ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the suicide attack at a political rally in Mastung district of Balochistan province of Pakistan, on July 13 that killed at least 132 people, including Nawabzada Siraj Raisani, a key politician from the area, and injured more than 200.
“The OIC Secretary General, Dr. Yousef A. Al-Othaimeen, who was saddened by the attack, offered his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, the government and people of Pakistan and wished a quick recovery to the injured people,” said an OIC statement.
The secretary-general reiterated the principled position of the OIC against all forms of terrorism and extremism.
“He extended once again his solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and urged the Pakistani authorities to take all possible action to bring the perpetrators of the heinous action to justice,” the statement added.
The United States also strongly condemned this week’s attacks on political candidates and their supporters in Balochistan and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of Pakistan.
“These attacks are cowardly attempts to deprive the Pakistani people of their democratic rights,” the US State Department said in a statement.
It added: “We will continue to stand with the people of Pakistan and the broader South Asia region in their fight against terrorism.”
Hours before the Mastung bombing on Friday, at least four people were killed and dozens of others injured in another bomb attack in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The bomb exploded near the rally of Akram Khan Durrani, a candidate of Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (F), who is contesting the election against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan.
Earlier this week on Monday Awami National Party (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour, along with at least 20 others, was killed in a suicide blast in Peshawar, capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The latest wave of terrorist attacks on political rallies in Pakistan has spread fear among political parties and common people across the country.
World condemns Mastung massacre
World condemns Mastung massacre
- Organization of Islamic Cooperation secretary-general reiterated the organization’s principled position against all forms of terrorism and extremism
- These attacks are cowardly attempts to deprive the Pakistani people of their democratic rights, the US State Department said
Pakistan says $50 million meat export deal with Tajikistan nearing finalization
- Islamabad expects to finalize agreement soon after Dushanbe signals demand for 100,000 tons
- Pakistan is seeking to expand agricultural trade beyond rice, citrus and mango exports
ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan has expressed interest in importing 100,000 tons of Pakistani meat worth more than $50 million, with both governments expected to finalize a supply agreement soon, Pakistan’s food security ministry said on Tuesday.
Pakistan is trying to grow agriculture-based exports as it seeks regional markets for livestock and food commodities, while Tajikistan, a landlocked Central Asian state, has been expanding food imports to support domestic demand. Pakistan currently exports rice, citrus and mangoes to Dushanbe, though volumes remain small compared to national production, according to official figures.
The development came during a meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Ambassador of Tajikistan Yusuf Sharifzoda, where agricultural trade, livestock supply and food-security cooperation were discussed.
“Tajikistan intends to purchase 100,000 tons of meat from Pakistan, an import valued at over USD 50 million,” the ambassador said, according to the ministry’s statement, assuring full facilitation and that Islamabad was prepared to meet the demand.
The statement said the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in meat and livestock, fresh fruit, vegetables, staple crops, agricultural research, pest management and standards compliance. Pakistan also proposed strengthening coordination on phytosanitary rules and establishing pest-free production zones to support long-term exports.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have long maintained political ties but bilateral food trade remains below potential: Pakistan produces 1.8 million tons of mangoes annually but exported just 0.7 metric tons to Tajikistan in 2024, while rice exports amounted to only 240 metric tons in 2022 out of national output of 9.3 million tons. Pakistan imports mainly ginned cotton from Tajikistan.
