ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Thursday rejected Iran’s recent statement condemning violent clashes in its northwestern Parachinar town, saying it was “unwarranted” and based on an “incomplete picture” of the situation.
At least 32 people were killed and over 190 injured in clashes that erupted last week in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district, particularly its capital Parachinar town.
The Kurram tribal district has witnessed deadly conflicts among tribes and religious groups as well as sectarian clashes and militant attacks over the years. The latest clashes broke out over a property dispute last week and quickly spread to nearby villages and settlements before the warring tribes agreed to a ceasefire on Sunday.
In a statement on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani condemned the “terrorist attack,” saying it had targeted Shia Muslims in Pakistan. He stressed the need for decisive action against militant groups to protect the lives of the people of Parachinar.
“Such statements about Pakistan’s domestic affairs are therefore unwarranted,” Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokesperson of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (MoFA) said during a weekly press briefing.
“While details may be sought from the Ministry of Interior, we believe that these statements are based on an incomplete picture of the situation in Parachinar,” she added.
Baloch said Pakistan values the life, dignity and prosperity of all of its nationals as a multicultural and multifaith society.
“Pakistan is fully determined to foster social harmony, tolerance, and mutual respect,” she said.
Pakistan and Iran have had a history of rocky relations despite several commercial pacts. Their highest profile agreement is a stalled gas supply deal signed in 2010 to build a pipeline from Iran’s Fars gas field to Pakistan’s southern provinces of Balochistan and Sindh.
Pakistan and Iran also find themselves at odds due to the instability along their shared porous border, with their leaders routinely trading blame after militant attacks in their respective territories.
Earlier this year in January, the two countries exchanged airstrikes, with each government claiming to have targeted militant hideouts in the other country. Both states have since made peace overtures and restored bilateral ties through multiple high-level visits.
Pakistan says Iran’s statement on Parachinar clashes ‘unwarranted’
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Pakistan says Iran’s statement on Parachinar clashes ‘unwarranted’
- Warring tribes last week clashed over property dispute in Pakistan’s Kurram district, leaving at least 32 dead, 190 injured
- Pakistan says Iran’s statement condemning violence based on “incomplete picture” of situation in Parachinar town
Pakistan’s central bank expected to cut rates — survey
- Analysts unanimously predict rate cut
- Estimates range from 100 bps to 200 bps
KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank is expected to cut its key interest rate further during its policy meeting on Thursday, analysts said, after inflation dropped to single digits in August for the first time in nearly three years.
That would follow two consecutive cuts — of 150 basis points in June and 100 bps in July — that have taken rates from an all-time high of 22 percent to their current standing of 19.5 percent.
All 14 analysts polled expected another cut, two of them of 100 bps, 10 of 150 bps, and another two of 200 bps.
July’s reduction came after a staff level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the introduction of a new state budget which set ambitiously high tax and revenue-raising targets for the government.
In August, central bank chief Jameel Ahmed told Reuters the recent interest rate cuts had had the “desired effect.”
In his first interview since assuming the role in 2022, he said inflation continued to slow and the current account remained under control, despite the cuts.
Pakistan’s annual consumer price inflation rate slowed to 9.6 percent in August, the first single-digit reading in almost three years.
Ahmed said the Monetary Policy Committee will review all these developments and that future rate decisions could not be pre-determined.
Ammar Habib, an economist who predicted a 200 bps cut in the poll, said real interest rates of 10 percent are at the highest level in the last three decades.
“Risks to inflation are also low given softening commodity prices and a fiscally prudent stance of the government for now. In view of this, it makes sense to do at least a 200-bps cut without hurting FX expectations too much,” Habib said.
Amnesty says Pakistan’s new law on rallies threatens ‘right to protest’
- Amnesty says law has set “dangerous precedent” that could be replicated by provincial governments across Pakistan
- Several PTI leaders including party chairman detained in late night swoops a day after rally to demand Khan’s release
ISLAMABAD: Amnesty International said on Tuesday a new law passed by Pakistan’s parliament to “regulate” public gatherings in the federal capital threatened the “right to protest.”
Amnesty’s statement came as a number of parliamentarians from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan were detained in late night arrests in Islamabad over charges of violating the new Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024.
The law, which was passed last week, aims to “regulate” holding public gatherings in Islamabad, including by specifying timings for rallies and designating specific areas. The law has set three-year jail terms for participants of ‘illegal’ assemblies, with ten-year imprisonment for repeat offenders.
