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Pakistan PM, Bangladesh chief adviser agree to expand bilateral ties at UNGA sideline meeting 

Pakistan PM, Bangladesh chief adviser agree to expand bilateral ties at UNGA sideline meeting 
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) meets Bangladesh Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus on September 25, 2024, at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York. (PMO)
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Updated 1 min 29 sec ago
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Pakistan PM, Bangladesh chief adviser agree to expand bilateral ties at UNGA sideline meeting 

Pakistan PM, Bangladesh chief adviser agree to expand bilateral ties at UNGA sideline meeting 
  • Shehbaz Sharif attends ceremony hosted by Dr. Yunus to mark 50 years of Bangladesh’s UN membership 
  • Relations between Pakistan, Bangladesh have improved since Sheikh Hasina's ouster from office in August 
Updated 1 min 29 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Bangladesh Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York, with both sides agreeing to forge stronger ties and enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields. 

Bitter relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan have witnessed a thaw since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Aug. 5 as a result of a student-led uprising in the country that saw hundreds killed.

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 Hasina’s administration, which prosecuted several members of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party for war crimes relating to the 1971 conflict.

Sharif met Yunus at a ceremony hosted by the Bangladeshi leader to mark the completion of 50 years of Bangladesh’s membership in the United Nations, the Pakistani premier’s office said.

“The two leaders agreed to promote cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh in various fields,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. “There was a positive discussion regarding the expansion of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh.”

Dr. Younis welcomed Sharif and his delegation, which included Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Education Minister Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and the prime minister’s aide Tariq Fatemi, the PMO said. 

Pakistan’s foreign office earlier this month said Islamabad seeks “robust, multifaceted relations, friendly relations” with Bangladesh to ensure peace and stability in the region. 

Sharif arrived in New York this week to engage with world leaders and present Pakistan’s stance on key global issues such as “terrorism,” Israel’s war on Gaza and the Kashmir dispute. 

Topics: UNGA

25 people killed in days-long sectarian clashes in Pakistan

25 people killed in days-long sectarian clashes in Pakistan
Updated 8 min 4 sec ago
AFP
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25 people killed in days-long sectarian clashes in Pakistan

25 people killed in days-long sectarian clashes in Pakistan
  • Last round of hostilities in northwestern Kurram district killed 35 in July 
  • Heavy weapons including mortar shells are being used in ongoing clash.
Updated 8 min 4 sec ago
AFP

PESHAWAR: The death toll from sectarian clashes between two tribes in northwestern Pakistan has risen to 20, a local official said Wednesday, as a deadly feud entered its fifth day.

The dispute has injured 75 people in Kurram district near the border with Afghanistan, an area with a history of bloody clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes.

The last round of hostilities in July killed 35 people and ended only after a jirga, or tribal council, called a ceasefire. Officials are now attempting to broker a fresh truce.

“Dozens of homes have been damaged... all efforts by the government and other tribes to end the fighting have failed,” a senior administrative official stationed in Kurram told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Heavy weapons including mortar shells are being used in the ongoing clash.

“One side is reportedly using Iranian-made weapons, though this will be investigated later,” said Aftab Alam, the law minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Feuds can be particularly violent in the northwestern province, where clashes between tribes are common.

In Pakistan, a predominantly Sunni Muslim country, the Shiite community says they have long suffered discrimination and violence.

Topics: Kurram Agency sectarian clashes

Pakistan reports fresh polio case from Balochistan, taking 2024 tally to 22

Pakistan reports fresh polio case from Balochistan, taking 2024 tally to 22
Updated 8 min 28 sec ago
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Pakistan reports fresh polio case from Balochistan, taking 2024 tally to 22

Pakistan reports fresh polio case from Balochistan, taking 2024 tally to 22
  • Poliovirus detected in 30-month-old boy in Balochistan’s Pishin district, says country’s anti-polio program
  • Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world
Updated 8 min 28 sec ago
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national anti-polio program said on Wednesday that the country had reported another case of the disease from the southwestern Balochistan province, taking the tally of polio cases reported this year to 22. 

The latest case was reported in a 30-month-old boy from Pishin in Balochistan, where already 14 poliovirus cases have been detected this year. The southern Sindh province has reported four while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Islamabad have each reported one polio case this year. 

Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. Starting from late 2018, Pakistan saw a resurgence of cases and increased spread of polio, highlighting the fragility of gains achieved in the preceding three years.

“Each case represents a child whose life has been tragically and unnecessarily affected by polio,” Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq said.” And the only solution is timely and repeated vaccination.”

She said every polio case is a “tragic reminder” that the country has failed its children. 

“I urge all parents to take responsibility and ensure their children receive the polio vaccine to fight back against polio,” she added.

The Pakistan Polio Eradication Program said two large-scale, door-to-door vaccination campaigns are planned for later this year to close immunity gaps and curb the spread of poliovirus.

