Casting the future: Pakistan by poll

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Voters and volunteers outside of the polling station. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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A paint job that speaks volumes parked outside the voting poll center in the I Sector of Pakistan’s capital. The tiger is the main symbol of the Pakistan Muslim League — Nawaz (PMLN). (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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A man prepares to string Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) bunting across the intersection in front of a voting poll station and registration booths. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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Voters and volunteers outside the polling station. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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It is common on election days to see cars filled with people being driven to and from voting centers to encourage voters who may not have easy access to transportation to show up and vote. Pictured is a car of PTI supporters leaving the voting area. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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Voters accompanied by younger children head away from the polling station. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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Teacher Tariq Aqil getting his serial number for the voting process from the outside booths, which aim to help the voting process go smoothly. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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After the vote, the iconic ink on thumb image. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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Tariq Aqil talks to Arab News Pakistan about his experience of voting and what he predicts for the future of Pakistan will look like. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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Fresh out of their vote, Sehar and Nadira were excited by the voter turnout saying that it was the largest number of women they had seen turn up and the most people they had seen at once at their longtime election center. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
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Sehar, who voted for an independent candidate, was especially excited by the number of young and new voices that have emerged on the political landscape. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)
Updated 25 July 2018
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Casting the future: Pakistan by poll

  • Arab News Pakistan joins a family as they had to their voting station in the 2018 Pakistan Election and utilize their voice
  • The family all voted for different candidates in their voting district and spoke about the voting process and their hopes for the future of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: July 25, 2018: “I am generally excited at every election, but I think this election was really, really important,” said Sehar Tariq, as she exited the polling station in her voting district.
Country Representative of the United States Institute of Peace and a frequent guest on news shows as a political analyst, Sehar has voted in every election in which she has been eligible to cast a vote.
“There was a lot of talk in the lead-up to these elections about election engineering and manufacturing, which only amplifies how important it is for everyone to go out and vote.”
A sentiment shared by her mother Nadira Tariq, a teacher at the International School of Islamabad.
“I was excited [about this election] in the sense that I think it has been so tough — the whole election. It’s very close and each and every vote truly matters. Everyone should step out and vote.”
Both women were also impressed and inspired by the number of voters who showed up to their longtime polling station, pointing out in particular the heavy volume of women voters, a sight they said they had not seen in previous years.




People line up at registration booths where they were able to have quick and easy sign ups, serial number look ups and more for their district. The various booths were run by supporters of different parties though one could register or look up their information regardless of whom they were voting for. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)

Sehar opted to vote outside the mainstream choices, choosing an individual standing outside the traditional parties.
“It’s important for democracy to have a wide variety of voices represented. I did not vote for any of the mainstream parties. I went for an independent candidate. I felt the candidate had a good platform to run on and it was someone that I knew to be honest and hardworking.
“This election we have seen a lot of new and young voices come up and they probably will not win a seat this time but it’s important to show that you support them, so they know there is a vote bank that they can continue to build on and grow.”




(Left to right) Nadira Tariq, Sehar Tariq and Tariq Aqil head to to their voting center. The family has utilized their right to vote in every election, with patriarch Tariq consistently voting since 1970. (AN photo by Qamar Anwar)

Tariq Aqil, who teaches at Headstart School, Islamabad, has cast a vote in every election since he was first able to in 1970. The fervor around this election has made it distinctive.
“What is it making (the election) stand out is this great divide between the secular forces and the religious forces. That is the difference, because Imran Khan Niazi is heading the religious faction and others, like the Pakistan People’s Party and the Awami National Party, push for secular democracies.”
But to all three invested citizens there was an accepted result that the voting climate was leaning toward the PTI and the right.
‘‘It will be the PTI. They will form the government but the coalition government along with the MMA — which we call the the Mullah Military Alliance (he laughs) — people may call it something else, with the extreme right-wing religious parties grouped together with Imran Khan.
“Pakistan is going toward right-wing politics, going toward more parties and people who believe more in Shariah and religion, which I believe is a disaster for Pakistan. I’m a student of history and I’ve seen that in any country, in any society where they have mixed religion with politics it’s been bad news, a disaster. This is where Imran Khan is taking this country.”
Sehar, too, predicts a coalition government and imagines that the close numbers with tinkering majorities will lead to the parties and representatives having to find common ground and ways to work together.
“I am hoping the future of Pakistan looks like a peaceful, democratic transition. That is most important, that the election results are not contested and that they are accepted by all parties. But we are probably looking at a coalition government of different political parties in 2018. There will have to be some collaboration between political parties and I think it will be quite interesting to see how different blocks match up. I am excited to see what happens as the evening unfolds.”


