ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s high commission in Dhaka has asked Pakistani students to stay indoors and away from renewed anti-government protests in Bangladesh, which killed dozens of people and injured hundreds on Sunday.
At least 55 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes in Bangladesh as police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse tens of thousands of protesters calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign.
The government declared an indefinite nationwide curfew starting at 6pm on Sunday, the first time it has taken such a step during the current protests that began last month. It also announced a three-day general holiday starting from Monday.
Pakistan’s high commission in Dhaka said it was closely monitoring the changing situation and was in constant contact with Pakistani citizens, especially students.
“As soon as the situation started to deteriorate, the students were asked to reach the High Commission immediately,” it said in a statement. “Those who could not reach have been contacted through telephone and asked to be confined to their rooms and separate themselves from the current situation.”
One-third of the 144 Pakistani students studying in Bangladesh have already gone to Pakistan, while a few more students are leaving for Pakistan in the next few days, according to the high commission. Some of the students who remained in Bangladesh have reached the high commission.
“The High Commission is in constant touch with the students and will continue to take all possible measures to ensure their safety,” it said. “High Commission officials are also in touch with Bangladesh authorities.”
The unrest, which has prompted the government to shut down Internet services, is Hasina’s biggest test since January when deadly protests erupted after she won a fourth straight term in elections that were boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Critics of Hasina, along with human rights groups, have accused her government of using excessive force against protesters, a charge she and her ministers deny.
Last month, at least 150 people were killed and thousands injured in violence touched off by student groups protesting against quotas for government jobs.
The protests paused after the Supreme Court scrapped most quotas, but students returned to the streets in sporadic protests last week, demanding justice for the families of those killed.
Pakistan moves to ensure security of its students as clashes rock Bangladesh, curfew imposed
https://arab.news/6kapq
Pakistan moves to ensure security of its students as clashes rock Bangladesh, curfew imposed
- At least 55 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes in Bangladesh as police tried to disperse protesters calling for PM Hasina to resign
- One-third of 144 Pakistani students in Bangladesh have already gone to Pakistan, while a few more will be leaving in next few days, high commission says
Pakistan PM calls PIA privatization ‘vote of confidence’ as government pushes reforms
- The loss-making national flag carrier was sold to a Pakistani consortium for $482 million after two failed attempts
- Finance minister vows to continue economic reforms, engage international partners through trade and investment
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday the privatization of state-owned Pakistan International Airlines marked a “vote of confidence” in the country’s economy, as the government presses ahead with structural reforms aimed at easing pressure on public finances and attracting investment.
The sale of the loss-making national carrier by a Pakistani consortium, which secured a 75 percent stake for Rs135 billion ($482 million), follows two previous attempts to privatize PIA. The development comes as Pakistan seeks to build on macroeconomic stabilization after a prolonged balance-of-payments crisis, with authorities trying to shift the economy toward export-led growth and policy continuity.
“It was our firm commitment to the people of Pakistan that speedy and concrete steps would be taken to privatize loss-making state-owned enterprises that have been a burden on the economy,” Sharif said in a post on X. “The successful completion of the transparent and highly competitive bidding process for the privatization of PIA marks an important milestone in fulfilling that commitment.”
“The strong participation of our leading business groups and some of Pakistan’s most seasoned and respected investors is a powerful vote of confidence in our economy and its future,” he added.
The government has made privatization of state-owned enterprises a key pillar of its reform agenda, alongside changes to taxation, energy pricing and trade policy, as it seeks to stabilize the economy and restore investor confidence.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told an international news outlet Pakistan had reached a critical turning point, with macroeconomic stability and sustained reforms helping shift the economy from stabilization toward growth.
“Macroeconomic stability, sustained reforms and policy continuity are restoring confidence, shifting the economy from stabilization to export-led growth,” he said in an interview with USA Today, according to a statement issued by the finance ministry, adding that the government was opening new opportunities for domestic and global investors.
Aurangzeb said inflation had eased sharply, external balances had improved and foreign exchange reserves had risen above $14.5 billion, while Pakistan had recorded both a primary fiscal surplus and a current account surplus for the first time in several years.
The finance minister noted that economic growth remained insufficient to meet the needs of a fast-growing population, pointing out the importance of continuing structural reforms and encouraging investment in sectors such as agriculture, minerals, information technology and climate resilience.
Despite ongoing risks from global commodity prices, debt pressures and political uncertainty, Aurangzeb said the government remained committed to staying the reform course and engaging international partners through trade and investment.
