Punjab government plans to bring acid attack survivors ‘back to life’: CM Buzdar

Memoona, 23, a survivor of an acid attack, poses for a photograph inside her residence in Karachi, Pakistan, December 14, 2011. Memoona says the acid attack took place on August 13, 2002, when a boy threw acid on her face and body over an old family feud. Memoona, who is currently enrolled in nursing school, said she lost her eye but not her spirit. (Reuters)
Updated 01 September 2019
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Punjab government plans to bring acid attack survivors ‘back to life’: CM Buzdar

  • The provincial budget includes proposed Rs. 100 million program to extend medical and financial support to survivors 
  • The government should have included relevant organizations in drafting of the program: Masarrat Misbah

LAHORE: Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province has committed Rs. 100 million to help survivors of acid and burn attacks undergo rehabilitation and come “back to life,” Chief Minister Usman Ahmed Khan Buzdar told Arab News.
Dozens of people, mainly women, and girls are disfigured in acid attacks every year in the Muslim majority country of 208 million people, although it is estimated many cases go unreported. Acid attacks in the country hit an all-time high in 2014, with 153 reported cases.
Perpetrators are usually husbands and family members, and in a 2018 Thomson Reuters survey of global experts, Pakistan ranked fifth for the highest rates of non-sexual violence in the world, including domestic abuse, with acid attacks often used as a means of punishing alleged transgressions.




Parveen Javed's husband first doused her with acid and then tried to hack away her legs with a machete. (Date: August 28, Lahore) (Photographer Natasha Mohamamd Zai)

This year, under its ‘Nai Zindagi’ program, the provincial budget for Punjab included the extension of medical aid and rehabilitation access to 1000 survivors. The program is yet to be implemented, but if successful, could help victims of acid violence re-enter society.
“It’s our (the government’s) job to help bring these women back to life,” Chief Minister Buzdar told Arab News in reply to written questions shared over email.
“The government’s duty doesn’t just end the moment a criminal is arrested or when justice is served. We, as representatives of the public, are tasked to bring these women out of the trauma they have experienced,” he said.
The stories of victims are eerily similar. Often, men who want to punish women for rejecting a marriage proposal or sexual advances deface them for life by dousing them in sulfuric acid, an inexpensive liquid easily available over the counter.
The government’s proposed plan, slated to roll out before the end of the year, is expected to cover the cost of surgical procedures and provide technical learning, offer no-interest loans, and fix a monthly stipend of between Rs. 2,000 ($13) to Rs. 5,000 ($32) for victims. 
But activists working with survivors say rehabilitation for victims requires a long-term and much more expensive commitment.




The acid melted parts of Parveen Javed's right ear, neck, shoulders, arms and her back. (Date: August 28, Lahore) (Photographer Natasha Mohammad Zai)

“A single procedure, such as skin grafting, can cost over Rs. 60,000 ($383),” Masarrat Misbah, CEO of the Lahore based Smile Again Foundation, which finances acid attack survivors, told Arab News. 
“Some women need 30 to 35 surgeries over many years to look better,” she said and added that the monthly stipend the Punjab government was proposing, was a bare minimum amount.
“What the government plans to offer is not enough. Nowadays, you cannot find a decent one-bedroom place on rent for less than Rs. 15,000,” Misbah said.
In 2011, the Acid Control and Acid Crime Prevention Bill was passed by Pakistan’s parliament to impose stiffer sentences for perpetrators. Since then many more people have been convicted of the crime, but crucial, additional legislation was still required, activists said, to include free access to medical care, rehabilitation and legal aid for survivors. 
Previous governments in Punjab kept promising to legislate on the matter, but no progress was made. 
“Since the last eight years, the departments keep on sending the bill to each other, sadly,” said Valerie Khan, chairperson of the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), but added that the proposed Punjab government initiative was a “great step.”
“Economic empowerment is crucial for most survivors as the majority of them live below the poverty line,” she said.




