PESHAWAR: A group of clerics in the conservative Kohistan district of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday threatened female employees of non-governmental organizations (NGO) not to work in the field or prepare themselves for forced marriages or expulsion from the area.
Over the years, reports have emerged that women living in Kohistan district have faced severe restrictions on their rights and freedoms. Some of them have even been subjected to violence and honor-based crimes in the region.
“If a female worker of an NGO is found roaming on the streets without a male relative, such as her brother or father, and if she is single, we will ask any local to marry her,” Mufti Ahmad Ali, one of the clerics in the area, told Arab News over the phone. “But if a female NGO worker is married then she will be expelled from the area.”
He said religious leaders had approached the police and verbally complained about NGO employees who had been spotted on streets for two consecutive days.
“Our decision is equally binding on locals, foreigners and NGO workers from other districts,” he added.
Ali said the local clerics had set various conditions for development sector organizations, saying their staff members would not be allowed to “preach their religious or preach against our religion.”
“They should respect the local culture and traditions,” he continued, “and not allow women workers to roam freely in the region.”
However, he noted there was no harm in these NGOs carrying out development work in health and education sector, though their female employees must not be seen working on the ground.
Asked about the situation, Buland Iqbal, Station House Officer (SHO) of the police precinct in the area, acknowledged that religious clerics had visited him with their complaint against NGO workers, though he expressed optimism the issue would be tackled amicably.
“It was a non-issue that has been unnecessarily highlighted on social media,” he said. “NGO workers, including female employees, are continuing to work from their offices.”
Meanwhile, Nausheen Fatima, a social activist in the province, said it was “beyond comprehension” that religious leaders were trying to prevent women from performing duties in remote areas where local communities were facing acute health and education challenges.
“This decision is extremely tragic,” she said. “I hope the government will not allow such elements to take law into their hands. It is against the basic human rights.”
Fatima said NGOs should be allowed to promote health and education among vulnerable communities.
“Religious leaders should preach peace and tranquility in society instead of doing this,” she added.
Clerics in Pakistan’s Kohistan district threaten women NGO workers with forced marriages, expulsion
https://arab.news/5he3v
Clerics in Pakistan’s Kohistan district threaten women NGO workers with forced marriages, expulsion
- Police describe the threat as a ‘non-issue,’ saying it has been highlighted on social media for no reason
- A female social activist hopes the government will not let local religious leaders take law into their hands
Religion minister inspects catering arrangements for Pakistani Hajj pilgrims in Madinah
- Pakistan’s Hajj Mission has hired seven catering companies in Madinah to oversee food arrangements for pilgrims
- Chaudhry Salik Hussain urges catering firms to pay special attention to quality of flour, vegetables, meat and spices
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs minister, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, has visited various firms in Madinah and inspected catering arrangements for Pakistani Hajj pilgrims, the Pakistani religious affairs ministry said on Saturday.
Pakistan’s Hajj Mission has hired seven catering companies in Madinah to oversee food arrangements for pilgrims as they arrive in Saudi Arabia’s holy cities from for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage in June.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.
Hussain, who is currently in the Kingdom, inspected various stages of food preparation and packaging for the pilgrims, and lauded all departments for the “excellent work.”
“Special attention should be paid to the quality of flour, rice, vegetables, meat, pulses and spices,” he was quoted as telling officials of catering firms. “Catering companies should try to use all ingredients, spices and meat from Pakistan.”
He said using Pakistani commodities and spices would not only benefit Pakistan, but it would also maintain the Pakistani taste, adding that an online survey through the Pak Hajj mobile app would be conducted for the feedback of the pilgrims.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which 63,805 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators. This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14-19.
Pakistani pilgrims have been arriving in Madinah since May 9 when Pakistan launched its pre-Hajj flight operation. More than 20,000 Pakistani pilgrims have since arrived in Madinah under the government scheme.
Toronto-bound PIA flight diverted to Karachi due to ‘technical fault’ — spokesperson
- PIA spokesperson says the flight, PK-781, departed from Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad late Friday
- But the fault forced captain to return instead of continuing the long flight over the Atlantic, he adds
KARACHI: A Toronto-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight was diverted to Karachi due to a “technical fault” it encountered after the take-off, a PIA spokesperson said on Friday.
The flight, PK-781, departed from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad late Friday, according to PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan.
The technical fault with the aircraft was “minor,” but the captain preferred to return instead of continuing the long flight over the Atlantic Ocean.
“The decision to bring the plane to Karachi was made due to better arrangements at the engineering base and availability of spare parts,” Khan said in a statement.
The airlines made the arrangements for the return of the flight to Karachi as well as food, transportation and accommodation of passengers, according to the PIA spokesperson.
“The flight has been rescheduled to depart for Toronto at 1pm tomorrow (Saturday),” he added.
Pakistan is set to privatize the national airline, which has been facing a financial crisis for the last several years, by June and July as part of the requirements set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
On Friday, the Ministry of Privatization named eight business entities that have expressed interest in acquiring stakes in the PIA.
Pakistan agreed to overhaul its public sector entities under a $3 billion short-term loan package it signed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last year to avert a sovereign debt default.
PM Sharif asks Pakistan embassy to help local students in Bishkek amid mob violence
- There have been a number of incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since last evening, Pakistan embassy says
- The matter boiled over due to sharing online of videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt on May 13
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed his concern over mob violence around student hostels in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek and asked the Pakistani ambassador to help local students in the city.
