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Pakistani minister seeks enhanced pilgrimage arrangements in meeting with top Saudi Hajj official

Pakistan’s interim religious affairs minister Aneeq Ahmed (right) meets Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 22, 2023. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan's religious affairs ministry)
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Updated 22 September 2023
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Pakistani minister seeks enhanced pilgrimage arrangements in meeting with top Saudi Hajj official

  • Aneeq Ahmed urges Saudi minister to accommodate Pakistani pilgrims near areas where Hajj rituals are performed
  • The Saudi minister says the kingdom has limited the number of private tour operators to improve Hajj services
Updated 22 September 2023
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s interim religious affairs minister Aneeq Ahmed discussed pilgrimage arrangements for next year with Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah on Friday, requesting him to accommodate people from his country in areas situated closely to the places where the annual religious ritual is performed.

Ahmed is currently on a week-long visit to the kingdom where he has held meetings with senior officials to explore the possibility of expanding the Makkah Route Initiative beyond Islamabad to make the journey of Pakistani pilgrims more convenient.

He said after his conversation with the Saudi minister that the kingdom had agreed to increase facilities for people of Pakistan who are interested in performing Hajj in the coming year.

“Accommodation, food and travel facilities for pilgrims will be finalized as soon as possible,” Ahmed was quoted as saying in a statement by his ministry.

“He asked Saudi Minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah that flight schedule of Pakistani pilgrims should be finalized soon,” the statement continued. “Additionally, they should be accommodated near the pilgrimage places. The Makkah Route project should also be launched from other cities besides Islamabad.”




Pakistan’s interim religious affairs minister Aneeq Ahmed (second left) holds a discussion with Saudi Hajj and Umrah minister Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah (second right) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 22, 2023. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan's religious affairs ministry)

It added the Saudi minister pledged to offer more support to Pakistani pilgrims, saying the kingdom had already taken several measures to facilitate people performing Hajj.

He said that it had limited the number of private tour operators from 80 countries in the world and would only allow those companies that have 2,000 pilgrims.

“Karachi and Lahore are being considered for inclusion in the Makkah Route Initiative,” he added.

The initiative was introduced in Pakistan to provide customs and immigration services to pilgrims at their airport of origin to save them substantial time after arriving in Saudi Arabia.

According to official statistics, more than 26,000 Pakistani pilgrims benefited from the facility at the Islamabad airport this year.
 

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Ties Hajj 2024

Pakistan’s stock market soars past 60,000 points, reaching new high on Gulf investment hopes

Updated 11 sec ago
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Pakistan’s stock market soars past 60,000 points, reaching new high on Gulf investment hopes

  • Analysts say the rally at the market is one of the fastest in 20 years despite a lower price-to-earnings ratio
  • The bullish sentiment also owes to the expected inflows of $700 million under the IMF short-term loan
Updated 11 sec ago
KHURSHID AHMED   

KARACHI: Pakistan’s equity market continued to scale record highs with the KSE100 index breaching 60,700 for the first time on Tuesday, making analysts attribute the rally to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s visit to the United Arab Emirates which has kindled hopes for multibillion-dollar investment inflows into the country.
The KSE100 gained over 918 points to close at 60,730 at the end of the trading session, amid ongoing bullish sentiments accompanying the Pakistan PM’s visit to the Gulf region.
During Kakar’s visit, Pakistan and the UAE signed multibillion-dollar memoranda of understanding (MoUs) across diverse sectors, including energy, port operations, waste water treatment, food security, logistics, minerals, and banking and financial services.
“Today’s rally is fueled by the expectations of the multibillion investment flows from the UAE under the SIFC [Special Investment Facilitation Council] initiatives,” Ahsan Mehanti, CEO of Arif Habib Corporation, told Arab News.
The SIFC is a civil-military hybrid forum established in July to fast-track decision-making and promote investment from foreign nations.
Mehanti also pointed to expected inflows of $700 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under a $3 billion short-term financing program, which would help unlock other bilateral financing sources for Pakistan.
He continued that there were expectations of monetary policy ease after the interest rates peaked in recent months.
Analysts have noted that the bullish sentiment at the bourse, which continued to hit record highs, was also fueled by improving macroeconomic indicators.
“Low valuation coupled with foreign buying is supporting this market rally,” Muhammad Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities, commented.
He added that investors were confident that with economic stability in Pakistan, the national currency would also stabilize and interest rates would fall.
“This five-month, 50 percent rally in KSE100 Index is one of the fastest in 20 years,” Sohail continued, noting that the share prices had risen, though the market’s price-to-earnings ratio was still below four times.

