Rejecting international criticism on the government’s decision to expel “illegal” immigrants from the country, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said on Thursday that Pakistan did not need to provide any explanation on the issue as it was “our sovereign right to implement our immigration laws”. “Our decision to repatriate people who are in violation of our immigration laws, is a decision irrespective of any nationality. Pakistan believes that it is our sovereign right to implement our immigration laws under which individuals who are staying here illegally can be deported, as is the case in any country in the world. So, we do not need to provide explanation to countries which have their own immigration laws and that they implement as per their sovereign right,“ said the FO spokesperson in response to a number of questions on the matter during the weekly press briefing. When a reporter drew her attention towards an Instagram post of former UN refugee ambassador and Hollywood celebrity Angelina Jolie, criticising Pakistan’s decision to deport Afghan refugees, the spokesperson said such statements were perhaps rooted in a misunderstanding of the situation. “There is a lot of misreporting as well on the issue,” she said while reiterating that Pakistan’s ongoing policy of repatriation of individuals did not pertain to refugees currently in Pakistan. In response to concerns expressed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk about reports of mistreatment, arbitrary detention and destruction of properties of Afghan nationals, she said repatriation of illegal foreigners would take place in a humane manner and instructions had been sent to all law-enforcement agencies in this regard. At the same time, she said, the government had announced that it would take strict action against individuals found involved in harassment of any individual facing deportation. For that purpose, she said, 24/7 helplines had been established, both at the federal and provincial levels. Acts of terrorism When asked if Pakistan is preparing any dossier to show the evidence that these illegal immigrants were not only involved in acts of terrorism in Pakistan but are also using Afghan soil for this purpose, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan had concerns that terrorist incidents in recent months had links with terrorist elements based in Afghanistan. She said Pakistan had intelligence that many of these terrorist networks had links with some individuals staying illegally in the country. Ms Baloch, however, said that she would not like to brand an entire community or entire group of people as terrorists responsible for incidents of terror. She said Pakistan and Afghanistan had remained engaged through various channels, including the embassies, to discuss issues of concern between them. She said Pakistan was concerned about the threat that the banned TTP posed to the country. When her comments were sought on some reports that Pakistan was considering carrying out attack inside Afghanistan, like hot pursuit, she simply replied: “I would not like to comment on speculative reporting.” She was also asked if Pakistan considered the Taliban government in Afghanistan as illegitimate as caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday had stated that the issues with Afghanistan would start to settle down once a legitimate government is formed in Kabul. “I have to see the context in which the statement has been made because I am not aware of the statement that you have quoted,” she responded. Arms sale to Ukraine The FO spokesperson refuted reports that Pakistan had sold arms and ammunition to Ukraine which were now being used in the country’s war with Russia. “Secondly, we are not in a position to confirm what weaponry is being used by parties in the conflict,” she said, adding that “for exact details about which weaponry is sold where, I would advise you to talk to ISPR or defence officials”. Gaza situation “Pakistan also condemns Israel’s war on hospitals in Gaza as hospital after hospital are being targeted by the occupation forces in complete disregard of international law,” she said, adding: “We are appalled by Israeli incursion into Al-Shifa Hospital, placing patients, medical staff and civilians at risk.” “We join the international community to hold Israeli occupation accountable for its attacks against hospitals,” the FO spokesperson said. Source: DAWN

