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Polling ends for Punjab by-elections marred by clashes, vote count underway

A view of a polling station PP-217 in Multan, Pakistan on July 17, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Social media)
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Updated 17 July 2022
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Polling ends for Punjab by-elections marred by clashes, vote count underway

  • The by-elections are seen as a popularity test for the ruling PML-N and the opposition PTI parties
  • The outcome of the elections will also determine the fate of Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz
Updated 17 July 2022
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Polling for by-elections on 20 high-stakes Punjab Assembly seats, closely contested by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parties, has ended and a vote count is underway, after clashes between supporters of rival political parties in multiple areas. 




A woman cast her vote at a polling station in Pakistan's populous province Punjab on July 17, 2022. (Election commission of Pakistan)

The polling process started at 8am and continued until 5pm, after which the counting of votes is underway. The seats fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified 25 PTI lawmakers for switching their loyalties and voting for Hamza Shehbaz in an April election for the chief minister's slot. The ECP had announced fresh polls on 20 general seats as five of the disqualified members were elected on reserved seats for women and religious minorities. 




A man cast his vote at a polling station in Pakistan's populous province Punjab on July 17, 2022. (Election commission of Pakistan)

The by-elections have dominated Pakistan’s political landscape in the recent weeks as the ruling PML-N and the opposition PTI vie for the maximum number of seats that will also determine the fate of CM Shehbaz.  

While the voting process largely remained calm in most areas, clashes were reported between the supporters of the two main political parties in Lahore’s PP-158 constituency. In a video that went viral on social media, a PML-N supporter accused PTI leader Jamshed Iqbal Cheema of inflicting a head injury on him. Police officials in Punjab said they had decided to arrest Cheema for the alleged assault, local media reported.  

PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar accused PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi of attempting to disrupt polling process in Multan and to buy people’s votes at a factory.  

The situation turned tense in Muzaffargarh when PTI leader and a close aide of former PM Imran Khan, Dr. Shahbaz Gill, was arrested for showing up at different polling booths with private guards dressed up as paramilitary FC personnel.   

Gill denied the charges and said he was arrested by the police without any warrants. He said he would announce his future course of action after holding discussions with his lawyers. 

According to Geo News, local police arrived at the scene to drive the guards out of the factory.  

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged people in a string of Twitter posts to consider the “dark days” of the PTI rule that lasted for about four years while electing their representatives.  

“Punjab has seen the worst-ever misgovernance [under the PTI rule],” he said. “Citizens were deprived of free medicines & scholarships. Civil & police transfers/postings were on sale. Quality of municipal services plummeted & lawlessness became rampant. Manner in which Punjab was treated was an insult to people.”  

Former prime minister Imran Khan applauded his party supporters for casting their ballot despite all the “harassment.”  

“I am pleased to see our voters coming out to cast their votes in large numbers & resisting all pressures & harassment,” he said on Twitter. “I want all those, esp our women, who have to still come out to cast their vote to do so as this is an election for Pakistan's sovereignty & Haqeeqi Azadi [real independence].”  

According to the local media, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken notice of violence in different provincial assembly constituencies and will also be probing any rigging allegations.  

The Pakistan Army already said on Saturday its troops would only act as “Quick Reaction Force” to address any security issues that could arise during the polling process.  

Political analysts expect a close contest among PTI and PML-N candidates in each constituency, though a large number of independents and candidates of other parties, including the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Jamat-e-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUI-P), Awami National Party (ANP) and Tehrik-e-Jawanan Pakistan (TJP), are also contesting the elections.  

Habib Akram, a political analyst and a TV talk show host, said the results of the by-elections on 20 seats would be crucial as they would dictate the future of the Shehbaz government in Punjab.  

“If we go by the public sentiment in each constituency, then the PTI should easily win 15 out of 20 seats,” Akram told Arab News. “People in these constituencies feel that this is a make-or-break moment for the country due to the PTI’s narrative of a ‘regime change conspiracy’.”  

He said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a coalition of nine parties that overthrew the Khan government in the center through a no-trust vote in April, had failed to deliver on its promises.  

