ISLAMABAD: Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that friendly countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have pledged to invest $27 billion in Pakistan in the next five years, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, amid a push for foreign investment in the South Asian country.
The development comes amid Islamabad’s efforts to attract foreign investment to drive economic growth in Pakistan that has been engulfed in an economic crisis due to decades of financial mismanagement.
In recent months, the South Asian country has reached multiple investment deals with a number of countries, mainly the Gulf states, in infrastructure, energy, maritime, ports and other sectors.
Iqbal said his government was making efforts to bring socio-economic reforms to put the country on the path of fast-track economic development, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“Saudi Arabia has announced to invest five billion dollars, while the UAE and Kuwait will each invest ten billion dollars and Azerbaijan will invest two billion dollars,” he was quoted as saying.
China has also shown willingness for the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative through which it has pledged over $60 billion in investment projects in Pakistan, according to Iqbal.
Beijing has given assurances for the establishment of five new corridors, including that of growth, livelihood, innovation, green economy and open regional inclusive development.
Since avoiding a default last year, Pakistan has been making attempts to boost investment and trade to revive its fragile economy, and reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July for a new $7 billion loan.
The IMF executive board is due to meet on September 25 to discuss the bailout, with Pakistani officials saying that all matters with the lender have been “settled amicably.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said this week that friendly countries had played a major role in helping meet requirements placed before Islamabad by the IMF, which included arranging additional external financing and debt rollovers.
Islamabad has for years relied on China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for assistance to meet such external financing requirements.
Saudi Arabia, other friendly states to invest $27 billion in Pakistan in five years — minister
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Saudi Arabia, other friendly states to invest $27 billion in Pakistan in five years — minister
- The development comes amid Islamabad’s efforts to attract foreign investment to drive economic growth, development
- In recent months, Pakistan has reached investment deals mainly with Gulf states in maritime, energy and other sectors
First batch of 27 Palestinian medical students leave for Pakistan to continue studies
- Batch is part of 192 Palestinian students who will continue fully funded studies in Pakistani universities
- Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since October 2023 has dealt significant damage to its educational institutions
ISLAMABAD: The first batch of 27 Palestinian medical students left for Pakistan from Cairo on Sunday to continue their medical studies in the South Asian country, the Pakistani embassy in Egypt said in a statement.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced in July that Islamabad will provide scholarships to over 100 Palestinian students so that they are able to continue their medical studies in Pakistan as Israel’s war wreaks havoc in the Middle East.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 42,000 people in Gaza through relentless bombardment despite ceasefire calls and angry protests in several countries around the world.
“Officials of Embassy of Pakistan in Cairo and representatives of Al-Khidmat Foundation facilitated the departure of the first batch of 27 Palestinian students from Cairo International Airport to Lahore today,” Pakistan’s Embassy in Cairo said.
“This batch is part of 192 Palestinian medical students from Gaza who will continue their medical and dental studies in various medical institutes in Pakistan.”
The embassy said the Palestinian students would be facilitated to continue their studies in Pakistani medical universities on fully funded programs.
“The initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with Global Relief Trust, Doctors of Rahman, and Al-Khidmat Foundation,” it concluded.
Several international media outlets have reported significant destruction of hospitals and universities in Gaza since October last year.
The World Health Organization and other sources have documented severe damage to the area’s health care facilities, including the largest hospital Al-Shifa, which has been rendered non-functional due to extensive damage in the ongoing conflict.
There have also been widespread reports of substantial damage to educational institutions along with reports of deliberate targeting of Palestinian academics.
Pakistan, China to advance ‘high-quality’ CPEC development during Chinese PM’s visit — FO
- Prime Minister Li Qiang is scheduled to visit Pakistan from Oct. 14-17, says foreign office
- China has funneled tens of billions of dollars into CPEC projects since its inception in 2013
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad and Beijing will discuss important trade and economic matters, and advance “high-quality development” of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang’s visit to the country next week, Pakistan’s foreign office said on Sunday.
