Pakistan FM in Turkey to attend conference on Afghanistan

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi (L) gives a press conference at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad on August 16, 2019. (AFP)
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Updated 29 August 2022
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Pakistan FM in Turkey to attend conference on Afghanistan

  • Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was established to address shared challenges and interests of Afghanistan and regional partners  
  • Qureshi to apprise participants of Pakistan's efforts for regional stability, Afghan peace

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi arrived in Istanbul on Monday to attend the 8th Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process conference.

“Foreign Minister will inform (the forum) about the Afghan peace process and the steps taken by Pakistan for stability in the region,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement on Monday.

Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Afghan counterpart, Idrees Zaman, will co-chair the conference.

The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was established to address the shared challenges and interests of Afghanistan and its neighbors and regional partners.

It provides a platform for “sincere and results-oriented regional cooperation by placing Afghanistan at its center, in recognition of the fact that a secure and stable Afghanistan is vital to the prosperity of the Heart of Asia region,” the Afghan government said in a statement.

On Dec. 7, the Taliban and the United States restarted formal peace negotiations after a nearly three-month pause.

In September, US President Donald Trump called off talks with the Taliban in reaction to the deaths of 12 people, including a US soldier in a Taliban attack in Kabul.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office welcomed the resumption of the US-Taliban talks. “We hope that it will lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and ultimately to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan,” FO said in a statement, highlighting that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.

“An inclusive peace and reconciliation process, involving all segments of the Afghan society, is the only practical way forward,” the statement reads.
 


Top Russian official terms Pakistan ‘important partner’ in economy and energy development

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Top Russian official terms Pakistan ‘important partner’ in economy and energy development

  • Russian deputy prime minister meets Pakistani officials in Moscow, calls for stronger ties between ‘natural allies’
  • Moscow proposes railway connectivity with Pakistan, with pilot cargo train expected to be launched in August

ISLAMABAD: A top Russian official on Thursday described Pakistan as an “important partner” in the region’s economic and energy development and called the two countries “natural allies” during a meeting in Moscow, according to an official statement issued by the foreign office in Islamabad.

The remarks were made by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk during an interaction with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs, Tariq Fatemi, and SAPM on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan.

The delegation is currently in Moscow it attend INNOPROM, Russia’s largest annual industrial trade fair, which brings together government delegations, business leaders and technology firms from over 30 countries to explore partnerships in manufacturing, engineering and high-tech industries.

During the meeting, the Pakistani official said relations with Russia remained a key foreign policy priority for Islamabad. Overchuk also recalled his visit to Pakistan last year to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit where he was hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“Characterizing Pakistan and Russia as ‘natural allies’, he stressed that President [Vladimir] Putin considered Pakistan as an important partner in the growth and development of economy and energy in the region,” the foreign office said in a statement released after the meeting.

“He also highlighted the significance of important connectivity projects between two countries, such as the railway connectivity between Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Russia, and the launching of pilot cargo train between Pakistan and Russia in August 2025,” it added.

The two sides also discussed regional and international developments, including the situation in South Asia, Afghanistan and the Middle East. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation at multilateral forums.

Prime Minister Sharif’s adviser on industries and production highlighted the government’s investment-friendly policies and ongoing discussions on establishing a new steel mill in Karachi, describing it as a potential “leap forward” in Pakistan-Russia cooperation and a revival of a key legacy project.

Originally built in the 1970s with Soviet assistance, the Pakistan Steel Mills stood for national self-sufficiency for decades before becoming non-operational in 2015 due to prolonged financial mismanagement, political interference and mounting losses. Talks are now underway between the two countries to launch a new steel mill project in Karachi.

Welcoming the high-level visit, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said President Putin remained committed to expanding cooperation with Islamabad across all major sectors.

He also conveyed that the Russian president looked forward to meeting the Pakistani prime minister on the sidelines of the upcoming SCO-Council of Heads of State summit in Tianjin, China, later this August.


Media and civil society mourn the passing of trailblazing journalist Zubeida Mustafa at 84

Updated 27 min 1 sec ago
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Media and civil society mourn the passing of trailblazing journalist Zubeida Mustafa at 84

  • She joined Dawn in 1975, becoming the first woman to hold a senior editorial role at a leading Pakistani newspaper
  • Mustafa penned her final op-ed for the publication in March 2025, stepping back from writing due to ‘failing health’

KARACHI: Zubeida Mustafa, a pioneering figure in Pakistani journalism who opened the door for women in mainstream newsrooms and became a powerful advocate for social justice, passed away at the age of 84, the Karachi Press Club (KPC) confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Mustafa studied International Relations at the University of Karachi and later briefly attended the London School of Economics on a Commonwealth scholarship.

She joined Dawn in 1975, becoming the first woman to hold a senior editorial position at a major Pakistani newspaper. Over a three-decade-long career, she reshaped the paper’s editorial landscape, focusing on education, health and social issues, and inspiring a generation of women journalists who followed in her footsteps.

“Zubeida Mustafa was not just a journalist; she was an institution,” the KPC said in its statement.

