ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani foreign office on Friday said it had taken up with the Iranian embassy in Islamabad a statement by an Iranian official accusing Pakistani security forces of shooting at oil smugglers earlier this week and said the allegation was “factually incorrect.”
According to Human Rights Watch, the incident took place on Monday near the Iranian town of Saravan, killing 10 people and injuring five.
Following the development, Iran’s deputy governor of Sistan-Baluchistan province, Mohammad Hadi Marashi, accused Pakistani forces of opening fire at a gathering of fuel smugglers near the border who, he claimed, were trying to cross back into Iran.
“We are aware of the statement, which is factually incorrect,” foreign office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri told media during a press briefing in Islamabad.
“We have taken up the matter with the Iranian embassy [in Islamabad] about the statement made by the deputy governor of Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran.”
“The incident occurred on the Iranian side of the border,” he said.
Pakistan has set aside nearly $20 million to fence its 900-kilometer border with Iran, frequently used for trade and by minority Shia Muslims who travel from Pakistan to Iran for religious pilgrimages. But the border is also the entry point for cross-border militancy and for an illegal fuel trade that authorities have struggled to crackdown on for decades.
“Such unfortunate incidents validate the need to have more formal ways to increase trading opportunities for local people,” the foreign office spokesperson said, adding that Pakistan viewed its border with Iran as a model for peace and security.
“We remain engaged with Iranian officials to discuss ways and means of facilitating cross-border commerce for local people living on both sides of the border and ensure the security of our common frontier,” he said.
According to AFP, Iran was also prodded by Human Rights Watch on Friday to investigate excessive use of force by Revolutionary Guards against smugglers attempting to transport fuel to Pakistan.
Quoting Baluch activists, the rights group claimed that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had blocked a road used to transport fuel before apparently opening fire at people attempting to reopen the route.
The action prompted attacks by angry protesters on government buildings in both Saravan and the Sistan-Baluchistan provincial capital Zahedan.
“The Iranian authorities should urgently conduct a transparent and impartial investigation into the shootings at the Saravan border,” said HRW Iran researcher Tara Sepehri Far. “The authorities should hold those responsible for wrongdoing to account, appropriately compensate victims and ensure that border guards are taking the utmost precautions to respect the right to life and other human rights.”
The rights group noted the lack of employment opportunities in the province, saying it left its ethnic Baluch population with few alternatives but to indulge in illegal trade with their fellow Balochs across the border.
“Similar to the western provinces of Western Azerbaijan and Kurdistan [on the border with Iraq], its lack of economic opportunities has led many residents to engage in unlawful cross-border commerce with Pakistan,” said the New York-based watchdog.
Pakistan raises ‘factually incorrect’ Iranian allegations of oil smuggler shooting with embassy
https://arab.news/b8c63
Pakistan raises ‘factually incorrect’ Iranian allegations of oil smuggler shooting with embassy
- Deputy governor of Sistan-Baluchistan province accused Pakistani forces of firing at gathering of fuel smugglers near the border
- Human Rights Watch blames the incident on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, urges Tehran to conduct a transparent inquiry
Beyond ceasefire, India and Pakistan battle on in digital trenches
- Both states continue to push competing narratives after the four-day military standoff, which ended on May 10 with a US-brokered truce
- Digital rights experts note how it is often laced with hate, targeting vulnerable communities like Muslims in India and Hindus in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: As Indian and Pakistani guns fell silent after trading fire for days this month, the war over facts and fiction is far from over and fierce battle rages on social media as to who won, who distorted the truth, and which version of events should be trusted.
As both states continue to push competing narratives, experts warn that misinformation, censorship and AI-generated propaganda have turned digital platforms into battlegrounds, with real-world consequences for peace, truth and regional stability.
The four-day military standoff, which ended on May 10 with a US-brokered ceasefire, resulted from an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people last month. India accused Pakistan of backing the assault, a charge Islamabad has consistently denied.
While the truce between the nuclear-armed archfoes has since held, digital rights experts have sounded alarm over the parallel information war, which continues based on disinformation, censorship and propaganda on both sides, threatening the ceasefire between both nations.
Asad Baig, who heads the Media Matters for Democracy not-for-profit that works on media literacy and digital democracy, noted that broadcast media played a central role in spreading falsehoods during the India-Pakistan standoff to cater to an online audience hungry for “sensational content.”
“Disinformation was overwhelmingly spread from the Indian side,” Baig told Arab News. “Media was playing to a polarized, online audience. Conflict became content, and content became currency in the monetization game.”
