LAHORE: Representatives of the federal government on Friday morning reached an agreement with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to end the party’s 11-day sit-in in Lahore.
Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the founder and president of TLP, told his followers on April 13 before dawn that their demands had been met.
“All the faithful are requested to go their homes peacefully,” he told protesters at the main sit-in camp, in front of Data Darbar. “The government has accepted all our demands.”
Talks between TLP and the federal government were mediated by representatives of the provincial administration in Punjab, including the region’s Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Rana Sanaullah Khan.
“The TLP is demanding the implementation of the ‘Faizabad agreement’,” he said. “The agreement is between the TLP and the federal government and we are not party to it. I have called in the Chief Commissioner Islamabad for the negotiations.”
The Faizabad agreement followed a three-week protest at the Faizabad interchange in November 2017 over changes to election law. Violence broke out and the army intervened. The agreement, between the federal government and the TLP, was subsequently brokered by the army. It demanded the law minister resign, which he did, and the release of all protesters who were arrested, among other things. However, the Islamabad High Court questioned the legality of the agreement and it was never fully implemented, eventually igniting the latest protests.
The breakthrough came after two previous rounds of talks, during which the parties failed to reach an agreement and TLP activists subsequently spread their protest country-wide, blocking many busy roads.
The third round, attended by the chief commissioner and deputy commissioner, went on until 3 a.m. before the two sides reached a solution. The TLP delegation included Sheikh Azhar, Waheed Anwar and Usman Afzal Qadri.
The chief commissioner said his hands were tied in one aspect of the Faizabad agreement, the withdrawal of legal cases against TLP leaders and activists, on the grounds that this is impossible until the court gives a decision. The chief commissioner said that the federal government would contact the court to seek direction on the matter.
Both sides agreed to lodge a police report known as a First Information Report (FIR) against the unknown killers of TLP activists who died at Faizabad.
The Punjab government lodged the FIR and copy was given to the negotiators. The provincial authorities also agreed to launch a fresh investigation board to look into the killings and other losses at Faizabad.
“People were suffering a lot due to the TLP protests,” Khan added. “I hope the matter is solved now and people who are facing agony due to road blocks will get relief.”
Punjab protests end after government and Tehreek-e-Labbaik agree a deal
Punjab protests end after government and Tehreek-e-Labbaik agree a deal
- Federal authorities agreement to implement Faizabad agreement and seek court’s direction on protesters arrested in November
- Peace talks between the two sides were mediated by the provincial government in Punjab
US returns 133 stolen artefacts to Pakistan valued at $13 million
- illegal antiquities trade is a multi-billion-dollar global industry, as per a 2018 report by Standard Chartered
- This marks fifth such transfer between US and Pakistan, from where artefacts dating to Gandhara period were stolen
ISLAMABAD: The United States this week returned 133 pieces of stolen antiquities valued over $13 million to Pakistan, state-run media reported, marking the fifth such transfer to the South Asian country from where artefacts dating back to the Gandhara period were stolen.
Artefacts are man-made objects, such as pieces of art or tools, that are of particular cultural, historical, or archaeological interest.
The illegal antiquities trade is a multi-billion-dollar global industry according to a 2018 report by Standard Chartered Bank. The trade is also often a major funding source for criminal and militant groups on the supply side, according to a report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
“The United States returned to Pakistan 133 pieces of stolen antiquities worth over $13 million at a ceremony at the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in New York on Tuesday,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Some of the antiquities were displayed during the ceremony at which Pakistani Consul General in New York Aamer Ahmed Atozai said the artefacts would adorn museums across Pakistan.
“The consul general also signed an agreement with the Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, Matthew Bogdanos, who heads the Antiquities Trafficking Unit for the repatriation of the returned artefacts to Pakistan,” APP said.
Bogdanos said he was delighted to return “glorious pieces of Pakistani heritage” to the country whose civilization dates back to 5,000 years, APP said.
Pakistan and the US regularly collaborate to return stolen artefacts to Pakistan. In 2021, the US, after conducting a probe into an Indian-American art dealer Shubash Kapoor, had returned 192 stolen antiquities worth around $3.4 million.
In August 2022, the US again returned 104 artefacts valued at $3.3 million to Pakistan that were among thousands of antiquities looted from Asian countries and seized from Kapoor.
Rain washes out England-Pakistan T20 opener
- Match was supposed to be launchpad for England’s defense next month of T20 World Cup title
- Both teams will now meet each other on Saturday at Edgbaston in second of four-match series
Leeds, United Kingdom: Persistent rain saw the first Twenty20 international between England and Pakistan at Headingley on Wednesday abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The match was meant to be the launchpad for reigning champions England’s defense next month of their T20 World Cup title in the Caribbean and the United States.
But a heavy and lengthy downpour in Leeds led the umpires to call the game off approximately an hour before the scheduled 17:30 GMT start.
The four-match series against Pakistan, the team England beat to win the 2022 T20 World Cup final in Melbourne, will now continue at Birmingham’s Edgbaston ground on Saturday before games next week in Cardiff and at the Oval.
England were also the defending champions heading into last year’s 50-over World Cup in India but Jos Buttler’s men suffered a tame exit, losing six of their nine matches.
The Pakistan T20 series could see the return to international duty of England fast bowler Jofra Archer. Injuries have blighted the quick’s career, with elbow and back problems sidelining the 29-year-old from top-level cricket for 14 months.
Pakistani media regulator bans TV channels from airing news on ongoing court cases
- Authority directs TV channels to report only written orders of courts, refrain from airing news related to court hearings
- Journalists’ associations reject directives, call on Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to withdraw notification
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s media regulatory body has banned TV channels from airing news, opinions, and commentary on proceedings of ongoing court cases, prompting journalist associations on Wednesday to reject the directive and call it a violation of the country’s constitution.
The development takes place amid tensions between the government and the Islamabad High Court over the alleged kidnapping of Kashmiri poet Ahmad Farhad last week. The poet’s family has accused Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency of abducting Farhad from his Islamabad residence for his critical social media posts that targeted the military.
Media extensively reported on the case’s hearings this week as the high court directed authorities to produce the missing poet within four days, warning it would otherwise summon senior government officials. The court also criticized Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, prompting the law minister to say on Monday that the court’s comments were “shocking.”
Journalists in Pakistan have spoken of growing press and media censorship, with many blaming Pakistan’s powerful military for illegally detaining journalists and torturing them. The military has repeatedly denied the allegations.
“TV channels are directed to refrain from airing tickers/headlines with regard to court proceedings and shall only report the written orders of the court,” a notification from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said on Tuesday.
The regulator also directed TV channels to air “no content including commentary, opinions or suggestions about the potential fate of sub judice matter which tends to prejudice the determination by a court, tribunal.”
However, PEMRA allowed TV channels to report on court proceedings if they were broadcast live by the judiciary.
Journalists’ associations covering Pakistan’s Supreme Court and the IHC rejected the directives, saying it was in violation of the country’s constitution.
“Both the journalists’ associations covering court proceedings reject PEMRA’s notification while terming it against press freedom and independent judiciary,” the Press Association of the Supreme Court (PAS) and the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
“PEMRA has no legal right to ban coverage of court reporting,” the statement said, adding that the regulator’s notification was a “serious violation” of journalists’ rights enshrined in the constitution.
The associations demanded that PEMRA withdraw its notification, warning that they would otherwise challenge it in court.
Pakistan to enhance production of indigenous petroleum products— minister
- Cash-starved Pakistan spends over $20 billion each year on petroleum imports to meet energy demand
- Pakistan welcomes foreign companies to invest in its oil and gas sector, says Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik
KARACHI: Pakistan wants to enhance the production of its indigenous petroleum products, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik said on Wednesday, citing the financial burden that expensive crude oil imports have on the country’s fragile economy.
Cash-strapped Pakistan relies heavily on imported petroleum products as its energy demands grow. Struggling with a balance of payments crisis, high inflation and steep currency devaluation, Pakistan is looking to secure cheaper energy imports and find alternate ways to lessen the cost of power generation.
According to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), the country’s indigenous oil production meets only about one-fifth of Pakistan’s current oil needs. The rest is met through high-cost imports.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged the government to turn toward renewable energy resources. Last month, he said the country currently imports oil worth $27 billion to meet its power and transportation needs, which puts a strain on the cash-strapped nation.
Speaking at the Pakistan Energy Symposium, Malik said it would be difficult to manage the country with such a huge energy import bill when Pakistan’s exports were around $30 billion.
“We want to first of all, produce as much of the petroleum products, including gas and crude, indigenously as much as possible,” the minister said, adding that the government has put blocks for bidding and is actively trying to attract global players in exploration activities.
Malik said the government is expediting oil and gas exploration within the country, adding that it welcomes foreign companies to invest in the sector.
“So, we are telling the world that Pakistan is open for business, our regulatory process, particularly the petroleum concession process is very dense and opaque,” he said.
He said investment processes and information about oil and gas exploration have been digitized and simplified to facilitate the government’s aims to enhance indigenous production of energy resources.
Malik advocated for increasing the utilization of Pakistan’s abundant renewable energy resources, pointing out that the country’s solar energy costs have significantly decreased.
PM Sharif demands industry status for Pakistan’s gemstones sector
- Pakistan’s exports of gems and precious stones to China saw 47 percent increase in 2023, as per official figures
- Pakistan possesses immense natural resources in KP, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir regions, says Sharif
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday stressed developing the country’s gems and precious stones sector, urging authorities to take steps to accord it the status of an industry, a statement from his office said.
According to a report by Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce, the country’s exports of pearls and precious stones to China saw a 47 percent increase in 2023, showcasing the rising demand for Pakistan’s precious stones in China.
“The prime minister gave directions for steps to be taken for the gems and precious stones sector be granted industry status,” the PMO said, as Sharif chaired a meeting of the gems and private stones sector in Pakistan’s capital on Wednesday.
Sharif said Pakistan possesses immense natural resources, particularly in the regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He called on authorities to properly utilize these resources to Pakistan’s advantage.
“Efforts should be made to obtain international certifications for precious stones and the products made from them, and to ensure Pakistani representation in global exhibitions,” the prime minister said.
He directed necessary consultations to be held with the private sector and provinces in this regard.
Separately, the prime minister also presided over a meeting on Information Technology Parks, directing the construction of Islamabad IT Park “as soon as possible.”
The Islamabad IT Park is expected to act as a state-of-the-art facility that would aim to foster collaboration, innovation and product development in teh capital.
“The establishment of IT parks to promote IT, increase IT exports, and provide facilities to startups is a welcome development,” PM Sharif was quoted as saying by the PMO.
Sharif was told during the meeting that the Islamabad IT Park would be completed next year in collaboration with South Korea.
“The Islamabad IT Park will feature startups, incubation centers, banks, restaurants, and other facilities,” the statement said.
