ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Raja Ali Ejaz has said Pakistan can expect some “good news” regarding the release of Pakistani prisoners from Saudi jails in the month of Ramadan, the Pakistani Consulate General in Jeddah said on Thursday.
Pakistan’s information ministry had announced in February that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the release of about 2,100 Pakistani prisoners from the kingdom’s jails during a high-profile visit to Islamabad. The announcement came after a request by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Saudi Crown Prince’s announcement on release of Pakistani in Saudi jails is under process,” the Consulate General in Jeddahsaid in a statement emailed to Arab News. “In holy month of Ramadan, we expect some good news regarding this announcement.”
The release of thousands of Pakistani workers locked up in jails across the Middle East is at the top of the new government's agenda.
Huge numbers of Pakistanis travel to the Middle East every year, with many working on construction sites or as domestic helpers. The remittances they send back are vital for Pakistan’s dollar-starved economy.
The crown prince’s visit marked a deepening of ties between allies whose relationship has in the past centered on oil-rich Saudi Arabia backing Pakistan’s economy during difficult periods, and in return Pakistan’s powerful army lending support to Saudi Arabia and its royal family and military.
Saudi Arabia has in recent months helped keep Pakistan’s economy afloat by propping up rapidly dwindling foreign reserves with a $6 billion loan, giving it breathing room as it negotiates a bailout with the International Monetary Fund.
Pakistan showed appreciation by treating Crown Prince Mohammed’s trip as the biggest state visit since one by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015, soon after Beijing announced plans to invest tens of billions of dollars on infrastructure in Pakistan as part of China’s Belt and Road initiative.
At a welcome dinner in his honour held at a local hotel in Jeddah, Ambassador Ejaz described the crown prince’s Pakistan's visit as a “major success” that had “started a new era of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan relations.”
He said a number of agreements were signed during that visit, including one on the transfer of prisoners.
“Discussion on the Transfer of prisoner agreement is in process and once the agreement is signed, the prisoners will be able to complete the sentences in their respective countries,” the high commission’s statement quoted the ambassador as saying.
‘Good news’ soon on Pakistani prisoners’ release — envoy to Saudi Arabia
‘Good news’ soon on Pakistani prisoners’ release — envoy to Saudi Arabia
- Ambassador Raja Ali Ejaz says more prisoners expected to be released in Ramadan
- In February Crown Prince Mohammed ordered the immediate release of 2,107 Pakistani prisoners in Saudi jails
Pakistan journalist arrested over disinformation released
- Farhan Mallick was charged after changes to a disinformation law in January saw punishments of up to three years in prison introduced
- He was arrested over two weeks ago for ‘generating, disseminating anti-state publications and videos, with aim of inciting public violence’
KARACHI: The founder of a Pakistani online news channel who was arrested for allegedly spreading disinformation was released on bail on Monday, his lawyer said.
Farhan Mallick, who runs Raftar, was charged after changes to a disinformation law in January saw punishments of up to three years in prison introduced.
Critics say the law is being used to quash dissenting views and control online media.
Mallick’s lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii told AFP he was released after offering 100,000 rupees ($354) for each of the two cases he was charged with.
He was arrested more than two weeks ago for “generating and disseminating anti-state publications and videos, with the aim of spreading disinformation and inciting public violence.”
He was accused in a second case of credit card fraud.
Another journalist, Muhammed Waheed Murad, was also accused days later of “online disinformation,” before being granted bail.
Both journalists had reported on the alleged role of the powerful military that has ruled the country for several decades, an institution that many mainstream media are careful to avoid criticizing.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have sounded the alarm about two brothers of exiled journalist Ahmad Noorani, who police say were “kidnapped” in Islamabad last month.
Journalists have long complained of increasing state pressure on traditional media in Pakistan, ranked 152nd out of 180 countries on RSF’s press freedom index.
Social media platform X is officially banned, but accessible using VPNs, while YouTube and TikTok have faced bans in the past.
PM directs speedy container clearance, attractive tariffs at Pakistan ports as part of maritime reforms
- Pakistan has formed a maritime taskforce to streamline its blue economy by optimizing operations at various ports
- Shehbaz Sharif asks officials to accelerate pace of installation of scanners to reduce time for container clearance
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed officials to speed up the process of container clearance and ensure attractive trade tariffs at Pakistani ports, his office said on Monday, as the South Asian country undertakes maritime reforms to boost its economy.
Pakistan, which averted a default in 2023, is currently navigating an economic recovery path under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program and has undertaken several reforms in various sectors.
A taskforce is working on sustainable reforms in the maritime sector to end the long-standing stagnation in Pakistan’s maritime economy, according to the prime minister.
“Pakistan has been bestowed with a long coastline, sea and other unlimited resources,” Sharif was quoted as saying at a meeting of the maritime taskforce he presided over in Islamabad.
“A plan should be made to minimize the duration of the presence of containers at the ports,” he said, asking authorities to auction containers available at the ports as soon as possible to better utilize the port space.
During the meeting, officials informed the prime minister that a National Dredging Plan (NDP) has been formulated keeping in mind the country’s needs for the next ten years. It will help set up a National Dredging Company for dredging of all the ports, according to Sharif’s office.
A plan of action has also been prepared for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) through public-private partnership for the next 25 years. Similarly, a plant is being established in Gadani, Balochistan to dispose of chemical waste and other hazardous materials, while the Pakistan Maritime Port Act is in the final stages, which will implement uniform rules and regulations at all ports.
On the occasion, Sharif said the development of economy is linked to marine resources and access to them.
“The pace of installing the latest scanners at all ports should be accelerated,” he said. “Trade tariffs should be reviewed to bring the country’s ports to a competitive standard.”
Pakistan regulator moves to reinvigorate ‘waqf’ charitable endowments for Islamic social finance
- In Islamic tradition, waqf charitable endowments, or religious donations, are made by Muslims to benefit the community
- Historically, the instrument has funded education, health care and social welfare, supporting institutions like Al-Azhar
ISLAMABAD: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), a corporate legislative and financial regulatory agency, has issued a ‘concept paper’ to revive and modernize ‘waqf’ charitable endowments for Islamic social finance, it said on Monday.
In Islamic tradition, waqf charitable endowments, or religious donations, are made by Muslims for the benefit of the community. Historically, the instrument has funded education, health care and social welfare, supporting institutions like Al-Azhar and the Ottoman public works system.
Waqf remains an important player in the socio-economic fabric of the Muslim world and countries like Malaysia, Turkiye, and Indonesia have successfully adapted it to modern financial systems through regulatory frameworks, innovative governance models, and Shariah-compliant financial instruments.
But in Pakistan, the financial instrument remains underutilized due to outdated management practices and the lack of a robust regulatory framework, according to the SECP, which aims to develop modern and efficient corporate sector, insurance and capital markets in Pakistan.
“The concept paper proposes strategies to harness waqf for Islamic social finance, including reinvigorating the waqf institution, enabling the establishment of waqf in corporate structures as waqf companies, and developing Islamic instruments and financial services products for such companies,” the regulator said.
The proposals aim to improve efficiency, complete the Islamic finance ecosystem, and create social impact in Pakistan, according to the SECP. The suggested pathway to transform waqf into a dynamic, sustainable and impactful institution for socio-economic development will be deliberated and discussed with key industry stakeholders before initiating the required regulatory interventions.
It noted that the concept paper included various options, such as amending provincial waqf laws and other regulations, to provide for waqf companies in order to address concerns pertaining to its jurisdiction and legal considerations.
“It is expected that the revival and modernization of waqf will enable sustainable Islamic social finance institutions, thereby helping achieve the objective of shared prosperity by making resources available for social and welfare projects,” the SECP added.
Women strangle blackmailing Pakistan faith healer — police
- The women say they turned to Riaz Hussain for help in removing black magic curses but he instead took their compromising videos
- Faith healers are revered by some communities in Pakistan and their orders are followed devotedly, allowing for widespread exploitation
LAHORE: Two women have been arrested for murder after strangling a Pakistani faith healer with a scarf after years of being blackmailed over videos he took of them, police said on Monday.
The women told police they had turned to Riaz Hussain for help in removing black magic curses but he instead took compromising videos that he threatened to release.
“During the investigation it was found that Riaz Hussain had been sexually harassing women for a long time under the pretext of spiritual healing,” police in the city of Multan in Punjab province said in a statement.
The women, with the help of their cousin and another man, strangled the faith healer with a scarf before dumping his body.
The four have been arrested for murder, police said, adding that a fifth man has also been arrested.
Faith healers are revered by some communities in Pakistan and their orders are followed devotedly, allowing for widespread exploitation.
A pregnant woman was brought to a hospital with a nail hammered into her head in 2022 after a faith healer said it would guarantee she gave birth to a boy.
Another woman died the following year after being tortured with sticks for days by a faith healer who claimed to be following an exorcism ritual.
Pakistan says Saudi Arabia, China, US among countries participating in Minerals Investment Forum
- Pakistan is hosting summit from Apr. 8-9 in Islamabad to attract international investment in its mining sector
- Ali Pervaiz Malik says around 2,000 people expected to attend conference, out of which 300 will be foreigners
ISLAMABAD: Business representatives and officials from Saudi Arabia, China, US and the UK, among other countries, will participate in the two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum scheduled to take place this week, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said on Monday.
The summit will be held in Pakistan’s capital from April 8-9 and is part of the government’s recent efforts to attract local and international investment in the mining and minerals sector. Pakistan has vast reserves of minerals and natural resources, which the government hopes can become a key source of economic development in the future.
The country is home to one of the world’s largest porphyry copper-gold mineral zones. The Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan has an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore. Barrick Gold, which owns a 50 percent stake in the Reko Diq mines, considers them one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas, and their development is expected to have a significant impact on Pakistan’s struggling economy.
Pakistan’s state media said in February that the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), the country’s leading exploration and production (E&P) company, in collaboration with the government and strategic partners, would organize the summit.
“We are expecting participation at the senior level [for the summit] from Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, China and America,” Malik told reporters at a press conference, adding that participants from Denmark, Finland, Kenya and the UK are also expected to attend.
Malik said the government estimates around 2,000 people to participate at the event, out of which 300 are expected to be foreigners. He said Pakistan will sign key agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with other countries at the summit.
“It is the prime minister’s wish that we do not restrict this event to just words, so we will confirm some MoUs in front of you,” Malik said. “Along with this, not just MoUs but a few agreements will also be executed after which we will take these entire matters toward implementation.”
The minister said that the government will formally unveil Pakistan’s newly developed, investor-friendly National Minerals Harmonization Framework 2025, which aims to attract investment in the country’s mineral sector.
Pakistan has designated mining and minerals as a priority sector for national economic development, aiming to reduce its reliance on imports and enhance exports. The country is undertaking efforts to utilize its natural resources through foreign investment and collaboration to stabilize its $350 billion economy, which has suffered a prolonged economic crisis over the past few years.
