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Riyadh calls for enabling private sector investments within existing G2G mechanisms with Pakistan

Riyadh calls for enabling private sector investments within existing G2G mechanisms with Pakistan
Saudi Arabia’s Investment Minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih speaks during the inauguration of Pak-Saudi Business Forum 2024 in Islamabad on October 10, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Urdu News)
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Updated 11 October 2024
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Riyadh calls for enabling private sector investments within existing G2G mechanisms with Pakistan

Riyadh calls for enabling private sector investments within existing G2G mechanisms with Pakistan
  • Pakistan and Saudi businesses signed over $2 billion in agreements and memorandums of understanding this week
  • The deals have been signed during a visit to Islamabad by Saudi Investment Minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih
Updated 11 October 2024
KASHIF IMRAN
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ISLAMABAD: Saudi Investment Minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih said on Friday Riyadh and Islamabad needed to enable private sector investments within existing government-to-government mechanisms like the Saudi-Pakistan Supreme Coordination Council (SPSCC) and Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Coordination Committee for the Development of the Contracting Sector. 
Islamabad and Riyadh signed an agreement to establish the SPSCC in 2021 to institutionalize and fast-track decision-making and implementation on political, security, economic and cultural areas of collaboration. The body aims to streamline bilateral cooperation between the two countries, particularly to remove hurdles in investment deals. Separately, Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Coordination Committee for the Development of the Contracting Sector was created in 2022 to work to upgrade the construction sector and tackle project delays and hurdles. 
On Thursday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Al-Falih, who is on a three-day visit to Islamabad, oversaw the signing of over $2 billion in agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between Saudi and Pakistani businesses.
In comments televised on Pakistan’s state APP news agency on Friday, Al-Falih said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia needed to activate work under existing G2G frameworks such as the Permanent Coordination Committee, which is being led by Mohammad Bin Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, a Saudi politician and minister-ranked adviser at the Royal Court, with Petroleum Minister Dr. Musadik Malik as his Pakistani counterpart. 
“And he [Al-Tuwaijri] has elected to place the Pakistan portfolio within the Royal Court team because he wants to personally have his finger on the pulse of how we are managing [Pakistani investments],” Al-Falih said.
“Within the scope of the G2G, his excellency Al-Tuwaijri and his team have asked MISA [Ministry of Investment for Saudi Arabia] to take the lead on everything about investment, everything about channeling private sector funding, everything about risk mitigation, everything about investment protection, everything about privatization, everything about funding.
“Ultimately what we need to do is enable the private sector.”
The Saudi minister is in Pakistan with a delegation of over 130 businesspeople representing various sectors, including energy, mining, agriculture, tourism, construction, IT and industry. The visit comes as Islamabad seeks closer economic cooperation with friendly countries and regional allies, with the aim to attract foreign investment and shore up its $350 billion economy, beset by a prolonged economic crisis that has drained foreign exchange reserves and weakened the national currency.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in particular have been working closely in recent months to increase bilateral trade and investment, with Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment earlier this year to expedite a $5 billion investment package for the South Asian country.

Topics: Saudi investment in Pakistan Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih Pakistan Saudi Ties Pak-Saudi Business Forum

Thousands gather in northwest Pakistan as grand council of banned Pashtun groups is delayed

Thousands gather in northwest Pakistan as grand council of banned Pashtun groups is delayed
Updated 11 October 2024
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Thousands gather in northwest Pakistan as grand council of banned Pashtun groups is delayed

Thousands gather in northwest Pakistan as grand council of banned Pashtun groups is delayed
  • PTM leaders say the ‘crackdown’ against them impeded the preparations for the Pashtun gathering
  • KP government says it allowed the gathering on condition that no anti-state slogans will be raised
Updated 11 October 2024
WASIM SAJJAD & REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR/ DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Thousands of people gathered in the Khyber tribal district in Pakistan’s northwest on Friday to attend a three-day grand council organized by the recently banned Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) to address issues in the volatile region, though proceedings were delayed due to insufficient arrangements.
The provincial administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) allowed PTM to hold the Pashtun National Jirga after extensive deliberations involving representatives of different political parties a day earlier.
The dialogue over the issue was arranged by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and took place after federal authorities in Pakistan banned PTM on charges of supporting the Pakistani Taliban militants and promoting anti-state narratives and activities.
The PTM leadership, which has consistently denied these allegations and claims it only advocates for Pashtun rights, said it would proceed with the jirga to discuss security challenges in the province. The group lost three of its supporters in a clash with police on Wednesday while preparing for the ethnic gathering.
“The arrangements were delayed as we had an issue [with the police] some two days ago and faced a crackdown that impeded the preparations,” Zakim Wazir, a member of PTM’s central committee, told Arab News.
“Around 80 camps had to be set up for the jirga, and we were only allowed to do that by the provincial authorities the night before,” he added.
PTM founder Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen also highlighted these challenges while speaking to those attending the gathering.
“The proceedings of the first day will be held tomorrow [Saturday] along with the second day’s proceedings,” he said.
Earlier, the KP administration released a statement saying it had imposed several conditions on PTM before allowing the gathering.
“There will be no anti-state or anti-military slogans during the three-day tribal council meeting,” Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, the KP administration’s spokesperson, said. “No one will also be allowed to raise the flag of any other country.”
Founded in 2014, PTM has long advocated against extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of Pashtuns and other ethnic minorities, for which the state is sometimes blamed, though it has always denied the charge.
The KP spokesperson emphasized that the protection of public life and property, along with the restoration of peace and security in the province, were the top priorities of the provincial administration.

