Pakistani PM says breaking diplomatic relations with France will push nation into poverty

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Updated 20 April 2021
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Pakistani PM says breaking diplomatic relations with France will push nation into poverty

  • PM's remarks came in response to week-long, violent protests by a recently banned religious political party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan
  • The TLP is calling on the government to expel the French envoy before April 20 over the publication of blasphemous cartoons in France

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday meeting the demand of a recently banned religious political party, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), to break diplomatic ties with France would hit Pakistani exports to the European Union and fuel poverty, unemployment and inflation in the country. 

Violent protests by the rightwing group have rocked the country since last Monday when TLP chief Saad Rizvi was arrested in Lahore for threatening the government with rallies if it did not expel the French envoy to Islamabad over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) published in France last year. 

The protests have paralyzed major cities and highways all week, leading to the killing of six policemen with over 800 injured, according to the government. Photographs of the police, with their heads, legs and arms heavily bandaged, have been posted on social media by their captors through the week. 

On Sunday, TLP said three of its members were killed during clashes outside the TLP’s headquarters in the eastern city of Lahore. The group also took a number of police officers and paramilitary troops hostage, releasing 11 policemen in the early hours of Monday after negotiations with the government. 

The riots have also prompted the French embassy last week to recommend all its nationals temporarily leave the country.

TLP is calling on the government to honor what it says was a commitment made in February to the party to expel the French envoy before April 20 over the publication of blasphemous cartoons in France. PM Khan says his government had only committed to debating the matter in Parliament. 

"The biggest effect [of breaking ties with France] will be that after great difficulty our economy is rising, the large-scale industry is getting up after a long time, people are getting jobs, wealth is increasing in our country, our exports are rising and after a long time, our rupee is strengthening,” Khan said in a televised address to the nation, adding that breaking ties with France was tantamount to severing relations with the entire European Union.

“Half of our textile exports go to the EU and that will be stopped, resulting in unemployment, devaluation of the rupee, increase in inflation and poverty,” Khan said. “We will be at loss but this won’t make any difference to France.”

The prime minister said head of states of all Muslim countries should collectively take up the issue of blasphemy at the United Nations and EU: “We should tell the western countries that blasphemy to our Prophet [PBUH] in the name of freedom of speech hurts us. And if they don’t stop it, we can then collectively do the trade boycott.” 

Khan said this was the only way to “achieve the objective” of creating an environment in which no one would dare to disrespect the Prophet (pbuh), and he himself would lead the global campaign to ensure this. 

The premier’s address came as the government went into a third round of negotiations with the TLP.

“We believe in negotiations and it’s our policy,” Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul Haq Qadri said in a policy statement in the National Assembly on Monday. “We held negotiations [with the protesters] yesterday, in the morning and the third session will be held tonight after the Tarawih prayer.”

The minister assured parliament the deadlock with protesters would be resolved through negotiations: “No political, democratic and elected government can afford such things and whatever happened in the past few days is regrettable to everyone.” 

On Sunday evening, Information Minister Fawad Hussain Chaudhry had said the government was forced to launch an armed operation against protesters after they kidnapped law enforcement officials.

“The government believes in negotiations but can’t be blackmailed,” he said. “The operation was started after police and Rangers personnel were kidnapped ... [Prime Minister] Imran Khan has the strongest affection with the Prophet (pbuh) and he has talked about this at every [national and global] forum.” 

Earlier on Sunday, a police spokesperson, Arif Rana, said the operation against the TLP had been halted as the attackers were armed with petrol bombs and a tanker with 50,000 liters of petrol. 

By Sunday evening, he said, the situation was “at a standstill” with protesters sitting on roadsides with sticks and petrol bombs in their hands and law enforcement standing guard. 

Last week, the interior ministry said it was moving to have the TLP party banned for attacking police and paramilitary troops and disrupting public life during its protests. The interior ministry’s decision has been approved by the federal cabinet but needs to be ratified by the Supreme Court for the TLP to be officially dissolved. 