Pakistan’s polio eradication program began in 1994, and the number of cases has declined dramatically since then. 

Pakistan continues to face challenges in its fight against polio, including militancy, with polio workers targeted by attacks, particularly in the KP province. 

The polio program has adapted to respond to climate disasters such as floods but continues to face disruptions. There are also gaps in supplementary immunization activities, especially in areas where the virus is still present. 

Topics: Polio Polio Campaign anti-polio program

Hundreds gather in southern Pakistan for rare protest against killing of doctor over ‘blasphemy’

Hundreds gather in southern Pakistan for rare protest against killing of doctor over ‘blasphemy’
Updated 42 min 24 sec ago
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Hundreds gather in southern Pakistan for rare protest against killing of doctor over ‘blasphemy’

Hundreds gather in southern Pakistan for rare protest against killing of doctor over ‘blasphemy’
  • Dr. Shahnawaz Kumbhar was killed in alleged police shootout last week in southern Umerkot district
  • Protesters demand transparent inquiry, arrest of the police officers responsible for doctor’s killing 
Updated 42 min 24 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Hundreds of civil society activists and residents of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Wednesday protested against the killing of a doctor allegedly by police after he was accused of blasphemy, demanding a transparent inquiry into the incident and action against the culprits. 

Dr. Kumbhar, accused of sharing blasphemous content online, was arrested last Wednesday in Umerkot district and killed hours later by police in a purported shootout. According to a report in the Associated Press, Dr. Kumbhar was killed unintentionally when police asked two men on a motorcycle to stop but one of them opened fire, prompting police to shoot back. Police said it was only after the shooting that they learned the slain man was the doctor being sought by them for alleged blasphemy. 

His family disputes the police account, claiming he was murdered in custody. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from Pakistani rights activists, who have demanded a transparent investigation.

Accusations of blasphemy — sometimes even just rumors — can spark riots and mob rampages in Pakistan. Although killings of blasphemy suspects by mobs are common, extra-judicial killings by police are rare.

“Today’s protest is purely to arrest the killers of Shahnawaz Kumbhar and punish them,” rights activist Kazwa Nawaz Asif told Arab News during a demonstration attended by hundreds at Umerkot. The protest was held in front of the district’s press club. 

Asif said the protest also aimed to prevent such incidents from occurring again in the future.

The Sindh government last week suspended ten officers, including a deputy inspector general of police and registered a case against 34 suspects, out of which 15 were not identified, for burning Dr. Kumbhar’s body. 

Suleman Rahimoo, another activist, questioned the government’s decision to conduct an inquiry against a deputy inspector of general police by another officer of the same rank, pointing out that he was his colleague. 

“This is why we believe that a judicial inquiry should be carried out,” Rahimoo told Arab News.

Rights activist Sindhu Nawaz said the doctor had pleaded for an opportunity to explain his position, asserting that he was not the one using the account that posted the blasphemous content online.

“But he was killed overnight by the police officials and the body was handed over to fanatics who burnt it,” she said. 

Nawaz said Sindh is known as being a land where love, peace and interfaith harmony prevailed. 

“To uphold this identity, we felt it was necessary to hold a protest in Umerkot because Umerkot is the land where, during Eid, our Hindu brothers congratulate Muslims and when Holi is celebrated, the same Muslims celebrate with them,” she said. 

Nawaz vowed that the protest would continue until the officers responsible for killing Dr. Kumbhar are arrested and a judicial inquiry into the matter is conducted.

“This is our Sindh and we will continue to fight to restore this identity,” Nawaz said. 

Dr. Kumbhar’s killing marks the second such incident in recent weeks. Earlier this month, a police officer in Balochistan province killed a blasphemy suspect in custody, highlighting the grave dangers faced by persons accused of blasphemy in Pakistan.

Human rights groups and civil society organizations have urged the Pakistani government to repeal the country’s blasphemy laws, which they argue contribute to discrimination and violence. They have also called for a comprehensive review of law enforcers’ response to blasphemy accusations.

Topics: Dr. Shahnawaz Kumbhar

Pakistani officials visit Dubai immigration center, observe measures for resolving residency issues ‘swiftly’

Pakistani officials visit Dubai immigration center, observe measures for resolving residency issues ‘swiftly’
Updated 7 min 31 sec ago
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Pakistani officials visit Dubai immigration center, observe measures for resolving residency issues ‘swiftly’

Pakistani officials visit Dubai immigration center, observe measures for resolving residency issues ‘swiftly’
  • UAE’s amnesty scheme allows visa violators to regularize their status or leave without penalties 
  • Pakistani expatriates constitute one of the largest and most vibrant communities in the UAE
Updated 7 min 31 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: A team from Pakistan’s Consulate General in Dubai visited the Al-Awir Immigration Center in Dubai on Wednesday and praised the various amnesty services being offered to visa violators in the Gulf country. 

