ISLAMABAD: US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, visited Islamabad on Monday, the Pakistani foreign office said, as the Afghan Taliban and Kabul government issued a joint statement after the conclusion of two-day talks in Doha.
A delegation of Afghan leaders met the Taliban’s political leadership in the Qatari capital over the weekend but the Taliban, in a statement late on Sunday, made no mention of a halt to Afghanistan’s escalating violence.
Over recent Eid holidays, the Taliban have called short cease-fires, saying they wanted to let Afghans spend them in peace.
This time there has been no such announcement as the Taliban make swift territorial gains in near-unprecedented levels of fighting nationwide as US-led foreign forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of fighting.
“In meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Ambassador Khalilzad emphasized the urgency of a comprehensive political settlement between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban, one that leads to a sustainable peace and preserves Afghanistan’s security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the Pakistani foreign office said.
It added:
“Continued war in Afghanistan poses a risk to the entire region and holds back its development. Peace, by contrast, will enable regional connectivity and increased trade and development. We commit to do our part to make this vision a reality. Tangible and material support for the Afghanistan peace process is vital for its ultimate success, as are positive long-term relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
Khalilzad met the PM Khan in Islamabad who said “the escalation of conflict and instability in Afghanistan was not in Pakistan’s interest as it would lead to serious challenges for Pakistan in areas of security and influx of refugees.”
“A secure and safe Western border was in Pakistan’s own best interest and Pakistan would like to remain closely engaged with the US and other relevant countries for peace efforts,” the PM was quoted by the foreign office as saying. “He emphasized the need for all Afghan sides to show flexibility and engage meaningfully with each other.”
Khan added that as suggested by him at last week’s Central Asia and South Asia Connectivity Conference in Tashkent, it was important for Afghanistan’s neighbors and regional countries to constructively work together for a lasting political settlement in Afghanistan.
Pakistan also said on Monday there was no military solution to the Afghan conflict and a negotiated political settlement through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led process was the only way forward.
“Pakistan hopes that the Afghan sides would continue their engagement in future in a meaningful manner. This will help in reduction of violence, weaken the hands of spoilers and pave the way for establishment of lasting peace in Afghanistan,” the foreign office said in a separate statement.
US special envoy in Islamabad as Taliban, Kabul conclude two-day talks in Doha
https://arab.news/6gw9y
US special envoy in Islamabad as Taliban, Kabul conclude two-day talks in Doha
- A delegation of Afghan leaders met the Taliban’s political leadership in the Qatari capital over the weekend
- Zalmay Khalilzad meets Pakistani PM Imran Khan and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa
Gunmen abduct over a dozen workers from ‘atomic and mining projects’ in Pakistan’s northwest
- The incident took place in the volatile Lakki Marwat district, a hotspot for TTP's militant activities
- A local analyst says the incident has raised serious questions about the state’s writ in KP province
PESHAWAR: A group of armed men on Thursday abducted more than a dozen people working on “atomic and mining projects” in Lakki Marwat, a highly volatile district of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, a police official said.
Lakki Marwat is situated on the edge of the tribal region bordering Afghanistan, where the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has frequently targeted police precincts and checkpoints, killing several law enforcement personnel in the past.
Pakistani authorities have often accused the Afghan administration in Kabul of aiding TTP militants in their cross-border attacks, an allegation Afghanistan denies.
Speaking to Arab News, Shahid Marwat, the district’s police spokesperson, said armed men kidnapped “17 civilians,” including the driver of the team working on the mining project.
“This unfortunate incident took place on Dara Tang Road this morning,” he said. “The kidnapped individuals worked on atomic energy's mining projects. A heavy police contingent has also been dispatched to locate the kidnappers.”
Marwat did not share further details, but the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), a government agency responsible for the nuclear energy program, operates mining projects in various parts of the country.
Lakki Marwat has been a hotspot of militant activity that witnessed unprecedented protests last September, when police officers, joined by civil society members and tribal elders, staged sit-ins and blocked the Indus Highway.
The demonstrations followed a spate of militant attacks that killed several policemen, prompting members of the force to demand greater involvement and autonomy in counterterrorism operations.
While no group has officially claimed responsibility for the incident, some media outlets reported the TTP acknowledged its involvement.
