ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday approved a five-day holiday for the upcoming Islamic festival of Eid Al-Adha, as nearly one million people gathered in Makkah to perform Hajj this year.
The second major religious festival for Muslims across the world, Eid Al-Adha falls on the tenth day of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the last month of the lunar Islamic calendar, marking the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Pakistan’s moonsighting committee announced last Wednesday the country would celebrate the Islamic festival on July 10.
“The Prime Minister has seen and is pleased to approve the Eid-ul-Azha holidays from 8th to 12th July, 2022 (Friday to Tuesday),” said an official notification circulated by the PM Office on Sunday. “Further action may be taken accordingly.”
Pakistan’s provincial administrations of Punjab and Sindh have already allowed markets to function for longer durations ahead of Eid to help people prepare for the festival.
Previously, the provincial governments had ordered businesses and markets to close by 9pm to conserve energy amid a growing power crisis in the country.
Pakistan has also reported rising number of coronavirus cases in recent days and its central pandemic response body has made it mandatory for people to wear masks on all domestic flights, railways and public transport while traveling.
RAWALPINDI: As Nimra Shah stepped into the Rawalpindi Railway Station drenched in the golden hues of the early dawn hours, she was greeted by the vibrant thumping of a drum and a performance of traditional Punjabi dance.
This is how the “Safari Tourist Train” starts as it takes passengers on a journey every Sunday across the majestic Potohar, a plateau in Pakistan’s Punjab province, located between the Indus and Jehlum rivers. Pakistan Railways kicked off operations of the safari last month, offering a unique way to explore the region’s scenic landscapes and the 150-year-old history of the national, state-owned railway company of Pakistan.
Last Sunday, against the rhythmic chugging of the engines, the train sped out of the Rawalpindi Railway Station, promising an adventure-filled journey to the more than 350 passengers on board through the mountains, bridges and tunnels of the Potohar region but also through time.
“This is my first experience traveling by train and this is the reason I chose the Safari train as I was impressed by their things [activities planned during the journey],” Shah, who works as a beautician in Islamabad, told Arab News.
“So far so good and let’s see what happens next. I hope it will be good because the videos I have seen about this and the reviews were good.”
In this photograph, taken on March 3, 2024, a man takes the family photo ahead of their journey on “Safari Tourist Train” at the Saddar Railway Station in Rawalpindi. (Photo courtesy: KP Culture and Tourism Authority)
The Safari tourist train was first launched in February 2021 by then railways minister Azam Khan Swati, but its operations were halted in 2022 for undisclosed reasons. The train has now been relaunched by Pakistan Railways in collaboration with the PK-Unicorn private tourism company.
The train travels every Sunday from Rawalpindi to Attock Khurd, a small town located beside the Indus River in the Attock District of Punjab, offering luxurious seating arrangements and newly constructed washrooms to ensure maximum comfort and convenience. There is live music, magic shows and entertainers on board to engage children and adults alike and make the journey more interesting, according to Faiza Syed, a general manager at PK-Unicorn.
“Most of the families have never traveled on trains, so we have started this small journey so that the people can get the flavor of traveling in a train,” she told Arab News, adding that the main objective of the safari was to portray a “positive image” of Pakistan and boost tourism.
The train offers different categories of travel, including a basic economy class, followed by an air-conditioned parlor, and finally, a salon car, in which a group of up to 20 individuals can book a separate coach. The ticket price varies from Rs3,500 ($12.70) for economy class, Rs4,500 ($16.20) for the AC parlor, and Rs6,000 ($21.58) for the special saloon, with breakfast and lunch included in all categories.
Since its re-launch last month, Syed said, the public’s response to the service had been “overwhelmingly positive” and the train had been operating at full capacity. “COMMENDABLE INITIATIVE”
This Sunday, the safari’s scenic route included iconic landmarks such as the Margalla Hills and the historic Sangjani Tunnel and Chablat and Ghazi Barotha bridges. A main attraction was a stopover at the historic Golra railway station, which was constructed in 1882 and boasts the esteemed Islamabad Railway Museum, a testament to Pakistan’s colonial past and the history of its famed British-built railway system.
