Damascus: The results of a weekend ballot for members of Syria’s transitional parliament, the first assembly to form since the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, showed significant underrepresentation of women and minorities, prompting immediate criticism of the process. The electoral commission announced Monday that of the 119 members selected by thousands of local committee members on Sunday, only four percent were women. This figure stands in stark contrast to the 14 percent of candidates who were women. Electoral commission spokesperson Nawar Najmeh noted the low number “is not proportionate to the status of women in Syrian society and their…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Geneva: The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has eliminated nearly 5,000 jobs this year following sweeping cuts in international aid, its chief announced Monday, fiercely condemning the “disastrous” political decisions behind the funding crisis. UNHCR head Filippo Grandi confirmed the cuts amount to more than a quarter of the agency’s workforce. The agency is grappling with surging global displacement at a time when the United States—traditionally the world’s top donor—has heavily slashed foreign aid under President Donald Trump, causing havoc across humanitarian operations globally. Grandi stated that the impact has been immediate and severe: “Critical programmes and lifesaving activities have…
Dhaka / London: In a major political declaration, heavyweight Bangladeshi politician Tarique Rahman announced on Monday that he would return “soon” to Bangladesh to contest the first elections since the 2024 mass uprising. Rahman has been in self-imposed exile for 17 years. Rahman, 59, is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the heir to Bangladesh’s long-time ruling family. He serves as the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), widely viewed as a key frontrunner in the elections, which are due in February 2026. Speaking from London to BBC Bangla, Rahman stated: “For some reasonable reasons…
Sharm El Sheikh / Washington: Two years after the events of October 7, 2023, delegations from Israel and Hamas began high-stakes indirect negotiations in Egypt on Monday, which the US hopes will bring an end to the war in Gaza. However, a surprising development emerged from the White House, which appeared not to outright reject the prospect of recognizing a Palestinian state in the future. The talks are underway at the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh, addressing contentious issues that include demands for an Israeli military withdrawal from the enclave and the disarming of Hamas. US President Donald…
Paris: France’s political deadlock deepened on Tuesday as outgoing Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu began a last-ditch attempt to rally cross-party support for a new cabinet, a move aimed at stabilizing a government that lasted just hours before he resigned. President Emmanuel Macron tasked Lecornu, 39, with forming a government in early September after parliament toppled his predecessor over an unpopular austerity budget. Lecornu’s initial cabinet lineup immediately drew criticism for lacking new faces, prompting his swift resignation Monday morning. In a dramatic move, Macron requested that Lecornu spend two days negotiating a platform for stability. A presidential official stated Macron…
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded his three-day official visit to Malaysia by receiving an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Governance from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), conferred in recognition of his “outstanding leadership and contributions to nation-building.” During a special ceremony, PM Shehbaz framed the honour through a philosophical lens, emphasizing that leadership is not a privilege but a “sacred trust, amanah,” that requires sincerity, justice, and transparent accountability. The Premier reflected on the “formidable challenges [of] conflict, poverty and disunity” facing the Muslim Ummah, stressing the need to hold onto shared values to…
Moscow, Russia: Pakistan, alongside China, Russia, and Iran, reaffirmed a staunch commitment to a “stable and peaceful” Afghanistan during a quadrilateral meeting in Moscow on Tuesday. The four regional powers also voiced acute concern over the “presence of terrorists” operating within the country. This high-level coordination precedes the 7th meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, scheduled for later today. The broader forum is set to include representatives from ten regional countries, including India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Pakistan’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq Khan, detailed the discussions on X, stating, “The…
Quetta: In a shocking and audacious attack, unknown armed assailants stormed a Qazi Court in Balochistan’s Kharan district, setting the judicial building on fire and kidnapping the presiding judge. The incident underscores the persistent and escalating security challenges facing state institutions in the province. Senior police officials confirmed that a group of armed men entered the Qazi Court building in the Maskan Kalat area, approximately 30 kilometers from Kharan city, at around 11:30 am while the judge was hearing cases. Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Rakhshan region, Abdul Hayee Aamir Baloch, confirmed the details: “Armed terrorists stormed into…
Putrajaya, Malaysia: The leaders of Pakistan and Malaysia resolved on Monday to reignite bilateral cooperation and adopt a “more aggressive and forward-looking policy,” including exploring avenues for collaboration under the strategic ASEAN economic bloc umbrella. The renewed commitment came during a series of productive meetings between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim. During his three-day official visit, PM Sharif finalized six accords and multiple trade and bilateral agreements on Monday. Host PM Ibrahim noted that despite their long-standing ties, relations between the two nations had become “somewhat stagnated,” necessitating a renewed, practical approach anchored in clear…
Islamabad / Lahore: A high-powered federal cabinet committee on agriculture, climate change, and flood emergencies openly expressed frustration on Monday over the “nonchalant approach” of federal ministers and provincial governments towards assessing flood losses, ahead of a vital support package expected from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. At the onset of the inaugural meeting, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the committee’s convener, was visibly irked by the absence of key federal ministers for finance, water resources, climate change, and power. He also took sharp exception to the inadequate representation from Punjab and Sindh, vowing to report this “non-serious attitude on such a…
