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Political climate of Karachi soars as Imran, Bilawal prepare for faceoff in polls

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Chairman Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, submitted nomination form here at City Courts, Karachi here on Thursday, June 8, 2018 (Photo by Omar R. Quraishi)
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Chairman Pakistan People’s Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, shaking hand with workers and supporters after submitted nomination form here at City Courts, Karachi here on Thursday, June 8, 2018 (Photo by Omar R. Quraishi)
Updated 09 June 2018
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Political climate of Karachi soars as Imran, Bilawal prepare for faceoff in polls

  • Imran Khan submitted nomination form to contest election from NA-243, a constituency where Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) won the last two general elections.
  • Bilawal is contesting from two National Assembly seats – NA-246 of Karachi’s Lyari area and NA-200 of Larkana – which his party has been wining since 1970s.
Updated 09 June 2018
Naimat Khan

KARACHI: Political climate of Karachi, which had become cold due to split within major political party of the city – The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – has soared up after chiefs of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chose this important metropolis as battleground for contesting 2018 general elections.

Election commission of Pakistan (ECP) has fixed July 25, 2018, as the date for general elections on the national and provincial assemblies in the country. According to ECP, the aspirant candidates can submit their nomination papers till June 11, 2018.

A day earlier, Bilawal submitted his nomination papers to contest elections from two National Assembly seats – NA-246 of Karachi’s Lyari area and NA-200 of Larkana – which his party has been wining since 1970s.

PTI Chief Imran Khan submitted his nomination form for NA-243 of the city.

Zia Ur Rehman, a Karachi-based political commentator, says Karachi is very a important city for major political parties which is why heads of major political parties have been contesting polls from the metropolis.

“First, Karachi is electorally highly symbolic at national level. Second, Participation of Bilawal and Imran will boost the electoral campaigns of their parties’ candidates contesting from various parts of the city,” Rehman opines.

Experts believe that PPP has played safe by fielding its chief on a seat which the party has been wining since its inception whereas PTI has taken a risk to choose NA-243 where the party could only emerge as a runner-up and that too when its popularity was at the peak in 2013.

“Lyari is a safe constituency for PPP as the party has been winning this seat for the past several decades by drawing support from its Baloch and Katchi ethnic electorate and this is the reason why the PPP has chosen Lyari for its young chairperson.”

PTI has chosen Gulshan-e-Iqbal, a constituency that houses upper-middle and middle-class population of the city. Khan’s participation from the area will help the party's other candidates to muster votes from Mohajir and upper-middle class neighborhoods of the city.

According to the new delimitation, NA-243 now comprises areas of former NA-251 and NA-252, which as per the results on ECP’s official website, were among the city’s seats where PTI had not only secured second position but Imran Khan’s party had also got good number of votes, upsetting the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain.

Faisal Subzwari, former provincial minister and senior MQM leader sees PTI’s decision to pitch Khan from a known MQM stronghold as an unwise move.

“No doubt PTI had been runner up from these constituencies in 2013 but it was a wave in favor of PTI, which it has badly failed to retain,” the MQM-P leader says, adding despite split within the MQM-Pakistan, his party is in strong position to win the said seat.

Head of the PTI’s central media cell, Iftikhar Durrani, admits that the split within MQM shaped PTI’s decision to choose this constituency. “However, that’s not the only reason. Our election management cell has worked it out scientifically. We have conducted several surveys after which we took this decision. We are sure that Imran Khan will win with huge margin.”

Durrani says Khan will not only win this seat but it will give boast to party’s election campaign in Karachi over a large number of seats.

On Bilawal’s choice of constituency, MQM-P’s Subzwari says PPP has played safe by fielding Bilawal from Lyari but it will be really hard for it to retain the previous margin as the party has lost turf over the last several years. “In past local gangers would muster support for the party. Gangs have been eliminated,” he says.

President PPP Karachi division and former minister, Saeed Ghani, says it was his party’s decision to field Bilawal as a candidate from Lyari. “This seat belongs to Bhuttos and the people have never reposed their trust in anyone else. Bilawal will not only retain the previous winning margins but he will win with biggest margins.”