Topics: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) Pakistan economy

Howzat! Pakistan cops arrested after shaking down star cricketer

Updated 30 min 17 sec ago
AFP
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Howzat! Pakistan cops arrested after shaking down star cricketer

  • Sohaib Maqsood said he paid Rs8,000, or around $28, on his way to participate in a T20 match
  • Cricketers are usually treated as celebrities in Pakistan, but usually conceal their identities in public
Updated 30 min 17 sec ago
AFP

KARACHI: Four Pakistan police officers have been charged with corruption hours after one of the country’s top cricketers complained of having been shaken down for bribes during a recent road trip, officials said Tuesday.
Sohaib Maqsood, who played 29 one-day internationals and 26 Twenty20 matches for Pakistan until 2021, wrote on X that he had been stopped while driving from Karachi to Multan.
“Sindh police is so corrupt that they stop you after 50 km and ask for money or they threat you to go to the police station...,” he posted.
He said he paid 8,000 rupees (around $28) on his way to take part in a T20 match.
Later Tuesday, a statement from Sindh police said four police officers had been found to have been involved in the incident.
“Legal action has been initiated,” the statement said, adding that two police officials had been suspended for “negligence.”
Police officers in Pakistan have long been accused of corruption, and those in rural areas of the Sindh province have a particularly bad reputation.
International cricketers are usually treated as celebrities in Pakistan, but often conceal their identities in public.

Topics: Sohaib Maqsood Sindh police

Pakistan to highlight climate resilience initiatives, push for global action at COP28 in Dubai

Updated 57 min 18 sec ago
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Pakistan to highlight climate resilience initiatives, push for global action at COP28 in Dubai

  • UAE will host the UN climate conference from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 which will be attended by 70,000 people
  • Pakistan wants inclusion of developing nations, instead of just the least developed states, in loss and damage fund
Updated 57 min 18 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to set up a pavilion at the UN climate change conference in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a senior government official in Islamabad announced on Tuesday, to focus on critical issues to help countries worldwide build climate resilience together.
The 28th session of the UN Conference of the Parties (COP 28) is scheduled to be held in Dubai between November 30 and December 12, with around 70,000 attendees expected, including global leaders, academics and youth representatives.
“Our priorities at COP28 include loss and damage fund architecture and operationalization,” Ministry of Climate Change Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah told reporters during a media briefing in Islamabad.
He added that Pakistan was looking forward to the “first global stocktake” to assess the world’s progress on climate action and advance the mitigation work program, which required countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The country also planned to emphasize climate finance, urging other nations to hold developed countries accountable for their commitment to mobilizing $100 billion annually to aid developing states in climate change response.
Shah recalled that last year, following unprecedented monsoon rains and floods that caused massive infrastructure and agricultural losses in Pakistan, his country’s theme at COP27 in Egypt was, “What happened in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan.”
This year, the slogan is “building resilience together.”
“Pakistan will set up a pavilion at COP28, hosting panel discussions on critical issues,” Shah continued, noting that projects on building climate resilience would be showcased to visitors, with the pavilion’s agenda evolving daily.
He highlighted that COP27 saw an agreement on the loss and damage fund, where Pakistan played a key role.
In Egypt, Pakistan joined other developing nations in advocating for a global fund to address climate-induced disasters.
“Pakistan’s greenhouse gas emissions account for only one percent globally, in contrast to the 64 percent emitted by the five major polluters with greater wealth and global GDP,” Shah said, emphasizing the need for an interim fund that becomes standalone after three years, focusing on developing countries.
He also mentioned that Pakistan intended to argue for the inclusion of developing countries in the loss and damage fund, diverging from developed nations’ focus on the least developed states.
He stressed the importance of adapting measures to respond to and manage climate change impacts, crucial for countries like Pakistan for disaster preparedness and capacity building.
“Climate finance should not only concentrate on mitigation but also emphasize adaptation,” he concluded.

Topics: COP28 Pakistan in COP28 UN climate conference

Senior World Bank official proposes key reforms for Pakistan’s development ahead of elections

Updated 28 November 2023
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Senior World Bank official proposes key reforms for Pakistan’s development ahead of elections

  • Martin Raiser says Pakistan needs to decide if it wants to pursue past policies or take difficult and crucial steps ahead
  • The World Bank official points out Pakistan’s low-growth economy is increasing poverty along with climate vulnerability
Updated 28 November 2023
KHURSHID AHMED   