South Africa is the latest country to withdraw its ambasssador from Israel over what it and other nations say is "collective punishment" of civilians. The diplomatic pressure on Israel is growing. Since the terror attack by Hamas on October 7 that left over 1,400 in Israel dead, Israel has been bombing the Gaza Strip in an effort to destroy the militant group.  The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claims to have attacked hundreds of Hamas positions with airstrikes and also launched a ground offensive several days ago. According to authorities in Gaza, which are controlled by Hamas, more than 10,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in Israeli bombardment so far. Hamas is a militant group that the EU, as well as the US, UK, Germany, and other nations have designated a terrorist organization. It has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007. While Germany and the US have been more muted in criticizing the tactics of Israel's army in Gaza, other governments have been less reserved. Some have announced changes to their diplomatic and economic ties with Israel as analysts have suggested that Israel's siege of Gaza amounts to collective punishment, and that war crimes have been committed there under international humanitarian law. South Africa: Israeli ambassador's position 'untenable' On Monday this week, the South African government withdrew its ambassador and diplomatic staff from Israel "for consultation," after describing its ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip as "collective punishment." Recalling an ambassador indicates one country's political dissatisfaction with another, and the recall is often officially called "a consultation." It means that senior government ministers can then personally consult the ambassador about critical topics. It is usually temporary and does not mean that a country has cut off diplomatic relations altogether; often embassy staff remain in the other country and continue to serve their citizens' needs there. The South Africans are also upset with remarks made by Israel's ambassador to their country in which he criticized locals who had expressed concern about the Israeli bombardment of Gaza and the high civilian death toll. A senior official told local media the Israeli ambassador's position in South Africa might be becoming "untenable" as a result.   Jordan: No ambassador until the end of the 'war' Jordan was long seen as a key mediator between Israel and the Palestinian territories. Last week, Jordan recalled its ambassador in protest over "the Israeli war on Gaza." Israel's ambassador to Amman, who is currently not stationed there, was told to not return until Israel had ended the "unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe" in the Gaza enclave. Until 2020, Jordan and Egypt were the only two countries in the region to have diplomatic ties with Israel. Bahrain: Unclear relationship In 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates were the first two Gulf States to agree to diplomatic ties with Israel. Last Thursday, Bahrain's government confirmed it had recalled its ambassador from Israel and that Israel's ambassador had left "a while ago." It added that economic ties with Israel had also been severed. Israel denied these claims, stating that ties with Bahrain remained "stable." Bahrain's Foreign Ministry was unavailable for comment. Turkey: Israel recalls diplomats Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had initially attempted to offer his services as a mediator between Hamas and Israel. However, more recently he has sided with the Palestinian territories, backing Hamas as "freedom fighters" and criticizing Israel for "crimes against humanity." In response, Israel recalled all diplomatic staff from Ankara. Turkey then recalled its envoy to Israel on Saturday. Bolivia: Diplomatic ties severed Beyond the Middle East, countries in Latin America are also reacting to the ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza. Argentina and Brazil have recently increased their criticism of the impact Israel’s bombing is having on civilians. Bolivia has gone further. Initially Bolivia's government called for a deescalation in Gaza, without explicitly condemning the Hamas attack on October 7. In the meantime, Bolivia has become the first Latin American country to cut diplomatic ties with Israel over its military actions in Gaza. Former president Evo Morales called upon his government to declare Israel a "terrorist state" and for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government to be tried before the International Criminal Court for "genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity." Chile: 'Collective punishment' criticized Chile condemned the terror attack by Hamas from the beginning but called upon both sides to avoid an escalation that would cause civilians to suffer. Last week, Chile condemned Israel's operations as "collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza" and recalled its ambassador. The Palestinian diaspora in Chile is the largest in South America, comprised of an estimated 500,000 people. Colombia: Economic ties on the line The Foreign Ministry in Columbia issued a statement to "vehemently condemn the terrorism and attacks against civilians" in Israel. Then Colombian President Gustavo Petro repeatedly called for "the full recognition of the two states by all nations in the world" and met with the Palestinian ambassador to Colombia, Raouf Almalki, as well as the Israeli ambassador, Gali Dagan. Colombia recognized the Palestinian territories as a state in 2018. It is one of 139 UN members to have done so.  On the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Petro triggered a heated debate when he likened Israel's actions to those of Nazi Germany. In response, Israel suspended all sales and supplies of defense and security hardware and related services to Colombia. The Latin American country uses these deliveries to combat domestic armed groups. In turn, Petro threatened to sever economic ties with Israel and recalled its ambassador for consultations. Honduras: Embassy remains open On Friday, Honduras became the latest South American nation to recall its ambassador from Israel. The Honduran government explained that it had taken the step because of "the serious humanitarian situation the civilian Palestinian population is suffering in the Gaza Strip." The country's embassy in Israel will stay open and Honduras is monitoring the situation, its government said.

The government on Friday doubled down on its policy to evict all illegal immigrants — including around 1.7 million Afghan refugees — from the country, saying that the decision was in line with international practices. Meanwhile, as law enforcement agencies continued their crackdown on people they call ‘illegal aliens’, a sizeable number of families have been crossing the border into Afgh­a­n­istan over the past week. “No country allows illegal people to live in their country whether it is Europe, whether it is countries in Asia, in our neighbourhood,” caretaker For­eign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, told Hong Kong’s Phoenix TV in an interview on the sidelines of a forum in Tibet. “So, accordingly this is in line with the international practice that we have taken this decision.” Pakistan’s decision to ask illegal immigrants to leave by Oct 31 or face forcible expulsion has drawn criticism from within and without, with organisations such as UNHCR and Amnesty International calling on the government to rethink its plans. The Taliban government in Kabul has also experessed its reservations over the move. “Whenever there was any problem, people would immigrate to Pakistan, take refuge in Pakistan,” Mr Jilani said during the interview. “But now I think it has been more than 40 years, so the government of Pakistan has taken a decision,” he said, noting that the situation in Afghanistan had stabilised. The caretaker foreign minister said Pakistan had been discussing the migrant issue with Afghanistan “for a very long time” and called on international humanitarian agencies to help with the process. Separately, speaking to reporters on Friday evening, caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi called on all foreign nationals illegally residing in Punjab to depart voluntarily, saying that provincial authorities had collected initial data on foreign residents. He was stern in his warning, saying that any foreigner found staying unlawfully in the province would not be permitted to remain, and stressed that illegal immigrants should leave Punjab of their own accord. In case they didn’t, he cautioned, a comprehensive crackdown would ensue. However, the caretaker Punjab CM assured that no one would be abused in this process. Earlier, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the expulsion plan would be carried out in phases. According to Reuters, she said it could start with people with criminal records, such as someone involved in a crime or smuggling, adding that the process would follow an orderly manner, in contrast to what she called misconceptions that all of them would just be expelled in one go.

