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Pakistan PM to visit Azad Kashmir ‘in few days’ to review situation after violent protests

Pakistan PM to visit Azad Kashmir ‘in few days’ to review situation after violent protests
People raise their hands as they chant slogans while attending the funeral of people, who were killed during a protest by an alliance of civil rights groups, demanding the subsidy on electricity and wheat prices in the face of rising inflation, in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-ruled Kashmir, Pakistan May 14, 2024. (REUTERS)
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Updated 14 May 2024
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Pakistan PM to visit Azad Kashmir ‘in few days’ to review situation after violent protests

Pakistan PM to visit Azad Kashmir ‘in few days’ to review situation after violent protests
  • At least four people were killed in protests over subsidized wheat flour and electricity that began on May 11
  • The protests were called off on Tuesday after Pakistan approved $83 million subsidies for the disputed region
Updated 14 May 2024
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced visiting Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) “in a few days” to personally review the situation after days-long violent protests over subsidies, Pakistani state media reported on Tuesday.

At least three protesters and a police officer were killed and several others wounded in days of clashes between demonstrators demanding subsidies on wheat flour and electricity and law enforcement.

The protests were called off on Tuesday, a day after Pakistan announced $83 million subsidies and prompted the regional government to notify a reduction in prices of wheat flour and electricity.

On Tuesday, Sharif presided over a meeting of his cabinet to discuss the situation in Azad Kashmir, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced to visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir in a few days to personally review the ground situation and promote the tendency of resolving issues at the dialogue table,” the report read.

“He said Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan as declared by the founder of Pakistan, and maintaining law and order there is the top priority.”

The Himalayan territory of Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947, with both countries ruling part of the territory but claiming it in full.

The western portion of the larger Kashmir region is administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity, while India rules the southern portion as a union territory.

While the Indian portion has faced an ongoing insurgency for decades and multiple armed attempts by the state to quell it, the Pakistani side has remained relatively calm over the decades, though it is also highly militarized.

The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had organized the protests that began on May 11. “On the appeal of the Awami Action Committee, it has been decided to end the ongoing lockdown and wheel-jam strike across Azad Kashmir,” Amjad Ali Khan, a member of the JAAC core committee, told Arab News on Tuesday.

Presiding over the cabinet meeting, Sharif commended the AJK government for demonstrating restraint to foil “nefarious designs of the elements, who intend to sabotage the situation under the pretext of protests,” according to the Radio Pakistan report.

He thanked Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and AJK PM Anwar-ul-Haq for their cooperation in resolving the issue “amicably.”

Topics: Azad Kashmir protests

Pakistan invites global stakeholders to invest in priority sectors during WEF summit

Pakistan invites global stakeholders to invest in priority sectors during WEF summit
Updated 25 sec ago
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Pakistan invites global stakeholders to invest in priority sectors during WEF summit

Pakistan invites global stakeholders to invest in priority sectors during WEF summit
  • Pakistan’s finance minister is in Davos to attend annual WEF summit from Jan. 20-24
  • Invites global investors to invest in agriculture, IT, mining, minerals and energy sectors
Updated 25 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday invited global investors and stakeholders to invest in Pakistan’s priority sectors during the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos. 

Aurangzeb is in the Swiss city to attend the WEF’s annual summit from Jan. 20-24 where the world’s top business and political leaders are meeting to address key global and regional challenges.

Pakistan, which has struggled with a prolonged economic crisis for the past two years, is struggling to bring about an economic revival. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government has vowed to do that by privatizing state-owned enterprises, reducing interest rates, slashing inflation and increasing exports to achieve a 6 percent growth rate in the coming years. 

“Global stakeholders are invited to support Pakistan’s journey by investing in priority sectors such as agriculture, IT, renewable energy, mining and minerals, textiles and apparels, pharmaceuticals, while capitalizing on Special Economic Zones (SEZs),” Aurangzeb wrote in an article for the WEF. 

The minister said Pakistan is addressing structural inefficiencies in revenue collection, energy and SOEs. 

“Rightsizing the federal government, reforming SOEs, and fostering export-led growth will strengthen internal revenue streams and reduce reliance on international funding programs,” he added. 

He said Pakistan was on a path to economic recovery, noting that inflation had dropped to 4.1 percent, and foreign exchange reserves now provide over two months of import coverage.

The Pakistani finance minister said the current account had recorded a surplus for three consecutive months while the country’s goods exports have risen by 7.1 percent, 

“Pakistan’s global default risk has dropped by 93 percent, signaling renewed faith in the country’s fiscal stability,” he said. 

“Local and foreign investors, including global giants like Aramco, BYD and Samsung, are contributing to this economic revival, reflecting Pakistan’s potential as a lucrative investment hub.”

The minister said the cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic transformation is visionary leadership and political will. 

“With a remarkable workforce, abundant natural resources, and immense production potential, Pakistan is poised to soar to new heights – contributing to regional stability and global economic progress,” he said. 

Aurangzeb’s activities at the forum would include taking part in panel discussions on the rising global debt burden on developing economies. 
He will also take part as a panelist in a discussion on the revolutionary impact of new technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence and automation, in promoting trade and investment, the finance ministry said this week. 
It said the minister will also give interviews to selected international media representatives during the summit.

Topics: Pakistan economy Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb

Lawmakers in Pakistan’s Punjab impose total ban on kite flying over safety concerns

Lawmakers in Pakistan’s Punjab impose total ban on kite flying over safety concerns
Updated 20 min 54 sec ago
AP
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Lawmakers in Pakistan’s Punjab impose total ban on kite flying over safety concerns

Lawmakers in Pakistan’s Punjab impose total ban on kite flying over safety concerns
  • Measure comes days ahead of decades-old Basant festival which features kite flying
  • Those breaching the law could face up to 3-5 years in prison, pay heavy fines of $7,200
Updated 20 min 54 sec ago
AP

LAHORE, Pakistan: Lawmakers in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on Tuesday passed a law permanently banning kite flying.

The measure, which includes enhanced prison terms and heavy fines on kite fliers and kite manufacturers, comes ahead of the decades-old festival of Basant.

A ban on kite flying was initially imposed in 2005 in Lahore, the capital of the province, when at least 11 bystanders were fatally cut by wire or string made from metal or coated with glass during competitions.

The ban was extended beyond Lahore to other cities and under the latest legislation it will come into effect across the province ahead of the Basant festival, whose centerpiece is kite flying to welcome spring.

Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman, a lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party, moved the bill in the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday, which was passed with a majority vote. Those breaching the law could face a prison sentence of between three to five years and a fine of up to 2 million rupees ($7,200).

Manufacturers of kites and strings could also face custodial sentences of up to seven years and a fine of five million rupees ($18,000), Rehman said. He said the new law was needed to save the lives of innocent people.

The centuries-old Basant festival traditionally culminates with thousands of kites soaring into the sky. Basant means “yellow” in the Hindi language, a reference to the fields of blooming yellow flowers as spring approaches.

Topics: Punjab Assembly Kite flying

Pakistan to start selection process of Hajj support staff from Jan. 25— religion ministry

Pakistan to start selection process of Hajj support staff from Jan. 25— religion ministry
Updated 21 January 2025
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Pakistan to start selection process of Hajj support staff from Jan. 25— religion ministry

Pakistan to start selection process of Hajj support staff from Jan. 25— religion ministry
  • Pakistan’s religion ministry to select approximately 950 Hajj assistants and administrators
  • Over 170,200 pilgrims from Pakistan are expected to perform annual pilgrimage this year
Updated 21 January 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will kick off the selection process of approximately 950 Hajj assistants or “moavineen” and administrators, also known as “nazims,” through the National Testing Service (NTS) on Jan. 25, a religion ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. 

Pakistan selects hundreds of doctors and assistants each year to facilitate local pilgrims in Saudi Arabia during Hajj. These assistants provide Pakistani pilgrims with guidance regarding the pilgrimage, the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah, as well as logistical support and medical aid if necessary.

The new Hajj Policy, passed in November last year, introduced the position of administrator to ensure improved services for those undertaking the annual Islamic pilgrimage. According to the policy, the government will appoint one nazim for every 100 Pakistani pilgrims.

“We will require approximately 800 Hajj support staff (moavineen) and around 150 supervisors (nazmeen), who are being included for the first time under the Hajj Policy 2025,” Muhammad Umer Butt, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Religious Affairs told Arab News.

“To ensure merit-based selection and transparency, the government will once again select all staff through the National Testing Service (NTS) tests, which will commence on Jan. 25 and will subsequently be conducted in different parts of the country,” he added.

The NTS designs and administers tests and assessments to various institutions and organizations in Pakistan for admissions, scholarships, recruitment, promotions and assessments. 

Butt said NTS has started issuing roll numbers to applicants who have applied for the Hajj assistants (moavineen) positions.

He added that the ministry also provided applicants syllabus for the test, which was based on the Hajj Policy 2025, key responsibilities of the staff and various aspects of Hajj operations. 

Additionally, Butt said all relevant information was published on the ministry’s website.

“In the first week of February, the successful candidates will undergo interviews and medical fitness tests, as Hajj is a demanding duty,” he said. 

Butt said the final list of selected candidates will be prepared in February and letters confirming the selections will be issued later. 

“Afterward, the selected candidates will undergo final training,” he said. 

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Hajj 2025 agreement this month, according to which 179,210 pilgrims from the South Asian country would perform the annual pilgrimage in 2025. 

The quota for pilgrims is divided equally between government and private schemes.

Pakistan this week kicked off preparations for the Hajj by conducting mandatory training sessions for its nationals selected to perform this year’s pilgrimage under the government scheme. 

The Ministry of Religious Affairs also launched the Pak Hajj 2025 mobile application, available for both Android and iPhone users, to assist pilgrims.

Topics: Pakistan Hajj mission Hajj 2025

Pakistan’s central bank to hold monetary policy meeting on Jan. 27 

Pakistan’s central bank to hold monetary policy meeting on Jan. 27 
Updated 21 January 2025
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Pakistan’s central bank to hold monetary policy meeting on Jan. 27 

Pakistan’s central bank to hold monetary policy meeting on Jan. 27 
  • Interest rates, inflation will be key topics on agenda for central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting
  • Pakistan marked its fifth consecutive policy rate cut by 200 basis points to 13 percent in December last year
Updated 21 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has said it will hold its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on Jan. 27, with discussions to focus on interest rates and inflation amid expectations that the committee will opt for a sixth consecutive policy rate cut.

Pakistan’s central bank reduced its key policy rate by 200 basis points to 13 percent on Dec.16, marking the fifth consecutive cut since June as part of efforts to revive the sluggish economy and ease inflation. 

With a cumulative 900 basis points cut in 2024, the move was one of the most aggressive rate reductions among emerging market central banks during the current easing cycle.

“To make the process of monetary policy formulation predictable and transparent, the SBP announces a half-yearly schedule of MPC meetings on a rolling basis,” the central bank said in a statement on its website.

The bank divulged details of the next four MPC meetings to be held on Jan. 27, March 10, May 5 and June 16 respectively. It highlighted that the meeting later in January would be followed by a press conference by SBP Governor Jameel Ahmed.

On Jan. 14, Karachi-based topline securities conducted a poll in which 61 percent of participants expected the SBP to announce a rate cut of 100 basis points.

“Participants are expecting a rate cut due to high real rates of 950bps in January 2025, compared to the historic average of 200-300bps, despite 900bps cut in total interest rates in last five consecutive meetings since Jun 2024,” Topline Securities said.

“We also hold the view that the SBP will announce a rate cut of 100bps, taking the total cut to 1000bps,” it said. “This will be the sixth consecutive cut of this cycle.”

In December last year, the MPC assessed that its approach of gradual policy rate cuts was effectively managing inflationary and external account pressures while supporting sustainable economic growth. 

The central bank had also noted that it expected inflation to average “substantially below” its earlier forecast range of 11.5 percent to 13.5 percent in 2025. 

Pakistan is navigating a difficult economic recovery, supported by a $7 billion facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) secured in September 2024. 

The central bank has stated that “considerable efforts and additional measures” will be needed to meet the country’s annual revenue target, which is a key requirement of the IMF agreement.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has, meanwhile, repeatedly called for long-term financial reforms and for the country to enhance exports to ensure sustainable economic growth.

Topics: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) monetary policy

7,208 Pakistanis freed from Saudi prisons between 2019-2024— foreign minister

7,208 Pakistanis freed from Saudi prisons between 2019-2024— foreign minister
Updated 21 January 2025
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7,208 Pakistanis freed from Saudi prisons between 2019-2024— foreign minister

7,208 Pakistanis freed from Saudi prisons between 2019-2024— foreign minister
  • Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners during his 2019 Pakistan visit
  • Approximately 23,456 Pakistani nationals are imprisoned in various countries worldwide, says foreign minister
Updated 21 January 2025
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday disclosed that a total number of 7,208 Pakistani prisoners have been released from prisons in Saudi Arabia from 2019-2024. 

During his visit to Pakistan in 2019, the Saudi crown prince ordered the release of 2,107 Pakistanis jailed in Saudi Arabia for various crimes in response to a request from the then Pakistan government. 

Dar shared the data of Pakistanis freed from Saudi jails in a written response to Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, who inquired about the progress on the release of those prisoners. 

Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s deputy prime minister, shared that 2,907 Pakistani prisoners under the consular jurisdiction of the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh were released from 2019-2024. Out of the remaining 7,208 prisoners, 4,301 Pakistanis under the consular jurisdiction of the Consulate General Jeddah were released from Saudi prisons from 2019-2024. 

“It is, however, hard to bifurcate/differentiate the number of the prisoners who have been able to avail this clemency under this announcement due to continuous inflow as well as outflow of the prisoners,” the minister said. 

Taimur then inquired as to how many Pakistanis were presently imprisoned in foreign jails, based on information provided by Pakistan’s diplomatic missions. 

“According to the current data, approximately 23,456 Pakistani nationals are imprisoned in various countries worldwide,” Dar responded. 

“The largest concentrations are in the Gulf region, particularly in Saudi Arabia (12,156) and UAE (5292).”

Dar said Pakistan’s foreign ministry is developing a “comprehensive consular policy” through stakeholder consultations to provide protection to its nationals imprisoned abroad. 

He said that while this policy is being formulated, Pakistan continues to protect its citizens abroad through international frameworks already in place, such as consular protection mentioned in Article 36 (c) of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963. 

“Under this framework, our consular officers: visit Pakistani nationals in prison or 7 detention, converse and correspond with detained nationals and arrange legal representation for them,” the minister said.

Topics: Foreign minister Ishaq Dar

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