ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced on Saturday the government has decided to take disciplinary action against senior officials responsible to provide security to Chinese workers after five of them were killed in a deadly militant attack last month in the northwest of the country.
The incident took place when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers which was on its way from Islamabad to their camp in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province where they were working on a hydropower project in Dasu.
The killing of the Chinese nationals along with their local driver prompted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to conduct a series of security meetings in which he instructed the relevant authorities to prevent such attacks in the future.
Sharif also constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the incident.
“We will not let anyone disrupt the peace [in the country],” Tarar said while addressing a news conference in Lahore. “Our armed forces and law enforcement agencies are committed to eradicating terrorism and are playing their role with full intent and dedication to uproot this scourge from its roots.”
“The inquiry committee sent its report in which the prime minister ordered disciplinary action against some officers, saying they had been negligent in their duties and should have been more vigilant,” he continued.
The information minister said these officials included the regional police officer Hazara division, district police officers in upper and lower Kohistan district, director security at Dasu hydropower project and commandant special security unit in KP.
Tarar informed that disciplinary action would be taken against them within the next 15 days.
“This is an example that future matters related to Chinese security will be taken more seriously, and no shortcomings will be tolerated,” he said.
He also pointed out the prime minister was taking personal interest in the security of Chinese workers in Pakistan, and the government was trying to devise a comprehensive and effective mechanism to protect them against such attacks.
Pakistan announces disciplinary action against senior officials after suicide attack on Chinese workers
https://arab.news/c8c6n
Pakistan announces disciplinary action against senior officials after suicide attack on Chinese workers
- Information minister says these officials had been negligent in their duties and should have been more vigilant
- He calls the decision an example that future matters related to Chinese security will be taken more seriously
Qatar, Pakistan resolve to boost strategic, economic cooperation at Doha talks
- Both countries urge dialogue on Afghanistan amid renewed border tensions between Islamabad and Kabul
- Discussions focus on bilateral trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar on Tuesday agreed to deepen their strategic and economic cooperation during high-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sharif’s office said.
Sharif visited Qatar along with a high-level delegation on the invitation of Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Pakistani premier also held meetings with Qatar’s trade and defense ministers to discuss cooperation in various domains.
The visit came at a time when Pakistan is seeking closer economic engagement with Gulf partners amid its broader push to stabilize the economy and attract investment, while maintaining security and defense cooperation with key regional states.
During their meeting in Doha, PM Sharif and Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments, according to the Pakistan prime minister’s office.
“They reaffirmed the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Qatar and expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in political, economic and institutional ties,” Sharif’s office said.
“Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture, with both sides stressing the importance of their task force to accelerate cooperation in all these areas.”
Pakistan and Qatar maintain strong trade and investment ties. In 2022, the office of Qatar’s emir said the Qatar Investment Authority planned to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, targeting sectors including transport, aviation, education, health, media, technology and labor.
Nearly 300,000 Pakistanis live and work in Qatar, according to Pakistan’s foreign office, with many employed in health, education, engineering and public services, as well as construction and transport. The two countries engage through forums such as the Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Ministerial Commission.
Sharif said he had productive discussions with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on how the two sides could transform their brotherly ties into mutually beneficial economic relationships.
“We also took stock of the regional situation,” he said on X. “Pakistan and Qatar will continue to work together for peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
DIALOGUE WITH AFGHANISTAN
Earlier, Sharif and Qatar’s Deputy PM Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani discussed the situation in Afghanistan and called for dialogue to support regional stability.
The meeting took place amid renewed tensions after Islamabad carried out airstrikes last week on what it described as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targets inside Afghanistan. Kabul said the strikes killed civilians and vowed to respond to what it called a violation of its sovereignty.
“Regional developments were also discussed, in particular the situation in Iran and Afghanistan,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. “Both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, de-escalation and collective efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.”
This was the second time in less than six months that Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan. The last strikes triggered heavy, weeklong clashes between the neighbors along their border before Qatar and Turkiye mediated a ceasefire between them in Oct. last year.
Separately, Sharif held meetings with Qatar’s State Minister for Trade Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA), highlighting Pakistan’s investment-friendly reforms.
He invited QBA members to explore opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, energy, agriculture, technology and export-oriented manufacturing, his office said.
