KARACHI: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Saturday its flight operations would start improving gradually after the government approved Rs8 billion ($28.8 million) financial support for the national flag carrier.
The development comes after the cancelation of hundreds of domestic and international flights by PIA in the last two weeks after the state-owned Pakistan State Oil (PSO) suspended its supply of fuel to the airline over unpaid dues.
The national flag carrier, slated for privatization by the government, has amassed substantial losses and unpaid dues amounting to hundreds of billions of rupees in recent years.
A PIA spokesperson said on Saturday the airline and PSO had resolved their outstanding issues.
“The supply of fuel would gradually start increasing in the next few days,” PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan said in a statement. “The schedule of flights affected because of fuel shortage will start to return to normal.”
The statement came a day after the Pakistani government approved Rs8 billion financing for PIA, the Finance Division said, amid a worsening fuel supply crisis faced by the national flag carrier in the last two weeks.
The decision was made at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) presided over by Caretaker Finance Minister Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, which considered Aviation Division’s proposal to provide financial support to PIA through the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“After detailed discussion and deliberation, ECC decided to approve the proposal of Aviation Division for bridge financing through CAA’s resources amounting to Rs 8 billion for PIA to meet emergent requirements related to overdue payments,” the Finance Division said in a statement.
“The ECC allowed the Aviation Division to proceed with the bilateral arrangement between the CAA and PIA.”
PIA’s fuel crisis occurs at a time when it is aiming to resume flights to the United Kingdom within the next two months.
PIA flights to Europe and the UK have been grounded since 2020, following the EU Aviation Safety Agency’s revocation of the airline’s authorization to fly to the bloc due to a pilot licensing scandal.
Pakistan national airline says operations to gradually improve after government okays $28 mln support
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Pakistan national airline says operations to gradually improve after government okays $28 mln support
- Pakistan approved financial support for PIA after it grappled with fuel supply shortage in last two weeks
- Hundreds of flights were canceled after state-owned firm suspended oil supply to PIA over unpaid dues
Pakistani court summons intelligence officials over alleged abduction of Kashmiri poet
- Family of a Kashmiri poet, Ahmad Farhad, accused the ISI after he went missing from his Islamabad residence
- The court asks if any intelligence official was recently prosecuted for blackmailing, phone tapping or harassment
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Friday summoned senior officials from the country’s spy agencies, along with top defense and interior ministry officials, in a case related to the recovery of a missing Kashmiri poet, Ahmad Farhad.
The alleged abduction of the poet from his Islamabad residence last week brought the Islamabad High Court (IHC) face to face with the executive, following Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani’s critical remarks about the conduct of these agencies.
This happened after the poet’s family accused Pakistan’s top spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), of abducting Farhad due to his critical social media posts targeting the army. The Pakistan military has not commented on the claims and has always denied suppressing dissident voices.
The high court had directed the authorities in the previous hearing to produce the missing poet by today, Friday, warning it would otherwise summon senior government functionaries. The court also criticized Pakistani intelligence agencies, which have frequently faced such allegations in the past, prompting the law minister to say on Monday the court’s comments were “shocking.”
“All relevant people, including the law minister, secretary of the interior, secretary of defense, sector commander of ISI, sector commander of MI [Military Intelligence], and director of IB [Intelligence Bureau], are ordered to appear in court at the next hearing,” an eight-page court order written in Urdu proclaimed.
The court deferred the hearing until May 29, saying if the missing person was recovered before that, a written report should be submitted.
The court also demanded to know about the accountability mechanism within the agencies that activates when officials are found involved in illegal activities.
“In the last year, if officials from ISI, IB and MI were found involved in illegal detention, blackmailing, phone tapping or harassment of any person, what action was initiated against them and how many officers were given punishment,” it asked.
In one of the previous hearings, Justice Kayani also ordered the Islamabad Police to record the ISI sector commander’s statement in the missing person’s case.
“Now, the ISI sector commander’s statement will be recorded in the missing person’s case. A police officer will record his statement and write it,” the judge ordered.
He also asked if there was any precedent where an intelligence officer was prosecuted in the past.
“This immunity that has been granted must come to an end,” he continued.
Pakistan retains pacer Haris Rauf in T20 World Cup squad
- The tournament will run from June 1 to June 29 and be jointly hosted by the United States and West Indies
- Pakistan’s Group A includes arch rivals India, and the team will face the United States in their first match
KARACHI: Pakistan retained fast bowler Haris Rauf when announcing on Friday their 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup, despite doubts over his fitness and lack of match practice.
The 30-year-old injured his shoulder during Pakistan Super League in February and is expected to play in the second Twenty20 international in Birmingham on Saturday – his first outing since recovery.
Pakistan Cricket Board’s selection committee said Rauf is fit and raring to go.
“Rauf is full fit and bowling well in the nets,” said a PCB release. “It would have been nice if he had gotten an outing in the first match at Headingley but we remain confident that he will continue to maintain an upward trajectory in the coming matches.”
The Headingley match between Pakistan and England was abandoned due to rain.
Pakistan is the 20th and the last team to announce the squad as they continued to search for combination since their 2-2 series draw at home against New Zealand last month.
Babar Azam will lead the squad in the World Cup, his third T20 World Cup as skipper.
The tournament will run from June 1 to June 29 and be jointly hosted by the United States and West Indies.
Teams are divided in four groups of five with the top two teams qualifying for the Super Eight Stage in which all matches will be played in the West Indies.
Pakistan’s Group A includes arch rivals India as well as Canada and Ireland.
Pakistan will face United States in their first match in Dallas on June 6.
Fast bowler Hasan Ali, as well as batters Agha Salman and Muhammad Irfan Khan were left off the squad.