Steam locomotives and royal saloons associated with India’s last viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, Pakistan’s founder and first governor general, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and the Maharaja of Jodhpur are on display at the museum, whose two galleries are chock full of artifacts. These include a kerosene heater belonging to Mountbatten, vintage railway police guns, a punching machine for tickets, signal sticks and lamps, flags, drinking vessels, and a morse code machine.
Other items in the collection include surgical instruments used at the railways hospital, relief bogies as well as bells, kerosene lamps and a Neal’s ball token machine, captured from the Khemkaran station during the India-Pakistan war of 1965. A long pendulum by Gillet & Johnston Croydon, London, 1899, is another treasured item.
The train next passes through more historic tunnels of the Potohar region until the next stop: the scenic Attock Khurd Railway Station by the banks of the Indus River. Here, visitors get a chance to immerse themselves in the beauty of the water as well as go camel riding.
In this photo, taken on March 3, 2024, people take their seats after boarding the “Safari Tourist Train” in Rawalpindi. (Photo courtesy: KP Culture and Tourism Authority)
“We have enjoyed the trip as we came in a group and it was a good journey,” Khawaja Najam-ul-Hassan, a retired employee of the Pakistani state television, told Arab News. “I liked the architecture right from Golra to Attock as it was my first time here.”
Another passenger, Azhar Mubarak, a retired army doctor, described the safari as a “commendable initiative” and said more such trains should be introduced to explore other parts of the country.
“There are many such good places in Pakistan and initiatives like these are needed there as well to promote tourism potential and opportunities for the public,” he told Arab News.
Tahmina Azhar, a doctor, described the journey as “enjoyable” but said the service needed a few improvements, including upgrading the quality of the food served and employing trained guides.
“A bit more cleanliness in the train, [especially] toilets,” she said, “and somebody to guide us.”
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister of Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Wednesday $25 billion of energy and infrastructure projects had almost been implemented in his country under the first phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project (CPEC) while praising the strong strategic ties between the two countries.
Iqbal arrived in Beijing earlier in the day with Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi and was received by Pakistan’s ambassador Khalil Hashmi and senior Chinese officials.
This is the first high-level Pakistani visit to China since the country’s new government came into power.
“China is Pakistan’s historic friend who has stood by us in tough times,” the Pakistani minister quoted as saying in an official statement.
“He noted that projects worth $25 billion under the first phase of CPEC were nearing completion in Pakistan, primarily upgrading the energy and infrastructure sectors,” it continued. “The second phase of CPEC will focus on promoting agriculture, industry, green energy and technology sectors.
Iqbal’s visit is expected to pave the way for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s upcoming visit to China and the 13th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting between the two countries, scheduled for May.
The two events were mentioned in an official statement issued in Islamabad last month that announced Pakistan’s preparations.
The JCC meetings are crucial for both countries, providing them platform to discuss and finalize plans for projects spanning across several sectors including energy, infrastructure, transportation, and more recently, agriculture and technology.
The JCC aims to enhance bilateral cooperation and ensure the smooth execution of projects, which are intended to boost socio-economic development in Pakistan.
Each JCC meeting often results in the signing of memoranda of understanding and agreements to launch new projects or continue progress on ongoing ones.
Beijing is investing over $65 billion in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of CPEC, a significant component of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
This initiative aims to connect China to the Arabian Sea, enabling Islamabad to expand and modernize its economy through a developed network of roads, railways, pipelines, and ports.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police fired teargas, baton-charged and detained dozens of lawyers who were protesting on Wednesday and tried to enter the building of a high court in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore.
Hundreds of lawyers had gathered outside the court building to protest the relocation of civil courts in Model Town. They are also demanding the dismissal of a terror case filed against fellow lawyers.
As the lawyers tried to enter the Lahore High Court building, police baton-charged them and fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse them. Video footage widely broadcast on Pakistani news channels showed dozens of lawyers being arrested and piled into police vans.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said she had directed Inspector General of Police Dr. Usman Anwar to “refrain from using force against the lawyers.”
“Lawyers must also resolve their matters with LHC amicably. For the safety of the citizens of Lahore, confrontation should be avoided,” she said in a post on X.
Speaking to media, a senior police officer said the protesters had pelted stones at the police and tried to engage them in a fight first, after which police were forced to use tear gas, water cannons and batons.
Speaking to Pakistani news channel Dawn News, LHCBA President Asad Butt said the lawyers’ protest would continue until all demands were met.
“The police have inflicted cruelty by using force against a peaceful march,” Butt said, adding that dozens of lawyers had been injured in tear gas shelling.
She demanded that the notification of the division of courts be withdrawn immediately and cases filed against lawyers be dismissed.
Speaking to Pakistan’s Geo News channel, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Faisal Kamran said while law enforcement had showed restraint, they would not permit any breach of the law.
“The police are demonstrating maximum patience and restraint,” he said, adding that one station house officer and one constable were injured as lawyers pelted officers with stones.
Protests by lawyers are relatively common in Pakistan and have been a notable feature of the country’s political and social landscape. Protests in the past have been sparked by a variety of issues ranging from judicial appointments and legal reforms to specific grievances related to court administration and the treatment of lawyers.
ISLAMABAD: Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov arrived in Pakistan for a two-day visit on Tuesday night to discuss bilateral trade and regional connectivity, confirmed a brief statement circulated by the foreign office, as the administration in Islamabad is trying to bolster economic ties amid financial challenges.
A Saudi business delegation recently concluded its visit to the country where its members held a series of business-to-business meetings to explore investment opportunities across various sectors during their visit.
This was followed by a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Japanese industrialists, where the PM encouraged them to invest in Pakistan’s electric automotive industry. Similarly, Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb engaged with international investors, assuring them of the country’s commitment to create an enabling business environment. The impending visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, expected this month, is anticipated to bring several billion dollars in investments.
The Uzbek foreign minister’s trip also highlights the strengthening bilateral relations between the two states and aligns with Pakistan’s objectives of enhancing regional connectivity for greater economic prosperity.
“Foreign Minister Saidov will call on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and hold in-depth talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar on a wide range of bilateral issues of mutual interest, with special focus on trade and connectivity,” the foreign office said in a statement released before his arrival.
“The visit of the Foreign Minister of Republic of Uzbekistan is expected to provide fresh impetus to the friendly relations between the two countries,” it added.
Pakistan views Central Asian countries as crucial partners in enhancing regional trade and energy security.
The region’s vast natural resources, especially oil and gas, can be vital for Pakistan to secure reliable energy sources and diversify its energy imports.
Uzbekistan plays a key role in this equation due to its geographical position and resources, acting as a gateway for Pakistan to access other markets in the region.
Last year, Pakistan’s former caretaker prime minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar visited the Central Asian country to participate in an Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) meeting where he reiterated his country’s commitment to regional cooperation and economic integration.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s planning minister has invited China to collaborate with Islamabad in setting up industrial zones to manufacture electric cars amid a renewed push to attract foreign investment, state news agency APP reported on Wednesday.
The government of Pakistan approved an ambitious National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP) in 2019 with the goal of electric vehicles comprising 30 percent of all passenger vehicle and heavy-duty truck sales by 2030, and an even more ambitious target of 90 percent by 2040. For two- and three-wheelers, as well as buses, the policy set a goal of achieving 50 percent of new sales by 2030 and 90 percent by 2040.
In a meeting with Chinese officials on Tuesday, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal invited them to collaborate on the production of electric cars.
“He emphasized Pakistan’s aim to establish industrial zones for the manufacturing of electric cars in collaboration with China, leveraging Pakistan’s competitive advantage to reduce overall production costs and create employment opportunities for Pakistani workers,” APP reported.
Earlier this year, Sazgar Engineering, one of Pakistan’s leading car manufacturers, unveiled the electric vehicle “ORA 3,” manufactured in collaboration with Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motors (GWM).
The urban areas of Pakistan exhibit some of the world’s highest levels of air pollution, primarily due to sub-2.5 μm particulate emissions. This issue significantly impairs both the country’s economy and the quality of life of its residents. Road transport is a significant contributor to air pollution as around 23 percent of Pakistan’s greenhouse gas emissions originate from vehicles.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also met a delegation of Japanese industrialists in Islamabad and invited them to invest in Pakistan’s electric automotive industry.
“There is a wide potential for investment in the electric vehicle industry in Pakistan and Japanese companies with the best technology can take full advantage of it,” Sharif told the Japanese group.