“The Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024 is yet another attack on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly in Pakistan which has a long history of enacting draconian legislation to criminalize peaceful protest and suppress the expression of dissent,” Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said.
“The law expands the power of the authorities to restrict or ban assemblies in Islamabad on overbroad grounds, including the ‘disruption of daily activities’, and significantly increases the maximum penalty for taking part in an ‘unlawful assembly’ from six months to three years imprisonment.”
Pant said the law has created a “chilling effect” in the capital and also set a “dangerous precedent” that could be replicated by provincial governments across the country.
“Those potentially impacted by such laws – including civil society groups, activists and political opponents – must be consulted in a timely manner during any legislative drafting process. It is also critical that the right to peacefully assemble within sight and sound of government buildings and politically symbolic locations is preserved,” Pant added.
“The Pakistan government must immediately repeal the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act and amend other laws that allow for blanket bans on assemblies and impose restrictive requirements which are in flagrant violation of the country’s international human rights obligations. Any restrictions must strictly comply with the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality.”
The copy of the law says in order to maintain and preserve public peace and public order, “it is necessary to regulate holding of peaceful assembly in order to protect the fundamental rights of other citizens and to preserve public and private property and to ensure that daily lives of the citizens are not hindered and public functionaries are able to perform their duties smoothly.”
The law defines assembly as any public or political gathering, rally or sit-in of more than 15 people on a public road, public place or any premises wholly or partly open air.
Speaking in Senate when the law was passed last week, Irfan Siddiqui of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party who moved the bill, said protesters and participants of public gatherings in Islamabad had in the past held the capital city of over 2.5 million people hostage and the legislation was aimed at protecting the fundamental rights of citizens.
“We are regulating it, we are not banning any peaceful assembly,” Siddiqui said on the floor of the upper house.
Much-awaited India vs Pakistan Hockey Asian Champions Trophy match on Sept. 14
- Tournament started on Sunday with six continental heavyweights going head-to-head in Hulunbuir, China
- The six nations participating are India, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Japan, Pakistan and hosts China
ISLAMABAD: The much-awaited India vs Pakistan match will be played on September 14 as part of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024 hockey tournament that started on Sunday with six continental heavyweights going head-to-head at the Moqi Training Base in Hulunbuir, China.
The six nations participating in the Asian Champion Trophy 2024 are India, Malaysia (ranked 13), Republic of Korea (ranked 14), Japan (ranked 15), Pakistan (ranked 16) and hosts China (ranked 23).
“Pakistan lead the head-to-head record against India 82-66,” the Olympics website said about the Sept. 14 face-off. “However, India have won 14 of the last 16 matches against Pakistan.”
India are the most successful side in the Asian Champions Trophy, having won it four times. They enter the 2024 edition as the defending champions, having beaten Malaysia 4-3 in the final in Chennai last year.
Pakistan will next face Japan tomorrow, Wednesday.
“The match will begin at 10:30 am Pakistan Standard Time,” Radio Pakistan reported on Tuesday.
Monday saw an edge-of-the-seat match between Pakistan and Korea.
“As many as three goals were scored, only seconds apart, in the 60th minute of the match as Korea successfully handed Pakistan a disappointing 2-2 draw,” the International Hockey Federation said in a statement.
Hero of the Match, Hannan Shahid of Pakistan said:
“We are glad we could earn one point from this effort and not lose three points instead. It was disappointing to not end up on the winning side. We made a sloppy start and made too many forced errors, getting too many cards in the start of the match which cost us. We will introspect on this and comeback stronger for our next game against Japan.”
Pakistani top minister says ‘concerned’ about delays in reconstruction efforts after 2022 deadly floods
- Nearly 350 people killed and 648 injured in rain-related incidents in Pakistan since the monsoon season began in July
- Pakistan government has not receive most funds out of $9 billion pledged by international community in 2023
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Monday expressed concern about delays in reconstruction efforts after the 2022 devastating floods that killed over 1,700 people, as new rains this monsoon season have continued to drench and wreak havoc in areas that had been badly hit by the deluges two years ago.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said last week 347 people were killed and 648 injured in rain-related incidents throughout the country since the monsoon season began in July.
“Ahsan Iqbal underscored the need for swift and efficient implementation of projects to rebuild affected communities and restore livelihoods,” Radio Pakistan reported on the minister’s comments as he presided over the 4th meeting of the Policy and Strategy Committee and the Oversight Board on Post-Flood Reconstruction Activities in Islamabad.