“The PDM’s narrative of inflation stood defeated badly just within weeks of their government when they raised fuel and electricity prices to a record level,” Akram said. “People are now buying the narrative of PTI across the Punjab province.”  

Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), said the result of the by-elections would also impact the federal government, therefore, both parties put in their best to win the maximum number of seats.  

“This election will also determine if the PTI’s narrative of foreign conspiracy has resonated with the public. The PML-N is blaming the PTI for poor governance and inflation during its tenure and trying to persuade the public in its favor,” he told Arab News.  

“Apparently, the PTI has gained popularity in Punjab after its ouster from the government, but it is yet to be seen if this popularity would convert into votes on July 17.”  

Here is a list of all 20 constituencies and the candidates who won the 2018 general elections from there:

PP-7 Rawalpindi

Raja Sagheer Ahmed won the seat as an independent candidate in 2018 and later joined the PTI. Six candidates are currently contesting the election in this constituency, including two independents.

The main contest is expected between PTI’s Mohammad Shabbir Awan and Raja Sagheer Ahmed of PML-N. Other candidates include JI’s Tanveer Ahmed, Mansoor Zahoor of TLP, Raja Waseem Ahmed and Nazakat Hussain.

PP-83 Khushab

Malik Ghulam Rasool Sangha won the seat as an independent candidate in 2018. A total of ten candidates are contesting the by-election in this constituency, including seven independents. PML-N has fielded Amir Haider Sangha, PTI has nominated Hassan Malik and TLP has named Zammurad Abbas Khan its candidate.

PP-90 Bhakkar

Saeed Akbar Khan won the PP-90 seat as an independent in 2018 and later joined the PTI. Nine candidates are currently vying for this seat, including four independents.

Khan has this time been nominated by PML-N, Abdur Rauf by JUI-P, Irfanullah Khan Niazi by PTI, Mohammad Amjad Jamil by TLP and Naveed Ahsan Niaz by JI.

PP-97 Faisalabad

The seat was won by Mohammad Ajmal as an independent candidate in 2018. He too later joined the PTI. A total of 12 candidates are currently running for the provincial assembly seat, including seven independents. They include Naveed Shafee of TLP, Mohammad Sohaib Aslam of Pakistan Nazriyati Party (PNP), Mohammad Ajmal of PML-N, Ali Afzal Sahi of PTI and Ali Ahmad of JI.

PP-125 Jhang

Faisal Hayat won the seat as an independent candidate in 2018. A total of ten candidates are now vying for this seat, including eight independents. The main contest in the constituency is expected between Hayat, who has been nominated by the PML-N, and PTI’s Mian Muhammad Azam.

PP-127 Jhang

Mehar Muhammad Aslam won the seat as an independent in 2018 and later joined the PTI. A total of ten candidates are contesting the election in this constituency, including seven independents. They are Mehar Muhammad Nawaz of PTI, PML-N’s Mehar Muhammad Aslam and Muhammad Usman of TLP.

PP-140 Sheikhupura

Mian Khalid Mehmood won the seat as a PTI candidate in 2018, but deserted his party in 2022 and voted for Hamza Shehbaz in the chief minister’s election.

A total of ten candidates are vying for this seat, including six independents. They include Javed Iqbal of TLP, Khurram Shahzad Virk of PTI, Muhammad Tauseef of JI and Mian Khalid Mehmood of PML-N.

PP-158 Lahore

Abdul Aleem Khan won the seat on PTI’s ticket in 2018. A total of 14 candidates are contesting the election in this constituency, including eight independents. They are Jamil-ur-Rehman of the PNP, Rana Ahsan of PML-N, Umair Awan of JI, Muhammad Bilal of TLP, Muhammad Zahid Khan of Awami National Party (ANP) and Mian Muhammad Akram Usman of PTI.

