ISLAMABAD: A senior minister in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Sunday urged religious scholars to publicly condemn recent attacks on an international fast-food chain, warning that such actions were damaging the country’s image and hurting its own citizens.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari’s remarks came a day after the federal government said over 150 people had been arrested for attacking the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlets amid rising anti-American and anti-Israel sentiment in the country over the war in Gaza.
Protesters have vandalized KFC branches in multiple cities, with at least one employee killed during the unrest, asking people to show solidarity with their Muslim brethren in the Palestinian territory who have been killed in great numbers since the beginning of the war in October 2023.
“I believe that all our forums where respected religious scholars are present should come forward more strongly on this issue and speak up,” the provincial minister said at a news conference in Lahore.
“Attacking these food chains is not helping the oppressed people of Gaza,” she continued. “It is hurting Pakistan.”
Bokhari noted that international franchises like KFC provided jobs to thousands of locals in Punjab and other parts of the country.
“Now tell me this: if the 25,000 Pakistanis working here lose their jobs, will that benefit the people of Gaza?” she asked. “Or have these incidents helped the oppressed people of Gaza in any way? No, it’s causing harm — harm to Pakistan’s image.”
She also referenced the killing of a KFC employee in Sheikhupura, questioning what his fault was.
Bokhari accused “an extremist group” of organizing the attacks and said the government would take strict action against those involved.
On Saturday, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudry said 12 police cases had been registered against the attackers in Punjab alone, with 142 arrests made. Another 15 suspects had been detained in Islamabad, he added.
“It cannot happen that someone brings investment into Pakistan, gives its people employment, pays 100 percent tax, and also spends on welfare, education and health activities, and then someone attacks it,” he said.
He maintained such incidents would be treated with the same seriousness as militant attacks, adding the government and interior ministry were “available 24 hours” to respond.
Pakistan does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel but has consistently voiced support for the Palestinian cause.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an immediate end to Israel’s military campaign, while Pakistan’s permanent mission to the United Nations has repeatedly urged accountability for Israeli “war crimes.”
Punjab minister urges clerics to denounce Gaza-linked fast-food chain attacks in Pakistan
https://arab.news/pzyge
Punjab minister urges clerics to denounce Gaza-linked fast-food chain attacks in Pakistan
- Azma Bokhari says attacks are not helping the oppressed people of Palestine but hurting Pakistan
- The government has arrested over 150 attackers and promised strict action against others involved
Pakistan pushes for Chinese investment in export-oriented sectors
- China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner, with its exports to Islamabad standing at $19.62 billion in 2024
- Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi holds meetings with honorary investment councilors in China
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi met honorary investment councilors (HIC) this week to review their role in advancing trade and people-to-people linkages, urging them to mobilize investments from Beijing in Islamabad’s export-oriented sectors, the Press Information Department (PID) said.
Pakistan views China as an important strategic ally and investment partner, which has funneled billions of dollars into the country under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) energy and infrastructure project for over a decade.
China is also Pakistan’s largest trading partner, with its exports to Pakistan surging from $16.67 billion in 2023 to $19.62 billion in 2024, as per official data.
Hashmi held private meetings with HICs in China on Monday and a working luncheon to take stock of their work, strengthen coordination and set priorities for 2026, the PID said in a press release.
“He encouraged them to synergize their efforts with Pakistan’s national development priorities and mobilize Chinese investments in export-oriented sectors of Pakistan,” the statement said.
The Pakistani ambassador urged the HICs to prioritize channeling investments in 21 priority sectors of the economy through joint ventures to boost productive capacities, calling on them to integrate investments with human capital development.
Hashmi informed the HICs that the two business-to-business investment conferences held in Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Beijing, as well as six sectoral investment roadshows since last year cumulatively yielded the signing of over 300 memoranda of understanding and 25 joint ventures worth $11 billion.
“The HICs welcomed the initiative to convene focused annual review by the ambassador, marking the beginning of an institutionalized engagement with the HICs,” the press release said.
“They shared their plans for 2026 and expressed resolve to lend their full support to the embassy’s economic diplomacy agenda, especially the enhancement of Chinese investments in Pakistan and an increase in Pakistani exports to China, while boosting bilateral cooperation in these mutually beneficial areas.”
