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Pakistan expands Makkah Route Initiative to Karachi, plans flights for Hajj pilgrims from May 9

Pakistan expands Makkah Route Initiative to Karachi, plans flights for Hajj pilgrims from May 9
In this file photo, taken on May 29, 2023, a volunteer guides an elderly pilgrim arriving for Hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA/File)
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Updated 03 May 2024
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Pakistan expands Makkah Route Initiative to Karachi, plans flights for Hajj pilgrims from May 9

Pakistan expands Makkah Route Initiative to Karachi, plans flights for Hajj pilgrims from May 9
  • Saudi staff will have access to eight counters and required equipment at Karachi airport’s international departure area
  • Pakistan first joined the Makkah Route Initiative in 2019 as part of a pilot program that was introduced in Islamabad
Updated 03 May 2024
Muhammad Ibrahim
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ISLAMABAD: In a major development for Hajj pilgrims in Pakistan, the government plans to launch flight operation to Saudi Arabia under the expanded Makkah Route Initiative to the southern port city of Karachi from May 9, according to an official statement released on Friday.
The initiative, launched by Saudi authorities in collaboration with several Muslim-majority states, facilitates the annual Islamic pilgrimage for numerous people traveling to Makkah.
Under the initiative, tasks like immigration processing are completed in the pilgrim’s home country, allowing them to bypass these procedures upon arrival in Saudi Arabia. This not only reduces waiting times and congestion at Saudi airports but also enhances the overall experience for pilgrims by making their journey more comfortable and focused on spirituality.
Pakistan joined the initiative in 2019 as part of a pilot program that began in Islamabad. Its success led to plans for the program’s expansion to other cities, with pilgrims from Karachi preparing to benefit from it for the first time this year.
“The Hajj flights under the Road to Makkah Project will commence on 09 May and conclude on 08 June,” the statement circulated by Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority said, adding that all the relevant agencies at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport have assured of unwavering commitment for the successful implementation of the program.
The official statement was released after a meeting at the Karachi airport that focused on the initiative.
All stakeholders, including airline representatives, ground handling agencies, border health services, airport security, Federal Investigation Agency, customs and Anti-Narcotics Force were present during the deliberations.
The meeting focused on the procedures involved at different stages of Hajj pilgrims’ stay at the airport, beginning with their arrival at the facility until their departure, following Saudi immigration formalities.
It was agreed that Saudi staff would have access to eight counters and all the required equipment in the international departure satellite area.
The airport manager stressed the importance of providing a seamless experience to pilgrims and urged all agencies to treat and welcome them as honored guests.

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Ties Route to Makkah Makkah Route initiative

Pakistan PM departs for General Assembly session to highlight Palestine, other world issues

Pakistan PM departs for General Assembly session to highlight Palestine, other world issues
Updated 20 sec ago
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Pakistan PM departs for General Assembly session to highlight Palestine, other world issues

Pakistan PM departs for General Assembly session to highlight Palestine, other world issues
  • Shehbaz Sharif will attend a meeting on rising sea levels and participate in an open Security Council debate
  • He was expected to be accompanied by Deputy PM Dar, who is now staying back due to other engagements
Updated 20 sec ago
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday departed the country to attend the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where he is scheduled to arrive on September 23 and stay until September 27.
The UNGA holds annual sessions, bringing together world leaders to discuss pressing global concerns.
According to Pakistan’s foreign office, Sharif will use this platform to stress the need for addressing long-standing issues on the Security Council’s agenda, particularly the question of Palestine and the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remain central to international and South Asian peace and stability.
“Departing for New York to represent Pakistan at the 79th UN General Assembly,” the prime minister announced in a social media post on X. “Looking forward to a busy week full of engagements.”
“During our interactions we will take up global issues, promoting peace, development & climate action,” he added. “Will present Pakistan’s perspective to the world, advocate our interests & strengthen international partnerships.”

 According to local media, Sharif will first arrive in the United Kingdom, where he will have a brief stay before departing for New York.
He is scheduled to attend several important meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA session, including one on the existential threat posed by rising sea levels and the UN Security Council’s open debate on leadership for peace.
His program also includes bilateral meetings with world leaders and members of the Pakistani diaspora.
Meanwhile, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a brief statement that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who was previously expected to accompany Sharif, will not participate in the UNGA session.
“In view of some important upcoming diplomatic engagements and the ongoing preparations for the 23rd Meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will not proceed to New York for the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly,” Baloch said in a statement.
“Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif’s program for participation in the UNGA Session remains unchanged,” she added.

