You are here

  • Home
  • New 10-day truce after over 110 killed in Pakistan sectarian feuding — officials

New 10-day truce after over 110 killed in Pakistan sectarian feuding — officials

New 10-day truce after over 110 killed in Pakistan sectarian feuding — officials
Relatives transport a dead body of a victim who was killed in sectarian attacks in Kurram district at a Shitte Muslim mosque in Parachinar, the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on November 22, 2024. (AFP/File)
Short Url

https://arab.news/2har5

Updated 9 min 4 sec ago
AFP
Follow

New 10-day truce after over 110 killed in Pakistan sectarian feuding — officials

New 10-day truce after over 110 killed in Pakistan sectarian feuding — officials
  • Troops will be deployed at key locations in Kurram to enforce the ceasefire, compensation will be provided to victims’ families
  • The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 79 people had been killed between July and October in sectarian clashes
Updated 9 min 4 sec ago
AFP
Follow

PESHAWAR: Feuding communities in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday agreed to a new 10-day ceasefire, as the death toll from a week-long spate of sectarian violence rose to 111, officials said.
“A ten-day ceasefire between the warring parties in Kurram has come into effect as of today,” the office of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the district is located, said in a statement.
The statement caps a day of continuing hostilities, with provincial officials saying that the death toll from the latest spate of violence had climbed to 111, including 79 Shias and 32 Sunnis. Another 88 people were injured.
Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, but Kurram district — in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the border with Afghanistan — has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades.
The provincial minister’s office added that troops will be deployed at key locations in Kurram to enforce the ceasefire and compensation will be provided to the victims’ families.
“Negotiations will continue to ensure lasting peace,” the statement said.
The latest violence began last Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims traveling under police escort were ambushed, and at least 43 people were killed.
Provincial officials brokered a seven-day truce this weekend but it did not hold.
Police have regularly struggled to control violence in Kurram, which was part of the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas until it was merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.
Last month at least 16 people, including three women and two children, were killed in a sectarian clash in Kurram.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 79 people had been killed between July and October in sectarian clashes.

Topics: Pakistan sectarian feuding kurram Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kurram

Pakistan hopes for fair deal from ICC on Champions Trophy impasse with India

Pakistan hopes for fair deal from ICC on Champions Trophy impasse with India
Updated 35 sec ago
AP
Follow

Pakistan hopes for fair deal from ICC on Champions Trophy impasse with India

Pakistan hopes for fair deal from ICC on Champions Trophy impasse with India
  • PCB says it’s unacceptable that Pakistanis play in India while Indians don’t come to Pakistan
  • Pakistan has spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of three stadiums chosen for tournament
Updated 35 sec ago
AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hopes it will get a fair deal on “equality” when the International Cricket Council (ICC) holds a virtual meeting on Friday to finalize details for next year’s Champions Trophy.
There’s an impasse for the eight-team, 50-over format tournament after India declined to tour Pakistan for the event, scheduled to be held from Feb. 19 to March 9.
A decades-long tense political situation between the two South Asian countries hasn’t seen India playing international cricket in Pakistan since 2008 when it competed in Asia Cup.
Both nations have competed in ICC tournaments with Pakistan touring India last year for the 50-overs World Cup.
“I promise we’ll do what is best for Pakistan cricket,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said in Lahore. “We’re still clear in our stance that it’s not acceptable that we play cricket in India, and they don’t play cricket here. Whatever will happen, will happen on the basis of equality. We’ve told the ICC very clearly, and what happens next we’ll let you know.”
The ICC board could decide the issue in a vote among members.
“Whatever we do, we will make sure the best outcome for Pakistan is achieved,” Naqvi said. “But I repeat, and I am sure you know what I mean, it’s not possible that Pakistan play in India, and they don’t come here.”
Earlier this month, the ICC told the PCB that the Board of Control for Cricket in India had informed the game’s governing body it will not tour Pakistan for the event. The PCB sent an email, asking the ICC reasons behind India’s refusal.
Naqvi said he’s been in “constant touch” with the ICC chairman Greg Barckley, but didn’t say whether he got the answers from the game’s governing body as to why India was not willing to tour Pakistan.
Naqvi, who is also the interior minister in the Pakistan government, said that whatever decision the ICC makes on Friday, he will go to his government for the final approval.
Pakistan has spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of three stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi — the three venues chosen for the Champions Trophy. Naqvi said he hoped the renovation of three stadiums will be completed well in time to host the event.

Topics: ICC Cricket Pakistan vs India Champions Trophy 2025

Pakistani stocks breach 100,000 points first time in history, marking historic milestone

Pakistani stocks breach 100,000 points first time in history, marking historic milestone
Updated 22 min 41 sec ago
Follow

Pakistani stocks breach 100,000 points first time in history, marking historic milestone

Pakistani stocks breach 100,000 points first time in history, marking historic milestone
  • Pakistan Stock Exchange has surged 150 percent from 40,000 points in just 17 months
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulates the nation, says investors trust government’s policies
Updated 22 min 41 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) reached an unprecedented milestone on Thursday, with the benchmark KSE-100 index surpassing 100,000 points for the first time in history.
The index stood at 100,334.91 after gaining 1,065.66 points by 10:48 AM, recovering from its biggest-ever decline of 3,506 points, or 3.57 percent, earlier this week.
The market’s rally is attributed to a combination of positive economic developments, including Pakistan’s new $7 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has bolstered investor confidence.
The IMF’s disbursement of the first tranche of approximately $1 billion in September, along with fiscal and monetary reforms, has improved market sentiment.
“A remarkable 150 percent return from 40k to 100k in just 17 months,” Mohammad Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities, exclaimed in a social media post. “New IMF loan coupled with fiscal and monetary discipline [is] improving investor sentiment. Moreover, faster than expected fall in inflation and interest rates [is] adding cash liquidity to the stock market.”
The PSX’s historic rise coincides with a steady decline in inflation and interest rates, which have provided liquidity to the market.
Pakistan’s inflation dropped to 12.5 percent in October, from its peak of over 38 percent earlier this year, creating a more favorable environment for investors.
Additionally, the three-day state visit of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to Pakistan has contributed to optimism. The two nations signed multiple agreements aimed at boosting trade and investment, signaling Pakistan’s efforts to stabilize its economy and attract foreign investment.
The PSX’s growth trajectory reflects its resilience over time.
“From less than 1,000 points in the late 1990s to 100,000 today, market is up 100 times,” Sohail said, adding the milestone was a testament to the ups and downs, bull runs and bear runs, optimism and pessimism the market had endured over the last 25 years.”
He maintained the PSX’s performance underscored the resilience and potential of Pakistan’s financial sector, even amid ongoing economic and political challenges.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation on the PSX crossing 100,000 points for the first time.
“This milestone showcases the trust of the business community and investors in our policies,” he said in a statement. “It is a testament to the hard work of our economic team and officials working to promote investment in the country.”
The premier also reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring economic stability and national progress.
 

Topics: Pakistan Pakistan Stock Exchange PSX Pakistan economy Arab News Pakistan

Pakistani journalist critical of government, military ‘picked up’ in Islamabad — family

Pakistani journalist critical of government, military ‘picked up’ in Islamabad — family
Updated 16 min 30 sec ago
Follow

Pakistani journalist critical of government, military ‘picked up’ in Islamabad — family

Pakistani journalist critical of government, military ‘picked up’ in Islamabad — family
  • Matiullah Jan’s son says he was taken by unknown people from outside Islamabad’s PIMS hospital 
  • Jan has been covering opposition protests, had criticized authorities’ version of the killing of troops 
Updated 16 min 30 sec ago
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani journalist critical of authorities’ handling of recent anti-government protests was ‘picked up’ from outside a hospital in the federal capital of Islamabad while reporting on Wednesday, his son said in a video statement on Thursday. 

