ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan is exploring legal options to secure the release and repatriation of neuroscientist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, currently in jail in the United States, as well as raising the issue at appropriate international meetings and using diplomatic channels, Andleeb Abbas, Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Arab News on Friday.
“We are using laws, contracts, and conventions (for the repatriation of Siddiqui),” Abbas said, but admitted no plan has yet been finalized. “In principle we have agreed that we are going to raise this issue,” she added.
Siddiqui was indicted by a New York federal district court in September 2008 on charges of attempted murder and assault stemming from an incident in an interview with the US authorities in Afghanistan. She, however, denies the charges.
After 18 months in detention, she was tried and convicted in early 2010 and sentenced to 86 years in prison. She is currently serving her jail term in the US.
Siddiqui’s imprisonment sparked protests in Pakistan where supporters claim the charges against her were invented. Successive governments in Pakistan also announced they would take measures to ensure the extradition of Siddiqui, but so far any such measures, if taken, have been unsuccessful.
During July’s election campaign, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — now the ruling party in Pakistan — promised to provide consular and legal services to all Pakistanis jailed abroad, saying, “We (will) make our best efforts to bring prisoners like Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and others back to Pakistan.”
A ruling party lawmaker in the Punjab Assembly, Seemabia Tahir, also submitted a resolution in the provincial assembly on Friday urging Prime Minister Imran Khan to take all necessary measures to bring Siddiqui back to Pakistan.
“Dr. Aafia Siddiqui is a daughter of Pakistan,” Tahir told Arab News. “I’ll soon call on the prime minister too to request him to take all possible diplomatic and legal measures to ensure her repatriation.”
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s recent interview with Fox News about the possible release of Dr. Shakeel Afridi also sparked a debate about a prisoner swap.
Afridi helped the US track down Osama bin Laden in Pakistan by running a fake vaccination program to collect DNA but has since been in jail in Pakistan.
“He is viewed in a particular light in Pakistan. He is viewed as a traitor in Pakistan, but he is viewed as a friend in the US. So we have to bridge this gap,” Qureshi told Fox News.
The parliamentary secretary told Arab News that a deal to exchange Afridi for Siddiqui “is not under discussion.”
“The US has not discussed this issue with our government,” she added.
Dr. Fauzia Siddiqui, sister of Dr. Aafia, blamed successive Pakistani governments for “non-cooperation” and failure to take effective diplomatic steps with the US authorities.
“We are hopeful that Aafia will be released one day,” she told Arab News. “But our governments just make statements that they have taken up the issue at the highest level, but practically have done nothing.”
Fauzia said that they were pursuing matters in the US courts, and working with human rights activists in the US to get her sister released and returned to Pakistan.
Barrister Masroor Shah said that Pakistan does not have an extradition treaty with the US, therefore the government cannot press the US authorities for repatriation of Dr. Aafia.
“Dr. Aafia can be brought back to Pakistan through a bilateral arrangement with the US,” he told Arab News, “her release may be secured by utilizing diplomatic channels instead of the legal ones.”
Pakistan exploring legal options over repatriation of Aafia Siddiqui
Pakistan exploring legal options over repatriation of Aafia Siddiqui
- Swap of Dr. Shakeel Afridi for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui not under discussion, says Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Siddiqui’s sister says Pakistani government has done “nothing“
IMF expected to conclude final review today of Pakistan’s $3 billion loan program
- IMF delegation arrived in Pakistan last week to carry out second and final review of its loan program
- Pakistan, IMF to discuss letter of intent, staff-level agreement today, says finance ministry official
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will conclude its review of Pakistan’s $3 billion short-term bailout program today, Tuesday, which was due to be completed on Monday, a Pakistani finance ministry official said amid Islamabad’s efforts to avoid a macroeconomic crisis and stabilize its fragile $350 billion economy.
The finance ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the visiting IMF delegation had decided to extend the deadline by a day on Monday as the review agenda couldn’t be completed in the scheduled period.
The IMF team arrived in Pakistan last week to carry out the second and final review under the short-term loan program secured by Islamabad last summer. Pakistan has said it has met all the structural benchmarks and targets set by the lender, hoping that a successful completion of the evaluation will be followed by the release of a remaining tranche of around $1.1 billion.
“The review agenda couldn’t be completed in the scheduled period, therefore the mission has extended it for a day for now,” the official told Arab News on Monday. “The letter of intent and staff-level agreement will be discussed tomorrow [Tuesday] now.”
Islamabad has expressed its interest in securing a new loan under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program as it continues to carry out reforms to strengthen its debt-ridden economy.
On Monday, Pakistani financial authorities briefed the IMF mission on the country’s annual taxation targets, ways to abolish subsidies in different sectors, digitization of the tax system and expansion in the tax net, the official said.
“At the moment, Pakistan has been lagging on two fronts that are digitization of the taxation and bringing over 3 million retailers in the tax net,” he said. “The FBR has signed a memorandum this week for the digitization while the work on bringing the retailers into the tax net is underway.”
The global lender wants Pakistan to continue the economic stabilization and reforms agenda “till negotiation of the new loan program,” the official added.
Citing officials, Pakistani state media last week reported that Islamabad’s talks with the global lender for the second review of the ongoing program were “progressing positively.”
Pakistan secured the $3 billion IMF program in last June after it narrowly escaped a sovereign default. Its economy has been under extreme stress with low reserves, a balance of payment crisis, inflation at 23 percent, policy interest rates at 22 percent and record local currency depreciation.
Washington urges Pakistan to ‘exercise restraint’ following Afghanistan airstrikes
- White House official Karine Jean-Pierre urges Taliban to ensure “terrorist attacks” are not launched from Afghan soil
- Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Khost and Paktika provinces on Monday against alleged militant targets
ISLAMABAD: The White House this week urged Pakistan to exercise restraint and the Afghan Taliban to rein in militants from launching cross-border attacks, as tensions escalated between Islamabad and Kabul following Pakistan’s airstrikes in neighboring Afghanistan on Monday.
Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Khost and Paktika provinces early Monday against what it said were militant targets. The move infuriated the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, which said the strikes killed five women and three children, prompting their forces to fire at Pakistani forces along the border.
The incursions occurred at a time when relations between the two neighbors have been soured by an increase in militant attacks in Pakistan that Islamabad has blamed on militant groups operating from Afghanistan. Kabul denies the use of its soil against any country.
In a press briefing to reporters, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Washington deeply regrets the loss of lives and injuries sustained during Saturday’s attack on Pakistani security forces, which saw seven soldiers killed in the country’s northwest. She also regretted the loss of civilian lives during the strikes in Afghanistan.
“We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil,” Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday. “We urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts.”
The White House official urged both sides to resolve their differences through dialogue.
“We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm United States or our other partners or allies,” she said.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks, particularly in its western provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bordering Afghanistan, after the Pakistani Taliban called off a fragile truce with Islamabad in Nov. 2022.
In a separate development, US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome extended his condolences over the loss of lives of Pakistani soldiers in Saturday’s attack in the North Waziristan district. The remarks came after his meeting with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
“The Ambassador conveyed his condolences for the loss of Pakistani soldiers in the recent terrorist attack in Waziristan and assured the President the United States stands with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism,” the US embassy said in a statement.
The two figures discussed a broad range of issues, including US support for continued economic reforms, human rights, and regional security, as well as the two countries’ shared interests and goals, it added.
Bangladesh, Pakistan and India bottom in air quality rankings in 2023 — data
- Pakistan remained one of the world’s three smoggiest countries in 2023
- Concentrations of PM2.5 reached 73.7, WHO recommends 5 micrograms
SINGAPORE: Pakistan remained one of the world’s three smoggiest countries in 2023, as Bangladesh and India replaced Chad and Iran, with particulate matter about 15 times the level recommended by the World Health Organization, data published on Tuesday showed.
Average concentrations of PM2.5 — small airborne particles that damage the lungs — reached 79.9 micrograms per cubic meter in Bangladesh in 2023, and 73.7 micrograms in Pakistan. The WHO recommends no more than 5 micrograms.
“Because of the climate conditions and the geography (in South Asia), you get this streak of PM2.5 concentrations that just skyrocket because the pollution has nowhere to go,” said Christi Chester Schroeder, air quality science manager at IQAir, a Swiss air-monitoring organization.
“On top of that are factors such as agricultural practices, industry and population density,” she added. “Unfortunately, it really does look like it will get worse before it gets better.”
In 2022, Bangladesh was ranked as having the fifth-worst air quality, and India was eighth.
About 20 percent of premature deaths in Bangladesh are attributed to air pollution, and related health care costs amount to 4 percent-5 percent of the country’s GDP, said Md Firoz Khan, an air pollution expert at Dhaka’s North South University.
Indian pollution also increased last year, with PM2.5 levels about 11 times higher than the WHO standard. India’s New Delhi was the worst-performing capital city, at 92.7 micrograms.
China also saw PM2.5 rise 6.3 percent to 32.5 micrograms last year, after five consecutive annual declines.
Only Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand met WHO standards in 2023.
The IQAir report was based on data from more than 30,000 monitoring stations in 134 countries and regions.
Chad, the world’s most polluted country in 2022, was excluded from the 2023 listings because of data issues. Iran and Sudan were also taken off the 2023 list.
Christa Hasenkopf, director of the Air Quality Life Index at the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute, said 39 percent of countries have no public air quality monitoring.
“Considering the large potential benefits and relatively low cost, it’s stunning that we don’t have an organized global effort to deploy resources to close these data gaps, especially in places where the health burden of air pollution has been largest,” she said.