With both PPP and PTI dreaming great results for their leaders, the political climate of Karachi rises for the big day.

Topics: PTI MQM

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Pakistan launches operation in Kurram district, sets up camps for displaced families

Updated 7 sec ago
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Pakistan launches operation in Kurram district, sets up camps for displaced families

  • Tribal and sectarian clashes since Nov. 21 have killed at least 136 people in Kurram and caused medicine, food and fuel shortages
  • A senior police official says military will lead the operation in Kurram’s Bagan area, with police providing ‘second-tier support’
Updated 7 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have launched an operation to clear the northwestern Pakistani district of Kurram of militants, a senior police official said on Sunday, following months of unrest in the region.
Kurram, a district of around 600,000 people in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, has been rocked by tribal and sectarian clashes since November 21, when armed men attacked a convoy of Shia passengers, killing 52 people.
The attack sparked further violence and blockade of a main road connecting Kurram’s main town of Parachinar with the provincial capital of Peshawar, causing medicine, food and fuel shortages in the area, as casualties surged to 136.
The operation in Lower Kurram comes after the KP government announced the establishment of camps for temporarily displaced persons (TDPs), following an ambush on a supply convoy that killed 10 people on Thursday.
“The operation has commenced in Lower Kurram’s Bagan area and the sanitization process to clear the area is underway,” Abbas Majeed Marwat, the Kohat regional police officer (RPO), told Arab News.
“The military will lead the operation, with the police providing second-tier support through the Elite Force, regular police, and other security forces.”
Asked about the scale of the operation, Marwat said it was targeted at specific areas where militants were using hideouts to sabotage peace efforts.
“The operation will focus on certain pockets, particularly in Bagan and its adjacent areas,” he said.
Thursday’s ambush targeted a convoy of 33 vehicles set to resupply local traders in the region with rice, flour and cooking oil and two aid vehicles carrying essential medicine. It followed a similar attack on a supply convoy this month that injured five people, including a top administration official in the region.
The violence has continued despite a peace agreement signed between the warring tribes on Jan. 1. Under the peace agreement, both sides had agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons to authorities within two weeks.
RPO Marwat said the operation aimed to target elements “embedded within the local community who were acting as spoilers.” He said authorities had completed arrangements for TDPs, while some families had already left the most affected areas to stay with their relatives elsewhere.
“The commissioner of Kohat and I visited the proposed sites for TDP camps in Hangu to inspect the administrative and security arrangements,” he told Arab News on Sunday.
“As of yesterday, more than 20 families had relocated [from Bagan] and more are leaving because the situation here remains critical.”
Separately on Sunday, the KP government announced action against militants in violence-hit areas of Kurram, following a high-level huddle in Peshawar.
“Action against few miscreants in the affected areas has become unavoidable and a decision has been made to take strict and indiscriminate action against miscreants,” said a statement issued from the office of KP government spokesperson Mohammad Ali Saif.
For the past three months, the statement said, the KP government had been working hard to restore peace and stability in Kurram, and a peace agreement was reached through a grand jirga in line with Pashtun traditions.
“A few miscreants in Kurram have attempted to sabotage the peace agreement,” it said, adding that the militants attempted to assassinate Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud, leaving him seriously injured, and were also targeting security personnel and supply convoys.
The statement said the government feared that the “miscreants” had infiltrated peaceful communities, and to protect peaceful citizens, they would be separated.
“Alternative housing arrangements have been made for the affected population,” it added.
Feuding tribes have battled with machine guns and heavy weapons in Kurram, cutting off the remote and mountainous region bordering Afghanistan from the outside world.
Provincial authorities have been supplying relief goods and transporting ailing and injured people from Kurram to Peshawar via helicopters since late last month.

Topics: kurram kurram district parachinar sectarian clashes militancy in Pakistan

Pakistan commerce minister arrives in Cambodia to hold bilateral trade talks

Updated 41 min 21 sec ago
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Pakistan commerce minister arrives in Cambodia to hold bilateral trade talks

  • The development comes amid Pakistan’s push to revive its $350 billion economy since avoiding a default in June 2023
  • Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan will attend the inaugural Joint Trade Committee and Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh
Updated 41 min 21 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan on Sunday arrived in Cambodia on a three-day official visit to hold bilateral trade talks, his ministry said, amid Pakistan’s push for trade and investment.
The commerce minister will participate in the inaugural Joint Trade Committee and Ministerial Meeting in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, according to the Pakistani commerce ministry.
Upon arrival, Khan was received by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Cambodia Zaheer Uddin Baber Thaheem and Tith Rithipol, undersecretary of state from the Cambodian ministry of commerce.
“The visit aims to strengthen bilateral trade ties, explore new economic opportunities, and enhance cooperation between the two nations,” the Pakistani commerce ministry said in a statement.
“The meetings are expected to cover a range of topics, including trade facilitation, investment prospects, and market access.”
The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to revive its $350 billion economy since avoiding a default in June 2023. The South Asian country last year secured a new $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and has been actively pursuing trade and investment opportunities to put the economy on the path of recovery.
The Pakistani commerce ministry said Khan’s visit marked a “significant step” toward deepening economic engagement between Pakistan and Cambodia.
“Further discussions and agreements are anticipated during the visit,” it added.

Topics: Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan Pakistan Cambodia ties

Minister calls for strict measures to curb carbon emissions to deal with Pakistan smog crisis

Updated 19 January 2025
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Minister calls for strict measures to curb carbon emissions to deal with Pakistan smog crisis

  • Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province experiences smog each year, with the provincial capital of Lahore ranking second among world’s most polluted cities on Sunday
  • Officials say smog is a byproduct of large numbers of vehicles, construction and industrial work as well as burning of crop residue at the start of winter season
Updated 19 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Sunday called for the enforcement of stringent policy measures to mitigate heat-trapping carbon emissions from vehicles in order to tackle the issue of smog, Pakistani state media reported.
Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province experiences dense smog each year, with the provincial capital of Lahore ranking second among the world’s most polluted cities on Sunday, according to Swiss air monitor IQAir.
Late last year, the province closed down schools and offices, banned outdoor activities and shortened timings for restaurants, shops and markets in a bid to contain the crisis.
The dangerous smog is a byproduct of large numbers of vehicles, construction and industrial work as well as burning of crop residue at the start of the winter wheat-planting season.
“Smog has emerged as a serious environmental and public health concern,” Tarar said as reported by Radio Pakistan, stressing the need to ensure conformity with Euro-5 or higher-grade fuels to improve the air quality and mitigate heat-trapping carbon emissions.
The comments came at a meeting of a committee to implement the National Climate Change Policy, aimed at steering Pakistan toward climate resilience and low carbon development.
Officials informed the participants that efforts had already been ramped up to transition the South Asian country to renewable energy sources, with significant investments in solar, wind, and hydropower projects.
“The government’s plan to achieve a 30 percent share of renewables in the energy mix by 2030 is well on track and all-out efforts are being made to promote Electric Vehicles to reduce the environmental impact of transportation,” they were quoted as saying.
Pakistan is among countries deemed most vulnerable to extreme weather caused by climate change, despite contributing less than 1 percent to global carbon emissions, according to officials. 
In 2022, devastating floods, blamed on human-driven climate change, killed more than 1,700 Pakistanis, affected another 33 million and caused the country over $30 billion in economic losses.

Topics: Azam Nazeer Tarar Pakistan Smog carbon emissions

Top Bangladeshi commander meets Pakistan Navy officials, discusses regional maritime security

Updated 19 January 2025
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Top Bangladeshi commander meets Pakistan Navy officials, discusses regional maritime security

