KARACHI: The first scheduled ship carrying a shipment of Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) cargo was unable to dock at the deepwater port of Gwadar on Sunday in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, due to customs’ issues and the lack of trucking facilities on hand for bulky cargo transportation, port officials said.
Last week, Pakistan had announced its newly developed Gwadar port was open for business, and authorities declared the port’s trade related infrastructure was ready to handle bulk cargos to and from Afghanistan.
In 2010, Pakistan and Afghanistan revised a bilateral trade agreement that called for greater facilitation and cooperation in the movements of goods between the two countries. But the very first transit cargo ship bound for Gwadar, carrying 15,000 tons of chemical fertilizer to be trucked onwards to Afghanistan, never docked at the new port.
“The ship is delayed due to some issues related to customs,” Jiand Baloch, a spokesperson for the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) told Arab News on Sunday.
Another senior Gwadar official said the ship’s arrival could also have been delayed due to the lack of required trucking facilities at Gwadar to handle ATT goods.
“The trucks for transportation... are not enough to handle such a huge volume of goods from Gwadar,” the official, who declined to be named, told Arab News.
Port officials said customs authorities wanted to ensure the clearance of ATT goods from Gwadar was in line with Pakistan’s strict Ministry of Commerce and Textile instructions.
“Bulk cargoes imported at Gwadar port for onward transit to Afghanistan will be transported in containers after stuffing/loading the same into containers of international specifications,” a letter from the commerce ministry to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) stated on Tuesday.
Representatives of the transporters’ association said they were reluctant to move their set-up to Gwadar for the provision of cross boarder transportation, when they were already fully functional in the southern port city of Karachi.
“We have moved in Karachi and have set up our business facilities here,” Israr Ahmed Shinwari, a spokesman for the All Pakistan Oil Tankers Association told Arab News.
“The second reason is security, because our drivers have been martyred in Balochistan,” he said, referring to the security situation in the restive province which borders Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, officials of the Pakistan Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PAJCCI) termed Pakistan’s decision to handle ATT from Gwadar a “positive but premature” step.
“We are also promoting the transportation of ATT from Gwadar, but it is a premature announcement because of (current) transportation and customs clearance (facilities),” Zubair Motiwala, Chairman of PAJCCI told Arab News.
However, Motiwala said he believes these are “teething problems” that will be sorted once the port starts receiving bulk cargo.
Stakeholders also pointed to insufficient supporting infrastructure in need of an upgrade before Gwadar could be fully relied on for the transportation of goods bound for Afghanistan.
“The eastern bypass is yet to be constructed while the western road is not capable of handling such heavy traffic, which may cause problems for the local population,” Shaukat AK Populzai, President of the Balochistan Economic Forum, told Arab News.
In July, Pakistan and Afghanistan resumed talks to iron out their differences in the way of the transit treaty after a three-year hiatus. The turnaround came after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani met with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on June 27 where both sides agreed to deepen trade relations.
Pakistani traders have long called for a stop to the misuse of the ATT facility, and say goods are often smuggled back into Pakistan, or never reach Afghanistan in the first place. However, they expect the handling of ATT goods at Gwadar will reduce the smuggling.
“The ATT handling at Gwadar will reduce the chances of goods coming back to Karachi because it would increase the distance,” Motiwala said adding “ATT handling at Gwadar Port would reduce the distance from and to Afghanistan via Chaman border crossing that is beneficial for both Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
In order to make ATT more attractive from Gwadar, Pakistan has offered a 90 day free period for the standing of cargo, well above the 15 days being offered in Karachi.
To facilitate trade with Afghanistan last month, Pakistan opened the Torkham border round-the-clock, which has increased trade between the two countries. According to Pakistan’s ministry of commerce, the flow of cargoes under the Afghan Transit Trade increased 44 percent during the last fiscal year.
