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Army officer injured in northwest Pakistan gunfight succumbs to wounds at hospital

Army officer injured in northwest Pakistan gunfight succumbs to wounds at hospital
In this file photograph, taken and released by Pakistan’s Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), military personnel attend funeral prayers for two army officials who were killed in a shootout with militants in Peshawar District on May 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy: ISPR)
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Updated 11 August 2024
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Army officer injured in northwest Pakistan gunfight succumbs to wounds at hospital

Army officer injured in northwest Pakistan gunfight succumbs to wounds at hospital
  • Lt. Uzair Mehmood Malik was injured during clashes between Pakistani security forces and militants in Tirah Valley
  • Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militancy since the Pakistani Taliban called off a fragile truce with government in 2022
Updated 11 August 2024
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: An army officer, who was injured in a gunfight with militants in northwest Pakistan this week, on Sunday succumbed to his injuries at a military-run hospital in Peshawar, the Pakistani military said.
Lt. Uzair Mehmood Malik was injured during clashes between Pakistani security forces and militants in Tirah Valley in the Khyber district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
The clashes had left four militants and three Pakistani soldiers dead, while Lt. Malik, after having fought bravely, was taken to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Peshawar in a critical condition.
“Today, he succumbed to injuries and embraced Shahadat (martyrdom),” the ISPR said in a statement. “Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave officers and soldiers further strengthen our resolve.”
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant activities since the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, unilaterally called off a fragile ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
Much of TTP’s militant activity has been confined to the country’s western provinces, prompting security officials to launch intelligence-based operations against its fighters who are reportedly armed with sophisticated military equipment, including night vision devices.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari backed the country’s security forces in their fight against militants, following the Tirah clashes.
“The entire nation is standing with its security forces to root out the scourge of terrorism,” Zardari was quoted as saying by the state media.
In a separate statement, PM Sharif praised Pakistan’s security forces for battling militants and vowed the country would not let up in its war against militancy.
“The officers and jawans of armed forces of Pakistan always gave preference to performance of duty over their lives,” he was quoted as saying by the state-run APP news agency.
“War against terrorism would continue till its complete eradication from the country.”

Topics: ISPR Pakistan Army

Pakistan stock market sheds over 2,000 points on profit-taking, foreign outflow concerns

Pakistan stock market sheds over 2,000 points on profit-taking, foreign outflow concerns
Updated 12 sec ago
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Pakistan stock market sheds over 2,000 points on profit-taking, foreign outflow concerns

Pakistan stock market sheds over 2,000 points on profit-taking, foreign outflow concerns
  • KSE-100 index drops 2,671 points, or 2.41 percent, to a low of 108,398.42 during intraday trading
  • Analysts say market downturn driven by blue-chip stocks, unstable rupee and weak global oil prices
Updated 12 sec ago
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Thursday declined by more than 2,000 points, stock analysts said, citing profit-taking and concerns over foreign outflows as main reasons behind the slump.

The benchmark KSE-100 index dropped 2,671.87 points, or 2.41 percent, to 108,398.42 points during intraday trading on Thursday, compared to Wednesday’s close 111,070.29 points.

Ahsan Mehanti, chief executive officer of Arif Habib Commodities, said the downturn was driven by profit-taking by investors, an unstable rupee and weak global oil prices.

“Stocks bearish on concerns over foreign outflows and outlook for cautious SBP [State Bank of Pakistan] policy easing on susceptible multiple risks,” he told Arab News.

“Consolidation in the blue-chip scrips, rupee instability and weak global crude oil prices played a catalyst role in bearish activity.”

On Dec. 16, Pakistan’s central bank cut its key interest rate by 200 basis points to 13 percent, marking the fifth straight reduction since June.

Blue-chip stocks in the PSX include large, stable companies like Oil & Gas Development Company (OGDC), Hub Power, Engro, Nestlé and Lucky Cement. These companies are known for strong performance, financial stability, and industry leadership, making them popular for long-term investments.

Raza Jafri, head of equities at Intermarket Securities, said value buyers would be tempted to reenter on dips, with valuations still in active territory and no changes to the economy’s positive outlook.

“Pakistan equities have experienced profit-taking this week, after this year’s robust 80 percent + CYTD [calendar year to date] rally,” he told Arab News.

“Similar profit-taking also occurred in mid-December last year, around 10 percent, after a rapid rally.”

Topics: Pakistan Pakistan Stock Exchange PSX

Pakistan’s Jacobabad reports fourth polio case, takes nationwide tally to 64 this year

Pakistan’s Jacobabad reports fourth polio case, takes nationwide tally to 64 this year
Updated 19 December 2024
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Pakistan’s Jacobabad reports fourth polio case, takes nationwide tally to 64 this year

Pakistan’s Jacobabad reports fourth polio case, takes nationwide tally to 64 this year
  • The development comes amid a countrywide drive to vaccinate 44 million children
  • Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two polio-endemic countries in the world
Updated 19 December 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistan’s southern city of Jacobabad has reported its fourth polio case this year, the country’s polio program said on Wednesday, amid an intense resurgence of the virus in the South Asian country.

Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five is essential to provide children high immunity against this terrible disease.

Pakistan is responding to an intense resurgence of wild poliovirus type 1, with 64 cases reported this year, according to the polio program. Of these, 26 are from Balochistan, 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 18 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.

“It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected,” the polio program said in a statement.

Pakistan on Monday launched the latest nationwide anti-polio drive to vaccinate 44 million children in 143 districts. The drive will continue till Dec. 22. The South Asian country’s polio eradication efforts have faced several challenges in recent years, including militant attacks and misinformation spread by militants and conservative clerics.

Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. In the early 1990s, the country reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.

Topics: Pakistan Jacobabad Polio in Pakistan Arab News Pakistan

‘Landmark reforms’: Pakistan cabinet approves amendments to century-old Code of Criminal Procedure

‘Landmark reforms’: Pakistan cabinet approves amendments to century-old Code of Criminal Procedure
Updated 19 December 2024
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‘Landmark reforms’: Pakistan cabinet approves amendments to century-old Code of Criminal Procedure

‘Landmark reforms’: Pakistan cabinet approves amendments to century-old Code of Criminal Procedure
  • The CrPC governs all stages of criminal proceedings in Pakistan, from investigation and prosecution to adjudication and appeals
  • Key changes include facilitating police complaints, electronic recording of statements, and establishing timelines for case hearings
Updated 19 December 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistan’s federal cabinet has approved amendments to more-than-a-century-old Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a senior official said on Wednesday, adding that the “landmark reforms” would address long-standing issues in the criminal justice system.

Enacted during the British rule in 1898, the CrPC governs all aspects of criminal proceedings in Pakistan, from investigation and prosecution to adjudication and appeals. But many of its provisions were deemed outdated and in need of reforms.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet approved amendments to CrPC, which would now be presented before both houses of parliament for approval. The draft of amendments would then be sent to the president to be signed into law.

Barrister Aqeel Malik, adviser to the prime minister on law and justice and a government spokesperson on legal affairs, said the changes were essential to “streamline” the criminal justice system of the country.

“The amendments to the CrPC were long overdue,” Malik told Arab News. “These landmark reforms will simplify and streamline processes.”

The reforms followed the creation of a committee by PM Sharif, which engaged bar councils, prosecutors, judges, lawyers and experts to ensure the amendments address issues within the system.

The key changes include measures to protect vulnerable groups, such as women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, by recording their statements at the place of their ease, instead of calling them into a police station.

Under Section 46, only female officers can now arrest women, and male officers have been prohibited from arresting female suspects. Newly added provisions, 54-A and 54-C, seek to align the laws with international standards on the treatment of detainees, while modern electronic devices would now be used to record witness statements and facilitate cross-examinations under Section 161-A, according to Malik.

Another reform requires a police station in-charge, or station house officer (SHO), to be an officer of the sub-inspector rank, instead of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), while other amendments focus on making it easier for citizens to file police complaints. Previously, if a police officer refused to lodge a complaint, people had to resort to lengthy procedures to seek redressal. Now, people can approach a superintendent of police (SP) to address their grievances.

The role of prosecutors has been strengthened in the new draft, allowing them to flag deficiencies in police reports and recommend suspending or closing cases. Timelines have also been introduced for speedy resolution of cases.

“The trial court will now have to set a timeline for each case within 15 days of taking cognizance, similar to practices in countries like the UK and the US,” Malik said.

A “case management schedule” has been recommended in the amended draft of CrPC and trials must conclude within a year, with a one-time, four-month extension. Appeals must be decided within six months to a year, with fewer adjournments, and legal heirs can now file appeals if the convicted person dies before appealing a verdict to ensure justice may continue posthumously, according to the official. One of the amendments is the inclusion of psychologists and psychiatrists in medical boards.

“The term ‘lunatic’ has also been removed from the CrPC and replaced with a more appropriate definition for individuals suffering from mental disorders,” he added.

Haider Imam Rizvi, a lawyer and former vice-chairman of the Sindh Bar Council, supported the government’s move, but urged it to “avoid using the reforms to consolidate its power.”

“We had been demanding that the outdated 1898 system needs to be amended,” he said. “If the amendments are being introduced to assert dominance over others and deprive people of their rights in certain aspects of the criminal procedure, then I would consider it an improper exercise of power. However, if these changes are genuinely positive, as we still need to see the draft, then we will support them.”

Malik emphasized the reforms were not politically motivated: “These changes are aimed solely at improving the system to ensure speedy justice.”

Saqib Bashir, a local media reporter who has excessively covered legal cases, welcomed the amendments, urging their effective enforcement.

“The use of modern devices like video links for recording statements is a great step. The timeline is also a welcome step but unless there is a will and enforcement, it could remain an unfulfilled promise,” he said. “The mindset of the police, especially regarding FIRs (first information report), also needs to change for the reforms to succeed.”

Topics: Pakistan Code of Criminal Procedure

Pakistan PM in Cairo to attend D-8 summit

Pakistan PM in Cairo to attend D-8 summit
Updated 19 December 2024
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Pakistan PM in Cairo to attend D-8 summit

Pakistan PM in Cairo to attend D-8 summit
  • Shehbaz Sharif will underline the importance of investing in youth and small medium enterprises for building a strong and inclusive economy
  • The prime minister will also attend a special session of D-8 on the humanitarian crisis and reconstruction challenges in Gaza and Lebanon
Updated 19 December 2024
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will address on Thursday the 11th Summit of the Developing Eight (D-8) countries in Cairo, Sharif’s office said, with the Pakistan premier expected to hold bilateral meetings with leaders of member states as well as attend a special meeting on Gaza and Lebanon.

Sharif arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to lead the Pakistan delegation at the D-8 summit on December 18-19. Egypt’s Minister for Public Business Sector Mohamed Shimi and officials of the Pakistani embassy received the prime minister at the airport.

Founded in 1997 in Istanbul, D-8 is an organization for development co-operation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye. The 11th summit of the bloc is themed as “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy.”

“At the Summit, the Prime Minister will underline the importance of investing in youth and SMEs (small medium enterprises) for building a strong and inclusive economy, creating jobs, advancing innovation, and promoting local entrepreneurship,” Sharif’s office said.

“The Prime Minister will also attend the Special Session of D-8 on the Humanitarian Crisis and Reconstruction Challenges in Gaza and Lebanon to deliberate on the situation resulting from Israeli aggression in the Middle East.”

The D-8 organization aims to boost economic growth, sustain development and promote and improve standards of living among member states by focusing on bringing improvement and enhancing cooperation in agriculture, trade, transportation, industry, energy and tourism.

Ahead of Thursday’s session, Sharif held a meeting with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and congratulated him on assuming the office.

The two figures exchanged views on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including bilateral ties covering political, trade and economic matters as well as cooperation at the multilateral fora, according to Sharif’s office.

“Both the leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and called for a ceasefire in Gaza urging for a comprehensive approach for resolution of the Palestinian question, with the establishment of a sovereign and independent State of Palestine,” it added.

Sharif is also accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar at the summit.

On Wednesday, Dar attended the 21st meeting of D-8 Council of Foreign Ministers in Cairo, where he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the D-8 charter and intra-regional cooperation.

He ⁠highlighted the potential for economic collaboration and trade within the D-8 economies, specifically in the areas of agriculture, food security, and tourism. Dar also ⁠expressed Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan’s application for D-8 membership.

Topics: Pakistan Egypt ties D-8 summit Cairo

Pakistani forces kill 11 militants in restive northwest amid surge in attacks

Pakistani forces kill 11 militants in restive northwest amid surge in attacks
Updated 19 December 2024
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Pakistani forces kill 11 militants in restive northwest amid surge in attacks

Pakistani forces kill 11 militants in restive northwest amid surge in attacks
  • The militants were killed in separate engagements in Tank, North Waziristan and Mohmand districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
  • Pakistan has blamed a surge in militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on militants operating out of Afghanistan, Kabul denies the allegation
Updated 19 December 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed 11 militants in separate operations in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Wednesday, amid a surge in attacks in the region.

Seven militants were killed during an exchange of fire in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in KP’s Tank district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

Two militants were killed in an encounter in North Waziristan district, while a third operation in Mohmand district killed two more militants, following an intense exchange of fire.

“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from killed khwarij [militants], who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians,” the ISPR said in a statement late Wednesday.

“Sanitization operations are being carried out to eliminate any other Kharji found in the area.”

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, has witnessed a number of attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups that targeted security forces convoys and check posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in recent months.

Earlier this month, six Pakistani soldiers and 22 militants were killed in three separate gunfights in Tank, North Waziristan and Kurram districts of KP, according to the military.

Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups, urging the Taliban administration in Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by armed factions to launch cross-border attacks.

Afghan officials, however, deny involvement, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.

Topics: Pakistan Militants Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tank Arab News Pakistan

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