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UAE awards Golden Visa to Pakistani entrepreneur for contributions to smart automation

UAE awards Golden Visa to Pakistani entrepreneur for contributions to smart automation
The picture shared by Pakistani state media on November 2, 2024, shows Pakistani entrepreneur Muhammad Zeeshan Shahzad (left) being awarded UAE's Golden Visa. (APP)
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Updated 5 min 53 sec ago
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UAE awards Golden Visa to Pakistani entrepreneur for contributions to smart automation

UAE awards Golden Visa to Pakistani entrepreneur for contributions to smart automation
  • Muhammad Zeeshan Shahzad leads UAE’s first locally established smart automation brand, says state media
  • Long-term residence visa enables foreign talents to live, work or study in UAE while enjoying exclusive benefits
Updated 5 min 53 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government this week awarded its Golden Visa to Pakistani entrepreneur Muhammad Zeeshan Shahzad for reshaping the smart automation industry in the Gulf country, state-run media reported. 

Shahzad, originally from Pakistan, has made a name for himself in Dubai by leading the UAE’s first locally established smart automation brand, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. His work is credited with advancing both residential and commercial automation in Dubai and beyond.

The UAE’s Golden Visa is a long-term residence visa that enables foreign talents to live, work or study in the UAE while enjoying exclusive benefits. These benefits could include an entry visa for six months with multiple entries to proceed with residence issuance. a long-term, renewable residence visa valid for 5 or 10 years. 

“The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday awarded its Golden Visa to Muhammad Zeeshan Shahzad, a Pakistani entrepreneur who has reshaped the smart automation industry in the UAE,” APP said. 

“The UAE recognized Muhammad Zeeshan Shahzad, CEO of Smartinn Technology LLC, for his contributions to smart automation.”

Smart automation involves integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), robotic process automation (RPA) and data analytics into automated systems to enhance their efficiency. 

In a statement, Shahzad remarked that receiving the Golden Visa is a validation of his efforts to help Dubai evolve into a “tech-forward city” with a rapidly growing market for smart automation, the APP said. 

“Shahzad’s leadership at Smartinn Technology LLC has positioned the company as a premium name in the global automation industry,” it said. “His work aligns with the UAE government’s goals, especially its focus on sustainability and innovation.”

Topics: Pakistan UAE ties UAE Golden Visa Muhammad Zeeshan Shahzad

Pakistani security forces kill four militants in South Waziristan

Pakistani security forces kill four militants in South Waziristan
Updated 1 min 12 sec ago
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Pakistani security forces kill four militants in South Waziristan

Pakistani security forces kill four militants in South Waziristan
  • Pakistani forces launched an intelligence-based operation after a tip-off on militant presence in the area
  • Military reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating extremist violence from the country following the incident
Updated 1 min 12 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces killed four militants in an early morning operation in South Waziristan on Saturday, according to a statement released by the military, as the country grapples with a resurgence of militancy in its western regions.
Militant violence has intensified in recent months in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and southwestern Balochistan provinces, targeting both security forces and civilians.
While armed factions in Balochistan are largely nationalist separatists, the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has primarily fueled unrest in KP. While their goals differ, Pakistani authorities say these factions have at times collaborated with each other.
“Security Forces conducted an intelligence based operation in general area Sarwakai, South Waziristan District on reported presence of khwarij [militants],” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said.
“During the conduct of operation, khwarij’s location was effectively engaged by own troops, as a result of which, four khwarij were sent to hell,” it added.
A follow-up “sanitization operation” was underway in the area to clear any remaining militants in the restive tribal district, the ISPR informed, emphasizing the military’s resolve to eliminate extremist violence from the country.
Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups, urging the Taliban administration in Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by armed factions to launch cross-border attacks.
Afghan officials, however, have repeatedly denied involvement, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter.

Topics: Pakistan Pakistan security South Waziristan Arab News Pakistan

Pakistan proposes anti-terror law changes, drawing criticism from lawyers, rights activists

Pakistan proposes anti-terror law changes, drawing criticism from lawyers, rights activists
Updated 02 November 2024
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Pakistan proposes anti-terror law changes, drawing criticism from lawyers, rights activists

