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.
Pakistan’s position on the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory is being presented to the World Court by Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam. He began by saying, “Pakistan has always been a defender of the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination.” “On the first day of the Sixth Day War, Pakistan was the one who proposed the first resolution of the General Assembly concerning Israel’s invasion of Jerusalem and its subsequent actions to alter the city’s status.” He went on, “Since then, Pakistan has remained committed to playing its part and has continued to engage in the important question of internal justice.” Pakistan has stated that the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination are seriously hampered by Israeli actions.
As for intimidation and suppression of voters, the United States is “concerned” about allegations emerging from Pakistan and is keeping a “very close eye” on the situation, according to John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council in the White House. Imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, who charged Washington with masterminding the overthrow of his PTI government, appealed to the US for assistance on Thursday, saying that it ought to take part and express apprehension regarding his nation’s “rigged” general elections. At a public rally in March 2022, Imran Khan, then 71, denied the existence of a rumoured diplomatic cable, known as the cypher, and claimed that the US intended to overthrow his government. Shortly after, however, his political career began to decline.
The Foreign Office (FO) declared on Thursday that Pakistan was dedicated to honouring its constitutional commitments and that the country’s election process was an internal, sovereign matter. FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch made the statements in answer to questions from the media on how the world would react to the election on February 8. The 12th general elections in Pakistan were held last week, with about 60.6 million voters casting ballots. However, the poll day was tainted by claims of election tampering and a daylong suspension of cellphone communications, drawing condemnation from a number of nations. Concerns over purported electoral meddling, including the imprisonment of political activists, were expressed by the US and the EU. They underlined that a thorough examination is necessary for any claims of anomalies, manipulation, or fraudulent activity.