The "Patriotic Bill" criminalizes comments that damage "the national interest of Zimbabwe." The move comes just months before the next election. Lawmakers in Zimbabwe passed a controversial bill late on Wednesday that outlaws criticism of the country's government. The bill, which is due to be signed into law soon by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has sparked fears of a potential crackdown on dissent.  The bill was passed just hours after the government announced that parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on August 23 this year, with Mnangagwa seeking to secure a second term. What is the 'Patriotic Bill?' Much of the outcry over the so-called "Patriotic Bill" stems from one clause that criminalizes acts that damage "the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe." In severe cases, those found guilty could face up to 20 years in prison, news agency AFP reported. Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party have defended the bill, saying it encourages the country's over 15 million inhabitants to be "patriotic." "This bill is not meant to curtail the existence of political parties but it is there to encourage the people of Zimbabwe to love their country and stop denouncing it," ZANU-PF lawmaker Joseph Chinotimba told Parliament. How has the opposition reacted? Rights groups, activists and opposition politicians sounded the alarm over the bill's passage, saying it aims to ban any criticism of the government in the southern African nation. They warn that the clause will be used to punish civil society organizations, citizens and political parties that oppose the ZANU-PF party. "Free speech is now dead," journalist and activist Hopewell Chin'ono wrote on Twitter, adding it was "a very sad day for Zimbabwe." A spokesperson for the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) described the bill as "dangerous." "ZANU-PF has reduced our great nation into an outpost of tyranny," CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere told Reuters news agency. What happens next? Now that the bill has been passed by Zimbabwe's lower house, the National Assembly, it will go to the Senate for approval. President Mnangagwa is expected to then sign it into law. The 80-year-old leader replaced Zimbabwe's strongman ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017 following a military-led coup. His primary challenger is the head of the CCC, Nelson Chamisa. The 45-year-old is a lawyer and a pastor, who narrowly lost to Mnangagwa in elections in 2018. Rights groups are bracing for the impact of the new bill to hit as campaigning intensifies ahead of elections this August. "This bill is the most draconian law that we have seen in Zimbabwe," the head of the Human Rights NGO Forum, Musa Kika told AFP.

Following huge criticism in social media, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has changed the design of Bangladesh National Cricket Team’s green jersey for the upcoming ICC World Cup in England and Wales. The BCB uncovered the national team jersey on April 29 in a group photo session of the team. Right after that, it created huge criticism in social media as there was no sign of red color in the jersey. “The first design what we had submitted to the ICC was in green and red. But the ICC told us that we can’t use the red colored font in the green kit. After the objection from the ICC, we deleted the red font and it became only a green jersey,” said BCB President Nazmul Hassan Papon on Tuesday. Reports UNB. “However, we’ve asked the ICC to change the green kit and they gave a green signal. So, we’ve decided to change it,” he said. “In the new design, you can see the word ‘Bangladesh’ printed in white color on red background in the front with red sleeve. We do hope the supporters will love it,” Nazmul further said while talking to reporters at his workstation -- Beximco Pharmaceuticals. In the old design, the word ‘Bangladesh’ was printed on a green background. Now, the word will be seen on a red background. At the same time, a stroke of red color has also been added on the sleeves. Besides, there will be red stripes in trousers. AH

Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina has welcomed the criticism of the government from the opposition in Jatiya Sangsad. The opposition in parliament can make criticism of the government, she said assuring that they will not create any barrier to this end. Congratulating newly elected Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Mia of 11th Jatiya Sangsad, the prime minister made the remarks on Wednesday, the first day of the maiden session of 11th parliament. The premier mentioned that they didn’t create any obstructions to the criticism of the government in the past and they will not create any barrier also in future. Sheikh Hasina said it is her responsibility to look into the rights of all members of parliament. She requested the Speaker to ensure equal scope in parliament for treasury and opposition members. The Leader of the House said democracy takes a country towards the path of development and it is proven truth in Bangladesh. She said that people have elected Awami League again and for this, they must take Bangladesh forward by fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the countrymen. MHK