Pakistan, Bangladesh commanders underscore enduring partnership for resilience against ‘external influences’

Pakistan, Bangladesh commanders underscore enduring partnership for resilience against ‘external influences’
Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir (right), meets Lt. Gen. S M Kamr-ul-Hassan, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on January 14, 2025. (ISPR)
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Updated 14 January 2025
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Pakistan, Bangladesh commanders underscore enduring partnership for resilience against ‘external influences’

Pakistan, Bangladesh commanders underscore enduring partnership for resilience against ‘external influences’
  • Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war
  • Ties between both nations have warmed up since PM Hasina’s ouster due to an uprising in Aug.

ISLAMABAD: Top Pakistani and Bangladeshi military commanders have stressed the need for an enduring partnership between the two countries to remain “resilient against external influences,” the Pakistani military said on Tuesday, amid a thaw between the two countries since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war, which saw the part previously referred to as East Pakistan seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh.
In the years since, Bangladeshi leaders, particularly former prime minister Hasina, chose to maintain close ties with India. Ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have warmed up since Hasina’s ouster as a result of a student-led uprising in August, witnessing a marked improvement.
Amid the thaw, Lt. Gen. S M Kamr-ul-Hassan, principal staff officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh, met Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir in Rawalpindi, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“During their meeting, both held extensive discussions on the evolving security dynamics in the region and explored further avenues for enhancing bilateral military cooperation,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“The COAS and the PSO underscored the importance of a stronger defense relationship, emphasizing that the enduring partnership between the two brotherly nations must remain resilient against external influences.”
On the occasion, the Pakistan army chief reiterated the significance of joint efforts to promote peace and stability in South Asia and the broader region, while ensuring that both nations continue to contribute to regional security through “collaborative defense initiatives,” according to the ISPR.
Lt. Gen. Hassan acknowledged the sacrifices made by Pakistani armed forces in their fight against militancy, noting that their efforts serve as a beacon of “courage and determination.”
Earlier in the day, Pakistan and Bangladesh signed a landmark agreement to establish a joint business council, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) said, amid efforts to enhance trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
“The establishment of the Pakistan-Bangladesh Business Council is a milestone for trade relations between the two countries,” FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said after signing the agreement in Dhaka, along with representatives of the Administrative Federation of the Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce.
During the visit, the FPCCI chief led a Pakistani business delegation that held meetings with their counterparts in Bangladesh to discuss ways to enhance trade ties. The Trade Corporation of Pakistan also signed a memorandum of understanding for rice export to Bangladesh on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is also scheduled to visit Dhaka in the beginning of February to further consolidate the relations between the two countries.


At Pakistan Military Academy, Palestinian cadets of today strive to become officers of tomorrow

At Pakistan Military Academy, Palestinian cadets of today strive to become officers of tomorrow
Updated 46 min 42 sec ago
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At Pakistan Military Academy, Palestinian cadets of today strive to become officers of tomorrow

At Pakistan Military Academy, Palestinian cadets of today strive to become officers of tomorrow
  • Arab News gets exclusive access to 49 Palestinian cadets training in military and academic subjects at PMA
  • 2,000 cadets, among them 132 foreigners, daily sweat through drills and exercises at premier Pakistani academy 

KAKUL, Pakistan: On a chilly day earlier this month, hundreds of cadets marched together in formation, fists clenched, eyes looking straight ahead as they performed an early morning drill. 

It was a usual day of training at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in northwestern Pakistan, where approximately 2,000 gentlemen cadets daily sweat through the rudiments of leadership in preparation for commission as officers in the army. Among them are 132 foreign cadets, of whom 49 are Palestinians.

The PMA was created less than two months after Pakistan gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Since then, over 1600 cadets from 31 foreign nations, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Qatar and Bahrain, have trained at the facility. 

One current student is 21 years old Imaduddin, a resident of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, who arrived at the PMA in December 2022, enrolling first in an English language course to hone his communication skills and then getting into the 152 PMA Long Course, known for its tough physical fitness and military training programs. 

“I have seen the tough training of the PMA that makes me proud and makes me confident to be fit enough to transform from a civilian to a military personality,” said Imaduddin, who is studying military and academic subjects as well as taking part in physical fitness and other training drills. 

