ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s prime minister Imran Khan and Afghan president Ashraf Ghani on Thursday agreed to open a new chapter of friendship and cooperation between the two countries based on mutual trust and harmony for the benefit of the two peoples and for advancing the cause of peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
According to an official handout circulated by the country’s foreign office, the two leaders had a one-on-one meeting that was followed by delegation-level talks.
The prime minister affirmed that Pakistan wanted a qualitative transformation in its relations with Afghanistan as part of his vision of a “peaceful neighborhood.” He also said that an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process was the only viable option to end decades-long conflict in Afghanistan, adding that his country supported a result-oriented intra-Afghan dialogue.
The prime minister underscored Pakistan’s respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan and its commitment to stand by the Afghan people at this crucial juncture.
The two leaders agreed that enduring peace in Afghanistan would bring rich economic dividends to both countries and reaffirmed their commitment to work together to broaden and deepen bilateral trade, streamline transit trade, and strengthen efforts for connectivity.
“It was recognized that early completion of major energy connectivity projects such as Central Asia-South Asia (CASA 1000) electricity transmission line and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline will bring long-term economic benefits to the countries involved,” said the foreign office statement.
Earlier in the day, Afghan president Ashraf Ghani arrived in Islamabad on a two-day, just days after Islamabad hosted a conference of Afghan tribal and political leaders to discuss ways to end conflict in Afghanistan.
President Ghani was received by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood and other officials at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan air base during a traditional welcome reception.
This is Ghani’s third visit since 2014 and comes at a time when the United States is engaged in talks with the Taliban and has picked up effort to reach a political settlement to end decades of war in Afghanistan.
“On the invitation of Prime Minister Imran Khan, President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani will be visiting Pakistan on 27-28 June 2019,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in another statement released prior to the visit.
The Afghan president is accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, advisers, senior officials and business people.
Ghani is also expected to meet President Dr. Arif Alvi and hold “wide ranging talks” focusing on “strengthening bilateral cooperation in diverse areas – including political, trade, economic, security, peace and reconciliation, education and people-to-people exchanges,” the foreign office said.
The Afghan president will also travel to Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, where he will participate in a business forum attended by representatives from both countries.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News last week, Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Atif Mashal said the Kabul government was “cautiously optimistic” that Ghani’s visit would open a new chapter in bilateral relations.
Taliban and US officials have held several rounds of talks since December and say they are close to agreeing a timeline for the withdrawal of foreign troops and guarantees that Afghanistan would not be used as a base for militant attacks on US targets.
But Ghani’s government has been shut out of negotiations by the Taliban’s refusal to deal with what they consider an illegitimate “puppet” regime.
Islamabad says its influence over the Taliban has waned in recent years and that it strongly favors a political settlement to maintain stability in Afghanistan. Afghan officials remain cautious.
US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading the push to broker a peace deal with the Afghan Taliban, has held several rounds of talks with Pakistani officials to smooth the way.
Last week, dozens of Afghan politicians and opposition leaders gathered in Pakistan to discuss ways to achieve peace.
Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to strengthen bilateral relations, work for regional peace and stability
Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to strengthen bilateral relations, work for regional peace and stability
- PM Khan and Afghan President Ghani agree enduring peace in Afghanistan would bring rich economic dividends to both countries
- Pakistan underscores respect for Afghan sovereignty and territorial integrity
Pakistan says five killed, no information on missing as search ends in Greece boat tragedy
- Report in Geo News says at least 40 Pakistanis killed in migrant boat tragedy off Greek island of Gavdos last week
- Six cases filed against suspects accused of facilitating transport of victims from Punjab to Libya where they boarded boats
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s mission in Greece said on Thursday five Pakistanis had been killed in a migrant boat tragedy off the Greek island of Gavdos last week but it had “no concrete information” on how many of its nationals were missing.
The latest incident of the boat capsizing highlights the perilous journeys many migrants undertake due to conflicts and lack of economic opportunities in their home countries.
In 2023, hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel capsized and sank 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.
A report in Pakistan’s Geo News on Thursday said at least 40 Pakistanis had been killed in the latest tragedy, quoting the embassy in Athens.
“So far, we have information of five dead Pakistanis and another 47 who have been rescued. No concrete information of missing persons is with us, and this is the final information available at this time,” an official at Pakistan’s mission in Greece told Arab News over the telephone, declining to be named.
“We are in contact with the authorities who have concluded their special search operation.”
The official added that regular patrolling would continue, and Greek authorities would inform the mission if any new information became available. He declined to comment on the Geo News report and referred Arab News to the foreign office.
Speaking to Arab News, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the government had already released death toll figures and had no further information.
“We cannot comment on people’s statements or claims regarding how many Pakistanis were on board until we receive evidence from the investigation,” she said in response to a question about the Geo News report that 40 Pakistanis were feared dead. “It is difficult to verify the claimed figure, as there was no official record of their travel.”
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered strict measures to combat human trafficking and demanded a detailed report on human trafficking incidents involving Pakistani citizens this year.
