ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the European Union (EU) have agreed to sign a strategic plan after extensive deliberations, according to a statement released by the Foreign Office on Monday.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is currently in Brussels on a two-day official visit, will meet EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Tuesday, following which the two are expected to sign the “new strategic plan,” the statement added.
Speaking to reporters before leaving for Belgium, Qureshi said that the strategic pact, which is aimed to give new direction to the countries ties with the EU, will be signed on June 25.
“It will pave the way for long-term cooperation between Pakistan and the EU,” he said.
Qureshi said that Pakistan and the EU had a “longstanding and strong relationship.”
“We have helped each other in several sectors and now we plan to give a new direction to our ties,” he added. “This [the strategic plan] is a really good development.”
Qureshi is scheduled to participate in an EU session on regional security during his visit. He will also visit the NATO headquarters and meet Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, according to the official handout.
The EU is “extremely important” for Pakistan both in terms of economic and diplomatic gains, veteran Pakistani political commentator Zahid Hussain told Arab News.
“Pakistan enjoys GST plus facilities that has given a boost to its exports,” he said, adding that Qureshi’s visit will “help strengthen Pakistan’s relations with other European countries as well.”
Hussain said that Qureshi’s meeting with the NATO chief was also very significant given the ongoing peace talks in Afghanistan.
Pakistan has become increasingly become diplomatically active during the past one year, viewed Rasul Bakhsh Rais, a political science professor at the Lahore University of Management Sciences.
“Islamabad is very keen to deepen its multifaceted relations with the EU in the context of changing international alignments,” said Rais adding that “the strategic framework agreement would provide a clear map for mutual expectations and how would it advance the economic and security interests of Pakistan.”
Pakistan and the EU have been involved in strategic dialogue — the fifth round for which was held in Brussels in March this year, and the next session scheduled to be held in Islamabad in 2020.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, “in the course of the forthcoming implementation of the Strategic Engagement Plan, both sides will work toward a comprehensive dialogue on migration and mobility.”
Pakistan, EU set to sign strategic pact
Pakistan, EU set to sign strategic pact
- Foreign Minister Qureshi is scheduled to meet EU foreign policy chief on Tuesday
- Analysts say move “extremely important” for Islamabad in terms of economic and diplomatic gains
Pakistan PM orders action against officials aiding human traffickers after Greek boat tragedy
- Five Pakistani nationals drowned last week after a boat carrying migrants capsized off Greece
- Four districts of eastern Punjab province identified as ‘most vulnerable’ to human traffickers
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed action against government officials who were facilitating human traffickers, his office said, following the death of five Pakistani nationals in a migrant boat capsize off Greece.
The boat tragedy, which occurred last week, underscored the perilous journeys many migrants undertake due to conflicts around the world. In the case of Pakistani nationals, the movement is mostly driven by economic reasons, with many young individuals attempting to reach European shores in search of better financial prospects.
Sharif presided over a meeting on Friday to discuss the measures the government needed to take to prevent human trafficking, which he said had brought disgrace to Pakistan worldwide.
“PM directs identification of Federal Investigation Agency officials involved in facilitating human traffickers and strict action against them,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
The participants were briefed on the Dec. 14 boat incident off Greece and the steps taken to combat human trafficking, including parliamentary efforts to improve legislation on the issue.
The prime minister was informed that only five Pakistanis had been identified so far, while the identities of the others were still being verified, according to his office. The Pakistani embassy in Athens was in constant contact with Greek authorities regarding the migrant boat incident.
“For information and assistance regarding boat accident, Pakistan Embassy in Athens can be contacted on helpline +30-6943850188 and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Crisis Management Unit number 0519207887,” the statement read.
Sharif directed government authorities improve coordination to prevent human trafficking, highlighting that the Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot and Mandi Bahauddin districts of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province were the “most vulnerable” to traffickers.
He ordered action against officials who conducted a delayed investigation into those responsible for a 2023 boat capsizing incident in Greece that involved hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, according to the statement.
The migrants drowned when an overcrowded vessel capsized in international waters off the southwestern Greek coastal town of Pylos. It was one of the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea.
Sharif directed authorities complete the ongoing investigation into human traffickers at the earliest and submit a report in this regard.
Pakistan plans to set up 35 special economic zones to facilitate businesses, industry
- Pakistani officials say over 200 B2B agreements reached with several Chinese companies, signed MoUs worth $70 million
- PM Shehbaz Sharif calls for accelerating work on regulatory reforms to provide a conducive environment for businesses
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to establish 35 special economic zones (SEZs) to facilitate businesses and industry, officials said on Friday, amid Islamabad’s efforts to boost foreign investment.
The statement came at a meeting of Board of Investment (BOI) officials, presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to review progress of various ongoing projects, according to Sharif’s office.