The picture taken on January 21, 2025, shows the entrance of Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in northwestern Pakistan. (AN photo)

According to the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), cadets at PMA are given academic training focused on military strategy, leadership principles, and modern warfare techniques, along with rigorous physical training to ensure peak fitness and endurance. They are also trained in drill for discipline and precision, and in weapon handling to operate various arms proficiently.

“The most important [characteristic] I have learned here is discipline,” Imaduddin said. 

Palestinian cadets receive a briefing at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in northwestern Pakistan on January 22, 2025. (AN photo)

Another Palestinian cadet, Muhammad Eid, 21, said the training he received from Pakistani instructors at the PMA was “transformative,” enabling him to enhance his physical fitness and discipline.

“After passing out, we will share our experience and knowledge with Palestinian troops back home,” Eid told Arab News. 

Muhammad Eid attend a military briefing at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in northwestern Pakistan on January 22, 2025. (AN photo)

The 15-month Gaza war which began in October 2023 until a ceasefire was signed between Israel and Hamas earlier this month has fueled passion in the hearts of many of the Palestinian cadets that Arab News spoke to. 

“Of course, we feel this pressure [of the Palestine situation] in our hearts and our minds,” Imaduddin said. “And this should give us the motivation to work hard and do everything and learn a lot for my country and my family and my people over there in Palestine.”

Palestinian cadet Imaduddin talks to Arab News at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in northwestern Pakistan on January 22, 2025. (AN photo)

Twenty-year-old Palestinian cadet Muhammad Yahya Arafat also told Arab News he aimed to use the “very good training” he was receiving at the PMA to help his Palestinian compatriots back home. 

“I am motivated to go, to go back to my country to protect my people, because I get very good training,” he said. “I know how to protect my people and serve my country now.”

Palestinian cadet Muhammad Yahya Arafat talks to Arab News at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in northwestern Pakistan on January 22, 2025. (AN photo)

Major Mohammad Saad Khan, a platoon commander at PMA, said Palestinian cadets were fully integrated into platoons alongside Pakistani peers, with both taking part in rigorous physical conditioning and advanced academic programs together.

He praised Palestinian cadets for training with “all-out efforts” and forming close bonds with their Pakistani peers. 

Cadets take part in a military exercise at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in northwestern Pakistan on January 22, 2025. (AN photo)

“They are highly motivated, and the enthusiasm that they have, the drive that they have is really encouraging,” Khan said. 

Major Mohammad Saad Khan, a platoon commander, speaks to Arab News at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul in northwestern Pakistan on January 22, 2025. (AN photo)

“The spark in their training, the spark that is there in their eyes, it truly shows how committed they are to the service of their nation, how much they are worried about the sovereignty of their nation.”


PM Sharif meets Moroccan envoy after 22 Pakistanis rescued in migrant shipwreck 

PM Sharif meets Moroccan envoy after 22 Pakistanis rescued in migrant shipwreck 
Updated 22 min 14 sec ago
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PM Sharif meets Moroccan envoy after 22 Pakistanis rescued in migrant shipwreck 

PM Sharif meets Moroccan envoy after 22 Pakistanis rescued in migrant shipwreck 
  • The boat capsized off Morocco on Jan. 15 while carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis
  • Pakistan’s Foreign Office has said that it is in process of repatriating 22 survivors of the tragedy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday thanked Morocco’s King Muhammad VI and the Moroccan government for the rescue of 22 Pakistani nationals in a shipwreck off the coast of Dakhla city as he met the Moroccan ambassador, Mohamed Karmoune, in Islamabad.
The boat capsized near Morocco’s coast on Jan. 15 while carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, according to migrant rights group Walking Borders. Pakistan’s Foreign Office said last week that it was in process of repatriating 22 survivors of the tragedy.
Pakistan’s embassy in Rabat has been working closely with Moroccan authorities to oversee the relief efforts and finalize the complex repatriation procedure, according to the Pakistani Foreign Office.
In his meeting with the Moroccan ambassador, Sharif expressed Pakistan’s “deep appreciation” of the Moroccan leadership for the support extended in rescuing stranded Pakistanis who had survived the boat capsize.
“He thanked the local Moroccan authorities for extending their full cooperation to the Pakistani officials involved in repatriation of the survivors as well as the remains of those deceased,” Sharif’s office said.
The Morocco tragedy has once again underscored the perilous journeys many migrants, including Pakistanis, embark on due to conflict and economic instability in their home countries.
In 2023, hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos, marking one of the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea. More recently, five Pakistani nationals died in a shipwreck off the southern Greek island of Gavdos on Dec. 14.
The Pakistani government has ramped up efforts in recent months to combat human smugglers facilitating dangerous journeys for illegal immigrants to Europe, resulting in several arrests.
Recalling brotherly ties between Pakistan and Morocco at Monday’s meeting, Sharif said there was a need to strengthen trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. Islamabad has been actively pursuing trade and investment opportunities to put the $350 billion South Asian economy on the path of recovery since avoiding a default in mid-2023.
The Moroccan ambassador reaffirmed his country’s commitment to further strengthen cooperation with Pakistan across all areas of shared interest, according to Sharif’s office.
“The two sides are working closely to convene meetings of the institutional consultative mechanisms, including Bilateral Political Consultations at an early date,” it added.


