ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani military said on Tuesday it had concluded its probe into the arrest of the son–in-law of ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last month and decided to removed officers from the paramilitary Rangers and the ISI spy agency who had acted “zealously” in the incident.
The probe, ordered by the country’s army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, came after local politicians alleged that Sindh province’s top police official, Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar, had been abducted by paramilitary troops, taken to the office of a local ISI official, and coerced into signing an order to arrest opposition leader Muhammad Safdar, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party.
Safdar was arrested by officials who barged into his hotel room, as seen in cellphone footage, the day after a protest by an opposition alliance in Karachi, capital of the southern province of Sindh. He was subsequently released on bail.
“Based on the recommendations of the Court of Inquiry, it has been decided to remove the concerned officers from their current assignments for further departmental proceedings and disposal at GHQ [general headquarters],” the military said in a statement.
It said the Rangers and ISI officers were “experienced enough to have acted more prudently and could have avoided creating an unwarranted situation that led to misunderstanding between the two state institutions.”
Last week, the PML-N and an alliance of opposition parties kicked off nationwide protests against the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan and accused the military of interference in Pakistani politics - an allegation the army vociferously denies. Safdar was among those leading the protests.
The Sindh government, under which the Sindh police operate, said it had not ordered Safdar’s arrest and that the police had been pressured into taking the action.
“The police chief’s phones were seized. He was taken to the sector commander’s office and asked to sign the arrest orders,” Maryam Nawaz, Safdar’s wife and Sharif’s daughter, told media. Mahar was reported to have been allowed to leave on Monday after signing the arrest order.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, whose Pakistan Peoples Party rules Sindh, publicly called for the army and intelligence chiefs to investigate the matter, saying the incident had “crossed a red line”.
Pakistan army says will remove Rangers, ISI officers who arrested Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law
https://arab.news/w5pnt
Pakistan army says will remove Rangers, ISI officers who arrested Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law
- Safdar was arrested by officials who barged into his hotel room a day after a protest by an opposition alliance in Karachi
- Army ordered a probe after politicians alleged Sindh’s top police official had been abducted by Rangers and coerced into signing the arrest order
Pakistan, China to sign multiple MoUs at major agriculture investment conference today
- Hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani firms to attend Islamabad event
- Conference seen as part of expanding CPEC ties into agriculture, trade
KARACHI: Islamabad and Beijing are set to sign multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to boost agricultural investment and cooperation at a major conference taking place in the capital today, Monday, with hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani companies expected to participate.
The conference is being billed by Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research as a platform for deepening bilateral agricultural ties and supporting broader economic engagement between the two countries.
“Multiple memorandums of understanding will be signed at the Pakistan–China Agricultural Conference,” the Ministry of National Food Security said in a statement. “115 Chinese and 165 Pakistani companies will participate.”
The conference reflects a growing emphasis on expanding Pakistan-China economic cooperation beyond the transport and energy foundations of the flagship China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into agriculture, industry and technology.
Under its first phase launched in 2015, CPEC, a core component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, focused primarily on transportation infrastructure, energy generation and connectivity projects linking western China to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan. That phase included motorways, power plants and the development of the Gwadar Port in the country's southwest, aimed at helping Pakistan address chronic power shortages and enhance transport connectivity.
In recent years, both governments have formally moved toward a “CPEC 2.0” phase aimed at diversifying the corridor’s impact into areas such as special economic zones, innovation, digital cooperation and agriculture. Second-phase discussions have highlighted Pakistan’s goal of modernizing its agricultural sector, attracting Chinese technology and investment, and boosting export potential, with high-level talks taking place between planning officials and investors in Beijing.
Agri-sector cooperation has also seen practical collaboration, with joint initiatives examining technology transfer, export protocols and value-chain development, including partnerships in livestock, mechanization and horticulture.
Organizers say the Islamabad conference will bring together government policymakers, private sector investors, industry associations and multinational agribusiness firms from both nations. Discussions will center on investment opportunities, technology adoption, export expansion and building linkages with global buyers within the framework of Pakistan-China economic cooperation.