In October 2020, protests broke out in several Muslim countries, including Pakistan, over France’s response to a deadly attack on a teacher who showed cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to his pupils during a civics lesson. French President Emmanuel Macron has defended the caricatures as freedom of expression.

During last year's protests in Pakistan, the government negotiated with the TLP and met a number of its demands, including that it would debate expelling the French ambassador in parliament. 

A deadline to make that parliamentary move expires on April 20. 

Saad Rizvi became the leader of the Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan party last November after the sudden death of his father, the firebrand cleric Khadim Hussein Rizvi. 

Rizvi’s party gained prominence in Pakistan’s 2018 federal elections, campaigning to defend the country’s blasphemy laws, which call for the death penalty for anyone who insults Islam. The party also has a history of staging protests and sit-ins to pressure the government to accept its demands. 

In November 2017, Rizvi’s followers staged a 21-day protest and sit-in after a reference to the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was removed from the text of a government form.


Pakistan’s Met Office forecasts ‘severe’ heatwave during Eid Al-Adha holidays 

Updated 05 June 2025
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Pakistan’s Met Office forecasts ‘severe’ heatwave during Eid Al-Adha holidays 

  • High pressure likely to develop over country on June 7, expected to grip most areas from June 8
  • Day temperatures likely to remain 5°C to 7°C above normal from June 7-12 in country’s upper half

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday forecast a “severe” heatwave in the country during the Eid Al-Adha holidays from June 7 to 12, urging the public to take precautionary measures.

Pakistan ranks among the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change and has faced increasingly frequent extreme weather events in recent years, including deadly heatwaves and devastating floods.

“Met Office predicted that high pressure is likely to develop over the country on June 7 and is expected to grip most parts from June 8,” the PMD said in a statement.

“Day temperatures are likely to remain 5°C to 7°C above normal in the upper half (central & upper Punjab, Islamabad, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan) from June 7 to June 12.”

Dust storms and gusty winds are expected across the plains of the country due to intense heat, it added.

The Met Office advised women, the elderly and children to avoid direct sunlight during the day and stay hydrated at all times as precautionary moves. 

Farmers were urged to manage their crop activities according to the latest weather conditions and to take care of their livestock.

The Met Office urged authorities to remain vigilant and take necessary measures to prevent any adverse situations arising from the heatwave conditions.

Pakistan experienced its most recent heatwave in May but no loss of life was reported.

In June 2024, nearly 700 people died in less than a week during a severe heatwave in the country, with most fatalities reported in the port city of Karachi and other parts of the southern Sindh province.

A similar heatwave in 2015 claimed over 2,000 lives in Pakistan’s largest city Karachi alone, while catastrophic floods in 2022 left more than 1,700 people dead and displaced over 33 million across the country.


Pakistan defense minister says Simla Agreement with India ‘has no worth’ after conflict

Updated 05 June 2025
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Pakistan defense minister says Simla Agreement with India ‘has no worth’ after conflict

  • As per 1972 agreement, India and Pakistan agreed to resolve Kashmir dispute bilaterally
  • Simla Agreement also formalized de facto border separating Kashmir between two nations

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Thursday that Islamabad’s Simla Agreement with New Delhi, which formalized the de facto border separating the disputed Kashmir territory with its neighbor, “has no worth” after the recent standoff between them.

India and Pakistan signed the Simla Agreement in 1972 after the 1971 war between the two countries, which New Delhi won and led to the creation of Bangladesh. One of its main clauses was that India and Pakistan both agreed to bilaterally discuss and resolve the issue of the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir.

Another clause of the agreement was that both countries renamed the Ceasefire Line, the de facto border separating Pakistan-administered Kashmir from the one governed by India, to the “Line of Control” (LoC). Both India and Pakistan agreed not to change it unilaterally.

After India suspended a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April, Pakistan announced a raft of tit-for-tat measures against Delhi. Islamabad said it had the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India, including the Simla Agreement, in abeyance.

“Because of India’s steps I think the sanctity of the Simla Agreement has ended,” Asif told Geo News. “All the status before the Simla Agreement, that we will resolve problems bilaterally, all of its provisions, is not applicable.

