Page 28 - Pakistan

Pakistan issues additional visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi

The Pakistani government has for the first time in 50 years issued over 6,700 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for the Baisakhi festival on April 14, an official said on Tuesday. "Under the Pakistan-India Religious Protocol Agreement 1974, up to 3,000 Sikh pilgrims are permitted to visit Pakistan for any religious festival. However, the government has issued 6,751 visas, granting 3,751 additional visas on the special request of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Evacuee Trust Property Board," ETPB Additional Secretary Saifullah Khokhar told PTI. Sikh pilgrims from India will on April 10 arrive here via Wagah Border to mark the Sikh New Year and the founding of the Khalsa. Khokhar said this was the first time in more than 50 years that the Pakistan government had issued additional visas to Sikh pilgrims instead of the agreed ones between the two countries. "Under the auspices of the ETPB, the main ceremony of the Baisakhi festival will be held on April 14 at Gurdwara Janamasthan

Pakistan names Binance founder Zhao as adviser to new crypto council

Pakistan has appointed a billionaire founder of one of the leading crypto trading companies as a strategic adviser to the newly created Pakistan Crypto Council. The groundbreaking move of appointing Binance's billionaire founder Changpeng Zhao as the strategic adviser was poised to reshape the global crypto landscape, a press release by the Finance Division said on Monday. The government officially launched the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) last month to regulate and integrate blockchain technology and digital assets into the country's financial landscape and appointed entrepreneur Bilal Bin Saqib as the chief adviser to the finance minister on the council. Dawn reported that the announcement was made on Monday during Zhao's meeting with the PCC, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, bringing together key government stakeholders. It said that Zhao held separate meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. This is a landmark moment for

US secy of state expressed interest in deepening co-op in many sectors: Pak

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said that cooperation in economy and trade would be the "hallmark" of future ties with Pakistan. Rubio made the comments during a telephonic conversation with Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the Foreign Office said in a statement. It said the two leaders discussed bilateral relations, regional security, and economic cooperation. Dar reiterated Pakistan's commitment to strengthening its partnership with the US. He emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and counter-terrorism. Rubio reciprocated the desire to collaborate with Pakistan in trade and investment in various sectors, especially critical minerals, saying that cooperation in economy and trade would be the hallmark of future relations between the two countries. Dar highlighted Pakistan's efforts in successfully fighting terrorism during 2013-18, which caused Pakistan huge economic and human losses. The two leaders

UK, UAE, US withdraw nearly $1 billion from Pakistan's treasury bills

Pakistan has witnessed major outflows of foreign investment with just three countries withdrawing nearly USD 1 billion from the treasury bills during the current financial year. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, between July 1 and March 14 this fiscal year, inflows into T-bills totalled USD 1.163 billion while outflows stood at USD 1.121 billion, leaving a net balance of just USD 42 million. The withdrawal of USD 1 billion has left the outflows almost matching total inflows in Pakistan's fragile economy leading to investor caution despite attractive returns. The United Kingdom, traditionally Pakistan's largest T-bill investor, had invested USD 710 million during FY25 but withdrew USD 625 million. The United Arab Emirates and the United States recorded outflows of USD 205 million and USD 130 million, respectively. The Pakistan government to bring in foreign inflows has announced higher yields on its T-bills in comparison to most developed and developing economies. A financi

Pak forces kill 8 terrorists attempting infiltration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Eight terrorists have been killed and four injured as Pakistan's security forces thwarted an infiltration attempt on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the country's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district, the military's media affairs wing has said. Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities over the past year, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. On the intervening night of April 5-6, the movement of a group of khwarij, trying to infiltrate through Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces in the general area of North Waziristan's Hassan Khel, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release on Sunday. After an intense exchange of fire, eight terrorists were killed and four others injured, it added. Fitna Al Khawarij' is a term that the state uses to refer to the banned TTP. Pakistan has .

Pak sees US tariffs as window of opportunity for negotiations with the US

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set up two committees to tackle the economic implication of the new tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Saturday. The two bodies include a steering committee chaired by the finance minister and comprising ministers, prominent business leaders, secretaries, and academics, while the second was a working group led by the secretary of commerce. You should never let a good crisis go to waste, Aurangzeb told a press conference here and explained that while the situation created immediate challenges, it also would open doors for negotiation and long-term engagement. He said that the government's intention was to formulate and present a well-structured package to the US administration and the recommendations are expected to be finalised in the coming days and submitted to the prime minister for approval. He said that following that approval, a high-level delegation will travel to Washington to convey ...

