Page 35 - Pakistan

Pak court awards death sentence, 80-yr-imprisonment to four over blasphemy

A Pakistani court has awarded a death sentence and 80-year imprisonment to four persons for uploading blasphemous content on Facebook, an official said on Saturday. Additional Sessions Judge Mohammad Tariq Ayub on Friday convicted four suspects -- Wajid Ali, Ahfaq Ali Saqib, Rana Usman and Suleman Sajid -- for insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his companions, and his wives. The court official said the convicts uploaded blasphemous content on Facebook from four different IDs. "The judge after hearing arguments of both prosecution and defence and witnesses accounts awarded the death penalty and 80 years imprisonment to each of them on different counts," the official said. They were also slapped with a fine of PKR 5.2 million. Pakistan's Federal Investigation (FIA) Cybercrime registered a case under Section 11 of the PECA (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act) and 295A, 295B, 295C, 298A, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Shiraz Farooqi, a citizen. According t

Chinese nationals move Pakistani court against police harassment

Six Chinese nationals in Pakistan petitioned a high court against police harassment, including demanding money and putting restrictions on their movement in the name of security. They filed the plea in the Sindh High Court in Karachi on Friday, where a two-judge bench heard the case. The bench issued notices to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others, including the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and its consulate in Karachi and relevant federal and provincial law officers. Xu Hui, Deng Huan and four other Chinese nationals filed the petition through their counsel, submitting that they came to Pakistan after fulfilling all required legal formalities and invested a significant amount of money and resources in various business ventures and sectors in the country. It is the first time Chinese nationals have approached a high court against harassment by police in Pakistan. The petitioners cited Sindh's chief secretary, the provincial home secretary, the inspector general of police, and

Pak reports first Mpox case of 2025 at Peshawar airport, count reaches 10

Pakistan has reported its first Mpox case this year during the screening of incoming passengers at one of its airports in Peshawar city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Express Tribune quoted a health ministry spokesperson saying that Border Health Services staff detected the patient at the Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar. The patient reportedly had a travel history visiting the Gulf countries. "We are ensuring effective measures to protect the public from Mpox. All airports have robust screening systems and compliance with international health regulations is being ensured. Both federal and provincial governments are committed to combating Mpox," Health Coordinator Dr. Mukhtar Bharth said. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali confirmed that Peshawar Airport had reported the first Mpox case in 2025. He said that upon detection, the public health monitoring team immediately reached the airport. "The team transferred the patient to the Police Ser

Keeping a close watch on neighbours: India as ISI officials visit B'desh

Against the backdrop of an increase in engagement between Bangladeshi and Pakistani military officials, India on Friday said it keeps a close watch on developments in the neighbourhood having a bearing on national security and takes "appropriate" action if required. Pakistani spy agency ISI's Director General of Analysis Maj Gen Shahid Amir Afsar and certain other officials are currently visiting Bangladesh, according to reports. The visit to Dhaka by the Pakistani military officials came after a delegation of Bangladeshi military officials toured Pakistan and held meetings with the three service chiefs. "We keep an eye on all activities around the country and in the region, as well as all activities affecting national security, and the government will take appropriate steps," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a question at his weekly media briefing. He said India's approach towards Bangladesh has been to maintain friendly ties. "We support

Rice exports steady in 2024 despite curbs; basmati shipments surge

The country's rice exports in 2024 stood at 17.8 million metric tons, marginally down from 17.86 million tons shipped a year earlier

Pak's largest international airport starts operations, welcomes 1st flight

Pakistan's largest international airport, funded and built by all-weather ally China, in the restive Balochistan province was officially opened on Monday. The Gwadar International Airport and the Gwadar deep sea port built in the province under the USD 42 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project (CPEC) are seen as important for boosting trade and regional connectivity by both countries. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) PK 503 aircraft was the first commercial flight to arrive at the new airport after its inauguration carrying commercial passengers and high-ranking officials. The aircraft which took off from Karachi after a 45-minute delay landed after an hour and 10 minutes flight. China and Pakistan see the port city of Gwadar and its deep sea port and international airport as a hub of connectivity for the corridor, and an indispensable interchange for a 21st century Silk Route. The airport, equipped with modern facilities, is expected to play a critical role in