  • The development comes amid a thaw in relations between both nations since PM Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in August
  • The two sides discussed joint military exercises, reciprocal visits and training exchange programs, Pakistan Navy says
Updated 19 January 2025
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Lt. Gen. SM Kamr-ul-Hassan, principal staff officer (PSO) of the Bangladesh armed forces division, on Sunday met senior Pakistan Navy officials and discussed with them regional maritime security cooperation, Pakistan Navy said.
Lt. Gen. Hassan toured Pakistan Navy ships and units during his visit to the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi, according to the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of Pakistan Navy.
He met Pakistan Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Abdul Munib, Coast Commander Rear Admiral Faisal Amin and Managing Director of Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KS&EW) Rear Admiral Salman Ilyas.
“During these engagements, discussions focused on professional matters of mutual interests, including regional maritime security and bilateral defense collaboration,” the DGPR said in a statement.
“Various potential areas of cooperation were highlighted, such as joint military exercises, reciprocal visits, and training exchange programs between the two countries.”
Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war, which saw the part previously referred to as East Pakistan seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh.
In the years since, Bangladeshi leaders, particularly former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, chose to maintain close ties with India. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh have warmed up since Hasina’s ouster as a result of a student-led uprising in August, witnessing a marked improvement.
“The visit of Lt. Gen. SM Kamrul Hassan is expected to further strengthen defense ties between the two brotherly nations, enhancing cooperation and solidifying the bonds between the armed forces of Pakistan and Bangladesh,” Pakistan Navy said.
Lt. Gen. Hassan, who is currently on a visit to Pakistan, this week met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir in Rawalpindi, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing. During the meeting, both military commanders stressed the need for an enduring partnership between the two countries to remain “resilient against external influences.”
Earlier in the day, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) said it would send two trade delegations to Bangladesh on Jan. 19-20 to increase bilateral relations and economic collaboration as both countries move to repair strained ties.
“The first delegation of dates comprising 13 exporters will leave for a week-long visit on Jan. 19 while the second delegation of citrus will leave for a business-to-business (B2B) meeting on Jan. 20,” the TDAP said.
The delegations will explore more trade opportunities, promote business partnerships and Pakistan’s export potential in the Bangladeshi market, it added.
The development comes days after the signing of a landmark agreement between Pakistan and Bangladeshi businesspersons to establish a joint business council between the two countries.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is also scheduled to visit Dhaka at the start of February to further consolidate the relations between the two countries.

Topics: Pakistan Bangladesh Ties Pakistan Navy

Pakistan to launch yuan-denominated Panda bonds by June, finance minister says

Updated 19 January 2025
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Pakistan to launch yuan-denominated Panda bonds by June, finance minister says

  • The South Asian country intends to raise approximately $200 million from Chinese investors through Panda bonds
  • Muhammad Aurangzeb says the move is part of a strategy to achieve sustainability in Pakistan’s balance of payments
Updated 19 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that Pakistan plans to launch yuan-denominated Panda bonds in June to enhance its presence in Chinese capital markets, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday.
The development follows an upgrade in Pakistan’s sovereign rating by all three major credit agencies. The country aims to get into the “single-B” category that would allow it to return to global bond markets to raise funds.
Aurangzeb said the South Asian country intends to raise approximately $200 million from Chinese investors through the issuance of the Panda bonds, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“This step is part of a broader strategy to transition Pakistan’s economy toward export-driven growth, with a focus on achieving sustainability in the country’s balance of payments,” he was quoted as telling Hong Kong’s TVB news channel.
The South Asian country is navigating a challenging economic recovery path and has been buttressed by a $7 billion facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September. The government is optimistic it will meet the terms of the program.
Pakistan is being advised on the issuance of Panda bonds by the China International Capital Corporation, a partially state-owned financial services company, according to the finance minister. However, the latest figure is lower than the $300 million targeted by Pakistan last year.
Aurangzeb extended an invitation to Hong Kong to send delegations to explore trade and financial opportunities in Pakistan, according to the Radio Pakistan report.
“Hong Kong could serve as a strategic hub for joint ventures between Chinese and Pakistani companies,” he said.
To revive its $350 billion economy, Pakistan has been making efforts to position itself as a regional trade and transit hub by leveraging its strategic geopolitical position.
The South Asian country has witnessed a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity involving officials from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, China and Central Asian nations in recent months.

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Pakistan economy

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