Masarrat Misbah, CEO of the Smile Again Foundation, which helps victims fund their reconstruction surgeries. (Provided by the Smile Again Foundation)

Acid attack survivor Parveen Javed, 45, went through four surgeries after her husband threw corrosive chemical at her face and then attempted to hack her legs with a machete in 2010. Since then, Javed has been unable to resume work as a caretaker.
“People either stare at my scars or are frightened by them,” she said. “Some jobs require me to stand for long hours but my legs are still too weak.” 
Javed receives Rs. 15,000 ($95) every month in aid from the Smile Again Foundation of which Rs. 5,000 goes toward buying painkillers and anti-depressants. 
According to the ASF, there has been a 50 percent reduction in acid assaults since 2014, though survivors continue to be pressurized into pardoning culprits.
Maryam Ashraf, 21, was set on fire by members of her husband’s family after an argument over household chores. At the hospital, Ashraf was forced to tell the police that her clothes caught fire by accident. 
“I am tired of being dependent on other people,” Ashraf, who now lives with her brother, told Arab News. “I want to be independent. If the government gives me a loan, the first thing I will do is buy a house.”
For now, groups working with acid attack survivors are uncertain the money the government has proposed will be enough to cover basic living and rehabilitation.
But these concerns could have been addressed, insist the ASF and Smile Again Foundation, had the Punjab government included them in the drafting of the program. 
“We already have the data of the 1000 women the government wants to help,” Misbah said. “We have done half their work, and yet we are not part of the planning process.”
 


Pakistan, Saudi forces conclude naval drills with display of firepower and combat tactics

Updated 19 February 2025
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Pakistan, Saudi forces conclude naval drills with display of firepower and combat tactics

  • The two countries maintain close defense ties, with their navies regularly participating in joint drills
  • Affaa Al Sahil follows Naseem Al Bahr-XV and Aman 2025 exercises to enhance maritime coordination

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia concluded their annual Affaa Al Sahil naval exercise in Karachi on Wednesday with a demonstration of intense firepower, close quarter combat and hostage rescue, according to a statement by Pakistan’s military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The exercise, which has been conducted annually since 2011 between the Pakistan Navy’s Special Service Group and the Royal Saudi Naval Forces’ Special Operations Forces, focused on enhancing interoperability and tactical coordination.
It follows Naseem Al Bahr-XV, another bilateral naval exercise between the two countries, and Aman 2025, a multinational maritime drill aimed at promoting regional maritime cooperation.
“The joint naval exercise Affaa Al Sahil between the Pakistan Navy and the Royal Saudi Naval Forces’ Special Operations Forces concluded in Karachi,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“The training drills included RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] firing, machine gun firing, close quarters combat, practical rappelling, hostage rescue, visit board search and seizure, explosive ordnance disposal drills, mission planning and advanced area clearance techniques,” it added.
The closing ceremony of the exercise was attended by Commander Coast Rear Admiral Faisal Amin along with senior officials from both navies.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintain close defense ties, with their navies regularly participating in joint drills to improve maritime security and counter asymmetric threats in the region.
“This joint exercise will help strengthen mutual capabilities and coordination in countering maritime security challenges,” the ISPR added.


Pakistan’s deputy PM seeks UN support to curb ‘cross-border terrorism’ from Afghanistan

Updated 19 February 2025
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Pakistan’s deputy PM seeks UN support to curb ‘cross-border terrorism’ from Afghanistan

  • Ishaq Dar meets Secretary-General António Guterres, says Pakistan will support the destitute in Afghanistan
  • He hopes developing nations will get the required finances under the UN leadership to meet climate targets

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also holds the foreign affairs portfolio, on Wednesday sought the United Nations’ support to curb “cross-border terrorism” from Afghanistan during a meeting with Secretary-General António Guterres, according to an official statement.
Dar traveled to New York this week to address a Security Council debate on multilateralism and global governance convened by China. A day earlier, he called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to people affected by Israel’s war.
He also mentioned a surge in militancy in its two western provinces of his country bordering Afghanistan since a fragile truce between the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamabad broke down in November 2022.
The government has frequently blamed the spike in militant activities on Afghanistan, accusing it of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny involvement and insist that Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter for Islamabad.
“The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister highlighted cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan and called for the UN’s support in countering terrorism within and from Afghanistan,” the foreign office said in a statement released after Dar’s interaction with Guterres.
“He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to provide humanitarian support to the millions of destitute people in Afghanistan and to promote its economic development, including through implementing connectivity projects between Central Asia and Pakistan through Afghanistan,” it added.
During his conversation with the UN chief, the deputy prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the UN’s central role in addressing global challenges, including peace and security, development and climate change.
Dar highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to multilateralism and UN peacekeeping efforts, saying Islamabad remained dedicated to promoting international peace and security as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
He also welcomed the UN chief’s Summit of the Future initiative, designed to strengthen global governance and improve multilateral cooperation, expressing hope it would help address financing gaps for developing countries to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and climate targets.
Guterres thanked Pakistan for its contributions to UN peacekeeping and its active engagement in multilateral forums, according to the statement.
 


Pakistan’s envoy says working with UAE to resolve visa restrictions on Pakistani nationals

Updated 19 min 20 sec ago
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Pakistan’s envoy says working with UAE to resolve visa restrictions on Pakistani nationals

  • Faisal Niaz Tirmizi attributes mass rejections of visa applications to issues with applicants’ documents, ‘criminal record’
  • The envoy says Pakistan must give high-skill training to workers as the Gulf nation no longer needs unskilled labor

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, on Tuesday described the Gulf country’s refusal of visas to Pakistani nationals as a “serious and significant” issue, saying both countries are working to resolve it.
The envoy’s comments follow media reports about a decline in visa approvals for Pakistanis by the UAE, particularly over the past year, and a decrease in overall employment opportunities for Pakistani nationals, allegedly due to their lack of respect for local laws and customs, as well as their participation in political activities and sloganeering.
In an interview with Arab News, Ambassador Tirmizi said he had recently held several meetings with UAE officials at the Emirati ministries of foreign affairs and human resource development to resolve the issue.
“This is a very serious issue and it has been raised at the highest level in all the interactions,” he said. “We are working to resolve the issue and hopefully they will be resolved, but the issue is quite significant and I cannot deny that.”

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, speaks to Arab News in Dubai, UAE, on February 18, 2025. (AN photo)

When asked about the outcome of his meetings with UAE authorities, the ambassador said only “slight improvement” had been observed so far, despite raising the matter at the “highest level.”
He said there were a number of factors involved, mainly issues with documents and “criminal record” of the applicants, behind the visa refusals.
“There was a major issue on the authenticity of education and qualification documents from Pakistan that has to be addressed,” he said, adding the UAE was now verifying documents through artificial intelligence (AI) and any discrepancy could result in rejection.
“If they find a dichotomy somewhere, even if the document is genuine but the attestation either in Pakistan or in the UAE is not genuine, it could cause major rejections.”
The envoy said people with a criminal record should not be allowed to travel abroad, not just to the UAE but to any country.
“We have to improve systems within the country to ensure that only genuine travelers, genuine workers with a clean record, are allowed to travel outside and find jobs outside the country,” he said.
Speaking about the lack of employment opportunities for Pakistanis, Tirmizi said the UAE no longer needed unskilled labor as most of its physical infrastructure development was complete.
“We have to train people now for high-skill jobs, like well-trained IT experts, people who are trained in artificial intelligence, people who are trained in accounting, people who have the skills, doctors, physiotherapists and laboratory technicians,” he said.
Tirmizi said he had requested the Pakistani government to launch a four-year nursing program recognized in the UAE and the entire Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
“Pakistan has a surplus of labor and we have to improve the quality of education within Pakistan and we have to make sure that those people have the necessary technical, cultural, soft skills and language skills to compete in the international market,” he explained.
Blue-collar workers earn a monthly salary of $272-816 (1,000-3,000 Emirati dirhams), while skilled professionals have salaries ranging between $10,000 and $20,000 (36,730 and 73,460 dirhams), according to the Pakistani envoy. 
Yet, Pakistan’s remittances from the UAE, the second biggest source of foreign inflows after Saudi Arabia, has seen a significant growth in recent years.
According to Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in the UAE, year-on-year remittance statistics for the July to December period show a steady trend, with $2.61 billion in FY2023, $2.33 billion in FY2024 and approximately $3.58 billion in FY2025, reflecting a 53.9 percent year-on-year increase.
“That’s a very significant development,” Tirmizi said. “If you have high-skill workers, the level of remittances to Pakistan will increase manifolds.”
About the impact of Pakistan’s participation in recent exhibitions and trade events in the UAE, Tirmizi said it had led to a “significant increase” in the export of Pakistani products, particularly in the IT and food sectors.
“We registered an increase of almost 40 percent in export of our IT [products and services] as the UAE is right now the third biggest destination of IT exports from Pakistan after the United States and the United Kingdom,” he said.
“Similarly, our exports in terms of food products have also increased around 28 percent in the last one year and the UAE has become a major destination for our rice, sesame seeds and pink salt.”


