KARACHI, Feb 21 (APP): The Exchange Rates Committee of Financial Markets Association of Pakistan issued the following Exchange rates bulletin, here on Wednesday.
CONVERSION RATES FOR FEBRUARY 21, 2024 FOR FOREIGN CURRENCY FOR FORWARD COVER FOR DEPOSITS (EXCLUDING FE 25 DEPOSITS)
SBP SETTLEMENT VALUE DATE FEBRUARY 23, 2024
USD 279.4136
GBP 351.6978
EUR 301.0402
JPY 1.8582
UITED NATIONS, Feb 21 (APP): Pakistan has called for strengthening the role and capacity of UN peacekeeping in hotspots around the world, saying the missions must be part of the effort to address and resolve the underlying causes of conflict that the Blue Helmets monitor.
“A peacekeeping mission must be part of an overall ‘political strategy’ that seeks to address and resolve the underlying causes of conflict and violence,” Ambassador Munir Akram told the U.N. Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, which held its first 2024 session on Tuesday.
The Pakistani envoy said that peacekeeping — U.N.’s flagship activity — was a “success story.”
Pakistan, he said, has over the years contributed more than 200,000 personnel to 47 peacekeeping missions in “often challenging theatres” of conflict around the world, in addition to hosting one of the first such operations — the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which monitors the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in disputed Jammu and Kashmir.
Ambassador Akram called for accountability of the growing attacks against UN peacekeepers, noting the increasingly difficult challenges – from terrorists’ criminal groups, and tribal rivalries, with unprecedented levels of threats to the peacekeepers’ safety and security.
“Often there is no peace to keep,” he added.
“We are also concerned by the increased misinformation and disinformation against UN Peacekeeping Missions and Peacekeepers resulting in threats to their safety and security,” the Pakistani envoy said.
In this regard, Ambassador Akram suggested an updated strategy that would ensure provision to each Mission with adequate financial, human, material resources and advanced capabilities – UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle), radar, early warning, intelligence and counter-IED (improvised explosive devices) – to implement its mandate.
“The distinction between peacekeeping and peace enforcement must always remain clear and distinct” he emphasized, adding that an enforcement mission would require strong and clear mandates, adequately trained, experienced and equipped troops, allocation of the substantial resources which such missions require, and above all, the cooperation of the host government.
In this context, the Pakistani envoy said the role of regional organizations could play a critical role in peace enforcement efforts.
Pakistan, Ambassador Akram said, would work with the UN and all interested States to further develop the concept of peace enforcement.
“Such robust UN Missions could be ‘nimble and adaptable’ as the UN Secretary-General has envisaged, but their mandates would need supplementary responsibilities such as pre-emptive conflict prevention, rather than reactive responses; cross-border interdiction; control over illegal exploitation of national resources; promoting intra-State and inter-State cooperation,” he added.
ISLAMABAD, Feb 21 (APP): The Pakistan Television (PTV) on Tuesday rejected the version of ARY over acquisition of Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) broadcast rights.
The PTV’s Spokesperson, in a news statement, said the Pakistan Television was a national broadcaster that operated within its own limits.
The spokesperson categorically said that the ARY’s offer for PTV Sports was unacceptable.
The Ministry of Information had informed the relevant standing committee about its efforts to acquire broadcast rights of PSL season 9, the spokesperson said, adding the panel had appreciated the efforts of PTV and the Ministry of Information in this regard.
There was no discussion regarding the ARY administration in the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, the spokesperson noted.
In this regard, the allegations leveled by ARY had no basis, the spokesperson said.
UITED NATIONS, Feb 20 (APP): For the third time, the United States exercised its veto power to kill a UN Security Council resolution, submitted by Algeria, tyat called for an immediate cease-fire in the deadly Israeli war against Gaza.
Thirteen of the 15-member Council voted for the resolution, with Britain abstaining.
In a parallel move, the U.S. has proposed an alternative resolution asking for a halt in fighting “as soon as practicable.”
Humanitarian agencies, U.N. officials and other diplomats have argued that without a cease-fire, humanitarian aid at the scale that Gaza needs is not possible.
The United States said that the resolution would jeopardize Washington’s ongoing negotiation efforts with Qatar and Egypt to broker a deal that would release hostages from Gaza in exchange for a temporary humanitarian cease-fire. Those negotiations have stumbled, with Israel demanding sicking to its stand for the immediate release of hostages.
