ISLAMABAD: Talks between the Kabul government and the Afghan Taliban began for the first time in Doha, Qatar on Saturday, as the two sides sat down for a solution to end decades of conflict in the war-ravaged country.
While Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq is representing Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi participated in the opening session via a video call, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“Greetings from the venue of Intra Afghan Negotiations. Indeed, it is a historic day. I earnestly hope Afghanistan would march toward peace, inclusiveness and prosperity. Let’s embrace the future!” Sadiq tweeted on Saturday.
Earlier on Friday, PM Khan welcomed the start of the talks, saying in a statement that he was “deeply gratified” since his country had “fulfilled its responsibility by facilitating the initiation of intra-Afghan dialogue.”
The United States, Pakistan and other international players have been trying to usher the insurgent Taliban and the Afghan government to the negotiating table for months.
“For more than 40 years, Afghans have suffered from continued conflict and bloodshed,” the prime minister said in a statement. “Pakistan has endured the fall-out — reflected in the incidence of terrorism, loss of precious lives, and huge economic cost.”
“I have underlined for a long time that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that the only way forward is a negotiated political settlement,” he continued. “Through relentless efforts, Pakistan has played a pivotal role in facilitating the Afghan peace process to this juncture. We feel deeply gratified today as we have fulfilled our part of the responsibility.”
In a statement on Thursday evening, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wished his team success on “their mission to bring sustainable peace and stability to the country, which is the long-awaited aspiration of the people of Afghanistan.”
The intra-Afghan negotiations were initially scheduled to begin in March, after a historic Taliban-US deal signed on Feb. 29, but delays over the swap of prisoners — 5,000 held by the Afghan government and 1,000 by the Taliban — caused delays and recrimination.
The exchange was finalized only last Thursday when six remaining Taliban inmates were freed by Kabul and left for Qatar. The move prompted the Taliban to announce that they were ready for talks immediately.
Officials in Kabul confirmed that Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, who heads the High Council for National Reconciliation, and Foreign Minister Haneef Atmar, would attend the opening ceremony of the dialogue.
The Afghan team is led by former intelligence chief Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, while the Taliban’s chief negotiator is Sheikh Abdul Hakim, a hard-line cleric who has been serving as the group’s shadow chief justice.
Each of the sides is expected to field 21 negotiators for the talks. There are no women in the Taliban team, while five female delegates will be representing Kabul.
Under the February agreement, the US also agreed to a phased withdrawal of its remaining troops from Afghanistan in exchange for promises the Taliban would reduce attacks and not permit Afghan soil to be used by other militant groups.
Now, the Taliban and the government will have to agree on a power-sharing deal and issues of civil liberties, including the role of women and minorities, and on how to integrate thousands of Taliban fighters into Afghan security forces potentially.
One of the women negotiators from Kabul, Fawzia Koofi, a prominent activist and former lawmaker, told Arab News that her side would “push for enforcement of a cease-fire or drastic reduction of violence on the agenda of the talks.”
“This opportunity must not be squandered,” US secretary of state Michael R. Pompeo said in a statement. “Immense sacrifice and investment by the United States, our partners, and the people of Afghanistan have made this moment of hope possible.”
“I urge the negotiators to demonstrate the pragmatism, restraint, and flexibility this process will require to succeed. The people of Afghanistan and the international community will be watching closely. The United States is prepared to support as requested.”
’Historic day’, Pakistani envoy says as key intra-Afghan talks begin in Qatar
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’Historic day’, Pakistani envoy says as key intra-Afghan talks begin in Qatar
- FM Qureshi participates in the opening session via video call
- Islamabad has played a crucial role in facilitating dialogue, PM Khan says
Pakistan PM calls UAE president, admires his leadership role during recent rains
- The United Arab Emirates was still grappling on Friday with the aftermath of a record-breaking storm this week
- The storm first hit Oman over the weekend, before pounding the UAE on Tuesday with its heaviest rains in 75 years
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday telephoned United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and admired the role of the Emirati leadership in dealing with the recent torrential rains in the Gulf country, Sharif’s office said.
The United Arab Emirates was still grappling on Friday with the aftermath of a record-breaking storm this week, with the main road connecting Dubai, the most populous emirate, with Abu Dhabi partially closed for traffic.
The storm first hit Oman over the weekend, killing at least 20 people, before pounding the UAE on Tuesday with its heaviest rains in 75 years of records. Scientists blame increasingly common extreme weather events, such as the rains in UAE and Oman, on human-led global warming.
In his telephonic conversation with the UAE president, Sharif lauded the Emirati leadership for the “strong resolve and impeccable efficiency” in confronting the challenges that emerged from the downpours.
“He [Sharif] also called for collective actions to combat the challenge of climate change and suggested that both countries strengthen their collaboration in this field,” PM Sharif’s office said in a statement.
“Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation in multifaceted areas.”
Pakistan itself has been prone to natural disasters and consistently ranks among one of the most adversely affected countries due to the effects of climate change. Torrential rains in Pakistan have killed more than 70 people this month, according to authorities.
