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Pakistan condemns fresh raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque, calls for end to Israeli hostilities

Israeli security forces evacuate a Palestinian man at a checkpoint to reach the city of Jerusalem to attend the last Friday prayers of Ramadan in the al-Aqsa mosque compound, on April 29, 2022 in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. (AFP)
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Updated 29 April 2022
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Pakistan condemns fresh raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque, calls for end to Israeli hostilities

  • Israeli police fired rubber-coated bullets while a witness said they also used tear gas 
  • Over 40 Palestinians were injured in the fresh clashes around Islam’s third-holiest site
Updated 29 April 2022
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday condemned a fresh raid by Israeli forces on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, its foreign office said, which wounded over 40 Palestinians on Jumatul Widah. 

Israeli police officers entered the site at dawn on Jumatul Widah, the last Friday of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. They later released footage that showed young men on the compound hurling stones in Friday’s early hours. 

The Palestinian Red Crescent, which gave the toll, said no one was seriously hurt but 22 people were taken to hospital. An AFP journalist said Israeli police fired rubber-coated bullets while a witness said they also used tear gas. 

“The indiscriminate use of force by Israeli occupation forces against defenseless Palestinians defies all humanitarian norms and human rights laws. Such attacks, in addition to causing injury to the Palestinians, violate the sanctity of Islamic holy sites,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement. 

“Pakistan calls upon the international community to take urgent action to put an end to the Israeli violations, which continue to fuel violence, tension and instability in the region, and remain a matter of grave concern for the entire Muslim world.” 

Over the past two weeks, nearly 300 Palestinians have been hurt in clashes at the Al-Aqsa compound, Islam’s third-holiest site. It is also Judaism’s holiest place, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. 

The site is located in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Six Day War and later annexed, in a move not recognized by most of the international community. 

Israel’s incursions into the compound during Ramadan met widespread condemnation and raised fears of inflaming persistent Israeli-Palestinian tensions across Jerusalem. 

“We reaffirm our consistent and unstinted support for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause, which has always been a defining principle of Pakistan’s foreign policy,” Islamabad said in the statement. 

“We renew our call for a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian State, with pre-1967 borders, and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital being the only just, comprehensive and lasting solution of the Palestinian question, in accordance with the relevant United Nations and OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) resolutions.” 

In an apparent attempt to ease tensions, Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has stressed that the government is committed to the status quo at the compound, meaning an adherence to long-standing convention that only Muslims are allowed to pray there. 

Jews are allowed to visit the Temple Mount. 

Muslim leaders have, however, been angered by a recent uptick in such visits. Some voiced fears that Israel was seeking to divide the compound and create a space where Jews may worship. Lapid told journalists that no such plan exists. 

The fresh unrest comes as the end of Ramadan nears early next week. 

Violence in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem has raised fears of another armed conflict similar to an 11-day war last year between Israel and Hamas, triggered in part by similar unrest at Al-Aqsa. 

Topics: #palestine Jumatul Widah

Pakistan extends Afghan refugee cards until June 30 amid deportation drive

Updated 27 sec ago
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Pakistan extends Afghan refugee cards until June 30 amid deportation drive

  • The drive targeting ‘illegal immigrants,’ mostly Afghan nationals, was launched last year amid security concerns
  • The Pakistan government says the POR cardholders will be repatriated to Afghanistan in the third deportation phase
Updated 27 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government on Friday approved the extension of Proof of Registration (POR) cards for Afghan refugees for another two months amid an ongoing deportation drive against unregistered foreigners in the country.

POR cards are identification documents issued by Pakistani authorities to Afghan refugees. These cards serve as official recognition of the refugees’ legal status in the country, allowing them to access various services such as education, health care and banking.

The Pakistan government extends these cards on a periodic basis, often depending on the political and security situations involving both countries. The extension of these cards is typically subject to review by the Pakistani government, in consultation with international organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

“The federal cabinet has approved the extension of the validity of Proof of Registration cards for Afghan refugees from April 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024, on the recommendation of SAFRON [the Ministry of State and Frontier Regions],” announced an official statement issued after the cabinet meeting.

“The cabinet was informed that this extension would allow POR cardholders to benefit from facilities such as schools, bank accounts and other services in Pakistan,” it added. “These POR cardholders will be sent back to their home countries in the third phase of the program for repatriating foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan.”