Riaz Bangash, a Peshawar-based expert on the region’s security affairs, told Arab News the incident had raised serious questions about the state’s writ in the province.
“The southern districts of KP are totally neglected and are at the mercy of criminals amid vanishing government writ,” he said. “This is despite the fact that at this time all three top provincial officials, including the chief minister, governor, and inspector general of police, belong to these districts. Still, the region is in chaos.”
Bangash emphasized the importance of avoiding politicization of the region’s security issues and urged all political parties to unite and work out a joint strategy to address the “growing insecurity.”
This is not the first time such kidnappings have taken place in the region.
Last June, unidentified gunmen abducted 13 laborers from the southern Tank district of KP, who were later released. In November, armed men also abducted seven policemen from a check post in the northwestern district of Bannu, who were released after mediation by tribal elders.
So far, the government has not issued a statement about the incident.
Pakistan to reopen Hajj applications from Jan. 10 to fill 5,000 vacant seats
- Religious affairs ministry says new applicants will have to pay about $2,152 in two installments
- Pakistan extended the application deadline twice in December due to insufficient submissions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to reopen Hajj applications from January 10 to fill the remaining 5,000 seats under the government quota after falling short of the required number of applications for this year’s pilgrimage, the Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia has allocated a quota of 179,210 Hajj pilgrims for Pakistan in 2025, divided equally between government and private schemes. The government extended the application deadline twice last month, from December 3 to December 10 and then to December 17, to fill the seats. However, it also hinted at reopening applications in early January due to insufficient submissions.
“The Ministry of Religious Affairs has called for Hajj applications for 5,000 vacant seats under the government quota,” Muhammad Umer Butt, the ministry’s spokesperson, said in a statement. “Hajj applications will be received on a first-come, first-served basis starting from January 10.”
Butt said that new applicants must pay Rs 600,000 ($2,152) in two installments, with additional charges for sacrifices and separate room accommodations.
“All designated banks are instructed to upload daily received applications to the portal immediately,” he added. “The receipt of applications will be halted as soon as the government quota is filled.”
For the first time, the country’s Hajj policy allowed pilgrims last year to make payments in installments. Under this scheme, the first installment of Rs 200,000 ($717) had to be submitted with the application, the second installment of Rs 400,000 ($1,435) within 10 days of balloting and the remaining amount by February 10 this year.
According to official statistics, the government scheme received 12,000 to 13,000 more applications last year compared to 2023. In 2024, Pakistan had to surrender 21,000 Hajj seats to Saudi Arabia due to a shortage of applicants. However, the government is determined to fill all slots for the 2025 pilgrimage.
The ministry has also launched the Pak Hajj 2025 mobile application, available for both Android and iPhone users, to guide pilgrims. Additionally, the government announced a reduction in airfare, lowering ticket prices for federal program pilgrims to Rs 220,000, down from last year’s Rs 234,000.
Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines, and private carriers have agreed to transport pilgrims this year.
Pakistan’s interior minister calls for global strategy against militancy in farewell meeting with US envoy
- The two countries have a history of security and counterterrorism collaboration, especially after 9/11
- Donald Blome was first US envoy to Pakistan after the pull out of international forces from Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday urged the international community to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat rising militant violence during a meeting with outgoing United States Ambassador Donald Blome.
The discussion highlighted the longstanding history of counterterrorism collaboration between the two countries. Following the events of September 11, 2001, Pakistan became an ally in the US-led war in Afghanistan. Despite fluctuations in their relationship, both sides shared intelligence and carried out coordinated operations, with the US providing military aid to Pakistan.
More recently, Washington has offered counterterrorism support to Islamabad, which is grappling with a surge in militant violence in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan. Pakistan accuses militant groups, such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), of launching cross-border attacks with Kabul’s support, an allegation Afghan authorities deny.
“Terrorism is a global issue,” Naqvi said, according to a statement issued by his office after the meeting. “The international community must unite to devise a plan for its complete eradication.”
The US envoy condemned the recent wave of militant violence in Pakistan, as Naqvi reiterated that no illegal foreigner would be allowed to stay in the country.
His remark was made amid a crackdown on Afghan nationals since 2023. Pakistani authorities had accused many of them of involvement in suicide bombings without providing much evidence.
The Pakistani minister also commended Blome’s contributions to enhancing US-Pakistan relations during his tenure.
