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Pakistan hosts first minerals summit as leaders call for emulating Middle Eastern example

Pakistan's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, center, along with army chief General Syed Asim Munir, third right, and foreign dignitaries attend Pakistan Mineral Summit in Islamabad on August 1, 2023. (PID)
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Updated 01 August 2023
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Pakistan hosts first minerals summit as leaders call for emulating Middle Eastern example

  • Foreign investors, dignitaries attend summit aimed at tapping Pakistan's $6 trillion worth of natural deposits
  • Army chief says government and military on the “same page” to provide security to foreign investments
Updated 01 August 2023
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Army chief General Syed Asim Munir said on Tuesday foreign investors would be an "integral part" of realizing the potential of Pakistan’s estimated $6 trillion worth of natural deposits, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for following the example of Middle Eastern states in tapping and developing mineral wealth.

Both leaders were addressing Pakistan's first dedicated summit on minerals, which was widely attended in Islamabad by foreign investors, diplomats, and international dignitaries.

The summit was organized under the umbrella of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) that Pakistan set up in June to attract foreign investment. The army has been given a key role in the body and will be involved in all projects under the new framework.

“Our vision for the mining industry goes beyond financial gains,” Munir said, assuring foreign investors that the federal and provincial governments and Pakistan's security forces were on the “same page” to provide secure investment opportunities.

“Foreign investors will be an integral part of the mines and mineral projects and their investment will be secure under the Special Investment Facilitation Council … We will establish an investor-friendly system that avoids unnecessary complications and provides favorable conditions.”

“There are vast opportunities for exploration in our country, and we will make sure that these opportunities are realized through joint efforts,” Munir added.

In the past, a joint venture was blocked by Pakistan’s Supreme Court from developing Reko Diq - one of the world’s biggest untapped deposits of copper and gold - following a court case over how the contract had been awarded. Pakistan’s government was later ordered by a global arbitration body to pay $5.8 billion in damages after Tethyan Copper took it to court. The dispute was only resolved after Barrick Gold ended the conflict last year and said it would start to develop the gold and copper mining projects under a new agreement.

Pakistan's mineral-rich province of Balochistan and the country's northwestern regions are also home to both militants and separatist insurgents, who have engaged in insurgency against the government for decades and made exploration difficult for the government and undesirable for foreign investors. 




Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressing Pakistan Mineral Summit in Islamabad on August 1, 2023. (PID)

Addressing Tuesday’s ceremony, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan should learn from its "bitter experiences" of the past and follow the example of Middle Eastern states who had built and strengthened their economies by tapping mineral wealth.

States like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had set an example for other countries, including Pakistan, by building on oil and gas resources, Sharif said.

“If sand dunes could be converted into great models of progress and prosperity by our brothers, why can’t we convert our dust into gold,” he asked.

Saudi vice minister for mining affairs, Engineer Khalid Bin Saleh Al-Mudafiq, who was also present at the summit, said the Kingdom wanted to enable the development of a responsible mineral value chain in Pakistan.

“Let us unite our efforts to harness the full potential of Pakistan’s, Saudi Arabia’s, and the region’s mineral sector,” the minister said. 

“Together, we can pave the way from dust to development, transforming our nations into thriving hubs of mineral resources, economic prosperity, and sustainable growth …I look forward to celebrating soon the eminent success of the Pakistan mining sector.”

Topics: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Pakistan Minerals Summit United Arab Emirates

Pakistani politician says urged government for judicial reforms instead of constitutional changes

Updated 20 September 2024
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Pakistani politician says urged government for judicial reforms instead of constitutional changes

  • Government reached out to Maulana Fazlur Rehman to push the constitutional amendment package in parliament
  • Rehman says the package limited the scope of human rights, expanded the role of Pakistan’s powerful military
Updated 20 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The top leader of a leading Pakistani religio-political party said on Friday his party was suggested the government to undertake judicial reforms instead of presenting an elaborate constitutional amendment package after the ruling coalition of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought support in parliament.

