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SCO summit: Authorities issue three-day traffic diversion plan for Islamabad, Rawalpindi

SCO summit: Authorities issue three-day traffic diversion plan for Islamabad, Rawalpindi
Security personnel stand guard in front of the Presidential Palace ahead of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad on October 13, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 13 October 2024
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SCO summit: Authorities issue three-day traffic diversion plan for Islamabad, Rawalpindi

SCO summit: Authorities issue three-day traffic diversion plan for Islamabad, Rawalpindi
  • Pakistan is hosting the SCO Council of Heads of Government summit in Islamabad on Oct. 15-16 under its rotating chairmanship of the organization
  • The summit comes amid heightened security concerns due to a rise in militant attacks as well as a protest call by jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s party
Updated 13 October 2024
KASHIF IMRAN
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ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police on Sunday issued a traffic plan for the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi from Oct. 14 till Oct. 16 on account of a meeting of representatives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states.
Pakistan is hosting the SCO Council of Heads of Government summit in Islamabad on Oct. 15-16 under its rotating chairmanship of the organization, with the participants expected to discuss issues related to trade, economic cooperation, security, and regional stability.
The summit comes amid heightened security concerns due to a rise in militant attacks across the South Asian country as well as a call for protest by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party over a denial by authorities to visit him.
In a statement on Sunday, the Islamabad traffic police advised residents of the twin cities and travelers to take alternate routes to avoid any inconvenience, saying more than 1,100 traffic officials will be on duty for the SCO summit from Oct. 14 till Oct. 16.
“People traveling from Peshawar to Rawat via GT Road should go through Taxila, Motorway, Chakri Interchange and Chak Baili Road,” they said in the statement.
“Those traveling from Lahore to Peshawar via GT Road should take the Rawat, Chak Baili Road, Chakri Interchange, Motorway and Taxila route.”
People traveling from Islamabad to Rawalpindi via Margalla Road were asked to use 9th Avenue as traffic from Faisal Avenue to Zero Point would be diverted toward 9th Avenue, according to the statement.
Those who wish to travel from Bharakahu to Rawalpindi may go via Qur’ang Road, Bani Gala and Lehtrar Road, while those coming to Islamabad from Rawalpindi may use Murree Road from Saddar.
“[Islamabad] Expressway will remain closed for all traffic from Zero Point, Faisal Avenue till Koral Chowk,” the statement read. “Those coming to Faizabad via Col. Sher Khan Shaheed Road should use Stadium Road from the 9th Avenue signal.”
For heavy traffic vehicles en route to Lahore from Peshawar, the traffic police urged drivers to take the Taxila, Motorway, Tarnol Railway Crossing, Fateh Jung Road Interchange and Motorway.
Similarly, heavy traffic coming to the twin cities from Lahore would be redirected through Chak Baili Road, Chakri Interchange and Motorway.
In the weeks leading up to the summit, Pakistan’s authorities have cracked down hard on dissent, banning an ethnic nationalist movement and introducing new laws that restrict protest in the capital. They have also arrested hundreds of supporters of Khan who attempted to march on Islamabad earlier this month. Islamabad has authorized the deployment of troops on the streets for the duration of the summit.
The SCO is sometimes touted as an alternative to the Western-dominated NATO military alliance. While the bloc has a mandate to discuss security, the Islamabad summit is due to focus on trade, humanitarian and cultural issues.

Topics: SCO Summit Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Pakistan reports 68th polio case of this year amid virus resurgence

Pakistan reports 68th polio case of this year amid virus resurgence
Updated 13 sec ago
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Pakistan reports 68th polio case of this year amid virus resurgence

Pakistan reports 68th polio case of this year amid virus resurgence
  • Pakistan on Monday began a week-long anti-polio vaccination in worst affected Balochistan province
  • Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world
Updated 13 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN





ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported another case of polio virus in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, authorities said on Monday, taking the nationwide tally to 68 this year.
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.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad confirmed the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan district. This is the 10th polio case of the district this year.
“Pakistan is responding to the resurgence of WPV1 this year,” the country’s polio program said in a statement. “It is crucial for parents to ensure vaccination for all their children under the age of five to keep them protected.”
Of the 68 cases reported this year, 27 were from Balochistan, 20 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 19 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad, according to the polio program.
It said a sub-national polio vaccination campaign was conducted across Punjab, Sindh, KP, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad on December 16–22, vaccinating over 42 million children.
The Balochistan government had postponed the anti-polio drive for two weeks due to security threats and a lack of preparedness stemming from a boycott of the campaign by provincial health staff.
“The campaign’s second phase started today [Monday] in Balochistan,” the polio program said. “To keep children safe, it is critical for parents to welcome vaccinators among them and bring their children forward for vaccination.”
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world.

Topics: Polio Pakistan Polio cases in Pakistan Polio case

Pakistan’s economy grows 0.92 percent in Q1 of ongoing fiscal year

Pakistan’s economy grows 0.92 percent in Q1 of ongoing fiscal year
Updated 33 min 25 sec ago
Reuters
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Pakistan’s economy grows 0.92 percent in Q1 of ongoing fiscal year

Pakistan’s economy grows 0.92 percent in Q1 of ongoing fiscal year
  • The country is navigating a challenging economic recovery path and has been buttressed by a $7 billion facility from the IMF
  • The growth was driven by positive performances in agriculture and services sectors, which grew by 1.15 percent and 1.43 percent, respectively
Updated 33 min 25 sec ago
Reuters

KARACHI: Pakistan’s economy grew by 0.92 percent in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024-25, despite a contraction in the industrial sector, according to data approved by the National Accounts Committee, and released by its Statistics Bureau on Monday.
The South Asian country is navigating a challenging economic recovery path and has been buttressed by a $7 billion facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September.
The growth was driven by positive performances in the agriculture and services sectors, which grew by 1.15 percent and 1.43 percent, respectively, in the first quarter of the fiscal year which ends in June 2025.
Pakistan’s economy grew by 2.69 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of the previous 2023-24 fiscal year.
However, the industrial sector contracted by 1.03 percent, mainly due to a decline in mining and quarrying activities during July-September, read the report.
The committee compiling the national accounts approved the introduction of quarterly estimates of expenditure of the economy.
On the basis of latest figures of the national accounts aggregates for the last fiscal year, the overall size of the economy stood at 105.6 trillion Pakistani rupees ($379.31 billion).
Annual per capita income in rupees was recorded at 472,263 Pakistani rupees ($1,696.35).
The committee also approved an updated annual growth rate for the last fiscal year 2023-24, which stood at 2.50 percent, slightly lower than the previously estimated 2.52 percent.

Topics: Pakistan economy Pakistan GDP Pakistan GDP growth

Pakistan’s new Gwadar airport set to launch flights to Muscat from Jan. 10

Pakistan’s new Gwadar airport set to launch flights to Muscat from Jan. 10
Updated 30 December 2024
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Pakistan’s new Gwadar airport set to launch flights to Muscat from Jan. 10

