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FO won’t say when PM Shehbaz will visit China

Published

11 months ago

Farwa

In a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokesman for the Foreign Office, declined to disclose the date of Minister Shehbaz’s (PM) visit to the People’s Republic of China.

Regarding Premier Shehbaz’s visit to China, she was responding to a question.

A representative for the Foreign Office acknowledged that, following the Dasu suicide bombing that claimed the lives of five Chinese engineers and one Pakistani driver, an interagency security group from China paid a visit to Pakistan.

Enhancing security measures for Chinese citizens and businesses operating in Pakistan was the aim of the visit. FO is hard at work looking into the Daso attack from several angles, according to Baloch.

According to the spokeswoman, formal notification of the investigation’s findings will be given after it is finished.

According to Zahra, Pakistan has emphasized its wish for Afghan refugees to return to their country of origin as soon as possible and with dignity, despite the country’s strict policies on unlawful foreign residents. Pakistan’s position on the One Document Regime remains unchanged.

She said, “The Commerce Secretary was in Afghanistan last week.” Pakistan vehemently denounced the terrorist strike that occurred in Iran.

Israel purposefully attacks the food assistance convoy headed for World Central Kitchen: FO

Pakistan said on Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) killing of members of the World Central Kitchen’s convoy in Gaza was not a “isolated incident” and denounced the attack.

“For the past six months, Israeli authorities have been involved in crass and systematic violation of international humanitarian law by repeatedly targeting the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), aid, and unarmed civilians,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahrah Baloch said in a weekly news briefing. International humanitarian law is gravely violated when a humanitarian convoy carrying food for starving people is purposefully targeted.

According to the spokeswoman, the strike happened while “Israel is creating hurdles at UNRWA’s effort to bring food and vital life-saving aid to the people of Gaza.”

She said that Israel’s assault on the Iranian embassy’s consulate department in Syria was “irresponsible” and a “violation of the UN charter, international law, and conventions.”

Pakistan denounced these murders and demanded that Israel be held internationally accountable for its crimes against humanity.

Furthermore, in response to Chef Jose Andres’ claims that Israel is using food as a weapon, the White House refrained from responding on Wednesday. On Monday, an Israeli bombardment in Gaza claimed the lives of seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers.

Although there are some preliminary results, the inquiry is still ongoing, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Jean-Pierre claimed that Biden’s Tuesday night statement denouncing Israel’s strikes on the relief workers made it “loud and clear” how the president feels.

Pakistan has rejected holding negotiations with the TTP.

Talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been ruled off by Pakistan.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch addressed questions from the media during her weekly news briefing in Islamabad today about the suggestion made by an Afghan Minister for talks between Pakistan and TTP. She stated that Pakistan expects the Afghan authorities to act swiftly against the terrorist groups and their leadership for the crimes they are committing as well as the terrorist incidents they are accountable for in Pakistan.

According to her, Pakistan is steadfast in its resolve to combat all terrorist organizations that have targeted both the friendship symbols between China and Pakistan.

She claimed that the Chinese projects in Pakistan are operating normally now that the security audit and security measure improvements have been made.

Latest News

Imran Khan is the sole former Prime Minister to undergo a judicial trial. Omar Ayub

Published

4 hours ago

Farwa

Omar Ayub, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and a PTI leader, has asserted that Imran Khan is the sole former prime minister currently facing trial in prison.

Omar Ayub disclosed to the reporters outside the Judicial Complex Islamabad that the Chief Justice had summoned him for a meeting in his capacity as Opposition Leader.

He additionally indicated that upon meeting Imran Khan, he requested permission three times prior to participating in negotiations with the Chief Justice. Imran Khan authorized the meeting, and PTI presented its plan to the Chief Justice, emphasizing human rights and judicial reforms.

He stated that the fundamental rights of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are being intentionally infringed upon in prison, as neither he nor their sons are permitted to visit them.