That agreement as a whole, I think after this war and episode, has no worth or value,” he added.

He reiterated Pakistan’s position that India’s move to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance was illegal as the terms dictated that neither of the two parties can alter its status unilaterally.

Signed in 1960, the treaty allocates the six Indus Basin rivers between India and Pakistan, with the World Bank acting as its guarantor.

Pakistan has rights to the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — for irrigation, drinking, and non-consumptive uses like hydropower. India controls the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — for unrestricted use but must not significantly alter their flow.

India can use the western rivers for limited purposes such as power generation and irrigation, without storing or diverting large volumes

Asif said neither the World Bank nor any other institution had any “interference or patronage” in the Simla Agreement when it was signed in 1972.

“So then, the Control Line will once again shift to its original status of Ceasefire Line,” the minister said.

While the fragile ceasefire between India and Pakistan announced on May 10 by US President Donald Trump -persists, tensions remain high as delegations by both nuclear-armed neighbors head to world capitals and blame each other for the May conflict.

Kashmir has always remained the root cause of conflict between India and Pakistan. The two countries claim the region in full but administer only parts of it. They have fought two out of three wars since 1947 over the territory.

Delhi blames Islamabad for fomenting militancy in the part of Kashmir it administers. Pakistan denies the allegations and says it only extends diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir it says are living under “occupation.”


Pakistan PM embarks on two-day Saudi Arabia visit to bolster bilateral ties

Updated 05 June 2025
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Pakistan PM embarks on two-day Saudi Arabia visit to bolster bilateral ties

  • During his stay on June 5 and 6, Sharif will celebrate Eid Al-Adha, hold bilateral meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
  • Discussions are expected to focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment and regional security, welfare of Muslim Ummah

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed on Thursday on a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to strengthen bilateral relations between the two longstanding allies, the premier’s office said. 

During his stay on June 5 and 6, Sharif will celebrate Eid Al-Adha in the Kingdom and hold a bilateral meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The discussions are expected to focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment and regional security.

“The two leaders will discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, welfare of the Muslim Ummah, and regional peace and security,” according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Sharif is also expected to express gratitude to the Saudi leadership for their role in de-escalating recent tensions between Pakistan and India. 

Last month, following the worst military confrontation between India and Pakistan in decades, Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf nations, played a key role in mediating between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, helping to avert a potential war. 

The visit also comes amid deepening economic ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. In recent months, the two countries have signed multiple agreements aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment. Notably, Saudi Arabia has committed to a $5 billion investment package to support Pakistan’s economy, which has been grappling with a balance of payments crisis.

Last year, Saudi and Pakistani businessmen signed 34 memorandums of understanding worth $2.8 billion, covering sectors such as industry, technology, and agriculture. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s Manara Minerals is in talks to acquire a 10-20 percent stake in Pakistan’s $9 billion Reko Diq copper and gold mining project, one of the largest of its kind globally.

Defense cooperation is also a key component of the bilateral relationship. The two nations have a history of military collaboration, with Saudi Arabia providing support to Pakistan during times of regional tension and Pakistan training Saudi forces. 

Pakistan has a 2.7 million-strong diaspora in Saudi Arabia, which accounts for the highest remittance inflow, a crucial lifeline for the country’s economy.


Pakistani pilgrims pray for Palestinians, Muslim world on sacred Day of Arafat

Updated 05 June 2025
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Pakistani pilgrims pray for Palestinians, Muslim world on sacred Day of Arafat

  • Over 117,000 Pakistanis have joined millions of Muslims from around the world in Arafat to seek forgiveness
  • Pilgrims express satisfaction with facilities provided by Pakistan’s Hajj mission supported by Saudi authorities

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani pilgrims on Thursday vowed to pray for Palestinians and the wider Muslim world as they joined over a million fellow worshippers in Arafat on one of the most sacred days in Islam to seek forgiveness.

