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Pakistan PM arrives in Riyadh to attend Arab-Islamic summit on Gaza, Middle East situation

Pakistan PM arrives in Riyadh to attend Arab-Islamic summit on Gaza, Middle East situation
PM Shehbaz Sharif is being received by Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz at Riyadh International Airport in Riyadh on November 10, 2024. (PMO)
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Updated 10 November 2024
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Pakistan PM arrives in Riyadh to attend Arab-Islamic summit on Gaza, Middle East situation

Pakistan PM arrives in Riyadh to attend Arab-Islamic summit on Gaza, Middle East situation
  • Saudi Arabia is hosting the extraordinary summit to discuss Israeli military actions in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East
  • Muslim countries have called on Israel to stop its military campaigns that have raised fears of a wider conflict in the region
Updated 10 November 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday arrived in the Saudi capital of Riyadh to attend an Arab-Islamic summit on the situation in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East, Sharif’s office said on Sunday, amid ongoing Israeli military campaigns in the region.
Saudi Arabia will host the extraordinary Arab–Islamic summit between the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday to address Israel’s bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza and Lebanon.
Upon arrival at the airport, Prince Mohammed bin Abdurrahman bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of the Riyadh region, and Pakistani diplomatic officials in Saudi Arabia received the prime minister, according to Sharif’s office.
“Landed in Riyadh where I will join the leaders of the Muslim Ummah at the Joint Arab Islamic Summit being convened to discuss the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza and speak with one voice for the rights of the Palestinian people and reaffirm our collective call for regional peace,” Sharif said on X.
Sharif’s office earlier said the prime minister was also expected to meet with world leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
Since Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed over 43,000 people and injured thousands more. Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Iran and Syria have also heightened fears of a wider war in the Middle East.
Muslim countries have called on Israel to announce an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.
Monday’s summit in Riyadh will be a follow-up to the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit held in November 2023 in Riyadh, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry. PM Sharif will reiterate Pakistan’s full support to the Palestinian cause in his address with the gathering.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, attended a meeting of the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Riyadh, wherein he called on the world to hold Israel accountable for its “war crimes” in Gaza.
“[Dar] expressed alarm at Israeli adventurism in the Middle East that is endangering peace and security in the region,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement. “[He] called on the international community to bring an end to Gaza genocide.”
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”
The South Asian country has also dispatched more than 1,300 tons of relief goods for Gaza and Lebanon, besides establishing the ‘Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon’ that aims to collect public donations for the war-affected people.

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Arabia ties Pakistan Saudi Ties OIC

Pakistan’s telecom regulator partners with DeafTawk to help deaf individuals

Pakistan’s telecom regulator partners with DeafTawk to help deaf individuals
Updated 23 sec ago
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Pakistan’s telecom regulator partners with DeafTawk to help deaf individuals

Pakistan’s telecom regulator partners with DeafTawk to help deaf individuals
  • The initiative will help promote an inclusive society in Pakistan, home to over 10 million deaf people
  • DeafTawk, a social enterprise founded in 2018, has app linking deaf users with qualified interpreters
Updated 23 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with DeafTawk, a social enterprise focused on accessibility for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, the state-owned media reported on Thursday.

DeafTawk, founded in Pakistan, operates a globally available mobile application offering real-time sign-language solutions. The app connects deaf users with qualified interpreters to facilitate communication in various scenarios, such as medical consultations, education, transportation, and family interactions.

Users can download the app, subscribe, and access round-the-clock services, with group calls also supported. The service is currently available in Pakistan, Denmark, Singapore, and Puerto Rico.

“Through this partnership, DeafTawk will provide ‘DeafTawk Plus,’ enabling online sign language interpretation for deaf visitors at PTA offices,” Radio Pakistan said. “PTA will also integrate AI-powered text-to-sign and speech-to-sign tools into its digital platforms, with annual accessibility audits to ensure continuous improvement.”

