Pakistan’s FM to attend OIC’s extraordinary meeting on escalating tensions in Gaza

Pakistan’s Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani addresses a media briefing in Islamabad, Pakistan on October 15, 2023. (AN Photo)
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Updated 15 October 2023
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Pakistan’s FM to attend OIC’s extraordinary meeting on escalating tensions in Gaza

  • Saudi Arabia will host urgent OIC meeting at ministerial level in Jeddah on Oct. 18 to discuss Gaza situation
  • Pakistan’s foreign minister condemns Israel for committing ‘genocide’ against Palestinians in Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani announced on Sunday he would attend an urgent meeting called by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) next week in Jeddah to discuss escalating military tensions in Gaza. 

Saudi Arabia, which chairs the OIC’s executive committee, has called an urgent meeting of the body at the ministerial level on Wednesday to discuss the “escalating military situation in Gaza and its environs.”

Israel has intensified its attempts to destroy the Hamas group, relentlessly pounding the Gaza Strip and killing at least 2,215 people since Saturday. The Jewish state has deployed tens of thousands of soldiers near Gaza ahead of an expected ground offensive. Its relentless campaign follows last Saturday’s attack by Hamas, which saw hundreds of its fighters cross into Israel to take hostages and kill more than 1,300 people. 

“As part of the OIC executive committee from Pakistan, I will be attending the OIC extraordinary meeting on the Palestine issue,” Jilani briefed reporters, adding that turmoil in Palestine was an important issue for Pakistan. 

The Pakistani foreign minister condemned Israel’s actions, saying that there is no doubt Israel had committed aggression against Palestinians. 

“As a matter of fact, it is a genocide being conducted by Israel against the innocent people of Palestine,” Jilani said. 

He condemned the week-long blockade of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces. The humanitarian crisis in the densely populated territory has been aggravated by the blockade, as the territory runs out of fuel, food, medical supplies, and clean drinking water. 

“This is a very unfortunate situation in the sense that in Gaza, people have no water, no health facilities, no food, which creates a major humanitarian crisis,” Jilani said.

He said the OIC was a very important forum where the deteriorating human rights situation in Gaza would be discussed at length. 

“Certainly, this meeting has many important objectives, number one is to develop a coordinated response of the OIC member countries in respect of the current situation in Palestine,” he added. 

He said Pakistan would demand Israel immediately cease its violence against Palestinians, and would then seek to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. 

The minister shared that Pakistan was in touch with Egyptian authorities on providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians, adding that Israel was not allowing any assistance to reach Gaza currently. 

“We are in touch with Muslim countries, including the Saudi government on this issue and I am also looking forward to a bilateral meeting with the Saudi foreign minister during my visit to Jeddah,” he added.

He reiterated Pakistan’s position on the matter, saying that Islamabad demands Israel respect international law by recognizing the right of self-determination of the people of Palestine. 

Jilani said the current situation was a result of several decades of illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian territories. Those territories should be vacated as per UN Security Council Resolutions, the foreign minister added. 

“To equate Israel who is an aggressor with the Palestinians’ struggle is unacceptable to Pakistan,” he explained. “Their [Israeli] settlements were increasing, and the rights of Palestinians were decreasing in the area.”

He said Pakistan is coordinating with UN agencies and international humanitarian organizations to provide immediate assistance and relief to Gaza through its missions in New York and Geneva. 


Afghans who made Pakistan home to escape war now hide from deportation

Updated 9 sec ago
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Afghans who made Pakistan home to escape war now hide from deportation

  • Pakistan has forcibly deported some 600,000 undocumented Afghans since October 2023
  • Afghans in hiding find it difficult to earn money, rent accommodation or get medical help

KARACHI, Pakistan: Born and raised in Pakistan to parents who fled neighboring Afghanistan half a century ago, an 18-year-old found himself at the mercy of police in Karachi who took his cash, phone and motorbike, and sent him to a deportation center.

