ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government on Thursday announced a 25 percent pay raise for federal government employees after holding “successful” negotiations with their representatives, a day after demonstrations turned violent and police fired tear gas at protesters.
Interior minister Shaikh Rasheed Ahmad, defense minister Pervez Khattak and state minister for parliamentary affairs Ali Mohammad Khan addressed a joint press conference and made the announcement.
“Government has decided to give 25 percent ad hoc relief to all federal employees,” Khattak told reporters, saying the government would also release all arrested employees.
Khattak said prime minister Imran Khan had also directed provinces to address the demands of provincial government employees.
Thousands of government employees have been rallying in Islamabad to seek a pay raise, an issue the government has been trying to delay until June when the budget for the next financial year will be announced.
The capital administration deployed riot police against the demonstrators on Wednesday and barricaded the entrance and exit of sensitive buildings, including the Parliament House and Secretariat Block.
Negotiations began on Wednesday evening after Islamabad police arrested dozens of protesting employees and fired tear gas shells to disperse them.
A large number of protesters gathered again near the Secretariat Block on Thursday morning, waiting for the government’s announcement.
25% pay raise announced for government employees after protests in Pakistani capital
https://arab.news/5f8rp
25% pay raise announced for government employees after protests in Pakistani capital
- Government began negotiations with protesters after police arrested demonstrators and fired tear gas on Wednesday
- PM Khan also directs provinces to address the demands of provincial government employees
Pakistan reports second polio case of 2025 from southern Sindh province
- Latest polio case has been reported from country’s southern Badin district, Pakistani health authorities say
- Development takes place days after Pakistan conducted its first national anti-polio vaccination drive of 2025
KARACHI: Pakistani health authorities this week confirmed the country’s second polio case of 2025 in the country’s southern Sindh province, days after concluding a national immunization campaign against the infection.
Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure and to ensure immunity, health experts say it is crucial that all children under five complete the oral polio vaccine series. The South Asian country last year reported 74 polio cases in 2024, a sharp increase from just six in 2023.
The second polio case of the year was reported from district Badin in Sindh, Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Program said in a statement on Wednesday. The first case of the infection was reported in the Dera Ismail Khan district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province last month.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of the second wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2025,” Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Program said.
Of Pakistan’s 74 polio cases reported last year, 27 were from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 23 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
The Pakistan polio program runs several mass vaccination drives annually. This year’s first anti-polio drive was conducted from Feb. 3 to 9 during which over 45 million children were vaccinated.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries where polio remains endemic. In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994, but efforts to eradicate the virus have been hampered by vaccine misinformation, opposition from some religious hard-liners who view immunization as a foreign plot, and frequent attacks on polio vaccination teams by militant groups.
Rizwan and Salman smash tons as Pakistan defeat South Africa in record chase
- Pakistan will face New Zealand on Feb. 14 in final of tri-series, a warm-up for Champions Trophy tournament
- Rizwan and Salman built a match-changing stand of 260, a new record for the fourth wicket for the green shirts
KARACHI: Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha cracked centuries to guide Pakistan into the tri-series final with a thumping six-wicket win over South Africa in Karachi on Wednesday.
Rizwan led Pakistan’s highest successful chase in all one-day internationals of 353 in 49 overs with a magnificent 122 not out while Salman slammed 134 for his maiden century at the National Stadium.
Pakistan will now face New Zealand at the same venue on Friday in the final of the event which is a key warm-up for the Champions Trophy which starts next week.
The hundreds made by Rizwan and Salman overshadowed Matthew Breetzke’s record of scoring most runs by a batsman in his first two one-day internationals of 150 and 83.
Breetzke’s innings had set up an imposing South Africa total of 352-5.
Rizwan and Salman built a match-changing stand of 260, a new record for the fourth wicket for Pakistan, improving on the 206 scored by Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan against India at Centurion in 2009.
Their blistering innings should also erase doubts over the team’s vulnerable batting as they improved on Pakistan’s previous highest successful chase of 349 against Australia in Lahore in 2022.