Pakistan initiated a deportation drive targeting “illegal immigrants,” predominantly Afghans, late last year, citing security concerns amid a spike in militant attacks.

The move stirred unease among registered Afghan refugees, many of whom pointed out they were anxious about their uncertain future.

Pakistani officials have attributed several lethal attacks on both security forces and civilians to Afghan nationals, expressing their commitment to repatriate all Afghan refugees, including many born in Pakistan to families who settled during the 1980s following the Soviet invasion.

The Afghan authorities in Kabul have objected to the deportation drive, disputing that Afghan nationals had any role in the ongoing security deficit in Pakistan.

They have also maintained that Pakistan should have consulted them over the issue and given more time to Afghan nationals before sending them back to their country.

Topics: Pakistan Afghan Ties

Pakistan PM to attend WEF meeting in Riyadh from April 28-29 — foreign office

Updated 54 min 38 sec ago
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Pakistan PM to attend WEF meeting in Riyadh from April 28-29 — foreign office

  • PM Sharif is expected to discuss inclusive growth, regional collaboration and energy issues at the gathering
  • He will also attend the Islamic Summit Conference in Gambia on May 4 to discuss Islamophobia and Palestine
Updated 54 min 38 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to attend a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Riyadh starting April 28, the foreign office of Pakistan said on Friday.

The two countries share cordial relations and have witnessed high-level official exchanges in recent years to further consolidate their ties, with Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visiting Pakistan earlier this month to discuss a spectrum of issues with the administration in Islamabad.

Prior to that, the Pakistani prime minister met the Saudi crown prince in Makkah to discuss the kingdom’s commitment to expedite its investments worth $5 billion.

“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar will attend the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy to be held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from 28-29 April 2024,” foreign office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, said during her weekly media briefing.

“They have received the invitations from HRH Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Professor Klaus Schwab, the Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum,” she continued.

Baloch said the occasion would allow the Pakistani delegation to interact with foreign leaders and heads of international organizations.

“The high-level participation in the Forum will afford an important opportunity to present Pakistan’s priorities specifically in global health architecture, inclusive growth, revitalizing regional collaboration and the need for striking a balance between promoting growth and energy consumption,” she added.

The prime minister will also attend the 15th session of the Islamic Summit Conference organized by the OIC on May 4-5 in the Gambian capital of Banjul to discuss a variety of regional and global issues, including Palestine, Islamophobia, climate change and the status of minorities, state-run APP reported.

The session will be held under the slogan “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development,” according to a press release issued by the OIC General Secretariat.

The Islamic Summit Conference attended by Sharif will be preceded by a preparatory meeting of senior officials on April 30 and May 1, who will discuss the documents of the session and submit a report to a preparatory meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).

“The preparatory CFM meeting will be held on May 1-2 to consider the results of the senior officials meeting and in turn, submit its report to the Summit,” the OIC said.

“Leaders of the member states will discuss the political issues of the Islamic world, most notably the Palestinian cause, and the economic, humanitarian, social and cultural issues, in addition to the issues of youth, women, family, science and technology, information, Muslim communities and minorities in non-OIC member states, and legal matters,” the OIC said.

The Summit will also tackle issues related to hate speech and Islamophobia, the promotion of dialogue, climate change and food security.

“The 15th session will issue a final communique that includes the OIC positions on the issues submitted to the Summit, a resolution on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and the Banjul Declaration,” the OIC added.

The Islamic Summit is a principal organ of the OIC focused on the formulation, development, and implementation of decisions made by 57 member states. The Summit is attended by concerned heads of state such as prime ministers, presidents, emirs and other equivalent heads.

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Ties Arab News Pakistan WEF Riyadh

Demand for solar power rises in Pakistan as import glut crashes panel prices

Updated 28 min 45 sec ago
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Demand for solar power rises in Pakistan as import glut crashes panel prices