Here's why jailing Imran Khan won't fix Pak's economic, political problems

Khan has languished in jail since May 2023 while multiple criminal cases against him run their course

Pakistani, Chinese companies ink $250 million MoUs to boost medical sector

Pakistani and Chinese companies have signed pacts worth around USD 250 million to boost trade in the medical and surgical sector, according to media reports on Saturday. The Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed at the China-Pakistan B2B conference in the medical equipment and surgical instrument sector in Beijing on Friday, reported Radio Pakistan. This collaboration aims to steer more Chinese companies to engage in trade and set up joint ventures in Pakistan in the medical instrument sector, the report stated. The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported that Pakistan's embassy in Beijing confirmed the signing of three MoUs during the conference. The embassy said it hosted, in collaboration with the Board of Investment (BOI), the sixth moot in a series of sector-specific B2B matchmaking meetings focused on investment partnerships between Pakistan and China in the medical sector. Over 80 Chinese companies and associations and more than 20 Pakistani companies participat

IMF downgrades Pakistan's GDP growth outlook for 2025 from 3.2% to 3%

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised cash-strapped Pakistan's economic outlook, downgrading its projected Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for 2025 to 3%, down from 3.2% forecasted just three months ago, according to a media report on Saturday. The adjustment comes amid a broader global economic assessment presented in the IMF's "World Economic Outlook Update: Global Growth Divergent and Uncertain", The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The IMF's revised projections also indicate that Pakistan's GDP growth will remain at 4% in 2026. However, the latest downgrade reflects ongoing economic challenges in the country, although the IMF did not provide specific reasons for the revision. This latest revision mirrors the forecast made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) last month, which also adjusted Pakistan's growth forecast to 3% for the fiscal year 2024-25, up from a previously projected 2.8%. Both institutions have cited challenges faced by Pakistan's economy but h

Al-Qadir Trust case: Former Pak PM Imran Khan sentenced to 14 yrs in prison

Ex Pakistan PM Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were convicted for their roles in the 190 mn British Pounds Al-Qadir Trust case, involving illicit land and funds transfers linked to Bahria Town

China successfully launches Pakistani satellite 'PRSC-EO1' into space

China successfully launched a Pakistani satellite into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Friday. The satellite, named PRSC-EO1, was launched at 12:07 p.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-2D carrier rocket and entered its planned orbit successfully, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The rocket also carried two other satellites - Tianlu-1 and Lantan-1. This launch marked the 556th flight mission involving the Long March carrier rocket series. China has been launching satellites for Pakistan in the last few years broadening their all-weather alliance into the space arena. Last year, China launched a multi-mission communication satellite for Pakistan. In 2018, China sent two Pakistan satellites into orbit. The PRSS-1, Pakistan's first optical remote sensing satellite, and the PakTES-1A, a smaller observation craft.

Boat carrying migrants capsizes near Morocco; over 40 Pakistanis dead

Pakistan on Thursday said that a boat carrying 80 migrants attempting to reach Spain capsized near Morocco, with over 40 Pakistanis reportedly among the dead. Migrant rights group Walking Borders said as many as 50 migrants may have drowned. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people a day earlier from a boat that had left Mauritania on January 2 with 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis. Forty-four of those presumed to have drowned were from Pakistan, Walking Borders CEO Helena Maleno said on X. They spent 13 days of anguish on the crossing without anyone coming to rescue them, she said. The Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement that its embassy in Morocco was in touch with the local authorities. Our Embassy in Rabat (Morocco) has informed us that a boat carrying 80 passengers, including several Pakistani nationals, setting off from Mauritania, has capsized near the Moroccan port of Dakhla. Several survivors, including Pakistanis, are lodged in a camp near Dakhla, it said. It

Pakistan cuts charging stations' power tariff by 45% to boost EV adoption

The government is also planning to introduce financing schemes for e-bikes and the conversion of two- and three-wheeled petrol vehicles

Pakistan orders probe after airline ad gets flak for evoking 9/11 memories

Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a probe into a PIA ad that sparked outrage for resembling 9/11 visuals

