ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday “strongly” condemned and called “reprehensible” the use of electronic devices by Israel to attack Lebanon amid spiraling tensions following mass assaults on Hezbollah communications devices this week.
On Wednesday, hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated across Lebanon’s south, with 20 killed, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Wednesday’s blasts came just a day after pagers exploded simultaneously, killing least 12 and leaving nearly 3,000 others injured on Tuesday.
Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel, which has declined to comment on the explosions, believed to have been carried out by its spy agency Mossad.
“Pakistan strongly condemns this week’s attacks in Lebanon carried through detonation of electronic equipments,” Foreign Office Spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters.
“Use of cyber and electronic means to commit terrorism in foreign countries is reprehensible.”
She said the attacks showed “Israel’s alarming adventurism in the region,” which was endangering regional peace and security.
“Pakistan reaffirms its support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and calls upon the international community to take urgent steps to hold Israel to account on its act of international terrorism and violations of international law,” Baloch added.
This week’s operations, which have appeared to throw Hezbollah into disarray, played out alongside Israel’s 11-month-old war in Gaza and heightened fears of an escalation on its Lebanese border and the risk of a full-blown regional war.
“We are opening a new phase in the war. It requires courage, determination and perseverance from us,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in remarks at an air force base.
The US, which has denied any involvement in the blasts, says it is pursuing intensive diplomacy to avert an escalation of the conflict.
The United Nations Security Council will meet on Friday about the pager blasts after a request by Arab states.
Pakistan condemns Israel’s use of communications devices to commit ‘terrorism’ in Lebanon
https://arab.news/jv6z2
Pakistan condemns Israel’s use of communications devices to commit ‘terrorism’ in Lebanon
- On Wednesday, hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated across Lebanon’s south, with 20 people killed
- Wednesday’s blasts came a day after pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded simultaneously, killing 12
Pakistani YouTuber ‘Ducky Bhai’ alleges custodial torture, pledges to accept gambling case ruling
- Saadur Rehman in hour-long video accuses NCCIA officers of inflicting mental and physical torture during his custody
- ’Ducky Bhai’ was arrested in August at the Lahore airport on charges of promoting online gambling, betting applications
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani YouTuber Saadur Rehman, popularly known as “Ducky Bhai,” on Sunday accused the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) of mental and physical torture after his arrest earlier this year on charges of promoting gambling and betting applications.
He made the accusations in an hour-long video on his YouTube channel, his first after being granted bail last month, in which he gave a detailed account of his interrogation in custody.
Rehman was arrested by NCCIA in August from the Lahore airport while he was trying to travel to Malaysia to attend an event on invitation. He was granted bail by the Lahore High Court on Nov. 25 but was not released from custody immediately.
“I don’t want anyone to think that the purpose of this video is to offer any justification for the FIR [first information report] that has been filed against me,” Rehman said in a YouTube video posted on his channel. “I am simply here to apologize.
If any of my content has had a negative impact to date, I apologize for that.”
He said he was going to accept the court verdict in the case.
“Let the court handle this matter legally. I am ready to fully cooperate with the courts and am doing so,” he continued. “I will fully cooperate with the agency and accept whatever decision the judge makes in my case.”
Rehman also alleged that NCCIA Lahore Additional Director Sarfraz Chaudhry abused him verbally and physically, slapping him multiple times while questioning him about how he earned a large income.
He said Chaudhry accused him of “corrupting the minds of children,” highlighting that NCCIA officials had seized around $326,000 from his Binance account, closing all his trades, converting his cryptocurrency into US dollars and transferring the funds.
It is pertinent to mention that Chaudhry was removed from his post in September following multiple controversies involving him, Rehman’s family and online gambling.
In October, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested six NCCIA personnel on allegations of misusing their authority and taking bribes.
The complaint in the case was filed against nine persons including eight NCCIA personnel, with the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle in Lahore, following a complaint by Rehman’s wife, Aroob Jatoi.
Rehman is one of Pakistan’s most popular YouTubers. He has uploaded over 750 videos on the video-sharing platform and has amassed over 8.38 million subscribers.
He was also booked by Pakistan’s Motorway Police this year in April for performing dangerous stunts while driving.
