ISLAMABAD: The United States described Pakistan as a “long-term partner” on Tuesday, while acknowledging areas of disagreement, noting that Washington’s recent decision to impose sanctions on commercial entities suspected of aiding Pakistan’s ballistic missile program was one such issue.
The US imposed the sanctions on a Chinese research institute and several companies last week, alleging they had supplied missile-applicable items to Pakistan.
In response, Pakistan criticized Washington for the decision, calling it “biased and politically motivated,” saying similar listings of commercial entities in the past was prepared on mere suspicion and involved items not listed under any export control regime.
Asked about the US decision, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller described it as part of his country’s efforts to strengthen the “international nonproliferation regime by taking action against networks supporting activities of proliferation concern.”
“Pakistan has been a long-term partner of ours, and I think what this action shows is that there continue to be places where we have disagreement, and when we have disagreements, we won’t hesitate to act on those to protect America’s interests,” he said during a media briefing.
“It has been our longstanding policy to deny support to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, and we will continue to use our sanctions and other – our other tools to ensure our national security cannot be – cannot be impacted, and that the US financial system cannot be used by proliferators,” he added.
Miller said the US executive order action last week followed its October 2023 and April 2024 designation of six Chinese and one Belarusian entity since they were supplying Pakistan’s missile program.
He noted there was a listing of numerous Pakistani and third-country entities on the US Department of Commerce Entity List for decades.
“We have been clear and consistent about our concerns with Pakistan’s ballistic missile program for many years,” he continued.
Pakistan said on Saturday it was widely known that “some countries, while claiming strict adherence to nonproliferation norms, have conveniently waived licensing requirements for advanced military technologies to their favored states.”
“Such double standards and discriminatory practices undermine the credibility of global nonproliferation regimes, increase military asymmetries, and endanger international peace and security,” it added.
China also said it would “firmly protect” the rights and interests of its companies and individuals.
One of its diplomats in Washington noted last week his country opposed “unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law or authorization of the UN Security Council.”
US calls Pakistan ‘long-term partner’ despite sanctions related to missile program
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US calls Pakistan ‘long-term partner’ despite sanctions related to missile program
- State Department official says US policy is to ‘deny support to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program’
- Pakistan has called the US decision ‘biased and politically motivated’ that can increase ‘military asymmetries’
China, Pakistan to fast-track Gwadar Port development, boost security for bilateral cooperation
- China seeks ‘targeted security measures’ from Pakistan after deadly attacks against its nationals
- Both sides agree to turn Gwadar into a key regional connectivity hub, develop its industrial zone
ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan have decided to accelerate development on the Gwadar Port in southwestern Balochistan, aiming to operationalize it as a hub for regional connectivity, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday, with Beijing seeking “targeted security measures” to ensure a safer environment for bilateral cooperation.
The joint statement was released during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.
The two countries have enjoyed a longstanding relationship, marked by strategic cooperation in trade, defense and infrastructure development. They have been collaborating on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multibillion-dollar infrastructure and regional connectivity initiative, with plans to expand it by focusing on industrialization and socio-economic development.
However, China has stressed the need for heightened security for its workers in Pakistan following recent deadly suicide bombings against them.
“Recognizing the significance of the Gwadar Port as a key hub for cross-regional connectivity, the two sides reaffirmed their readiness to speed up the development of the auxiliary infrastructure of the Gwadar Port, to steadily attract more cargo shipments to the port, to find a solution to inadequate water and power supply at an early date, to accelerate the development of the port’s industrial zone, and to solidly enhance connectivity between the port and other parts of Pakistan,” the statement proclaimed.
Pakistan has offered the landlocked Central Asian states access to its ports in Gwadar and Karachi, enabling them to trade with the rest of the world via sea routes.
The Chinese premier also inaugurated the Chinese-funded airport in Gwadar virtually during his ongoing visit to Pakistan.
The joint statement also mentioned the recent conversations between China and Pakistan over the security issues, highlighting the concerns raised by Beijing.
“Acknowledging the efforts made by the Pakistani side to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, the Chinese side underscored the need and urgency to take targeted security measures in Pakistan, to jointly create a safe environment for cooperation between the two countries,” it said.
Militant groups targeting Pakistani civilians and security forces have also launched deadly attacks on Chinese workers in the past, killing a significant number of them in high-profile attacks.
Earlier this month, two Chinese engineers were killed in a massive explosion in Karachi only a few days before the arrival of China’s PM. This was the attack on Chinese workers in Pakistan since the beginning of the year.
The two countries also agreed to increase high-level official visit to discuss the progress on CPEC.
The Chinese side also reiterated its support for Chinese companies to invest in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones.
Regional leaders meet in Islamabad today for key summit to discuss trade, security and other issues
- Top officials from China, Russia, India, Iran and several Central Asian states are attending the two-day summit in Islamabad
- On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif warmly greeted the visiting dignitaries, including Indian FM, at a dinner he hosted in their honor
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hosting the main session of a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Islamabad today, Wednesday, wherein leaders from SCO member states are expected to discuss trade, security and other issues of mutual interest.
The prime ministers of China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as well as Iran’s first vice president and the Indian external affairs minister are in Islamabad to attend the regional summit.
The Pakistani government has declared a three-day holiday in the federal capital of Islamabad since Monday, with schools and businesses closed to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the high-profile regional summit.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted a dinner in honor of the visiting foreign dignitaries, wherein he was seen greeting and shaking hands with the attendees, including Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
“On October 16, Prime Minister Sharif will chair the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of SCO member states and deliver the opening remarks, followed by statements from the leaders of participating countries,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.
The documents reflecting outcomes of the meeting will also be signed during the session that will conclude with Sharif’s closing remarks, according to the statement.
Pakistan’s Minister for Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan (right) welcomes Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov at Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad, Pakistan on October 15, 2024. (Government of Pakistan)
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming will share a communiqué after the concluding session.
Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit. The government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.
Sharif met with Central Asian leaders and discussed trade, investment and regional connectivity as part of his engagements on the first day of the summit on Tuesday,
Pakistan, faced with tough economic conditions, wants to position itself as a regional trade hub and to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting China and Central Asia with the rest of the world.
Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit, while the government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.
Jemima Goldsmith says concerned about welfare of ex-husband Imran Khan
- Khan has been embroiled in more than 200 legal cases since he was ousted in a no-trust vote in 2022
- The former prime minister has been detained since August last year and barred from standing for office
LONDON: The ex-wife of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday called for his immediate release, citing “serious and concerning” reports about his treatment in prison.
Jemima Goldsmith said the Pakistani authorities had stopped all visits to him by his family and lawyers, postponed court hearings, and prevented him from calling his two sons since early September.
Electricity had been cut to his cell and he was no longer allowed out at any time, while the jail cook had been sent on leave, she wrote in a lengthy post on social media platform X.
“He is now completely isolated, in solitary confinement, literally in the dark, with no contact with the outside world,” said Goldsmith, who was married to the former Pakistan cricket team captain from 1995 to 2004.
The couple have two sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, who live in London.
A panel of UN experts in July criticized Pakistan for arbitrarily detaining Khan in breach of international law to apparently prevent him for running for political office.
Khan, 72, was prime minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022, and has been embroiled in more than 200 legal cases since he was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote he claims was orchestrated by the country’s powerful generals.
He has been detained since August last year and barred from standing for office. He has since applied to become the next chancellor of Britain’s Oxford University.
Goldsmith said Khan’s family had also been targeted, and his sisters and nephew arrested and jailed unlawfully, while she had faced rape and death threats from her ex-husband’s political opponents.
The release of Khan, his nephew and sisters, plus the re-establishment of contact with his sons will provide “assurance first-hand that he is well and not being mistreated,” she added.
“I disagree with IK on many political issues,” she wrote. “But this is not about politics — it’s about my children’s father, his human rights & international law.”
Pakistan PM discusses trade, investment and connectivity with Central Asian leaders on SCO summit margins
- Top officials from China, Russia, India, Iran and several Central Asian states are attending the two-day summit in Islamabad
- On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif warmly greeted the visiting dignitaries, including Indian FM, at a dinner he hosted in their honor
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met with Central Asian leaders and discussed trade, investment and regional connectivity on the sidelines of a two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, Sharif’s office said.
The prime ministers of China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as well as Iran’s first vice president and the Indian external affairs minister are in Islamabad to attend the summit on October 15-16.
The Pakistani government has declared a three-day holiday in the federal capital of Islamabad since Monday, with schools and businesses closed to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the high-profile regional summit.