  • Businessmen say solar panel prices have dropped by over sixty percent due to bulk import, rate cuts by China
  • Islamabad currently only generates around five percent of its energy from renewable solutions like solar power
Updated 28 min 45 sec ago
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: The price of solar panels has plummeted by over sixty percent in Pakistan in recent weeks due to bulk imports from China because of lower rates, importers said this week, with more consumers switching to the renewable source of power to reduce electricity bills. 
The cost of producing solar panels in China, which accounts for about 80 percent of global consumption, plummeted by 42 percent in the last year, giving manufacturers there an enormous advantage over rivals in places like the United States and Europe. Multiple European solar manufacturers have announced plans to close factories in recent months, under price pressure from Chinese imports. China accounts for 80 percent of solar module production capacity after years of subsidies.
Pakistan has ideal climatic conditions for solar power generation, with over nine hours of sunlight in most parts of the country. Utilizing just 0.071 percent of the country’s area for solar photovoltaic (solar PV) power generation would meet Pakistan’s electricity demand, according to the World Bank.
But currently, only 5.4 percent of Pakistan’s installed power generation capacity of 39,772 megawatts comes from renewables like wind, solar and biomass, while fossil fuels still make up 63 percent of the fuel mix, followed by hydropower at 25 percent, according to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).
But this may change with an acute drop in the price of panels, importers said. 
“A solar plate of 580 watts that I bought [last year] for 75,000 rupees [$270] has dropped to 25,000 rupees [$90] now,” Muhammad Yahya, a solar importer in Islamabad, told Arab News on Thursday. “That means it’s one-third of [earlier price].”
“The rates of the inverters are the same and keep fluctuating, but the main thing is solar panels and the rates of the solar panels are now 33 percent lower.”
Prices of solar panels dropped in China following import curtailment from major buyers including India, US and Europe while the Pakistani government had abolished a 17 percent sales tax to encourage solar imports, Yahya said, explaining the reduction in panel prices:
“People who would import through illegal channels, they [the government] blocked them, this helped stop the illegal import, and led to a bulk import, and secondly the rates [of solar panels] have dropped in China.” 
Another solar panel importer in Islamabad, Abdul Moiz, agreed that the rate drop in China and curtailment of imports to India and other major buyers had led to bulk imports to Pakistan.
“America and India have stopped their imports [from China], that’s why the majority of the imports are now directed toward Pakistan,” Moiz told Arab News.
“CLIMATE CHANGE”
Despite the benefits, including to the environment of zero carbon emissions from solar panels, Pakistan is far behind in meeting its goal of shifting to 60 percent renewable energy by 2030 with 50 percent reduction in projected emissions.
Experts say procedural and bureaucratic delays in construction approvals and unattractive tariffs for selling power to the national grid coupled with a lack of political will and little government investment had blocked the progress of the solar industry in the past. For households, a big impediment, before the Chinese rate cuts, was the steep initial investment.
But that has changed, with electricity consumers describing the drop in solar panel prices as a ‘big relief’ in reducing their electricity bills.
“After its [solar panel] installation, our [electricity] cost has reduced to thirty percent,” Imran Ali Gul, a manager at a local hotel who has installed a 16kw system, told Arab News. “That’s why we preferred to get the solar system installed.”
Aamir Hussain, chairman Pakistan Alternative Energy Association, told Arab News Pakistanis purchased and installed solar panels of around 1800 megawatts last year, which was expected to jump to 3,000 megawatts this year due to the lower prices of the panels and increased customer demand.
 “Pakistan will be spending over $3.5 billion [this year] on solar panels imports only as this doesn’t include import of batteries, inverters and other auxiliary items,” Hussain said. “Pakistan needs to follow consistent policies regarding renewable energy to meet its national and international obligations for the greenhouse gas emissions.”
Experts also said Pakistan, one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change impacts, needed to swiftly move to end its reliance on fossil fuels.
“There is no denying of the fact that climate change has wreaked havoc globally, so the studies suggest that in order to meet the global targets of reducing our temperature etc, in addition to transition of existing fossil fuel power plants, we should cap these fossils as well,” Manzoor Ahmed, a researcher at the Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development in Islamabad, told Arab News.
“So, given this roadmap, given our commitments in terms of net zero emissions or COP conferences where we agreed to meet global targets, we have no choice but to shift to renewables and we must do it.”