Scared and bewildered, he spent three days there before he was sent back to Afghanistan, a place he has never been to, with nothing but clothes on his back.

The youth is one of at least 1.7 million Afghans who made Pakistan their home as their country sank deeper into decades of war. But they’ve been living there without legal permission, and are now the target of a harsh crackdown on migrants who Pakistan says must leave.

Some 600,000 Afghans have returned home since last October, when the crackdown began, meaning at least a million remain in Pakistan in hiding. They’ve retreated from public view, abandoning their jobs and rarely leaving their neighborhoods out of fear they could be next for deportation.

It’s harder for them to earn money, rent accommodation, buy food or get medical help because they run the risk of getting caught by police or being reported to authorities by Pakistanis.

The youth, who had been working as a mechanic in an auto shop since he was 15, spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of arrest and deportation.

He has applied for the same documentation that his family has, but he won’t get it. Pakistan isn’t issuing paperwork for Afghan refugees or their children.

“My life is here. I have no friends or family in Afghanistan, nothing,” the young man told The Associated Press. “I wanted to come back (to Pakistan) sooner, but things had to calm down first,” he said, referring to the anti-migrant raids sweeping the country at the time.

 A police officer checks the document of a resident during a search operation against illegal immigrants at a neighborhood of Karachi, Pakistan, on November 3, 2023. (AP)

Taliban authorities gave him 2,500 afghanis ($34) once he entered Afghanistan to start a new life. They dispatched him to northeastern Takhar province, where he slept in mosques and religious schools because he knew nobody to stay with. He passed his time playing cricket and football, and borrowed other people’s phones to call his family.

Six weeks later, he traveled from Takhar to the Afghan capital, Kabul, then to eastern Nangarhar province. He walked for hours in the dark before meeting up with human smugglers hired by his brother in Pakistan. Their job was to get him to Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, for the price of $70.

He is relieved to be reunited with his family. But he is vulnerable.

Police have daubed numbers on homes in his neighborhood to show how many people live there and how many have documentation. Hundreds of Afghan families have fled the area since the operation began. There are fewer people to hide among.

Such neighborhoods in Karachi are easily home to tens of thousands of Afghans. But they have no drainage systems, health care or education facilities. There are few women on the streets, and those who venture out wear burqas, often the blue ones more commonly seen in Afghanistan.

Lawyer Moniza Kakar, who works extensively with the Afghan community in Karachi, said there are generations of families with no paperwork. Without it, they can’t access basic services like schools or hospitals.

Afghans were already under the radar before the crackdown, and rumors abound that Pakistan wants to expel all Afghans, even those with documentation. Pakistan says no such decision has been made.

In another Karachi neighborhood with a mostly Afghan population, people scatter when police arrive, disappearing into a maze of alleys. A network of informants spread news of the visits.

Kakar despairs at the plight of Afghans who remain in Pakistan. “Sometimes they don’t have food so we appeal to the UN to help them out,” she said. To earn money or get medical help, they would have previously traveled from such neighborhoods into the heart of Karachi, but they can’t afford these journeys anymore. They’re also likely to be arrested, she added.

Some show Kakar their ID cards from the time of Gen. Zia Ul-Haq, the military dictator whose rule of Pakistan coincided with the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. “They wonder why they don’t have citizenship after 40 years. They don’t share their location. They don’t go out. They live in property rented in someone else’s name.”

There are children who were born in Pakistan who have grown up and have children of their own. “The children don’t have any identity paperwork. All of them have an undecided future,” said Kakar.

Syed Habib Ur Rehman works as a media coordinator at the Afghanistan Consulate General in Karachi. He spends a lot of time in these communities.

“There are empty homes, empty shops,” Rehman said. “Markets are empty. The Pakistanis we know don’t agree with what is happening. They say they have spent a good life with us. Their business has gone down because so many Afghan families have left.”

