ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani foreign office on Monday condemned a Houthi drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s Asir region and called for an “immediate cessation” of such assaults.
The Saudi Civil Defense said on Sunday it had received reports that a Houthi drone launched from Yemen toward one of the Asir region’s governorates had hit and damaged a school. No injuries were confirmed.
On Monday, Saudi Arabian air defenses intercepted and destroyed an armed drone launched by the Houthi group toward the southern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait, state television said, citing the Saudi-led military coalition, which has been battling the Houthis for over six years.
“These attacks not only violate the territorial integrity of the Kingdom but also threaten the lives of innocent people. We call for immediate cessation of such attacks,” the Pakistan foreign office said in a statement. “Pakistan reaffirms its full support and solidarity with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any threats to its security and territorial integrity.”
Pakistan condemns Houthi drone attack targeting school in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region
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Pakistan condemns Houthi drone attack targeting school in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region
- Saudi air defenses destroy armed drone launched by Yemen’s Houthi group toward southern Saudi city of Khamis Mushait on Monday
- On Sunday, Saudi state media said drone rigged with explosives fell on school in Asir province but that no injuries were reported
Pakistan PM orders strategy to improve project execution as multilateral lenders propose reforms
- Shehbaz Sharif says he will personally lead a steering committee to speed up priority projects
- Four working groups proposed to streamline approvals, procurement, land issues and staffing
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed officials to draw up a detailed strategy to improve the planning and execution of development projects, saying he would personally chair a steering committee aimed at ensuring timely and transparent completion of priority schemes.
The move came during a meeting where the World Bank and Asian Development Bank presented recommendations to the government on strengthening project implementation.
According to the prime minister’s office, participants received a briefing that said project approvals involve multiple steps and need simplification, while timely procurement and better readiness tools could also help accelerate implementation.
“National projects of critical importance must be completed transparently and on time,” Sharif told officials, according to the statement. “This is our priority.”
He said the federal and provincial steering committee on development-sector reforms would be headed by him.
The statement said four working groups were also proposed during the meeting: one to review approval and preparation processes, a second to modernize procurement, a third to address land acquisition and resettlement challenges, and a fourth to focus on human-resource alignment and staff deployment for development schemes.
Sharif thanked the World Bank and Asian Development Bank for their support and said development projects must be aligned with the objectives of Pakistan’s Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) and provincial Annual Development Plans (ADPs).
The meeting was attended by senior federal ministers, provincial representatives, senior civil servants and the country directors of both multilateral lenders.