Pakistan senate passes controversial bill giving government sweeping controls on social media

Pakistan senate passes controversial bill giving government sweeping controls on social media
Updated 10 min 43 sec ago
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Pakistan senate passes controversial bill giving government sweeping controls on social media

Pakistan senate passes controversial bill giving government sweeping controls on social media
  • The new law aims to set up a social media regulatory authority that will have its own investigation agency and tribunals
  • These tribunals will be able to try and punish offenders with prison sentences of up to three years and fines of Rs2 million

ISLAMABAD: A standing committee of Pakistan’s Senate, the upper house of parliament, on Monday approved a bill to amend the country’s cybercrime law, the committee chairman said, amid opposition from journalists and rights groups.
Pakistan’s National Assembly, lower house of parliament, introduced and passed the amendments to the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) on Thursday. The amendments were presented in the Senate on Friday and were forwarded to a relevant committee for consideration. After their passage from both houses, the draft will be sent to the president to be signed into a law.
The new regulations will set up a social media regulatory authority that will have its own investigation agency and tribunals, according to a draft on the parliament’s website. Such tribunals will be able to try and punish offenders with prison sentences of up to three years and fines of two million rupees ($7,200) for dissemination of “false or fake” information.
In his report, Senator Faisal Rehman, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, said the proposed amendments establish a robust framework for tackling cybercrimes through the creation of a key government mechanism, which will “ensure the protection of the citizens’ digital rights, regulate online content, and promote secure and responsible Internet usage.”
“After detailed discussion, the bill was put to the vote of the committee which was passed by the majority votes,” Senator Rehman said. “The committee recommends that ‘The Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Bill, 2025,’ as passed by the National Assembly, may be passed by the House [Senate].”
The draft is expected to be presented before the Senate in the next few days, before being sent to the president for a final nod.
Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told parliament on Thursday the law was introduced to block “false and fake” news on social media, which he said had no specific regulations to govern it.
But the proposed amendments have angered journalism groups and rights activists, which say it is aimed at curbing press freedom.
“We reject this unilateral decision by the government to set up any such tribunals,” Pakistan’s Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Afzal Butt told Reuters on Friday. “We also are in favor of regulations, but, you know, a law enforcement agency or a police officer can’t decide what is false or fake news.”
Global human rights watchdog Amnesty International said the amendment will “further tighten” the government’s grip on the “heavily controlled digital landscape” in the South Asian country.
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), passed in 2016, triggered widespread criticism from human rights organizations and activists for its potential for “harmful impact” on the right to freedom of expression and access to information in Pakistan.
Reporters Without Borders, an organization that promotes and defends press freedom, ranked Pakistan low on its 2024 World Press Freedom Index, at number 152. The group also says Pakistan is one of the most dangerous places for journalists to work.


Ex-PM Khan, wife appeal Pakistan graft convictions

Ex-PM Khan, wife appeal Pakistan graft convictions
Updated 28 January 2025
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Ex-PM Khan, wife appeal Pakistan graft convictions

Ex-PM Khan, wife appeal Pakistan graft convictions
  • Khan has been convicted four times since his arrest in Aug. 2023, with two convictions overturned and the sentences in the other two cases suspended
  • A graft court this month found Khan and his wife guilty of ‘corruption’ over a welfare foundation they established together called the Al-Qadir Trust