 

Topics: Pakistan at UN Pakistan at UNGA War on Gaza Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

On World Peace Day, Pakistan PM calls for resolution of Kashmir and Palestine disputes

On World Peace Day, Pakistan PM calls for resolution of Kashmir and Palestine disputes
Updated 21 September 2024
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On World Peace Day, Pakistan PM calls for resolution of Kashmir and Palestine disputes

On World Peace Day, Pakistan PM calls for resolution of Kashmir and Palestine disputes
  • Kashmir has been divided between Pakistan and India since their independence, but both countries claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety
  • Islamabad also does not recognize the state of Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on ‘internationally agreed parameters’
Updated 21 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the resolution of the Kashmir and Palestine disputes, Sharif’s office said on Saturday, as the world marked the International Day of Peace.
Since 1982, the International Day of Peace, a United Nations-sanctioned holiday also known as World Peace Day, is observed annually on September 21 and is dedicated to world peace, specifically the absence of war and violence.
Kashmir has been divided between Pakistan and India since their independence from the British rule in 1947, but both countries claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety and have fought multiple wars over the region.
In his statement, Sharif said the Pakistani government and the people joined the global community on the International Day of Peace to reflect on their shared values of tolerance, compassion and co-operation for a peaceful world, free of war and conflict. 
“Pakistan strongly believes in fostering peace and stability in the region through dialogue. To effectively achieve this end, it is essential to resolve the longstanding disputes” he said.
“The foundation for any lasting resolution in the region thus, hinges solely on one critical factor: achieving a fair and just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute peacefully through an impartial plebiscite and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”
Sharif said his country recognized the importance of fostering dialogue and understanding among diverse communities in a world often marked by conflict and divisions.
“As we contemplate the significance of peace, we must not overlook the plight of the innocent people of Palestine, who are courageously facing state aggression,” he said. “For lasting peace in the Middle East, peaceful resolution of the dispute according to the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Palestinians is need of the hour.”
Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in October last year, the South Asian country has repeatedly raised the issue at the UN and demanded international powers and multilateral bodies stop Israeli military actions.
Sharif said his country recognized the critical importance of promoting a more peaceful and inclusive world for everyone and was ready to working with the global community toward this end. “It is only by working together now that we can build a peaceful tomorrow for our future generations,” he added.

Topics: Pakistan India KASHMIR ISSUE World Peace Day

Thousands attend Lahore rally to demand Imran Khan’s release from prison

Thousands attend Lahore rally to demand Imran Khan’s release from prison
Updated 48 min 10 sec ago
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Thousands attend Lahore rally to demand Imran Khan’s release from prison

Thousands attend Lahore rally to demand Imran Khan’s release from prison
  • TV footage showed caravans of Khan supporters leaving various cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab for Lahore
  • Khan’s party shared footage of long queues of vehicles on Islamabad-Lahore motorway reportedly due to road closures
Updated 48 min 10 sec ago
Haseeb Asif