KARACHI: World Bank’s Regional Vice President for South Asia Martin Raiser on Tuesday unveiled a series of policy recommendations to outline key areas requiring the attention of Pakistani authorities to improve the quality of life for its people.
Raiser, who is currently visiting the South Asian state and plans to meet officials on federal and provincial levels, primarily focused on issues like child stunting, education, fiscal sustainability, private sector growth, energy, agriculture, poverty and climate change.
The policy recommendations presented by him intend to help inform the public policy dialogue in the country ahead the general elections scheduled in February.
“Pakistan’s economy is stuck in a low-growth trap with poor human development outcomes and increasing poverty,” the senior World Bank official said in Islamabad. “Economic conditions leave Pakistan highly vulnerable to climate shocks, with insufficient public resources to finance development and climate adaptation.”
“It is now time for Pakistan to decide whether to maintain the patterns of the past or take difficult but crucial steps toward a brighter future,” he added.
The policy recommendations include the necessity of addressing the “acute human capital crisis” in the country, according to a World Bank statement, including the high prevalence of stunting and learning poverty by adopting a coordinated and coherent cross-sectoral approach.
The also suggest improving the quality of public spending and taking serious measures to expand the revenue base, ensuring that the better off pay their share.
Additionally, the recommendations called for Pursuing business regulatory and trade reforms and reducing the presence of the state in the economy to increase productivity, competitiveness, and exports.
“Almost 40 percent of children in Pakistan suffer from stunted growth, more than 78 percent of Pakistan’s children cannot read and understand a simple text by the age of 10,” Raiser said. “These are stark indicators of a silent human capital crisis that needs priority attention.”
“With additional spending on water and sanitation of around 1 percent of GDP per year and better coordination at the local level, stunting could be halved over a decade with significant positive impacts on growth and incomes,” he noted. “This is just one example of the huge economic benefits a coherent and decisive reform strategy could have.”
The World Bank official plans to interact with representatives from the private sector and academia during his stay in the country.
He will also visit various hydropower projects in Pakistan along with project sites in Sindh and Punjab.

Topics: World Bank Pakistan economy

Pakistan court rules ex-PM Khan’s trial to continue in jail, allows media access

Updated 28 November 2023
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Pakistan court rules ex-PM Khan’s trial to continue in jail, allows media access

  • Khan and his close aide Shah Mahmood Qureshi are charged with leaking state secrets
  • Trial previously held behind closed doors in jail, now media, public, family to get access
Updated 28 November 2023
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani judge ruled on Tuesday the trial of prime minister Imran Khan in a case in which he is accused of leaking state secrets would be held in jail but members of the public and media would have access.

Khan, who is the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, is being held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, serving a three-year sentence in a separate case in which he was convicted in August of failing to disclose assets earned from the sale of state gifts while he was PM from 2018-2022. Khan is also accused in a number of other cases, including what has come to be called the cipher case, in which he has been indicted for leaking official secrets and using them for political gains.

The government had announced in August that the trial in the cipher case would be held in jail for “security reasons,” and a special court had since been conducting the trial on the prison premises, with no members of the public or media allowed. Last week, however, the Islamabad High Court declared the confidential proceedings illegal, following appeals by Khan’s lawyers that their client would not be given a fair trial behind closed doors. 

Public hearings in the matter began last Thursday at the Judicial Complex in Islamabad, but Khan did not appear and the case was adjourned until Nov. 28, with the court directing the ex-premier, and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has also been indicted in the case, to appear in person on that date.

Khan and Qureshi, who have both pleaded not guilty, were not brought to the court on Tuesday when the judge ruled that the trial would continue in jail but media and the public would be allowed access to the court proceedings. Five family members of each suspect would also be allowed to attend the hearing.

The next hearing has been set for Dec. 1 at Adiala Jail.

“The jail officials are saying that he [Khan] cannot be presented,” the judge remarked after reviewing a report submitted by Adiala jail authorities. 

Lawyers representing Khan and Qureshi objected to the report and urged the court to implement its previous order that the duo be presented in court.

“It was their [jail authorities] responsibility to present the suspect [Khan] in the court,” Salman Safdar, who is representing Khan, said.

Safdar also rubbished reports by intelligence agencies that there was a threat to Khan’s life, saying it was the state’s responsibility to provide him security.

“If there are security threats, then please adjourn this hearing for an indefinite period,” Safdar urged the court. “The accused should be granted bail if the jail authorities could not present him here for the trial.”

Qureshi’s lawyer also argued that it was “court’s responsibility to get its [production] orders implemented”:

“If the court orders are not implemented, you [the judge] have the authority to send the government officials to jail.”

Khan had been appearing in courts prior to his August arrest protected by his personal security guards. But he has also sought exemptions from personal appearances, often citing threats to his safety.

Khan, arguably the most popular politician in the country, has not been seen since he was arrested in August. Before that, he would regularly address his millions of followers via social media and hold massive public rallies and protest marches.

The cipher case relates to an alleged diplomatic correspondence between Washington and Islamabad that Khan says was proof that his ouster as PM in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence in April 2022 was part of a US conspiracy to remove him. Washington has repeatedly denied Khan’s accusations.

A special court was formed on Aug. 21 under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, to adjudicate the case through in-camera proceedings. Khan and Qureshi were indicted in the case last month.

Last week, the Pakistan government also approved Khan’s jail trial in a separate case of a £190 million settlement with a property tycoon.

Khan is currently being held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail where he is serving a three-year jail sentence.

Topics: Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan

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