The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and policymakers in Pakistan consider the Gulf nation an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
The volume of bilateral trade between Pakistan and the UAE was nearly $5.6 billion in the fiscal year 2023-24 that ended in June, with Pakistani exports to the UAE reaching $1.59 billion and imports totaling $4 billion, according to the Pakistani embassy in the UAE.
Pakistan’s exports to the Emirates rose by 31 percent to $873 million in the first six months of the current financial year (July till December 2024), compared to $670 million during the same period last financial year.


Champions Trophy 2025: A landmark event set to revive Pakistan’s cricketing glory

Updated 19 February 2025
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Champions Trophy 2025: A landmark event set to revive Pakistan’s cricketing glory

  • Champions Trophy 2025 is the first major ICC event in Pakistan since the South Asian country co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with Sri Lanka and India
  • Analysts say the event will not only cultivate new talent, but also help elevate Pakistan’s image and boost investment and tourism in the country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to open the Champions Trophy 2025 in Karachi on Wednesday, marking the return of a major international cricket tournament to the country after nearly three decades, with analysts saying will not only revive Pakistan’s cricketing glory but also contribute to the country’s investment, tourism landscape and international image.
The elite one-day international tournament, which features the game’s top eight sides in the format, begins with the hosts facing off New Zealand in the southern port city of Karachi. This is the first major global tournament hosted by Pakistan in nearly 30 years and analysts and former cricketers say there is no escaping the excitement in the event.
Cricket teams abandoned Pakistan after an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team outside Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium on Mar. 3, 2009, forcing the cricket-mad South Asian nation into wilderness for several years. It took the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) several years to convince its counterparts that it was safe to travel to the South Asian country.
While Zimbabwe was the first international team to visit Pakistan in May 2015, former PCB chairman Najam Sethi says the success of Pakistan Super League (PSL) since its launch in 2016 boosted the confidence of foreign players in Pakistan, hailing the 50-over Champions Trophy as the culmination of Pakistan’s efforts to reintegrate into the global cricketing fraternity and promote new talent.
“The successful launch of PSL nearly 10 years ago was a game-changer. It enabled international cricket to return to Pakistan, and the Champions Trophy tournament is the icing on the cake,” he told Arab News.