LAHORE: Thousands of people arrived in Lahore from different parts of Pakistan on Saturday to attend a rally by former prime minister Imran Khan’s party to demand his release as the provincial government asked organizers to abide by the law and end the gathering by 6pm as agreed.
After days of uncertainty, the Lahore administration on Friday evening allowed Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold the rally from 3-6pm in the Kahna area of the city, subject to compliance with 43 conditions, including that supporters would not cause unrest or chant anti-state slogans.
The main aim of the rally, which follows one held in the federal capital of Islamabad on Sept. 8, is to mobilize supporters for the release of Khan, who has been in jail since August last year. He was convicted in four cases since he was first taken into custody, all of which have been either suspended or overturned by the courts. Khan, however, remains in jail on new charges brought against him regarding the illegal sale of gifts from a state repository while he was prime minister from 2018-22.
Television footage showed caravans of Khan supporters arriving in Lahore from various cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI has been in power, and elsewhere in Punjab to attend the rally, with long queues of vehicles forming on sections of the Islamabad-Lahore motorway reportedly due to road closures. Most of Lahore remained open for traffic but access to a main thoroughfare, the Ring Road, leading to the venue, was blocked at a few locations as preparations were ongoing for Saturday’s rally.
“Our demands are simple, only that the rule of law applies to Imran Khan’s cases,” Salman Akram Raja, PTI secretary-general, told Arab News. “Most [of the cases] have been discarded, so will the rest, as will the arrest.”
“There’s no basis for detaining the most popular political leader in the country,” he continued, adding: “History is on our side.”
Naeem Haider Panjutha, Khan’s spokesperson on legal affairs, also sought justice for the ex-premier.
“The gross miscarriage of justice carries on for over a year now, we will keep fighting till our party leader is free,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Punjab provincial administration warned PTI leaders and workers not to indulge in any lawlessness.
“Nobody will be allowed to [violate the law],” Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said at a presser Saturday afternoon. “Organizers are responsible of ending the rally by 6pm.”
Bokhari criticized the Khan-backed KP government for allegedly utilizing public resources for the rally and said the gathering could not help get him out of prison. She signaled to the possible arrest of suspects wanted in cases related to violence during PTI protests in May last year.
“The Punjab administration, under the supervision of the chief minister, is fully monitoring everything in the city and the province from the beginning of this rally till it disperses,” the minister said.
Only a day earlier, the PTI complained of a crackdown on supporters ahead of the rally, saying authorities had arrested dozens of PTI members and supporters. Punjab Police Director of Public Relations Syed Mubashar Hussain declined to comment on the arrests.
The PTI says it has faced an over year-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the party attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023 after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a land graft case. Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested following the riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.
The party says it was not allowed to campaign freely ahead of Feb. 8 general elections, a vote marred by a mobile Internet shutdown on election day and unusually delayed results, leading to accusations that it was rigged and drawing concern from rights groups and foreign governments.
The PTI says it won the most seats, but its mandate was “stolen” by the coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which it says formed the government with the backing of the all-powerful military. Both deny the claim.

Topics: PTI rally Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party Imran Khan Lahore Rally

‘Lost album’ by Pakistan’s legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan releases 30 years after recording

‘Lost album’ by Pakistan’s legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan releases 30 years after recording
Updated 21 September 2024
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‘Lost album’ by Pakistan’s legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan releases 30 years after recording

‘Lost album’ by Pakistan’s legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan releases 30 years after recording
  • Chain of Light is an album of previously unheard recordings of Nusrat and his Qawwal party made at Real World Studios in 1990
  • The album includes a pristine recording of much-loved classic ‘Ya Allah Ya Rehman’ as well as a performance of ‘Ya Gaus Ya Meeran’
Updated 21 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Chain of Light, a “lost album” of legendary Pakistani musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, has been released on YouTube, the owner of the album’s production company said on Friday, following a series of launch events in Pakistan and abroad.
Chain of Light is a collection of previously unheard recordings of Nusrat and his Qawwal party made at Real World Studios in 1990, when the singer was at the height of his vocal capabilities. Carefully restored from the original analogue tapes, the album includes a pristine recording of the much-loved classic ‘Ya Allah Ya Rehman’ as well as the only known performance of ‘Ya Gaus Ya Meeran.’
The British Council supported the project, with its launch events taking place in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Manchester, Birmingham, London and Paris in the lead up to the official release on Friday.
In a post on X, English singer and songwriter Peter Gabriel, who owns the Real World Records, shared an excerpt from a short film about the story of the album’s re-discovery in the archives of his music production company.
“The new album by @nusratofficial, Chain of Light, is out today on @RealWorldRec,” he said. “It’s available to watch in full on the Real World [Records] YouTube channel.”

 

