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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Wednesday condemned the Israeli military for its airstrikes on Gaza last week, criticizing its “violations” of the ceasefire agreement and urging the international community to protect Palestinian lives. 

Gaza’s fragile ceasefire faced its first major test on Sunday as Israeli forces launched a wave of deadly strikes, saying Hamas fighters had killed two soldiers. The health ministry in Gaza said 45 Palestinians had been killed in the strikes as Hamas denied involvement. An Israeli security official, on condition of anonymity, said the transfer of aid into the territory had been halted amid renewed hostilities. The military later said it resumed enforcing the ceasefire. 

“Pakistan strongly condemns the renewed attacks by the Israeli occupying forces in Gaza, resulting in the loss of numerous civilian lives,” the foreign office said in a statement. 

“Such actions run contrary to the spirit of the peace agreement signed in Sharm El-Sheikh in the presence of leadership from Muslim and the Arab world, US, Europe, and the UN.”

The Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh earlier this month, co-hosted by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and attended by heads of state and ministers from over 20 countries — including ����ֱ��, Turkiye, Qatar, France, the UK and the Palestinian Authority — endorsed a declaration aimed at ending hostilities, guaranteeing humanitarian access, and outlining a roadmap for Gaza’s governance and rebuilding. 

Islamabad urged the international community to take effective measures to end these violations and ensure full implementation of the ceasefire, and to provide protection to Palestinian civilians.

The foreign office called for an immediate end to Israeli hostilities and reiterated its stance of supporting an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-June 1967 border with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. 

Israel’s war on Gaza, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, has killed at least 68,229 people in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. The UN considers figures by the ministry credible. 

Pakistan and several other Muslim nations have consistently criticized Israel and called on the international community to ensure an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population. 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Customs Department in Karachi has foiled multiple attempts to illegally import Indian-origin goods by falsely declaring their country of origin, in violation of national trade laws, said a statement circulated by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Wednesday.

The Collectorate of Customs Appraisement (West) seized the consignments, including textile machinery, power distribution units and garnet mesh, which had been shipped from third countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Türkiye but were found to bear “Made in India” markings upon inspection.

“The Collectorate has reiterated its commitment to taking strict action against importers involved in misdeclaration and the illegal import of banned goods,” the statement said. “Such malpractices not only violate national trade laws but also pose risks to fair trade and national interests.”

In the first case, customs officers intercepted a shipment of textile machinery declared as Chinese-origin but found to be manufactured in India. The goods, valued at Rs 24.22 million ($87,000), were stopped before clearance, the statement said.

Subsequent inspections at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) and off-dock terminals led to three more seizures.

One shipment of textile machinery, valued at Rs 16.6 million ($60,000), had its manufacturer’s plates removed but still bore the name of a well-known Indian brand.

Another, a power distribution unit, carried tampered labels but had a visible “Made in India” mark on its main panel.

A smaller consignment of garnet mesh declared as Turkish-origin was also found to contain packaging printed with Indian markings, with an assessed value of Rs 154,000 ($550).

“The Customs Department will continue to maintain heightened vigilance and enforce the law rigorously to curb any attempts to bypass import regulations,” the statement said.