Rizwan hit nine boundaries and three sixes off 128 balls while Salman’s 103-ball knock had 16 boundaries and two sixes.
Earlier, Breetzke followed his highest-ever debut score against New Zealand in Lahore on Monday with an attractive 84-ball 83, spiced with a six and 10 boundaries, after South Africa won the toss.
Breetzke bettered West Indian Desmond Haynes’s aggregate of 195 runs in his first two matches in 1978 before he fell to a brilliant catch off spinner Khushdil Shah.
Pakistan’s vaunted bowling attack failed to stop the tourists from scoring a big total, with skipper Temba Bavuma (82) and Heinrich Klaasen (87) also chipping in.
With wickets not falling, frustrated Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi angrily clashed with Breetzke as the batsman attempted to complete a run.
Shaheen made physical contact and exchanged words with his rival before umpire Asif Yaqoob separated the pair.
Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi (22), one of four changes in the South African team, put on 51 for the opening stand. The captain then built a second-wicket stand of 119 with Breetzke.
Bavuma was run out after cracking 13 boundaries in his 96-ball knock.
Klaasen lifted the tempo with a rapid 56-ball knock, smashing three sixes and 11 boundaries as the South Africans added 110 runs in the last 10 overs.
Kyle Verreynne and Corbin Bosch remained not out with 44 and 15 respectively to take South Africa past 350.
Pakistan vows to provide capacity-building assistance, training to Rwanda’s air force
- Rwandan air chief Let. Gen. Jean Jacques Mupenzi meets Pakistani counterpart with high-level delegation in Islamabad
- His visit reflects Rwanda’s desire to restructure air force using Pakistan’s professional expertise, says military’s media wing
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu on Wednesday reiterated his unwavering support to provide capacity building assistance to Rwanda’s air force and share his force’s operational training expertise with the African country to help meet its security challenges, the military’s media wing said.
A high-level defense delegation from Rwanda led by Rwanda Air Chief Let. Gen. Jean Jacques Mupenzi called on Sidhu at the Air Headquarters in Islamabad, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
Sidhu shared insights into various ongoing modernization projects of the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) operational construct, force goals and plans for the force structure with a keen focus on future warfare, the ISPR said.
“The Air Chief reiterated PAF’s unwavering support to provide capacity-building assistance to the Rwandan Air Force in upgradation of its human resource, maintenance parameters and operational training,” the ISPR said.
Mupenzi admired PAF’s professional training standards, modernized infrastructure and multi-domain capabilities, the military’s media wing said. The Rwandan air chief emphasized the need for a major overhaul and collaboration to enhance the capabilities of Rwanda’s Air Force with assistance from the PAF to meet “contemporary security challenges,” the ISPR said.
“The visiting dignitary also expressed a strong desire for a partnership with Pakistan Air Force aimed at establishing comprehensive training programs for basic-level training of aircrew and technical training of ground crew of Rwandan Air Force,” the ISPR said.
The delegation was given a detailed briefing on the PAF’s operational capabilities during their visit to the National ISR & Integrated Air Operations Center and PAF Cyber Command in Islamabad, the ISPR said.
“This visit of Lt. Gen. Jean Jacques Mupenzi to Air Headquarters, Islamabad is testament to strong desire of Rwandan side to restructure their Air Force, utilizing the professional expertise of Pakistan Air Force,” the military’s media wing said.
US cautions citizens against traveling to Faisal Mosque citing threats from Pakistani Taliban
- Video shared widely on social media days earlier shows person holding up a drawing of TTP flag in front of iconic mosque
- Outlawed TTP outfit have carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistan’s civilians, security forces since 2007
ISLAMABAD: The US Mission in Pakistan on Wednesday cautioned its citizens to avoid traveling to Islamabad’s iconic Faisal Mosque citing threats from the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group, urging its nationals to keep a low profile and monitor local media for updates.
The statement from the American mission comes days after a cryptic video was widely shared on social media, showing a person holding up a piece of paper in front of the Faisal Mosque with the TTP’s flag drawn on it.
