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Pakistan Navy warship Babur returns after joint exercises with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye

Pakistan Navy warship Babur returns after joint exercises with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye
This handout photograph, taken and released by Pakistan Navy, shows Pakistan Navy’s warship Babur sit in the dock at the Karachi Naval Dockyard in Karachi on June 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Navy)
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Updated 27 June 2024
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Pakistan Navy warship Babur returns after joint exercises with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye

Pakistan Navy warship Babur returns after joint exercises with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye
  • PNS Babur warship conducted joint exercise with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Riyadh frigate in Jeddah last Wednesday
  • Pakistan and Turkiye launched warship last year, which is part of a four-vessel deal between the two countries
Updated 27 June 2024
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy’s warship PNS Babur returned to Karachi on Wednesday after holding separate joint exercises with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia this month, the navy said in a statement. 
Last Wednesday, the Pakistani ship visited the Jeddah port where it conducted a joint exercise with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Riyadh frigate to strengthen mutual cooperation between the two countries. 
On June 15, PNS Babur participated in bilateral exercise TURGUTREIS-IX at the Aksaz naval base in Turkiye. Their activities encompassed harbor and sea exercises, where the two navies rehearsed various maritime operations and enhanced interoperability.
The navy organized a ceremony at the dockyard in Karachi to welcome PNS Babur upon its arrival on Wednesday, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement. Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Muhammad Faisal Abbasi was the chief guest. 
“While addressing the ceremony, Commander Pakistan Fleet highlighted that PN MILGEM class corvettes will significantly enhance Pakistan Navy’s capability of safeguarding maritime frontiers,” the navy said.




In this handout combination of photos, taken and released by Pakistan Navy, Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Muhammad Faisal Abbasi (left) addresses the crew of Pakistan Naval Ship Babur at the Karachi Naval Dockyard in Karachi on June 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Navy)

 “And reinforce the initiative of Pakistan Navy for independently conducting regional maritime security patrols of the Indian Ocean region.”
Abbasi emphasized that the MILGEM class project is a manifestation of Pakistan and Turkiye’s defense cooperation.
The two countries jointly launched PNS Babur last year, which is part of a four-vessel deal between Islamabad and Ankara.
Turkiye announced in 2017 the two countries had signed a memorandum of understanding for the sale of four Turkish-made corvette warships and 52 Pakistan-made training planes for Ankara’s armed forces. 
Ankara described it as Turkiye’s biggest single military export deal and “a very important day” for the defense industry. The contract was formally signed in 2018.
Under the deal, the Karachi Shipyard (KS&EW) would buy four corvettes made under Turkiye’s MILGEM warship program, aimed at designing and building locally a fleet of multipurpose corvettes and frigates that could replace older ships. 
As per the 2018 contract, two of the ships were to be manufactured in Istanbul and two in Karachi.

Topics: Pakistan Navy

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4 Pakistani troops killed while responding to attack on aid trucks in restive northwest

4 Pakistani troops killed while responding to attack on aid trucks in restive northwest
Updated 27 sec ago
AP
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4 Pakistani troops killed while responding to attack on aid trucks in restive northwest

4 Pakistani troops killed while responding to attack on aid trucks in restive northwest
  • Two were killed on Monday when convoy of aid trucks was attacked by militants in northwestern Kurram
  • At least 130 have been killed in recent months due to clashes between rival Sunni, Shiite groups in district
Updated 27 sec ago
AP

PARACHINAR, Pakistan: Militants in Pakistan overnight ambushed security forces who were responding to an earlier attack on aid trucks in the country’s troubled northwest, leading to a shootout in which four troops were killed, officials said Tuesday.

The ambush happened hours after authorities dispatched reinforcements to respond to Monday’s attack on a convoy of aid trucks in which a driver and security official were killed in Kurram, a district in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Some security forces were also wounded in the overnight ambush in Kurram, where at least 130 people have died in recent months in clashes between rival Shiite and Sunni tribes, officials said. Several trucks that were heading to Parachinar, the main city in Kurram, were looted and burned, authorities said.

Qaiser Abbas, a doctor at a hospital in Parachinar, said they received the bodies of four security forces Monday night from Kurram, where authorities noted a large-scale operation was being planned to try to apprehend the perpetrators of the attacks.

No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attacks.

Shiite Muslims dominate parts of Kurram, although they are a minority in the rest of Pakistan, which is majority Sunni. The area has a history of sectarian conflict, with militant Sunni groups previously targeting minority Shiites.

Topics: Pakistan parachinar

Pakistan heightens security measures in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi ahead of Champions Trophy 

Pakistan heightens security measures in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi ahead of Champions Trophy 
Updated 18 February 2025
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Pakistan heightens security measures in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi ahead of Champions Trophy 

Pakistan heightens security measures in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi ahead of Champions Trophy 
  • Pakistan will host eight-nation Champions Trophy cricket tournament from Feb. 19-Mar. 9 
  • Police in Lahore, Karachi and twin cities have deployed over 20,000 troops for security 
Updated 18 February 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have started implementing sweeping security measures in the southern port city of Karachi and Punjab’s Lahore and Rawalpindi ahead of the Champions Trophy tournament, the first multi-country cricket event in nearly 30 years to take place in the country. 

The South Asian nation hopes to erase worries of instability in the country and restore confidence in it as a tourism and investment destination despite its security challenges. Pakistan has suffered a surge in militant attacks in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan since November 2022 after a fragile truce between militants and the state broke down. 

A near fatal militant attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 in Lahore scared away international teams from touring Pakistan for several years. For the Champions Trophy, police in Lahore, Karachi and the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have deployed over 20,000 troops, including snipers on rooftops along key routes. Hotels where players will stay, stadiums and airports will be heavily guarded as will the roads connecting these locations.

“My team and all the members of all the relevant forces are engaged in this, and from the police side 5000 plus police officers will be deployed,” Maqsood Ahmed, the deputy inspector general of security in Karachi, told Reuters. “They will be doing the traffic duties, the rout protection, the venue protection, the crowd management and other duties along with the intelligence gathering and the operations before the event.”

Pakistan's para-military soldiers stand guard at the National Stadium in Karachi on February 17, 2025. (AFP)

Karachi police said they have set up an additional SWAT unit to respond to emergencies and conducted preventive intelligence operations to identify potential threats. Ahmed said other law enforcement agencies such as Rangers and the Pakistan Army will cover emergency situations as a secondary reaction force.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police have updated surveillance systems and installed around 10,000 AI-powered facial recognition cameras and additional CCTV cameras across the two cities.

Mohammad Taha, a Karachi resident, pointed out that in the past, authorities would not only block the main thoroughfare but all streets surrounding the National Stadium in the city when international cricket newly returned to Pakistan.

“Now the situation is different,” he told Reuters. “Yes, the main thoroughfare Shahrah-e-Faisal will be closed but the traffic will keep flowing on other roads and flyovers surrounding the stadium.”

Pakistan's police commandos stand guard outside the National Stadium in Karachi on February 17, 2025. (AFP)

Mohammad Munaf, another Karachi resident, agreed. 

“This time the planning seems to be good that the matches are going on and there is no hindrance in traffic flow,” Munaf told Reuters. “The security is also very good. We can easily go to watch matches. We can go toward stadium or anywhere near it anytime. So, we don’t face these issues.”
 

Topics: Pakistan Champions Trophy 2025 Lahore Security Karachi Rawalpindi

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 18 February 2025
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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 18 February 2025
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 18 February 2025
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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 18 February 2025
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
KASHIF IMRAN

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

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