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Pakistan’s anti-terror body warns of militant threat to opposition protest in Islamabad

Pakistan’s anti-terror body warns of militant threat to opposition protest in Islamabad
Police officers stand guard on an entry point to motorway leading to Islamabad, which has been closed by authorities due to a planned rally by supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Lahore, Pakistan, on November 23, 2024. (AP)
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Updated 23 November 2024
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Pakistan’s anti-terror body warns of militant threat to opposition protest in Islamabad

Pakistan’s anti-terror body warns of militant threat to opposition protest in Islamabad
  • NACTA alert says Taliban militants have entered Pakistan, may target Imran Khan’s party rally
  • PTI has urges people to join Sunday’s protest in the capital to secure Khan’s release from prison
Updated 23 November 2024
NAIMAT KHAN
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KARACHI: Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has warned of potential militant attacks targeting former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party’s protest march, according to a classified alert shared with provincial officials earlier this week.
The alert, issued on Thursday but revealed in the media on Saturday, cited intelligence from “multiple sources” indicating that militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had entered Pakistan from Afghanistan and infiltrated major cities.
Referring to the TTP as “Fitna Al Khawarij (FAK),” the alert warned that its fighters could target participants of the PTI protest.
“Sources have confirmed that FAK elements are planning to conduct such activities in public/political gatherings; most likely upcoming PTI protest/march as opportunity to exploit for their vested interest,” the alert, in possession of Arab News, said.
A senior NACTA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed its authenticity.
The PTI has called on its followers to march on Islamabad on Sunday to demand Khan’s release, as he has been imprisoned for over a year.
The march also aims to protest alleged electoral manipulation in February’s general elections and to highlight concerns over judicial independence, which the government has denied.
The Taliban have not officially responded to the alert regarding their potential involvement in attacks. However, the militant group has previously maintained that it has a policy of not targeting ordinary citizens.
The government has already urged the PTI to call off the protest, citing an Islamabad High Court ruling that instructed authorities to engage with the party and ensure no disruptions in the capital ahead of a major foreign delegation visit next week.
According to Pakistan’s foreign office, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko will arrive in Islamabad on a three-day visit starting Monday to discuss economic collaboration between the two countries.

Topics: PTI protest PTI protests Pakistan terrorism militancy in Pakistan

1,000 Pakistan protesters arrested in pro-Khan capital march

1,000 Pakistan protesters arrested in pro-Khan capital march
Updated 20 sec ago
AFP
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1,000 Pakistan protesters arrested in pro-Khan capital march

1,000 Pakistan protesters arrested in pro-Khan capital march
  • More than 10,000 protesters surged into Islamabad on weekend, defying a ban on public gatherings
  • Government has called the protests “extremism,” vowing no mercy for the oncoming marchers
Updated 20 sec ago
AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan police said Wednesday they had arrested nearly 1,000 protesters who marched on the capital demanding the release of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan, after crowds were evicted from the city center in a sweeping security crackdown.

Khan has been jailed since August 2023, sidelined by dozens of legal cases he claims were confected to prevent his comeback in elections this year marred by rigging allegations.

Since the February vote, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has defied a government crackdown with regular rallies, but Tuesday’s gathering was by far the largest to grip the capital since the poll.

More than 10,000 protesters surged into the city on the weekend, defying a ban on public gatherings and a lockdown to skirmish with 20,000 security forces enlisted to turn them back.

The government said at least one police officer was slain in unrest on Monday, while four state paramilitary personnel were also reported killed when protesters ran them over in a vehicle on Tuesday.

The crowds aimed to occupy a public square outside parliament and the prime minister’s house.

Overnight, security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters wielding sticks and slingshots, as roadblocks were set ablaze.

By early Wednesday, AFP staff saw the main thoroughfare toward Islamabad’s government enclave cleared of crowds, and security forces in riot gear being bussed away from the area.

Islamabad Police Inspector General Ali Nasir Rizvi said 954 protesters had been arrested between Sunday and Tuesday, when the crowds came within one mile (1.6 kilometers) of the government enclave.

“610 of those arrests were made only on Tuesday alone,” he said.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement that security forces had “bravely repulsed the protesters.”

Khan had issued a call from his cell outside Islamabad on Tuesday evening, telling more people to join the crowds.