Officials briefed the prime minister that they had conducted a survey of the 35 SEZs under the Geographical Information System (GIS) and had extensive data to accelerate the progress of projects in these zones.
More than 200 business-to-business (B2B) agreements have been reached with several Chinese companies and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $70 million have been signed, they added.
“Work on regulatory reforms should be accelerated to provide a conducive environment for business in the country,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
“An effective and comprehensive roadmap should be created for the completion of B2B agreements with international investors and the implementation of signed memorandums of understanding.”
Pakistan, which has been facing an economic crisis, has been making attempts to boost foreign direct investment in a bid to support its $350 billion fragile economy, with Islamabad seeing a flurry of high-level exchanges with China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Qatar and other countries in recent months.
During the BOI meeting, PM Sharif instructed officials to set investment targets that could be achieved at the earliest.
“Effective marketing of investment opportunities in Pakistan is essential to attract foreign investors,” he said. “Construction of business facilitation centers, organization of road shows and other such measures are very important to bring foreign investment to the country.
Pakistan announces tariff cuts on imports under Azerbaijan trade deal
- Imports from Azerbaijan exempted from all kinds of customs and regulatory duties from Dec. 16
- Pakistan and Azerbaijan signed trade agreement in July during President Aliyev’s visit to Islamabad
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has waived off customs and regulatory duties on imports from Azerbaijan under the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Preferential Trade Agreement, the finance ministry said in a notification this month.
During Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev’s two-day visit to Pakistan in July, both nations agreed to enhance the volume of bilateral trade to $2 billion, vowing to strengthen ties and increase cooperation in mutually beneficial economic projects. They also signed the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Preferential Trade Agreement to boost economic cooperation through the reduction of tariffs on goods like Pakistani sports equipment, leather, and pharmaceuticals as well as Azerbaijani oil and gas products.
“The federal government is pleased to exempt with effect from Dec. 16, 2024, the import into Pakistan from Azerbaijan of the goods specified,” the finance ministry said in a notification. adding that imports from Azerbaijan would be exempted from all kinds of tariffs including customs duty, additional customs duty and regulatory duty.
“Provided that where the rates of customs duty, additional customs duty, and regulatory duty [...] are higher than specified rates, the lower rates [...] shall apply,” it added.
The tariff concessions cover items including shelled hazelnuts or filberts, apricots, vegetable saps and extracts, non-stemmed tobacco, polyethylene, propylene copolymers, casing, tubing, drill pipes and refined copper wire with a maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeding 6 mm.
In recent weeks, there has been a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity between officials from Pakistan and the Central Asian nations as well as other transcontinental and landlocked countries like Azerbaijan as Islamabad seeks to consolidate the South Asian nation’s role as a pivotal trade and transit hub.
In latest challenge to army, Islamabad judge suspends order requiring vetting of TV news analysts
- Pakistan’s media regulator had instructed TV channels to seek army media wing’s approval before inviting retired officers as defense analysts
- Justice Babar Sattar is among six Islamabad judges who has accused army’s ISI spy agency of coercing them in ‘politically consequential’ cases
ISLAMABAD: Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) this week suspended an order by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority instructing TV channels to seek clearance from the military’s media wing before inviting retired military officers on current affairs programs as analysts.
Sattar was hearing a case challenging the much-debated April 2019 PEMRA notification, following which the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had released a list of 26 retired officers that it said were allowed to appear as defense analysts.PEM
“The Islamabad High Court has suspended a Pemra’s notification requiring defense analysts to obtain clearance from the ISPR before appearing on television programs,” Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper reported.
Most major Pakistani media outlets also reported on the development.
“Based on the presented arguments, the court suspended the notification, stating that it would remain ineffective until a final decision is announced in the case.”
The next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 11, 2025.
At a hearing of the case in September, Sattar had questioned the federal government on the military media wing’s “exclusive right” to decide who qualified to appear on TV as a defense analyst. The court also questioned why PEMRA had issued that notification in the first place and whether it had received a request from within the Pakistan army or ISPR.
PEMRA’s lawyer sought more time from the court to respond.
“Let PEMRA produce before the Court the original noting file on the basis of which the impugned notification was processed, recommended and issued to assist the Court as to why PEMRA felt the need to issue the said notification,” Justice Sattar wrote.
During that hearing, the court had asked PEMRA’s counsel about the watchdog’s authority to regulate the content of discussions on TV and issue directions for the pre-clearance of individuals by ISPR or others.
PEMRA’s lawyer pointed to Section 20-A of the PEMRA Ordinance, which relates to the obligation of licensees to uphold the sovereignty, integrity and security of Pakistan.
“When asked as to what does pre-clearance of individuals providing content on TV have to do with the sovereignty or security of Pakistan and how can PEMRA impose a prior restraint on speech, the learned counsel for PEMRA seeks further time to assist the Court,” the written order had read.
Pakistani journalist bodies and many journalists have long accused the government and the powerful military of censoring the press. Both deny allegations and insist they do not suppress the freedom of the press.
Sattar’s new order is not his first challenge to the army. He was among six Islamabad High Court judges who earlier this year wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council watchdog and accused the military’s ISI spy agency of intimidating and coercing them over legal cases, particularly “politically consequential” ones.
The judges provided various examples of alleged interference, including a case concerning Pakistan’s imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan. The letter also mentioned incidents where the judges said their relatives were abducted and tortured and their homes were secretly surveilled, aiming to coerce them into delivering favorable judgments in specific cases.
The army denies it interferes in political matters. It has so far refrained from commenting on the judges’ letter regarding the ISI’s alleged interference and intimidation.
Imposing ‘dala’ pickup trucks symbolize Pakistan’s power gulf
- Hilux has become a symbol of power, affluence and intimidation in a society marked by significant class divisions
- “Dala,” as it is locally known, also serves as euphemism for military intelligence agencies involved in covert operations
KARACHI: In Pakistan’s largest city, cars inch forward in bumper-to-bumper traffic. But some seamlessly carve through the jam: SUVs flanked by Toyota Hilux pickup trucks.
The Hilux has become a symbol of power, affluence and intimidation in a society marked by significant class divisions.
“The vehicle carries an image that suggests anyone escorted by one must be an important figure,” 40-year-old politician Usman Perhyar told AFP.
“It has everything — showiness, added security and enough space for several people to sit in the open cargo bed.”
On Karachi’s chaotic roads, Hiluxes part the traffic, speeding up behind cars and flashing their lights demanding drivers move out of their way.
The Hilux first became popular among feudal elites for its reliability in rural and mountain regions.
But in recent years, the “Dala,” as it is locally known, has soared in popularity as an escort vehicle among newly successful urban business owners.
Guards with faces wrapped in scarves and armed with AK-47s can be packed into the back of the truck, its windows blacked out.
“It is a status symbol. People have one or two pickups behind them,” said Fahad Nazir, a car dealer based in Karachi.
The Hilux debuted in 1968, but the model that became popular in Pakistan was the mid-2000s Hilux Vigo.
It was later upgraded and rebranded as the Revo, with prices ranging from 10 to 15 million rupees (approximately $36,000 to $54,000).
Their prices have remained steady and they retain excellent resale value in a market traditionally dominated by their manufacturer, Toyota.
“Amongst whatever luxury items we have, this is the fastest-selling item,” car seller Nazir told AFP.
Dealers say there was a spike in rentals during February’s national elections.
“I swear to God, you can’t run an election without a Revo,” said Sajjad Ali Soomro, a provincial parliamentarian from Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
In the eastern city of Gujrat, politician Ali Warraich — from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party — finds it essential to travel with an escort of two of the trucks.
They allow him to navigate off-road terrain to attend dozens of weddings and funerals a month.
“Politics without this vehicle has become nearly impossible,” he tells AFP. Without one, he argues, potential supporters could question his influence and turn toward competitors.
“As a result, it has become a basic necessity,” he said.
The truck has also become a trademark in the suppression of dissenting voices, activists told AFP, with the word “Dala” serving as a euphemism for military intelligence agencies involved in covert operations.
The unmarked cars with plainclothes men inside were used extensively by authorities rounding up senior PTI leaders and officials in recent crackdowns — reinforcing the vehicle’s notorious reputation.
“Every time I see this vehicle on the road, I go through the same trauma I endured during my custody with agencies,” said one PTI member who was picked up earlier this year.
Former leader Khan was bundled into a black Dala by paramilitary soldiers when he was arrested in May 2023 in the capital Islamabad, a detention he blamed on the powerful military leadership.
He later accused political heavyweight and three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif of trying to win the election “through Vigo Dala” — a swipe alleging the military was “carrying” his campaign.
Pakistani poet and activist Ahmad Farhad, known for criticizing the military’s involvement in politics, was taken away in a Hilux after a raid on his home in May by what he said were intelligence agencies.
“Sometimes, they park these vehicles around or behind my car, sending a clear message: ‘We are around’,” he told AFP. “A Dala aligns with their business of spreading fear, which they take great satisfaction in.”
In Karachi, a city rife with street crimes, the imposing Dala deters even outlaws.
“A typical mobile snatcher would opt for maybe looting a car as opposed to a truck,” said 35-year-old automobile enthusiast Zohaib Khan.
Increased street crime has led to more security checks by police, further slowing down movement across the city. But Hiluxes are immune.
Police “don’t typically stop me because they feel that I might be someone who might impact them in a bad way or harm them in some way or the other,” Khan said.
