PM Sharif meets Chinese engineers in Dasu, promises ‘fool-proof’ security after deadly bombing

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif (left) shakes hands with engineers of the China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC) working at the Daasu Hydropower project on April 1, 2024. (APP)
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Updated 01 April 2024
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PM Sharif meets Chinese engineers in Dasu, promises ‘fool-proof’ security after deadly bombing

  • Development came hours after authorities arrested 12 suspects in connection with bombing that killed five Chinese nationals
  • PM Sharif offered his condolences to colleagues of deceased Chinese nationals, assured them of best possible security in future

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met with Chinese engineers working on a dam project in Dasu in northwest Pakistan and promised to provide “fool-proof” security to them, days after a deadly bombing targeted Chinese nationals in the Shangla district.

Five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed on March 26 in Shangla, located in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, when a bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into their vehicle.

The attack occurred in an area vital to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which encompasses various mega projects crucial for Pakistan’s economy. The victims were en route to Dasu Dam, Pakistan’s largest hydropower project, when they were targeted.

Speaking to Chinese engineers, PM Sharif offered his condolences over the death of the Chinese nationals and said the cowardly attack was an attempt by the disturb exceptional friendship between China and Pakistan.

“My dear Chinese brothers and sisters, I can see deep sense of sorrow and sadness on your faces as five of your very beloved colleagues left this world and rightly so you are full of sorrow and we share this moment of sorrow,” he said in televised comments.

“I want to assure you that the Government of Pakistan will not leave any stone unturned, will not leave any effort, will not spare any opportunity to ensure you get the best possible security for your families and yourself and that nothing will be left to chance in future.”

The prime minister noted that a joint investigation team was investigating the attack and was due to present its report soon. He once again assured the Chinese engineers, ambassador and the Chinese government that his country would bring to justice the perpetrators of the March 26 attack.

Sharif’s comments came hours Pakistani counterterrorism police conducted multiple raids and arrested at least 12 suspects in connection with last week’s suicide bombing, officials said.

The detainees were not directly involved in the attack but they helped those who orchestrated the bombing, AP news agency reported, citing three police and security officials. They said some of the detainees had links with Pakistani militants, adding that the suspects were still being questioned and other raids were ongoing.

The officials said some of the detained suspects transported an explosive-laden car to Shangla in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the suicide bomber rammed it into the vehicle carrying the Chinese workers.

Sharif’s office earlier said the prime minister had issued comprehensive instructions to enhance the security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan after last week’s attack.

No group had claimed responsibility for the attack but suspicion was likely to fall on separatists and the breakaway Gul Bahadur faction of the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, and is a separate group, but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban.

The TTP denied being behind the suicide bombing in a statement Wednesday, saying: “We are in no way related to the attack on the Chinese engineers.”

The attack came less than a week after Pakistani security forces killed eight Balochistan Liberation Army separatists who opened fire on a convoy carrying Chinese citizens outside the Chinese-funded Gwadar port in the volatile southwestern Balochistan province.

Separately, Pakistan’s senior civil and military leadership on Sunday paid their respects to the slain Chinese nationals during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Nur Khan Airbase in Pakistan’s eastern city of Rawalpindi.

On behalf of Pakistan’s president, prime minister, army chief, chairman joint chiefs of staff committee and air chief, floral wreaths were placed at the air base while a 30-second silence was also observed for the victims.

“The Government of Pakistan strongly condemns this heinous act of terrorism and will take all necessary steps to bring the terrorists and their facilitators to justice,” the Pakistani military said in a statement.


Pakistani actress Mahira Khan bags ‘Artist in Fashion’ award at EMIGALA ceremony in Dubai 

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Pakistani actress Mahira Khan bags ‘Artist in Fashion’ award at EMIGALA ceremony in Dubai 

  • EMIGALA awards in Dubai acknowledge creative and innovative impacts in the beauty and fashion industries
  • With a string of successful projects in film and TV, Mahira Khan is considered Pakistan’s most successful actress 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani actress Mahira Khan bagged the “Artist in Fashion” award at the recently held prestigious EMIGALA awards in Dubai, where some of the world’s biggest names in fashion and beauty worldwide were honored. 

Khan was in attendance at the award ceremony held at Festival Bay in Dubai on Apr. 27 and 28. The event featured an array of A-list attendees such as Brazilian-American beauty personality Camila Coelho, Lebanese-British fashion entrepreneur Karen Wazen, Dubai Bling star Loujain Adada, social media sensation Narins Beauty, Indian singer Arjit Singh and Khan, among others. 

The EMIGALA awards acknowledge the creative and innovative impacts of global celebrities in the realms of beauty and fashion.

“The Artist in Fashion, Mahira Khan,” Emi Gala Awards wrote on Instagram with a picture of Khan posing with her trophy on Monday. 

Khan is counted among Pakistan’s most prolific actresses, gaining widespread recognition for her work in her country’s entertainment industry. The Pakistani actress became a household name after a string of successful drama serials following which she forayed into movies and made her mark across the border in India. 

She had her Bollywood debut opposite iconic actor Shah Rukh Khan in a crime action film, “Raees,” which was released in 2017. The Pakistani celebrity was also working on other Indian movie projects, though they could not take off when relations between the two countries deteriorated in 2016 after an Indian army brigade headquarters came under attack in Uri. The administration in New Delhi suspected Pakistan’s involvement which was denied by officials in Islamabad.

In 2021 Khan achieved another milestone when she debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, representing L’Oreal Paris Hair in her country. She has also represented various renowned local brands such as Elan, Zohra Rahman, and Menahel and Mehreen. 
 


Death toll from heavy rains in northwestern Pakistan surges to 92

Updated 30 April 2024
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Death toll from heavy rains in northwestern Pakistan surges to 92

  • Heavy rains in Pakistan’s northwest have injured 110, destroyed 4,200 houses since Apr. 10, says authority
  • Prone to natural disasters, Pakistan consistently ranks among countries most affected by impacts of climate change

PESHAWAR: The death toll from rain-related incidents in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province since Apr. 10 has surged to 92 while the number of injured has increased to 116, a spokesperson of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed on Tuesday. 

The rains which began on Apr. 10 have destroyed 4,200 houses and damaged 5,900 others, PDMA spokesperson Anwar Shehzad shared. At least 17 people have been killed and 23 injured in rain-related incidents over the past three days, as per data from the PDMA’s latest report on Tuesday. 

The report said the 17 dead included nine men, three women and five children while the 23 injured included nine men, three women and 11 children. Deaths and financial losses due to heavy rains were reported in Bajaur, Swat, Mansehra, Battagram, Dir Lower, Malakand, Lakki Marwat, Shangla, Mohmand and South Waziristan districts, the PDMA report added. 

“At least 92 persons have died including women, children, and elderly people while 116 others were wounded since Apr. 10 in incidents involving roof collapse and lightning in parts of the province,” Shehzad told Arab News.

The PDMA’s report said the authority, district administrations and relief teams are engaged in relief activities in the affected districts. “The PDMA has also directed district administrations of the affected districts to provide immediate financial support to the victims,” it added. 

Pakistan has received heavy rains this month that have triggered landslides and flash floods in several parts of the country.

The eastern province of Punjab has reported 21 lighting- and roof collapse-related deaths, while Balochistan, in the country’s southwest, reported at least 15 deaths this month from torrential rains. 

In 2022, unprecedented rains swelled Pakistan’s rivers and at one point flooded a third of the country, killing 1,739 people. The floods also caused over $30 billion in damages, from which Pakistan is still trying to rebuild.

Pakistan has been prone to natural disasters and consistently ranks among the most severely affected countries in the world due to the effects of climate change.


Pakistani PM says IMF approval of $1.1 billion funding to bring economic stability

Updated 30 April 2024
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Pakistani PM says IMF approval of $1.1 billion funding to bring economic stability

  • Funding is last tranche of a $3 billion standby arrangement with the IMF secured last year
  • Islamabad is seeking a new, larger long-term Extended Fund Facility agreement with the IMF

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday the International Monetary Fund’s approval of $1.1 billion in funding for Pakistan would bring economic stability, amid discussions for a new bailout loan.

The funding is the second and last tranche of a $3 billion standby arrangement with the IMF, which Islamabad secured last summer to help avert a sovereign default.

The approval came a day after Sharif discussed a new loan program with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

“Sharif expressed his satisfaction over the release of the last financial tranche of the IMF today,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. “Receiving the last tranche of 1.1 billion dollars from the IMF will bring more economic stability in Pakistan.”

This is the second Stand-by Arrangement (SBA) for short-term financial assistance that Pakistan has completed, the last one being in 2016 during the government of three-time PM Nawaz Sharif, who is Sharif’s elder brother. 

“Bitter and difficult decisions were taken for the economic security of Pakistan, but their fruits are coming in the form of economic stability,” Sharif added about reforms under the IMF program.

The $350 billion economy faces a chronic balance of payments crisis, with nearly $24 billion to repay in debt and interest over the next fiscal year — three-time more than its central bank’s foreign currency reserves.

Islamabad is seeking a new, larger long-term Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement with the fund after the current standby arrangement expires this month, and continuing with necessary policy reforms to rein in deficits, build up reserves and manage soaring debt servicing.