“She was a pioneer, breaking barriers and paving the way for women in a field often dominated by men,” it added. “Her work on social issues, education, and health was particularly impactful, demonstrating her deep empathy and dedication to improving the lives of ordinary citizens.”

A profile in Newsline magazine described her guiding ethos as rooted in writing from the people’s perspective.

She credited Dawn editor Ahmad Ali Khan with shaping her editorial values, including the ability to distill complex issues into accessible, public-minded journalism.

Even after retiring from Dawn in 2008 due to health reasons, Mustafa remained an active voice in public discourse, continuing to write on education, population and gender justice.

Her contributions were recognized internationally in 2012 when she became the first Pakistani journalist to receive the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Dawn later established the Zubeida Mustafa Award for Journalistic Excellence in her honor.

“Zubeida Mustafa championed social, cultural and language rights like few,” the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said in a social media post. “She was a comrade-in-arms and stood by the disadvantaged and the oppressed.”

In its condolence note, the Karachi Press Club said her “unwavering commitment to truth, her incisive analysis, and her relentless pursuit of social justice set a benchmark for ethical reporting.”

Mustafa, who regularly contributed op-eds to Dawn, wrote her final piece in March this year, after which it became increasingly difficult for her to continue “because of her failing health,” the newspaper noted in its obituary.


Pakistani startup Bookme eyes $20 million annual revenue from Saudi Arabia expansion

Updated 10 July 2025
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Pakistani startup Bookme eyes $20 million annual revenue from Saudi Arabia expansion

  • Bookme is a Pakistani e-ticketing platform that offers online tickets for movies, events, flights and hotels
  • Bookme founder eyes expansion further into Middle East, African countries after gaining foothold in Kingdom 

ISLAMABAD: The founder of a Pakistani leading e-ticketing platform, Bookme, said this week he expects the startup to generate $20 million annually from its expansion into Saudi Arabia, following its recent deal with the Kingdom’s leading delivery platform, Mrsool. 

Founded in 2013, Bookme is Pakistan’s leading cashless e-ticketing platform, offering users online bookings for train and bus travel, flights, hotels, cinemas and other events. The startup has quickly gained a foothold across Pakistan, forging partnerships with major transport and fintech companies. Today, Bookme says it has over 14 million users. 

Bookme entered the Saudi market in 2024 via a strategic partnership with Mrsool, a leading food and package delivery app in the Kingdom, and the Saudi Tourism Ministry (STA). In early 2025, it also signed a deal with flyadeal, a low-cost Saudi airline, to facilitate direct flight bookings between Pakistan and the Kingdom’s cities.

“Bookme expects to generate around $20 million in additional annual revenue from its expansion in Saudi Arabia,” the company’s founder and Chief Executive Officer Faizan Aslam told Arab News via telephone.

“The Mrsool contract alone is worth around $5 million annually and the flyadeal partnership is valued at approximately $4 million,” he added. 

He said Bookme’s integration with Mrsool was completed, adding that it was expected to go live by the end of July.

“Mrsool is one of the most popular mobile applications in Saudi Arabia and very soon, its users will also be able to book airline tickets and make hotel reservations across the globe directly within the Saudi Mrsool app,” Aslam said.

Aslam said Mrsool was the first “drop of the rain,” adding that Bookme had several other partnerships in the pipeline, including ones with the Kingdom’s leading banks and fintech companies.

Without disclosing any names, Aslam said Bookme had already signed three contracts, including ones with two banks that were pending approval from Saudi Arabia’s central bank.

Aslam said the users of these banks would soon be able to access similar services from their respective applications.

On its flyadeal collaboration, the Bookme founder said the platform had aimed to support the airline’s growth by tapping into its large user base built through strong traction within the Pakistani market.

He noted that flyadeal recently began flight operations from Karachi, adding that it is also set to launch services from Lahore and Islamabad soon.

“Through this partnership, Bookme can help drive a significant number of new passengers to flyadeal,” Aslam said. 

Aslam shared that Bookme’s ticket fares were around 6–7 percent lower than the market average, with discounts rising to as much as 15 percent during seasonal promotions.

Aslam highlighted the e-ticketing platform’s partnership with the STA to promote the Kingdom as a top destination for Pakistani travelers.

“We are not a Hajj or Umrah operator or a traditional group travel agency,” he said. “We focus on business travelers, families and leisure passengers moving between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” Aslam added. 

He explained that Bookme runs campaigns, events and influencer marketing initiatives with the STA to position the Kingdom as a preferred destination for Pakistani travelers.

The startup is currently growing at approximately 130 percent year-on-year basis, Aslam said. He said the platform was expected to reach greater heights through its expansion into Saudi Arabia.

“With the full-scale launch of operations in Saudi Arabia, our growth is expected to accelerate significantly, potentially reaching three to four times the current levels annually,” the Bookme founder said. 

Bookme has raised around $10 million in funding to date and plans to raise another funding round to support its broader regional expansion. Aslam, however did not disclose further details.

While Saudi Arabia remains its primary focus, Bookme is also targeting expansion across the Middle East and Africa, using Saudi Arabia as its regional base.

“We are trying to sign deals in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar through our Saudi office, with plans to expand into Africa— starting with South Africa and Tanzania— while our primary focus remains on the GCC and broader Middle East region,” he said.


