ISLAMABAD: Representatives of China, Russia and Pakistan, who met in Moscow to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, called for the resumption of peace process between the United States and the Afghan Taliban on Friday, hoping that the negotiations between the two sides would also pave the way for intra-Afghan talks.
US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad joined officials of the three countries to explore ways to restore peace in the war-torn country.
Last month, US President Donald Trump halted the talks with the Taliban after the insurgent group carried out a bomb attack in Kabul that killed 12 people, including an American soldier.
The representatives of the four countries reiterated their commitment to work with the Afghan government and the Taliban to reach a comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement that would end the war and contribute to regional stability and global security.
A joint statement issued at the conclusion of the daylong meeting urged all sides in the Afghan war to immediately reduce violence in order to create conducive environment for result-oriented negotiations.
The participants said they expected all sides to observe a cease-fire for the duration of intra-Afghan negotiations to enable different stakeholders in the war-torn country to reach an agreement that is beneficial for Afghanistan’s future.
“Russia, China and Pakistan expressed their support for the earliest resumption of negotiation process and reaching an agreement between the United States of America and the Taliban movement, which will pave the way for launching intra-Afghan talks,” said the statement.
They called on the Afghan government and the Taliban to release significant number of prisoners at the beginning of the intra-Afghan negotiations.
The meeting called on all Afghans, including the government and the Taliban, to ensure that Al-Qaeda, Daesh, the Chinese East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other international terrorists do not use the Afghan soil to threaten the security of any other country, according to the statement.
The participants reviewed the current situation in Afghanistan and their joint efforts to reach a sustainable settlement in that country by political and diplomatic means. They agreed that sustainable peace could only be achieved through negotiated political settlement.
They welcomed the Chinese proposal to host the next intra-Afghan meeting in Beijing that will ensure the participation of a number of high-profile Afghan political personalities, including the representatives of the administration in Kabul, other Afghan leaders and the Taliban.
US representative for Afghan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Deng Xijun, and Russian special envoy, Zamir Kabulov, attended the meeting.
Additional secretary of Pakistan’s foreign office, Muhammed Aejaz, who led his country’s delegation in the 4-party talks, tweeted that all sides were “hopeful about and agreed to expedite the earliest peaceful resolution of the issue through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.”
The delegates reaffirmed that any peace agreement must protect the rights of all Afghans, including women, men, children and minorities, and should respond to the strong desire of Afghans for economic, social and political development.
Four-party talks in Moscow seek resumption of US-Taliban negotiations
Four-party talks in Moscow seek resumption of US-Taliban negotiations
- A joint statement hopes all warring sides will declare cease-fire during the intra-Afghan consultations
- China proposed to host an intra-Afghan meeting in Beijing that will bring together a number of Afghan political personalities
Pakistan PM directs inclusion of business sector input in budget preparation
- Shehbaz Sharif chaired a review meeting of the Export Facilitation Scheme to determine how to improve its effectiveness
- The incumbent government will be presenting its second federal budget in June after assuming political power last year
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday instructed the government to include suggestions from the industrial and business sectors in the upcoming budget preparation while chairing a meeting to review the country’s exports, his office announced.
The move signals the government’s intent to adopt a more inclusive approach in shaping fiscal policy for the next financial year, as it faces pressure to revive economic growth, attract investment and address concerns from the private sector.
The incumbent government will be presenting its second federal budget in June after assuming power last year.
“Consultation with industries and business organizations should be included in the preparation of the upcoming budget and their suggestions should be incorporated into it,” the PM Office quoted Sharif as saying following the meeting on the Export Facilitation Scheme, a policy initiative by the Federal Board of Revenue simplifying the import of raw materials, machinery and input goods for exporters, with minimal duties and taxes.
“Increasing revenue from exports is a top priority of the government,” he added.
He highlighted the importance of consulting sector experts on the committee’s recommendations to improve the scheme, particularly regarding the import of raw materials and machinery for export industries.
Sharif directed authorities to present a level playing field for local industries, adding that the scheme was launched to reduce production costs and enhance Pakistan’s competitiveness in domestic exports.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers, an adviser to the PM, Pakistan’s tax authority chief and businessmen from the export industry.
Pakistan calls for global action over Israel’s killing of Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza
- Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan urges the world to put end to Israeli violations of international law
- Israel deliberately killed 15 Palestinian emergency workers last month in a shooting incident captured on video
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan urged the international community on Thursday to take notice of Israel’s latest “barbarity” in the Gaza Strip while referring to the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency workers in a shooting incident captured on video.
The emergency workers were shot dead on March 23 and buried in shallow graves. Initially, the Israeli military claimed it opened fire after unmarked vehicles approached its soldiers in the dark, but later changed the statement after video footage emerged showing clearly marked ambulances and fire trucks with their lights on coming under fire.
The war in Gaza, which began in October 2023, has continued despite repeated international appeals for a ceasefire. The Palestinian death toll has reportedly surpassed 50,000, with women and children making up a significant portion of the casualties.
“Pakistan in the strongest possible terms condemns the continued aggression and atrocities committed by Israeli occupation forces in occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in Gaza,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said during his weekly media briefing.
“In the latest incidents of brutality, Israel has mercilessly killed 15 Palestinian emergency and civil defense workers,” he continued. “Pakistan demand that the international community should take immediate notice of this barbarity and stop this blatant violation of international law and charter of the United Nations.”
Khan highlighted his country’s condemnation of the continued aggression by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Pakistan, which does not recognize Israel, has consistently supported the Palestinian demand for an independent state based on pre-1967 borders.
It has repeatedly raised concerns over the Gaza conflict at various global forums, including the UN Security Council, and has called for a ceasefire and accountability for Israel’s actions.
World Bank investment arm commits $300 million loan to Pakistan’s Reko Diq mining project
- Located in Balochistan, Reko Diq is among the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold reserves
- IFC says its involvement will mitigate project risks and support sustainable mining practices in Pakistan
KARACHI: The World Bank’s private investment arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), will extend $300 million in debt financing for Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper and gold mining project, according to an IFC project disclosure published on Wednesday.
Reko Diq, located in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, is among the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold reserves. Once operational, it is expected to significantly boost Pakistan’s exports, generate substantial tax and royalty revenues and contribute to economic growth and job creation.
IFC said its involvement will mitigate project risks in the restive Balochistan region and support sustainable mining practices.
“The estimated total Project cost is $6.6bn, and it will be financed using a combination of debt and equity,” IFC announced while sharing a summary of its investment.
“IFC’s proposed investment consists of an A-loan of up to $300 million,” it added. “Other parallel lenders will provide the remaining debt financing.”
An A-loan is a direct loan provided by the IFC from its own funds, typically with long-term repayments. It is a form of debt financing, requiring the borrower to repay the loan with interest, unlike equity financing where the investor takes ownership stakes in the project.
The Reko Diq project is being supported by IFC’s technical and financial expertise. The institution will act as Environmental and Social (E&S) coordinator, ensuring adherence to its performance standards and helping implement best practices in sustainability.
IFC will also provide advisory support on mining operations, transport infrastructure and risk mitigation.
According to the investment summary document, the project will strengthen domestic supply chains and contribute to community development in Balochistan.
It is also expected to deepen domestic market integration by linking Balochistan to national and global markets and encouraging further investment in Pakistan’s mineral sector.
The IFC has actively engaged with Pakistan recently through several high-level visits and financial commitments. Earlier this year, its Managing Director Makhtar Diop visited the country in February and met with public and private sector stakeholders to expand IFC’s investment footprint and reaffirm its commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth.
Subsequently, the IFC announced plans to significantly increase its investment in Pakistan, with a target of up to $2 billion annually over the next decade, potentially amounting to $20 billion.
The initiative aligns with the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework, which envisions a combined investment of around $40 billion in Pakistan over ten years.
With input from Reuters
Pakistan PM departs for Belarus on two-day visit to boost bilateral cooperation
- The two sides plan to sign several agreements during Sharif’s two-day visit, says Pakistan’s foreign office
- Visit can also help Pakistan diversify trade partnerships since Belarus can be a gateway to Eurasian markets
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left for a two-day visit to the Eastern European country of Belarus on Thursday, his office said, as the two sides prepare to sign several agreements to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Belarus after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and has maintained diplomatic relations with it since 1994.
However, bilateral trade has remained modest, with annual volumes ranging between $50 and $65 million, according to the Belarusian embassy in Islamabad.
Belarus mainly exports tractors, trucks, potash fertilizers, synthetic yarns and tires to Pakistan, while Pakistani exports include rice, textiles, leather goods and surgical instruments.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has departed for a two-day official visit to Belarus,” the PM Office said in a statement. “At the invitation of His Excellency President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to Belarus from April 10 to 11, 2025.”
According to another statement released by the foreign office earlier today, Sharif will hold talks with Lukashenko to review progress in areas of mutual interest.
“The two sides are expected to sign several agreements to further strengthen cooperation,” it added.
The prime minister’s visit follows a series of bilateral engagements in recent months. The Belarusian president visited Pakistan last November for his third official trip to the country, during which both sides signed a “Roadmap for Comprehensive Cooperation for 2025-2027” to expand economic ties and institutional linkages.
Fourteen other agreements and memorandums of understanding were also inked, covering cooperation in environmental protection, disaster management, halal trade and science and technology.
For Pakistan, closer ties with Belarus offer several strategic advantages that include diversifying trade partnerships beyond traditional markets, enhancing defense collaboration through access to Belarusian technology and tapping into regional connectivity opportunities, with Belarus serving as a potential gateway to Eurasian markets.
The partnership also complements Pakistan’s broader goals, such as the development of an export-oriented economy.
UAE to grant 100,000 Pakistanis five-year visas this year – Sindh governor’s office
- Official statement quotes the UAE envoy mentioning the number of these visas his country plans to issue
- UAE consulate confirmed this week Pakistani citizens can apply for work, medical and other types of visas
KARACHI: The United Arab Emirates plans to issue five-year visas to 100,000 Pakistanis this year, according to an official statement released by authorities in Pakistan’s Sindh province on Wednesday, following a visit by Governor Kamran Khan Tessori to the UAE consulate in Karachi.
The governor’s office and UAE authorities in Pakistan said this week all visa-related issues between the two countries had been resolved, and Pakistani nationals could now apply for five-year visas to the Emirates.
The development came amid widespread reports in recent months of a decline in visa approvals for Pakistanis, allegedly due to violations of local laws and customs, as well as political sloganeering while abroad.
Tessori visited the UAE consulate in Karachi on the invitation of UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi following a meeting between the two officials in Karachi on Monday.
“The governor of Sindh, Kamran Khan Tessori, was warmly welcomed by the UAE ambassador and consul general during his visit to the UAE consulate,” the Governor House said in a statement.
“The governor toured the visa center at the consulate, where the ambassador briefed him on the facility,” it added. “Ambassador Hamad Obaid Al-Zaabi said 100,000 Pakistanis would be granted five-year visas. The consul general added that applicants would be treated with great respect at the visa center and receive full cooperation.”
Earlier this week on Tuesday, the UAE consulate in Karachi issued a statement on the meeting between Tessori and Al-Zaabi.
“We love Pakistanis very much,” the statement quoted Consul General Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi as saying. “Every person can apply for a UAE visa … Pakistani citizens can also apply for a UAE visa for work, medical treatment and other needs.”
The UAE is home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates, making it the second-largest overseas Pakistani community globally and a major contributor to remittance inflows to Pakistan.
Policymakers in Pakistan also view the UAE as an ideal export market due to its proximity, which reduces transportation and freight costs and facilitates smoother trade.
