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Pakistan seeks friendly ties with Bangladesh for enhanced regional peace, Foreign Office says

Pakistan seeks friendly ties with Bangladesh for enhanced regional peace, Foreign Office says
The screenshot taken from the video from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch addressing a media briefing in Islamabad, Pakistan on September 5, 2024. (MOFA/Facebook)
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Updated 05 September 2024
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Pakistan seeks friendly ties with Bangladesh for enhanced regional peace, Foreign Office says

Pakistan seeks friendly ties with Bangladesh for enhanced regional peace, Foreign Office says
  • Established together as one independent nation in 1947, Bangladesh won liberation from then-West Pakistan in 1971
  • Ties between the two countries have witnessed a thaw since the ouster of PM Hasina as a result of a student-led uprising
Updated 05 September 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Thursday that Islamabad aimed to build strong, multifaceted and friendly relations with Bangladesh, believing that cooperation between the two nations would enhance peace in the region.
The remarks followed recent statements by the Bangladeshi interim government, including from Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, that expressed a desire to resolve lingering issues and improve relations with Pakistan.
In a recent meeting with Pakistan’s envoy to Dhaka, Nahid Islam, a minister in the interim Bangladesh government, also stressed Bangladesh’s intention to address “unresolved issues” and foster stronger ties with Pakistan for the sake of a “more democratic South Asia.”
Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said there was an “immense goodwill” in Pakistan for Bangladesh and Islamabad wanted relations between the two countries to prosper.
“Pakistan has always said that it wishes to have robust, multifaceted relations, friendly relations with Bangladesh,” Baloch said. “We believe that our cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh will further contribute to enhancing peace and friendship in the region.”
Established together as one independent nation in 1947, Bangladesh won liberation from then-West Pakistan in 1971. Relations between the two countries continued to deteriorate during former PM Sheikh Hasina’s administration, which prosecuted several members of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party for war crimes relating to the 1971 conflict.
Dhaka has consistently called for an apology from Pakistan and sought international recognition of a “genocide” of the Bangladeshi people during the 1971 conflict. The issue remains unresolved despite numerous attempts over the last five decades.
However, relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have witnessed a thaw since the ouster of PM Hasina on August 5 as a result of a student-led uprising in the country.
During the weekly briefing, Baloch said Bangladesh was an important partner for Pakistan in South Asia, describing it as a brotherly Muslim country.
“[Cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh] will contribute to the development of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation as a positive and robust institution,” she added.

Topics: #pakistan Bangladesh

Government announces to auction Pakistan International Airlines on October 1

Government announces to auction Pakistan International Airlines on October 1
Updated 5 sec ago
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Government announces to auction Pakistan International Airlines on October 1

Government announces to auction Pakistan International Airlines on October 1
  • Decision is significant since it has been recommended by IMF to privatize lossmaking state entities
  • PIA is burdened with debt amounting to $2.9 billion and has lost some lucrative routes in recent years
Updated 5 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Privatization Commission Board on Friday announced the auction of the country’s national air carrier on October 1 in an official statement released after holding a meeting to evaluate the ongoing sales process.

The government has been seeking to sell Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which has been burdened with debt amounting to Rs800 billion ($2.9 billion), after approving several bailout packages at the request of its management to cover operational expenses in the past.

The country initially wanted to finalize the airline’s privatization deal on its Independence Day, August 14, but the process was delayed following requests from bidders awaiting PIA’s latest audited accounts, aircraft lease agreements and clarity on flights to Europe, which have remained suspended for nearly four years.

“The bidding for PIA’s privatization is scheduled to take place on October 1, 2024,” the statement said.

It informed the board meeting considered the recommendations of its financial adviser to amend the document containing the criteria related to potential bidders to ensure a smoother sales process.

“The board reviewed the current status of PIA’s privatization and considered the financial adviser’s recommendations regarding permissible changes under the Request for Statement of Qualification (RSOQ) terms,” it said.

The Privatization Commission has pre-qualified six bidders, which include Fly Jinnah, a consortium led by YB Holdings (Private) Limited, Air Blue Limited, a consortium led by Pak Ethanol (Private) Limited, Arif Habib Corporation Limited and Blue World City.

The process is also significant since it has been recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that wants the country to privatize all lossmaking state-owned entities as part of the rationalization of national economy.

Pakistani officials have already taken up the issue of PIA flight restoration to Europe, with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar describing it as a “major priority” for the government during a five-day visit to London earlier this month.

The suspension of PIA flights followed a 2020 plane crash in Karachi that killed 97 people.

The incident was followed by a controversial statement by a former aviation minister, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who said that a significant number of Pakistani pilots held fake licenses.

This led the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to impose a ban on PIA.

Topics: PIA Pakistan International Airlines Pakistan privatization

Pakistani politician says urged government for judicial reforms instead of constitutional changes

Pakistani politician says urged government for judicial reforms instead of constitutional changes
Updated 17 min 41 sec ago
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Pakistani politician says urged government for judicial reforms instead of constitutional changes

Pakistani politician says urged government for judicial reforms instead of constitutional changes
  • Government reached out to Maulana Fazlur Rehman to push the constitutional amendment package in parliament
  • Rehman says the package limited the scope of human rights, expanded the role of Pakistan’s powerful military
Updated 17 min 41 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The top leader of a leading Pakistani religio-political party said on Friday his party was suggested the government to undertake judicial reforms instead of presenting an elaborate constitutional amendment package after the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought support in parliament.

The government wanted to table the package in parliament during the last session that reportedly carried about 52 constitutional amendments but postponed the idea since it lacked the numbers to meet the required two-third majority.

The amendments proposed to increase the retirement age of superior judges by three years and revisit the seniority principle in the appointment of the country’s top judge.

The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former premier Imran Khan criticized the package, saying it is meant to grant an extension to incumbent Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, widely believed to be aligned with the ruling coalition and in opposition to its chief rival, the PTI.

“Our stance was that instead of amending the constitution with individuals in mind, why not focus on judicial reforms,” Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam (JUI-F) party said while addressing a televised news conference in Multan.

He said that his party sought a draft of the constitutional amendment package from the government, saying the government was initially not willing to share it with them, but when it managed to get hold of a copy, it reflected a lack of preparation.

“When we received the copy and our lawyers reviewed it, we were deeply saddened,” he said. “The constitution, which protects the fundamental rights of every citizen, had been altered. The scope of human rights was limited, while the role of the military was expanded.”

“The chapter on fundamental human rights in the constitution had been restricted,” he continued. “Additionally, matters relating to the appointment and transfer of judges, even in the high courts, were alarming. If a judge is not trusted or cannot deliver a favorable decision, they could be immediately transferred, or the case could be reassigned to another judge.”

Rehman said his party proposed the idea of a Federal Constitutional Court during the negotiations since it was included in the 2006 Charter of Democracy signed by former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in London.

He noted it was also because of the backlog of approximately 60,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court, while across the country, from lower to higher courts, 2.4 million cases are pending.

“Generations suffer due to these delayed cases,” he maintained. “A constitutional court would handle political and constitutional matters between the government and institutions, allowing public cases to proceed swiftly, ensuring timely justice.”

Rehman said the draft was provided to the party when the government did not have enough support in parliament to push the constitutional amendments through, adding the JUI-F clearly said it was not satisfied and would not vote in favor of it.

He pointed out it was parliament’s role to legislate and amend the constitution, but if the balance of power between institutions was disrupted, it could destroy the whole system.

“Every institution has its own jurisdiction, as defined by the constitution,” he continued. “If every institution remains within its limits, it can perform its role smoothly. Otherwise, if one institution tries to overpower another, the country weakens.”

Topics: Pakistan jui-f Supreme Court of Pakistan judicial reforms

Ex-PM Khan’s party to hold Lahore rally amid crackdown as authorities give permission

Ex-PM Khan’s party to hold Lahore rally amid crackdown as authorities give permission
Updated 20 September 2024
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Ex-PM Khan’s party to hold Lahore rally amid crackdown as authorities give permission

Ex-PM Khan’s party to hold Lahore rally amid crackdown as authorities give permission
  • PTI claims the law enforcement agencies have arrested 49 of its leaders and workers from across the city
  • The party wanted to hold the rally at Minar-e-Pakistan but has been given a venue on Lahore’s outskirts
Updated 20 September 2024
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party vowed on Friday to hold a rally in Lahore despite a police crackdown and arrests of its workers and leaders, as the local administration allowed them to hold the public gathering on the outskirts of the city.
The PTI aims to mount pressure on the authorities by holding rallies to get the ex-premier released from prison. Khan has been in jail since August last year on multiple charges including corruption, sedition and terrorism.
Earlier this month, the PTI held a rally on the peripheries of Islamabad after which the local administration registered criminal cases against its leadership for violating their agreement with it. About 10 party lawmakers were arrested from the Parliament House in Islamabad on charges of intimidating the police at the venue of the rally.
Initially, Khan’s party planned to organize the Lahore rally at the historic Minar-e-Pakistan monument, but the district administration gave them a different venue.
“We have got the permission [to hold the rally] in Kahna, Lahore,” Ayesha Ali Bhutta, PTI secretary-information Lahore, told Arab News over the phone. “We are okay with this venue as our primary focus is to hold the rally in Lahore irrespective of the location.”
Prior to getting the permission, she maintained that her party would hold the public gathering under all circumstances.
“We will be holding the rally in Lahore tomorrow, come what may,” she said. “The security agencies have arrested our 49 leaders and workers so far in Lahore in a crackdown, but we are committed to mobilizing the public for a stunning show.”
Speaking to Arab News about the rally, Director of Public Relations of the Punjab Police Syed Mubashar Hussain said his department would perform its usual duties.
“The political party’s leadership is responsible for the security of the rally, and the police will be maintaining law and order in the city as per routine,” he said.
He sidestepped questions about the police crackdown and arrests of PTI workers ahead of the rally.
The PTI secretary-information said the Lahore administration had blocked numerous roads in the city with shipping containers to prevent the movement of the PTI workers to prevent them from visiting the venue.
“We have clear instructions from Imran Khan to hold this rally, and we are ready to organize it on the venue given by the local administration,” she continued.
“The purpose of this rally is to highlight the atrocities of the fascist government against our party workers and leaders, and demand the release of Imran Khan who has been held illegally in jail for over a year now,” she added.
The Lahore High Court had directed the city’s deputy commissioner to decide by 5pm on the PTI’s application for a permission to hold the rally in the city, prompting the district administration to share its decision with the PTI in the evening.
Earlier, the party’s local leadership had reached the Minar-e-Pakistan to make arrangements for the rally, but the local administration denied them the entry.
“Our caravans from Wazirabad and other far-flung areas have already left for Lahore to participate in the rally,” Bhutta said, adding that hundreds of the PTI workers had reached the city to participate in the gathering.
“Some of our caravans will reach Lahore tonight while the remaining will converge on the venue by tomorrow afternoon,” she continued, urging the provincial government to remove all the blockades in the city and release the arrested party workers and leaders ahead of the rally.

Topics: Imran Khan PTI Lahore

Chinese group to set up textile parks in Pakistan, aiming for $5 billion boost in exports

Chinese group to set up textile parks in Pakistan, aiming for $5 billion boost in exports
Updated 20 September 2024
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Chinese group to set up textile parks in Pakistan, aiming for $5 billion boost in exports

Chinese group to set up textile parks in Pakistan, aiming for $5 billion boost in exports
  • Textile parks will utilize solar energy, modern automated technology and will operate with zero carbon emissions
  • The foundation stone of the parks will be laid by the end of the year and they will employ up to 500,000 people
Updated 20 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A major Chinese business group unveiled its plan to set up textile parks in two Pakistani provinces during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, saying these “international-standard” facilities will help generate up to $5 billion in textile exports from the country.
China’s Ruyi Shandong Group, one of the largest textile and clothing manufacturers, has expanded globally over the past decade through acquisitions and investments. It has also benefited from the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the past by investing in a coal power plant in the country.
The group’s chairman, Qiu Yafu, held a meeting with the prime minister to discuss the investment proposal and highlight its details.
“Ruyi Group will establish international-standard textile parks in Sindh and Punjab provinces, inviting around 100 major Chinese textile industries to invest,” he said in his briefing, according to an official statement circulated after the meeting.
“The primary focus of these textile parks is to boost Pakistan’s textile exports and make Pakistan a global hub for textiles and garments,” he continued.
The Chinese businessman added these parks will utilize solar energy, operate with zero carbon emissions and employ modern automated technology.
“In the first phase, these parks are expected to generate $2 billion in exports, with $5 billion anticipated in the second phase,” he noted. “The parks will create employment opportunities for 300,000 to 500,000 local individuals.”
According to the briefing, the foundation stone for the textile parks will be laid by the end of the year, with completion expected within three years.
Ruyi Group will also establish wholesale commodity centers in both Karachi and Lahore.
It was decided during the meeting to establish working groups in Islamabad and Beijing to advance matters between Pakistan and the Chinese business group.
“China has always stood by Pakistan in difficult times,” the prime minister said during the meeting. “Economic relations between China and Pakistan are growing stronger with each passing day.”
He also formed a special committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to oversee the initiative.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between Pakistan’s Board of Investment and Ruyi Shandong Group regarding the establishment of the parks, with the prime minister in attendance.

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Ruyi Shandong Group

PCB shifts second Test between Pakistan and England from Karachi to Multan

PCB shifts second Test between Pakistan and England from Karachi to Multan
Updated 20 September 2024
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PCB shifts second Test between Pakistan and England from Karachi to Multan

PCB shifts second Test between Pakistan and England from Karachi to Multan
  • The decision is taken due to the renovation of the cricket stadium in Karachi
  • England will be visiting Pakistan for three-match series between Oct. 7-28
Updated 20 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a revised schedule of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship between Pakistan and England, changing the venue of the second Test beginning on October 15 from Karachi to Multan due to the renovation of the National Bank Stadium.

England will be visiting Pakistan from October 7 to 28 and play three Tests, with the first and second match scheduled to be held in Multan between October 7 and 19 followed by the third Test in Rawalpindi from October 24 and 28.

“The second Test, which was originally planned at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from Oct 15-19, will now be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium,” the PCB said in a statement. “The match has been shifted from Karachi to Multan as the National Bank Stadium is undergoing a major facelift for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025.”

The remaining two Tests will be played as originally planned in Multan and Rawalpindi, it said.

The PCB said it was thrilled to welcome the England men’s cricket team back to Pakistan.

“Despite minor adjustments, we are committed to supporting fans and ensuring a memorable tour,” it said. “We look forward to a fiercely competitive Test series and showcasing Pakistan’s renowned hospitality.”

The England cricket team last visited Pakistan in 2022-2023, marking their first tour in 17 years that consisted of seven Twenty20 International matches, followed by three-match Test series.

England won the Tests 3-0, achieving a historic clean sweep in Pakistan.

Prior to that, England’s last visit to Pakistan was in 2005. They were also scheduled to visit in 2021 but pulled out at the last minute due to security concerns after New Zealand canceled their tour.

Topics: PCB Pakistan v England Karachi Multan cricket stadium

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