Islamabad United beat Multan Sultans in last-ball thriller to clinch third PSL title
- All-rounder Imad Wasim returns figures of 5/23 to guide Islamabad to victory over Multan by two wickets
- United skipper Shadab Khan bags Player of the Tournament award for scoring 305 runs, taking 14 wickets
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad United became the most successful Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise on Monday night after clinching their third PSL title, edging out former champions Multan Sultans by two wickets in a last-ball nail-biting thriller.
The Sultans, batting first, finished at 159/9 from their 20 overs. Skipper Muhammad Rizwan’s side were restricted to the total by clinical all-rounder Imad Wasim, who returned figures of 5/23.
United skipper Shadab Khan pitched in with figures of 3/32 and spectacular fielding at regular intervals to ensure the Sultans did not post a huge total on the scoreboard.
From the Sultans, Usman Khan top-scored with 57 runs from 40 balls while Iftikhar Ahmed remained unbeaten on 32 runs from 20 balls.
United chased the target on the final ball of the innings, with Hunain Shah hitting a boundary off the last ball to send the entire stadium into a frenzy.
“We did it! Champions once again! Huge praise to our boys for holding their nerves in a nail-biter of a finale,” United wrote on social media platform X.
United got off to a solid start in their chase with opener Martin Guptill scoring 50 runs from 32 balls.
Colin Munro and Salman Ali Agha scored 17 and 10 runs, respectively, while Khan managed to make only 4 before he was bowled by Ahmed.
Azam Khan scored 30 runs from 22 before Wasim and Shah held their nerves to ensure United won the trophy off the last ball.
For the Sultans, Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 2/19 while Khushdil Shah ended up with 2/21.
David Willey, Mohammad Ali and Mir took a single wicket each.
“Believed in staying calm at the crease, focused on tapping and running,” Shah said at the end of the match.
“Imad Wasim advised to keep it easy and just make contact. Beyond words right now, just overwhelmed with happiness.”
Wasim bagged the Player of the Match award for his fifer while Khan was given the Player of the Tournament award for scoring 305 runs and taking 14 wickets.
Karachi Kings batter Muhammad Irfan Khan was named Emerging Player of the Tournament for scoring 171 runs while Peshawar Zalmi’s Saim Ayub bagged the All-Rounder of the Tournament award for scoring 345 runs and taking eight wickets.
Sultans spinner Usama Mir bagged the Bowler of the Tournament award for his 24 wickets while Sultans batter Usman Khan won the Batter of the Tournament award for scoring 430 runs.
Former champions Peshawar Zalmi won the Spirit of Cricket Award.
IMF extends review of Pakistan’s $3 billion bailout program by a day
- An IMF team arrived in Pakistan last week to carry out the second and final review of last year’s $3 billion bailout program
- Official says Pakistan currently lagging on two fronts that are digitization of taxation, bringing over 3 million retailers in tax net
ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has extended by a day its review of Pakistan’s $3 billion bailout program that was due to conclude on Monday, a Pakistani finance ministry official told Arab News, amid Islamabad’s efforts to avoid a macroeconomic crisis and stabilize the fragile $350 billion economy.
An IMF team arrived in Pakistan last week to carry out the second and final review under the short-term loan program secured by Islamabad last summer. Pakistan has said it has met all the structural benchmarks and targets set by the lender, hoping that a successful completion of the evaluation will be followed by the release of a remaining tranche of around $1.1 billion.
The South Asian country has also expressed its interest in getting a new loan under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program as it continues to carry out reforms to strengthen its debt-ridden economy.
However, an official of the Pakistani finance ministry, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to media, said on Monday night the two sides could not complete the review agenda in the stipulated timeframe.
“The review agenda couldn’t be completed in the scheduled period, therefore the mission has extended it for a day for now,” the official said. “The letter of intent and staff-level agreement will be discussed tomorrow now.”
On Monday, Pakistani financial authorities briefed the IMF mission on the country’s annual taxation targets, ways to abolish subsidies in different sectors, digitization of the tax system and expansion in the tax net, according to the official.
“At the moment, Pakistan has been lagging on two fronts that are digitization of the taxation and bringing over 3 million retailers in the tax net,” he said. “The FBR has signed a memorandum this week for the digitization while the work on bringing the retailers into the tax net is underway.”
The global lender wants Pakistan to continue the economic stabilization and reforms agenda “till negotiation of the new loan program,” the official added.
Citing officials, Pakistani state media last week reported that Islamabad’s talks with the global lender for the second review of the ongoing program were “progressing positively.”
“Pakistan will move forward on the path of development and witness growth,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar was quoted as saying by the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster. “Decisions of this government will yield positive results.”
Pakistan secured the $3 billion IMF program in last June after it narrowly escaped a sovereign default. Its debt-ridden economy has been under extreme stress with low reserves, a balance of payment crisis, inflation at 23 percent, policy interest rates at 22 percent and record local currency depreciation.