PP-167 Lahore

Nazir Ahmed Chohan won the seat as the PTI candidate in 2018. A total of 11 candidates are now contesting the election in this constituency, including six independents. They include Hasnain Ahmed Shahzad of TLP, Khalil Ahmed of JI, Shabbir Ahmed of PTI, Nazir Ahmed Chohan of PML-N and Wakif Tehmasab Kayani of TJP.

PP-168 Lahore

Malik Asad Ali won the 2018 election as the PTI candidate. Nine candidates are currently vying for this seat, including five independents. They are Amjad Hussain Abbasi of TLP, Usman Ghani of JI, Muhammad Nawaz Awan of PTI, and Malik Asad Ali of PML-N.

PP-170 Lahore

Muhammad Amin Zulqarnain won the seat as the PTI candidate in 2018. Eight candidates are currently contesting the election in this constituency, including four independents. They are Jamil Ahmed of TLP, Muhammad Amin Zulqarnain of PML-N, Malik Zaheer Abbas of PTI and Waqas Ahmad Butt of JI.

PP-202 Sahiwal

Malik Nauman Ahmad Langrial won the seat as the PTI candidate in 2018. Eight candidates are now contesting the by-election, including five independents. They include Umair Saleem of TLP, Muhammad Ghulam Sarwar of PTI and Malik Noman Ahmad Langrial of PML-N.

PP-217 Multan

Muhammad Salman won as an independent candidate in 2018. Four candidates are currently taking part in the by-election, including Zahid Hameed Gujjar of TLP, Sajid Ismail of JI, Mohammad Salman of PML-N and Makhdoom Zain Hussain Qureshi of PTI.

PP-224 Lodhran

Zawar Hussain Warraich won the seat as the PTI candidate in 2018. A total of ten candidates are running for the seat now, including six independents. They include Intizar Ahmad Attari of TLP, Hafiz Abdul Shakoor of JUI-P, Zawar Hussain Warraich of PML-N and Muhammad Amir Iqbal Shah of PTI.

PP-228 Lodhran

Nazir Ahmed Khan won the constituency as the PTI candidate in 2018. Six candidates are currently contesting the election, including Syed Arshad Ali Shah of TLP, Izzat Javaid Khan of PTI, Nazir Ahmed Khan of PML-N and three independents.

PP-237 Bahawalnagar

Fida Hussain won as an independent in 2018 and later joined the PTI. Six candidates are vying for the seat now, including Syed Aftab Raza of PTI, Sabir Manzoor Wattoo of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Nazriati (PTI-N), Fida Hussain of PML-N, Mian Rashid Mahmood Wattoo of TLP and two independents.

PP-272 Muzaffargarh

Syeda Zehra Basit Bukhari won the 2018 election as the PTI candidate. Nine candidates are currently contesting the election, including Muhammad Ibrahim of TLP, Syeda Zehra Basit Bukhari of PML-N, Mohammad Moazzam Ali Khan of PTI and six independents.

PP-273 Muzaffargarh

Muhammad Sibtain Raza won the seat as the PTI candidate in 2018. Six candidates are now contesting the election, including Muhammad Shafi Khan of TLP, Muhammad Sibtain Raza of PML-N, Munawar Hussain Bukhari of Pakistan Peoples Party (Shaheed Bhutto), Yasir Arafat Khan of PTI and two independents.

PP-282 Layyah

Muhammad Tahir won as an independent in 2018 and later joined the PTI. A total of ten candidates are taking part in the election, including Qaiser Abbas Khan of PTI, Muhammad Shahid Iqbal of TLP, Muhammad Tahir of PML-N, Muzammil Abbas of PPP (Shaheed Bhutto) and six independents.

PP-288 Dera Ghazi Khan

Mohsin Atta Khan Khosa won the seat as an independent in 2018 and later joined the PTI. Six candidates are now contesting the election, including Sardar Mohammad Saifuddin Khosa of PTI, Abdul Qadir Khan of PML-N, Irfanullah of TLP and three independents.