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi appealed against their convictions for graft on Monday, his lawyer said.
Khan, 72, has been held in custody since August 2023 charged in around 200 cases that he claims are politically motivated.
The former cricketing star was sentenced to 14 years in jail and his wife to seven this month in the latest case to be brought against them.
“We have filed appeals today and in the next few days it will go through clerical processes and then it will be fixed for a hearing,” Khan’s lawyer Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry told AFP outside Islamabad High Court.
Khan has been convicted four times since his arrest, with two convictions overturned and the sentences in the other two cases suspended.
A special graft court found the pair guilty of “corruption and corrupt practices” over a welfare foundation they established together called the Al-Qadir Trust.
The court hearing for the case was postponed three times and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said earlier it was being used to pressure him into cutting a deal with the government to step back from politics.
Khan alleged before the conviction that he had been “indirectly approached” about the possibility of house arrest at his sprawling home on Islamabad’s outskirts.
Bibi, a faith healer who married Khan shortly before he was elected in 2018, is being held at the same jail as her husband in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad.
Khan’s popularity continues to undermine a shaky coalition government that kept PTI from power in elections last year.
Even from behind bars, Khan has fired off statements through his legal team railing against the government and promising to fight his battles through the courts.
Sometimes violent protests have paralyzed Islamabad in recent months and the party has announced further rallies next month to mark one year since elections that were marred by allegations of rigging.
Khan called off talks with the government last week aimed at easing political tensions.
Ousted from power by a no-confidence vote in 2022, the former cricket star has since launched an unprecedented campaign in which he has openly criticized Pakistan’s powerful generals.
Analysts say the military’s leaders are Pakistan’s kingmakers, although the generals deny interfering in politics.
A UN panel of experts found last year that Khan’s detention “had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office.”
Khan was barred from standing in last February’s election and his PTI party was hamstrung by a widespread crackdown.
PTI won more seats than any other party but a coalition considered more pliable to the military’s influence shut them out of power.


Pakistan sets up pavilion at Arab Health expo to demonstrate health care manufacturing prowess

Pakistan sets up pavilion at Arab Health expo to demonstrate health care manufacturing prowess
Updated 27 January 2025
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Pakistan sets up pavilion at Arab Health expo to demonstrate health care manufacturing prowess

Pakistan sets up pavilion at Arab Health expo to demonstrate health care manufacturing prowess
  • The exhibition, running from Jan. 27 till Jan. 30, focuses on nine key product sectors, including medical equipment, disposables and surgical goods
  • Pakistan Pavilion is hosting 40 Pakistani firms at the exhibition, highlighting the importance of enhancing Pakistan’s exports across diverse sectors

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has set up its pavilion at the Arab Health 2025 exhibition in Dubai to showcase the South Asian country’s capabilities in health care manufacturing and innovation, the Pakistani embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Monday.
Arab Health 2025, organized under the patronage of the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention, is one of the largest and most prestigious health care exhibitions in the world. This year, the event is featuring over 3,800 exhibitors and has attracted more than 60,000 health care professionals and industry leaders from over 70 countries.
The exhibition, running from Jan. 27 till Jan. 30, focuses on nine key product sectors, including medical equipment and devices, disposables and surgical goods, orthopedics and physiotherapy, imaging and diagnostics, general health care services, health care infrastructure, wellness and prevention, health care transformation and health care technology.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi inaugurated the Pakistan Pavilion at the expo at Dubai World Trade Center, which is hosting 40 leading Pakistani companies under the umbrella of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), highlighting the importance of enhancing Pakistan’s exports across diverse sectors to achieve sustainable economic growth.
“Arab Health has served as an important platform for the health care industry over the past 50 years for collaboration, innovation, and shaping the future of health care,” Ambassador Tirmizi said as he inaugurated the pavilion.
“Our mission is committed to doubling the number of Pakistani exhibitors at next year’s exhibition.”
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States (US), and a major source of foreign investment, valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE foreign ministry. Policymakers in Pakistan consider the UAE an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
The Arab Health exhibition also hosts scientific conferences offering insights into the latest trends in health care, advancements in digital health and artificial intelligence and strategic investment opportunities in the sector.
Ambassador Tirmizi emphasized the significance of leveraging platforms like Arab Health to foster business-to-business linkages, drive innovation in research and development, and enhance collaboration in digital health care services, according to the Pakistani embassy.
Pakistani exhibitors expressed their satisfaction with the arrangements and reiterated the importance of Arab Health in unlocking Pakistan’s export potential in the UAE and the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets.