LAHORE: The head of a team of Pakistani forensics experts at a government institute has said he was in talks with Sri Lankan authorities to send scientists to assist the South Asian nation identify victims of a slate of Easter Day bombings and investigate crime scenes.
Coordinated Easter Sunday attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, claimed by the Daesh militant group, left 359 dead and at least 500 wounded following a lull in major attacks in the South Asian nation since the end of the civil war 10 years ago.
Dr. Hamayun Taimoor, head of a three-member forensics team at the public University of Health Sciences in the eastern city of Lahore, told Arab News he had initiated contact with Sri Lankan authorities, including the director general of the country’s health department, who had accepted the offer for help.
“He said that they were facing trouble in identifying bodies,” Taimoor said in an interview on Tuesday, referring to the Sri Lankan health official. “We can help them identify unknown dead persons and suicide bombers.”
Taimoor, who is Interpol’s lead forensics contact for Pakistan, headed the team of experts that helped identify victims of a December 2016 plane crash in Pakistan that killed 47 people, including rock star-turned-Muslim evangelist Junaid Jamshed. Taimoor recently joined the UHS to help set up its Department of Forensic Entomology and Dental Identification.
Taimoor said when he informed UHS vice chancellor Dr. Javed Akram about his correspondence with Sri Lankan authorities and their acceptance of the Pakistani offer for help, Akram immediately constituted a team and informed the Punjab Health Department about the initiative.
Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmeen Rashid said after receiving word from UHS, she had directed the health department to write a letter to the Sri Lankan government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informing them that a Pakistani forensics team was ready to travel to Sri Lanka. Once the foreign ministry receives a go-ahead from Sri Lankan authorities, the Punjab government would dispatch its team, Rashid said.
When asked if the government’s team would include experts from Pakistan’s premier Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA), Rashid said: “Let the two states decide first; then we will review the constitution of the team.”
PFSA is the first of its kind body in Pakistan with hundreds of forensics and crime scene experts skilled in conducting DNA tests and handling DNA samples. The Agency is headed by world-renowned scientist Dr. Ashraf Tahir who spent 36 years working with US police and helped write the FBI handbook on forensics.
Tahir has assisted US police in uncovering evidence that helped imprison boxer Mike Tyson for rape, convict serial killer John Wayne Gacy and clear doctor Sam Sheppard of murdering his wife. In 2008, with militant attacks rising in Pakistan, Punjab’s chief minister Shehbaz Sharif called Tahir and asked for help to design a $31 million forensics lab in Lahore and enforce new standards of crime solving.
Tahir told Arab News he had not yet received word from the Punjab government to be a part of the team of experts traveling to Sri Lanka.
“PFSA has over 300 forensic and crime scene experts, who have been dispensing their duties successfully,” Tahir said. “Our experts can do anything which can be done in the forensic world. We can assist Sri Lanka in identification of the unknown persons through DNA tests, collection of crime scene evidence and other types of investigations,” Tahir added.
In 2009, Sri Lanka helped the Punjab government combat a deadly outbreak of the dengue virus that claimed dozens of lives in the province.
Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and military have also aided Sri Lanka in crushing an insurgency by ethnic Tamil separatists. The civil war ended in 2009.
On Wednesday, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan also spoke to his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe over the phone and offered counterterrorism assistance.
Top Pakistani forensic scientist in talks with Sri Lanka to send experts’ team
Top Pakistani forensic scientist in talks with Sri Lanka to send experts’ team
- Punjab health minister directs ministry to contact Sri Lankan authorities, offer forensic assistance in Easter Day bombing probe
- Sri Lankan officials say they require help in identifying bodies, head of forensics at government-run University of Health Sciences says
Shan Masood wants ‘ruthless’ Pakistan to beat South Africa in second Test today
- South Africa narrowly beat Pakistan by two wickets in first Test match to secure WTC final berth
- Pakistan have yet to announce a playing XI as South Africa bring in debutant Kwena Maphaka
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood said that he wants his side to be “ruthless” as they take the field against South Africa for the second and final Test match of the series to be played at Cape Town today, Friday.
Pakistan are 1-0 down in the two-match series after losing a closely fought contest in the first Test at Centurion earlier this week.
A brave partnership between Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen helped South Africa beat Pakistan in the first Test by two wickets and qualify for the World Test Championship final.
Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, Masood said the best teams are able to win matches because they tend to “make a habit out of it,”
“You want to compete against the best, not just compete you want to win against the best,” Masood said. “And for us it’s heartening to compete but we have to be ruthless and cross the line somewhere,” he added.
South Africa have made some changes to the squad, with Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder and debutant fast bowler Kwena Maphaka coming into the side. Opener Tony de Zorzi has a thigh strain, while fast bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch and Dane Paterson also drop to the bench.
Pakistan have not yet named a squad for the series.
Playing XI (probable):
1 Shan Masood (capt) 2 Saim Ayub 3 Babar Azam 4 Kamran Ghulam 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 7 Salman Ali Agha 8 Aamer Jamal/Noman Ali 9 Naseem Shah 10 Mohammad Abbas 11 Khurram Shahzad
Pakistan warns of Internet disruptions due to fault in submarine cable near Qatar
- AAe-1 cable is one of seven ones handling Pakistan’s international Internet traffic, says PTA
- Internet disruptions over past few months have affected millions of Pakistani users nationwide
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) warned on Thursday that Internet users may face disruptions nationwide due to a fault reported in an undersea cable near Qatar.
In a press release, the PTA said the fault was reported in the AAe-1 submarine cable located near Qatar, which is one of the seven cables handling Pakistan’s international Internet traffic.
“Due to this Internet and broadband users may face problems,” the PTA said.
The PTA said that its teams were working on fixing the problem.
“PTA is monitoring the situation and will keep telecom users informed from time to time,” the statement added.
Pakistan has reported faults in undersea Internet cables in the past as well. Internet disruptions over the past few months have affected millions of Pakistani users, adversely affected businesses and drawn nationwide complaints
Pakistan has 110 million Internet users, and up to 40 percent slower Internet speeds have affected nearly half the country’s 241 million population.
Digital rights experts, however, have cast doubts on the government’s statement about Internet disruptions in the past. Instead, they say that the government’s move to install a firewall to monitor and regulate content and social media platforms has caused the Internet to slow down.
Pakistan government, Imran Khan’s party to resume talks next week to break political deadlock
- Imran Khan’s party to present charter of demands in written form next week, says joint statement
- Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the ruling coalition government will hold their third round of talks to break the prevalent political deadlock in the country next week, a joint statement from both sides said on Thursday.
The government and PTI held their second round of formal negotiations on Thursday. The first round of formal negotiations between the two sides took place on Dec. 23, with the PTI asked to present its demands in writing on Jan. 2.
Khan’s party has put forward two demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9, 2023, and Nov. 26, 2024, which the government says involved his party supporters, accusing them of attacking military installations and government buildings.
“The PTI committee informed that to present their Charter of Demands they be presented an opportunity to meet and consult Imran Khan and seek his guidance,” the joint statement said.
“They said that Imran Khan has allowed this negotiation process to begin so it is important to seek his instructions on taking it forward in a positive manner,” it added.
The committee said after meeting and holding discussions with Khan, it will be able to present its demands in the next meeting between the two sides.
The statement said Dar responded by saying that the government expected the PTI to present its demands in writing today, Thursday, so that the negotiation could move forward.
“It was decided that the third meeting of both the committees would be held next week after the PTI committee met with Imran Khan,” the statement said.
The government’s team was led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Irfan Siddiqui, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Naveed Qamar, Farooq Sattar, Ijaz-ul-Haq, and Khalid Hussain Magsi.
The opposition committee included Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Salman Akram Raja, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Asad Qaisar, Omar Ayub, and Raja Nasir Abbas.
Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-trust vote in 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis, particularly since the PTI founder was jailed in August last year on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars. His party and supporters have regularly held protests calling for his release, with many of the demonstrations turning violent.
The talks between the two sides opened days after Khan threatened a civil disobedience movement, and amid growing concerns he may face trial by a military court for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during the May 9, 2023, protests.
Pakistan Navy flotilla arrives in Iran, holds bilateral passage exercise
- Pakistan, Iran navy commanders discuss matters of mutual interest, cooperation in maritime security
- Exercise aimed to promote shared learning through coordinated activities between both navies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy said on Thursday its flotilla visited Iran’s Port Bandar Abbas where officials of the two navies held talks before a passage exercise was held.
According to the navy’s media release, Pakistan Navy ships Rasadgar and Azmat, along with Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) ship Dasht, visited Port Bandar Abbas during their overseas deployment.
The flotilla was led by Commander 14th Destroyer Squadron, Commodore Muhammad Umair.
“The Mission Commander, along with the Commanding Officers, held meetings with naval leadership of Iran,” the statement said. “During these interactions, matters of mutual interest, Navy-to-Navy engagements, and cooperation in maritime security were discussed.”
Both the PN and PMSA ships later conducted a Passage Exercise with an Iranian Navy ship, the statement said.
It added that the exercise aimed to enhance interoperability between the two navies and promote shared learning through coordinated activities.
“The visit of the PN flotilla to Iran is expected to further strengthen existing diplomatic ties and cordial relations between the two nations,” Pakistan Navy said.
A passage exercise is a routine drill involving the navies of friendly foreign countries that occurs while visiting each other’s ports or during a rendezvous at sea.
Pakistan Navy regularly partakes in bilateral exercises with regional countries to stem the spread of illegal maritime activities such as human smuggling, piracy and drug trafficking.
Turkish group bids below minimum fee for Islamabad Airport operations
- Cash-strapped Pakistan wants to generate revenue to speed up privatization push
- Consortium bids to pay government 47% of revenue from operations as concession fee
KARACHI: A Turkish consortium, the sole bidder to take over the operations of Pakistan’s Islamabad airport, has offered a concession fee below the minimum threshold, the chairman of the bid evaluation committee said on Thursday.
The cash-strapped South Asian country is looking to generate revenue by speeding up a privatization push, including outsourcing the running of three major airports.
The consortium, comprising Terminal Yapi, ERG Insaat and ERG UK, bid to pay the government 47% of its revenue from operations in the form of a concession fee, short of the 56% minimum set by the government, the aviation and airports authority said.
The matter will now be referred to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) — a member of the World Bank Group, which is advising Islamabad on the outsourcing — before Pakistan takes a decision on whether the bid can go through.
“The details of the financial proposal will ... be presented and forwarded to the IFC for further evaluation and submission of final reports,” said Sadiq ur Rehman, the chairman of the bid evaluation committee and deputy director general of Pakistan Airports Authority.
Pakistan is also looking to offload a 60% stake in debt-ridden airline PIA to raise funds and reform state-owned enterprises as envisaged under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund program.
A failed attempt to privatize the national flag carrier in October also received a single offer, well below the asking price.
