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Saudi Crown Prince’s visit to Pakistan will prove to be ‘game changer’ in bilateral ties — minister

Saudi Crown Prince’s visit to Pakistan will prove to be ‘game changer’ in bilateral ties — minister
In this screengrab, taken from a handout video released by Pakistan’s Interior Ministry, Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi (left) meets Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki at the Saudi Embassy in Islamabad on May 18, 2024. (Photo courtesy: MOI)
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Updated 18 May 2024
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Saudi Crown Prince’s visit to Pakistan will prove to be ‘game changer’ in bilateral ties — minister

Saudi Crown Prince’s visit to Pakistan will prove to be ‘game changer’ in bilateral ties — minister
  • Pakistan’s deputy PM this month said the much-awaited visit was ‘on the cards,’ but neither side has confirmed any dates
  • The statement came amid Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s efforts to increase bilateral trade and reach investment agreements
Updated 18 May 2024
KASHIF IMRAN
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ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday that a proposed visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Pakistan would prove to be a “game changer” in bilateral ties between both countries, adding the entire Pakistani nation was awaiting the high-profile visit.
Naqvi said this during his visit to the Saudi embassy in Islamabad, where he met the Kingdom’s ambassador, Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki, according to the Pakistani interior ministry. The two figures discussed matters of mutual interest, including the Crown Prince’s visit, Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations and bilateral cooperation in various fields.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this month said a much-awaited visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Islamabad was “on the cards” and could materialize any time during May. But neither of the two sides has confirmed any dates.
“The historic brotherly friendship of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is turning into a beneficial economic relationship,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by his ministry.
“The people of Pakistan are looking forward to the visit of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The visit of the Saudi Crown Prince will prove to be a game changer in relations between the two countries.”
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have lately been working closely to increase bilateral trade and investment deals, with the Crown Prince last month reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to expedite an investment package of $5 billion.
A high-level Saudi business delegation, led by the Kingdom’s Assistant Minister of Investment Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, this month visited Pakistan to explore investment opportunities in various sectors, including mineral, energy, agriculture and petroleum.
“Saudi Arabia has supported Pakistan in every test,” Naqvi said. “The recent visit of Saudi Arabian investors to Pakistan was very successful.”
On the occasion, the Saudi ambassador said the Kingdom attached “great importance” to its relations with Pakistan, according to the Pakistani interior ministry.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense, and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as a top source of remittances to the cash-strapped South Asian country.
Saudi Arabia has also often come to cash-strapped Pakistan’s aid by regularly providing it oil on deferred payment and offering direct financial support to help stabilize its economy and shore up its forex reserves.

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Ties Mohsin Naqvi Saudi Ambassador Nawaf Bin Said Al-Malki

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf says ‘personally satisfied’ with fitness ahead of Champions Trophy

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf says ‘personally satisfied’ with fitness ahead of Champions Trophy
Updated 1 min 15 sec ago
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Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf says ‘personally satisfied’ with fitness ahead of Champions Trophy

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf says ‘personally satisfied’ with fitness ahead of Champions Trophy
  • Rauf sustained muscular sprain in lower chest this month during first match of tri-nation series against New Zealand 
  • Hosts and defending champions Pakistan take on New Zealand in Champions Trophy 2025 opener on Feb. 19 in Karachi
Updated 1 min 15 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s fiery right-arm pacer Haris Rauf put injury fears to rest this week by saying he felt comfortable bowling during practice and was “personally satisfied” with his fitness ahead of the Champions Trophy opener. 

Rauf sustained a muscular sprain in his lower chest during Pakistan’s match against New Zealand earlier this month, triggering fears the bowler would be ruled out of the tournament. Along with pacers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rauf is an essential part of the South Asian country’s pace attack.

Pakistan will face New Zealand in the first match of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 19, in the southern port city of Karachi. Two days before the clash, Pakistan’s cricket team held a training and practice session at the Oval Ground of the PCB’s Hanif Muhammad High Performance Center in Karachi on Monday. 

“I am feeling very good and have been practicing with high intensity for the past two days,” Rauf told reporters on Monday. “I did a bit of bowling today as well and did not feel any pain. Personally I am satisfied but will follow the management’s plan.”

In response to a question, Rauf said Pakistan had plenty of spinners in the form of Khushdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed and Salman Ali Agha apart from pacers. 

“We have a whole bowling unit and we properly utilize it as such,” Rauf said. “As a bowling unit, we have a lot of belief in ourselves.”

The Pakistani pacer pointed out that the green shirts have played the semifinal and final of two ICC T20 World Cups since 2021 and had also played the final of the Asia Cup in 2022. 

“We have together as a group for quite good time and wish to be remembered as the ones who won an ICC event for the country,” he said.

Pakistan are in Group A of the Champions Trophy tournament along with India, New Zealand and Bangladesh. Australia, England, South Africa and Afghanistan comprise Group B. The top two teams will qualify for the next round of the tournament. 

Topics: Pakistan Champions Trophy 2025 Haris Rauf Cricket

Pakistan minister says over 400 human traffickers arrested amid migrant boat tragedies

Pakistan minister says over 400 human traffickers arrested amid migrant boat tragedies
Updated 27 min 58 sec ago
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Pakistan minister says over 400 human traffickers arrested amid migrant boat tragedies

Pakistan minister says over 400 human traffickers arrested amid migrant boat tragedies
  • Information Minister Ataullah Tarar says human traffickers’ properties seized, bank accounts frozen 
  • Pakistan has already reported two migrant boat tragedies this year near Morocco and Libyan coasts
Updated 27 min 58 sec ago
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said this week that the government has arrested over 400 human traffickers recently and seized their properties, state-run media reported as Islamabad cracks down on human smuggling amid an increase in migrant boat tragedies. 

Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on human smugglers after multiple boat tragedies resulted in its citizens getting killed. Two migrant boat tragedies involving dozens of Pakistanis — one near Morocco and the other off the coast of Libya — have been reported this year. Prior to these incidents, an overcrowded vessel carrying over 250 Pakistanis capsized in June 2023 near Greece, in what was one of the deadliest migrant boat disasters in recent history. 

Pakistan’s Senate on Friday approved amendments to three key laws aimed at combating human trafficking and illegal migration. The legislation, which covers human trafficking, migrant smuggling and emigration, seeks to strengthen penalties for offenders, including those involved in smuggling young girls and trafficking beggars to Gulf states.

“The National Assembly was informed today that over four hundred human smugglers have been arrested,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Monday. “Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar told the house during question hour that the properties of these human smugglers have been seized and their bank accounts frozen.”

The minister did not specify the time period during which these human traffickers were arrested. Tarar said the government has taken notice of human smuggling, stressing that those involved in the practice will “not find any place to hide and will receive strict punishment.”

The minister referred to last week’s legislation against human trafficking, saying that the laws were enacted to make the offense a non-bailable one. 

“He said anti-human trafficking cell has been activated and an awareness campaign has also been launched,” Radio Pakistan said. “He expressed the firm commitment to eradicate this menace.”

Migrant boat tragedies put the spotlight on perilous journeys many migrants undertake, often driven by economic hardship as young individuals seek better financial prospects by attempting dangerous crossings to Europe.

Several Pakistanis attempt the dangerous and illegal journey each year in a bid to escape surging inflation and opt for a better life as the cash-strapped country navigates a tricky path to economic recovery from a macroeconomic crisis. 

Topics: Pakistan

Amid drought warnings, Pakistan forecasts rain, snowfall in several regions this week

Amid drought warnings, Pakistan forecasts rain, snowfall in several regions this week
Updated 18 February 2025
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Amid drought warnings, Pakistan forecasts rain, snowfall in several regions this week

Amid drought warnings, Pakistan forecasts rain, snowfall in several regions this week
  • Last month, Pakistan Meteorological Department said rainfall from Sept. 1 to Jan. 15 was 40 percent below normal across the country
  • Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab were the most affected provinces, with deficits of 52 percent, 45 percent and 42 percent respectively
Updated 18 February 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has predicted rain, snow and thunderstorms in several parts of Pakistan this week, amid an ongoing drought that has dented winter crops in the country’s breadbasket.

Last month, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said rainfall from Sept. 1 to Jan. 15 was 40 percent below normal across Pakistan, with Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab being the most affected provinces with deficits of 52 percent, 45 percent and 42 percent, respectively.

The severe drought, which was in fact part of a larger trend of increasing climate variability, has adversely impacted the growth of crops like wheat, a staple food, as well as vital cash crops like potato, according to the Pakistani climate change ministry.

However, a fresh weather advisory by the NDMA said rains were expected in Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), which are likely to bring some respite to farmers who rely on rainwater to cultivate their lands.

“Rain and snowfall are expected in Pothohar region, including Murree and Galliyat, upper and northeastern Punjab, and Islamabad from February 19 to 21,” the NDMA said.

“Northern and northwestern Balochistan may experience rain, wind, thunderstorms, and snowfall from February 18 to 20. Upper KP is likely to see similar conditions from February 18 to 20, while GB and AJK will have cloudy weather with rain, wind, and snowfall on February 19 and 20.”

The agriculture sector contributes nearly a quarter of Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 37 percent of the national labor force, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

Pakistan generally relies on water from the Indus river which bisects the country from north to south, where it empties into the Arabian Sea.

Experts say a fast-growing population, climate change and poor resource management with an over-reliance on a single water source are all spurring scarcity, and building water reservoirs, restoring wetlands and promoting drought tolerant crop varieties is vital to mitigating recurring and intensifying drought risks in the country.

In its advisory, the NDMA urged the public to use ‘Pak NDMA Alert App’ to stay updated about the weather conditions before traveling.

“NDMA has advised relevant authorities to stay vigilant, especially in snowfall and rain-prone areas,” it added.

Topics: Pakistan Drought rain NDMA

Pakistan urges OIC to dissuade Israel and its backers from reviving Gaza war

Pakistan urges OIC to dissuade Israel and its backers from reviving Gaza war
Updated 17 February 2025
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Pakistan urges OIC to dissuade Israel and its backers from reviving Gaza war

Pakistan urges OIC to dissuade Israel and its backers from reviving Gaza war
  • The statement comes amid a six-week truce between Hamas and Israel that ended 15-month war, which has killed over 48,000 Palestinians
  • Deputy PM Ishaq Dar says ​​Pakistan supports diplomacy to preserve Gaza ceasefire deal and negotiations for its second and third phases
Updated 17 February 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to dissuade Israel and its supporters from reviving the war on Gaza, while at the same time opposing the proposals for the expulsion of Palestinians from their country.
The statement by the Pakistan deputy premier came during his briefing to the OIC Group on Pakistan’s priorities on the sidelines of a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York on multilateralism and global governance.
Israel’s war on Gaza, which began after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians and displaced almost all of Gaza’s 2 million population by laying waste to swathes of neighborhoods, schools and hospitals.
Dar said the Gaza war has had catastrophic consequences for the Palestinian people and the OIC countries should work collectively to preserve the interests of Palestine and the objectives of the Arab and Muslim world.
“​​Pakistan supports the pursuit of diplomacy to preserve the Gaza ceasefire agreement and the negotiation and implementation of its second and third phases,” he said.
“We must dissuade Israel and its supporters from reviving the war in Gaza, and ensure adequate humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, including by preserving the essential role of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine).”
Dar’s statement came amid a six-week truce announced on Jan. 19 between Hamas and Israel that ended 15 months of war, involving the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to the north.
He said the OIC must “rigorously oppose” proposals for the expulsion of the Palestinians from their country. It followed remarks by United States (US) President Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu about the relocation of Palestinians to Egypt, Jordan or other countries, which have been rejected by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and other nations apart from being condemned by international rights groups.
“​​Simultaneously, we should take steps to end Israel’s campaign of violence and displacement in the West Bank. We should clarify our common position of opposition to the plans of Israeli extremists to annex the West Bank,” Dar said. “We must initiate concrete steps to secure the two-state solution.”
Palestinian territory – encompassing the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem – has been occupied by Israel since 1967. Pakistan does not recognize Israel and has consistently called for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters
Dar welcomed an agreement brokered by France and the US last November that led to a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, but said Israel’s continued military actions in south Lebanon violate the agreement and threaten to reignite the conflict. He said ​​Pakistan supports the stabilization of Syria through an “inclusive, Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political process,” facilitated by the UN.
He also spoke about a number of African issues of interest to the OIC that are under consideration in the Security Council, including Libya, Sudan, Sahel and Somalia.
“Pakistan will work with other OIC and African countries to promote effective solutions to these situations where the challenges of international terrorism, organized crime, external intervention and the exploitation of national resources are all intertwined,” the deputy PM added.
Speaking about ​Islamophobia, he said it remains a “persistent and alarming challenge” for the world, demanding urgent action.
“The OIC Group must also remain actively engaged in formulation of the Secretary-General’s Action Plan to combat Islamophobia, ensuring sustained progress and impact,” Dar added.