“This groundbreaking initiative addresses communication challenges faced by over ten million deaf individuals in Pakistan, promoting an equitable and inclusive society,” it added.

DeafTawk was launched in 2018 by Wamiq Hassan, Pakistan’s first deaf software engineer and one of the app’s developers, who told Arab News in a 2022 interview he wanted to uplift the deaf community and make this world inclusive for all with the help of mobile technology.

Reflecting on his experience, Hassan emphasized the critical need for such solutions in a country where communication barriers for the hearing impaired remain prevalent.

“From my personal experience I know that deaf people face extreme communication barriers in Pakistan and there must be a solution to it,” he said. “So, we are trying to bridge this gap through this app.”

Topics: DeafTawk Pakistan PTA

Afghan refugees suffer ‘like prisoners’ in Pakistan crackdown

Afghan refugees suffer ‘like prisoners’ in Pakistan crackdown
Updated 02 January 2025
AFP
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Afghan refugees suffer ‘like prisoners’ in Pakistan crackdown

Afghan refugees suffer ‘like prisoners’ in Pakistan crackdown
  • Millions of Afghans have traveled to Pakistan over the four decades, fleeing successive conflicts
  • Pakistani officials have blamed these refugees for launching militant attacks, stoking political unrest
Updated 02 January 2025
AFP

ISLAMABAD: The space in which refugee Shaharzad has to live has shrunk to the small courtyard of a guesthouse in Pakistan’s capital, reminiscent of her life under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.

She fears being swept up in a wave of anti-Afghan sentiment, including reports of harassment, extortion and arrests by Pakistan authorities who have cracked down on mainly undocumented families living there.

“For Afghans, the situation here is terrible and the behaviour of the Pakistani police is like that of the Taliban,” said Shaharzad, who lives in constant fear of being deported with her children.

Police personnel check the documents of a detained Afghan refugee (R) during a late night search operation to identify allegedly illegal immigrants, in the outskirts of Karachi on November 11, 2023. (AFP/File)

Her son was recently detained while walking in a park, when “the police asked him for money instead of documents,” she said.

The government cited spiking militant attacks claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, for a campaign last summer that evicted some 750,000 Afghans, mostly undocumented.

In recent months, however, Islamabad and the police have also started alleging Afghan involvement in opposition unrest over the imprisonment of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Afghans who are waiting to be relocated to Western nations say they are being caught up in the political tensions.

“After coming here, we feel like we are out of the frying pan and into the fire,” said Afghan Mustafa, who is waiting with his family for visas to the United States.

Police personnel check documents of Afghan refugees during a search operation to identify alleged illegal immigrants, on the outskirts of Karachi on November 17, 2023. (AFP/File)

The 31-year-old said his family cannot go out freely to buy groceries and medicine for fear of arrest.

“If they know you are an Afghan, whether you have the visa or not, they will arrest you or will extort you,” he said.

More than three years after the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul, the United States and European countries have yet to reopen their embassies there, forcing Afghans to complete their applications from within Pakistan.

Shaharzad was told to travel to Pakistan by a European nation that said it would process her onward visa from the capital Islamabad.

Afghan refugees wave flags of Afghanistan and Pakistan (R) as they travel with their belongings on a truck towards the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border on November 3, 2023, following Pakistan's government decision to expel people illegally staying in the country. For Afghans in limbo as they wait to be relocated, life has become similar to what they left behind in Afghanistan. (AFP/File)

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry called on Western nations in July to expedite the relocation of more than 44,000 Afghans living in Pakistan and awaiting relocation to the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany and Britain.

Millions of Afghans have traveled to Pakistan over the past four decades, fleeing successive conflicts including the Soviet invasion, a civil war and the post-9/11 US-led occupation.

Some 600,000 Afghans have fled to Pakistan since the Taliban government took over again in August 2021 and implemented their austere version of Islamic law.

According to UNHCR, Pakistan currently hosts some 1.5 million Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers, alongside more than 1.5 million Afghans of different legal statuses.

A campaign to deport undocumented Afghans was launched as political ties between the neighboring governments frayed and Pakistan’s economic and security woes worsened.

A wave of political protests in the capital in support of jailed former premier Khan last month saw a new spike of about 30 arrests of Afghans, according to officials.

Khan’s heartland is in the ethnic Pashtun belt of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which shares close cultural and linguistic ties with Afghan Pashtuns.

Muhammad Khan, an Afghan community leader in Islamabad, said the protests were used as a cover to intimidate Afghans.

Clashing with the official account, he claimed close to 200 Afghans were arrested over several days, including during raids on guesthouses.

“Afghan refugees are the sacrificial lambs for Pakistan’s domestic problems and the tensions between the governments in Islamabad and Kabul,” Khan said, denying the involvement of Afghans in Pakistani political activities.

Pakistan’s interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Imaan Mazari, a human rights lawyer who defends arrested Afghans in Islamabad courts, said the protests have led to a spike in “racial profiling (of Afghans) in Islamabad and Rawalpindi,” just south of the capital.

The police have been given “a completely free license to pick up whoever they want, extort them (and) exploit them.”

The provincial Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who led the recent protests, said hostility toward Afghans has spread to Pakistani Pashtuns.

In a letter to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, he accused the police of the “arbitrary rounding up” of “Pashtun laborers in Islamabad” and warned that “such actions risk fostering a sense of alienation and exclusion among communities.”

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it was “deeply concerned by the alleged ethnic profiling of ordinary Pashtun citizens” and called on Islamabad police to refrain from actions “that create divisions among various communities living in the country.”

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad has denied any involvement by Afghans in political activities in Pakistan.

“This policy (of blaming the Afghans) brings no benefit to Pakistan and will only deepen the mistrust between the two neighboring countries,” it said in a statement.

For Afghans in limbo as they wait to be relocated, life has become similar to what they left behind in Afghanistan.

“We have become like prisoners, we go out very rarely and only when we really have to,” Mustafa said.

Topics: Afghan refugees Pakistan

Pakistani religio-political faction ends Karachi sit-in after peace agreement reached in Kurram

Pakistani religio-political faction ends Karachi sit-in after peace agreement reached in Kurram
Updated 49 min 42 sec ago
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Pakistani religio-political faction ends Karachi sit-in after peace agreement reached in Kurram

Pakistani religio-political faction ends Karachi sit-in after peace agreement reached in Kurram
  • Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen had camped at over 10 locations in Karachi since last week to protest Kurram violence
  • The conflict started on November 21 when 52 people were killed in an ambush targeting a local convoy of residents
Updated 49 min 42 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: A Pakistani religio-political party announced on Wednesday an end to its sit-in protests in the southern port city of Karachi after warring tribes in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district signed a peace agreement to end prolonged violence that started in November.

The Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) had been leading demonstrations at over 10 locations in Karachi since last week to protest the violence in Kurram, which has long been plagued by tribal and sectarian clashes.

The unrest escalated after a deadly ambush on a convoy on November 21 killed 52 people, mostly Shias, triggering clashes that have since claimed at least 136 lives in the district, home to a population of around 600,000.

“I announce the conclusion of the sit-ins and protests held in Pakistan and around the world in support of the oppressed people of Kurram district,” Senator Allama Raja Nasir, the leader of MWM, said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “From Karachi to Khyber, the elderly, youth and women who braved harsh cold weather to hold sit-ins in solidarity with their compatriots are remarkable and unparalleled individuals who awakened the government and security institutions from their slumber.”

He described the peace agreement as a positive development, adding that his party would continue to raise its voice and strive for the permanent resolution of Kurram’s issues until the agreement was fully implemented.

The sit-ins in Karachi had disrupted life in the port city, drawing sharp warnings from the Sindh administration that threatened stern action if demonstrators did not move their protests to designated spots.