“While discussing the Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project, the Minister expressed concerns about the delays in flood reconstruction efforts in [southwestern] Balochistan [province].”
The $400 million Integrated Flood Resilience and Adaptation Project aims to assist approximately 35,100 Balochistan homeowners with housing reconstruction grants to rebuild their homes according to resilience standards. It will also provide livelihood grants to smallholder farmers to support livestock, promote climate-smart agriculture, and enhance other productive activities. The project also focuses on restoring essential services by rehabilitating damaged community infrastructure and facilities, including water supply, irrigation, roads, and other community amenities.
Last week, Save the Children said people affected by floods this monsoon season were living in a relief camp in Sanghar, a district in the southern Sindh province, which was massively hit by floods two years ago.
“The rains and floods have destroyed 80 percent of cotton crops in Sanghar, the primary source of income for farmers, and killed hundreds of livestock,” the charity said.
Another charity, UK-based Islamic Relief, also said weeks of torrential rains in Pakistan have once again triggered displacement and suffering among communities that were already devastated by the 2022 floods and were still in the process of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.
Pakistan has yet to undertake major reconstruction work because the government didn’t receive most of the funds out of the $9 billion that were pledged by the international community at last year’s donors’ conference in Geneva.
Experts say Pakistan is still not prepared to handle any 2022-like situation mainly because people ignore construction laws while building homes and even hotels in the urban and rural areas.
– With inputs from AP
Synthetic drug production in Afghanistan responsible for growing substance abuse in Pakistan — official
- Kabul government rejects ANF claims of “unprecedented” rise in the production of synthetic drugs in Afghanistan
- Although there are no official statistics, health professionals in Pakistan warn that addiction to crystal meth is soaring
ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistani anti-narcotics official said this week an “unprecedented” surge in synthetic drug production in neighboring Afghanistan and smuggling to Pakistan was responsible for a spike in substance use in the last few years.
Afghanistan has historically been the epicenter of poppy cultivation and a major supplier of global opiates. But the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said last year opium cultivation fell throughout the country to just 10,800 hectares (26,700 acres) in 2023 from 233,000 hectares the previous year, slashing supply by 95 percent to 333 tons.
“While there has been a decline in poppy cultivation in our neighboring country, an unprecedented rise in the production of synthetic drugs there has been witnessed,” ANF Director Syed Sijjeel Haider told reporters on Monday.
“There has been an increase in drug usage and narcotics smuggling in Pakistan over the past few years, with the majority of those affected being our youth.”
Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen rejected Haider’s claim, calling it an effort to “malign” Afghanistan.
“It is not true. We don’t have chemicals in Afghanistan which are used in synthetic drugs,” he told Arab News in a written statement. “All these chemicals are available in Pakistan. There are factories in tribal areas in Pakistan which make synthetic drugs.”
Although there are no official statistics, health professionals in Pakistan, a nation of some 240 million, warn that addiction to crystal meth is soaring. Meth is a highly addictive stimulant that can be injected, snorted, smoked, or ingested orally. Health experts say users get a “euphoric high” that can last from minutes to several hours. Meth abuse can lead to anxiety, insomnia, and violent behavior, according to experts.
Pakistan’s interior ministry approved a fresh National Drug Survey this year to help combat the growing drug problem. The last survey in 2012-13 revealed that around 6 percent of the Pakistani population at the time, or 6.7 million people, had used substances other than alcohol and tobacco in the previous year. The highest prevalence of drug use was in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where almost 11 percent of the population used an illicit substance.
The real figures were and are likely much higher as drug abuse is a taboo in Pakistan where many do not seek treatment for addiction.
Haider said Pakistan had largely eliminated drug production and the ANF was collaborating with security agencies to combat poppy cultivation, mainly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the southwestern Balochistan provinces, both of which border Afghanistan.
“This year, the ANF destroyed poppy crops over 1,113 acres and sealed three storage facilities,” the ANF director said, adding that the force had seized 113,798 kilograms of narcotics in various operations that were valued at approximately $6.5 billion in the illicit international drugs market.
More than 1,400 suspects, including 116 women and 44 foreigners, were arrested and three ANF personnel were killed during raids this year, he added. Additionally, 2,931 drug addicts were treated at seven ANF rehabilitation centers and over 5,500 awareness sessions on the prevention of drug abuse were conducted nationwide in 2024 so far.