Omar Ayub noted that, unlike other past prime ministers who had trials in open courts, Imran Khan is uniquely facing a trial in prison.

He alleged that the government are perpetrating police violence against PTI workers, asserting that PTI leaders across Punjab, Islamabad, Sindh, and Balochistan are experiencing harassment.

Simultaneously, a hearing concerning nine cases against Omar Ayub took place before the Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC). Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain presided over the ATC proceedings.

At the hearing, a defense attorney sought a postponement owing to the absence of senior counsel Dr. Babar Awan. The court granted the request and rescheduled the hearing for April 10.

Latest News

More than 10 energy projects are nearing completion in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Published

4 hours ago

Farwa

PESHAWAR: Secretary of Energy and Power Muhammad Zubair Khan stated that multiple hydropower projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are nearing completion.

During a high-level assessment meeting, the Secretary of Energy stated that the projects would contribute to the economic stability of the province and the future development of the industrial sector.

In the meeting, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) reported the completion of seven hydroelectric projects, generating a total of 161 megawatts of electricity and yielding over Rs 4 billion yearly.

CEO PEDO Engr Riaz Ahmed Jan addressed the gathering that 12 energy projects, encompassing hydro, solar electricity, and transmission lines, are currently in progress.

The projects comprise 300 MW Balakot Mansehra, 157 MW Madyen Swat, 88 MW Gabral Kalam, 84 MW Matiltan Swat, 69 MW Lawi Chitral, 40.8 MW Koto Dir, 11.8 MW Krora Shangla, 10.5 MW Chapri Charkhel Kuram, and 6.9 MW Mujahideen Power Project Torghar.

He stated that these projects will produce a total of 778 MW of power, resulting in an annual revenue exceeding 45 billion rupees for the province.

Furthermore, Project Director Solar Engineer Asfandyar reported that the provincial government has finalized plans to convert 8,000 schools, 5,762 mosques, 6,650 houses, 187 primary health units, and government buildings, including the Chief Minister Secretariat, to solar energy across various districts of the province.

Latest News

Alibaba pledges to invest $53 billion in cloud computing and AI by 2027.

Published

4 hours ago

Farwa

Alibaba, the preeminent e-commerce and technology firm in China, declared on Monday a significant investment of 380 billion yuan ($53 billion) on artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure by 2027, representing the company’s most substantial technological commitment to date.

The news follows closely on the heels of Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma’s attendance at a prominent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, indicating a possible thaw in relations between China’s technology sector and regulatory bodies.

This extraordinary investment will exceed Alibaba’s cumulative expenditure on AI and cloud initiatives over the previous ten years, according per company declarations. The program seeks to enhance Alibaba’s technology innovation capabilities and expedite its AI-driven growth plan.

Eddie Wu, CEO of Alibaba, recently emphasised the company’s robust performance, announcing an 8% sales increase to 280 billion yuan for the quarter ending in December, surpassing market forecasts. The announcement prompted a 14% increase in Alibaba’s shares listed in Hong Kong last Friday.

The investment announcement signifies a wider resurgence in Chinese technology stocks, which have surged since early 2024. The resurgence of this sector follows a difficult phase characterised by regulatory scrutiny that commenced in 2020, impacting significant technology firms such as Alibaba and its fintech subsidiary Ant Group.

Recent advancements in China’s AI industry, such as the introduction of DeepSeek’s chatbot, have bolstered investor confidence. This occurs when China’s economy confronts persistent difficulties in consumer expenditure and real estate sectors.

President Xi’s recent meeting with business leaders, during which he described present economic issues as “surmountable,” has been broadly regarded as an endorsement of the private sector, especially the technology industry.

Although particular project allocations are not revealed, Alibaba’s investment plan underscores the company’s commitment to long-term technological progress and the development of AI infrastructure.

The news establishes Alibaba as a leader in China’s artificial intelligence competition, as prominent technology firms globally amplify their investments in AI skills and cloud infrastructure.