Topics: PTM jirga Pashtun National Jirga

Pakistani minister reaffirms support for Palestine at humanitarian conference on Gaza and Lebanon

Pakistani minister reaffirms support for Palestine at humanitarian conference on Gaza and Lebanon
Updated 11 October 2024
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Pakistani minister reaffirms support for Palestine at humanitarian conference on Gaza and Lebanon

Pakistani minister reaffirms support for Palestine at humanitarian conference on Gaza and Lebanon
  • Ahsan Iqbal launches the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon at the conference in Islamabad
  • He says the Western narrative on human rights has been exposed as Israel carries out ‘genocide’ in Palestine
Updated 11 October 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Friday the people of Pakistan have a strong bond with Palestinians, as he addressed a conference focused on the humanitarian response to the situation in Gaza and Lebanon, organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The NDMA has sent 11 relief consignments, totaling about 1,154 tons of medicines and other necessary items, to the two conflict zones in the Middle East since October last year.
The national conference, organized by NDMA officials, brought together representatives from the media and various international and local non-governmental organizations to mobilize further support for the residents of Gaza and Lebanon.
“The people of Pakistan have a deep connection with Palestine, a bond that dates back even before the creation of Pakistan,” the minister said at the gathering.
He noted that Pakistan’s founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, had voiced concerns for Palestinian Muslims as early as 1934.
“The people of Pakistan have consistently stood shoulder to shoulder with Palestinians and highlighted their rights, just as we have advocated for the cause of the people of Kashmir on the international stage,” he added.
Iqbal emphasized the severe humanitarian needs resulting from Israel’s war in Palestine and Lebanon, stressing the urgent necessity to extend support to the affected populations.
He announced the establishment of the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon, to generate and channel aid from Pakistanis to those living in Gaza and Lebanon.
The Pakistani minister criticized the Western narrative on human rights, saying it had been exposed as Western states looked the other way while unarmed Palestinians were killed, and Israel was given the “license to carry out genocide.”
The war in Gaza has lasted over a year, leading to nearly 43,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children.
More recently, Israel opened another front in Lebanon, with the stated objective of destroying Hezbollah targets, raising fears of a wider war in the region, potentially involving Iran.

Topics: Gaza Lebanon Pakistan Palestine

Saudi food chain AlBaik set for Pakistan debut after MoU signing with local energy firm

Saudi food chain AlBaik set for Pakistan debut after MoU signing with local energy firm
Updated 11 October 2024
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Saudi food chain AlBaik set for Pakistan debut after MoU signing with local energy firm

Saudi food chain AlBaik set for Pakistan debut after MoU signing with local energy firm
  • Saudi food chain has amassed a huge fan base among Pakistani expatriates in the kingdom
  • AlBaik’s entry into the Pakistani market has been awaited by those who travel to Saudi Arabia
Updated 11 October 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: A popular Saudi food chain is set to make its long-awaited debut in Pakistan after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between its officials and Gas & Oil Pakistan Limited (GO), according to a statement issued on Friday.
Established in 1974 in Jeddah, AlBaik is renowned for broast chicken and operates over 120 branches across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other regions.
It has amassed a huge fan base among Pakistani expatriates and those traveling to the Kingdom for business or religious purposes.
The collaboration with GO, a leading energy company, marks a significant step in expanding AlBaik’s presence in Pakistan, where its entry has been eagerly awaited.
“In a pioneering step that reflects the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to enhance national exports and knowledge and open new horizons for Saudi commercial expansion globally, under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Investment, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Saudi company AlBaik and the Pakistani company GO,” the statement circulated by the Pakistani firm announced.

Officials of Saudi company AlBaik (left) and the Pakistani company GO and Gas & Oil Pakistan Limited (GO) are exchanging agreements during a ceremony in Islamabad, Pakistan, on October 10, 2024. (APP)

“This MoU aims to explore the possibility of establishing a strategic partnership to set up and operate AlBaik restaurants in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as part of the company’s expansion strategy in Pakistan,” it added.
Pakistani and Saudi businesses signed over $2 billion of agreements and MoUs a day earlier in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Investment Minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih.
The development came as Pakistan seeks closer economic cooperation with friendly countries and regional allies, with the aim to attract foreign investment and shore up its $350 billion economy, beset by a prolonged economic crisis that has drained foreign exchange reserves and weakened the national currency.