Topics: Punjab by elections

Pakistan says over 20,000 Hajj applications received today

Updated 25 November 2024
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Pakistan says over 20,000 Hajj applications received today

  • Saudi Arabia has allotted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage
  • Quota of 5,000 has been allocated this year for overseas Pakistanis on “first-come, first-served basis”
Updated 25 November 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani religious affairs ministry has said over 20,000 Hajj applications had been received by Monday, as the nation prepares for the annual pilgrimage slated to be held in June next year.

Saudi Arabia has allotted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage, to be divided equally between the government and private schemes. Around 15 designated Pakistani banks started receiving applications for Hajj 2025 from intending pilgrims on Monday. 

“20,170 Hajj applications received till Monday,” a spokesperson for the Religious Affairs Ministry said on Monday, saying applications were continuing to be filed at designated banks across the country. 

“Reception of applications under the government Hajj scheme will continue till December 3.”

A quota of 5,000 has been allocated for overseas Pakistanis on a “first-come, first-served basis,” the ministry said, adding that the lottery for the government Hajj scheme would be held on Dec. 6

Pakistan’s religious affairs minister this month announced the country’s Hajj 2025 policy, according to which pilgrims can pay fees for the annual Islamic pilgrimage in installments for the first time.

Under the government scheme, the first installment of Hajj dues, amounting to Rs200,000 ($717), has to be deposited along with the Hajj application, while a second installment of Rs400,000 ($1,435) must be deposited within ten days of the balloting. The remaining amount has to be deposited by Feb. 10 next year.

On Sunday, Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry said it had launched the “Pak Hajj 2025” mobile application to guide and facilitate pilgrims. The app is available for both Android and iPhone users.

Topics: Pakistan Hajj 2025 Hajj applications Arab News Pakistan

Naval chief says Pakistan’s economic future ‘inextricably linked’ to maritime security

Updated 11 min 22 sec ago
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Naval chief says Pakistan’s economic future ‘inextricably linked’ to maritime security

  • Admiral Naveed Ashraf says challenges in Indian Ocean Region requires greater vigilance
  • He says Pakistan’s socio-economic prosperity can be assured by harnessing blue economy 
Updated 11 min 22 sec ago
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Monday emphasized the importance of maritime security for the country’s economic future, calling for robust measures to address “unprecedented challenges” in the Indian Ocean Region.
In a message issued to mark the Seventh Maritime Security Workshop, scheduled to run from November 26 to December 5 at the Pakistan Navy War College in Lahore, Ashraf highlighted the need to harness the country’s maritime potential while ensuring a secure environment for trade and economic growth.
He noted the Indian Ocean Region faced significant challenges, including geopolitical competition, nuclearization and transnational threats, compounded by rapid technological advancements.
“The country’s economic future is inextricably linked to the sea, which serves as mankind’s last reservoir for sustenance,” he said. “Securing our maritime domain is not merely a national priority but a necessity, requiring cooperation, innovation and vigilance.”
Ashraf stressed the potential of Pakistan’s maritime resources to drive socio-economic prosperity through the exploitation of the blue economy, enabled by a secure maritime environment.
His comments come at a time when Pakistan has made a strategic offer to landlocked Central Asian economies for access to its ports, allowing them to conduct trade via sea routes.
The initiative underscores Pakistan’s ambition to position itself as a critical hub for regional economic activity.
“Our rich maritime resources offer great potential for economic prosperity,” the naval chief maintained.
“Let us work toward a secure and stable maritime environment that benefits not only our nation but the global community at large,” he added.

Topics: Pakistan Pakistan Navy Seventh Maritime Security Workshop

One policeman killed, over 100 injured in clashes with Imran Khan supporters leading Islamabad protest 

Updated 12 min 13 sec ago
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One policeman killed, over 100 injured in clashes with Imran Khan supporters leading Islamabad protest 

  • Punjab inspector general says 119 officers wounded in violence by Khan’s supporters, party says scores of its followers also hurt
  • Protest ‘long march’ has coincided with visit of Belarus president, with government accusing PTI of trying to sabotage economic recovery
Updated 12 min 13 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials said on Monday one police constable had been killed and nearly 120 were wounded in violence by supporters of jailed former premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is leading a protest march to the federal capital of Islamabad. 