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir – the only survivor of Pakistan’s 2009 Twenty20 World Cup triumph – is meanwhile staging a comeback after coming out of retirement two months ago.
He is part of a strong pace attack spearheaded by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rauf, Naseem Shah and Abbas Afridi.
Pakistan lost in the semifinal of the 2021 Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and in the final in Australia in 2022.
Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.
Pakistan enhances oversight of Hajj services as pilgrims continue to arrive in Saudi Arabia
- Pakistan’s Hajj mission says heavy fines will be imposed in case of poor services by contractors
- The authorities have rented 141 residential buildings in Makkah to facilitate Pakistani pilgrims
ISLAMABAD: A senior official at Pakistan’s Hajj mission in Saudi Arabia said on Friday the authorities had put a robust evaluation system in place to assess the performance of support staff and service providers who were engaged to address the needs of the pilgrims.
The mission’s accommodation and transport director, Asghar Ali Yusufzai, told the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan news agency the government would provide all possible facilities to Pakistani pilgrims, who are gradually beginning to reach Makkah to perform Hajj.
Yusufzai said there was zero tolerance for any negligence in performing duties, adding that everyone, including Hajj volunteers and contractors providing food, transport, and accommodation services, were required to give their best.
“There is a complete accountability system in place to check the accommodation, food, and transport services,” he continued. “Heavy fines will be imposed in case of any breach of agreement or poor service.”
He informed the Hajj mission had so far rented 141 residential buildings in three localities, including Al-Azizia, Batha Quraish and Al-Naseem neighborhoods. It had also engaged nine catering companies, out of which five had already started providing three-time quality meals to the pilgrims.
Yusufzai said 275 latest buses had been arranged for the movement of Pakistani pilgrims from the airport to their accommodations, for five-time prayer in the Grand Mosque and for other Hajj-related travel between Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah.
He informed there would be around 550 Hajj support staff from Pakistan in the kingdom by the end of the month when the number of pilgrims reaches almost the capacity.
‘Victory for the oppressed’: PM Sharif hails ICJ verdict against Israel’s war, seeks swift implementation
- ICJ asked Israel to halt military operations in Rafah in a case filed under the 1948 genocide convention
- Sharif paid tribute to the judges who issued the verdict, saying their decision would pave way for peace
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday welcomed the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) directing Israel to stop its military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, calling it a “victory for the oppressed” and advocating for its swift implementation.
The ICJ case against Israel was initiated by South Africa in December 2023, where it labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocidal,” asserting that they intended to destroy the Palestinian people in ways specified under the 1948 genocide convention.
Israel besieged the Gaza Strip and launched airstrikes following a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, prompted by the deteriorating conditions of the Palestinian people living under occupation.
To date, the Palestinian death toll has reached about 36,000, predominantly women and children, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration continues its military campaign that has demolished hundreds of residential neighborhoods along with hospitals and educational institutions.
“The implementation of the International Court of Justice’s decision to halt operations in Rafah will pave the way for peace in the world,” the prime minister was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office, as he paid tribute to the judges who issued the verdict.
“Pakistan supported South Africa’s petition and will continue to advocate for all Palestinians,” he added. “The decision is a victory for the oppressed, and it must be implemented immediately.”
Sharif called for the opening of routes to Gaza to provide immediate food and medical supplies to its residents.
The ICJ verdict said that a UN investigative commission should be granted immediate access to Gaza and Rafah, likely mounting further international pressure on an increasingly isolated Israel to curtail its war.
Criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza intensified in recent months, with its key ally, the United States, cautioning it against invading Rafah.
Responding to the ICJ verdict, Israel said its campaign had not led to “the destruction of the Palestinian civilian population” in Rafah, adding it would continue to allow aid to enter Gaza “in accordance with the law.”
Pakistan’s commerce minister calls PM’s UAE visit ‘historic’ after $10 billion investment commitment
Pakistan’s commerce minister calls PM’s UAE visit ‘historic’ after $10 billion investment commitment
- Jam Kamal says the UAE has left to Pakistani authorities to identify areas where the investment will be used
- PM Sharif met UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed during a daylong trip to Abu Dhabi on Thursday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s commerce minister Jam Kamal Khan on Friday described Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the United Arab Emirates as “historic,” as the Gulf state committed to invest $10 billion in multiple economic sectors of the South Asian country.
Sharif met UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a daylong trip to Abu Dhabi. He took a high-level delegation with him amid a concerted push by Pakistan to seek foreign investment as it navigates a challenging path to economic recovery.
“The UAE visit was historic yesterday,” Kamal said while addressing a joint press conference with information minister Ata Tarar in Islamabad.
“I don’t think this has ever happened before that the President expresses confidence in a first go on a normal visit and that they announce a $10 billion commitment in the first go,” he added.
Addressing Pakistan’s efforts to put its economy back on track, Kamal said the government had taken several initiatives to deal with the circular debt, set revenue collections targets for the Federal Board of Revenue and increase remittance inflows.
He maintained reforming socio-economic structures, identifying weak areas and improving the overall business environment were uphill tasks carried out by the government.
He said the country’s commerce, energy and maritime ministries were already engaged with the UAE, adding the government was working on projects that would create greater employment opportunities.
The commerce minister informed the UAE government had left it to the Pakistani authorities to identify and highlight areas where it wanted to utilize its investment.
The UAE is one of Pakistan’s closest allies and has frequently bailed out the South Asian country, joining Saudi Arabia and China in rolling over billions of dollars of loans to Pakistan last year to help it clinch a last-gasp deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and avoid a sovereign debt default.
It is also Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner, after China and the United States. Policymakers in Pakistan consider the Gulf state an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
The UAE is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates and the second-largest source of remittances to the South Asian country, after Saudi Arabia.
