ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has condemned what it calls the “illegal” sealing off of an educational institute by Indian security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir, the foreign office said.
The reported sealing of the school follows a ban last month in Karnataka on wearing religious attire which sparked protests by Muslim students and parents, and counter-protests by Hindu students, forcing authorities to close schools there.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the reported shutting down of Darul Uloom Khadija tul Kubra,” the foreign office said, saying India forces gate-crashed the educational institute on Friday, insulted and maltreated tfemale students and forcefully evicted them before sealing the building.
Pakistan said the incident was a fresh reflection of Indian forces “trampling on and making a mockery of the fundamental rights of Kashmiri girls seeking education.”
“It also points toward growing Islamophobia,” the statement said.
Pakistan said denying Muslim girls access to education was a “new low” for the far-right government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP party.
“Pakistan also calls upon the international community, including the United Nations and OIC, especially their human rights machinery, to take immediate notice of the worrying level of Islamophobia in India and prevail upon Indian authorities to prevent systematic human rights violations against minorities particularly Muslims in the country,” the foreign office said.
Modi denies his government targets Muslims or their practices.
Pakistan condemns ‘illegal’ sealing of girls’ school in Indian-administered Kashmir
https://arab.news/bwmfn
Pakistan condemns ‘illegal’ sealing of girls’ school in Indian-administered Kashmir
- Reported sealing follows ban last month in Karnataka on wearing religious attire which sparked protests by Muslims
- Pakistan says denying Muslim girls access to education a “new low” for far-right government of PM Modi and BJP party
Pakistan stocks hit record high on hopes of rate cut, improved US ties
- Benchmark index gains 2,662 points, or 1.44 percent, to close at an all-time high of 187,761 points
- Engro, UBL, Hub Power, Fauji Fertilizer, Meezan Bank and Service Industries added 1,554 points to index
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) hit a record high as it surpassed the 187,500-point mark on Monday, with analysts citing improving ties with the United States and expectations of an imminent interest rate cut.
The benchmark KSE-100 index gained 2,662.86 points, or 1.44 percent, to close at an all-time high of 187,761.69 points, up from the previous close of 185,098.83 points, according to PSX data.
The stock gains came a day after President Donald Trump invited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to join the so-called “Board of Peace” for Gaza, amid increasing Pakistan-US diplomatic and economic engagement since Trump’s rise to presidency.
“Falling government bond yields and improving Pakistan-US relations played a catalyst role in record close at PSX,” Ahsan Mehanti, chief executive officer of Arif Habib Commodities, told Arab News.
Meanwhile, Karachi-based market research firm Topline Securities said bulls extended their rally as hopes of a rate cut by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) fueled investor sentiment.
“Investor sentiment remained upbeat, largely fueled by rising expectations of an imminent interest rate cut,” it said in a post on X. “Market participants increasingly priced in a 50bps reduction in the upcoming monetary policy, which kept buying interest alive and underpinned broad-based gains.”
In December, the SBP cut its key policy rate by 50 basis points to 10.5 percent, resuming monetary easing after four meetings in a move that surprised many despite International Monetary Fund guidance to keep policy “appropriately tight” to anchor inflation expectations.
Engro Holdings Limited (ENGROH), United Bank Limited (UBL), Hub Power Company Limited (HUBC), Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC), Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL) and Service Industries Limited (SRVI) collectively added 1,554 points to the benchmark index on Monday, according to Topline Securities.
“Total market volumes stood at 1,195 million shares, while the value of shares traded amounted to Rs63.7 billion,” the research firm said. “[Bank Makramah Limited] BML led the volume chart, emerging as the most actively traded stock with 246 million shares.”