Tensions boiled over earlier this week when law enforcement officials clashed with protesters in Karachi.

Meanwhile, in Kurram, warring factions signed the peace agreement on Wednesday following weeks of mediation by a grand jirga — a council of tribal and political elders formed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial government.

Under the agreement, both sides pledged to dismantle bunkers, surrender heavy weapons to the government, and refrain from using arms against each other.

“Both sides have agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons,” KP government spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif said in a statement. “We congratulate the people of Kurram on the signing of the peace agreement, which will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in Kurram.”

Saif added the agreement would ensure a return to normalcy in the district.

According to the agreement, violations will trigger government action with the cooperation of a peace committee against the offending area.

Kurram, situated along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, has a history of violent tribal conflicts and militant attacks. A major conflict between Sunni and Shia tribes erupted in 2007 and continued for years before a jirga-mediated truce was reached in 2011.

Topics: karachi protest kurram Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen MWM parachinar

Pakistan vows to work with other states to address global conflicts at the onset of UNSC term

Pakistan vows to work with other states to address global conflicts at the onset of UNSC term
Updated 02 January 2025
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Pakistan vows to work with other states to address global conflicts at the onset of UNSC term

Pakistan vows to work with other states to address global conflicts at the onset of UNSC term
  • Pakistan has replaced Japan on the Asia seat as a non-permanent Security Council member for two years
  • A formal flag-raising ceremony will be held at the UN headquarters today to welcome the new members
Updated 02 January 2025
Fatimah Amjad

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday Pakistan would work closely with United Nations member states as the country started its two-year term on the UN Security Council with a pledge to strive for an end to global conflicts and mitigate the impact of great power rivalries.

This marks the eighth time Pakistan has taken a seat as a non-permanent member of the UNSC since joining the world body in 1947.

The 15-member council includes five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France — and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

Non-permanent members play a crucial role by contributing to discussions on global peace and security, as well as influencing the drafting of resolutions.

“Pakistan has proudly assumed its seat at the United Nations Security Council for the term 2025-26,” Sharif said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“We remain fully committed to the UN Charter and its principles,” he continued. “During its term, Pakistan looks forward to playing a constructive role at the UNSC and working closely with other members of the Security Council to contribute to global peace and security.”

A formal flag-raising ceremony will be held at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday to welcome the incoming members of the Council. Pakistan replaces Japan on the Asian seat, joining Denmark, Greece, Panama and Somalia as new non-permanent members for the 2025-26 term.

Speaking a day earlier, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, highlighted the country’s commitment to addressing global challenges.

“As a responsible state — the fifth largest by population — Pakistan will play an active and constructive role, in accordance with the UN Charter, to halt wars, promote the pacific settlement of disputes and contain the negative impacts of great power rivalries, the arms race, new weapons and domains of conflict as well as the spreading scourge of terrorism,” he said.

The federal cabinet also hailed Pakistan’s assumption of the UNSC seat, calling it a diplomatic success and an opportunity to enhance the country’s contributions to international peace and security.

Pakistan’s term as a non-permanent member comes amid rising geopolitical tensions and ongoing challenges, including regional conflicts and global economic instability.

Sharif’s government has pledged to use its position to advocate for peaceful dispute resolution and the principles of the UN Charter.