The disappearance of Matiullah Jan, known for his outspoken reporting and criticism of the all-powerful military, comes after he published reports on his YouTube channel that a paramilitary officer killed during recent opposition protests had been run over by the force’s own vehicle. 

In recent years, journalists in Pakistan have complained of increasing government and military censorship, intimidation and harassment as well as digital abuse. Authorities deny they persecute journalists. This has been an especially dangerous year for the press in Pakistan, with at least six journalists killed in direct or suspected relation to their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said last month.

“Yesterday, my father [Matiullah Jan] was picked up around 11:30 p.m. from in front of PIMS [hospital] along with uncle Saqib Bashir, picked up by unknown people in unmarked cars,” Abdul Razzaq said in a message on X, posted from Jan’s account. 

“They made no introduction that we are from the police, Rangers or we are someone else. They didn’t introduce themselves because it is the democratic republic of Pakistan so what’s the point of informing people who is who?”

Razzaq said the other journalist, Bashir, was allowed to get out of the car after a short distance.

“[They] stopped somewhere and after that, they said to Bashir Uncle, ‘We have no issue with you.’ He was let go. They said, ‘The issue is with Matiullah Jan’.”

Prominent Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir, a friend of Jan’s, said on X the journalist was being detained at the capital’s Margalla Police Station but did not share further details. 

The government and Islamabad police have yet not issued a statement on the issue. 

Jan was picked up once before in June 2020 but released after about 20 hours. The Committee to Protect Journalists said at the time, demanding Jan’s release, that he may have been picked up for sharing anti-state remarks on social media.

Jan has been at the forefront of reporting on protests that began last week by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of jailed former premier Imran Khan. The government says three paramilitary troops and one policeman were killed in violence by protesters, with Jan questioning the circumstances of the deaths in his reporting. 
 

Topics: Pakistan Amnesty matiullah jan Arab News Pakistan

Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi forcibly removed from Islamabad protest, claims her sister

Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi forcibly removed from Islamabad protest, claims her sister
Updated 28 November 2024
Follow

Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi forcibly removed from Islamabad protest, claims her sister

Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi forcibly removed from Islamabad protest, claims her sister
  • Maryam Wattoo says Bibi was taken by KP administration, with her location concealed from family members
  • A senior PTI leader and close aide of ex-PM Khan dismisses Wattoo’s claims, says they should be ignored
Updated 28 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan’s incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was forcibly removed from a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Islamabad and her whereabouts are now unknown, her sister said during an interview with a local media network on Wednesday.

The protest, led by Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, drew tens of thousands to Islamabad’s D-Chowk, located near the country’s parliament building and other government installation, demanding Khan’s release more than a year after his imprisonment.

Police and paramilitary Rangers cracked down on the demonstration on Tuesday night to disperse the crowd, as senior PTI leaders vanished from the venue despite announcing an indefinite sit-in in the capital and telling their party supporters they would not return without the ex-premier.

Initially, it was not clear where Bibi and Gandapur had gone, though media reported on Wednesday morning they had reached Mansehra district in KP and were going to address a news conference.

While Gandapur appeared on the media, calling the sit-in a movement and saying it would continue, Bibi did not give a public appearance.

“For several hours, we had no idea what was happening,” her sister, Maryam Riaz Wattoo, told ARY TV during an interview. “We were only being told that she had gone to KP. But I couldn’t believe that she would leave for KP so easily because I knew she was determined to stay there until it was do or die.”

Wattoo said she tried to contact her sister but no one was willing to put her through. 

“I got to talk to her through my own means very late in the day,” she said. “And I asked her to tell me clearly, ‘Did you leave with your own will?’ She said, ‘No. I never wanted to leave. I was ready to die there.’“

The sister maintained Bibi was taken by the KP administration, with her location concealed even from family members.

She also described the chaotic scenes as Bibi was removed, with gunfire in the background and her vehicle’s tire punctured.