Pakistan’s new Gwadar airport set to launch flights to Muscat from Jan. 10
  • The Chinese-funded airport is capable of handling A-380 aircraft and accommodating up to 4 million passengers annually, PM’s Office says
  • The start of operations at Gwadar airport was delayed because of security review due to militant attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan in August
Updated 30 December 2024
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s new Gwadar International Airport is set to begin flights to Muscat from January 10, the Pakistan prime minister’s office announced on Monday, following a months-long delay in the opening of the airport.
A security review prompted by deadly attacks by separatist militants in Balochistan in August delayed the airport’s opening to the end of this year. The $200-million Chinese-funded airport, which will handle both domestic and international flights, is expected to become one of Pakistan’s largest, according to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.
China has pledged over $65 billion in infrastructure, energy and other projects in Pakistan under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, the program in Pakistan is also developing a deep-water port close to the new airport in Gwadar, a joint venture between Pakistan, Oman and China that is close to completion.
On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over a meeting to discuss the airport’s operations and directed authorities to develop a strategy to establish it as a major transit hub, emphasizing the need to improve road connections between the airport and other parts of the country, particularly Balochistan.
“Flights from Gwadar to Muscat will start from Jan.10 next year,” the PM’s office said in a statement. “The Gwadar airport can handle A-380 aircraft and will be capable of accommodating 4 million passengers annually.”
The statement noted that the Gwadar International Airport has obtained necessary certifications from the Pakistan Airports Authority. Additionally, personnel from the Airports Security Force, Pakistan Customs, Anti-Narcotics Force, Federal Investigation Agency, and Border Health Services have been deployed at the airport.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plans to increase flights between Karachi and Gwadar to three times a week, while discussions are ongoing with private airlines and carriers from China, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to launch both domestic and international services, according to the PM’s office. The airport will feature various facilities, including cold storage, cargo sheds, hotels and shopping malls, with banking services arranged through the State Bank of Pakistan.
Although no Chinese projects were targeted in militant attacks in August, they have been frequently attacked in the past by separatists who view China as a foreign invader trying to gain control of impoverished but mineral-rich Balochistan, the site of a decades-long insurgency.
Recent attacks, including one in which two Chinese workers were killed in a suicide bombing in Karachi, have forced Beijing to publicly criticize Pakistan over security lapses and there have been widespread media reports in recent weeks that China wants its own security forces on the ground to protest its nationals and projects, a demand Islamabad has long resisted.
In his remarks, Sharif highlighted that the Gwadar International Airport symbolized the strong China-Pakistan friendship, expressing gratitude to Beijing for constructing an airport with international standards and modern facilities. He also directed the implementation of comprehensive security measures at the airport.
The meeting was attended by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Economic Affairs Minister Ahsan Khan Cheema, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and senior government officials. Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, along with Federal Minister for Privatization, Investment, and Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, also participated via video link.

Topics: Gawadar Airport Pakistan Oman ties Gawadar

Pakistan, Kenya agree to promote free trade amid Islamabad’s push for economic growth

Pakistan, Kenya agree to promote free trade amid Islamabad’s push for economic growth
Updated 30 December 2024
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Pakistan, Kenya agree to promote free trade amid Islamabad’s push for economic growth

Pakistan, Kenya agree to promote free trade amid Islamabad’s push for economic growth
  • Pakistan to export pink salt, marble and cement to Kenya under fresh agreement, says state media
  • Islamabad has sought to bolster international trade in its bid to achieve sustainable economic growth
Updated 30 December 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kenya on Monday agreed to promote free trade between their countries, state-run media reported on Monday, as Islamabad seeks to achieve sustainable growth and attract investment in its vital economic sectors. 

After narrowly escaping a sovereign default last year before clinching a last-gasp International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout program, Pakistan has sought to enhance business and investment ties with regional allies and countries such as Russia, Central Asian states and Gulf nations to escape a prolonged macroeconomic crisis. 

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya is one of Pakistan’s largest African trading partners. Trade between the two countries is dominated by two commodities, rice and tea. Pakistan is the largest buyer of Kenyan tea in the world while Kenya is the largest destination for Pakistani basmati and non-basmati rice in the world.

“Pakistan and Kenya have agreed on a free trade agreement and mutual cooperation to enhance business and investment opportunities,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said. “Under the agreement, Pakistan is expected to export pink salt, marble and cement to Kenya while bilateral trade in pharmaceuticals will also be increased.”

The fresh agreement between the two countries is expected to foster economic stability and growth, apart from enhancing their global market positions, Radio Pakistan said. It added that the agreement will also help lower prices, develop industries and increase business opportunities in both Pakistan and Kenya. 

Islamabad and Nairobi established a Joint Ministerial Commission in 1992. Till date, three sessions of the commission have been held since then. The two sides have also established a Joint Trade and Investment Committee (JTIC), the first session of which was held in April 2021.

Pakistan’s total trade with Africa was recorded at $ 4.44 billion in 2022-23 of which $ 2.89 billion were imports and $ 1.55 billion were exports. The top three exports destinations for Pakistan in Africa are Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania. Pakistan’s major exportable items to African countries include rice, textile and clothing, pharmaceuticals, cement, agriculture machinery and paper. 

