ISLAMABAD: US President Joe Biden warned the Taliban on Wednesday he would hold them accountable in Afghanistan after the exit of United States troops, and pressed nations, including Pakistan, to play a supportive role.
President Joe Biden plans to withdraw the remaining 2,500 US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, 20 years to the day after the Al-Qaeda attacks that triggered America’s longest war.
The disclosure of the plan came on the same day that the US intelligence community released a gloomy outlook for Afghanistan, forecasting “low” chances of a peace deal this year and warning that its government would struggle to hold the Taliban insurgency at bay if the US-led coalition withdrew support.
Biden’s decision would miss a May 1 deadline for withdrawal agreed to with the Taliban by his predecessor Donald Trump. The insurgents had threatened to resume hostilities against foreign troops if that deadline was missed. But Biden would still be setting a near-term withdrawal date, potentially allaying Taliban concerns.
“We will hold the Taliban accountable for its commitment not to allow any terrorists to threaten the US or its allies from Afghan soil. The Afghan government has made that commitment to us as well,” Biden said in a speech announcing the complete pullout of US troops before September 11. “We will ask other countries in the region to support Afghanistan, especially Pakistan, as well as Russia, China, India and Turkey.”
Notably not naming Iran, Biden said that the countries in the region “have a significant stake in the stable future” of Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, Pakistan army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa spoke to US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken over the phone.
“During the conversation matters of mutual interest, regional security situation including latest developments in Afghan Peace Process and bilateral cooperation in various fields were discussed,” the Pakistani military’s media wing said in a statement.
Bajwa reiterated Pakistan’s support for an Afghan led and Afghan-owned peace process “based on mutual consensus of all stakeholders.”
'Time to end forever war': Biden pushes Pakistan for ‘support’ in Afghanistan exit
https://arab.news/m4rte
'Time to end forever war': Biden pushes Pakistan for ‘support’ in Afghanistan exit
- President Joe Biden plans to withdraw the remaining 2,500 US troops from Afghanistan by September 11
- Says will ask countries in the region to support Afghanistan, especially Pakistan, Russia, China, India and Turkey
Pakistan PM calls privatization top priority, discusses selling power firms after PIA stake sale
- Government plans to privatize five electricity distributors as part of IMF-backed economic reforms
- Last year, a consortium led by Arif Habib Group won the bid for a 75 percent controlling stake in PIA
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the privatization of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as his administration's top priority on Tuesday, as he discussed the sale of loss-making power distribution companies after the government successfully divested a 75 percent stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in December.
The push to privatize power utilities follows the government’s efforts to restructure and offload state firms under broader economic reforms recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under a $7 billion loan program with Pakistan.
The IMF has repeatedly urged Islamabad to reduce fiscal losses by privatizing or restructuring chronically loss-making SOEs.
“Privatization of loss-making state-owned enterprises is among the government’s top priorities,” the prime minister said, according to a statement released by his office after a meeting on privatization. “The successful privatization of 75 percent shares of PIA is the first drop of rain.”
Last month, a consortium led by the Arif Habib Group won the bid for a 75 percent controlling stake in the national flag carrier, offering Rs 135 billion ($482 million) in a transaction the government described as a milestone in its privatization drive.
Building on that momentum, officials said the Privatization Commission plans to divest electricity distribution companies in two batches. The first phase will include Islamabad Electric Supply Company, Gujranwala Electric Power Company and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company, followed by Hyderabad Electric Supply Company and Sukkur Electric Power Company in the second batch.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also directed the commission to accelerate digitalization and strengthen its public relations and marketing functions to improve transparency, governance and engagement with investors, according to the statement.
The power sector has long been a drain on public finances due to high losses, inefficiencies and mounting subsidies, making it a central focus of Pakistan’s reform agenda under the IMF program.
Prior to the PIA sale, the United Arab Emirates-based International Holding Company acquired a majority stake in First Women Bank Limited under a government-to-government privatization deal.
That transaction was finalized in October 2025, with Pakistani and UAE officials attending the signing ceremony.