Gwadar port’s first scheduled Afghan Transit Trade ship fails to dock
Gwadar port’s first scheduled Afghan Transit Trade ship fails to dock
- Customs, transportation problems held the cargo ship back on Sunday
- ATT from Gwadar a ‘positive but premature’ announcement, says chairman of Pak-Afghan commerce body
Foreign Office confirms one more Pakistani survivor of Morocco boat capsize
- The boat sank off Morocco’s coast last week with 86 people on board
- The confirmation brings the total number of Pakistani survivors to 22
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday confirmed one more survivor of a migrant boat capsize off the coast of Morocco last week, bringing the total number of survivors to 22.
The migrant boat capsized near Morocco’s coast on Jan. 15 while en route to Spain. It was carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, according to migrant rights group Walking Borders.
Moroccan authorities said a day later that 36 people were rescued from the vessel which left Mauritania on Jan. 2, while Foreign Office confirmed on Sunday the survivors included 21 Pakistani nationals.
“Based on verified information, one more Pakistani national named Muhammad Adeel s/o Muhammad Rasheed has been identified among the survivors of the boat tragedy,” the Pakistani foreign office said on Sunday.
The incident near Morocco has once again underscored the dangerous journeys many migrants, particularly Pakistanis, embark on due to conflict and economic instability in their home country.
In 2023, hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos, marking one of the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea. More recently, five Pakistani nationals died in a ship wreck off the southern Greek island of Gavdos on Dec. 14.
The Pakistani government has ramped up efforts in recent months to combat human smugglers facilitating dangerous journeys for illegal immigrants to Europe, resulting in several arrests.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged increased collaboration with international agencies to ensure swift action against human trafficking networks.
McCullum sees India series as ideal prep for Champions Trophy in Pakistan
- The tourists, led by Jos Buttler, will face India in the first of five T20 internationals in Kolkata on Wednesday
- India series marks England’s first limited-overs tour under coach McCullum, previously in charge only of Test side
KOLKATA: England coach Brendon McCullum said Monday he hopes his side emerge from a host of limited overs matches against India in “good shape” for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
The tourists, led by Jos Buttler, will face India in the first of five T20 internationals at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
The India series marks England’s first limited-overs tour under McCullum, previously in charge only of the Test side.
“I’m desperate for us to play a really watchable brand of cricket,” McCullum told reporters. “With the talent we have, there’s no reason we can’t.”
The teams will play three one-day matches, before they move into the eight-team ODI Champions Trophy starting February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.
“We’ll use the next few weeks to try and hit the ground running, I’m sure there will be some times where we don’t quite get it right,” he added.
“But, hopefully, we will chisel away at that over the next few weeks, and we’ll be in good shape come that Champions Trophy.”
The 43-year-old McCullum said Buttler, who will only play as a batsman and not keep wicket on the tour, will leave a lasting legacy as England’s white-ball leader.
“He’s in a really good space, he’s excited about the team we’ve got, and excited about the opportunity that sits in front of us,” the former New Zealand skipper said.
“I’m sure we’ll see Jos over the next couple of years really enjoy himself, and hopefully finish with a real strong enjoyment for the game at the back end of his career.”
But India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, remain the favorites on home turf — and have been boosted by the return of fast bowler Mohammed Shami after he recovered from a foot injury.
Shami, 34, last played for India in the ODI World Cup final in November 2023 and recently participated in a few domestic matches to mark his return to competitive cricket.
“It’s a really good sign for us,” India’s T20 vice-captain Axar Patel said. “We hope he continues what he did in the World Cup.”
New Trump administration to view Pakistan through ‘China-India lens’ as Islamabad pledges stronger ties — experts
- Islamabad-Washington ties, strained over Pakistan’s alleged support of Taliban, further worsened after ex-PM Khan blamed his ouster on Washington
- Analysts suggest Islamabad to make a clear agenda with defined milestones, cautiously approach developments in relations and respond accordingly
ISLAMABAD: The new United States (US) administration of President Donald Trump will continue viewing Pakistan through the “China-India lens,” Pakistani foreign affairs experts said on Monday, as Islamabad pledged to strengthen its relations with Washington.
Trump’s inauguration is scheduled for Monday at 1700 GMT inside the Capitol Rotunda as he returns to the presidency four years after being voted out during a pandemic-driven economic collapse, marking an unprecedented political comeback.