Several mainstream media outlets, mostly in India, flooded the public with fake news, doctored visuals and sensationalist coverage, fueling mass anxiety and misinformation, according to fact-checkers and experts, who say the role of media at this critical geopolitical juncture undermined journalistic integrity and misled citizens.
“I think this is a perfect example of the media becoming a tool of propaganda in the hands of a state,” said prominent digital rights activist Usama Khilji, calling on those at the helm of television and digital media outlets to independently verify state claims using tools like satellite imagery or on-ground sources.
In Pakistan, X, previously known as Twitter, had been banned since February 2024, with digital rights groups and global organizations calling the blockade a “blatant violation” of civic liberties and a threat to democratic freedoms.
But on May 7, as Pakistan’s responded to India’s missile strikes on its territory that began the conflict, the platform was suddenly restored, allowing users to access it without a VPN that allows them to bypass such restrictions by masking their location. The platform has remained accessible since.
“We were [previously] told that X is banned because of national security threats,” Khilji told Arab News, praising the government’s “strategic move” to let the world hear Pakistan’s side of the story during this month’s conflict.
“But when we actually got a major national security threat in terms of literal war, X was unblocked.”
Indian authorities meanwhile blocked more than 8,000 X, YouTube and Instagram accounts belonging to news outlets as well as Pakistani celebrities, journalists and influencers.
“When only one narrative is allowed to dominate, it creates echo chambers that breed confusion, fuel conflict, and dangerously suppress the truth,” Khilji explained.
VIRTUAL WAR
Minutes after India attacked Pakistan with missiles on May 7, Pakistan released a video to journalists via WhatsApp that showed multiple blasts hitting an unknown location purportedly in Pakistan. However, the video later turned out to be of Israeli bombardment of Gaza and was retracted.
On May 8, Indian news outlets played a video in which a Pakistani military spokesperson admitted to the downing of two of their Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets. X users later pointed out that the video was AI-generated.
Throughout the standoff both mainstream and digital media outlets found themselves in the eye of the storm, with many official and verified accounts sharing and then retracting false information. The use of AI-generated videos and even video game simulations misrepresented battlefield scenarios in real time and amplified confusion at a critical moment.
Insights from experts paint a disturbing picture of how information warfare is becoming inseparable from conventional conflict. From deliberate state narratives to irresponsible media and rampant misinformation on social platforms, the truth itself is becoming a casualty of war.
AFP Digital Verification Correspondent Rimal Farrukh describes how false information was often laced with hate speech, targeting vulnerable communities like Muslims in India and Hindus in Pakistan.
“We saw dehumanizing language, misleading visuals, and recycled war footage, often from unrelated conflicts like Russia-Ukraine or Israel-Gaza, used to stoke fear and deepen biases,” she told Arab News.
Pakistan to export female beauticians to Saudi Arabia — state media
- Hairdressers, makeup and nail artists under the age of 40 are required, OEC says
- Pakistan has long maintained a strong labor export relationship with the Kingdom
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) will send skilled female beauticians to Saudi Arabia in response to a demand from a private firm in the Kingdom, state media reported on Friday, outlining the qualifications required for applicants.
The initiative comes as part of Pakistan’s long-standing labor export relationship with Saudi Arabia, which remains the top destination for Pakistani workers and contributes over $700 million in monthly remittances to the South Asian country.
Pakistan regularly sends skilled labor to Gulf nations, including medical professionals, engineers and technicians. The latest move targets the beauty and personal care sector.
“Overseas Employment Corporation, an attached department of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, will export skilled workers (female beauticians) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
It informed a Saudi firm is seeking beauticians for various roles, including senior hairdresser, nail technician (gel and acrylic), eyelash specialist, makeup artist, waxing and bleaching specialist and wig technician.
The required qualifications include a minimum of three years’ experience and an age limit of under 40 years.
APP said the firm will offer senior beauticians a monthly salary of 3,000 Saudi Riyals or approximately $800.
Employees will also receive free shared accommodation with furnishings and air conditioning, food allowance, and round-trip airfare, along with surface transport within Saudi Arabia if needed.
The news report said applications must be submitted via the OEC website by June 8.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy robust economic, defense and cultural ties.
The Kingdom hosts over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and remains the largest source of remittances to Pakistan, a crucial lifeline for the country’s cash-strapped economy.
PM Sharif calls for economic policies to revive Pakistan’s export competitiveness
- The PM outlines the goal during a meeting with Dr. Stefan Dercon, a prominent British economist
- He calls for deep-rooted reforms to steer Pakistan’s economy back toward export-led growth
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday stressed the need for balance across all economic policies to revive Pakistan’s export potential, saying his government wanted to take the country back to a place where its products were once again in global demand.