Separately, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has filed six cases against suspects accused of facilitating the transport of victims from Punjab to Libya, where they were subsequently sent on boats to Greece.
Greece was a favored gateway to the European Union for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa and Asia in 2015-2016, when nearly 1 million people landed on its islands, mostly via inflatable dinghies.
Incidents with migrant boats and shipwrecks off Crete and its tiny neighbor Gavdos, which are relatively isolated in the central Mediterranean, have increased over the past year.
Pakistan calls for transport connectivity, trade corridors between D-8 developing nations
- PM Sharif is in Cairo to attend Eleventh Summit of D-8 countries, hold bilateral meetings with world leaders on forum’s sidelines
- Pakistani PM will also and attend a special meeting on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East with a focus on Palestine and Lebanon
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called for better transport connectivity and trade corridors between member states from the D-8 developing group of nations to boost regional trade and economic cooperation.
Sharif arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to lead the Pakistan delegation at the Eleventh Summit of D-8 countries, hold bilateral discussions with multiple world leaders on the sidelines of the forum and attend a special meeting on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with a focus on Gaza and Lebanon.
The D-8 grouping promotes economic and development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Türkiye. Key areas of cooperation are agriculture, trade, transportation, industry, energy and tourism.
The bloc’s latest summit is themed “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy.”
“Connectivity is a force multiplier and is rightly hailed as a vehicle for peace and prosperity,” Sharif said as he addressed the summit. “We need to explore the possibilities of developing and enhancing transport connectivity among D-8 member states for building efficient intra-trade corridors and reliable supply chains.
In this regard, the Pakistan, Iran and Turkiye corridor is an excellent project for very efficient connectivity.”
The Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul Road Transport Corridor is a cross-border trade initiative aimed at improving road transport links and providing more efficient movement options for goods between South Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Pakistan naval chief holds defense cooperation, regional security talks on visit to Oman
- Oman is the nearest Arab country to Pakistan, because of which they share a maritime boundary
- Last week, the Pakistan navy conducted joint naval exercises and drills with the Royal Oman ship ‘Alseeb’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani naval chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf is on an official visit to Oman to discuss defense cooperation, smuggling and regional maritime security, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
Oman is the nearest Arab country to Pakistan, because of which they share a maritime boundary. Pakistan shares a unique ‘blood bond’ with Oman, one third of whose population originates from Pakistan’s Balochistan province, while the southwestern port city of Gwadar, which is 200 nautical miles from Oman, was transferred to Pakistan in 1958, before which it had remained gifted to the Sultan of Oman for 175 years.
“During the meetings, the security situation in the Indian Ocean and joint defense cooperation were discussed,” the military’s media wing said after Ashraf had separate meetings with the minister of the Royal Office of the Sultanate of Oman, and the commanders of the Omani Royal Navy and National Defense College.
“Naval Chief highlighted the role of Pakistan Navy in preventing piracy and smuggling,” the statement said. “Pakistan Navy is a strong supporter of promoting maritime security in collaboration with other regional countries.”
Last week, the Pakistan navy conducted joint naval exercises and drills with Royal Oman ship ‘Alseeb.’ The bilateral naval exercise, “Samar Al-Tayeb,” is conducted regularly between the navies of the two nations.
Asian Development Bank approves $7.5 million to boost health care in Pakistan’s northwest
- Funds will aid in revamping hospitals, improving service delivery, modernizing equipment across secondary health facilities
- The ADB has committed over $52 billion to Pakistan, one of its founding members, since 1966 in public, private sector loans
ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $7.5 million to enhance health care systems in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistani state media reported on Thursday.
The funds will support the mega project of revamping of Non-Teaching District Headquarters hospitals across the province, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“It would also improve service delivery, and modernize equipment across secondary health care facilities,” the report read.
The regional development bank has committed over $52 billion to Pakistan, one of its founding members, since 1966 in public and private sector loans, grants and other forms of financing to promote inclusive economic growth in the country.
On Dec. 14, Pakistan signed a loan agreement with the ADB for the Integrated Social Protection Development Program additional financing amounting to $330 million.
India to play Champions Trophy on neutral ground, not Pakistan
- In return, Pakistan will also play upcoming ICC tournaments hosted by India in other countries, yet to be decided
- The agreement will extend to ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 hosted by India, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
KARACHI: India will play next year’s Champions Trophy matches on neutral ground after refusing to visit tournament host and arch-rival Pakistan, the International Cricket Council said Thursday following weeks of wrangling.
In return, Pakistan will also play upcoming ICC tournaments hosted by India in other countries, yet to be decided.
“India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the ICC Board confirmed,” said a statement released by the body.
“This will apply to the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (hosted by Pakistan).”
The agreement will extend to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 hosted by India, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the statement added.
The announcement ended a month-long stand-off over the Champions Trophy, after India told the ICC it will not send its team to Pakistan because of security fears and political tension.
Pakistan did, however, play in India during the 2023 ICC World Cup hosted there.