The South Asian country mainly imports coal, petroleum, diphosphorus, tea, cotton and copper from African countries in return. 

Topics: Pakistan Kenya Ties

WOW: How a driving school program empowers Pakistani women

WOW: How a driving school program empowers Pakistani women
Updated 30 December 2024
Reuters
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WOW: How a driving school program empowers Pakistani women

WOW: How a driving school program empowers Pakistani women
  • Operational since 2017, WOW program teaches women how to operate two-wheelers in eastern city of Lahore 
  • WOW program has trained at least 6,600 women since 2017 in Pakistan, where it is rare for women to drive two-wheelers
Updated 30 December 2024
Reuters

LAHORE, Pakistan: Pakistani student Laiba Rashid, 22, hopes her life will change once she learns how to drive a motorcycle after undergoing a training program that teaches women how to operate two-wheelers in the bustling eastern city of Lahore.

Although the program is 7 years old, it’s rare to see women driving motorcycles. Women driving cars or riding pillion on two-wheelers driven by a male relative is more socially acceptable in the conservative nation.

“I hope this will change my life because I am dependent on my brother to pick me up and drop me to college,” Rashid told Reuters on her first day at the Women on Wheels (WOW) driving program offered free by the Lahore traffic police.

Humaira Rafaqat, a senior traffic warden, teaches women how to ride a bike while wearing an abaya, during a training session as part of the "Women on Wheels" program organised by the traffic police department in Lahore, Pakistan, on October 1, 2024. (REUTERS)

She said she wants to buy a motorcycle to go to college, adding that, previously, there were no women drivers in her family. “Now everybody is convinced that women should be independent in their movement to schools, jobs and markets,” she said.

Women driving two-wheelers has been a cultural and religious taboo, said Bushra Iqbal Hussain, a social activist and director of Safe Childhood, an organization advocating the safety of female children.

But more women are now changing the culture, she said, like they did in the 1980s with regular cars, in a bid to reduce their reliance on men to commute.

The WOW program has been in operation since 2017, but has become increasingly popular in recent months as car prices have soared and motorcycles offer a cheaper alternative.

“Stagnant wage growth and high inflation have eroded the purchasing power of the middle class, leaving motorcycles as the only viable option for many households,” said auto sector analyst Muhammad Abrar Polani of investment house Arif Habib Limited.

Ishrat Khan practices riding a motorbike while Humaira Rafaqat, a senior traffic warden, observes her during a training session as part of the 'Women on Wheels" program organised by the traffic police department in Lahore, Pakistan, on October 1, 2024. (REUTERS)

The cheapest four-wheeler in Pakistan, where the annual GDP per capita is $1,590, costs about 2.3 million rupees($8,265) compared to about 115,000 rupees for the most affordable China-made two-wheeler.

Sohail Mudassar, a traffic warden, said the WOW program has trained at least 6,600 women, and Rashid’s batch was the 86th since it started.

“Women of different ages and segments of society join our camp,” said female trainer Humaira Rafaqat, a senior traffic warden who has trained about 1,000 women. “Young women are quick learners because they are enthusiastic and take risks.”

Shumaila Shafiq, 36, a teacher at a private school, rides a motorbike during a motorbike training session as part of the "Women on Wheels" program organised by the traffic police department in Lahore, Pakistan, on October 1, 2024. (REUTERS)

One of them, Ghania Raza, 23, who is pursuing a doctorate in criminology, said learning to drive a two-wheeler gave her a deep sense of achievement and empowerment: “It was like breaking a glass ceiling,” she said.

Shumaila Shafiq, 36, a mother of three and a part-time fashion designer, said she has been driving her husband’s motorcycle to the market and other places after graduating from the program. 

She has designed a special short length abaya, a dress used by Muslim women, to wear while operating the motorcycle.

“Wearing a long abaya with loose fitting poses risks as it may get entangled in the wheels,” she said, adding that she intends to market the design to fellow women riders.

Topics: Pakistan women

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