The government wanted to table the package in parliament during the last session that reportedly carried about 52 constitutional amendments but postponed the idea since it lacked the numbers to meet the required two-third majority.

The amendments proposed to increase the retirement age of superior judges by three years and revisit the seniority principle in the appointment of the country’s top judge.

The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former premier Imran Khan criticized the package, saying it is meant to grant an extension to incumbent Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, widely believed to be aligned with the ruling coalition and in opposition to its chief rival, the PTI.

“Our stance was that instead of amending the constitution with individuals in mind, why not focus on judicial reforms,” Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam (JUI-F) party said while addressing a televised news conference in Multan.

He said that his party sought a draft of the constitutional amendment package from the government, saying the government was initially not willing to share it with them, but when it managed to get hold of a copy, it reflected a lack of preparation.

“When we received the copy and our lawyers reviewed it, we were deeply saddened,” he said. “The constitution, which protects the fundamental rights of every citizen, had been altered. The scope of human rights was limited, while the role of the military was expanded.”

“The chapter on fundamental human rights in the constitution had been restricted,” he continued. “Additionally, matters relating to the appointment and transfer of judges, even in the high courts, were alarming. If a judge is not trusted or cannot deliver a favorable decision, they could be immediately transferred, or the case could be reassigned to another judge.”

Rehman said his party proposed the idea of a Federal Constitutional Court during the negotiations since it was included in the 2006 Charter of Democracy signed by former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in London.

He noted it was also because of the backlog of approximately 60,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court, while across the country, from lower to higher courts, 2.4 million cases are pending.

“Generations suffer due to these delayed cases,” he maintained. “A constitutional court would handle political and constitutional matters between the government and institutions, allowing public cases to proceed swiftly, ensuring timely justice.”

Rehman said the draft was provided to the party when the government did not have enough support in parliament to push the constitutional amendments through, adding the JUI-F clearly said it was not satisfied and would not vote in favor of it.

He pointed out it was parliament’s role to legislate and amend the constitution, but if the balance of power between institutions was disrupted, it could destroy the whole system.

“Every institution has its own jurisdiction, as defined by the constitution,” he continued. “If every institution remains within its limits, it can perform its role smoothly. Otherwise, if one institution tries to overpower another, the country weakens.”

Topics: Pakistan jui-f Supreme Court of Pakistan judicial reforms

Ex-PM Khan’s party to hold Lahore rally amid crackdown as authorities give permission

Updated 20 September 2024
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Ex-PM Khan’s party to hold Lahore rally amid crackdown as authorities give permission