CPEC is a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It involves the development of a massive transport, energy and infrastructure network in Pakistan to link its deep-sea ports to Chinese cities. China has funneled tens of billions of dollars into the project since its inception in 2013.
The Chinese premier is scheduled to visit Pakistan with a high-level delegation from Oct. 14-17 during which he will hold talks with the Pakistani government on various issues of mutual interest between the two nations.
“It will be an occasion for the two sides to reaffirm mutual support on issues of core interest; advance high-quality development of CPEC; and reinforce regular exchanges on important regional and global developments,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
The statement said Li would be accompanied by ministers and senior officials from China’s ministries of foreign affairs and commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Premier Li Qiang will lead their respective delegations to comprehensively discuss all aspects of Pakistan-China relations including economic and trade ties and cooperation under CPEC,” the foreign office said.
“The two sides will also discuss regional and global developments.”
The Chinese prime minister will meet Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and the country’s senior civil and military leadership. He will also attend the Meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization scheduled to be held in Islamabad from Oct. 15-16.
While CPEC is a reflection of the cordial ties that both countries enjoy, the multi-billion-dollar project has been hit hard as Pakistan struggles to keep up its financial obligations, as well as attacks on Chinese targets by militants.
The most recent incident involving an attack on Chinese citizens took place last Sunday when three people, including two Chinese nationals, were killed in a suicide blast near Karachi airport. The attack targeted Chinese staffers of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company.
The attack was claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) group which targets Chinese interests in Pakistan. The BLA blames Pakistan’s government and China for exploiting the gas-and-mineral-rich Balochistan province, a charge the state vehemently denies.
Ruling coalition ally proposes ‘equal role’ of Pakistan parliament, judiciary in judges’ appointment
Ruling coalition ally proposes ‘equal role’ of Pakistan parliament, judiciary in judges’ appointment
- Pakistan Peoples Party proposes merging parliamentary, judicial committees to appoint Pakistani judges
- Says party is engaged in meaningful consultations with political parties, lawyers for “broader consensus”
ISLAMABAD: A key ally of the ruling coalition government this week proposed granting an “equal role” to the country’s parliament, judiciary and legal fraternity in appointing judges, as political parties continue consultations on a controversial constitutional amendments package that has earned the opposition of both the opposition and the legal fraternity.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition government has been trying to pass a set of constitutional amendments since last month that the country’s opposition and prominent lawyers say is aimed at granting more power to the executive in making judicial appointments. The government denies the allegations and says the amendments aim to provide speedy justice to thousands of litigants and ensure the parliament’s supremacy remains intact.
The proposed amendments are expected to establish a federal constitutional court, raise the retirement age of superior judges by three years, and modify the process for the appointment of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Sharif’s key coalition ally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has been spearheading negotiations with political parties and the legal fraternity after the government failed to muster the required two-thirds majority in parliament last month to get the amendments passed. Sharing a draft of the proposed amendments on Saturday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the party wanted to end the process of appointment of the judges by and for the judges.
“Instead, by merging the judicial and parliamentary committees we give an equal role to Parliament, Judiciary and legal fraternity,” the PPP chairman wrote on social media platform X.
Bhutto-Zardari said his party also proposed the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court which would have equal representation of all federating units.
“The court would address all issues pertaining to fundamental rights, constitutional interpretation and federal/inter-provincial disputes,” the PPP chairman said.
Pakistani lawyers last month threatened they would take to the streets if the government passed the amendments, saying that they would oppose any move to establish a “parallel” judicial system in the country.
The PPP leader invited “legitimate meaningful feedback” from the public on the PPP’s proposed amendments.
“The PPP has already been reaching out separately to political parties, Bar associations and civil society as part of our broader countrywide engagement on this important amendment,” he wrote.
He said the PPP was engaged in consultations with the opposition Jamiat Ulama-e-Pakistan Fazl (JUI-F) party in hopes that political parties would build a “broader consensus.”
