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Pakistan PM to attend Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on Oct. 29-30

Pakistan PM to attend Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on Oct. 29-30
A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace shows Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (R) welcoming Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Jeddah on April 30, 2022. (AFP/File)
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Updated 28 October 2024
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Pakistan PM to attend Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on Oct. 29-30

Pakistan PM to attend Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on Oct. 29-30
  • The FII serves as an important platform for countries to showcase their economic strength and draw foreign investments
  • This year, the forum will focus on global investments in AI, robotics, education, energy, space, finance and health care
Updated 28 October 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the 8th edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Oct. 29-30, the Pakistani foreign office said on Monday, adding that the Pakistan premier is also expected to meet the Saudi Crown Prince during the visit.
The FII serves as an important platform for countries to showcase their economic strength, draw foreign investments, and engage in dialogue to shape a sustainable future.
This year’s FII, themed as ‘Infinite Horizons: Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow,’ will focus on global investments in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, education, energy, space, finance, health care and sustainability.
During the visit, PM Sharif is expected to hold important bilateral talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other senior Saudi officials, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
“The two sides will discuss economic and strategic partnership between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and explore bilateral cooperation in the economic, energy, and defense domains,” it said in a statement.
“The prime minister is also expected to engage with participating leaders and entrepreneurs at the FII 8th edition conference.”
In April this year, Sharif had met the Saudi Crown Prince on the sidelines of a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh. The two figures had discussed bilateral ties and regional issues, including Israel’s war on Gaza, according to Sharif’s office.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the top source of remittances to the cash-strapped South Asian country.
Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have also been closely working to increase bilateral trade and investment deals, and the Kingdom this year reaffirmed its commitment to expedite an investment package worth $5 billion.

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Arabia ties Future Investment Initiative (FII)

Sindh CM expresses concern over high rate of polio vaccine refusals in Karachi, Hyderabad

Sindh CM expresses concern over high rate of polio vaccine refusals in Karachi, Hyderabad
Updated 56 min 16 sec ago
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Sindh CM expresses concern over high rate of polio vaccine refusals in Karachi, Hyderabad

Sindh CM expresses concern over high rate of polio vaccine refusals in Karachi, Hyderabad
  • Pakistan on Monday launched a week-long, nationwide anti-polio vaccination campaign amid a deepening crisis
  • CM Murad Ali Shah says 81,000 workers will go door-to-door in Sindh to ensure every child receives vaccine
Updated 56 min 16 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Murad Ali Shah, chief minister of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, on Monday said that polio vaccine hesitancy and refusals were major challenges in Pakistan’s efforts to eradicate polio, amid a deepening polio crisis in the South Asian country.
The Sindh chief minister said this while launching an anti-polio eradication campaign at SMB Fatima Jinnah School in Karachi’s Garden West area as part of a nationwide drive to vaccinate more than 45 million children.
In the week-long campaign from October 28 till November 3, 10.6 million children under the age of five years will be inoculated across 30 districts of Sindh to protect them against the debilitating disease, according to Shah.
“Vaccine hesitancy and refusals present significant obstacles to polio eradication initiatives in Pakistan,” the Sindh CM was quoted as saying by his office.
“In Sindh, particularly in the cities of Karachi and Hyderabad, a considerable number of parents are reluctant to permit their children to receive the oral polio vaccine (OPV).”
Pakistan has reported a total of 41 polio cases so far this year, of which 12 have been reported in Sindh, according to authorities.
Shah said the challenge was particularly severe in Karachi, which accounted for 85 percent of all refusals documented in Sindh. He said his government had begun the deployment of support teams, and engagement of parliamentarians and local committees to support the polio eradication efforts.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio remains an endemic. Since late 2018, Pakistan has seen a resurgence of cases and increased spread of poliovirus, highlighting the fragility of gains achieved in the preceding three years.
The presence of polio-positive environmental samples in various parts of Sindh indicates active virus circulation, according to the chief minister.
“To meet this challenge, 81,000 frontline workers will be mobilized to go door-to-door, ensuring that every eligible child receives the life-saving vaccine,” Shah said.

Topics: Polio anti-polio program

Pakistan’s Punjab alters school hours as severe smog threatens health of students

Pakistan’s Punjab alters school hours as severe smog threatens health of students
Updated 28 October 2024
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Pakistan’s Punjab alters school hours as severe smog threatens health of students

Pakistan’s Punjab alters school hours as severe smog threatens health of students
  • The provincial capital of Lahore near the border with India regularly registers among world’s most polluted cities
  • Smog is particularly bad in winter due to low-grade fuel from factories, vehicles in the low-lying city of 14 million
Updated 28 October 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in the eastern Pakistani province of Punjab have altered timings for all public and private schools as prevailing smog continues to threaten lives in the country’s most populous province.
The Punjab Environmental Protection Authority (PEPA) this week issued a notification, detailing the adjusted timings and additional precautionary measures.
Effective from Oct. 28 till Jan. 31, schools in the province will begin at 8:45am, while morning assemblies will be held indoors to reduce students’ exposure to hazardous air.
The decision to alter school timings and suspend outdoor activities aims to minimize exposure to hazardous air quality, according to the provincial authorities.
“In the morning, the smog is more intense. Keeping this in mind, the government has wisely taken measures to prioritize children’s health by rescheduling school timings” Sarah Ather, principal of SAINT ANDREWS CHURCH CATHEDRAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, told Reuters.
“This is a good initiative by the government to provide safer facilities for children.”
Smog is particularly bad in winter as a result of low-grade fuel from factories and vehicles in the low-lying megacity of 14 million, where denser cold air traps emissions at ground level. Seasonal crop burn-off by farmers on the outskirts of Lahore is also a major contributing factor.
Lahore, the provincial capital, topped the global pollution charts on Monday, earning the dire distinction of the world’s most polluted city, when the air quality index (AQI) hit 507 at around 10am local time (0500 GMT), with the Switzerland-based air quality watchdog IQAir categorizing the air quality as “hazardous.”
But some parents say the change in school hours won’t reduce smog and they will have to readjust their schedules for transportation of children.
“The change in school hours hasn’t reduced the smog. It remains a constant issue,” said Mohammad Shahbaz.
“The revised timing has only caused disturbance in public schedules. Earlier, schools ran from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, but now children return home at 3:00 pm, creating logistical challenges for parents.”
Breathing the toxic air has catastrophic health consequences, with the World Health Organization saying strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases could be triggered due to prolonged exposure.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), nearly 600 million children in South Asia are exposed to high levels of air pollution.

Topics: Pakistan Smog

Russia wishes to enhance ties with Pakistan in diverse fields — Pakistani state media

Russia wishes to enhance ties with Pakistan in diverse fields — Pakistani state media
Updated 28 October 2024
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Russia wishes to enhance ties with Pakistan in diverse fields — Pakistani state media

Russia wishes to enhance ties with Pakistan in diverse fields — Pakistani state media
  • The statement comes after a senior Russian official calls on Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani in Islamabad
  • Former Cold War rivals Pakistan, Russia have warmed up to each other in recent years through regular interactions
Updated 28 October 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Russia intends to enhance its bilateral relations with Pakistan in diverse fields, Pakistani state media reported on Monday, citing a top Russian official.
The statement came after a meeting of Speaker of the Federation Council of Russian Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko with Pakistan Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani in Islamabad.
The two figures discussed in detail matters relating to the promotion of diplomatic, economic, commercial and parliamentary relations between the two countries, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“Russia says it will enhance bilateral cooperation with Pakistan in diverse fields including trade, investment and diplomacy,” Matviyenko was quoted as saying by the broadcaster.
Pakistan and Russia, once Cold War rivals, have warmed up to each other in recent years through regular business and trade interactions.
Islamabad’s ties with Russia also saw a significant improvement in 2023 after Pakistan started purchasing Russian crude oil at a discount rate. The development came after geopolitical tensions almost doubled the fuel prices in Pakistan, forcing the South Asian country to opt for cheaper sources of fuel.
Gilani told the Russian Federal Assembly speaker that her visit to Pakistan would boost bilateral ties and promote regional peace, development and prosperity, according to the report. He appreciated Russia’s support to Pakistan for improvements in infrastructural development as well as oil and gas sectors.
The Senate chairman underscored the need to find new opportunities to promote investment and increase the current trade volume between the two countries.
Pakistan is currently pushing for enhanced regional connectivity with Central Asian countries and Russia in its bid to unlock mutual economic opportunities, particularly in energy, trade and infrastructure.
The South Asian country hopes it can use its strategic geographical location to improve trade and cooperation with Russia and other states as it fights to ward off a prolonged economic crisis.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari met his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of a two-day international forum, titled ‘Interrelation of Times and Civilizations — Basis for Peace and Development,’ in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan where they pledged to further strengthen bilateral ties.
In September, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk also arrived in Islamabad on a brief visit, seeking to expand trade and investment ties with Pakistan. During his meeting with Overchuk, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also expressed the desire for direct flights between Pakistan and Russia to enhance connectivity between the two states.

