Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Pakistan bans New Year’s Eve celebrations in solidarity with Gaza

Pakistan Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar speaks during the UN climate summit in Dubai in December
Pakistan Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar speaks during the UN climate summit in Dubai in December - Copyright AFP -
Pakistan Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar speaks during the UN climate summit in Dubai in December - Copyright AFP -

Pakistan has banned New Year’s Eve celebrations to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, the government said late Thursday, urging people to instead “observe simplicity”.

In an evening televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said because of the situation in the Gaza Strip, the government had “completely banned all kinds of events regarding the New Year celebrations”.

Israel’s relentless aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, in retaliation for Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, has left much of the territory’s north in ruins, and killed at least 21,320 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

The October 7 attack by the Palestinian militants left about 1,140 people dead, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Kakar said Thursday, “The entire Pakistani nation and the Muslim Ummah were deeply saddened by the genocide of the oppressed Palestinians, especially the massacre of innocent children, in Gaza and the West Bank.”

New Year’s Eve is usually marked in boisterous fashion in Pakistan, with fireworks and aerial gunfire — as well as a bank holiday on January 1.

Sharjah, an emirate of the United Arab Emirates, on Thursday banned New Year’s Eve fireworks over the war in Gaza.

The ban was “a sincere expression of solidarity and humanitarian cooperation with our siblings in the Gaza Strip”, Sharjah police said in a Facebook post.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

Business

Canada’s nonprofits are stepping into AI with RAISE, a new national program helping the sector adopt ethical, mission-aligned tools.

Business

The Canadian Council of Innovators president is calling for a policy reset, warning that the country’s economic future is at stake.

Business

Top execs log-off in the world of technology. Even at the top levels, job security can be precarious.

Life

On Sunday, June 15th, this journalist had the opportunity to dine at Hortus NYC for dinner as part of its summer menu.