Relations between Islamabad and Washington, once close allies, had been strained because of Pakistan’s alleged support of the Taliban in Afghanistan, a claim Islamabad denies. Ties worsened further during the tenure of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who welcomed the Taliban’s 2021 takeover and accused Washington of trying to oust him. Since Khan’s ouster in 2022, PM Shehbaz Sharif’s government has made frequent efforts to repair the damaged relations.
But Pakistani foreign affairs experts believe that the US is unlikely to seek a significant expansion of ties with Islamabad in the near future and will approach it keeping its China and India policies in view, and remaining largely focused on security cooperation, particularly in counterterrorism and Afghanistan.
“The biggest challenge for Pakistan is that the Trump administration will continue its previous policies of looking at Pakistan through the China-India lens,” Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, a professor at Quaid-e-Azam University’s School of Politics and International Relations, told Arab News.
“Now, the biggest challenge for us is how to convince the Americans that though we will be not a part of the American policies to contain China, but at the same time, we could be a part of Americans’ policies in addressing the non-traditional security challenges and on Afghanistan.”
He said the new Trump administration could use the incarceration of Pakistani political figures, including ex-PM Khan, to influence the incumbent Pakistani government.
“People think that Imran Khan is an established fact, the political divide in Pakistan exists and that divide could be exploited by the external powers for pursuing their agendas within the country or in the region,” Dr. Jaspal added.
Trump’s special envoy nominee Richard Grenell urged President Joe Biden’s administration to use its last days in power to push for the release of Khan, who has been in jail for more than a year on a slew of charges, so he could run for office in Pakistan.
While a Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson declined to comment on Grenell’s statement at the time, the Pakistani government and allies have criticized Grenell’s comments.
On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan maintained close relations with the US, marked by multi-layered cooperation in economy, trade, people-to-people connections, security and counter-terrorism, and Islamabad seeks to further solidify them.
“Pakistan-US relations have a very long history, and the relations remain rich and dense, and we would continue to work with the new administration to further solidify and strengthen this vital relationship,” Shafqat told Arab News.
“We seek to further strengthen these ties by ensuring the continued positive growth of bilateral relations.”
Senator Sherry Rehman, who has previously served as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, said every transition offers opportunities for a reset, and Pakistan needs to state its own goals for a broader bilateral path to widen its relationship with the US from a highly “securitized” lens to a more robust economic and commercial one.
“Islamabad should make a clear agenda with defined milestones for consistent engagement over better terms of trade, not just wait for Washington to respond to regional headwinds, in which Pakistan finds itself seeking balance against an Indian arms race in South Asia,” she told Arab News.
“There should be no diplomatic diffidence in stating the country’s strategic interests while iterating confidence in rebuilding trust between the two countries [Pakistan and the US].”
Masood Khan, another former Pakistani ambassador to the US, said Pakistan should try to invest “new energy” into economic cooperation between the two countries and remove any “shackles” in the strategic domain.
“The full contours of President Trump’s policy toward South Asia haven’t become very clear, but we have shared strategic interests in the region and beyond,” he told Arab News.
“This is called Trump 2.0, so it will not be the repetition of the previous tenure,” he said, adding that Trump is more “clear-headed and more forthright” regarding his priorities this time.
Dr. Salma Malik, another foreign affairs expert, said if the US adopts policies directed against China, every action or policy decision it takes will have a “direct or indirect impact on Pakistan.”
“Therefore, it is important not to overreact or panic, instead, we should cautiously approach developments, assess opportunities, and respond accordingly,” she said.
‘Great opportunity’: Pakistani enthusiasts explore AI, tech advancement at China robot show
- World Robot Contest has attracted over 100,000 contestants from more than 20 countries since 2015 and is widely acclaimed as ‘Olympic Games’ in robotics
- The competition covers more than 20 major events, 50 minor events and 100 competition groups, providing a broad competitive stage for robot enthusiasts
ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of foreign enthusiasts are attending a robot contest in China’s Henan province that offers insights into artificial intelligence and technological development around the world, with Pakistani participants describing it as a “great opportunity.”