Pakistan says UAE eyeing investments in Sindh’s desalination, transport, construction sectors

Updated 24 sec ago
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Pakistan says UAE eyeing investments in Sindh’s desalination, transport, construction sectors

  • UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trade partners and main source of foreign investment
  • UAE-Pakistan trade volume rose to $7.9 billion in 2023, up by 12 percent from 2022

KARACHI: A spokesman for the chief minister of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province said on Thursday the UAE was interested in investing in a desalination plant in the port city of Karachi as well as in transport and construction projects.

The announcement came after a meeting between CM Murad Ali Shah and the UAE Consul General in Karachi, Bakhit Atiq Al Rimithiki, on the occasion of the National Day of the Emirates. 

The UAE is one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners and a major source of foreign investment, valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE ministry of foreign affairs. The UAE-Pakistan trade volume rose to $7.9 billion in 2023, up 12 percent from 2022.

“Discussions were also held on the investment of UAE companies in various projects in Karachi,” the CM’s office said. “UAE companies are interested in investing in Karachi’s desalination plant, transport and road and bridge construction sectors.”

The spokesman said Shah was also arranging meetings between the provincial investment department and relevant officers of the UAE.

In May this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz said the UAE had committed $10 billion to invest in promising economic sectors in Pakistan.

Earlier this month, Pakistan signed four MoUs with the AD Ports Group, a major investor in Pakistan, to explore opportunities in the maritime, air and rail sectors as well as in logistics and digital services.

With UAE partner Kaheel Terminals, AD Ports Group is already developing, operating, and managing container, bulk, and general cargo operations at the Port of Karachi, Pakistan’s major port, where it has agreed to invest almost $400 million over 15 years. 

The joint venture has agreed to invest $75 million over the next two years in superstructure and equipment, followed by $100 million within five years to increase efficiency and capacity by 75 percent, enabling the terminal to handle up to 14 million tones per annum.

Pakistan has been pushing for foreign investment in recent months in a bid to shore up its $350 billion economy as it navigates a tough reforms agenda mandated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).


Premature blast kills suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan, harms no one else — police 

Updated 9 min 9 sec ago
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Premature blast kills suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan, harms no one else — police 

  • Suicide bomber riding a motorcycle set off an explosive device prematurely on a deserted road in Charsadda district 
  • Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, often target security forces in KP province with suicide bombings

PESHAWAR, Pakistan: A suicide bomber riding a motorcycle set off an explosive device prematurely on a deserted road in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing himself but harming no one else, police said.

Local police official Masood Khan said the blast happened in Charsadda district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, where Pakistani Taliban and other insurgents often target security forces.

Khan said the intended target was unclear and bomb disposal experts and police were still investigating whether the man was wearing the explosives or they were attached to his motorcycle.

The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, often target security forces in the province with suicide bombings and other violence. 

TTP are separate from the Afghan Taliban but have been emboldened by the group’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.


20 million Pakistanis daily attempt to access porn sites, telecoms authority says

Updated 21 min 45 sec ago
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20 million Pakistanis daily attempt to access porn sites, telecoms authority says

  • Latest figures from PTA come as it introduced a new portal for the registration of VPNs earlier this week 
  • Digital experts say government trying to block vital tools that allow users to bypass restrictions amid digital crackdowns

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority said on Thursday around 20 million Pakistanis were daily attempting to access pornographic websites, which authorities have banned since 2011.

In November 2011, the PTA announced it was in the process of banning the 1,000 most-frequented porn websites in Pakistan. In 2016, the government ordered Internet Service Providers to block more than 400,000 websites which contained pornographic content, while in 2019, around 800,000 additional porn sites were banned by the PTA. 

“There are approximately 20 million daily attempts from within the country to access pornographic websites which are blocked at the international gateway,” the PTA statement said. 

“However, users bypass restrictions via VPNs and access porn contents. PTA remains fully committed to curbing this issue, taking all necessary measures to block this content effectively.

“So far PTA has blocked a total of 100,183 blasphemous URLs and 844,008 pornographic websites.”

The latest figures from the PTA come as it introduced a new portal for the registration of VPNs on Tuesday, a move that is being widely seen as an attempt by the government to block vital tools that allow users to bypass government restrictions amid a wave of digital crackdowns. 

Pakistan has already blocked access to social media platform X since the February general elections, with the government saying the blocking was to stop anti-state activities and due to a failure by X to adhere to local Pakistani laws. Rights activists say the blocking is designed to stifle critical voices and democratic accountability in the country, which the government denies. 

VPN users in Pakistan reported significant disruptions to services last weekend (Nov. 9-10), with issues relating to connectivity and restricted access. Downdetector reported disruption to TunnelBear VPN and VPN Unlimited but none of the best VPNs appeared to be affected.

The Proton VPN Observatory, run by the developers of one of the most secure VPNs, Proton, reported a spike in VPN usage in Pakistan on Nov. 9 and recorded a 350 percent increase in VPN sign-ups in Pakistan over Nov. 9-10. 

There are also reports Pakistan is imposing a national firewall, which the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) has said could cost the economy up to $300 million. In August, the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) warned that frequent Internet disruptions and low speeds caused by poor implementation of the firewall had led many multinational companies to consider relocating their offices out of Pakistan, with some having “already done so.”

Digital rights activists say Islamabad is implementing the Internet firewall to monitor and regulate content and social media platforms, but the government denies the firewall is meant for censorship purposes. 


Pakistan rover to join China’s Chang’E 8 mission to explore lunar surface in 2028

Updated 14 November 2024
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Pakistan rover to join China’s Chang’E 8 mission to explore lunar surface in 2028

  • Chang’E 8 mission is a robotic exploration of the lunar south pole, known for its challenging terrain, by China in 2028
  • Pakistan’s rover will conduct scientific experiments such as lunar soil study and conduct tests for human presence

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national space agency announced this week its rover will join China’s Chang’E 8 mission to explore the moon’s surface in 2028, describing the development as a “significant milestone” for the South Asian country. 

The Chang’E 8 mission is a robotic exploration of the lunar south pole by China, expected to launch in 2028. The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the country’s space program, said its rover will land on the lunar south pole in 2028 as part of the Chang’ E 8 mission. The south pole of the moon is known for its challenging terrain and potential scientific discoveries. 

In May, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, which was tasked with landing on the far side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the Earth. China was the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.

“SUPARCO’s rover, with an approximate weight of 35 kilograms, will join China’s Chang’E 8 mission, which is part of the larger International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project,” SUPARCO said in a statement on Wednesday. 

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s space program, as SUPARCO’s indigenous rover will be part of the mission to explore the lunar surface.”

SUPARCO said the mission would involve scientific experiments such as lunar soil study, lunar surface mapping and testing new technologies for human presence on the moon. It highlighted that the rover, equipped with state-of-the-art scientific instruments, would play a pivotal role in collecting data.

“This collaboration with China highlights the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and their shared vision for space exploration,” it concluded.


After ODI series win, Rizwan to lead Pakistan in first T20I against Australia today

Updated 14 November 2024
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After ODI series win, Rizwan to lead Pakistan in first T20I against Australia today

  • Pakistan to play three-match series against Australia on Nov. 14, 16 and 18 in Brisbane, Sydney and Hobart
  • Rizwan’s side defeated Australia 2-1 in three-match series last week to win first series in Australia since 2002

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan will lead his side for the first time against Australia in a T20I format at Brisbane today, Thursday, after steering the green shirts to their first ever ODI series victory against the 2023 world champions since 2022. 

Rizwan will become the 12th person to assume Pakistan’s T20 captaincy when he takes the field in Brisbane for the first T20I. Pakistan’s cricket team, encouraged by stellar performances from fast bowlers Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, beat Australia 2-1 in the three-match series that concluded last week. 

After Thursday’s match, Pakistan will play against Australia in Sydney and Hobart on Nov. 16 and 18 respectively. Pakistani cricketers Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufiyan Moqim and Usman Khan joined the T20I squad in Brisbane on Nov. 11 after undergoing a five-day training camp in the southern port city of Karachi. 

“We are confident after beating Australia in the ODI series but international cricket is always challenging so we aim to do things as better as we can going into this T20I series against Australia,” Rizwan said a day before the match. 

“We have determined the roles of various players in the team and look forward to executing our best plans not just in this series but also in the upcoming white-ball fixtures against Zimbabwe and South Africa.”

The Pakistan captain said he wanted to keep all the players involved in the series motivated. 

“Of course, the conditions have helped the bowlers on this tour so far but we also want to prove our mettle as a batting unit and I look forward to an exciting contest in the three matches,” he said. 

Pakistan last faced Australia in a T20 contest in March 2022 when the two teams played a one-off T20I in Lahore, which Australia won. In Pakistan’s last T20I series in Australia in November 2019, the hosts won 2-0 after the opening match ended in a no result. 

Josh Inglis will lead Australia in the T20I series while Tim David and Nathan Ellis have joined Australia’s T20I squad. Josh Philippe, meanwhile, has replaced the injured Cooper Connolly.

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (captain – wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan