PFUJ denounces attacks on news analyst, columnist
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) expressed grave concern over the harassment and violent attack on news analyst Asad Kharal and abduction of columnist Gul Bukhari in Lahore during the week. Anchorperson Asad Kharal was allegedly attacked by ‘masked men’ near Allama Iqbal International Airport in the wee hours of Wednesday, while Gul Bukhari was ‘abducted’ in Lahore by ‘unknown persons’ on Tuesday night. She, however, was ‘released’ after several hours following an uproar on social media after her abduction.
“Both incidents have similar patterns and indicates the involvement of ‘unknown persons’ behind these incidents,” the PFUJ statement said. In a joint statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Ayub Jan Sarhandi said that the police have failed to arrest culprits. They demanded the government to constitute a judicial commission to inquire these incidents.
The PFUJ leaders called upon all human rights organisation to take notice of such targeted attacks carried out by the ‘unknown persons’. Moreover, the union made an appeal to the Supreme Court to take suo moto action against the ‘unknown actors’ who are “trying to suppress freedom of expression provided under the constitution”.
Pakistan to purchase two more Type 054A frigates from China
Pakistan has signed a contract with China for the purchase of two more Type 054A frigates. The contract was signed with China Shipbuilding Trading Co Ltd (CSTC) at the Ministry of Defence Production in Rawalpindi. The agreement is in addition to a previous order by the Pakistan Navy in June last year for two Type 054A frigates, thereby raising the total order to four warships that are expected to be delivered in 2021. The estimated the cost of a single vessel is believed to be approximately $348 million.
The navy is also slated to receive eight Type 039A Yuan-class diesel-electric submarines from China by 2028, with four of them to be delivered by 2023. The contract for the eight submarines was signed between the two countries in 2015.
Honardoost seeks joint Pak-Iran work on Palestine issue
Ambassador of Iran Mehdi Honardoost hosted International Al-Quds Days event during the week at a local hotel. In his address on the occasion he said that Pakistan and Iran should jointly work to resolve the Palestine issue adding both leaderships of both countries should spearhead all moves seeking amicable resolution of the Palestine issue. He said it was necessary that all the governments, nations and Islamic societies especially Iran and Pakistan with 200 million of the population of the Muslim world should utilize their all endeavors and capacity to grant the rights to the oppressed people of Palestine.
The ambassador said that “the world imperialism has created cancer in this region, full of God gifted wealth and human civilization and supported it and containing their support, so by imposing a long conflict and creating constant instability to hinder the progress of the regional countries and to flared their wealth and tarnish the civilization identity of the region.”
In this regard, he said, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Imam Khomeini named the last Friday of the holy month of Ramazan as Quds Day, “so that all the Muslims in the world cover in an organized manner can protest against silence of International and support of imperialistic powers to Israel and suppression of Palestinians and take steps in favour of Palestine.”
“Quds Day does not only belong to the people of Palestine rather it is a world day and day of expressing unity and solidarity by the Muslims. This day is to show endeavor for getting back the denied rights of the oppressed people of Palestine and express the hatred against the hegemonic Zionist system and illegal regime of Israel. Quds Sharif, as an important city of Palestine has special significance for Muslims because Aqsa Mosque, the first Qibla of the Muslims is situated in this city,” he concluded.
India HC hosts Iftar dinner
Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Ajay Bisaria hosted an Iftar dinner for Pakistani friends and diplomatic community during the week. In his address on the occasion, he said Indian High Commission has been hosting Iftar dinners for last so many years and will continue to do so even in the coming days.
The event as usual turned into a mega event as almost the entire diplomatic corps and a large number of Pakistanis attended the event. The Indian High Commissioner thanked the guests for attending the event in a large number adding the gesture shown by people had in fact encouraged them to hold this event again and again.