Human rights activist warns over abduction of nuclear engineers in Pakistan

Additionally, Mirza criticized the lack of an immediate response, such as deploying helicopters to pursue the abductors. He described the security lapse as highly suspicious

Pakistan's Peshawar HC suspends deportation of 100 Afghan musicians

A high court in Peshawar has stopped the forcible deportation of over 100 Afghan musicians seeking political asylum in Pakistan and directed the federal government to decide their cases in two months. A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) disposed of the case after hearing arguments on Friday and instructed security agencies not to take any action against them during the two months. The bench headed by Justice Waqar Ahmad gave the judgement during the hearing of the petition filed by Hashmatullah who argued they belonged to Afghanistan but migrated to Pakistan after the establishment of the Taliban government as their lives were under threat. The petitioner argued they had already lost their livelihoods and in Pakistan, they faced further harassment and threats of forced deportation, which they asserted is a violation of human rights. They argued that under international laws, the Pakistani government cannot forcibly deport them. The petitioner's lawyer Mumtaz Ahmad

Pakistan coal mine explosion leaves at least four dead, eight missing

A methane gas explosion caused a coal mine to collapse in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, killing at least four miners, authorities said, as officials launched a search operation to rescue eight other missing workers. The coal mine collapsed on January 9 in the Sanjdi area located around 40 kilometers from Quetta in the Balochistan province. The mine collapsed due to a methane gas accumulation and explosion leaving 12 workers trapped inside the collapsed structure. The incident occurred due to a buildup of gas, which caused an explosion and the mine to cave in, Balochistan government spokesperson, Shahid Rind said on Saturday. He said full-scale rescue operations were ongoing for more than 24 hours, but due to the presence of toxic gas and debris, progress was slow. Rind confirmed that on Friday evening the rescue workers succeeded in recovering four bodies from the mine. Abdullah Shawani, the head of the province's mining department conceded that chances of recovering t

4 civilians injured in IED blast targeting paramilitary forces in Pakistan

Militants targeted a truck carrying paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) personnel with an improvised explosive device in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, injuring four civilians, police said on Saturday. The attack happened in the Chaman city of the province on Friday. Police officials said the militants used an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting the truck but no FC personnel were injured. The IED was planted on a motorcycle on the roadside and when the truck passed from there, it was triggered remotely, one police official said. Rabia Tariq, public relations officer for the Balochistan inspector general of police's office, also confirmed the incident. A statement from Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind condemned the blast as a cowardly act, adding that the government was committed to protecting the people and would thwart the plans of all elements against peace. The last three days have seen a sharp spike in attacks from the banned separatist group the

Militants hit Pak minister, police officer's homes in Balochistan

Armed militants attacked the residences of a senior minister and a deputy commissioner and stormed a police checkpost in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, police said. A senior police official said armed militants attacked the residence of Balochistan Minister for Finance and Mineral Resources Mir Shoaib Nosherwani with a hand grenade in his native town of Kharan late on Thursday night. The armed men came on motorcycles and drove away after hurling the hand grenade, he said. No casualty has been reported in the incident, he said. In a similar incident, the militants attacked the residence of the Kalat deputy commissioner with a hand grenade on Thursday night, injuring one police constable on duty at the gate. In the third incident, the armed militants attacked the police checkpost in Mastung town on Thursday night and set fire to machinery and equipment of a cement factory in the vicinity before escaping the scene, authorities said. A police official confirmed the attack t

258 Pak citizens deported from 7 countries, 16 arrested in Karachi

As many as 258 Pakistanis were deported from seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, the (UAE), and China in the last 24 hours, officials said. A spokesperson of the Immigration department at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport said, among them, 14 had Pakistani passports, while 244 were deported on emergency travel documents. We arrested 16 deportees at the Karachi airport, including one with a suspicious identity, while the rest were released after questioning, he said. He said nine of the persons deported from Saudi Arabia were professional beggars. Two of them were caught performing Hajj without permits and were sent back after completing their sentences, he added. He said that many of those deported from Saudi Arabia, and the UAE were working without sponsorship while four were deported on drug charges. One individual each was deported from China, Qatar, Indonesia, Cyprus, and Nigeria. The trend of deportations has been rising significantly, he said. In the past 24 hou