The Afghans interviewed by the AP had different reasons for never securing their status. Some said they were overseas working. Others didn’t have time. Nobody thought Pakistan would ever throw them out.

Mohammad Khan Mughal, 32, was born in Karachi and has three children. Before the crackdown started, the Afghan ran a tandoor business. Police told him to close down.

“My customers started complaining because they couldn’t buy bread from me,” he said. He and his family went to the southwestern city of Quetta in Baluchistan province to escape the raids.

He returned to Karachi a few days later, and has no intention of leaving.

“This is my home,” he said, with pride and sadness. “This is my city.”


Pakistani FM, Digital Cooperation Organization’s secretary-general discuss economic cooperation in Riyadh

Updated 17 min 57 sec ago
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Pakistani FM, Digital Cooperation Organization’s secretary-general discuss economic cooperation in Riyadh

  • Digital Cooperation Organization is an inter-governmental body that seeks to bridge digital gap in member states 
  • Foreign Minister Dar meets DCO secretary-general at sidelines of World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Digital Cooperation Organization’s (DCO) Secretary-General Deemah AlYahya on Sunday resolved to continue their joint collaboration and cooperation for economic development, the foreign ministry said in a statement. 

The DCO is an inter-governmental body established in 2020 which is dedicated to achieving social prosperity and growth of digital economic. The DCO aims to achieve this by unifying the efforts of its member states to advance digital transformation and promote common interests of member states. DCO member states include Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Kuwait, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, The Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Jordan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cyprus and Djibouti. 

AlYahya is a Saudi digital economy expert and the founding secretary-general of the organization since her election to the post in April 2021. As DCO secretary-general, AlYahya is responsible for connecting heads of state, government ministers and private sector digital economy leaders to bridge the digital gap in member states. 

She called on Foreign Minister Dar at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s Special Meeting in Riyadh on Sunday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said. 

“The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan and the SG DCO affirmed their resolve to continue close collaboration and cooperation for the economic development and digital transformation of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other DCO member states,” MoFA said. 

AlYahya recounted her visit to Pakistan earlier this month and spoke of the country’s “great potential” for technological advancement and digital transformation of its economy, MoFA said. “She emphasized that as founding member of DCO, Pakistan brings great value to the organization and has a significant role to play in its rise and progress,” it added. 

Dar stressed the need for DCO member states to achieve capabilities in emerging technologies in the fast-evolving tech landscape, MoFA said. “In this connection, he appreciated DCO for providing the suitable platform to its member states for their digital advancement,” the statement said. 

AlYahya separately posted about her “great meeting” with Dar on the social media platform X. 

“With 64 percent of the population below 30 years old, many of whom are actively involved in the freelance industry, it is critical to ensure we undertake all collaborative efforts that will enable an ecosystem which lets the youth thrive and prosper in the new digital landscape,” she wrote on X. 


PM Sharif, Saudi crown prince discuss bilateral ties and regional situation in Riyadh

Updated 29 April 2024
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PM Sharif, Saudi crown prince discuss bilateral ties and regional situation in Riyadh

  • PM Sharif attends Special Dialogue and Gala Dinner hosted by Saudi crown prince in Riyadh
  • Sharif is in Riyadh to attend two-day World Economic Forum meeting, engage with world leaders 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Sunday evening during which the two leaders discussed bilateral relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the regional situation and Israel’s war on Gaza, Sharif’s office said in a statement. 

Sharif, who arrived in Riyadh on Saturday to attend a two-day special meeting of the World Economic Forum, attended a Special Dialogue and Gala Dinner hosted by the Saudi crown prince in Riyadh. Sharif congratulated the Saudi crown prince for successfully organizing the WEF Special Meeting, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. 

“The Prime Minister conveyed his prayers and good wishes for the health, happiness and long life of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,” the PMO said. “In addition to bilateral ties, the regional situation, particularly with regards to the crisis in Gaza, was also discussed.”