“Any action the Council takes right now should help not hinder these sensitive and ongoing negotiations,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. “Demanding an immediate unconditional cease-fire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring endurable peace.”
Algeria’s Ambassador to the U.N., Amar Bendjama, sharply criticized the United States, telling the 15-member council that voting against the resolution “implies an endorsement of the brutal violence and collective punishment inflected upon” the Palestinians. He said “silence is not a viable option, now is the time for action and the time for truth.”
The United States resolution, which is said to be in early stages of negotiations, calls for a temporary humanitarian cease-fire as soon as practical, and the release of hostages. It also states that Israel’s army must not carry out an offensive in Rafah under the current conditions there. More than a million Palestinians have sought refuge in Rafah, many of them displaced multiple times, creating a dire humanitarian situation.
But diplomats at the United Nations have grown frustrated with the United States, saying it has prioritized its own diplomatic negotiations at the expense of the wider Council’s efforts, undermining the ability of the U.N. body to end fighting to provide critical aid to the besieged people.
In October, the United States vetoed a humanitarian resolution, put forth by Brazil, to deliver aid to Gaza at a time when Israel had placed the strip under a strict blockade of essential aid, saying it could undermine President Joe Biden’s efforts with the government of Israel to win aid delivery to Gaza.
Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour said the Algerian-led draft resolution was brought to the Council “precisely” because Israel persists with its onslaught “despite near unanimous” calls by the international community for a ceasefire.
He recalled the International Court of Justice (ICJ) provisional measures ordering Israel to cease all acts of genocide, incitement of genocide and ensure humanitarian access to the Palestinian people, who are facing death, starvation and repeated forced displacement “every day” across Gaza.
“It has been nearly three weeks since I last address the Council following the Court’s order, appealing for action to be taken to ensure the implementation of the provisional measures and ensure a ceasefire that would protect the Palestinian people and avert further ravaging of their lives by the Israeli onslaught,” he said.
“But our appeals have, regrettably, been to no avail,” he added, noting that since that day, the toll has risen from 26,000 Palestinians killed to almost 30,000 – with more than 69,000 injured.
“This means that in just the past 20 days alone, Israel has killed nearly 4,000 more Palestinian children, women and men, in just 20 days. This is a deplorable consequence of inaction,” he stated.
Ambassador Mansour said that Palestine together with an “unprecedented” number of countries approached the ICJ to “confront the Israeli impunity that has made life a living hell for Palestinian people.”
“Appealing for an immediate and complete end to this illegal colonial occupation and apartheid regime, the root cause of all the ills our people are suffering, including this genocidal war,” he added, noting that the ICJ acted swiftly both on the case brought forward by South Africa and the request for an advisory opinion by the General Assembly.
He questioned when the Security Council would “finally undertake its solemn duties” and act to demand the ceasefire that the vast majority of the world wants to see.
“The veto of this draft resolution is not only regrettable … but also absolutely reckless and dangerous, again shielding Israel even after it commits the most shocking crimes, while exposing millions of innocent Palestinian people to more untold horrors,” he said.
In his remarks, Benjama, the Algerian ambassador, said the failure to adopt the resolution does not absolve the Council of its mandate and the international community of its obligations.
“It is high time for the aggression to end” and for humanitarian assistance to reach all those in need across Gaza, he said.
The current situation requires everyone to provide protection to the Palestinian people and put an end to the historic injustice they have suffered, the ambassador said.
The people of his region have always looked to the Security Council – however, it has failed them once again.
“Our message for you today is that the international community should respond to the calls for ending the killing of Palestinians by calling for an immediate ceasefire,” he said.
“All those impeding such calls should review their policies and calculations because wrong decisions today will have a cost on our region and our world tomorrow. This cost will be violence and instability.”
Algeria will return tomorrow on behalf of the Arab world, of Muslim countries and the free people of the world, “powered by the souls of thousands of innocent people” killed by the Israeli occupation with no accountability whatsoever, he said.
“Algeria will return to knock on the doors of the Security Council once again to put an end to the bloodshed,” he said. “We will not stop until this Council shoulders its responsibility in full and imposes an immediate ceasefire. We will never tire, and we will never stop.
Russia and China condemned the U.S.’s veto. “It is not that the Security Council does not have an overwhelming consensus, but rather it is the exercise of the veto by the United States that has stifled the Council consensus,” said China’s ambassador, Zhang Jun, adding that while the U.S. vetoed the cease-fire, civilians were getting killed and suffering.
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