Infinity Social Updates

The hall at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington glowed in Christmas colours on Saturday evening. Red and gold decorations framed the space, while green — the unmistakable green of Pakistan — appeared everywhere: in flags, ribbons and lapel pins. White lights shimmered softly, echoing both the season and the crescent-and-star that defines the country these guests continue to call their own. The pre-Christmas gathering, hosted for Pakistani Christians and their neighbours, began and ended with a chant that left little doubt about that bond: “Pakistan Zindabad.” It was not a slogan offered for form’s sake. It was spoken with warmth, conviction, and an insistence born of long experience. For more than a decade, speakers noted, such gatherings have brought together Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Jews — a quiet tradition of interfaith fellowship that has survived politics, violence and neglect. A message from the Virginia governor praised the organisers’ work over the past twelve ...

Australian police said on Sunday two people were in custody after reports of gunshots and injuries at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. “The police operation is ongoing and we continue to urge people to avoid the area,” New South Wales police stated in a post on X. The Sydney Morning Herald said multiple people had been injured, while television networks Sky and ABC aired footage showing people lying on the ground. I saw at least 10 people on the ground and blood everywhere, 30-year-old local Harry Wilson, who witnessed the shooting, told the Herald . Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, told Sky News in an interview that the shooting happened at an event at the beach celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, which began at sundown. “This is the Jewish community at its best coming together to mark a happy occasion. If we were targeted deliberately in this way, it’s something of a scale that none of us could have ever fathomed. It’s a horr...

Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan was asked to present a comprehensive mechanism to address complaints regarding non-compliance with the legal requirement to produce a detained person before a magistrate within 24 hours. This was stated at the 56th meeting of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC), chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi, held on Saturday. Earlier, the AGP had informed the forum, at the 55th meeting of the NJPMC, that the issue of enforced disappearances has largely been addressed through the recent amendment to Section 11EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, which requires the production of a detained person before a magistrate within 24 hours. The AGP had assured the committee that a comprehensive mechanism to redress complaints of non-compliance with this legal requirement is being considered by the government and will be presented to the committee in its next meeting. Today, the NJPMC deliberated on key pol...

The closing ceremony of the 35th National Games was held in Karachi on Saturday, with Pakistan Army taking home the highest number of medals. Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir was the chief guest at the ceremony, which was also attended by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. View this post on Instagram Pakistan Army came in first, taking home 353 medals, out of which 200 were gold, 97 were silver and 56 were bronze. Wapda came in second with 232 medals, out of which 85 were gold, 73 were silver and 74 were bronze. Pakistan Navy came in third with 110 medals, 36 of which were gold, 39 were silver and 35 were bronze. Hosts Sindh finished with 96 medals, out of which 11 were gold, 26 were silver and 59 were bronze. View this post on Instagram After the distribution of the medals, CDF Field Marshal Munir, wearing a pair of black su...

Devastating floods and landslides have killed 1,003 people in Indonesia, rescuers said on Saturday as the Southeast Asian nation grapples with relief efforts. The disaster, which has hit the northwestern island of Sumatra over the past fortnight, has also injured more than 5,400, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said in its latest toll. The deadly torrential rains are one of the worst recent disasters to strike Sumatra, where a tsunami wreaked havoc in 2004 in Aceh province, which lies at the northern tip of the island. The final toll is expected to rise, with the disaster agency reporting 218 people are still missing. With vast tracts of territory hit, 1.2 million residents have been forced to take refuge in temporary shelters. Frustration has grown among flood victims, who have complained about the pace of relief efforts. President Prabowo Subianto said on Saturday the situation has improved, with several areas which had been cut off now accessible. “Here and there, du...

After Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan alleged on Friday that “corruption of billions of rupees” was being committed daily at the foreign affairs ministry in the attestation of documents, a Senate body decided to raise the matter with the Foreign Office (FO). Dawn has reached out to the FO for a comment. The attestation of documents, such as educational and marriage certificates, by the foreign affairs ministry is typically required for recognition by international and foreign entities. The matter came up during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, where Senator Hassan of the PPP alleged corruption in the process and remarked: “Overseas Pakistanis are either running from post to pillar for a single signature or paying money for corruption.” He said that people had been complaining about having to spend nights on pavements to get their documents attested. The attestation process should either be digitised or union councils and deputy commissioners should be ...

Rescue services recovered six more bodies from the river Jhelum near the Garari Bridge in Rawalpindi on Friday after a hi-ace van plunged into the river a day earlier, taking the death toll from the incident to 10. On Thursday, a van carrying more than 12 passengers was coming from Hajera in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) when it plunged into the river while navigating a turn near Garari Bridge in the Kahuta area of Rawalpindi. Four bodies were recovered in yesterday’s operation, which had to be halted later in the day due to low light conditions. In the operation, which resumed on Friday, at least six more bodies were recovered, District Emergency Officer 1122 Rawalpindi Sighbatullah said in a statement. Three passengers remain missing, he added. Earlier, the Rescue 1122 official had confirmed the recovery of five people. A day earlier, low-light conditions did not allow divers to search for the missing. Rescue officials had expressed fear that the river’s current may have carried...