The Day of Arafat, observed on the 9th of Dhu Al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic calendar, marks the spiritual peak of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Its central ritual, Wuquf, involves standing in devotion from noon until sunset near Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) delivered his farewell sermon.

After sunset, pilgrims travel to Muzdalifah, located between Arafat and Mina, to collect pebbles for the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual performed the following day.

“It is a big day for the Muslims around the world and those who are present here,” Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said while speaking to media from Mount Arafat.

“I urge Pakistani pilgrims that along with praying for their own families, they should also pray for the country, Muslim Ummah, especially people of Gaza, Palestine and Kashmir,” he added.

Malik Aslam, a Pakistani pilgrim from Gujar Khan, a city in Rawalpindi District, said the situation in Gaza was deeply disturbing and that he would pray for Palestinians.

“All pilgrims should pray for all the Muslims, especially those in Palestine,” he told Arab News. “Pilgrims should pray for the success of Muslims in all fields.”

“I am also praying for my parents and all those who left this world,” he added.

Expressing his feelings from Mount Arafat, Muhammad Usman, another pilgrim from Gujrat district in Punjab, said he was thankful to God for blessing him with the opportunity to perform Hajj.

“Today, I am reflecting on my entire life and praying that Allah grant me a better, righteous life ahead,” he told Arab News, saying he would begin a new chapter of life after Hajj.

“I hope to leave here with all my known and unknown sins forgiven,” he added.

Muhammad Abdullah, from Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said his day was going well, as the weather was not too hot.

“I will pray for the whole Ummah, following example of our Holy Prophet [PBUH],” he added.

Speaking about the arrangements, Samad Wazir, a pilgrim from the northwestern Waziristan tribal district, expressed satisfaction with the facilities provided by both the Pakistani Hajj mission and Saudi authorities, hoping the same standard would continue in the coming days.

“It is very well arranged and there has been no problem at all in the tents and other places,” he said, adding that everyone had their own folding beds and received meals on time in the tents.

“Even on the buses, the arrangements were smooth, as everyone boarded in turn with the help of Hajj volunteers, who also guided us all the way to our tents,” he added.

Munir Ahmed Bhatti, a pilgrim from Gujranwala city, also praised the Pakistani mission for the arrangements in Mina and Arafat.

“We gathered for Hajj and this time the government of Pakistan has done very good arrangements and we are satisfied,” he said, adding that pilgrims got good residences, food and transportation.

Over 117,000 Pakistani pilgrims are currently in Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025.


Pakistan’s Punjab grants 90-day sentence remission to 450 prisoners ahead of Eid Al-Adha

Updated 05 June 2025
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Pakistan’s Punjab grants 90-day sentence remission to 450 prisoners ahead of Eid Al-Adha

  • A total of 270 prisoners will be released from jails to celebrate Eid Al-Adha with their families
  • Sentence remissions are traditionally announced on religious, national occasions in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Around 450 prisoners in Pakistan’s populous Punjab province have been granted a special 90-day remission in their sentences ahead of Eid Al-Adha, the Punjab government announced on Thursday.

Pakistani leaders traditionally announce sentence remissions for prisoners on religious festivals and other special occasions like Independence Day.

These remissions are intended as goodwill gestures to promote rehabilitation and allow selected inmates to reunite with their families during important national and religious occasions.

“Prisoners in Punjab’s jails have been given a special 90-day sentence remission,” the Punjab administration said in a statement, adding “450 inmates will benefit” from the decision.

Two hundred and seventy prisoners out of 450 will be released from Punjab’s jails and be able to celebrate Eid with their families, it added.

The sentence remission was granted by the Punjab government under Rule 216 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978.

Prisoners convicted of militancy, sectarianism, espionage, treason, anti-state activities, murder, rape, drug trafficking, robbery, kidnapping, financial embezzlement or causing loss to the national treasury, as well as those punished for violating jail rules within the past year, will not be eligible for sentence remission.

Earlier this year in March, President Asif Ali Zardari announced a special 180-day remission in sentences for eligible prisoners on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr.

He had also approved similar remissions for prisoners on Pakistan Day and Eid Al-Fitr last year.