Dark clouds overshadowing Pakistan will soon evaporate: Imran Khan

Khan said the "peon government" was determined to keep him imprisoned as they were obsessed with clinging to power

Abir Gulaal teaser out: Fawad Khan returns to Bollywood after nine years

Fawad Khan is making his return to Bollywood after nine years. The Pakistani actor will be seen opposite Vaani Kappor in their upcoming movie, Abir Gulal, releasing on May 9

Pak records highest number of militant attacks during Ramadan in a decade

Pakistan saw the highest number of militant attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in a decade, a think tank reported Monday. Some militant groups previously paused hostilities for Ramadan, but the country has seen an overall increase in violence in recent years. The Pak Institute for Peace Studies reported at least 84 attacks during Ramadan, which ended Sunday in Pakistan. It reported 26 attacks during last year's Ramadan. The Pakistani Taliban unilaterally ended a ceasefire with the government in November 2022, while the Baloch Liberation Army has developed its capabilities to stage elaborate attacks. Both have contributed to the rise in violence. The outlawed BLA was behind a train hijacking on March 11 in the southwest province of Balochistan that killed at least 25 people. Another think tank, the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, recorded 61 attacks in the first three weeks of Ramadan. There were 60 total attacks in the previous Ramadan, it said.

Pak's ex-PM Imran Khan nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for rights advocacy

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts for human rights and democracy. Members of the Pakistan World Alliance (PWA) an advocacy group founded last December who also belong to the Norwegian political party Partiet Sentrum, announced the nomination of Khan, 72. "We are pleased to announce on behalf of Partiet Sentrum that in alliance with somebody with the right to nominate, have nominated Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, to the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with human rights and democracy in Pakistan," Partiet Sentrum said on X on Sunday. In 2019, Khan was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to promote peace in South Asia. Every year, the Norwegian Nobel Committee receives hundreds of nominations after which they select the winner through a lengthy eight-month process, The Express Tribune reported.

Pakistani-Canadian held for smuggling US tech to Pak military entities

A Pakistani-Canadian national has been arrested for running a years-long scheme to circumvent US export control laws and smuggle millions of dollars' worth of American technology to entities associated with Pakistan's military and weapons programmes. Mohammad Jawaid Aziz (67) was arrested on March 21 in the Western District of Washington while attempting to cross into the United States from Canada. He remains detained, pending transfer to the district of Minnesota. Aziz has been charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Export Control Reform Act, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison; and violating the Export Control Reform Act, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. The indictment alleges that from 2003 through approximately March 2019, Aziz operated an illicit procurement network through his Canada-based company Diversified Technology Services. The purpose of the network was

World Bank approves $300 mn loan for clean air project in Pakistan's Punjab

The World Bank has approved a USD 300 million loan for Pakistan to combat air pollution in its Punjab province, according to a media report on Sunday. The loan provided under the International Development Association (IDA) for the Punjab Clean Air Programme (PCAP) was approved by the World Bank Group's board of directors on Friday, the Dawn newspaper reported. The PCAP aims to strengthen air quality management and address environmental pollution in the province. It will support the Punjab government's Smog Mitigation Action Plan' (SMAP) in tackling the pressing issue of smog and air pollution with the launch of several comprehensive initiatives aimed at improving air quality and public health across the province. It will cover key sectors such as transport, agriculture, industry, energy, and municipal services, said a press release issued by the World Bank (WB) mission in Islamabad on Saturday. The Punjab Clean Air Programme supports the province's Smog Mitigation Action Plan and

12 terrorists killed in Pakistani drone strikes, civilian deaths reported

As many as 12 terrorists have been killed while some civilians lost their lives in drone attacks by Pakistani security forces on a militant hideout in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of the country. The "counter-terrorism operation" on Saturday morning targeted hideouts of terrorists in the remote hilltop area of Katlang in the Mardan district, the provincial government said in a press note. It confirmed the civilian casualties and suggested that women and children might be among the victims. Later, official reports said 12 terrorists were killed during the operation. The press note, issued on Saturday, said the operation was based on "credible intelligence" about armed militants using the location as a hideout and transit point. It said "several high-value targets linked to ongoing militant activities in the region" were killed in the operation. "Unfortunately, subsequent reports have confirmed the presence of non-combatants, including women and children, at the periphery