In 2022, downpours swelled rivers and at one point flooded a third of Pakistan, killing 1,739 people. The floods also caused $30 billion in damages, from which Pakistan is still trying to rebuild.
Over 600 IT firms, 100 foreigners attend ITCN tech conference in Lahore
- The three-day exhibition is set to fetch nearly $500 million investment from a dozen countries
- The companies participating in the expo include Microsoft, Inbox, Lenovo, HP, NetSol and Dell
ISLAMABAD: More than 600 IT companies, 55,000 participants, and around a hundred foreign delegates are attending an ongoing 24th edition of the ITCN Asia Conference in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, Pakistani state media reported on Friday, citing officials.
The main sessions at the three-day tech event include the Artificial Intelligence Summit, Global Security Symposium, Gaming and Scholars Roundtable, Investor Summit, Freelancer Summit, Made in Pakistan Roundtable Conference.
State Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the objective of the event was to highlight the expertise and products of Pakistan’s IT sector at the international level.
“Sixty eight percent of Pakistan’s population consists of young people and IT is a field that has a lot of opportunities available for them,” she told Radio Pakistan broadcaster. “The government’s vision is to bring as much skill training as possible for the youth in the IT sector.”
Khawaja said the government would provide cheap loans to the IT sector so that freelancers could thrive.
“The government has started the Industry Academia Bridge Program under which IT students in universities can collaborate with the private sector to get practical training while studying and secure their jobs,” she added.
Speaking on the opening day of the event at Lahore’s Expo Center on Friday, Khawaja said it was an honor for Pakistan to be a founding partner of the Digital Cooperation Organization, a global multilateral body launched in November 2020 to help enable digital prosperity for all, and a testimony to the country’s readiness to be one of the leading stakeholders in the global IT ecosystem.
“Pakistan’s digital progress and its position as a global stakeholder is underscored by its vibrant youth as Pakistan produces 10,000 IT graduates every year,” she said.
“Together we will make Pakistan an IT hub as IT is the key toward growth of all sectors.”
A delegation of international investors belonging to 12 different countries is participating in the event that is expected to attract around $500 million investment, according to Pakistani state media.
Renowned international and national technology companies, including Microsoft, Inbox, Red Hat, TP-Link, Lenovo, HP, NetSol, Abacus and Dell, are participating in the three-day exhibition.
The event is being jointly supported by the Pakistani Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Pakistan Software Export Board and Pakistan Software Houses Association.
Pakistan stocks close at record high amid IMF talks, tensions in Middle East
- The benchmark KSE-100 index surged by 647 points after morning trading hiccups due to reports of Israel’s attack on Iran
- Pakistani analysts say escalating tensions in Middle East will impact supply chain and increase import bill for Pakistan
KARACHI: Pakistan’s stock market recorded on Friday its highest-ever closing at 70,909 points, stock brokers and analysts said, attributing it to ongoing talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but cautioning about potential economic impact of Israel-Iran tensions in the Middle East.
Explosions were heard in Iranian city of Isfahan on Friday that were described as an Israeli attack by western media. However, Tehran has not officially confirmed the development as its response remains muted.
The Pakistan Stock Exchange witnessed some nervousness in the morning trading session, when news of Israel’s attack on Iran came in. But despite the development, the benchmark KSE-100 index surged by 647 points to close at 70,909 points.
“When news of the attack on Iran came this morning, its impact was seen in the Asian and European markets at one point,” Shehryar Butt, portfolio manager at the Karachi-based Darson Securities, told Arab News.
“Nikkei saw a decline of more than a thousand points, but despite this, the Pakistan Stock Exchange performed much better.”
The Pakistani bourse has recently been trading at record highs amid positive sentiment prevailing among investors due to hopes of the country’s successful talks with the IMF.
“The basic reason for this is that Pakistan is currently in the IMF program, and very serious discussions are taking place in Washington at this time,” Butt said.
Pakistan’s finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, is currently in Washington to hold talks with IMF officials for a new long-term loan program as Pakistan’s current $3 billion program is due to expire this month. The finance minister has expressed his hopes that the outline of the new program will be agreed next month.
Pakistan is expected to demand a loan size of around $7 billion but Jihad Azour, the IMF Middle East and Central Asia Director, said on Wednesday the reform package was more important than the size of the program.
“I would say the package of reform is now more important than the size of the program because we saw recently that the right measures provided the right response,” Azour said at a press briefing.
The surge in global oil prices amid geo political tensions and the Pakistani rupee’s recovery played “a catalyst role in Friday’s record close,” according to Ahsan Mehanti, CEO of the Arif Habib Corporation.
Though Pakistan’s market downplayed the Middle East tensions, but analysts said if the situation escalated, it would disrupt supply chain and impact Pakistan’s economy.