“All Pakistanis participating in the protest must remain peaceful, stay united, and stand firm until our demands are met,” he said in a social media statement released by his party, who often meet him in jail.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the protests “extremism.” Since Sunday, his ministers held regular press conferences in central Islamabad vowing no mercy for the oncoming marchers.

But as they retreated from the capital, there were growing calls for reconciliation to prevent future flare-ups impacting regular citizens in the country of 240 million.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said in a statement that Khan and Sharif’s parties should “immediately enter a purposeful political dialogue.”

“It is high time that they agree on a peaceful way forward instead of whipping up the emotions of their respective political workers and bringing the country to a standstill,” the organization said.

Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute director at The Wilson Center, said on social media platform X that “Pakistan’s protests had no winners.”

Anger toward the establishment has increased over the crackdown, he said, while at the same time, PTI was forced to retreat.

“Pakistan on the whole is burdened by a worsening confrontation,” he said.

Khan, a charismatic 72-year-old former cricket star, served as premier from 2018 to 2022 and is the lodestar of PTI.

But in his absence, the protests were led partially by his wife, Bushra Bibi, who was also jailed this year but released last month.

Sharif’s government has come under increasing criticism for deploying heavy-handed measures to quash PTI rallies.

Mobile Internet was cut across Islamabad, schools shut on Monday remained closed on Wednesday, and roadblocks prevented thousands of workers from reaching their jobs.

Amnesty International said that “as protesters enter the capital, law enforcement officials have used unlawful and excessive force.”

Khan was ousted by a no-confidence vote after falling out with the kingmaking military establishment, which analysts say engineers the rise and fall of Pakistan’s politicians.

But as opposition leader, he led an unprecedented campaign of defiance, with street protests boiling over into unrest that the government cited as the reason for its crackdown.

PTI won more seats than any other party in this year’s election, but a coalition of parties considered more pliable to military influence shut them out of power.

Topics: Pakistan Islamabad Protest PTI Imran Khan

Pakistan says Afghans can’t live in capital without government certificate after Dec. 31

Pakistan says Afghans can’t live in capital without government certificate after Dec. 31
Updated 8 min 36 sec ago
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Pakistan says Afghans can’t live in capital without government certificate after Dec. 31

Pakistan says Afghans can’t live in capital without government certificate after Dec. 31
  • Interior minister says Afghans who want to reside in capital after Dec. 31 need no-objection certificate from deputy commissioner
  • Nearly 800,000 Afghan nationals that Islamabad says were residing in the country ‘illegally’ expelled since November last year
Updated 8 min 36 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday no Afghan citizens would be allowed to live in Pakistan’s federal capital of Islamabad after Dec. 31 unless they were issued a special certificate by the district administration.

The move is the latest blow to Afghans living in Pakistan, with nearly 800,000 that Islamabad says were residing in the country ‘illegally’ expelled since November last year when the government launched a deportation drive that has drawn widespread criticism from international governments and rights organizations.

Authorities began expelling illegal foreigners from Nov. 1, 2023, following a spike in bombings which the Pakistan government says were carried out by Afghan nationals or by militants who cross over into Pakistan from neighboring Afghanistan. Islamabad has also blamed illegal Afghan immigrants and refugees for involvement in smuggling and other crimes. The Taliban government in Kabul says Pakistan’s security and other challenges are a domestic issue and cannot be blamed on the neighbor. 

Now, Pakistan is also accusing Afghan nationals of taking part in anti-government protests led by the party of jailed former premier Imran Khan. The Islamabad police chief said in a press conference on Wednesday that at least 19 Afghans were among over 900 rioters arrested during the latest protests in Islamabad that ended on Tuesday evening.

“If they [Afghans] want to live here, they need a NOC [no-objection certificate] from the deputy commissioner’s office,” Interior Ministry Mohsin Naqvi told reporters, “but after Dec. 31, no Afghan citizen can live in Islamabad without an NOC.”

Until the government initiated the expulsion drive last year, Pakistan was home to over four million Afghan migrants and refugees out of which around 1.7 million were undocumented. 

Afghans make up the largest portion of migrants, many of whom came after the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021, but a large number have been present since the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Islamabad insists the deportation drive is not aimed at any particular nationality but all ‘illegal aliens’ but the drive has disproportionately hit Afghans. 