Pakistani driver bags first-ever top 4 finish at Dubai Nations Cup

Updated 26 April 2024
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Pakistani driver bags first-ever top 4 finish at Dubai Nations Cup

  • Enaam Ahmed, 24, was born to Pakistani parents in London, started racing on Go-Kart tracks at age eight
  • Ahmed became a British Formula Champion at 12 and a European and World Champion at the age of 14
Updated 26 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: British-Pakistani racer Enaam Ahmed achieved a ground-breaking milestone this week by securing Pakistan’s first-ever top 4 finish at the Nations Cup in the Dubai 12-Hour Endurance Karting Race.
Ahmed, 24, was born to Pakistani parents in London where he started racing on Go-Kart tracks while he was eight. His passion grew with time, and he ultimately became the British Formula Champion at 12 and a European and World Champion at the age of 14. He is currently in the American Formula 3 league, before which he was car racing in the British Formula 3 and became a champion at 17.
For the Dubai tournament, Ahmed told Pakistan’s Geo News he chose the “two most talented drivers from Pakistan” to make team Pakistan, namely Maz Chughtai and Shamiq Saeed. 
In the qualifying round, Pakistan managed to secure 2nd place in the Nations Cup and 4th overall against 30 of the best endurance teams from around the world. Team Pakistan then delivered a historic top-4 finish, but also won over archrivals India with an impressive 9-lap lead even after dropping to 30th place due to an unlucky puncture. 
“It’s an honor to represent Pakistan and to achieve this milestone alongside my teammates,” he told reporters. “We worked tirelessly to make our country proud, and to also secure a commanding victory over India adds an extra layer of satisfaction to our accomplishment … This victory not only underscores Pakistan’s prowess in motorsports but also opens a new chapter whereby a new generation of drivers will be inspired.”
Speaking to Arab News in an interview in 2022, Ahmed said what inspired him was a desire to “change the way the world perceives our country [Pakistan] and the Muslim world, in terms of sports.”
“Representing the country [Pakistan] is what gives me the power, what gives me the motivation to succeed ... What keeps me going is this burning ambition to prove that we can be the best.”
While Ahmed has traveled and raced in some top teams and against some of the best drivers in the world, he also had to face racism initially as a rare person of color alongside the black British driver, Lewis Hamilton, who had inspired him to enter the profession in the first place. Ahmed has also found it difficult to find good sponsors, which he said was the reason he missed the chance of getting into Formula 2 in Europe.
“There were moments when I didn’t want to give up but it was looking like I would have to give up because there was no option,” he said. “There were some situations when I didn’t have a sponsor one week before a race, but I always found a way.”
Despite the odds, there has been no looking back for Ahmed, who has never lost a race and always finishes in the top three.
“I have always done things to be the best or nothing,” he said. “I don’t do things just to take part or come second or third. I am here to win.”
Speaking about his special connection with Pakistan, he said he was “put on this earth to race for Pakistan and become a champion.”
“I have two biggest motivations: One is to make my country proud and raise the flag of Pakistan the highest it has ever been, and to relieve my parents, my family of work.”
Ahmed is also on the Road to Indy series, a racecar driver development program that provided a scholarship-funded path to reach the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500.

Topics: Formula 1

Pakistan’s economic conditions improving, reforms and privatization on track — PM

Updated 26 April 2024
Reuters
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Pakistan’s economic conditions improving, reforms and privatization on track — PM

  • Sharif says exports and remittances had shown a rise within one-and-a-half month of his government
  • Pakistan’s finance ministry expects the economy to grow by 2.6 percent in the current fiscal year ending June
Updated 26 April 2024
Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s economic indicators are showing positive signs, with an agenda of painful reforms and privatization on track, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday, ahead of an IMF board meeting to decide on a $1.1 billion funding for the country.
The prime minister said, in an address to his cabinet that was telecast live, that exports and remittances had shown a rise within one-and-a-half month of his government.
The IMF board is meeting on Monday to decide on the disbursement of the second and last tranche of a $3 billion standby arrangement Islamabad secured last summer to avert a sovereign default.
With a chronic balance of payment crisis, Pakistan needs $24 billion in payments for debt and interest servicing in the next fiscal year starting July 1 — three-time more than its central bank’s foreign currency reserves.
The South Asian nation is seeking yet another long-term, larger IMF loan. Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, has said Islamabad could secure a staff-level agreement on the new program by early July.
If successful, it would be the 24th IMF bailout for Pakistan.
The IMF-led structural reforms require Pakistan to raise its tax to GDP ratio from around 9 percent to at least 13 percent-14 percent, stop losses in state-owned enterprise and manage its energy sector losses which run into trillions of rupees.
“It is not just for an antibiotic to work anymore. It needs a surgery,” Sharif said.
Pakistan’s finance ministry expects the economy to grow by 2.6 percent in the current fiscal year ending June, while average inflation is projected to stand at 24 percent, down from 29.2 percent in fiscal year 2023/2024.
Inflation soared to a record high of 38 percent last May.

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