ISLAMABAD: Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan's founding leader, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, died in Lahore at the age of 54, confirmed one of his party spokespersons, Muhammad Ali, while talking to Arab News in Karachi.
The cause of death was not known immediately, though local media claimed he was unwell and suffering from fever for the last few days.
Rizvi's last political activity was to lead an anti-France demonstration outside Islamabad to protest the publication of caricatures disparaging Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in that country.
According to media reports, he complained of fever while he was still leading the campaign and was taken to Shaikh Zayed Hospital in Lahore on Thursday where he was pronounced dead.
His party emerged after Mumtaz Qadri, a police commando, assassinated Punjab governor, Salman Taseer, in January 2011 for defending a Pakistani Christian woman, Aasia Bibi, who was charged with blasphemy and sentenced to death.
Rizvi and his associates launched a campaign for Qadri's release since they thought he had acted to protect the honor of the prophet (pbuh).
The TLP leader and his party also held nationwide protests against Bibi's acquittal in October 2018.
Other than that, Rizvi led protests against a Dutch politician, Geert Wilders, who announced an anti-Islam cartoon competition.
A controversial preacher who used strong language to revile his critics, Rizvi was accused of weaponizing the issue of blasphemy in a country where religious sensitivities usually run high.
His recent demonstration forced the government to consider the possibility of expelling the French ambassador after taking up the issue in parliament.
Founder of hardline Pakistani Islamist party dies after leading sit-in
https://arab.news/wz2z5
Founder of hardline Pakistani Islamist party dies after leading sit-in
- Rizvi recently led an anti-France demonstration outside Islamabad, asking the government to expel the French ambassador
- The TLP leader shot to fame after running a campaign for Mumtaz Qadri's release who assassinated a sitting Punjab governor in 2011
World Bank approves $700 million for Pakistan’s economic stability
- Of this, $600 million will go for federal programs and $100 million will support a provincial program in Sindh
- The results-based design ensures that resources are only disbursed once program objectives are achieved
ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has approved $700 million in financing for Pakistan under a multi-year initiative aimed at supporting the country’s macroeconomic stability and service delivery, the bank said on Friday.
The funds will be released under the bank’s Public Resources for Inclusive Development — Multiphase Programmatic Approach (PRID-MPA) that could provide up to $1.35 billion in total financing, according to the lender.
Of this amount, $600 million will go for federal programs and $100 million will support a provincial program in the southern Sindh province. The results-based design ensures that resources are only disbursed once program objectives are achieved.
“Pakistan’s path to inclusive, sustainable growth requires mobilizing more domestic resources and ensuring they are used efficiently and transparently to deliver results for people,” World Bank country director Bolormaa Amgaabazar said in a statement.
“Through this MPA, we are working with the Federal and Sindh governments to deliver tangible impacts— more predictable funding for schools and clinics, fairer tax systems, and stronger data for decision‑making— while safeguarding priority social and climate investments and strengthening public trust.”
The approval follows a $47.9 million World Bank grant in August to improve primary education in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province.
In November, an IMF-World Bank report, uploaded by Pakistan’s finance ministry, said Pakistan’s fragmented regulation, opaque budgeting and political capture are curbing investment and weakening revenue.
Regional tensions may surface over international financing for Pakistan. In May, Reuters reported that India would oppose World Bank funding for Pakistan, citing a senior government source in New Delhi.
“Strengthening Pakistan’s fiscal foundations is essential to restoring macroeconomic stability, delivering results and strengthening institutions,” said Tobias Akhtar Haque, Lead Country Economist for the World Bank in Pakistan.
“Through the PRID‑MPA, we are launching a coherent nationwide approach to support reforms that expand fiscal space, bolster investments in human capital and climate resilience, and strengthen revenue administration, budget execution, and statistical systems. These reforms will ensure that resources reach the frontline and deliver better outcomes for people across Pakistan with greater efficiency and accountability.”
In Sindh, the program is expected to increase provincial revenues, enhance the speed and transparency of payments, and broaden the use of data to guide provincial decision making. The program will directly support the increase of public resources for inclusive development, including more equitable and responsive financing for primary health care facilities and more funding for schools.