Topics: Pakistan UNSC United Nations Security Council

From heartbreak to hope: Polio survivor’s father turns vaccine champion in southwest Pakistan 

From heartbreak to hope: Polio survivor’s father turns vaccine champion in southwest Pakistan 
Updated 51 min 56 sec ago
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From heartbreak to hope: Polio survivor’s father turns vaccine champion in southwest Pakistan 

From heartbreak to hope: Polio survivor’s father turns vaccine champion in southwest Pakistan 
  • Hajji Abdullah Khan started advocating polio vaccination after his son’s diagnosis in 2019
  • The 74-year-old worries about his son’s future, as he struggles to walk even short distances
Updated 51 min 56 sec ago
SAADULLAH AKHTER

PISHIN, Balochistan: On a crisp December morning, Hajji Abdullah Khan walks through the crumbling streets of Killi Taratt, a small village in Pakistan’s polio-endemic Balochistan province, accompanied by his five-year-old son, Muhammad Hamza, who struggles to walk without support. Their journey is more than just a stroll— it’s a mission to meet villagers ahead of a province-wide anti-polio vaccination campaign.

Polio, which causes crippling paralysis and has no cure, remains a persistent threat to young children. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, despite Islamabad’s decades-long eradication efforts that began in 1994.

Hamza, the twin brother of a sister, was diagnosed with Type 1 wild poliovirus in July 2019 after suffering a high fever that prompted his father to take him to a hospital in Quetta. There, doctors confirmed that the boy had contracted the disease.

Since then, 74-year-old Khan has become a vocal advocate for anti-polio campaigns, working to convince hesitant families in his village, located 10 kilometers from Balochistan’s high-risk Pishin district. His efforts are all the more remarkable given his financial constraints, with his family solely dependent on the earnings of four of his children who work as daily wage laborers.

“There are nine children in my home and Hamza is the favorite one of his mother,” Khan told Arab News. “My wife used to hide him from polio teams because of fear that he might catch an evil eye. Since my son was declared a polio-affected child, I have started my struggle of advocating polio vaccine to convince the resisting parents by sharing my tale of suffering with them. Thus, the resistance against polio vaccine has declined in my village and Pishin district.”

Haji Abdullah Khan poses with his polio-affected son Muhammad Hamza in Pakistan's southwestern Pishin district on December 27, 2024. (AN photo)

Pakistan has reported 67 new polio cases this year amid attacks on polio workers and the security personnel guarding anti-polio vaccination teams in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces, which border Afghanistan. According to the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) for Polio Eradication, Balochistan reported the highest number of cases this year, with 27 infections recorded across 13 districts.

Last month, the Balochistan government postponed an anti-polio drive for two weeks due to security threats and logistical challenges arising from a boycott by provincial health staff.

Khan shared that poliovirus had affected Hamza’s left leg and arm, which at times stop functioning completely.

“While he can walk with support, nonetheless, sometimes his leg and arms stop working and he falls on the ground,” he said.

Haji Abdullah Khan (second right) talks with a local in Pakistan's southwestern Pishin district on December 27, 2024. (AN photo)

Despite nationwide vaccination drives and endorsements from prominent religious scholars and political figures, many parents in Pakistan remain skeptical of the polio vaccine. Public health studies attribute this hesitancy to factors such as lack of awareness, poverty and rural residency.

Dr. Najeebullah Khan, an official at the Balochistan Emergency Operation Center, said most cases in Balochistan in 2024 involved children whose parents had hidden them during vaccination campaigns.

“We need parents like Hajji Abdullah Khan who have been helping us in saving other children from lifetime disability,” he told Arab News, calling Khan an “ambassador for anti-polio vaccination.”

A sub-national polio vaccination campaign was launched in all 36 districts of the province on December 30 and will continue until January 5.

Dr. Najeebullah expressed optimism about a decline in polio cases in 2025, saying, “We have removed flaws from Union Council to provincial level and reset our strategy for the ... provincial anti-polio drive.”

Khan expressed concern about the future of his son, who barely manages to walk to a nearby seminary for religious education.

“I am worried about my son’s future because when me and my wife will die, my son will keep falling in the streets,” Khan said.

“Who will feed and clean him? No one,” he lamented, urging parents to vaccinate their children at all costs.

Haji Abdullah Khan (second from right) chats locals in Pakistan's southwestern Pishin district on December 27, 2024. (AN photo)

 

Topics: Polio Balochistan

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