The 2024 World Robot Contest (WRC), running from January 16 to 21 in Zhengzhou city, is being attended by robot enthusiasts from countries like China, the United States (US), Pakistan and Germany.
The competition covers more than 20 major events, 50 minor events and 100 competition groups, providing a broad competitive stage for robot enthusiasts from around the world.
Hira Syed, a Pakistani leading a team of foreign participants, said this was the first time they were participating in such a competition and it offered valuable insight into the world of technology.
“As the world is growing in technology and AI, I think it’s a great opportunity for all our students to come here and see what’s going on around the world,” she told Reuters.
“We need to understand the importance of technology.”
Syed said they had their hands on the robots and the controllers in the competition.
“I think they’re doing fantastic,” she said. “I think after the competition, when we are relaxed, we’ll go and interact with them. I think it’s going to be great.”
Hosted by the Chinese Institute of Electronics, the World Robot Contest has attracted over 100,000 contestants from more than 20 countries since 2015, according to the WRC website. It is widely acclaimed as the “Olympic Games” in the robotics field.
The event consists of two major competitions: Brain-Computer Interface or BCI Brain-controlled Robot Competition, and Youth Robot Design Competition.
“Basically, I attended this robotics event because it was the first time, I attended an event concerning technology and sciences,” said Gabriel Barakeel, a participant from Cameroon.
“I learned new things in maths and computer science by looking at all the projects around different robots, different students manipulating different robots. It really fascinated me. I learned a lot of things about robots, and I think I’ll search of even more things at home.”
Imran Khan to appeal land graft conviction in Pakistan high court this week— lawyer
- Khan was sentenced to 14 years, his wife to seven years in prison by an accountability court last week
- Case involves charitable entity Al-Qadir Trust, set up by ex-premier and his wife Bushra Khan in 2018
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan will appeal against his conviction in a land graft case in a high court this week, his lawyer Salman Akram Raja confirmed days after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder was handed a 14-year jail sentence in the case.
An accountability court in Pakistan’s capital on Friday handed Khan a 14-year jail sentence and slapped his third wife with a seven-year imprisonment term after finding them both guilty of receiving land as a bribe from a real estate tycoon.
The couple say that the Al-Qadir Trust, set up by Khan and Bushra Khan in 2018 when he was still in office, was established to impart religious education. Pakistani authorities, however, say the trust was a front for the couple to receive valuable land as a bribe from real estate developer Malik Riaz Hussain, who is one of Pakistan’s richest and most powerful businessmen.
Hussain, like Khan and his wife, both deny any wrongdoing in the case. Khan’s party responded to the verdict last week by saying it lacked “any solid foundation and is bound to collapse.”
“If [the appeal] is not filed tomorrow [Monday] then it will be filed the day after [Tuesday],” Raja told ARY News, a private news channel, on Sunday night. “And obviously, we will file a request with the appeal to dismiss this verdict and that the punishment should also be dismissed,” he added.
Raja hoped the high court would listen to the appeal “soon” and issue its verdict within the next few weeks. He said after the high court’s verdict, whichever party disagrees with the decision will then appeal against its decision at the Supreme Court.
He did not specify which high court the party intends to file Khan’s appeal in.
Authorities say the Al-Qadir Trust scheme originated with 190 million pounds repatriated to Pakistan in 2019 by Britain after Hussain forfeited cash and assets to settle a British probe into whether they were proceeds of crime.
Instead of putting it in Pakistan’s treasury, Khan’s government is accused of using the money to pay fines levied by a court against Hussain for illegal acquisition of government lands at below-market value for development in Karachi.
Raja reiterated that Khan and his wife had not personally benefitted from the amount repatriated to Pakistan, saying that it had been used to pay Hussain’s fines as a result of a mutual understanding between the real estate tycoon and the UK’s National Crime Agency.
“Our stance is clear: that this decision is against the law and logic,” he said. “And cannot under any circumstances stand after an appeal.”
Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023 and faces a slew of legal cases, says all charges against him are politically motivated and being backed by his political rivals led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s all-powerful military. Both deny the allegations.
The announcement of the controversial verdict was delayed three times, most recently last Monday, as the government holds reconciliation talks with Khan’s PTI party.