In a meeting with Kazakhstan PM Olzhas Bektenov on Tuesday, Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to work with all member states in advancing the SCO’s principles and purposes, according to the Pakistan PM’s office.
“Noting the warm and excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the need to enhance trade and investment, while also focusing on regional connectivity and security,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
To achieve this shared objective, he stressed the need to maintain regular and high-level contacts, including through institutional mechanisms of bilateral engagement.
In his meeting with Tajikistan PM Qohir Rasulzoda, the Pakistan premier said both countries should further cement cooperation across all spheres of shared interest, according to Sharif’s office.
He conveyed Pakistan’s strong desire to strengthen ties with Kyrgyzstan in trade and investment during a meeting with Akylbek Japarov, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic. In his meeting with Turkmen Foreign Affairs Minister Rashid Meredov, Sharif welcomed the participation of Turkmenistan in the summit as a “special guest.”
During the meetings, Central Asian leaders congratulated the Pakistani premier on the successful organization of the SCO summit and lauded Pakistan’s positive role as the SCO chair, Sharif’s office said.
Pakistan wants to position itself as a regional trade hub and to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting China and Central Asia with the rest of the world. In recent months, there has been a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity between Pakistan, China and Central Asian states, including Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
In a bilateral meeting with Belarusian PM Roman Golovchenko, Sharif noted that regular high-level exchanges had added positive momentum to the cordial ties between the two countries.
“This momentum needed to be sustained so as to realize the full potential of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, agricultural machinery and joint production of tractors and connectivity,” he was quoted as saying.
On Tuesday, Sharif also hosted a dinner in honor of the visiting foreign dignitaries, wherein he was seen greeting and shaking hands with the attendees, including Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Sharif is due to preside over a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government and deliver the opening remarks on Wednesday, followed by statements from leaders of participating countries during the session, according to the Pakistani foreign office. The documents reflecting outcomes of the meeting will also be signed during the session, which will conclude with Sharif’s closing remarks.
Foreign office said Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming will interact with media to share a communiqué after the concluding session on Wednesday.
Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit. The government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.
Ghulam says ‘wait is over’ after century on Pakistan debut
- The 29-year-old made 118 on the opening day of the second Test, anchoring Pakistan to 259-5
- Since his first-class debut in 2013, Ghulam has piled on runs in all three formats of the game
MULTAN: One of a dozen brothers, Kamran Ghulam got used to waiting his turn for a bat as a child.
He then had to wait for his Pakistan debut, but it all seemed worth it on Tuesday when he scored a century against England in Multan.
The 29-year-old debutant made a terrific 118 on the opening day of the second Test, anchoring the hosts to 259-5.
Dawood, one of the 10 older brothers, said Ghulam had learnt to be patient from very early on.
“We used to play cricket at our village and would not allow Kamran to bat on the pretext that ‘you are very small’,” Dawood told AFP from Peshawar, in Pakistan’s northwest, on the phone.
“He was a good fielder so we used to order him to field only and like a very obedient boy he would follow, and that patience has seen him through difficult times.”
Six of the brothers played for the same club in their village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would often be at loggerheads over who should bat first.
“It was normal to have a fight, but at the end of the day we always returned home happy and today we are at the height of our happiness,” said Dawood, 40.
“Our late father always wanted Ghulam to become a good player but he died 22 years ago.
“He would have been the happiest in the family.”
Since his first-class debut in 2013, Ghulam has piled on runs in all three formats of the game with his best coming in 2020-21 when he amassed 1,249 runs in 11 domestic matches.
That broke a 36-year record.
Ghulam was included in Pakistan’s preliminary squad for a home series against South Africa in 2021 but was not given a chance.
He said he knew his opportunity would come some day — as long as he was patient.
“They say the fruit of patience is always sweet and it is proved today,” said Ghulam after his opening-day heroics in Multan.
“I was eager for my chance and had always thought whenever it will come I will make it worthwhile.”
Last year Ghulam was in Pakistan’s squad against New Zealand in a one-day international in Karachi but he only got a chance as a substitute for Haris Sohail, who suffered concussion.
Ghulam’s full Test debut finally came as he replaced out-of-form Babar Azam following Pakistan’s innings defeat last week.
“There was pressure of replacing Azam so I had to do something special,” said Ghulam.
“So I am delighted that I am successful in achieving a feat and my wait is over.”