Topics: Pakistan Afghan Nationals Islamabad Arab News Pakistan

Karachi business leaders plan new airline amid rise of private operations in Pakistan 

Karachi business leaders plan new airline amid rise of private operations in Pakistan 
Updated 47 min 56 sec ago
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Karachi business leaders plan new airline amid rise of private operations in Pakistan 

Karachi business leaders plan new airline amid rise of private operations in Pakistan 
  • Air Karachi, inspired by Sialkot’s Air Sial, aims to raise Rs5 billion from 100 shareholders
  • The move follows PIA’s financial struggles amid government’s privatization efforts
Updated 47 min 56 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

ISLAMABAD: Business leaders in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi will soon launch a new airline inspired by the success of Air Sial, which was established by their counterparts in Sialkot, a Pakistani city renowned for its cottage industries, according to a former leader of the Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan on Wednesday.
The development comes as Pakistan witnesses the rise of private airlines amid the financial and administrative troubles faced by its national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which the government is working to privatize.
Hanif Gohar, who until recently was the association’s chairman, said the idea resonated with Karachi’s business community when he shared it following the launch of Air Sial.
“When I discussed the idea of an airline with Air Vice Marshal Imran Qadir, the recently retired Southern Commander of the Pakistan Air Force, he offered his expertise,” he told Arab News. “Subsequently, I presented it to the business community, which also supported it.”
Air Sial was launched with contributions of Rs10 million ($35,900) each from 300 businessmen, raising a total of Rs3 billion ($10.8 million) before its inauguration and the launch of its first domestic flight in December 2020. The airline began international operations in March 2023 with a flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The proposed carrier, Air Karachi, plans to pool Rs50 million ($179,502) from each of its 100 shareholders, totaling Rs5 billion ($18 million).
“The response was so enthusiastic that some business families proposed multiple shareholders,” Gohar said.
He added that the process of launching the airline has already begun.
“We have registered Air Karachi with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and completed other formalities,” he said. “Once the government issues the license, which is expected soon, we will acquire three aircraft to launch domestic flights.”
Gohar further said that after the mandatory one year of domestic operations, the airline will expand its fleet to seven and begin international flights to the Middle East.a
He informed that Air Vice Marshal Qadir had been appointed the chief operating officer of Air Karachi, while a team of retired Air Force officials with extensive aviation experience has been assembled to support the initiative.
Notable shareholders in the venture include Pakistani business tycoons Aqeel Karim Dhedhi, Arif Habib, S.M. Tanveer, Bashir Jan Muhammad, Khalid Tawab, Zubair Tufail and Hamza Tabani.
The idea of a Karachi-based airline gained attention earlier this month after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif advised his daughter and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to acquire PIA and rename it Air Punjab.
Following offers from the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments to purchase PIA, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori revealed that Karachi’s traders were also interested in acquiring the national airline.
“Karachi’s businesspersons are constantly contacting me to talk about the airline’s matters,” Tessori wrote on the social media platform X on Monday. “Karachi’s businesspersons want the PIA to be given to them for a year, and they are also interested in starting a new airline.”

Topics: Pakistan Pakistan airlines Air Sial PIA

Pakistan, China ink MoUs worth $250 million in animal fodder, fruits and vegetables processing 

Pakistan, China ink MoUs worth $250 million in animal fodder, fruits and vegetables processing 
Updated 27 November 2024
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Pakistan, China ink MoUs worth $250 million in animal fodder, fruits and vegetables processing 

Pakistan, China ink MoUs worth $250 million in animal fodder, fruits and vegetables processing 
  • MoUs signed at Pakistan-China B2B Conference held in Beijing with participation of over 200 representative from both nations
  • This is third B2B meeting this year, one held in Qingdao with focus on fishery companies, second in Guangzhou for footwear
Updated 27 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan have signed 13 memorandums of understanding worth $250 with China to export fruits and vegetables, seafood and animal feed and establish joint ventures in Pakistan, state media reported on Wednesday. 

The agreements were signed at the Pakistan-China B2B Conference held in Beijing with the participation of over 200 representatives from business groups in both nations. Pakistani officials used the forum to provide insights into the investment potential of the animal feed and fruit and vegetable processing industries. Several incentives for foreign investors were highlighted, including 100 percent foreign ownership, unrestricted profit and dividend repatriation, and zero import tariffs on factory equipment and machinery.