Pakistan proposes anti-terror law changes, drawing criticism from lawyers, rights activists
  • Draft law seeks to empower state agencies to detain suspects for three months for involvement in militancy
  • Experts say the law can be used against dissidents and activists as it provides blanket detention powers
Updated 02 November 2024
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: The government has proposed amendments to Pakistan’s anti-terrorism law to empower military and civilian armed forces by granting them the authority to detain suspects for up to three months, with lawyers and rights activists on Saturday calling the changes a violation of basic constitutional and human rights.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi introduced the bill in the National Assembly a day earlier, saying it would bolster national security and prevent potential militant attacks. The draft law requires separate approval by both houses of parliament with a simple majority to become law.
The Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 was last amended in 2014, allowing the government and authorized civilian armed forces to conduct preventive detention of individuals suspected of involvement in militant activities.
The provision gave the law enforcement agencies the power to deal with security threats by detaining suspects for up to three months, enabling thorough investigations to prevent potential terrorist acts. However, the amendment included a sunset clause, limiting its validity to two years, which expired in 2016.
“The current security situation requires a robust response that goes beyond the existing legal framework,” the draft law said, adding that erstwhile amendments of the anti-terrorism act were required to be “reinserted to empower the government, armed forces, and civil armed forces with the necessary authority to detain individuals who pose a significant threat to national security.”
“This provision would allow for the preventive detention of suspects based on credible information or reasonable suspicion, thereby disrupting terrorist plots before they can be executed,” the bill added.
The draft law said it would provide law enforcement agencies with the legal backing to conduct “more effective operations against terrorism.”
“It would facilitate the use of Joint Interrogation Teams (JITS), composed of members from various law enforcement and intelligence agencies to conduct comprehensive inquiries and gather actionable intelligence,” the draft law said.
Legal experts and human rights activists said the proposed law would likely be used against human rights activists and dissidents, as it grants blanket powers to the armed forces and intelligence agencies.
“If this bill is passed, then it will be obviously in clear violation of the basic human rights provided in the constitution,” Barrister Ahmad Pansota told Arab News. “The security forces cannot keep any suspect in an inordinate detention just on the pretext of the national security.”
Pansota noted that the Pakistani constitution offers protection against prolonged detention by law enforcement agencies.
“This law could be struck down by the courts if challenged,” he said.
Ammar Ali Jan, a human rights activist, agreed with him, saying the draft law was designed to bypass objections raised about enforced disappearances of activists and dissidents.
“This law is aimed to provide legal cover to all illegal activities of the law enforcement agencies,” he said.
However, former attorney-general of Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf, argued that the country faces a “unique kind of terrorism threat,” with militants targeting civilians, polio workers, and law enforcement agencies, and said the law would help combat militancy.
“It is the right of parliament to legislate on any matter of public importance, including protecting the life and property of citizens,” he told Arab News. “The draft law will be thoroughly debated in parliament before a vote, and parliamentarians will naturally consider all constitutional rights of citizens.”

Topics: National Assembly of Pakistan

Pakistan’s largest independent power producer expands into lithium mining, battery manufacturing

Pakistan’s largest independent power producer expands into lithium mining, battery manufacturing
Updated 02 November 2024
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Pakistan’s largest independent power producer expands into lithium mining, battery manufacturing

Pakistan’s largest independent power producer expands into lithium mining, battery manufacturing
  • Hub Power Company’s subsidiary signed a collaboration agreement with Chinese EV giant BYD this year
  • Its lithium exploration is expected to further boost the manufacturing potential of Pakistan’s auto industry
Updated 02 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s largest independent power producer is set to enter lithium mining, battery manufacturing and electric vehicle (EV) production under Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), according to state media on Saturday.
Established in 1991, Hub Power Company (Hubco) has an installed generation capacity exceeding 3,500 megawatts and plans to diversify in other areas.
The planned initiatives, facilitated by the SIFC, a hybrid civil-military body established last year to assist foreign investors, aim to meet the country’s growing demand for batteries and electric vehicles.
A lithium exploration and battery production project is expected to reach completion in 12 to 18 months, meeting the rising demand for rechargeable batteries used in mobile phones, laptops and automobiles.
“Hub Power Company Limited’s exploration of lithium in Pakistan will further increase the manufacturing potential in the country’s auto industry,” Radio Pakistan reported.
“Work on establishing a manufacturing plant to produce electric vehicles in Pakistan is already underway, which will manufacture fifty thousand electric vehicles annually,” it added.
Earlier this year in June, Hubco’s subsidiary Mega Motor Company signed a collaboration agreement with Chinese EV giant BYD Auto Industry to assemble EVs in Pakistan.
Plans for the EV plant, with a projected annual production of 50,000 vehicles, include 30 to 40 percent allocated for export to markets in Australia and Africa.
HUBCO operates a diverse portfolio of power plants, including oil-fired, coal-based and hydropower facilities, and is also involved in coal mining.
Its new initiatives are expected to strengthen its market position, create employment opportunities and boost domestic capacity for battery production for electronic devices.

Pakistan’s northwestern province offers over Rs10 billion to keep national airline under state control

Pakistan’s northwestern province offers over Rs10 billion to keep national airline under state control
Updated 02 November 2024
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Pakistan’s northwestern province offers over Rs10 billion to keep national airline under state control

