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Pakistani PM in Uzbekistan in push to tap Central Asian economies

Pakistan's Prime Minister, Imran Khan (third to right) greets cabinet members of Uzbekistan in Tashkent on July 15, 2021. (Photo courtesy: PID)
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Updated 16 July 2021
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Pakistani PM in Uzbekistan in push to tap Central Asian economies

  • The prime minister inaugurates the first Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum in Tashkent as his country hopes to tap $90 billion export market in Central Asia
  • Pakistan’s information minister says peace in Afghanistan will also be discussed during the visit since it is vital to unlock the trade potential of the region
Updated 16 July 2021
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday called for strengthening of economic ties and road connectivity to Uzbekistan during his two-day official visit to the country.
Addressing the first Pakistan-Uzbekistan Business Forum in Tashkent, he highlighted Islamabad’s historical, cultural and spiritual connections with the Central Asian state while emphasizing the importance of deeper economic engagement with other nations in the region.
The prime minister said the two countries must comprehensively upgrade their trade ties.
“Our business and trade relations are going to depend on how quickly we are able to connect with each other,” he noted.
Khan highlighted the importance of the trans-Afghan railway project that promises to connect Uzbekistan’s southern city of Termez with Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul in Afghanistan and Peshawar in Pakistan.
“The trans-Afghan railway project is the most important project for Uzbekistan and Pakistan,” he maintained.
“For Pakistan, it connects us to Central Asia, to Uzbekistan, which is the biggest of the Central Asian republics, and beyond,” he added.




Pakistan's Prime Minister, Imran Khan (left) is addressing the first Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum in Tashkent on July 15, 2021. (Photo courtesy: PID)

Uzbekistan is a landlocked country that heavily relies on Iran’s Bandar Abbas port for international business and commerce.
Islamabad wants to connect the landlocked states through its deep-sea Gwadar port in southwestern Balochistan to boost its geo-economic position in the region. Central Asia also offers Pakistan a $90 billion export market.
Pointing to the participation of over 100 top Pakistani businessmen in the forum, the prime minister maintained that regional connectivity presented a huge opportunity to Pakistani traders to forge stronger partnership with their Uzbek counterparts.
The forum is established to increase and diversify bilateral trade between the two sides by encouraging frequent exchanges of business delegations to identify new avenues of trade and investment.
Khan welcomed the fact that a large number of business contracts and deals between various companies on the two sides had also been concluded during the visit.
He emphasized the primary importance of promoting connectivity and highlighted Pakistan’s readiness to provide the Uzbek authorities access to its seaports.
Discussing Afghanistan, the prime minister said peace in Afghanistan was pivotal to his country’s regional connectivity agenda. Pakistan wanted to see a comprehensive political settlement in the neighboring country since that would benefit everyone from such connectivity projects in the region.
“For the business community, it will raise the living standard in both the countries,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s information minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry, who is also part of the prime minister’s Tashkent delegation, said Khan’s visit would begin a new phase of his country’s economic and security relationship with the Central Asian republics.
“The main purpose of this visit is to enhance the transportation facilities between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan,” he noted.
Chaudhry said Pakistan wanted to see export of goods from Karachi and Gwadar seaports to Tashkent that would help boost its trade with Central Asian economies.
“The second part of the visit is related to peace in Afghanistan,” he said. “An important conference will be held here tomorrow where regional connectivity will be discussed.”

Topics: Imran Khan Pakistan Uzbekistan Ties Pakistan Uzbekistan Business Forum central Asia

Pakistani Christian attacked by blasphemy mob dies of injuries

Updated 10 sec ago
AP
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Pakistani Christian attacked by blasphemy mob dies of injuries

  • Nazir Masih, 72, suffered severe head injuries during the May 25 violence and was taken to hospital
  • He died despite twice undergoing surgery and was buried in the city of Sargodha amid tight security
Updated 10 sec ago
AP

LAHORE: A Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy and attacked by a mob last month died of his injuries on Monday, a police official said.
Police in eastern Punjab province arrested more than 100 Muslim men and charged them under anti-terrorism laws for attacking a Christian father and son over allegations they desecrated pages of Islam’s holy book.
Nazir Masih, 72, suffered severe head injuries during the May 25 violence and was taken to a Rawalpindi hospital.
He died despite twice undergoing surgery and was buried in the city of Sargodha amid tight security, said district police officer Assad Ijaz Malhi.
Videos from Sargodha showed Christians carrying Masih’s coffin through the street. They shouted “Praise to Jesus” and “Jesus is great.” The casket was draped in black cloth and bore a small crucifix.
Malhi said police have registered cases against 500 people for attacking Masih’s home.
The mob went on the rampage after locals said they saw burnt pages of the Qur’an outside the house and accused Masih’s son of being behind it.
The violence brought back memories of one of the worst attacks on Pakistani Christians in 2023, when thousands of people set ablaze churches and homes of Christians in Jaranwala, also in Punjab.
Muslim residents at the time also claimed they saw two men desecrating the Qur’an.
Blasphemy accusations are common in Pakistan and under the country’s blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Islam or Islamic figures can be sentenced to death.
While no one has been executed on such charges, just an accusation can cause riots and incite mobs to violence, lynchings and killings.

Topics: Sargodha mob lynching

Pakistan Hajj Mission ensures hygienic food supply to pilgrims through regular inspections

Updated 22 min 2 sec ago
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Pakistan Hajj Mission ensures hygienic food supply to pilgrims through regular inspections

  • Hajj Director Faheem Afridi says a total of 13 penalties have been imposed on eight catering firms to improve their service
  • Pakistan has hired nine catering companies to fulfil demand of food for approximately 70,105 pilgrims under government scheme
Updated 22 min 2 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM) has been conducting regular inspections of kitchens run by catering companies to ensure a hygienic food supply to pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage under the government’s scheme, Pakistani state media reported on Monday.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which around 70,000 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators.
“Determined to maintain quality and hygiene, the PHM is conducting regular and periodic inspections of catering companies’ kitchens,” the state-run APP news agency reported.
A total of nine catering companies were hired to meet the demand of food for approximately 70,105 pilgrims, out of which more than 52,691 have so far arrived in Saudi Arabia via 205 flights since May 9, according to the report.
On Monday, Pakistan Hajj Mission Director in Makkah Faheem Afridi visited kitchens and stores of one of these nine catering companies responsible for preparing breakfast for Pakistani pilgrims.
Afridi said the Hajj mission was implementing an “effective mechanism to ensure food quality, with continuous oversight during food preparation and round-the-clock monitoring of kitchens by Pakistani food coordinators.”
The quality and quantity of food are rechecked when delivered to residential buildings and hotels where the pilgrims have been staying, according to the report. The daily menu includes Pakistani and continental cuisines, which are served thrice a day during flexible timings to avoid any kind of rush.
The PHM director said the mission had imposed penalties on catering firms that failed to ensure the quality of food.
“There have been a total of 13 penalties imposed on eight catering companies so far, most of which were aimed at improving food quality,” he said.
“If any complaints are received regarding meals through the Pak Hajj mobile app or helpline, the catering company is investigated and immediate action is taken.”
The Pakistani religious affairs ministry formed a balanced food menu keeping in view its experience of previous years, according to the official. The food includes meat, lentils, vegetables, rice, two types of bread, yoghurt, fruit, sweets, tea and water.
The Hajj director said Saudi authorities also ensured food quality and hygiene standards for catering companies, requesting pilgrims to cooperate with catering staff and ensure discipline.
On the other hand, a 400-member dedicated Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission (PHMM) is also working around the clock to serve Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan has established two hospitals and 11 dispensaries in the Saudi cities of Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah to provide health care to Hajj pilgrims.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 to June 19. Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation, which began on May 9, will continue until June 9.

Topics: Hajj 2024

Pakistan’s finance minister urges investment in technology for digital governance, tax collection

Updated 15 min 59 sec ago
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Pakistan’s finance minister urges investment in technology for digital governance, tax collection

  • The statement came after Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s meeting with officials of McKinsey global management consultancy firm
  • The two sides discussed ways to achieve quick wins by leveraging data and implementing daily reporting to monitor real-time progress
Updated 15 min 59 sec ago
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, has underscored the need for directing investment in technology during a meeting with an official of the McKinsey global management consultancy firm, the Pakistani finance ministry said on Monday, instigating a cultural transition toward digital governance that would aid the government’s tax collection efforts.
In May, Pakistan signed an agreement with McKinsey and Company for the digitalization of its tax system as the South Asian nation strives to introduce reforms amid talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new bailout program.
Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) last year said the country had a “very narrow tax base” of around 5.2 million people in 2022, out of a population of 240 million people. The FBR had said it planned to add 1.5 million new taxpayers to the existing base during the current fiscal year.
On Monday, the finance minister held a meeting with McKinsey & Co’s Regional Head of Technology and Tax, Tom Isherwood, and other officials in Islamabad, wherein he emphasized the government’s commitment to improve tax collection.
“The finance minister emphasized the need for investment in technology and fostering a cultural shift toward digital governance,” the finance ministry said in a statement.
The discussions centered around the possibility of achieving quick wins by leveraging data and implementing daily reporting to monitor real-time progress. The finance minister also shared the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited and the Revenue Mobilization Investment and Trade’s (REMIT) data that could be utilized in digitizing the FBR tax system, according to the statement.
Pakistan’s State Minister for Finance Ali Malik, who was also present at the meeting, discussed ways to enhance the ongoing exercise by efficiently generating, organizing and analyzing data. He stressed the importance of a data-driven approach for improving the project outcomes.
The McKinsey team thanked the finance minister for ensuring the completion of the exercise within the given time frame, the statement said.
Pakistan needs $24 billion in payments for debt and interest servicing in the next fiscal year starting July 1 — three times more than its central bank’s foreign currency reserves.
The South Asian nation is seeking yet another long-term, larger IMF loan, with the finance minister saying Islamabad could secure a staff-level agreement on the new program by early July. If successful, this would be the 25th IMF bailout for Pakistan.
The IMF-led structural reforms require Pakistan to raise its tax-to-GDP ratio, stop losses in state-owned enterprises and manage its energy sector losses which run into trillions of rupees.
Pakistan’s finance ministry expects the economy to grow by 2.6 percent in the current fiscal year ending June, while average inflation is projected to stand at 24 percent, down from 29.2 percent in the outgoing fiscal year.

Topics: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb McKinsey global management consultancy

Pakistan court acquits ex-PM Khan, aide in state secrets case

Updated 03 June 2024
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Pakistan court acquits ex-PM Khan, aide in state secrets case

  • The case centered around an alleged diplomatic cable that Khan used to claim his ouster in 2022 was part of ‘foreign conspiracy’ 
  • A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court, Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, acquitted Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the case
Updated 03 June 2024
KASHIF IMRAN

KARACHI: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday acquitted former prime minister Imran Khan and his close aide, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in a case relating to the leaking of state secrets, Khan’s lawyer and his party said.
Khan and Qureshi were serving 10 years in prison on charges of making public a classified cable sent to Islamabad by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington in 2022, in what is commonly known as the cipher case.
Khan has said the cable was proof of a conspiracy by the Pakistan military and the US to topple his government in 2022 after he visited Moscow just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Washington and Pakistan’s military deny that accusation.
Khan and Qureshi, who were convicted in the case in January this year, had appealed the decision in the Islamabad High Court, which set aside their convictions on Monday.
“Thank God, the sentence is overturned,” Naeem Panjutha, a member of for legal team of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, said on X.
Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a PTI member and a close Khan aide, also confirmed the development on X. “Conviction in Cypher Case set aside by IHC, appeals of IK [Imran Khan] and SMQ [Shah Mehmood Qureshi] allowed,” he said.
But Khan will remain in prison despite the acquittal, having also been convicted in another case relating to his marriage to his third wife, Bushra Khan, contravening Islamic traditions.
Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary no-trust vote in April, has been in jail since last August after being convicted in multiple cases. Arguably Pakistan’s most popular politician, Khan says all cases against him are politically motivated to keep him out of politics.

Topics: Ex-PM Imran Khan Shah Mehmood Qureshi cipher case

In northern Sindh, residents struggle to adapt as Pakistan sizzles under heat wave

Updated 03 June 2024
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In northern Sindh, residents struggle to adapt as Pakistan sizzles under heat wave

  • Some laborers migrate to cooler areas, other reduce working hours as temperature in Jacobabad district in Sindh soars to over 50 degrees Celsius
  • Health experts and doctors advise people to stay indoors, drink plenty of juices and water as South Asia experiences severe heat wave
Updated 03 June 2024
Zulfiqar Kunbhar

JACOBABAD/LARKANA: Raheem Bakhsh, a brick kiln worker in Pakistan’s Jacobabad district, used to work eight hours previously. This year, however, Bakhsh is forced to take a pay cut and reduce his working hours to five or six, as the temperature in Jacobabad district crossed 50° Celsius last week while Pakistan remains in the throes of a severe heat wave.
Throughout May 2024, the temperatures in the northern districts of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province remained 6-8°C higher than their monthly average. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) last week warned the heat waves would persist across parts of Sindh and Punjab in June, with temperatures likely to remain above 48 degrees Celsius.
Increased exposure to heat, and more heat waves, have been identified as one of the key impacts of climate change in Pakistan, with people experiencing extreme heat and seeing some of the highest temperatures in the world in recent years. The South Asian country of more than 241 million, one of the ten most vulnerable nations to climate change impacts, has also witnessed untimely downpours, flash floods and droughts in recent years.
Jacobabad and other northern districts of Sindh are known for their sweltering temperatures every summer. This year around, as the weather gets warmer and harsher, residents of the district are making some necessary changes to their daily routine.
Bakhsh, who has been laboring as a brick kiln worker for the past 40-45 years, told Arab News last year was very hot but this year “is even hotter.”
“The extreme heat has slowed down our work,” he lamented. “Previously we worked for eight hours, but now we work for only five to six hours. The hot weather is causing us losses every day. Our health is also deteriorating as we become weaker with each passing day. We are laborers, where will we go?“
The same is the case for Mahjabeen Shabbir Abro, a social worker for a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Jacobabad. As the mercury soars in the district, Abro has increased her water intake and rescheduled her job timings to avoid the peak sun hours.
Previously, she used to work from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The intense heat has forced her to change her timings from 07:00 a.m. To 11:00 p.m.
“Previously as a field-based worker, we didn’t feel the need for water that much nor did we feel unconscious,” Abro told Arab News. “However, this heat is making us feel unconscious and we have to use ORS [Oral Rehydration Solution] as much as possible. If we used to have just one sachet of ORS, we now take two to three ORS sachets per day.”
Abdul Riaz, a 20-year-old laborer, said he would spend the upcoming Eid-Al-Adha festival in Balochistan’s cooler pastures searching for work without his family, and away from his one-year-old son.
“Here in Jacobabad, it is too hot, and there is too much joblessness,” Riaz said. “I am going to Balochistan for work in grape farming. I will spend four to five months there so that I can earn and send money back home to my children,” he added.
According to him, Ibrahimzai area in Balochistan is a cooler place where he can find work at grape gardens.
“I often go there in different seasons to work in grape gardens,” Riaz said.
Dr. Ram Chand, the Sindh government’s focal person for heat stroke response centers in Jacobabad, noted that while the temperature had soared past 50 degrees Celsius in May, no deaths from heat stroke had taken place. While the district headquarters civil hospital has increased its heat stroke response centers from one last year to four this year, people were taking more precautions against the heat wave, he said.
“Due to mass awareness, people are taking necessary precautions, such as drinking more liquids, juices, ORS, and water,” Chand told Arab News. “And we’ve seen no heat stroke deaths this year or last year.”
But while that may be a silver lining for Chand, it isn’t necessarily for others. Khadim Hussain, a farmer at Mohenjo Daro in the neighboring Larkana district in Dhandh village, says the harsh climate won’t let him plant seeds.
“In the past, we used to sow rice seeds in June,” Hussain told Arab News. “Now it is so hot, with hot winds blowing, that if we start sowing seeds now, they will burn out, and we would face a huge loss.”

Topics: heat wave

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