MULTAN, Pakistan: A Pakistani official says security forces raided a militant hideout in the country’s east, killing two members of Daesh linked to the 2011 Al-Qaeda abduction of American development worker Warren Weinstein.
Weinstein, who was taken from the city of Lahore, was accidentally killed in a US drone strike in 2015 on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Rai Tahir of the Punjab counter-terrorism department identified the two militants as Adeel Hafeez and Usman Haroon. He says they died in the raid in the eastern city of Faisalabad on Tuesday.
He said both also played a role in the 2013 abduction of former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s son, Ali Haider, who was rescued in Afghanistan by US forces in 2016.
Many former Al-Qaeda militants are thought to have joined Daesh.
Pakistan security forces kill 2 Daesh men linked to abduction of American
Pakistan security forces kill 2 Daesh men linked to abduction of American
- American development worker Warren Weinstein was abducted from Lahore
- Both men were killed in the raid on Tuesday
Pakistan PM speaks to UAE president, calls for enhanced cooperation
- Shehbaz Sharif lauds UAE’s economic support in challenging times
- Both leaders discuss a range of issues, agree to stay in close contact
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday praised the United Arab Emirates for what he described as steadfast financial and political support during Islamabad’s recent economic crisis, as both sides signaled plans to deepen bilateral cooperation.
In a statement issued after Sharif spoke with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Prime Minister’s Office said the two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest and agreed to stay in close contact.
“The Prime Minister lauded the UAE’s consistent and unwavering support to Pakistan, that had helped the country navigate through difficult challenges,” the statement said, adding the two leaders “reaffirmed their shared desire to further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and the UAE.”
The UAE, along with other friendly nations in the region, provided critical financial assistance to the South Asian country during a balance-of-payments crisis that strained Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and pressured its currency. Islamabad subsequently secured an International Monetary Fund program as part of broader stabilization efforts.
Sharif, in a post on X, described the exchange as positive.
“We fondly recalled our recent meetings and reaffirmed our shared resolve to further strengthen the historic, fraternal ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, and to expand mutually beneficial cooperation,” he wrote.
Millions of Pakistanis live and work in the UAE, forming one of the largest expatriate communities in the Gulf state.
Remittances from the UAE rank among Pakistan’s top sources of foreign currency inflows and play a significant role in supporting the country’s external accounts.
UAE-based companies are also investing in Pakistan, helping Islamabad develop its seaports to facilitate regional trade.