Aramco acquires 40% stake in GO, marking first entry into Pakistani fuel retail market

Updated 30 April 2024
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Aramco acquires 40% stake in GO, marking first entry into Pakistani fuel retail market

  • Saudi oil giant Aramco inked agreement to buy 40 percent stake in Gas and Oil Pakistan Ltd. in December 2023 
  • Acquisition to bring much-needed foreign direct investment in Pakistan’s energy sector, says competition commission

KARACHI: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) this week approved Saudi oil giant Aramco’s decision to acquire a 40 percent stake in local company Gas & Oil Pakistan Ltd, officially marking the Saudi company’s entry into Pakistan’s fuels retail market. 

Aramco and Gas signed the agreement to acquire 40 percent stake in Gas and Oil Pakistan Ltd., a licensed oil marketing company, in December 2023. Gas and Oil Pakistan Ltd. is involved in the procurement, storage, sale, and marketing of petroleum products and lubricants. It is also one of Pakistan’s largest retail and storage companies.

Aramco is a global integrated energy and chemicals company that produces approximately one in every eight barrels of the world’s oil supply and develops cutting-edge energy technologies. Aramco Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd., a Singaporean company wholly owned by Saudi Aramco, filed the pre-merger application with the CCP. It specializes in sales, marketing, procurement, logistics, and related services, with a focus on prospecting, exploring, drilling, extracting, processing, manufacturing, refining, and marketing hydrocarbon substances.

“The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) approved a 40 percent equity stake acquisition in Gas & Oil Pakistan Ltd. (GO) by Aramco, a global leader in integrated energy and chemicals,” the CCP said in a statement on Monday. “This transaction marks Aramco’s first entry into Pakistan’s fuels retail market, underscoring its confidence in the country’s economic potential and its commitment to its growth.”

The CCP said it had authorized the merger after determining that the acquisition would not result in the acquirers’ “dominance” in the relevant market post-transaction.

“Aramco’s acquisition indicates a significant milestone in Pakistan’s energy sector, bringing advanced expertise and technology to the fuels retail market,” it said. “This development is expected to boost competition, elevate service standards, and provide consumers with a broader range of high-quality products.”

The CCP said the acquisition would help bring much-needed foreign direct investment in Pakistan’s energy sector, contributing to economic growth and development of the country. 

In February 2019, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia inked investment deals totaling $21 billion during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to Islamabad. The agreements included about $10 billion for an Aramco oil refinery and $1 billion for a petrochemical complex at the strategic Gwadar Port in Balochistan.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is in Saudi Arabia for a special meeting of the World Economic Forum, held meetings this week with Saudi Arabia’s ministers of energy, economy and planning, and environment, according to his office.

In a meeting with Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Monday evening, Sharif highlighted initiatives undertaken by Pakistan to facilitate investment in the energy sector. The Saudi side showed keen interest in Pakistan’s energy projects highlighted by Sharif, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said. 

The proposed projects included building new and improving existing energy infrastructure, increasing focus on renewable energy, and bringing efficiency across entire energy ecosystem in Pakistan, according to the 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 countries have been closely working to increase bilateral trade and investment deals, and the Kingdom recently reaffirmed its commitment to expedite an investment package worth $5 billion.


Abu Dhabi International Book Fair kicks off with Pakistani writers participating for first time

Updated 30 April 2024
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Abu Dhabi International Book Fair kicks off with Pakistani writers participating for first time

  • Two panels on Pakistani literature and drama will speak at the international fair 
  • This year’s fair welcomes 145 new exhibitors and publishers from around the world

ISLAMABAD: The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, considered one of the world’s most important cultural platforms, kicked off this week in the UAE capital with participation from Pakistani writers for the first time ever. 

The book fair is an annual event that brings different writers together with the goal of promoting reading, diverse cultures and knowledge locally, regionally, and globally. Organizers of the fair say their aim is also to promote cultural exchange and dialogue between several nations.

It also brings together leaders from the publishing and creative industries every year, providing promising opportunities for those involved in this sector to form new partnerships, learn about the latest trends and developments and discuss its fundamental priorities.

“Pakistan is being represented at the Abu Dhabi Internationally Book Fair at @Adnec from April 29 to May 5,” the Pakistan Consulate General Dubai wrote on social media platform X on Monday. 

Two sessions at the fair will feature participation from Pakistani writers. On May 1, a session titled: “The Pakistani Drama: Capturing Diverse Realities, Dreaming Many Dreams” will be moderated by journalist Mehwish Ajaz. It will feature panelists Amna Mufti, a renowned Urdu playwright and novelist, and Shazia Ali Khan, a UAE-based Urdu film screenplay writer. 

The second session is scheduled to be held on May 3 and is titled: “Pakistani Fiction’s Connection with Past, Present & Future.” This session will be moderated by Mufti and will feature participation from Urdu novelist Tahira Iqbal and Osama Siddique, an English and Urdu novelist. 

This year’s fair welcomes 145 new exhibitors and publishers this year along with 12 countries joining for the first time, namely Greece, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Mozambique, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Indonesia.