“Bushra didn’t even know about the press conference,” she said, referring to the planned media interaction by Gandapur and her that was reported in the media. “She has been taken to an unknown location.”

Wattoo said that while she did not accuse Gandapur of ill intent, the lack of family communication was deeply concerning.

“I find it strange that even if they are moving her for security reasons, why is her family not informed about it,” she asked.

Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a senior PTI leader and close aide of ex-premier Khan, dismissed Maryam Riaz Wattoo’s claims as “not true,” adding that they should be ignored.

Pakistan’s Geo TV also aired CCTV footage purportedly showing Bibi in Islamabad, where she is seen stepping out of one vehicle and boarding another before leaving the federal capital.

The government has faced criticism for using excessive force while dispersing protesters, but the PTI leaders have also expressed disappointment over how the demonstration unfolded before reaching an abrupt conclusion.

Topics: Bushra Bibi Imran Khan PTI

Oxford vice chancellor bid, popularized in Pakistan by Imran Khan, ends with election of Lord Hague

Oxford vice chancellor bid, popularized in Pakistan by Imran Khan, ends with election of Lord Hague
Updated 28 November 2024
Follow

Oxford vice chancellor bid, popularized in Pakistan by Imran Khan, ends with election of Lord Hague

Oxford vice chancellor bid, popularized in Pakistan by Imran Khan, ends with election of Lord Hague
  • Former British foreign secretary and ex-Conservative party leader William Hague elected chancellor 
  • Pakistan’s Khan, in jail since August 2023, had applied for chancellor election but was not shortlisted 
Updated 28 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Oxford University announced on Wednesday it had elected Lord William Hague, a former Conservative party leader and ex-British foreign secretary as its chancellor, months after rejecting former Pakistan premier Imran Khan’s bid for the post. 

Khan, who ruled Pakistan from 2018-2022, has been in prison since August 2023 on charges he says are politically motivated. His aide Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari said Khan filed his application for the chancellor’s role in September.

Oxford later released a shortlist of 38 candidates for the first round of the voting among its alumni. Khan’s name was not featured in the list. 

“Lord Hague will be formally inaugurated as Chancellor early in the New Year and serve for a term of 10 years,” Oxford University said in a report. “He becomes the 160th recorded Chancellor in the University’s history, a role that dates back at least 800 years.”

Hague was a leader of the Conservative Party from 1997-2001 and later served as Britain’s foreign secretary from 2010-2014. He also served as Secretary of State for Wales, Leader of the House of Commons and Minister for Disabled People, in which role he was the author of the Disability Discrimination Act. 

He spent 26 years as a member of parliament for Richmond, Yorkshire.

Hague graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1982, where he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He was president of the Oxford Union as well. 

“Thank you to my fellow Oxonians for placing such confidence in me,” Hague said. “I regard being elected as the Chancellor of our university as the greatest honor of my life.”

The chancellor is the titular head of Oxford University and presides over several key ceremonies. The chancellor also undertakes advocacy, advisory, and fundraising work, acting as an ambassador for the university at a range of local, national, and international events. 

Hague succeeds Lord Patten of Barnes, who announced his retirement from the post in February.

Topics: Oxford Oxford University Imran Khan Lord Hague

Latest updates

China says top military official Miao Hua suspended, under investigation
China says top military official Miao Hua suspended, under investigation
Bencic and Badosa join strong line-up at 2025 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
Bencic and Badosa join strong line-up at 2025 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
Saudi Arabia boosts R&D spending to $6bn in 2023 amid Vision 2030 push 
Saudi Arabia boosts R&D spending to $6bn in 2023 amid Vision 2030 push 
Aquazzura’s Edgardo Osorio talks Saudi expansion amid ‘cultural revolution’
Aquazzura’s Edgardo Osorio talks Saudi expansion amid ‘cultural revolution’
Olympic rugby stars and fresh faces ready for sevens action in Dubai
Olympic rugby stars and fresh faces ready for sevens action in Dubai

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2024 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.