This is the third sector-wise Pakistan-China B2B meeting this year, with the first held in Qingdao with a focus on fishery companies, the second in Guangzhou for footwear, and the fourth slated to take place in Suzhou in December.

“Pakistan and China have signed thirteen MoUs on fostering joint ventures in animal fodder, fruits and vegetables processing sectors,” Radio Pakistan said. “The MoUs valued at 250 million US dollars were signed between Pakistani and Chinese companies in Beijing.”

Ghulam Qadir, Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of Pakistan, told APP state news agency Pakistan’s competitive advantages in tariffs, labor costs, and raw materials could increase profit margins for businesses by up to 4.6 percent in fruit and vegetable processing. In the animal feed sector, particularly in the production of additives and supplements, profit margins could rise by as much as 3.6 percent.

“The Pakistani government is committed to creating a more business-friendly environment and has already addressed issues such as remittance challenges faced by Chinese companies,” Qadir said. 

Mian Saeed Ahmed Fareed from Legend International Pvt. Ltd., a Karachi-based seafood exporter to China, said he had signed an agreement with an importer in Tianjin to export aquatic products to China.

“After COVID-19, our volume of export to China has been going up to about 700-800 metric tons of seafood annually including cuttlefish, squid, ribbon fish, croaker, etc. In recent several years, the demand for seafood in this vast market has increasingly diversified, ” he said.

A representative from a fodder company based in Weifang, an agricultural hub of China, appreciated the potential in bilateral markets, technology transfer, and raw material trade.

“The low labor and machinery cost in Pakistan provides us with opportunities for cooperation,” he told APP.

Tang Yaping, Director of the Tea Industry International Department, said she would lead a delegation of Chinese tea companies to visit Pakistan for the establishment of joint processing plants and warehouses.

Zhu Qianqiu, President of the Cross-Border Trade Development Committee in China, said the body was pushing for the establishment of a zero-tariff zone in Pakistan for trade in bilateral commodities.
 

Topics: Pakistan China Ties

Ceasefire fails in Pakistan’s northwest as sectarian clashes in Kurram kill 63

Ceasefire fails in Pakistan’s northwest as sectarian clashes in Kurram kill 63
Updated 27 November 2024
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Ceasefire fails in Pakistan’s northwest as sectarian clashes in Kurram kill 63

Ceasefire fails in Pakistan’s northwest as sectarian clashes in Kurram kill 63
  • The tribal district bordering Afghanistan has a long history of tribal and sectarian conflicts
  • KP administration said it brokered a ceasefire after clashes followed the death of 41 people
Updated 27 November 2024
WASIM SAJJAD

PESHAWAR: At least 63 people have been killed and over 150 injured in the past three days in the northwestern Pakistani district of Kurram, as the seven-day ceasefire announced by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government failed to hold, and clashes between warring tribes continued.

Kurram, a former semi-autonomous tribal area bordering Afghanistan, has a long history of violent conflicts that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years. A major conflict in the district, triggered in 2007, lasted for years before being resolved by a jirga, or a council of tribal elders, in 2011.

The recent violence in the restive district erupted earlier this month when gunmen attacked a convoy carrying members of the minority Shiite community in the Uchat area of Lower Kurram, killing 41 people.

According to medical officials in the region, 63 bodies have been brought to two different medical facilities since the KP authorities said they had brokered the seven-day ceasefire.

“A total of 47 dead bodies and 132 injured people were brought to the hospital in the past three days,” a medical officer at the District Headquarters Hospital, who requested anonymity since he is not authorized to speak to the media, told Arab News on Wednesday.

Aziz-ur-Rehman, another doctor at BHU Mandori, also shared casualty figures over the phone.

“Sixteen dead bodies and 44 wounded individuals were brought to BHU Mandori during the recent clashes,” he said.

The KP administration announced the ceasefire on November 24, but Kurram continued to witness sporadic clashes.

According to Irfan Khan, a resident of the area, the situation remains “tense” in the district.

“The attacks intensify at night and relax during the day,” he told Arab News. “There is fear and tension all around as anything can happen at any time.”

Topics: kurram sectarian clashes Pakistan Arab News Pakistan

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