Sharif thanked the Saudi crown prince for sending a high-powered delegation, headed by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Minister Faisal bin Farhan, to Pakistan earlier this month. The delegation held key meetings with Pakistani ministers and businesspersons to enhance economic cooperation between the Kingdom and the South Asian country. 

“To continue the discussion, the Prime Minister said that he has brought with him a high-powered delegation to Riyadh, including key Ministers responsible for investment, so that follow-up meetings could take place between relevant officials,” the PMO said. 

Sharif reiterated his invitation to the Saudi crown prince to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience, the PMO added. 

Separately, Sharif met Saudi Arabia’s ministers of finance, investment and industry on Sunday at the sidelines of the WEF meeting. In his meeting with the Saudi finance minister, the two sides agreed that Saudi Arabia would explore more opportunities for investment in Pakistan.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan reiterated the Kingdom’s support for Pakistan’s economic development, Sharif’s office had said in a statement. 

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the top source of remittances to the cash-strapped South Asian country.

Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been closely working to increase their bilateral trade and investment, and the Kingdom recently reaffirmed its commitment to expedite an investment package worth $5 billion discussed previously with Islamabad.


Gunmen kill two laborers from Punjab province in southwest Pakistan — official

Updated 29 April 2024
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Gunmen kill two laborers from Punjab province in southwest Pakistan — official

  • The two laborers were working inside a garage in Tump area of Balochistan's Kech district when they came under attack
  • No group immediately claimed responsibility, but Baloch separatists have previously targeted people from other provinces

ISLAMABAD: Unidentified gunmen on Sunday shot dead two laborers, who hailed from the eastern Punjab province, in the country's restive Balochistan province, a local official said.

The two laborers were working inside a garage in Tump area of Balochistan's Kech district when they came under fire by gunmen riding motorbikes, according to Saeed Umrani, commissioner of Makran Division where Kech is located.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Baloch separatists have previously targeted people from other provinces on suspicion of spying for state agencies.

"Both laborers, who were residents of the Punjab province, were killed on the spot," the official said.

Umrani said bodies of the deceased had been sent to their hometowns and the district administration was hunting for the perpetrators.

The attack came two weeks after armed men abducted nine passengers, who hailed from Punjab, from a bus and killed them near Balochistan's Noshki district.

The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had information that plain-clothed spies were on the bus. The group offered no evidence to support its claim.

Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency by separatist militants who seek independence from the central government in Islamabad.

Although the government says it has quelled the insurgency, violence has continued to persist in the province.


Pakistan PM, Kuwaiti emir discuss transformation of bilateral ties into economic partnership

Updated 28 April 2024
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Pakistan PM, Kuwaiti emir discuss transformation of bilateral ties into economic partnership

  • The meeting came on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum summit in Riyadh
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif assured of efficient implementation of Pakistan-Kuwait deals signed in Nov.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday met with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in Riyadh and discussed with him transformation of Pakistan-Kuwait ties into an economic partnership, Sharif’s office said.
The meeting came on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit on global collaboration, growth and energy on April 28-29.
PM Sharif thanked Sheikh Mishal for his congratulatory letter upon his re-election and congratulated him on assuming the role of the emir of Kuwait.
“The Prime Minister expressed his desire to work closely with His Highness to transform bilateral ties into a mutually beneficial economic partnership that would serve the best interests of the peoples of both countries,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
The development came months after Pakistan and Kuwait signed several trade and investment agreements worth $10 billion during the visit of caretaker Pakistan PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to the Gulf country.
Besides these agreements, the two countries had signed three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of culture, environment and sustainable development.
Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, had also accompanied the caretaker prime minister on the Kuwait visit in November, which was part of the Pakistani leadership’s ambitious plan to attract investment from the Middle East amid an economic slowdown at home.
“The Prime Minister assured the Kuwaiti leadership that these MoUs and agreements would be implemented in an efficient and timely manner,” the statement added.
“In addition to bilateral ties, the regional situation, particularly with regards to the crisis in Gaza, was also discussed.”