The TTP has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians since 2007. After a fragile truce between the banned outfit and the state broke down in November 2022, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
“Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants have issued threats against Faisal Mosque, in Islamabad,” the US Mission in Pakistan wrote on its website. “The US Embassy Regional Security Office has prohibited US employee travel to the Faisal Mosque area until further notice.”
The iconic Faisal Mosque is spread over 54,000 square feet and has the capacity to accommodate over 250,000 people at a time. It houses hundreds of worshippers during prominent religious events and Friday congregational prayers. It is also a popular tourist resort for foreigners.
The mission urged American nationals to avoid traveling to the area around the mosque, exercise caution and leave it if they find themselves unexpectedly in the vicinity of a large gathering or demonstration. It advised citizens to review their personal security plan, monitor local media for updates and “keep a low profile and be aware of your surroundings.”
It also urged US citizens to cooperation with Pakistani authorities and review the country security report for Pakistan.
In September last year, the US embassy advised its nationals to reconsider traveling to Pakistan “due to terrorism” and “increased risks” of violence in some parts of the country amid a resurgence in militant violence.
The embassy had advised citizens against traveling to the southwestern Balochistan province and KP, including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) due to “terrorism.”
The TTP has carried out attacks in Pakistan as it seeks to impose their strict brand of Islam in the country. Pakistan has repeatedly urged Afghanistan to take action against the banned outfit in its territory, accusing the militants of using Afghan soil to launch attacks against it. The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan deny Pakistan’s accusations.
Ties between the two countries deteriorated after Pakistan carried out cross-border strikes against alleged TTP targets in Afghanistan last year.
Pakistan, Azerbaijan inaugurate joint chamber of commerce in push for investment
- Pakistan’s privatization minister says initiative will ensure bilateral investment matters are resolved under single platform
- Islamabad has reached out to regional allies, including former Soviet republics, to attract investment in priority sectors
ISLAMABAD: Azerbaijan and Pakistan inaugurated a joint chamber of commerce and industry on Wednesday, Pakistan’s privatization ministry said, as part of Islamabad’s efforts to bring investment matters in priority sectors under a single platform.
Azerbaijan officials have made several visits to Pakistan in recent months as Islamabad seeks to strengthen trade and investment ties with former Soviet republics and Central Asian states. Last July, President Ilham Aliyev visited Pakistan and announced that the two countries were working to enhance bilateral trade to $2 billion.
The development also takes place amid Pakistan’s aggressive efforts to escape a prolonged economic crisis by attracting investment in energy, mining, agriculture, infrastructure, livestock and other key sectors of its economy. Pakistan has signed agreements worth billions of dollars with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other countries since 2023 after its macroeconomic crisis brought it to the brink of a sovereign default.
“Pakistan has achieved another significant milestone in boosting investment and business activities with the inauguration of the Azerbaijan-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry,” the privatization ministry said in a press release. It added that Pakistan’s Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and Azerbaijan’s Ambassador Khazar Farhadov were chief guests at the event in Islamabad.
Khan said the joint chamber of commerce has enabled both countries to address investment matters under a single platform, adding that Pakistan would collaborate with Azerbaijan’s business community to boost exports of local products.
Ambassador Farhadov said both countries were taking steps to enhance bilateral cooperation, the ministry said. He expressed confidence in the joint chamber of commerce as a platform that would aid in increasing the existing $2 billion business volume between both countries.
Islamabad and Baku’s cooperation spans several sectors. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said in January that both countries were in the process of finalizing a memorandum of agreement to enhance security ties through cooperation in arms trade, defense infrastructure and intelligence sharing.
In December, Pakistan waived customs and regulatory duties on imports from Azerbaijan under the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Preferential Trade Agreement. The agreement aims to enhance economic cooperation by reducing tariffs on goods such as Pakistan’s sports equipment, leather and pharmaceuticals, and Azerbaijan’s oil and gas products.