Teachers boycotting exams
Students in KHI have had it
Good morning all, it’s Tuesday, May 5.
When I was looking for an event to recommend for today’s newsletter, I came across a bunch of concerts happening this month. One is recommended below. I clicked on a Kaavish concert happening on May 23rd in Lahore, and was shocked to see that the whole concert has sold out! I had heard Kaavish was a super hit these days but I remember them as being this small, indie band, back in the day. Would be fun to find out why they resonate so much that they sold out before the guy i recommended in The Current Recommendations below (yes, I am forcing you to scroll down to find out who it is 😀).
There is a US-Iran war update today and it isn’t good. Meanwhile, a suicide attack thwarted in Pakistan and protesting teachers has Karachi University on edge.
See you guys tomorrow!
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A suicide attack on an army check post in South Waziristan was stopped when security forces destroyed a bomb-filled vehicle before it reached the site. The explosion damaged nearby buildings and one civilian was martyred, while 15 others were injured and taken to hospital. The attack comes as violence has been rising in KP, with more frequent militant attacks over the past year.
The country has enough petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) stocks to last until the third week of June, the government told Deputy PM Ishaq Dar in a high-level review meeting. Officials said supplies are being monitored daily to ensure there are no shortages, even as global oil routes remain disrupted due to the Iran conflict. However, the crisis has sharply increased costs, with PM Shehbaz earlier noting that the country’s weekly oil bill has jumped from $300 million to around $800 million.
The Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that court decisions delayed beyond the set time limit are unlawful and can even be declared invalid. Justice Aamer Farooq said high courts must announce reserved judgments within 90 days, and any leaks before a verdict also violate court rules. The court noted growing delays in judgments and said cases with such issues could be reheard.
Karachi University teachers have announced a boycott of semester exams starting May 5, citing unresolved issues with the administration. The standoff puts exams on hold and risks disrupting thousands of students’ schedules, with further decisions expected after a meeting on May 7. What’s interesting is that this isn’t the first time teachers have resorted to boycotts and in the past, students refused to support the teachers on their stance.
WAR UPDATE
The US-Iran ceasefire is on the brink after a major escalation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf.
UAE MISSILE ATTACK
Last night, the UAE said its air defence systems intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones, with three missiles shot down over its waters and another falling into the sea.
A drone attack also sparked a large fire at a petroleum industrial site in Fujairah, injuring three Indian nationals, while a cargo vessel north of Dubai reported an engine-room fire and a South Korean vessel in Hormuz also suffered an explosion and fire.
The UAE condemned the attacks as “treacherous” and said it reserves the right to respond, while Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Britain and the EU all condemned Iran and expressed solidarity with the UAE.
But here is where it gets confusing. Iran has said it had “no plans” or “pre-planned programme” to target the UAE and blamed US military “adventurism” for trying to force ships through what it called forbidden passages in Hormuz. Iranian officials also said Tehran has a legitimate right to “manage” the strait, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying there is “no military solution to a political crisis” and calling Trump’s “Project Freedom” a “Project Deadlock”.
PROJECT FREEDOM/DEADLOCK
The US says Project Freedom is meant to help commercial ships move through Hormuz and claims two US-flagged vessels safely crossed, while Iran dismissed this as “complete lies” and said no commercial vessels had crossed recently. Trump claimed seven Iranian boats were shot down and warned Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacked US vessels. He also called on South Korea to join the mission after damage to a South Korean ship.
The US and Gulf nations are also drafting a new UN Security Council resolution demanding Iran stop attacks on ships, tolling attempts and sea mining, after Russia and China blocked an earlier resolution.
Oil prices jumped more than five percent, Dubai and Sharjah-bound flights were delayed or diverted, the UAE reintroduced distance learning, and Turkiye warned the world should prepare for a prolonged energy crisis.
ISRAEL AND LEBANON
Meanwhile, fighting also intensified in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah claimed clashes with Israeli forces, Israel issued evacuation threats for six Lebanese towns, Lebanon said no talks with Israel can happen until attacks stop. There is now a growing anti-sentiment against the war with Lebanon in Israel, since Hezbollah has managed to kill a lot of Israeli soldiers with its drone and fibre-optic tech that Israel has not been ready for.
An update about Gaza as Italy opened a torture probe after Israeli forces intercepted Gaza aid flotilla activists.
You have a busy day today so don’t forget to eat those vitamins. Forget them once and you’ll forget them again.
Atif Aslam is performing in Karachi at the Moin Khan Academy on May 8th. Tickets are available on Ticketwala (and only one area is sold out as of now). Go hear the man croon in person on what one hopes is a lovely, balmy, windy Karachi night.
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