There have been a number of incidents of mob violence against foreign students in Bishkek since last evening. The matter boiled over due to sharing online of videos of a fight between Kyrgyz students and medical students from Egypt on May 13, the Pakistani embassy said on Facebook, citing the Kyrgyz press.
So far, a few hostels of medical universities in Bishkek and private residences of international students, including Pakistanis, have been attacked. The hostels are inhabited by students from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and there have been reports of minor injuries to a number of students from Pakistan.
“Deeply concerned over the situation of Pakistani students in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I have directed Pakistan’s Ambassador to provide all necessary help and assistance,” Sharif said on X. “My office is also in touch with the Embassy and constantly monitoring the situation.”
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, a spokeswoman for the Pakistani foreign office, said the Pakistani embassy had responded to hundreds of queries by students and their families. She said Pakistan’s envoy and his team were available on the emergency contact numbers: +996555554476 and +996507567667.
“In case the numbers do not connect because of phone traffic, please text/WhatsApp,” Baloch said on X.
The Pakistani embassy earlier said the violence appeared to be directed against all foreign students and not specific to Pakistanis, adding that it had been able to contact over 250 students and their family members in Pakistan.
It said this was an evolving situation and they would inform the Pakistani community in Kyrgyzstan and their relatives in Pakistan about any further developments.
Pakistan posts highest current account surplus in 11 months, sees 95% improvement
- Experts attribute improved current account situation to growth in remittances and increase in exports
- Pakistan’s IT exports also shot up in April, with local firms branching out in the Middle Eastern market
KARACHI: Pakistan recorded its highest current account surplus in April after a span of nine months, driven by increased remittances and exports that collectively improved the current account situation by 95 percent in the ongoing fiscal year, according to data released by the central bank on Friday.
The country posted a monthly current account surplus of $491 million last month, the highest since June 2023. During the first 10 months of the current fiscal year (10MFY24), the country’s deficit decreased by 95 percent on a year-on-year basis to $202 million. This was in marked contrast to a deficit of $3.92 billion recorded in the corresponding period last year, as per the data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
“Pakistan’s current account improvement was mainly driven by an increase in remittances, month-on-month export growth, along with a decline in imports,” Tahir Abbas, head of research at Arif Habib Limited, told Arab News.
Pakistan received $2.8 billion of workers’ remittances in April 2024, which is 27.9 percent higher on an annual basis. The total inflow of remittance stood at $23.8 billion in the 10-month period of FY24.
“The remittance inflows are mainly due to the upcoming Eid Al-Adha,” Abbas said, referring to a Muslim festivity that follows the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah. “This is the major contributor to the overall current account improvement.”
The central bank statistics show the monthly information technology (IT) exports from Pakistan increased by 62 percent on an annual and one percent on a monthly basis in the month of April to $310 million.
“This is the highest ever export number in a single month, with the previous highest of $306 million recorded in March 2024,” Topline Securities, a Karachi-based brokerage firm, said in its report issued on Friday.
The monthly IT exports in April are higher than the last 12-month average of $245 million, the brokerage firm added.
The growth in IT exports is due to the expansion of local companies in the Gulf market, especially Saudi Arabia, a relaxation of the permissible retention limit by the SBP from 35 percent to 50 percent in the exporters’ specialized foreign currency accounts, allowing them greater control over their earnings, and stability in the national currency, according to Topline Security.
All of these factors have encouraged IT exporters to bring a higher portion of profits back to the country, it added.
The cumulative IT exports in the first 10 months of the fiscal year increased by 21 percent on an annual basis, reaching $2.59 billion, compared to $2.14 billion recorded in the corresponding period last year. The net IT export number in April is also higher than last 12-month average of $214 million.
The central bank released data on foreign direct investment (FDI) as well that hit $359 million, up 172 percent on a yearly and 39 percent on a monthly basis in April.
This is the highest monthly inflow in nearly four and a half years. The major FDI inflow of $177 million came from China. During the first 10-month period of the ongoing fiscal, the net FDI inflow increased by eight percent on an annual basis to $1.45 billion compared to an inflow of $1.35 million in the corresponding period last year.
Punjab administration orders shortened school hours due to looming heatwaves
- A notification orders schools to ensure all fans are in working condition and water coolers available
- Provincial government has also announced summer vacation for all schools from June 1 to August 14
ISLAMABAD: The provincial administration of Punjab announced on Friday it would cut short the usual timings of all public and private schools for the rest of the month amid rising temperatures and warnings from the Meteorological Department of impending heatwaves in the coming weeks.
Just a day earlier, the Met Department warned that a major heatwave was set to engulf much of the country next week, with daytime temperatures expected to rise four to six degrees Celsius above the average.
It also predicted dust storms and heavy rains in various parts of Pakistan, including Punjab.
“In the wake of severe weather, it is hereby notified that following School timings shall be observed in all Public and Private Schools in the Province of Punjab with effect from 18th May to 31st May, 2024,” said a notification circulated by the provincial education department, showing 7 AM as the starting time and 11:30 AM as the finishing hour.
It instructed the schools to end classes at 10:30 AM on Friday and Saturday.
The notification also instructed the school authorities to ensure that all fans were in working condition, water coolers were available and no student was made to sit in uncovered and open spaces like lawns in summer season.
Another notification also announced that all the schools in the province will remain closed from June 1 to August 14 for summer vacation.
“All schools in the province shall reopen with effect from Thursday 15th August, 2024,” it added.
In recent years, Pakistan has experienced extreme weather patterns, including unprecedented rains, flash floods, droughts and heatwaves.
Experts attribute these erratic weather patterns to climate change, placing Pakistan among the ten countries most vulnerable to its impacts.
