KARACHI: A spokesperson for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Wednesday the national carrier’s operations to Kabul had been “temporarily” suspended as the new Afghan Taliban regime was restricting its nationals from leaving the country.
The United States and its allies have evacuated more than 70,000 people, including their citizens, NATO personnel and Afghans at risk, since August 14, the day before the Taliban swept into the capital, Kabul. Pakistan, which has refused to admit Afghan refugees, has so far helped evacuate almost 1,500 people, most of them diplomats and staff at international organizations and media outlets working in Afghanistan.
The Taliban have said all foreign evacuations must be completed by August 31 and asked the United States to stop urging talented Afghans to leave, while also trying to persuade people camped at Kabul airport to go home, assuring them they had nothing to fear.
“We have requests from international agencies to transport their support staff, mostly of Afghanistan nationality, however, the new Afghan [Taliban] regime is not allowing nationals to travel at this point,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan told Arab News, adding that the airline would resume operations once the restrictions were relaxed.
“Almost all aspiring Pakistani nationals have reached Pakistan either by air or through road,” Khan said. “The PIA has evacuated 1460 people, including Pakistanis and nationals of different countries.”
“We guarantee their [Afghans] security,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference here on Tuesday, saying it was “time for people to work for their country.”
He said Afghans crowding the airport in the hope of boarding flights had nothing to fear and should go home.
The BBC quoted Mujahid as saying Afghans would no longer be allowed to travel to the airport in Kabul.
The BBC and other media outlets also reported Afghans trying to get to Kabul airport on Tuesday and Wednesday were being stopped at checkpoints.
Despite the Taliban’s vows that they would not retaliate, they have been searching for people who worked with the US or NATO in “targeted door-to-door visits,” according to a UN document reviewed by multiple sources. Journalists have also been targeted, according to the UN and media reports.
But Mujahid said those who worked with the US or other countries would be safe in Afghanistan: “We have forgotten everything in the past.”
“There is no list,” he added, of Afghans who worked with Western troops. “We are not following anybody.”
PIA says Kabul operation on hold over Taliban restriction on Afghans leaving
https://arab.news/bfjnz
PIA says Kabul operation on hold over Taliban restriction on Afghans leaving
- It is “time for people to work for their country,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told reporters on Tuesday
- Pakistan has refused to admit Afghan refugees, so far helped evacuate almost 1,500 people from Afghanistan
Pakistan announces plan to develop Port Qasim into climate-resilient industrial complex
- Port Qasim handles 51% of Pakistan’s sea trade, facilitates Islamabad’s trade with Central Asian states
- Maritime affairs ministry says 833 industrial units currently operational at Port Qasim, with 40 under construction
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Ministry announced on Monday that it aims to develop Port Qasim into a climate-resilient industrial complex, saying the move would create jobs, usher in investment and ensure sustainable development for the country.
According to its website, Port Qasim is one of the largest contributors to Pakistan’s economy, handling 51 percent of the country’s sea trade. The port also connects directly to Pakistan’s national highway and motorway network, facilitating trade between Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics.
Pakistan has recently attempted to upgrade its port infrastructure to handle higher trade volumes and improve connectivity between sea lanes and landlocked Central Asian states, leveraging its geographic position at the crossroads of South and Central Asia.
Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a meeting to discuss projects related to Port Qasim, the ministry said in a statement.
“During the meeting, a long-term plan for a climate-resilient industrial complex at Port Qasim was announced,” the statement said.
Chaudhry said Port Qasim would be developed into a global industrial and logistics hub, adding that it will become a “key gateway” for Pakistan’s national economy.
Officials briefed the minister that the development project for the port would cover an area of more than 14,000 acres. The port’s industrial complex has been divided into three distinct zones, with the eastern one designated for heavy industry and export-oriented units, and the northwestern zone for the promotion of value-added industries and port services.
The southwestern zone of the complex has been earmarked for special industrial and commercial activities, the ministry said.
Chaudhry said 833 industrial units are currently operational at the port while 40 are under construction. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to modernizing port infrastructure and improving road and rail connectivity.
“Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the Port Qasim Industrial Complex will emerge as a hub for employment generation, investment, and sustainable development,” the statement said.
Pakistan seeks to upgrade streamline port operations and enhance trade relations with regional countries as it seeks to escape a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has put a strain on its resources and triggered a balance of payments crisis in the country over the past few years.