The US envoy, in turn, acknowledged the cooperation he received during his time in Pakistan.
Blome, the first US ambassador to Pakistan appointed after the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, played a role in recalibrating US-Pakistan relations in the post-war context. His appointment in May 2022 marked the end of a three-year vacancy in the role, during which chargé d’affaires led the US mission.
In addition to his diplomatic responsibilities, the outgoing US ambassador engaged in public diplomacy efforts, including exploring Pakistani culture and cuisine.
Last year, he visited Karachi’s famed Burns Road food street, sampling local delicacies. A video shared by the embassy featuring Blome enjoying the dishes garnered widespread attention.
PIA to resume European operations tomorrow with Paris flight after four-year suspension
- Flights to Europe were suspended following an air crash in Karachi that killed 97 in May 2020
- Resumption of European operations will boost PIA’s revenue, improve privatization prospects
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national air carrier will resume flights to Europe on Friday, with the first flight departing from Islamabad to Paris, marking the end of a nearly four-year suspension of its European operations, the airline announced on Thursday.
The ban was imposed in 2020 following a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash in Karachi that killed 97 people and subsequent claims by a former aviation minister of the country that nearly 40 percent of local pilots held “dubious” licenses.
The statement raised global concerns about Pakistan’s aviation safety oversight, prompting European regulators to ground PIA flights.
“PIA’s flight will depart from Islamabad to Paris tomorrow,” the airline said in a statement, adding that two weekly flights will initially operate on Fridays and Sundays, with plans to gradually increase the frequency.
The airline noted the flight schedule had been designed for maximum convenience, adding that flights from Islamabad would depart at 11:30 a.m. and arrive in Paris at 4:00 p.m., while return flights would leave Paris at 6:00 p.m. and reach Islamabad at 5:00 a.m. the following day.
“The schedule is so convenient that passengers can have breakfast in Pakistan and lunch in Paris,” the airline said, emphasizing the appeal of the new service.
The suspension of European operations had exacerbated PIA’s financial woes, as the debt-ridden carrier struggled to recover from a tarnished reputation.
The government faced challenges privatizing the airline, a condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during last year’s $7 billion loan negotiations, due to its fragile financial state.
The resumption of European flights is expected to boost PIA’s revenue stream and improve its appeal to potential investors, strengthening the government’s privatization efforts.
Baloch separatists attack remote town in Pakistan’s southwest, security forces regain control
- Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the latest attack in Zehri town of Khuzdar district
- BLA torched Levies station and NADRA office, robbed a private bank before security forces moved in
QUETTA: Armed fighters from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) attacked a small town in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Wednesday, seizing government facilities before security forces regained control, an administration official in the area confirmed.
The attack in Zehri, located 150 kilometers from Khuzdar city, occurred when BLA fighters stormed the Levies force station and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office, setting the buildings ablaze and robbing a private bank.
The incident comes days after an explosion targeting a Frontier Corps (FC) convoy in Turbat killed five paramilitary soldiers and injured over 40 people.
“Dozens of armed men attacked Zehri town on Wednesday and burnt a Levies station, NADRA office and robbed a private bank,” Khuzdar’s deputy commissioner, Yasir Iqbal Dashti, told Arab News over the phone. “Security forces timely retaliated and regained control of the area. One soldier of the Frontier Corps got injured during the standoff.”
The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack, saying its fighters had seized government properties and set them on fire. Videos shared on social media showed armed men patrolling Zehri’s streets and taking vehicles and motorbikes belonging to security officials.
Asked about the amount stolen from the bank, Dashti said the authorities were investigating and did not yet have the figure.
“Armed men have managed to escape, and the situation is under control now,” he added.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and resource-rich province, has long been plagued by a low-level insurgency led by ethnic Baloch separatist groups like the BLA. They accuse Islamabad of exploiting the province’s natural resources, such as gold and copper, while neglecting the local population.
Pakistan rejects these allegations, asserting that the federal government has prioritized Balochistan’s development by investing in health, education and infrastructure projects.
The BLA has become a significant security threat in recent years, carrying out major attacks in Balochistan and Sindh provinces targeting security forces, ethnic Punjabis and Chinese nationals working on development projects.
Violence by Baloch separatist factions, primarily the BLA, killed about 300 people over the past year, marking an escalation in the decades-long conflict.