The project is a collaboration of Pakistan-based Saiyna Bashir Studios, who have been also working on a documentary biopic on the music maestro titled ‘Ustad,’ and Gabriel’s Real World Records. The ‘Ustad’ documentary is slated for release in late 2025.
Last month, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott hosted the highly anticipated launch of the album in Islamabad.
“Chain of Light is not just about rediscovering a lost masterpiece of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, it’s about reigniting the cultural connection that his music has always fostered between Pakistan and the world,” Maarya Rehman, deputy director at the British Council Pakistan, said in a statement ahead of the Islamabad launch.
“Through these launch events we hope to celebrate his enduring legacy and the universal language of music that transcends borders and unites us all.”
The late Nusrat is universally recognized as one of the greatest voices in musical history and played a pivotal role in bringing Qawwali, a Sufi devotional music tradition, to the Western world. In his lifetime, he collaborated with many Western musicians, including Peter Gabriel, Eddie Vedder, lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and one of three guitarists for the rock band Pearl Jam, and Michael Brook, whose collaborations with musicians around the world have made him one of the most sought-after producers in the music industry. Nusrat’s vocals appeared on soundtracks to films directed by legends like Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone and Tim Robbins.
Even today, on Spotify, Nusrat is one of the top 10 most listened to artists. According to Spotify Analytics, a substantial 37 percent of Nusrat’s listeners are between 18 and 22 years old. The second largest segment is 23 to 27-year-olds with 24 percent, while 28-34 year-olds along with those under 18 years of age make up 14 percent of his audience respectively on the audio streaming service.
USTAD THE FILM
Saiyna Bashir Studios, an Islamabad based production company, has spent the last three years researching, developing, and raising funds for a documentary film on the life, death and music of Nusrat. The team have filmed Nusrat’s long standing collaborators Peter Gabriel and Michael Brook as well as two Nusrat biographers, the ethnomusicologist who inducted Nusrat to the University of Washington in Seattle as a professor, Nusrat’s childhood friend and physician, his secretary, and his devoted tabla accompanist.
Nusrat’s manager and translator Rashid Ahmed Din, who has also translated the new album Chain of Light, was also interviewed recently.
“It was during the production of the teaser that the team became privy to the existence of a new album,” the British Council said in a statement.
“With Real World Records’ permission, musician Michael Brook played the filmmakers excerpts from Chain of Light — an on-camera ‘first look’ effectively.”

 

Topics: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Chain of Light

Three new polio cases reported in Pakistan, taking 2024 tally to 21

Three new polio cases reported in Pakistan, taking 2024 tally to 21
Updated 4 min 58 sec ago
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Three new polio cases reported in Pakistan, taking 2024 tally to 21

Three new polio cases reported in Pakistan, taking 2024 tally to 21
  • New case each reported in Killa Abdullah in Balochistan, Keamari in Sindh, Mohmand district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually, but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases
Updated 4 min 58 sec ago
WASIM SAJJAD

PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s anti-polio program said on Saturday the country had reported three new cases of the polio virus, including the first in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, taking the nationwide tally to 21 this year.

A new case each was reported from Killa Abdullah district in Balochistan province, Keamari district in Sindh, and Mohmand tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to a regional reference laboratory for polio eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad.

Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. Starting from late 2018, Pakistan saw a resurgence of cases and increased spread of polio, highlighting the fragility of gains achieved in the preceding three years.

“It is heartbreaking to witness these new cases, especially in areas where the virus continues to silently spread,” Ayesha Raza Farooq, the prime minister’s focal person for polio eradication, said in a statement. “Every new case is a new child whose life will forever be affected by a tragic disease for which there is a simple solution through vaccination.”

Farooq reiterated the government’s resolve to put polio eradication efforts back on track and appealed to parents to be responsible citizens. 

Saturday’s three new cases included a first for KP where health authorities detected the virus in a 9-month-old girl in the Mohmand tribal district, according to the Provincial Emergency Operations Center [EOC] for Polio.

“Initial investigations revealed that the child had received zero doses of routine immunizations and was only given polio drops twice in the last four campaigns,” Abdul Basit, special secretary for health in KP, said in a statement.

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur ordered an inquiry into the matter and directed the health secretary to immediately suspend the Mohmand district health officer and polio coordinator.

“All other responsible individuals for the poor polio campaign in District Mohmand must also be identified.” Gandapur said in a statement. “Action should also be taken against the staff of partner institutions along with the relevant government officials.”

The federal government has updated its National Polio Eradication Emergency Operations Plan and said it will address critical gaps in campaign quality, including access, migrant mobile populations, vaccine acceptance and service delivery for the upcoming campaigns in 2024.

“Before the end of the year, Pakistan will implement two large-scale, house-to-house campaigns which remain crucial to closing the current immunity gaps and reversing the spread of the virus,” the polio program said. 

National Coordinator for Polio Emergency Operations Center Anwarul Haq said the fresh cases were a “stark reminder” of the critical importance of vaccination.

“Every new child affected by polio is a stark reminder of the gaps in the walls of immunity,” he said. “The fact that too many children are still missing their opportunity of vaccination through campaigns and through their routine immunization is the responsibility of us all.”

Pakistan’s polio eradication program began in 1994, and the number of cases has declined dramatically since then. 

Pakistan continues to face challenges in its fight against polio, including militancy, with polio workers targeted by attacks, particularly in the KP province. The polio program has adapted to respond to climate disasters such as floods, but continues to face disruptions. There are also gaps in supplementary immunization activities, especially in areas where the virus is still present. 

Topics: Polio Pakistan Polio Service

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