Topics: Albaik Pakistan Saudi Ties

Party of Imran Khan threatens march to Islamabad amid ban on meeting jailed leader

Party of Imran Khan threatens march to Islamabad amid ban on meeting jailed leader
Updated 11 October 2024
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Party of Imran Khan threatens march to Islamabad amid ban on meeting jailed leader

Party of Imran Khan threatens march to Islamabad amid ban on meeting jailed leader
  • The Punjab administration has banned meetings with jail inmates in Rawalpindi, citing security reasons
  • PTI’s protest call on October 15 coincides with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in capital
Updated 11 October 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Friday announced another protest in the federal capital for the coming week, saying it would proceed with the plan if the government failed to grant Khan access to doctors and lawyers.
The development follows restrictions imposed by the Punjab provincial administration on meetings with inmates at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where the ex-premier is imprisoned on multiple charges.
The provincial government issued instructions to enhance jail security after the police counterterrorism department circulated a threat alert in the lead-up to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit on October 15 and 16.
PTI filed a petition challenging the restrictions on meetings with Khan, calling it a tactic to suppress his voice and expressing concern for his safety in prison amid ongoing tensions with the government and establishment. However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) only directed the authorities to provide adequate medical facilities in prison and arrange meetings after the ban on visits expires following the SCO Summit.
“The politic committee comprising key members of PTI has announced a protest call at D Chowk Islamabad for Oct. 15, 2024, if access to Former Chairman Imran Khan is not given to his legal team & physician,” the party said in a statement after holding an emergency meeting on the subject.
Referring to an earlier court judgment in March, it noted the authorities were citing security reasons to prevent access to Khan, though Justice Sardar Ijaz of the IHC had ordered video link access if physical interaction with Khan was not possible.
The statement maintained PTI respected the law of the land, but it was “imperative that an access of some kind may be granted [to Khan], as some reports suggested his health was not well,” which was causing unrest within the party.
PTI’s previous protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, near some of the most sensitive government installations, brought life in the capital to a standstill as authorities sealed the city with shipping containers, alleging that Khan’s party was trying to “sabotage” the SCO Summit.
After the recent court order in response to its petition, the party has threatened another protest, this time coinciding with the international conference.
PTI’s last protest also led to clashes between its workers and law enforcement personnel, leading to dozens of arrests and injuries to a large number of cops one of whom died after being subjected to alleged torture by the protesters.
Khan, jailed since August last year, 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 Imran Khan adiala jail islamabad high court

UNICEF appoints actress Saba Qamar as first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan

UNICEF appoints actress Saba Qamar as first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan
Updated 11 October 2024
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UNICEF appoints actress Saba Qamar as first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan

UNICEF appoints actress Saba Qamar as first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan
  • One of the most versatile artists, Qamar will raise awareness about issues like child marriage, lack of education
  • She calls it an honor to be chosen by the UN agency to work for the well-being of children across the country
Updated 11 October 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The UN agency dedicated to promoting children’s rights worldwide appointed renowned performing artist Saba Qamar as its first National Ambassador in Pakistan on Friday, with Qamar calling it an honor to be chosen to work for the well-being of children in the country.
UNICEF regularly appoints national ambassadors in countries around the world, leveraging the influence of celebrities to raise awareness for children’s rights and issues like education, health care and protection.
High-profile figures such as David Beckham in the UK and Shakira in Colombia have used their platforms to support the UN agency’s global initiatives.
The appointment of Qamar in Pakistan comes on the International Day of the Girl Child, which highlights the unique challenges faced by girls globally.
“We are delighted to announce renowned actor @sabaqamarzaman as our first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan to champion the rights of children and girls everywhere,” the UN agency announced on Instagram.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by UNICEF Pakistan (@unicefpk)


It also shared Qamar’s reaction in an official handout.
“It’s an honor to join UNICEF,” she said. “I will echo our shared mission of achieving every right for every child wherever I am.”
“In my recent travels, I have seen both the challenges children and women face in this country and the difference UNICEF’s dedicated efforts are making,” she continued. “I promise to play my part for the children and young people of Pakistan so that they can dream and have the chance to fulfill their dreams.”
UNICEF said Qamar would help raise awareness of children’s rights and issues affecting young people, such as child marriage, mental health, lack of education and the impact of violence, exploitation and child poverty.
Qamar, one of Pakistan’s most versatile and critically acclaimed actresses, has been praised for her performances in both Pakistani and Bollywood productions, including her award-winning role in Baaghi and her Filmfare-nominated performance in Hindi Medium.
Her dedication to the arts has earned her several accolades, including Pakistan’s prestigious Pride of Performance award, solidifying her influence both domestically and internationally.

Topics: Saba Qamar UNICEF National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan

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