  • PTI claims the law enforcement agencies have arrested 49 of its leaders and workers from across the city
  • The party wanted to hold the rally at Minar-e-Pakistan but has been given a venue on Lahore’s outskirts
Updated 20 September 2024
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party vowed on Friday to hold a rally in Lahore despite a police crackdown and arrests of its workers and leaders, as the local administration allowed them to hold the public gathering on the outskirts of the city.
The PTI aims to mount pressure on the authorities by holding rallies to get the ex-premier released from prison. Khan has been in jail since August last year on multiple charges including corruption, sedition and terrorism.
Earlier this month, the PTI held a rally on the peripheries of Islamabad after which the local administration registered criminal cases against its leadership for violating their agreement with it. About 10 party lawmakers were arrested from the Parliament House in Islamabad on charges of intimidating the police at the venue of the rally.
Initially, Khan’s party planned to organize the Lahore rally at the historic Minar-e-Pakistan monument, but the district administration gave them a different venue.
“We have got the permission [to hold the rally] in Kahna, Lahore,” Ayesha Ali Bhutta, PTI secretary-information Lahore, told Arab News over the phone. “We are okay with this venue as our primary focus is to hold the rally in Lahore irrespective of the location.”
Prior to getting the permission, she maintained that her party would hold the public gathering under all circumstances.
“We will be holding the rally in Lahore tomorrow, come what may,” she said. “The security agencies have arrested our 49 leaders and workers so far in Lahore in a crackdown, but we are committed to mobilizing the public for a stunning show.”
Speaking to Arab News about the rally, Director of Public Relations of the Punjab Police Syed Mubashar Hussain said his department would perform its usual duties.
“The political party’s leadership is responsible for the security of the rally, and the police will be maintaining law and order in the city as per routine,” he said.
He sidestepped questions about the police crackdown and arrests of PTI workers ahead of the rally.
The PTI secretary-information said the Lahore administration had blocked numerous roads in the city with shipping containers to prevent the movement of the PTI workers to prevent them from visiting the venue.
“We have clear instructions from Imran Khan to hold this rally, and we are ready to organize it on the venue given by the local administration,” she continued.
“The purpose of this rally is to highlight the atrocities of the fascist government against our party workers and leaders, and demand the release of Imran Khan who has been held illegally in jail for over a year now,” she added.
The Lahore High Court had directed the city’s deputy commissioner to decide by 5pm on the PTI’s application for a permission to hold the rally in the city, prompting the district administration to share its decision with the PTI in the evening.
Earlier, the party’s local leadership had reached the Minar-e-Pakistan to make arrangements for the rally, but the local administration denied them the entry.
“Our caravans from Wazirabad and other far-flung areas have already left for Lahore to participate in the rally,” Bhutta said, adding that hundreds of the PTI workers had reached the city to participate in the gathering.
“Some of our caravans will reach Lahore tonight while the remaining will converge on the venue by tomorrow afternoon,” she continued, urging the provincial government to remove all the blockades in the city and release the arrested party workers and leaders ahead of the rally.

Topics: Imran Khan PTI Lahore

Chinese group to set up textile parks in Pakistan, aiming for $5 billion boost in exports

Updated 20 September 2024
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Chinese group to set up textile parks in Pakistan, aiming for $5 billion boost in exports

  • Textile parks will utilize solar energy, modern automated technology and will operate with zero carbon emissions
  • The foundation stone of the parks will be laid by the end of the year and they will employ up to 500,000 people
Updated 20 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A major Chinese business group unveiled its plan to set up textile parks in two Pakistani provinces during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, saying these “international-standard” facilities will help generate up to $5 billion in textile exports from the country.
China’s Ruyi Shandong Group, one of the largest textile and clothing manufacturers, has expanded globally over the past decade through acquisitions and investments. It has also benefited from the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the past by investing in a coal power plant in the country.
The group’s chairman, Qiu Yafu, held a meeting with the prime minister to discuss the investment proposal and highlight its details.
“Ruyi Group will establish international-standard textile parks in Sindh and Punjab provinces, inviting around 100 major Chinese textile industries to invest,” he said in his briefing, according to an official statement circulated after the meeting.
“The primary focus of these textile parks is to boost Pakistan’s textile exports and make Pakistan a global hub for textiles and garments,” he continued.
The Chinese businessman added these parks will utilize solar energy, operate with zero carbon emissions and employ modern automated technology.
“In the first phase, these parks are expected to generate $2 billion in exports, with $5 billion anticipated in the second phase,” he noted. “The parks will create employment opportunities for 300,000 to 500,000 local individuals.”
According to the briefing, the foundation stone for the textile parks will be laid by the end of the year, with completion expected within three years.
Ruyi Group will also establish wholesale commodity centers in both Karachi and Lahore.
It was decided during the meeting to establish working groups in Islamabad and Beijing to advance matters between Pakistan and the Chinese business group.
“China has always stood by Pakistan in difficult times,” the prime minister said during the meeting. “Economic relations between China and Pakistan are growing stronger with each passing day.”
He also formed a special committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to oversee the initiative.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between Pakistan’s Board of Investment and Ruyi Shandong Group regarding the establishment of the parks, with the prime minister in attendance.