Digital, forensic evidence suggests actress Humaira Asghar Ali died in Oct. 2024 — officials 

Updated 09 July 2025
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Digital, forensic evidence suggests actress Humaira Asghar Ali died in Oct. 2024 — officials 

  • Ali’s decomposed body was found at a flat in Karachi on Tuesday when a court bailiff arrived to vacate the rented property 
  • Police cite phone data, social media inactivity to estimate death occurred nine months ago, family declines to claim body

KARACHI: Pakistani actress and model Humaira Asghar Ali is believed to have died at least nine months ago in October 2024 based on digital and forensic evidence, investigators told Arab News on Thursday, after her decomposed body was discovered this week in her Karachi apartment.

Ali’s remains were found at a flat in the city’s Ittehad Commercial area when a court bailiff arrived to vacate the rented property on Tuesday, following a complaint by the landlord. Police said the bailiff broke open the door and found the deceased inside.

Initially, Karachi Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed, who conducted the post-mortem, said the body’s “very advanced stage of decomposition” suggested death had occurred around a month prior.

However, police investigations into Ali’s phone records, her last social media activity and interviews with neighbors found no indication that she had been alive after October 2024, Arab News has found. Her last Facebook post was on September 11, 2024 and last Instagram post on September 30, 2024. Neighbors interviewed by police and reporters said they had not seen her since Sept-Oct last year. 

Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza confirmed that Ali’s phone was last active in October 2024, with the final recorded call placed that month.

“As per Call Detail Record (CDR) the last call was made in October 2024,” Raza told Arab News, without offering further details.

Two officials with direct knowledge of the case, who declined to be named, said the estimated time of death was around October 2024.

“Humaira’s body is likely nine months old,” the first official said on condition of anonymity. “She probably died between paying her last utility bills and when her electricity was disconnected in October 2024, probably due to non-payment of the bill.”

A second official who also requested anonymity said expired food items and rusted containers in the kitchen supported that timeline.

“The jars had rusted, and food had expired six months ago,” the official said. 

There was only one other apartment on the same floor, which was vacant at the time, possibly delaying detection, investigators said. 

“The occupants of that apartment told us they returned in February, and by then the smell had faded. After ten to fifteen days, the odour starts to decrease. The balcony door had also been left open,” the second official added.

Water pipes in the home were dry and rusted and no alternative power source was found. 

“There were no candles either,” the official said.

Police surgeon Syed, who conducted the autopsy on Tuesday, returned to the apartment on Wednesday with senior officers.

“We have collected multiple surface samples from the scene, which have been sent to the laboratory,” she said, declining to provide further comment.

Police said Ali’s family had declined to claim the body. It is unclear whether she was estranged from her relatives or what the exact reason was that they had refused to receive her remains. 

Ali rose to fame after winning Veet Miss Super Model in 2014 and appearing in reality show Tamasha Ghar in 2022.

She has featured in television dramas such as Just Married, Ehsaan Faramosh, Guru, and Chal Dil Mere. In cinema, she appeared in the 2015 action-thriller Jalaibee and later in Love Vaccine in 2021.


Pakistan military dismisses fears of Iran-style strikes on its nuclear sites

Updated 09 July 2025
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Pakistan military dismisses fears of Iran-style strikes on its nuclear sites

  • Army says ‘no concern whatsoever’ about becoming ‘next target’ after Israel-US attacks on Iran
  • Military spokesman warns any misadventure against nuclear Pakistan would have ‘horrific consequences’

ISLAMABAD: Military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Wednesday there was “absolutely no concern” within Pakistan’s military establishment that Pakistan could become the “next target” for attacks on its nuclear facilities, following last month’s conflict between Israel and Iran.

In June, Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites after Tel Aviv claimed Tehran was close to developing nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denied. Pakistan condemned the Israeli and American strikes at the time, calling them a violation of international law. Islamabad has repeatedly assured the world that its nuclear assets are secure and intended solely for deterrence.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Chaudhry was asked if there were concerns Pakistan could be targeted next in light of recent developments in the Middle East.

“There is absolutely no concern, whatsoever, in the military, that Pakistan can become the next target,” Chaudhry responded.

He said Pakistan was an established and declared nuclear power, adding that the world had never attempted a “misadventure” against a nuclear state.

“And if such a misadventure is taken or attempted, then it will lead to horrific consequences which the world may not be able to endure,” he warned.

The army spokesperson reiterated that seeking conflict with a nuclear-armed country was “absurd, sheer stupidity and inconceivable.”

His comments come amid heightened regional tensions and renewed focus on nuclear security following the Israel-Iran conflict. 

In early May, India and Pakistan engaged in their worst fighting in decades after Delhi blamed Islamabad for supporting an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April, an allegation Pakistan denied. The clashes included missile strikes, fighter jet operations, artillery fire and drone attacks, leaving more than 70 dead on both sides before a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10.

Though the ceasefire has held, tensions remain high. India has since put a decades-old water-sharing agreement on hold, with Islamabad warning that any attempt to divert or stop its waters would be treated as an “act of war” and met with full force.