Topics: Israel Gaza OIC

Pakistan economy moving in ‘right direction’ — IMF chief

Pakistan economy moving in ‘right direction’ — IMF chief
Updated 17 February 2025
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Pakistan economy moving in ‘right direction’ — IMF chief

Pakistan economy moving in ‘right direction’ — IMF chief
  • Pakistan, which averted a default in 2023, is currently navigating a path to economic recovery under a $7 billion IMF program
  • Finmin says Pakistan has achieved a primary surplus on the fiscal side, with overall debt-to-GDP ratio having declined to mid-60s
Updated 17 February 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on Monday acknowledged Pakistan’s economic progress, saying the country was moving in the “right direction” by staying the course of IMF-backed structural reforms.
She said this while moderating a panel discussion, titled “A Path for Emerging Market Resilience,” on the second day of AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies in Saudi Arabia. The discussion featured Pakistan’s finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, and his counterparts from Türkiye, Brazil and Egypt.
Pakistan, which averted a default in 2023, is currently navigating a path to economic recovery under a $7 billion IMF program and has undertaken several reforms in taxation, energy and others sectors as well as with regard to better management of loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
Aurangzeb shared the South Asian nation had achieved a primary surplus on the fiscal deficit front with its overall debt-to-GDP ratio having declined to mid-60s from more than 73 percent, thanks to “prudent fiscal management.”
“This is indeed the right trajectory, the right direction to travel and I want to thank you for your dedication to stay the course,” Georgieva said after Aurangzeb detailed his government’s efforts to keep the fiscal and current account deficits in check.
The statement by the IMF chief comes days before the arrival of a team of IMF experts to review Pakistan’s performance under the ongoing loan program. A successful review would lead to the release of around $1 billion to the cash-strapped South Asian nation.
Georgieva lauded Pakistan for “improving the overall performance of the economy” through privatization and trying to reform the loss-making SOEs, especially the government’s failed attempt to sell off its stake in the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
“You rightly pointed out the bane of our country has been the twin deficits,” Aurangzeb said, adding that Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio was languishing between 9 percent to 10 percent, the lowest in the region, but the government was able to increase it to 10.8 percent in end-December by mobilizing local resources.
In its 37-month loan agreement with the Washington-based lender, Pakistan has agreed to increase the country’s tax-to-GDP level to 13.5 percent to join the comity of nations and to bring a certain level of sustainability to the primary surplus that it has achieved.
Aurangzeb said his country was working and making “tough policy choices with respect to what is a good cost and bad cost.”
The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is trying to rid Pakistan’s economy of the recurring boom-and-bust cycles by enticing overseas Pakistanis to remit their earnings through formal banking channels as well as increasing exports. Pakistan expects worker remittances to rise above $35 billion this year through June.
“If we have to grow sustainably it has to be export-led growth. And we have to change fundamentally the DNA of the economy and we are working toward that,” Aurangzeb said.
“We just need to make sure we make it sustainable as we go forward.”
To a question, the minister said developing economies like Pakistan were relatively in a good place as they had entered 2025 on a “relatively strong note” in terms of market stability, resilience of the banking system, and the bold and structural reforms, which a number of economies were undertaking at this point.
“Therefore, a lot is in our control in terms of staying the course,” Aurangzeb said, adding Pakistan’s recent 10-year agreement with the World Bank Group would allow it to look at the existential issues of population control and climate change.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is going to become a huge enabler and game changer for a productivity-led economic growth in Pakistan, according to the finance minister. The use of agri-tech and AI-inspired precision farming will hike crop yields by 5 percent to 20 percent, while AI-powered digital banking and other services have already begun to help increase Pakistan’s IT exports by 25 percent.
“What we need to do is to ensure that the third largest freelancer population in the country gets the requisite resources,” he added.

Topics: International Monetary Fund

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