“The conflict between Iran and Israel will affect the Pakistani economy, quite a negative effect will be seen on the Pakistani economy because immediately after that, we saw geo-political situation worsening and oil started to rise,” Butt said, adding the rising global oil prices would impact Pakistan’s import bill.
Pakistan has imported petroleum products worth $12 billion during the July-March period of the current fiscal year, including $3.9 billion worth of crude oil and 2.9 billion worth of liquefied natural gas (LNG), according to official data.
Butt feared that if the situation persisted, then the attention of Saudi Arabia would also be drawn to the Middle East and the investment commitments made by the Kingdom with Pakistan could be delayed.
Haroon Sharif, an economist and former chairman of the Pakistan Board of Investment, said if the tensions in the Middle East escalated, their first impact would be on the stock market as foreign investors would like to shift their capital to safer markets.
“Another impact would be oil price escalation, hitting Pakistan’s trade deficit and traveling and cargo price would also escalate, increasing the cost of doing business,” Sharif said, adding that investors would hold their future expansion and investment plans till situation becomes stable.
Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States and scholar at Washington DC’s Hudson Institute, said a prolonged conflict between Iran and Israel would increase uncertainty and instability across the Middle East.
“If Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel was meant to show Iran’s reach, Israel has demonstrated its ability to strike deep inside Iran,” Haqqani told Arab News.
“Iran has several proxies that it can use while Israel has tremendous military and intelligence capabilities. Leaders of both countries have domestic political reasons to not be forgiving toward one another.”
Haqqani said the US would likely restrain Israel, while Iran would be constrained by its limited capability.
“After all, even after attacking with hundreds of missiles and drones, Iran was unable to cause real damage on ground in Israel,” he added.
Death toll from heavy rains in northwest Pakistan rises to 39
- The rains that began last Friday have damaged 2,391 houses across the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
- In southwestern Balochistan province, heavy rains have killed 15 people, triggered flash floods in several areas
PESHAWAR/QUETTA: The death toll from continuing rains in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has risen to 39, while another 54 people have been injured in various incidents, the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Friday.
The rains that began last Friday have caused damages to 2,391 houses in several districts across the province, according to the PDMA.
Khyber, Dir Lower and Upper, Chitral Upper and Lower, Swat, Shangla, Bajaur, Malakand, Karak and Tank districts have been declared the most affected by the downpours.
“As many as 23 children, eight men and eight women are among those died in rain related incidents during the last eight days,” the PDMA said in a statement on Friday.
The current spell of showers, which began on April 17, was likely to continue till April 21, the PDMA said this week.
The provincial government has released Rs110 million to be distributed among the affected families and dispatched aid, including tents, kitchen kits, blankets, hygiene kits, mosquito nets and mattresses, to the affected areas, according to the authority.
As the rains were expected to continue intermittently until April 21, the PDMA said it had already a letter to administration of all districts to remain alert and take precautionary measures.
In the southwestern Balochistan province, heavy rains have killed 15 people since Friday and triggered flash floods in several areas, according to provincial authorities.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said climate change had become a “challenge” for the provincial government.
“Current rains are unusual which were never reported in a thousand years,” he told reporters on Friday. “The government has been helping the masses with available resources and our teams have reached all districts to help the people affected by rains and floods.”
Pakistan has received heavy rains in the last three weeks that have triggered landslides and flash floods in several parts of the South Asian country.
The eastern province of Punjab has reported 21 lighting- and roof collapse-related deaths, while Balochistan, in the country’s southwest, reported 10 deaths as authorities declared a state of emergency following flash floods.
In 2022, downpours swelled rivers and at one point flooded a third of Pakistan, killing 1,739 people. The floods also caused $30 billion in damages, from which Pakistan is still trying to rebuild.
CM Bugti promises ‘good governance’ as 14-member cabinet takes oath in Pakistan’s Balochistan
- Development came more than two months after Balochistan elected its representatives in Feb. 8 national polls
- CM Sarfraz Bugti says the formation of the cabinet took time due to consultation with all coalition partners
ISLAMABAD: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Friday promised “good governance” and provision of maximum relief to public as his 14-member cabinet took oath in the southwestern Pakistani province, Pakistani state media reported.
The cabinet members were sworn in at a ceremony held at the Governor House in the provincial capital of Quetta, where Governor Malik Abdul Wali Kakar administered the oath to them.
The development came more than two months after Balochistan elected its representatives in the national election that was held on February 8, this year.
Bugti said the formation of the cabinet took time due to consultation with all coalition partners, the state-run APP news agency reported.
“Balochistan was facing many challenges, including terrorism,” he was quoted as saying in the report. “Providing maximum relief to the public and strengthening good governance were key priorities for the provincial government.”
Balochistan is the site of a long-running insurgency by separatist and religiously motivated militants, who have recently carried out a number of attacks in the region.
Gunmen this month killed nine people, who hailed from the eastern Punjab province, after abducting them from a bus on a highway near the Noshki district. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack.
Although the government says it has quelled the insurgency, violence by groups demanding independence from the central government has persisted in the province.
