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First batch of 27 Palestinian medical students arrive in Pakistan to continue studies

First batch of 27 Palestinian medical students arrive in Pakistan to continue studies
The first batch of 27 Palestinian medical students arrive at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, Pakistan, on October 14, 2024. (Al-Khidmat Foundation)
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Updated 14 October 2024
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First batch of 27 Palestinian medical students arrive in Pakistan to continue studies

First batch of 27 Palestinian medical students arrive in Pakistan to continue studies
  • Batch is part of 192 Palestinian students who will continue fully funded studies in Pakistani universities
  • Initiative is a collaborative effort by Al-Khidmat Foundation, Doctors of Rahman and Global Relief Trust
Updated 14 October 2024
NAIMAT KHAN
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KARACHI: The first batch of 27 Palestinian medical students out of a total of 192 arrived in Lahore from Cairo on Monday to continue their studies in the country, a leading charitable organization involved in the initiative said. 

Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced in July that Islamabad will provide scholarships to over 100 Palestinian students enabling them to continue their medical studies in Pakistan, as Israel’s war wreaks havoc in the Middle East. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 42,000 people in Gaza through relentless bombardment despite ceasefire calls and angry protests in several countries. 

The Palestinian students will continue their medical and dental studies in Pakistani institutions through fully funded programs. The initiative is a collaborative effort by the Global Relief Trust, Doctors of Rahman, and leading Pakistani charity organization, the Al-Khidmat Foundation. 

“Twenty-seven more Palestinian students from Gaza arrived in Pakistan to continue their education,” Al-Khidmat Foundation said in a press release. Pictures showed Palestinian students poising with airport officials after their arrival. 

“Welcome Palestine students,” read a large banner carried by the airport officials. 




The first batch of 27 Palestinian medical students arrive at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, Pakistan, on October 14, 2024. (Al-Khidmat Foundation)

Al-Khidmat Foundation representatives and the Pakistani embassy in Cairo facilitated the students’ departure from Cairo International Airport on Sunday, Al-Khidmat Foundation said. 

“During the first phase, a total of 192 Palestinian students will arrive in Pakistan through various flights and continue their medical and dental studies in Pakistan through the collaboration of Al-Khidmat Foundation, Doctors of Rahman and the Global Relief Trust,” the statement added.

Several international media outlets have reported significant destruction of hospitals and universities in Gaza since October last year. 

The World Health Organization and other sources have documented severe damage to the area’s health care facilities, including the largest hospital Al-Shifa, which has been rendered non-functional due to extensive damage in the ongoing conflict.

There have also been widespread reports of substantial damage to educational institutions along with reports of deliberate targeting of Palestinian academics.

Topics: Palestinian students in Pakistan Palestine Al-Khidmat Foundation

PM says empowering women ‘imperative’ for Pakistan’s progress, vows to protect their rights

PM says empowering women ‘imperative’ for Pakistan’s progress, vows to protect their rights
Updated 1 min 15 sec ago
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PM says empowering women ‘imperative’ for Pakistan’s progress, vows to protect their rights

PM says empowering women ‘imperative’ for Pakistan’s progress, vows to protect their rights
  • Shehbaz Sharif’s statement comes on International Women’s Day, which highlights issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights and violence
  • Women’s rights activists are also scheduled to gather in major cities across Pakistan to demonstrate their support for women as part of the ‘Aurat March’
Updated 1 min 15 sec ago
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that empowering women was no longer an option, it was an “imperative” for the prosperity of Pakistan, promising to advance women’s rights through concerted government efforts.
Sharif said this on the International Women’s Day, celebrated annually as a focal point in the women’s rights movement by focusing on issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
In Pakistan, women march in major cities on this day to highlight the issues facing them, including harassment, bonded labor, domestic violence, and lack of representation, work and education opportunities.
In his message, Sharif said they were celebrating the strength and luminosity of women who were redefining possibilities from classrooms to boardrooms, and from fields to frontlines, to shape a bright future of the nation.
“This year’s theme, ‘For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,’ is a call to action, reminding us of our shared responsibility to create a society where women thrive and contribute meaningfully,” the prime minister said.
“Empowering women is no longer an option; it is now an imperative for the prosperity and progress of Pakistan. When we invest in women’s education, health, and economic independence, we uplift not just individuals but generations.”
In Pakistan, just 21 percent of women are in the workforce and less than 20 percent of girls in rural areas are enrolled in secondary school, according to the United Nations. Only 12 women were directly elected to parliament out of 266 seats in last year’s election.
Much of Pakistani society operates under a strict code of “honor,” with women beholden to their male relatives over choices around education, employment and who they can marry. Hundreds of women are killed by men in Pakistan every year for allegedly breaching this code.
Sharif said Pakistan’s journey toward true gender equality was far from over.
“On this day, let us reaffirm our collective resolve to intensify our efforts to further advance respect for women’s rights and build a Pakistan where every woman’s potential is realized and every daughter’s dream is within her reach,” he said.
Women’s rights activists are also scheduled to gather in major cities across Pakistan on Saturday to demonstrate their support for women as part of the ‘Aurat March.’ The march is seen by critics as supporting elitist and Western values in the Muslim country, with organizers accused of disrespecting religious and cultural sensitivities.
In previous years, Aurat March organizers have had to battle in the courts for permission to hold demonstrations, while doctored images of banners held up by women have circulated online leading to harassment and death threats.
In 2020, groups of hard-line men turned up in vans and hurled stones at women participating in the Aurat March in Islamabad.

Topics: International Women Day Women Day women in Pakistan Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

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Brazil’s first woman general offers advice to Pakistani women

Brazil’s first woman general offers advice to Pakistani women
Updated 9 min 8 sec ago
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Brazil’s first woman general offers advice to Pakistani women

Brazil’s first woman general offers advice to Pakistani women
  • Lieutenant General Carla Lyrio Martins is first woman to rise to the rank of general officer in Brazilian Air Force
  • Commandant of Superior School of Defense was in Islamabad last month to deliver lecture at National Defense University
Updated 9 min 8 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Lieutenant General Carla Lyrio Martins, the first woman to rise to the rank of general officer in the Brazilian Air Force, has some wisdom to share with Pakistani women with ambitions of being part of military missions.

The 59-year-old commandant of the Superior School of Defense in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, visited Pakistan last month to deliver a lecture at the National Defense University (NDU) in Islamabad, where she met Pakistani women from all walks of life. 

“In the workshop [at NDU], we are talking about how Pakistan is evolving, is becoming a modern country, more opened and my impressions are the best,” Martins told Arab News in an interview. 

“I see many women in this workshop with great ideas, with great, important positions in the market, and I’m impressed. And I think I see just the best for this people, of this country.”

The Brazilian officer, who has earned prestigious military honors in recognition of her outstanding contributions to national defense, said women may not be in equal numbers in armed forces around the world but their role was essential to the success of military operations.

“We are present, and we are necessary for the mission to be accomplished,” she said. “The presence of women makes the force more resilient, more modern.”

Martins began her service in March 1990 at the Aeronautics Specialized Instruction Center and was promoted to her current rank in November 2023. Reflecting on her journey, Martins said she faced many challenges, but the Brazilian military had evolved into an equal-opportunity organization.

“Women in Brazil are very welcomed as we learn to walk together, side by side, with equal opportunities. If you want it, if you have the will, if you study, if you have the mindset to accept new challenges, it is perfect,” she said, adding that she hoped to see more women in leadership roles in militaries around the world.

The Brazilian general said leadership was not defined by gender but by capability and vision.

“I think it’s a matter of posture, capability of being able to interact, to communicate the directions,’ she said. I think we [women] have all the possibilities and the women in leadership positions is increasing in number,” Martins said, adding that women in leadership positions could help define the direction of any institution including the military.

A mother of two, Martins said she wanted women to know that balancing a successful career and family life was possible. And while she emphasized dedication, hard work and education as pivotal to success, she said family life was also vital and men needed to share responsibilities at home. 

“Educate yourself, be brave and do try [to follow your dreams] because we can get wherever we want to be,” the general said, offering experience-based advice to young women wanting to join the military service.

Speaking about her perception of Pakistan, Martins said the visit had challenged her view of the country, which had been shaped by its portrayal in the international media.

“The perception we have in other countries of Pakistan is not what I saw here,” Martins said. “I see a modern city, people open to dialogue with tolerance. The perception outside is of a very closed country, but it’s not what I am seeing here.”

Asked about her cultural experience, she said Islamabad was beautiful, praising the city’s hospitality and food:

“I enjoyed everything I tried.”

Topics: International Women Day Women Day women in armed forces Carla Lyrio Martins Brazil first women general

Pakistan Airports Authority holds e-balloting to select employees for Hajj

Pakistan Airports Authority holds e-balloting to select employees for Hajj
Updated 57 min 46 sec ago
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Pakistan Airports Authority holds e-balloting to select employees for Hajj

Pakistan Airports Authority holds e-balloting to select employees for Hajj
  • Government agencies, including the armed forces, facilitate Hajj participation for their staff
  • The initiative enables employee to fulfill their religious obligations without financial strain
Updated 57 min 46 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said on Friday it conducted an electronic balloting at its Karachi headquarters to select employees for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
The PAA, a government body overseeing airport operations, joins other Pakistani governmental organizations, including security forces, who facilitate Hajj participation for their staff.
Such initiatives enable employees to fulfill their religious obligations without financial strain.​
“The Director of Human Resources announced the names of the successful candidates selected through e-Balloting,” the PAA said in a statement.
“On this occasion, the Director General congratulated the selected employees and assured that the number of successful candidates would be increased in the future,” it added.
Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah, holds profound significance for Muslims worldwide, symbolizing unity and devotion. In countries like Pakistan, many save for years to undertake this spiritual journey.​
This year, Hajj is expected to commence in late June 2025.
Pakistan’s government has introduced new measures to assist pilgrims financially, including installment payment options and a sponsorship scheme for overseas Pakistanis.

Topics: Pakistan airport authority Hajj 2025

Pakistan orders undocumented foreigners, Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave by March 31

Pakistan orders undocumented foreigners, Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave by March 31
Updated 07 March 2025
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Pakistan orders undocumented foreigners, Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave by March 31

Pakistan orders undocumented foreigners, Afghan Citizen Card holders to leave by March 31
  • The government says it has already granted sufficient time to these people for their dignified return
  • It maintains people who continue to stay in Pakistan must abide by the country’s constitution
Updated 07 March 2025
Muhammad Ibrahim

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government on Friday announced that all Afghan nationals residing illegally in the country, including Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, must depart voluntarily by March 31 or face deportation starting April 1.
The ACC scheme, initiated in 2017, provided temporary legal status to undocumented Afghans in Pakistan. It differs from the Proof of Registration (PoR) system, which grants refugee status to Afghan nationals recognized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Pakistan government.
Unlike PoR card holders, who are protected under international refugee frameworks, ACC holders were never formally recognized as refugees and were only granted temporary permission to stay.
The recent directive will primarily impact them along with other undocumented Afghan nationals, many of whom fled to Pakistan following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
“Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP) is being implemented since 1 November 2023,” the government’s statement, available on the Press Information Department’s website, said. “In continuation to Government’s decision to repatriate all illegal foreigners, national leadership has now decided to also repatriate ACC holders.”
“All illegal foreigners and ACC holders are advised to leave the country voluntarily before 31 March 2025,” it added. “Thereafter, deportation will commence [with effect from] 1 April 2025.”
The statement maintained Pakistan had granted sufficient time to these people to ensure their dignified return. It also added that the authorities would adopt a humane approach while carrying out the repatriation process.
“It is emphasized that no one will be maltreated during the repatriation process and arrangements for food and health care for returning foreigners have also been put in place,” the statement noted.
It pointed out that all those individuals who were staying in Pakistan would need to fulfil legal requirement and abide by the country’s constitution.
The Pakistan government launched the deportation drive against “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghan nationals, in November 2023 after a string of suicide bombings in the country.
Officials in Islamabad cited security concerns for the decision, alleging that Afghan nationals had been involved in militant activities, including attacks on Pakistani civilians and security forces, a claim denied by Taliban authorities in Kabul.
Last year, the government also announced that Afghan citizens residing in Islamabad would require No Objection Certificates (NOCs) after alleging that many of them had participated in an anti-government protest led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which later turned violent.
The government’s directive will affect numerous Afghans in Pakistan awaiting resettlement to third countries, including the United States.
Many of them had assisted international forces and now fear retribution from the Taliban. However, recent policy changes under President Donald Trump’s administration have all but suspended US refugee admissions, leaving thousands in limbo.
Last month, the UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which operates under the UN system, voiced concern over Pakistan’s directive requiring Afghan nationals to relocate from Islamabad and Rawalpindi or face deportation, urging the government to consider human rights standards in implementing the policy.

Topics: Afghan Refugees in pakistan Pakistan Afghanistan Pakistan Taliban

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Pakistan PM congratulates China on annual political meetings, invites President Xi to visit

Pakistan PM congratulates China on annual political meetings, invites President Xi to visit
Updated 07 March 2025
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Pakistan PM congratulates China on annual political meetings, invites President Xi to visit

Pakistan PM congratulates China on annual political meetings, invites President Xi to visit
  • China has set ambitious economic growth, defense spending targets amid shifting geopolitical realities
  • Shehbaz Sharif says Beijing has made ‘remarkable progress’ in achieving national development goals
Updated 07 March 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday congratulated China on convening two major annual political meetings, where Beijing set an ambitious economic growth target and announced a substantial increase in defense spending amid a changing geopolitical environment, while also inviting Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit.
China’s “Two Sessions,” comprising the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, began on March 4 and 5, respectively, shaping the country’s policy direction for the year.
The meetings upheld a GDP growth target of approximately 5 percent for 2025, as Beijing navigates global trade uncertainties following the return of Donald Trump’s administration in Washington.
China also announced a 7.2 percent increase in defense spending, underscoring its commitment to military modernization and national security amid rising regional and global tensions.
“I extend my warm congratulations to President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and the Chinese people on the successful convening of the ‘Two Sessions’ in Beijing,” Sharif said in a social media post on X.
“China is making remarkable progress in achieving its national development goals,” he continued. “We are particularly impressed by China’s modernization under President Xi’s visionary leadership.”
The prime minister reaffirmed that Pakistan and China would continue to work together to strengthen bilateral cooperation and achieve the “shared objectives of peace and development.”

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong shakes hands with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on March 7, 2025. (Photo courtesy: PMO)

Pakistan and China have long collaborated on infrastructure development and regional connectivity, with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) serving as the flagship project of their strategic partnership.
As both nations move toward the next phase of CPEC, their focus has shifted to business and industrial cooperation, aiming to boost investment, manufacturing and technology transfer.
Bilateral cooperation, however, faces challenges, particularly security threats to Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan. Attacks on CPEC-linked infrastructure and Chinese nationals by militant groups have raised concerns.
Additionally, delays in project execution, financial constraints and bureaucratic hurdles have slowed some CPEC initiatives, requiring both countries to enhance policy coordination and implementation efficiency.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong gestures during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on March 7, 2025. (Photo courtesy: PMO)

The Prime Minister’s Office also issued a statement on Friday, saying China’s Ambassador Jiang Zaidong met Sharif earlier in the day. Among other things, they discussed “progress on security and counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.”
The prime minister also noted this year marked the tenth anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan in 2015, as he renewed his invitation for the Chinese leader to visit the country again.

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Chinese embassy in Islamabad

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