On this Friday, International Women’s Day, the suffering and mistreatment of Kashmiri women by Indian forces, law enforcement, and agencies persist unabatedly in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). On the occasion of World Women’s Day, Kashmir Media Service reported that 96,290 individuals from IIOJK have been slain by Indian military soldiers since January 1989, including thousands of women. Since January 2001, at least 685 women have been killed by the armed forces. The report highlighted that 22,973 women become bereaved as a result of Indian state terrorism. 11,263 women were sexually assaulted or humiliated by members of the occupation forces. It claimed that 17-year-old Aasiya Jan and her sister-in-law Neelofar Jan had been murdered in a Kunanposhpora mass rape and a Shopian double rape.
The UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Jamie McGoldrick, stated after a two-day visit to the war-torn Gaza that “Hunger has reached catastrophic levels.” “Children are dying from hunger,” he said via videolink to reporters in New York, amid reports from the media that at least 20 children—including a 14-day-old baby—have perished in the besieged and battered enclave due to starvation. He demanded a strategy to deal with the situation and stated that one of the first things that needed to be done was to allow at least 300 relief trucks per day to use a military route to enter northern Gaza. Ever since the Israeli invasion started on October 7, the enclave’s hunger has increased dramatically.
Michael Fakhri, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, has demanded penalties on Israel, claiming that the besieged Gaza Strip may already be experiencing a possible famine. Human rights specialist Fakhri sounded the alarm upon hearing that a tenth kid had perished from malnutrition. He claimed that since October 8, Israel has been purposefully starving the Palestinian population in Gaza in a post on X, the former Twitter. In order to advocate for a ceasefire, he urged for penalties on Israel and emphasised that an urgent ceasefire is necessary to stop or avoid the hunger. There must be an urgent truce in order to stop or avoid this starvation. Furthermore, Fakhri stated that sanctioning Israel is the only way to achieve a ceasefire.
According to a State Department Spokesperson, Pakistan’s efforts to “break free” from the cycle of debt and financing are supported by the United States, and the new government is encouraged to maintain collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international financial organisations. Spokesperson Mathew Miller stated at his daily news conference on Wednesday that “Pakistan’s new government must immediately prioritise the economic situation because the policies over the next several months will be crucial to maintaining economic stability for Pakistanis.” The spokesperson was reacting to a query over a letter that former Pakistan Terrorism Institute Chairman Imran Khan had written to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), proposing to tie the next loan facility to an examination of the nation’s general elections scheduled for February 8.
Pakistan has demanded that Israel halt its planned attack on Rafah, claiming that doing so will worsen the situation for the Palestinians living in Gaza and perhaps escalate the conflict. The deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, stated to the UN Security Council, “Israel’s planned offensive in Rafah must be stopped,” stressing the danger of starvation. The Pakistani envoy also issued a dire warning about the impending danger of famine in the Gaza Strip, citing Israel’s ongoing five-month military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of 30,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children, the displacement of all 2.3 million residents of Gaza, and the starvation of half a million people. Israeli soldiers have blatantly damaged agricultural land in Gaza in addition to levelling its cities, exacerbating the already grave situation.
Sumayya Wushah, an 11-year-old girl and future journalist, declared, “I am not afraid,” in spite of Israel’s heinous war crimes and abuses of human rights during the continuing onslaught in Gaza. Wushah declared that she is unafraid to cover events in the Gaza Strip, where since October 7 oppressive forces are thought to have killed over 100 journalists. “When I first started, my parents were worried because they knew that journalists were being targeted. However, they consented when they realised how committed I was to a career in journalism,” she continued. Since October 7, Israel’s assault on Gaza has resulted in at least 29,878 Palestinian deaths and 70,215 injuries, according to a statement released by the Gaza health ministry on Tuesday.
Gohar Ejaz, the minister of commerce, industry, and investment, is in Abu Dhabi for the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He had meetings with peers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkiye, and China while on the sidelines. Speaking with his colleagues, he claimed that Pakistan’s share of global commerce has increased thanks to the proactive measures implemented by the caretaker government. He added there has been a 46% growth in Pakistan’s exports of goods and services to China. Pakistani citizens would profit as a result of increased foreign trade, according to Dr. Gohar Ejaz. World Trade Organisation (WTO) summit in Abu Dhabi on Monday brought together trade ministers from all around the world with the goal of establishing new global trade regulations.
Dennis Francis, the president of the UN General Assembly, has urged UN member nations to give UNRWA, the main UN relief organisation functioning in besieged Gaza, “sustainable and predictable financial and political support.” “UNRWA has been an indispensable lifeline for millions of Palestinians,” declared Francis in response to a letter from UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. UNRWA, which offers the Palestinian people healthcare, education, and other essential services, is today facing its “biggest humanitarian crisis since its establishment.” Israel accused the CIA last month of being involved in the October 7 operation by Hamas, the Palestinian resistance movement, against the Israeli occupation. More than ten donor nations have responded to the accusations made by Israel against UNRWA, which were not supported by information that was made public.
According to the Palestinian Wafa news agency, numerous residents, including a large number of women and children, have lost their lives as a result of the most recent Israeli onslaught in Khan Younis, northern Gaza, east of Gaza City, and the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City. Since October 7, Israeli bombardment on Gaza have resulted in at least 29,692 Palestinian deaths and 69,879 injuries, according to a statement released on Sunday by the health ministry in Gaza. According to sources, US and British forces launched strikes on over a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday. This was the most recent round of military action against the organisation, which is tied to Iran and continues to assault shipping in the area. As the Houthis hold the majority of Yemen’s territory, the US has been attacking them almost every day.
According to their statement, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is eager to discuss policies with the incoming government that will guarantee “macroeconomic stability and prosperity for all of Pakistan’s citizens.” Julie Kozack, the IMF’s head of communications, was questioned about whether Pakistan was on pace to receive the third tranche of the stand-by agreement that was struck in June 2023 during an early Friday press briefing. In addition, she was questioned about whether Imran’s letter requesting a probe into electoral irregularities would be accepted by the IMF. “The IMF Executive Board approved the first review of the Stand-By Arrangement, with Pakistan that brought total disbursements under the Stand-By Arrangement to $1.9 billion,” Kozack responded in her statement.