Pakistan’s northwestern province offers over Rs10 billion to keep national airline under state control
  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa says PIA is a critical state asset that should remain ‘within the national fold’
  • Offer comes after PIA’s privatization process led to a low bid that fell far short of the minimum price
Updated 02 November 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has formally offered to exceed the highest bid in the sale of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), saying the national flag carrier should remain under government control to preserve its status, according to a letter from provincial authorities to federal officials that emerged on Saturday.
KP made the offer just a day after the government held the privatization process, receiving the sole bid of Rs10 billion ($36 million) from Blue World City, a real estate development firm, which fell far short of the minimum price of Rs85 billion ($305 million).
Critics, including PIA union representatives and independent analysts, called the low bid an “embarrassment” for the government, with airline employees suggesting Pakistani authorities should expand PIA’s fleet to restore its operational viability.
“On behalf of the Chief Minister ... and the people of KP, we would like to express our earnest interest in participating in the bidding process for the sale of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA),” read the letter from the provincial Board of Investment and Trade. “This letter serves as our formal intent to position the Government of KP as a competitive bidder in this strategic acquisition.”
The letter, which was addressed to Pakistan’s Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan on Friday, emphasized PIA’s importance as “a critical asset that symbolizes our national identity and pride,” adding that the province wished to keep it “within the national fold.”
“The Chief Minister [Ali Amin Gandapur] has directed us to actively pursue this acquisition to ensure the airline remains under the control of the Government of Pakistan rather than transferring to any private or foreign-backed entity,” it continued.
“In line with this commitment, we are prepared to offer a bid that will surpass the current highest offer of PKR 10 Billion by Blue World Consortium, ensuring a strong and competitive position within this process,” it added.
Pakistan decided to move ahead with PIA’s privatization under terms agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a 37-month, $7 billion bailout approved in September, aiming to divest over 51 percent of its stake in the financially struggling national carrier.
The KP administration requested a prompt meeting with federal officials to present its detailed proposal and outline its vision for PIA, affirming its readiness to proceed quickly to secure the acquisition.
Despite KP’s proposed plan, provincial ownership of PIA may not align with the privatization’s intended purpose under the IMF agreement, which is to reduce financial burdens associated with state-owned enterprises.

Topics: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PIA privatization

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‘He never found peace’: Former Guantanamo detainee from Pakistan dies after years of suffering

‘He never found peace’: Former Guantanamo detainee from Pakistan dies after years of suffering
Updated 02 November 2024
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‘He never found peace’: Former Guantanamo detainee from Pakistan dies after years of suffering

‘He never found peace’: Former Guantanamo detainee from Pakistan dies after years of suffering
  • Abdul Rahim Ghulam Rabban died after prolonged illness due to a lack of proper medical care
  • Arrested in Karachi in 2002, he spent about two decades at the US prison without ever being charged
Updated 02 November 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: A former Guantanamo Bay prisoner from Karachi, who spent about two decades at the detention center without being charged before his return home in February last year, died in his native city on Friday, his brother and a fellow former detainee confirmed on Saturday.
Abdul Rahim Ghulam Rabbani’s death was attributed by his brother, Muhammad Ahmed Ghulam Rabbani, to inadequate medical care during a prolonged illness, which he said extended their suffering even after their transfer to Pakistan.
According to Reprieve, a global legal action non-profit, the brothers endured 545 days of torture in CIA custody following their arrest in Karachi on September 10, 2002, before being transferred to Guantanamo in 2004.
“We spent over twenty arduous years together in Guantanamo,” said the late former Guantanamo detainee’s brother. “On Friday at 2 AM, he passed away in my arms.”
Guantanamo Bay, a US military detention facility established in Cuba to detain suspects in the “War on Terror” after the September 11, 2001, attacks, became notorious for holding prisoners without trials, drawing widespread condemnation.
International human rights groups criticized the facility for violating detainees’ rights to due process, with allegations of extreme interrogation techniques amounting to torture, including waterboarding and prolonged isolation.
Rabbani recalled that both brothers briefly felt relief when they learned they would be handed over to Pakistani authorities, believing their ordeal would end.
“But our suffering continued,” he said. “Over 19 months, we still lack identity cards. My brother had been ill for a long time, but we couldn’t access proper medical care without an ID.”
He added that his brother fell “seriously ill” more than 20 times, attributing it to injections administered upon their arrival at Guantanamo and the extensive torture they endured.
“He suffered such violence that his hand was broken, his leg was broken and his private parts were damaged, ruining his family life,” Rabbani said. “When he passed away, we even faced difficulties in burying him because an ID card was required.”
Overwhelmed by their circumstances, he questioned why they were returned to Pakistan when their own government was unwilling to issue identity documents.
“My dearest brother has left me behind,” he added. “He did not have peace for even a single day after the arrest. What was our crime? What is our crime?”
In the early 2000s, Pakistan apprehended and transferred hundreds of individuals to US custody, claiming they were linked to Al Qaeda. In his 2006 memoir, In the Line of Fire, then-President Pervez Musharraf said his government had received substantial CIA payments for these handovers.
Subsequent analyzes revealed that many of these detainees, mistakenly identified as militants, were likely innocent.
Lahore-based analyst Majid Nizami called the Rabbani brothers’ arrest “a case of illegal abduction by state agencies of Pakistan,” later justified as “mistaken identity.”
“It’s unclear whether this was intentional by Pakistani agencies or a severe negligence,” he told Arab News. “It has not yet been determined who was responsible, and no one seems interested in addressing the issue.”
According to some estimates, Pakistani authorities handed over nearly 370 people to the US after 9/11. The two brothers were among those transferred to American custody for $5,000 each.

Topics: Guantanamo Bay Pakistani prisoner US war on terror war on terror CIA US military

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