Pakistan frets over security ahead of SCO summit
- Prime ministers of Russia, China among senior regional government officials attending SCO summit
- Pakistan’s authorities have cracked down hard on dissent in the weeks leading up to the event
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan authorities were on Sunday preparing to shut down the capital ahead of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, overshadowed by recent militant violence and political unrest.
The Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will be among senior regional government officials attending the two-day conference on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In the weeks leading up to the summit, Pakistan’s authorities have cracked down hard on dissent, banning an ethnic nationalist movement and introducing new laws that restrict protest in the capital.
They have also arrested hundreds of supporters of jailed opposition leader Imran Khan who attempted to march in Islamabad earlier this month.
A deadly attack on a convoy of Chinese engineers in the mega port city of Karachi last week has also deepened security fears in a country where separatist groups routinely target Chinese nationals.
Islamabad has authorized the deployment of troops on the streets for the duration of the summit.
Imtiaz Gul, a security analyst and executive director of the Center for Research and Security Studies, said the meeting holds great significance for a country that’s “not seen as safe.”
“The government claims to have made elaborate security arrangements and understandably so because it has to make sure that the event passes off peacefully without any untoward incident,” he told AFP.
The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus — with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners.”
All visiting member nations are expected to send government heads apart from Pakistan’s arch-rival India, who will dispatch its foreign minister in a rare visit to its neighbor.
The SCO is sometimes touted as an alternative to the Western-dominated NATO military alliance.
As China’s claim over Taiwan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have seen them clash with the US and Europe, analysts say the SCO is one forum where they are trying to curry regional influence.
While the SCO has a mandate to discuss security, the Islamabad summit is due to focus on trade, humanitarian and cultural issues.
Pakistan’s domestic concerns are likely to dominate the sidelines of the summit, however.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has threatened to stage protests, a week after scattered demonstrations by supporters saw the capital locked down for three days with mobile phone signal cut and exit and entry points blocked.
“The PTI doesn’t want to showcase the positive side of Pakistan to the world,” accused Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, minister for planning, during a press conference Saturday.
“Instead, they aim to present a picture of the country filled with tear gas and unrest.”
Authorities have declared a three-day public holiday for Islamabad and the neighboring city of Rawalpindi starting Monday, along with road closures to reduce movement around the area.
The “red zone” government quarter hosting the summit meanwhile has been spruced up with manicured lawns ringed by razor wire.
Cash-strapped Pakistan is particularly at pains to protect citizens from China because it is a major investor, sending funds and staff for million-dollar infrastructure projects.
Pakistan is grappling with a broad uptick in militancy coinciding with the Taliban’s 2021 return to power in neighboring Afghanistan, where Islamabad claims attackers are now taking shelter.
Women’s T20 World Cup: Pakistan stay alive despite consecutive losses
- Pakistan need to beat New Zealand by “significant margin” to stay alive in tournament, says ICC
- Skipper Fatima Sana, who missed previous match due to father’s passing, will rejoin team on Monday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s hopes of making it to the semifinals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup remain alive despite its back-to-back losses to heavyweights India and Australia, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Sunday.
Pakistan began the tournament on a high note, beating Sri Lanka by 31 runs on Oct. 3 before losing to arch-rivals India by six wickets last Sunday. Pakistan suffered their worst defeat of the tournament so far on Friday, losing to heavyweights Australia by nine wickets.
The South Asian country will now face a strong New Zealand side on Monday which has already defeated India in the tournament.
“Pakistan are still in contention for the semifinals but will need to beat New Zealand by a significant margin to stand a chance,” the ICC said in a report.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, who missed the previous game after her father passed away, will return to lead the team for the New Zealand fixture.
However, the green shirts will have to do without pacer Diana Baig, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament after a calf muscle injury that she sustained during the clash against Sri Lanka.
“Najiha Alvi will replace Baig in the squad ahead of the final Group clash against New Zealand on Monday,” the ICC said.
Pakistan squad:
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Najiha Alvi.