Top Baloch leader, workers survive suicide blast near protest site in Pak

A top Baloch nationalist leader and other workers his party escaped unhurt when a suicide bomber blew himself up near their sit-in protest rally in Balochistan province of Pakistan on Saturday. Sardar Akhtar Mengal has been leading a long march from Wadh to Quetta since Friday to protest the arrests of the leaders and workers of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), whose chief Dr Mahrang Baloch was arrested under anti-terrorism laws. The suicide bomber blew himself up near their sit-in protest rally near Lucky Pass in Mastung, about 50 kilometre south of Quetta, in Balochistan province but Mengal and others escaped unhurt. Mastung Assistant Commissioner (AC) Akram Harifal told the media that Levies personnel had spotted a suspicious individual near the rally and when they went to question him, he tried to escape but blew himself up. The participants of the protest by the Balochistan National Party (BNP) are unhurt and okay, he said. Mahrang Baloch and other BYC members, all arrest

Pak govt finalises arrangements to detain, deport Afghans as deadline nears

Officials in Pakistan said they have completed arrangements to detain and expel a certain category of Afghan citizens after the March 31 deadline for their voluntary return to Afghanistan. A high-level meeting on Friday reviewed the arrangements to repatriate the Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders after the March 31 deadline. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired the meeting. The Pakistan government in January asked the ACC holders to leave Pakistan by the end of March or face deportation. Pakistani authorities refused to reset the deadline for their return despite requests by the Afghan government and rights bodies. In Friday's meeting, officials informed that all arrangements have been completed to send ACC holders back to Afghanistan. The officials said that holding centres have been set up to detain Afghan citizens before their deportation, with food and healthcare facilities arranged at the facilities, the Dawn newspaper reported. Naqvi said the federal government was ...

11 terrorists killed in 4 separate operations in Pak's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Security forces in Pakistan have killed at least 11 terrorists in four separate engagements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 26-27, the military media wing said late on Thursday. In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the security forces in the general area Mir Ali in North Waziristan district. During the operation, our troops effectively targeted the Khwarij [terrorists] location and resultantly, five terrorists were sent to hell, it said. In a second operation conducted in the same area, three militants were neutralised by the troops, the statement added. In another encounter that took place in the general area Miran Shah in North Waziristan district, the troops effectively neutralised two terrorists, the ISPR said. In the fourth operation conducted by the security forces in the general area Daraban in Dera Ismail Khan district, one terrorist was sent to hell, the statement said. Weapons and ammunition were

Pak denies reports about deployment of Chinese military within its borders

Pakistan on Thursday denied reports about the deployment of the Chinese military in the country to protect its citizens after several terrorist attacks in recent months. "I completely deny this. No Chinese forces are being deployed in Pakistan. This is totally false. There is no credibility to these reports, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said when asked about the issue at a press briefing here. He said Pakistan was committed to ensuring the security of Chinese personnel in Pakistan and talks on the issue are part of that arrangement, while he rejected reports about the deployment of Chinese military in Balochistan. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) accuses China and Islamabad of exploitation of the resource-rich province, a charge rejected by the authorities. The group has carried out attacks against Chinese interests in Pakistan. Khan said that a recent UN experts' statement regarding detainees in Balochistan lacked balance and proportionality, and it downplay

Six killed, three abducted by Baloch separatists in Gwadar bus attack

Insurgents shot dead six people and abducted three after stopping a bus in Balochistan, and offloading passengers from Pakistan's Punjab. In another terror attack in the province, three people were killed and 17 injured after a bomb exploded near a police vehicle, officials said. The two attacks come a fortnight after the banned separatist outfit Balochistan Liberation Army laid siege to a train in the Bolan district and killed 26 hostages, including 18 security personnel. The bus attack occurred in the Gwadar district when armed men stopped a Karachi-bound passenger bus near the Kalmat area on the Ormara highway late on Wednesday, said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hafeez Baloch. The gunmen offloaded some passengers and shot six people, five of whom were killed instantly while one survivor passed away later in the hospital Thursday morning. Armed men killed six passengers after checking their ID cards and took away three others, he said, adding that all victims belonged to

Indian fisherman in Pakistan's Karachi Jail since 2022 dies by suicide

Indian fishermen are frequently detained in Pakistani waters due to unintentionally crossing maritime boundaries

2 security personnel killed, 3 injured in convoy attack in northwest Pak

According to officials, security forces launched the raid in Hangu's Shanaori area after receiving intelligence about the presence of militants