Workers install billboards on a structure of an entry point to Gaddafi Stadium, in preparation for upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (AP)

“It will unleash the passion of tens of millions of Pakistanis and motivate a new generation of cricket fans to excel in the game by watching the best players in the world play their craft. I predict a wave of new talent will erupt in Pakistan in the wake of the [tournament]!“
Mirza Iqbal Baig, a sports journalist, recalled how the attack on the Sri Lankan team had disappointed cricket fans in the country, but described the Champions Trophy as a “milestone” for Pakistan cricket.
“Now all international teams, especially England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, who have a lot of security concerns, but they all have come and I think this will boost Pakistan cricket,” he told Arab News.
“Pakistani cricket fans will see international cricket stars playing before them in their home grounds, and there will be competition too. I think the hosting of Champions Trophy will prove to be a milestone for Pakistan cricket.”
Asked about its socio-economic impact on Pakistan, Baig said it will definitely send out a positive image of the country with regard to investment and tourism.
Sethi echoed the sentiment: “The matches will be seen by over a billion people. There can be no better projection of Pakistan’s soft power and budding prestige.”
The Champions Trophy 2025, being staged after a hiatus of eight years, is the first major ICC tournament in Pakistan since the South Asian country co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with Sri Lanka and India.
While all teams agreed to play in Pakistan, India refused to travel to the host country and will play its matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“It is sad that sum-zero diplomacy remains a hurdle in cricketing ties between India and Pakistan,” Sethi remarked. “But I firmly believe that this hybrid model is a precursor to full blown bilateral cricketing relations sooner than later.”
Baig said Pakistan had “opened its arms” for everyone, but the Narendra Modi-led government had been using cricket as “political tool.”
“But anyway, the tournament is being played. People were saying that India would ask other teams to not visit Pakistan, but the rest of the teams have arrived,” he said.
“India will regret later why they did not play in Pakistan.”


Pakistan begins ICC Champions Trophy title defense in Karachi today, face New Zealand in opener

Updated 19 February 2025
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Pakistan begins ICC Champions Trophy title defense in Karachi today, face New Zealand in opener

  • Pakistan is hosting an ICC event for the first time since the cricket World Cup 1996
  • The team defeated India in the final of the 2017 edition, led by Sarfaraz Ahmed

KARACHI: The ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will commence in Pakistan today, Wednesday, with defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the opening match of the tournament at the National Stadium in Karachi at 2 PM.

The eight-team tournament will be played across three venues in Pakistan – Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi – as well as in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 19 February to 9 March.

Pakistan is all set to host an ICC event for the first time since the ICC Cricket World Cup 1996, which concluded with the final at the Qaddafi Stadium, where Sri Lanka defeated Australia by seven wickets.

“A global event has come to Pakistan after 29 years, so I believe the entire nation is celebrating this historic occasion,” Pakistan skipper Pakistan Mohammad Rizwan ahead of the tournament on Tuesday. “There are no doubts about our performance, we have worked hard and learned from our mistakes. We hope that we play well tomorrow.”

“Our sole focus is on winning the tournament for the country and our people and we hope that we achieve the desired results,” he continued.

In the lead-up to the ICC Champions Trophy, the three venues in Pakistan – Qaddafi Stadium Lahore, National Stadium Karachi and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium – have undergone major upgradation, offering players and spectators world-class facilities.

Pakistan enter the tournament as the defending champions, having beaten India in the final of the 2017 edition, led by Sarfaraz Ahmed. Fakhar Zaman was the player of the final for his imperious 114 off 106 deliveries, while Hasan Ali was named the player of the tournament for his tally of 13 wickets in five games.

The eight participating teams have been divided into two groups with hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and New Zealand pooled in Group A while Group B comprises Afghanistan, current ODI World Cup champions Australia, England and South Africa.

Following their opening encounter against New Zealand, Pakistan will play their next two group matches on 23 February against India in Dubai and on 27 February against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.

In the group stage, three matches apiece will be played in Dubai, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

The first semifinal will be played on March 4 in Dubai. The newly-upgraded Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the second semifinal on March 5. If India do not qualify, the final will take place at the Qaddafi Stadium on March 9.

However, if they qualify, it will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Apart from winning this tournament in 2017, Pakistan has also reached the semifinals of this competition on three occasions in 2000, 2004 and 2009.