The UAE’s two-month amnesty scheme, running from September 1 to October 31, allows visa violators, mostly from South Asia, to either regularize their status or leave without penalties.

The amnesty aims to reduce the number of undocumented residents, enhancing social stability and ensuring compliance. It offers a fresh opportunity for many in the country to rebuild their lives by securing legal status and better jobs.

“A dedicated team from the Consulate General of Pakistan conducted a visit to the Al Awir Immigration Center set up by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai and observed various amnesty services at the Center,” the Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai said in a press release. 

It said the Pakistani team was given an overview of the measures in place to assist individuals in resolving residency issues “swiftly and efficiently.”

“The visiting team conveyed deep appreciation to the UAE government for its continued support and compassion toward expatriate communities, particularly Pakistanis,” the statement said. 

Pakistani expatriates constitute one of the largest and most vibrant communities in the UAE. The Gulf country is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. It is also an ideal export destination for the South Asian nation as the short distance between the two countries limits transportation costs and facilitates commercial exchanges.

UAE is also home to over a million and a half Pakistani expatriates and after Saudi Arabia, is Pakistan’s largest source of workers’ remittances and the preferred choice of thousands of laborers who live and work in the country. 

Topics: Dubai immigration center

Ex-PM Khan’s party threatens Pakistan-wide protests if denied permission for Rawalpindi, Lahore rallies

Ex-PM Khan’s party threatens Pakistan-wide protests if denied permission for Rawalpindi, Lahore rallies
Updated 25 September 2024
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Ex-PM Khan’s party threatens Pakistan-wide protests if denied permission for Rawalpindi, Lahore rallies

Ex-PM Khan’s party threatens Pakistan-wide protests if denied permission for Rawalpindi, Lahore rallies
  • Khan’s party plans to hold rallies in Rawalpindi, Lahore on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, respectively 
  • PTI says going “all-in” to stop proposed constitutional amendments, demand Khan’s release
Updated 25 September 2024
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: The opposition party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has sought permission from authorities in Rawalpindi and Lahore to hold their upcoming rallies in the two cities, threatening nationwide protests if they are denied the same. 

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party plans to hold public gatherings in Rawalpindi and Lahore on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5, respectively. The PTI aims to build public pressure for Khan’s release, who has been in jail since August last year on multiple charges including corruption, sedition and “terrorism.” Khan denies the allegations and says they are politically motivated to keep him and his party away from forming its government. 

The PTI, which had struggled to organize rallies in the country since last year to build public pressure for Khan’s release, this month held public gatherings in Islamabad and Lahore. However, the local administration in Islamabad registered criminal cases against the party’s leadership for allegedly violating their agreement with authorities. The gathering in Lahore came to an abrupt end on Saturday after authorities cut off electricity supply to the venue, accusing the party of violating the 3-6pm deadline. 

“PTI has decided to hold political gatherings in Rawalpindi at Liaqat Bagh on Sep 28 and in Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan from 5pm to 11pm on Oct. 5,” the party said in a statement. “As per the instructions of founding chairman Khan, the party will hold a nationwide protest if the permission is not granted.”

In the request submitted to the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner, the PTI said it believed in the maintenance of law and order, and discipline, and was ready to cooperate with authorities to ensure a “smooth and hassle-free political gathering.”

The party claimed that the denial of its right to hold political gatherings would be tantamount to “violating the basic constitutional principle on which the foundations of a political party rests.”

PTI said it does not accept the government’s move to have the proposed constitutional amendments passed by parliament. The party said it maintains that the constitutional amendments should only be introduced in the best interests of the country and not for personal gain, adding that it was going “all-in” to stop them.

The government’s proposed 53 constitutional amendments have alarmed experts and political opponents who say are aimed at asserting the executive’s authority over key judicial appointments. The proposed amendments are expected to establish a federal constitutional court, raise the retirement age of superior judges by three years and modify the process for the appointment of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The amendments have also invited protests and anger from Pakistan’s legal fraternity, who have vowed to take to the streets if the government manages to pass them with a two-thirds majority. The government, on the other hand, has vowed to build a “wider consensus” on the constitutional amendments. 

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, a senior member of Khan’s party, this week announced that the party will hold nationwide protests to demand the independence of the judiciary and Khan’s release from prison on Friday. 

CRACKDOWN

Khan’s party says it has faced an over a year-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the party attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023 after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a land graft case.

Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested following the riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military, which says Khan and his party were behind the attacks, has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.

Khan, who has been in jail since last August, was ousted from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary vote of no confidence after what is widely believed to be a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military, which denies being involved in politics.

Since his removal, Khan and his party have waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the military. 

Topics: PTI Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan

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