The remarks came during a meeting with Dr. Stefan Dercon, a prominent British economist and professor of economic policy at Oxford University.
Dercon, who previously served as the UK Department for International Development’s (DFID) chief economist, is widely recognized for his work on poverty, institutional reform and economic development in low- and middle-income countries.
“A sound balance across all policies is essential to promote business,” the prime minister was quoted as saying in an official statement circulated by his office. “For Pakistan’s economic development, alignment between fiscal policy, taxation policy and production policy is necessary.”
“In the past, Pakistani products were in high demand globally and the country was counted among the world’s major exporters,” he continued. “We want to bring Pakistan back to that place.”
Sharif’s meeting with the British economist took place at a time when Pakistan seeks to strengthen its economy through increased exports and foreign investment, following signs of stabilization under an IMF-supported economic program.
He maintained that deep-rooted reforms were required to transition the national economy back toward export-led growth.
Dercon praised the direction of Pakistan’s economic policy and reform agenda, noting improving investor sentiment toward the country.
He particularly lauded Pakistan’s tariff rationalization efforts, which aim to simplify and streamline import duties to support industrial competitiveness.
The meeting was also attended by top members of the government’s economic team, including Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and senior officials from relevant departments.
IMF defends $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan amid India’s objections
- IMF communications director says the board approved funding as Pakistan had ‘met all of the targets’
- She clarifies EFF disbursements go to the central bank and are not used to fund the national budget
KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week defended its decision to release a $1 billion tranche to Pakistan, despite India’s concern over its potential misuse, by pointing out the country had met all requisite targets under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
India had raised objections to the IMF’s disbursement amid a military confrontation with Pakistan, saying the funds could be diverted to support activities that it described as detrimental to regional stability. New Delhi abstained from the IMF Executive Board vote on May 9, highlighting apprehensions about the timing and potential implications of the financial assistance.
During a news briefing in Washington on Thursday, IMF Communications Director Julie Kozack addressed these concerns, saying the international lender provided financing to member states for the purpose of resolving balance of payments problems.
“In the case of Pakistan … the EFF disbursements … are allocated to the reserves of the central bank,” she said. “Under the program, those resources are not part of budget financing … [and] are not transferred to the government to support the budget.”
The IMF official further emphasized the Fund’s decision was based on Pakistan meeting all the targets set under the loan program.
“Our Board found that Pakistan had indeed met all of the targets,” she continued. “It had made progress on some of the reforms, and for that reason, the Board went ahead and approved the program.”
Kozack also outlined the safeguards to prevent any potential misuse of funds, including targets on the accumulation of international reserves and a zero target for central bank lending to the government.
She also noted the program includes substantial structural conditionality aimed at improving fiscal management.
The IMF’s disbursement this month was part of a broader $7 billion support program aimed at stabilizing Pakistan’s economy. The Fund has said future disbursements will depend on Pakistan’s continued adherence to the program’s conditions and reforms.
PM Sharif tells business leaders private sector key to economy ahead of June 10 budget
- The prime minister assures chambers of commerce representatives of his administration’s full support
- He promises to reduce cost of doing business in the country, highlights zero tolerance for tax evasion
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in driving economic development, asserting that a robust public-private partnership was essential for the country’s emergence as a strong global economy.
Sharif made these remarks during a meeting with presidents of chambers of commerce from across the nation, coinciding with the government’s announcement to present the next federal budget on June 10.
The government has consistently stressed the need for the private sector to lead in strengthening the national economy, assuring it of state support.
Sharif reiterated this stance, highlighting the necessity of collaboration between the government and private enterprises in the country.
“There is a need to mobilize the private sector to achieve economic self-reliance,” the Prime Minister’s Office quoted him as saying during the meeting.
“Protecting the rights of the Pakistani business community and providing them with a conducive environment for profitable business are among the top priorities of the government,” he continued.
Sharif also pledged to reduce the cost of doing business in Pakistan, noting that measures were being implemented to facilitate access to loans and reduce electricity prices.
Addressing tax compliance, he emphasized a zero-tolerance policy toward tax evasion. Pakistan has historically one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the region.
The government has tried to addressed the situation by reforming its tax collection body through increased automation to improve collection and compliance.
The official statement said the delegation of business leaders commended the government’s economic policies, citing gradual improvements in the national economy and business environment.
They also presented budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
Pakistan is scheduled to release a comprehensive economic survey for the outgoing fiscal year on June 9, only a day ahead of the budget preparation.
