ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday called for an end to violence in Bethlehem, the Palestinian city venerated by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus and which now sits in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Since the 1967 war between Israel and neighboring Arab countries, Israel has occupied the West Bank, which Palestinians want as the core of a future independent state. Israel has built Jewish settlements across the territory and several of its ministers live in settlements and favor their expansion.
Violence has surged across the hilly land since the start of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza in October last year. Hundreds of Palestinians — including suspected armed fighters, stone-throwing youths and civilian bystanders — have died in clashes with Israeli security forces, while dozens of Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, Israeli authorities say.
“The place [Bethlehem] where Prophet Isa [Jesus] was born, his birthplace, today there is a raging market of bloodshed and violence there,” Sharif said as he addressed a church service in Islamabad.
“I believe that on this occasion [of Christmas], wherever in the entire world that Christians live, we should try our best to end this bloodshed in Palestine. And Prophet Isa, who was a peace messenger, for the success of his mission, we need war to end there.”
The West Bank has been transformed by the rapid growth of Jewish settlements over the past two years, with strident settlers pushing to impose Israeli sovereignty on the area.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on X in October that since the start of the Gaza conflict more than 120,000 firearms had been distributed to Israeli settlers to protect themselves.
Pakistan calls for end of violence in Bethlehem, birthplace of Christ
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Pakistan calls for end of violence in Bethlehem, birthplace of Christ
- Palestinian city is venerated by Christians as birthplace of Jesus and now sits in Israeli-occupied West Bank
- Violence has surged across the hilly land since the start of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza in October last year
Pakistan, Bangladesh agree to strengthen economic, trade and tax cooperation
- Bangladesh High Commissioner Iqbal Hussain Khan meets Federal Board of Revenue chairman in Islamabad
- A delegation of Bangladesh’s revenue authority is in Pakistan to discuss tax convention between Islamabad, Dhaka
ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh High Commissioner Iqbal Hussain Khan met Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial this week to discuss measures related to enhancing economic, trade and tax cooperation, the FBR said in a statement.
Currently, a high-level delegation of Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) is on a five-day visit to Pakistan to initiate negotiations to amend the existing Convention for Avoidance of Double Taxation & Prevention of Fiscal Evasion regarding taxes on income.
Khan met Langrial at the FBR headquarters in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Monday during which both sides reviewed their historic ties and agreed to strengthen them further.
“FBR spokesperson and NBR exchanged views and shared experiences on matters relating to international taxation and agreed to enhance institutional collaboration through regular engagements for stronger economic cooperation,” the FBR said in a statement on social media platform X.
Islamabad and Dhaka have attempted to move closer in recent times after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024 following violent protests in Bangladesh.
During Hasina’s tenure, Bangladesh had bitter ties with Pakistan and had forged closer relations with Islamabad’s traditional rival India.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of the same country in 1971 before the latter seceded into a separate country following a bloody war.
