Today’s top Pakistan current affairs 17 May, 2021 with download link available in pdf. These are the latest breaking news about Pakistan which will be helpful for aspirants in test preparation of current affairs, Pakistan affairs, General knowledge for NTS, PPSC, CSS, FPSC, KPPSC, SPSC, BPSC, AJKPSC, OTS, PTS, and other Govt Jobs, exams & MDCAT, ECAT Entry test preparation.
One Liner
- Saudi Arabia Resumes Int’l Flight Operation. Saudi Arabia has lmsaid foreign visitors arriving by air from most countries will no longer need to quarantine if they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Prices of Petroleum Products To Remain Unchanged. In order to provide relief to people, the government on Monday decided not to increase the price of petroleum products and accordingly MS petrol would continue to be sold at Rs108.56 per liter for next fortnight till May 30.
- Pakistan Stands With People of Palestine, Kashmir: FM Qureshi. Pakistan and Turkey have decided to move United Nations against the Zionist atrocities on the Palestinian people. Pak-Turkish Foreign Ministers will raise their voice for Palestine in the United Nations, said FM Qureshi.
- FM Qureshi Leaves For Turkey. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, on the special instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan has left for Turkey on an extensive diplomatic mission to draw global attention towards the fast-deteriorating situation in Palestine.
- UNGA To Meet on Thursday To Discuss Palestine Issue. The session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the issue of the latest Israeli assaults on Palestine to take place on Thursday.
- Abu Dhabi To Host Remaining PSL Matches. Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi is expected to host the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six.
- Pakistan to observe day of protest against Israel Friday. Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked treasury members and his spokespersons to prepare for observing Friday as a day of protest against Israeli brutalities in Gaza.
- Pakistan to raise Palestine issue at every forum, vows PM Imran. Condemned the Israeli aggression in Gaza, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday vowed that the Palestine issue will be raised at every forum with full force
- Pakistan extends deadline for Kamyab Jawan Internship Programme registration. The government has extended the deadline for submission of online application for the Kamyab Jawan Internship Programme by a day, the Higher Education Commission announced Monday.
- Rupee weakens against US dollar. The Pakistani rupee depreciated 32 paisas against the United States (US) dollar at the start of week’s trading in the interbank market on Monday.
Spotlight by The NewsRun
1. COVID-19 IN PAKISTAN
- 24-hour count: Pakistan reported 2,379 new cases and 76 deaths in 24 hours. Pakistan also conducted 30,402 tests in the span of 24 hours (P.S. this data was last updated on May 16 at 10:01 am).
2. Protests in solidarity with Palestinians
What’s going on? Over the weekend, people in Pakistan held protests across the country to speak out against the Israeli army’s airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. Israel’s army has been bombarding Gaza for six straight days. Solidarity marches also took place in other major cities around the world, including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Toronto, Madrid, Lebanon, Doha, Berlin, London, Paris, and Madrid. Protests are reportedly scheduled to take place in Pakistan today as well.
The details: Since Monday, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have killed at least 139 Palestinians, including 40 children. In the meantime, Hamas rockets fired on Israel have killed at least eight people, including one child. Israel’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted most of the rockets. Hamas is a Palestinian resistance movement that currently controls Gaza. It also has an armed wing. Israel and the US have declared Hamas a terrorist organization.
What happened over the weekend?
- An Israeli airstrike flattened a high rise building in Gaza that housed the offices of two news organizations – the Associated Press and Al Jazeera Media Network. This 11-storey building had one working elevator, around 60 residential apartments, and a number of offices. Israel’s army gave the residents an hour to evacuate. When Israel’s army launches strikes on buildings in Gaza, it usually claims to be targeting “military interests of Hamas intelligence.”
- Israeli airstrikes on the Shati refugee camp in Gaza reportedly killed 10 members of a Palestinian family (i.e. the Abu Hatab family), including eight children. The Shati refugee camp is home to more than 85,000 refugees, who all live in a cramped, small area.
- Hamas responded to the attack on Shati refugee camp by firing rockets towards the Israeli towns of Askhelon and Ashdod. However, there were no reported casualties.
- Ramzan restrictions: The recent round of confrontations began in April. Israeli forces restricted access to Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem, where Muslims traditionally gather during Ramzan. Israeli police said the barriers were put in place due to coronavirus restrictions. Israeli police removed the restrictions later on in response to continuous demonstrations.
- Sheikh Jarrah: Tension was still at a boiling point, because a Jewish settler group is trying to seize Palestinian homes in Sheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. Palestinians are calling this “a forced expulsion,” and an illegal attempt to give Palestinian property to settler groups. However, the Jewish settler group claims Jews historically owned this land in Sheikh Jarrah before 1948. Israeli forces reportedly carried out unprovoked attacks on Palestinian demonstrators in Sheikh Jarrah.
- Al-Aqsa Mosque: Violence escalated on the last Friday of Ramzan, when Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and tried to disperse unarmed protestors and worshippers with stun grenades, rubber-coated bullets, and water cannons. In response, protesters threw stones and lit fires. Israeli police continued to raid the Al-Aqsa mosque compound over the next few days, resulting in at least 840 injured Palestinians and 21 injured Israeli police.
The bottom line: Protestors in Pakistan and around the world are demanding an end to the Israeli air raids on Gaza. Protestors believe Israel is launching a deadly assault on Palestinians in Jerusalem and Gaza. They are also looking at the lopsided death count, and arguing that the power dynamics are largely in Israel’s favor. Israel has an actual army, and an advanced air defense system that blows incoming rockets out of the sky. Israel also gets billions of dollars in military aid from the U.S.
3. Incoming tropical cyclone
A developing tropical cyclone (i.e. Cyclone Tauktae) over the Arabian Sea is reportedly heading towards Pakistan and India. On Friday CNN, said it could pose a potentially “catastrophic threat” to portions of India and Pakistan. So far, landfall location, timing, and intensity are still unclear. If the storm ends up being as strong as a major hurricane, it could cause winds over 100 mph, excess rain, and rough seas. However, on Saturday, Pakistan’s Meteorological (MET) Department said the cyclone “didn’t pose a serious threat to Pakistan’s coastal areas.” The MET Department has still forecast dust, thunderstorms, moderate to heavy rain, and gusty winds in Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparkar, Mirpur khas, Umerkot, Sanghar, Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro and Shaheed Benazirabad between May 17-20.
4. Amazon’s local delivery partner
Now that Pakistan is joining the approved sellers’ list for Amazon, who is going to be the local delivery partner? Pakistan has reportedly proposed the Pakistan Post as an option to deliver parcels within the country. A few weeks ago, we learned that the international e-commerce giant will add Pakistan to its sellers’ list, which already includes around 102 countries. Amazon’s sellers’ list is expected to be updated in the next few days so it shows Pakistan as well. This is reportedly great news for Pakistan’s business community, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), local freelancers, and the e-commerce sector.
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