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Ruyi Shandong Group

PCB shifts second Test between Pakistan and England from Karachi to Multan

Updated 20 September 2024
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PCB shifts second Test between Pakistan and England from Karachi to Multan

  • The decision is taken due to the renovation of the cricket stadium in Karachi
  • England will be visiting Pakistan for three-match series between Oct. 7-28
Updated 20 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday announced a revised schedule of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship between Pakistan and England, changing the venue of the second Test beginning on October 15 from Karachi to Multan due to the renovation of the National Bank Stadium.

England will be visiting Pakistan from October 7 to 28 and play three Tests, with the first and second match scheduled to be held in Multan between October 7 and 19 followed by the third Test in Rawalpindi from October 24 and 28.

“The second Test, which was originally planned at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from Oct 15-19, will now be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium,” the PCB said in a statement. “The match has been shifted from Karachi to Multan as the National Bank Stadium is undergoing a major facelift for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025.”

The remaining two Tests will be played as originally planned in Multan and Rawalpindi, it said.

The PCB said it was thrilled to welcome the England men’s cricket team back to Pakistan.

“Despite minor adjustments, we are committed to supporting fans and ensuring a memorable tour,” it said. “We look forward to a fiercely competitive Test series and showcasing Pakistan’s renowned hospitality.”

The England cricket team last visited Pakistan in 2022-2023, marking their first tour in 17 years that consisted of seven Twenty20 International matches, followed by three-match Test series.

England won the Tests 3-0, achieving a historic clean sweep in Pakistan.

Prior to that, England’s last visit to Pakistan was in 2005. They were also scheduled to visit in 2021 but pulled out at the last minute due to security concerns after New Zealand canceled their tour.

Topics: PCB Pakistan v England Karachi Multan cricket stadium

Six soldiers killed in militant attack in Pakistan’s northwest — army

Updated 20 September 2024
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Six soldiers killed in militant attack in Pakistan’s northwest — army

  • Pakistan has seen rise in attacks in recent weeks which it blames on militants operating from Afghanistan
  • Afghan Taliban say they do not allow Afghanistan’s territory to be used by militants against other nations 
Updated 20 September 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Militants opened fire on a security post in northwest Pakistan late on Thursday, killing at least six personnel, the military said in a statement on Friday.

Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent weeks, with many of them taking place in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan where Islamabad says groups like the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, are hiding and from where they daily target security forces convoys and check posts, and carry out targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials. 

Militants, particularly from separatist groups, have also repeatedly struck in the southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

“In general area Ladha, South Waziristan District, a group of [militants] attacked a security forces’ post,” the military’s media wing said in a statement. 

“Own troops fought bravely, foiling the attempts of intrusion and killed five [militants]. However, during intense exchange of fire, six brave sons of soil, having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat.”

In a second incident on Sept. 19, the army said it foiled an attempt by a group of seven militants to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area of Spinwam in the North Waziristan district: 

“The infiltrators were surrounded, effectively engaged and after an intense fire exchange, all seven [militants] were sent to hell. A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives was also recovered.”

Islamabad says militants mainly associated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) frequently launch attacks from Afghanistan and has even blamed Kabul’s Afghan Taliban rulers for facilitating anti-Pakistan militants. Kabul denies the charges.

On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the international body was “particularly worried” about the penetration of militants from Afghanistan into Pakistan, calling on Kabul not to allow its soil to be used by terror groups.

“We are particularly worried… when we look into the neighboring countries, we are particularly worried with the fact that there is a penetration of terrorists from Afghanistan into Pakistan and that that is creating, of course, many innocent victims and being a threat to Pakistani security,” Guterres told reporters in response to a question about what the UN planned to do about militants using safe havens in Afghanistan to launch attacks in Pakistan. 

“So, one of the things that is absolutely essential is that Afghanistan controls its territory and doesn’t allow terrorist groups from any other country to operate from Afghanistan.”

Topics: Pakistan Pakistan Army attack

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