps. Tensions further escalated in the early hours of May 7, when missile strikes hit six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly. In a swift military response, Pakistan's armed forces shot down Indian warplanes, including three Rafale jets, widely regarded as a key asset of the Indian Air Force. Over the following two days, India launched waves of Israeli-made drones, which were also neutralised by Pakistan's military. The confrontation intensified again in the early hours of May 10, when India targeted several Pakistani airbases with missile strikes. In retaliation, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, damaging Indian military installations, including missile storage sites, airbases, and other strategic targets. By Saturday evening, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached following intense diplomatic efforts overnight. Minutes later, the agreement was confirmed separately by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the Indian foreign secretary. But despite the military ceasefire the war of narratives has waged on. While Pakistan publicly credited US President Donald Trump — along with China and Gulf states — for playing a vital role in defusing tensions, India downplayed foreign involvement. Indian officials have insisted the truce was the result of direct bilateral talks. Trump, has however, reiterated his stance twice following the initial announcement.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
‘Deeply disturbing': Pakistan takes note of Indian PM Modi's remarks
Pakistan took notice of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement, saying that the hate-driven invocation of violence in his remarks was not expected of the leader of a nuclear-armed state. In a statement on Tuesday, the Foreign Office (FO) said that Pakistan regrets the continued erosion of maturity and decorum in Indian statecraft. 'Such statements blatantly violate the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, which obliges member states to resolve disputes peacefully and to refrain from the threat or use of force against the sovereignty or political independence of other states.' The FO's press release comes after the Indian PM in a rally in Gujrat said, 'To end terrorism in Pakistan, the people of Pakistan need to step forward. Live peacefully and eat your bread, or else my bullet is ready'. Meanwhile, FO said that Pakistan views these remarks as a reckless provocation, intended to distract from the ongoing human rights abuses and demographic engineering in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. 'Pakistan's record as a leading contributor to UN peacekeeping and its consistent cooperation in global counter-terrorism efforts speak louder than any hostile soundbite. If extremism is indeed a concern for the Indian government, it would do well to turn inward—toward the alarming rise of majoritarianism, religious intolerance, and the systematic disenfranchisement of minorities under the increasingly brutal Hindutva ideology,' it added. The FO called on the international community to take serious note of India's escalating rhetoric, which undermines regional stability and the prospects for lasting peace. Last week, the Indian PM had made another provocative statement by saying that Pakistan will not get water from rivers over which India has rights. 'Pakistan will have to pay a heavy price for every terrorist attack … Pakistan's army will pay it, Pakistan's economy will pay it,' Modi said at a public event in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, which borders Pakistan. In response, the FO had called the remarks 'baseless, provocative, and irresponsible allegations', saying that rather than resorting to fictitious narratives and warmongering for electoral mileage, 'India should demonstrate maturity by resolving outstanding disputes through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy'. 'Such statements not only reflect a deliberate attempt to mislead the public but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft,' FO said. 'Resorting to threats and boasting about military action against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law.
