ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and United Kingdom on Tuesday expressed “satisfaction” over the legalities of the protocol pertaining to the exchange and transfer of prisoners between both the countries, hoping that the deal “would be signed shortly” – a development for which Islamabad has been trying to convince the British government for long.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Jeremy Hunt, discussed this and a host of other issues over a telephone call.
“The two foreign ministers discussed a wide range of regional and bilateral issues of mutual interest and expressed satisfaction at the current state of relations,” a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs read.
Pakistan also appreciated the expanded bilateral cooperation and stressed that the UK was an important trade and investment partner for the South Asian nation. “Brexit would open new opportunities for trade and development between the two countries,” Qureshi said.
The two foreign ministers agreed to hold the fourth round of talks as part of the Pakistan-UK Enhanced Strategic Dialogue in the first quarter of 2019 in London.
According to the statement, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in the spheres of “regional security, counter-terrorism, organized crime, money-laundering and asset recovery.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has been trying to sign bilateral treaties with the UK and other countries in its pursuit to fight corruption and recover looted money stashed abroad.
As part of the effort, Pakistan’s federal cabinet last month approved plans to renew a prisoner exchange program with the UK and Northern Ireland. The Prisoner Exchange Treaty was part of an understanding reached between the two countries in September this year during British Home Secretary Sajid Javed’s visit to Islamabad.
Masroor Shah, a senior lawyer and expert on international law, said that the prisoner exchange treaty is a welcome move as this would help both the countries swap prisoners on “humanitarian grounds.”
“The treaty is also a tool of bilateral cooperation and this will help open other avenues of collaboration between both the countries,” he told Arab News. “The treaty will help facilitate the fair treatment and social rehabilitation of prisoners in their native countries.”
Shah, however, clarified that the deal is not equivalent to an extradition treaty. “Pakistan and UK does not have a formal extradition treaty, but even then Pakistan has extradited at least two persons so far to the UK through a bilateral arrangement,” he added.
He said that Pakistan’s anti-corruption institutions would not be able to bring back the wanted individuals residing in England in the absence of an extradition treaty.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Mirza Shahzad Akbar told Arab News earlier this week that a bilateral treaty would be ratified with the UK in the coming months, besides enacting a Mutual Legal Assistance law to obtain evidence from foreign jurisdictions about financial crimes and corruption.
“We are also hopeful to sign an extradition treaty with the UK by March next year,” he said.
Tahir Malik, an expert on international affairs, expressed skepticism over Pakistan’s claim of signing the extradition treaty with the UK by March, saying that British parliamentarians and the civil society have repeatedly expressed concerns over Islamabad’s human rights record and treatment being meted out to religious minorities.
“UK parliamentarians fear that the extradition treaty, once signed with Pakistan, will be abused by seeking expatriation of political dissidents,” he told Arab News. “Until Islamabad addresses the legitimate human rights’ concerns of the international community, an extradition treaty with the UK won’t be possible.”
Pakistan, UK to sign prisoner exchange deal ‘shortly’
Pakistan, UK to sign prisoner exchange deal ‘shortly’
- Islamabad hopes to finalize treaty by March
- British parliamentarians fear it will be abused to repatriate political dissidents
Texas hedge fund manager close to Trump leads investment delegation to Pakistan— state media
- Gentry Beach is leading “high-level” investment delegation on two-day visit to Pakistan, says state media
- State broadcaster says several agreements between Pakistan and US were signed during delegation’s visit
Islamabad: A high-level delegation of American investors featuring a business partner of US President Donald Trump has arrived in Pakistan, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Tuesday, adding that several agreements between the two countries were signed.
The delegation, led by Texas hedge fund manager Gentry Beach, has arrived in Pakistan for a two-day visit to the country. Pakistani state media said that the delegation’s arrival days after the new American administration taking office is of “great importance.”
“The visit of the US delegation to Pakistan will open new avenues for investment, economic and bilateral relations between the two countries,” Radio Pakistan said.
The development takes place as cash-strapped Pakistan engages with countries to secure foreign investment in its key economic sectors such as energy, agriculture, mining and minerals, livestock and others.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has sought increased foreign trade and investment as a remedy to Pakistan’s economic woes. Pakistan, which came to the brink of a sovereign default in 2023, has suffered from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has drained its economic resources, weakened its currency and exacerbated its balance of payments crisis.
The South Asian country had a flurry of high-level exchanges with Saudi Arabia, Japan, Azerbaijan, Qatar and Central Asian countries last year in a bid to support its $350 billion fragile economy.
Islamabad formed a hybrid civil-military investment body in June 2023 to fast-track decisions related to investment in Pakistan’s key economic sectors. The government credits the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) for aiding its efforts to turn Pakistan’s economy around and increasing its exports over the past year-and-a-half.
However, ties between Pakistan and the US have always remained complicated. Both countries shared close defense and security cooperation in the past, particularly during the Cold War after the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and post-September 11, 2001 attacks.
However, more recently, US officials criticized Pakistan for not sufficiently supporting their military efforts against the Taliban following the 9/11 attacks. Islamabad denies sheltering Taliban fighters and helping them regain control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Pakistan Navy’s ‘Yamama’ holds bilateral exercise with Saudi ship in Jeddah
- Navy says exercise aimed to strengthen naval cooperation and enhance interoperability between the two allies
- Ship’s crew held table-top discussions on maritime issues with Saudi naval leadership, says Pakistan Navy
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy said its newly commissioned Yamama ship visited Jeddah on Tuesday where it met the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) leadership and held a passage exercise (PASSEX) with the Kingdom’s ‘Makkah’ ship, saying the activities were designed to strengthen cooperation and foster interoperability.
Yamama is Pakistan Navy’s fourth Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) that it says is equipped with advanced technologies and designed to operate in contested maritime environments. Upon its arrival at Jeddah port, the ship was received by senior RSNF officials and representatives from the Pakistan Embassy, the navy said.
During its stay, the ship’s crew engaged in professional activities, including cross-ship visits, table-top discussions on maritime issues and meetings with the RSNF leadership.
“Following the port visit, PNS YAMAMA conducted a PASSEX with HMS Makkah,” Pakistan Navy said. “The exercise was designed to strengthen naval cooperation and enhance interoperability between the two navies. Both forces reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring maritime security and promoting regional stability.”
The statement said Yamama’s visit to Saudi Arabia and the passage exercise further reinforced “strong brotherly relations” and defense collaboration between the two countries.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong defense ties and bilateral security cooperation. The two nations regularly engage in joint air, ground and sea military exercises while several cadets from the Kingdom, along with counterparts from other Middle Eastern nations, annually visit Pakistan to undergo specialized military training.
Apart from defense and security ties, Pakistan enjoys strong economic and trade relations with Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is home to over two million Pakistani expatriates, serving as the top source of remittances for the cash-strapped South Asian country.
Experts say Washington’s move to suspend foreign aid won’t impact Pakistan significantly
- US last week paused all foreign assistance to countries, saying will review if they are consistent with foreign policy
- Washington has invested in Pakistan’s critical energy, economic development and agriculture sectors over the years
KARACHI: Pakistani economists and former diplomats on Tuesday brushed aside the new American administration’s decision to suspend foreign assistance for countries around the world including Pakistan, saying it will not have a significant impact on the South Asian country and could even force Islamabad to undertake much-needed economic reforms.
US State Department confirmed on Sunday that Washington has paused all US foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID), adding that America would review all foreign assistance programs to ensure if they are efficient and consistent with US foreign policy.
The program affects all recipient countries, including Pakistan, where numerous US-funded programs are currently in progress. For over 70 years, the US-Pakistan development partnership has been instrumental in supporting sectors such as energy, economy, agriculture, education and health. The South Asian country has been grappling with an economic crisis that in 2023 almost pushed it toward a sovereign default.
Washington has invested over $205 million in Pakistan’s energy sector, as per USAID’s website and has also provided assistance to economic development programs such as the Investment Promotion Activity ($16.8 million) and the Pakistan Private Investment Initiative ($43.5 million), aimed at enhancing Pakistan’s business climate and supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“I’m not sure if the suspension of aid will be very harmful because the real harm to the economy is coming from our own policy governance,” Kaiser Bengali, a leading Pakistani economist, told Arab News.
“On the whole at the macro level, we have seen that in the last 40 years, foreign assistance has not contributed to the economy.”
Bengali said Pakistan’s current economic issues were largely self-created.
“We have created this deficit, balance of trade, balance of payments [crisis],” he said. “We have created a huge debt burden, borrowing loan after loan for the past thirty years and not investing debt funds to increase the productivity of the economy.”
Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar and Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the government on finance, did not respond to Arab News’ request for comment. Pakistan’s foreign officer spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said he would address the queries during the foreign office’s weekly press briefing.
Zamir Akram, a former Pakistani ambassador, agreed with Bengali. He said Washington’s assistance to Pakistan is “limited” and its overall impact on the country’s economy is “negligible.”
“Since the US assistance for Pakistan is less and its funding is very low, it doesn’t have great impact,” Akram told Arab News. “We don’t know the amount of project-based assistance but its overall national assistance for Pakistan is negligent. So that’s why it won’t make any impact.”
However, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, founder and president of Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), emphasized that the suspension could have significant consequences for Pakistan’s civil society and development sectors.
Mehboob said an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people were working in organizations working to protect democracy and human rights in Pakistan.
“If funding is halted in the future, not only will thousands be left unemployed but governance and human rights work will also be severely affected,” Mehboob told Arab News.
However, he cited India’s example where civil rights groups grew indigenously, saying that they began receiving minimal foreign funding much later.
“Sincere people will continue their work using local resources,” he said.
Bengali said there might be a silver lining to the suspension of foreign assistance, adding that it may prompt Pakistan to seek local solutions and implement necessary reforms.
“If the entire world stopped funding Pakistan, that would actually be a big favor to the country,” Bengali said. “It would force us to make the necessary reforms and find our own solutions.”
Pakistan says ‘long’ Hajj package under government scheme to cost $3,805
- Long and short Hajj packages prices to cost $3,847 and $4,124, respectively, religion ministry says
- Pakistan introduced 20-25 day duration Hajj program for pilgrims’ convenience for first time this year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religion ministry announced the final cost of the government’s long and short duration Hajj packages, saying that the former will cost Rs1,075,000 ($3,805) per head while the cost for the shorter duration has been set at Rs1,150,000 ($4,120).
Saudi Arabia has allocated a quota of 179,210 Hajj pilgrims for Pakistan in 2025, with an equal split between the government and private schemes. Pakistan last year set the same cost for Hajj 2024 under the government scheme.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) this month said the government had introduced a “shortened” Hajj program of 20 to 25 days for the first time which would make the journey easier and more accessible for Pakistani pilgrims. Pakistan’s Hajj Policy 2025 also allows pilgrims to pay for the pilgrimage in installments for the first time ever.
“The Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced the final Hajj package prices,” the religion ministry said. “The final price of the long Hajj package has been set at Rs10,75,000 while the short Hajj package has been set at Rs11,50,000.”
The statement added that the third installment of Hajj dues will be collected from Feb. 1-10.
It said limited seats were left for the government’s Hajj scheme, adding that its applications would be accepted until Jan. 30. The statement also mentioned that bookings for the short Hajj scheme had now been filled.
“New applications will be accepted on a first-come first-serve basis until Jan. 30,” it added. “Private Hajj pilgrims can continue booking until Jan. 31.”
The ministry also advised Hajj organizing companies to immediately upload the data of private pilgrims to the government’s e-portal.
The ministry has also launched the Pak Hajj 2025 mobile application, available for both Android and iPhone users, to guide pilgrims. Additionally, the government announced a reduction in airfare, lowering ticket prices for federal program pilgrims to Rs 220,000, down from last year’s Rs 234,000.
Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines, and private carriers have agreed to transport pilgrims this year.
Pakistani journalists rally against law regulating social media
- Proposed law contains three-year prison sentence, $7,200 fine for sharing fake news
- Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists say law is a “direct attack” on freedom of the press
ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of Pakistani journalists rallied on Tuesday against a proposed law to regulate social media content that they say is aimed at curbing press freedom and controlling the digital landscape.
The law would establish a regulatory authority that would have its own investigation agency and tribunals. Those found to have disseminated false or fake information face prison sentences of up to three years and fines of 2 million rupees ($7,200).
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists led rallies in cities including Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore, to demand the government withdraws the bill, which has been passed by parliament but has yet to be signed into law by the president.
“It is a direct attack on press freedom,” PFUJ President Afzal Butt said at the rally in Islamabad, before police blocked him and other protesters from marching toward the Red Zone, which houses the prime minister’s secretariat, parliament and diplomatic offices.
“Our movement will continue until the law is revoked.”
Digital media in Pakistan has already been muffled with measures by telecom authorities to slow down Internet speeds, and social media platform X has been blocked for more than a year.
Reporters Without Borders, an organization that defends press freedom, ranked Pakistan at number 152 out of 180 on its 2024 world Press Freedom Index. The group also says Pakistan is one of the most dangerous places for journalists to work.
Parliament passed the amendments to the law known as Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act last week.
The government has defended the new regulations, saying the law is being introduced to block fake and false news.