Topics: Pakistan Russia Ties

Pakistani rights lawyer, husband arrested for violating England team’s security protocol

Pakistani rights lawyer, husband arrested for violating England team’s security protocol
Updated 28 October 2024
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Pakistani rights lawyer, husband arrested for violating England team’s security protocol

Pakistani rights lawyer, husband arrested for violating England team’s security protocol
  • Police say Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, husband hurled verbal abuses at traffic cops, removed barricades placed for the team’s safety
  • Seven people, including six policemen, were killed in 2009 when the Sri Lankan cricket team came under attack in Pakistan’s Lahore city
Updated 28 October 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s capital city police have arrested human rights lawyer Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband on charges of interfering in government affairs by removing barricades placed on a road as part of the England cricket team’s security protocol in Islamabad, a police spokesman said on Monday.
The incident occurred on the morning of Oct. 25 at the Zero Point interchange when the England team was being transported to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium for the third and final Test that was won by Pakistan.
However, the couple was arrested today following a police complaint that stated Mazari-Hazir, daughter of former federal minister Shireen Mazari, and her husband, Abdul Hadi, scuffled with traffic police after attempting to remove the barricades.
“Mazari-Hazir and her husband were arrested today, Monday, by the Aabpara Police Station on the charges of interference in the government operations,” Islamabad police spokesperson Jawad Taqi told Arab News.
He said a case was registered against the couple for violating the standard operating procedures for state guests as well as for threatening and shoving police officials.
In 2009, seven people, including six policemen, were killed when militants attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan’s eastern Lahore city. The attack proved a heavy blow to the cricket-loving nation with international games suspended in the country and even the Pakistan Super League, the country’s first Twenty20 league, had to be shifted to the United Arab Emirates. Zimbabwe was the first country to visit Pakistan to play cricket six years after the attack.
“Both husband and wife escaped from the spot by removing the barriers and the video of the incident went viral on social media,” the police spokesman said, adding that Hadi “pushed traffic police officers, verbally abused them and threatened them with dire consequences.”
The video shows Mazari-Hazir and Hadi attempting to remove the barricades as traffic police officials try to stop them. Hadi is seen lashing out at a policeman in abusive language and pushing him away, saying: “How dare you touch my wife?” He later screams at police officials, saying that “no one can stop him from reaching the court.”
Mazari-Hazir could not be reached for a comment as her phone was switched off. The lawyer is a known critic of Pakistan’s powerful military and has been arrested multiple times in the past for her fiery speeches at various gatherings.

Topics: Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir

Pakistan receiving 45,000-50,000 applications for new passports daily— interior minister

Pakistan receiving 45,000-50,000 applications for new passports daily— interior minister
Updated 28 October 2024
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Pakistan receiving 45,000-50,000 applications for new passports daily— interior minister

Pakistan receiving 45,000-50,000 applications for new passports daily— interior minister
  • Mohsin Naqvi says Pakistan’s production facility can only print 20,000-22,000 new passports daily, leading to backlog
  • Says government has made passport production facility operational 24 hours throughout the week to increase printing 
Updated 28 October 2024
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi recently disclosed that his ministry was receiving a “very high trend” of around 45,000-50,000 applications for new passports daily, saying that the country’s passport production equipment could not match the number due to which a backlog had accumulated. 

During a National Assembly session on Friday, the minister was asked whether recently passports were issued with “inordinate delay” against the normal time period and whether such a slow process was still in place. 

Naqvi responded that the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) facility had been established in 2004 to cater to only 30 regional passport offices within Pakistan and ten Pakistan missions abroad. He said over time, the passport offices increased to 223 while Pakistan’s missions abroad surged to 93. However, he said the passport production facility was never expanded nor equipped with the technology or equipment to make the printing process “faster and better.” 

“Presently, the department is facing a very high trend of daily passport applications around 45,000 to 50,000 thousand from field formations, whereas, the production facility can merely cater for 20,000 to 22,000 passports per day,” Naqvi said. “Resultantly, the routine backlog is being accumulated.” 

He said the government has made the passport production facility operational 24 hours during all seven days of the week in three shifts to cater to applicants on a war footing basis. 

When asked whether the government was charging people exorbitant fees to issue passports on an urgent basis, the minister responded by saying that it is up to the applicants to choose and apply for passports according to their urgency under the prescribed categories of “normal,” “urgent” and “fast track.”

The development takes place weeks after local media reports published stories of citizens facing trouble procuring passports, some of which had been delayed for up to two months.

Among those who suffered delays in receiving passports were patients needing urgent medical treatment abroad, students seeking admission to foreign universities and individuals pursuing work visas, Pakistani English-language daily Dawn reported in September. 

Topics: Pakistan Pakistani passport

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