Thousands of rallygoers reached the edges of Islamabad on Monday evening after protest caravans set out from various parts of the country a day earlier to call for the release of political prisoners, including Khan, among other demands.

The protesters set out despite the government refusing to grant the PTI permission to enter Islamabad for a sit-in. Last week, the district administration also imposed a two-month ban on public gatherings in the capital, citing security challenges and inconvenience to the public. 

Authorities have closed all schools in Islamabad and the adjacent garrison city of Rawalpindi, while the Internet and WhatsApp messaging services have also slowed as the protest march continues. All routes connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been completely shut for the last two days, as are highways and roads from other cities leading to the federal capital. 

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said one policeman had been killed in clashes with PTI supporters. 

“Constable Mubashir has lost his life. Five people remain in critical condition,” the minister said. 

She added that 70 people had been wounded in clashes with the protesters just outside Islamabad, while there were reports of several other clashes elsewhere in the province. It was unclear if the 70 people were all policemen.

Inspector General (IG) Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar, said 119 cops had been injured. 

“Four of them sustained firearm injuries caused by a weapon,” he told reporters. “Our forces could also use firearms but to avoid any mishap we kept them without firearms.”

He said several police officers had critical head injuries. 

“More than 22 police vehicles have been damaged. Despite this, the Punjab Police remains on duty, with 22,000 personnel still actively performing their responsibilities.”

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said those who had given the call for the Islamabad protest were responsible for those who had been killed and injured.

“We have clearly communicated to all the Inspector Generals of Police, Islamabad Police, and everyone involved that those who issued this call [for protest] and incited people to gather will be held fully responsible for these actions and we will not leave anyone,” Naqvi said at a press conference after attending the funeral prayers of the policeman who was killed during the protests.

“FIRs [police report] will be registered against all of them. The protesters have fired live bullets, and our security forces could also do the same, but they only answered with rubber bullets.”

Khan’s party said scores of its workers were also hurt.

“TILL MY LAST BREATH”

The PTI march started on Sunday but could not reach Islamabad as shipping containers placed by the government on key points on major highways slowed the pace of the caravans. The PTI says its final destination is D-Chowk, a high-security area in the capital’s Red Zone that houses key government buildings and is a popular site for protests. Heavy contingents of police and other security forces have been stationed across Islamabad and at entry and exit points. 

The largest PTI protest caravan began its journey from Peshawar, the provincial capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province where Khan’s party is in power. It is being led by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan’s wife Bushra Khan, who was released on bail in October after nearly nine months in detention. 

Khan has been in jail since August last year and faces a slew of charges he says are politically motivated. 

On Monday evening, the PTI said in a text to reporters that the rally had “broken through one of the biggest barrages of containers and is at the gate of Islamabad.”

“Until Khan does not return to us, we will not end this march,” Bushra said to supporters from atop the protest caravan as the PTI edged closer to Islamabad. “I will stand there till my last breath, you people have to stand by me. I will keep standing even if nobody does because this does not concern just my husband but the country and its leader.”

Islamabad police confirmed over 400 arrests related to the protest in the past few days, saying the detainees were being held in different police stations. The PTI said over 3,500 of its leaders and supporters had been arrested in connection to the protests.

PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai, who is part of the caravan, told Arab News over the phone the march would carry on until it reached D-Chowk. 

“We will only return from D-Chowk when Imran Khan and other innocent party workers are released from Pakistani prisons,” he said. 

The PTI also said key leaders Gohar Khan and Ali Mohammad Khan had been allowed to meet the PTI flounder at Adiala jail, but no details were shared about the focus or outcome of the discussions. A second meeting with Khan was also reported late on Monday night. 

The PTI’s march has coincided with a visit to Islamabad by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and a 68-member delegation to discuss investment deals. The government has accused the PTI of trying to sabotage the foreign visit in a bid to destabilize its economic recovery efforts. 

Yousafzai rejected this criticism, saying his party had called the protest well before the Belarusian delegation’s arrival was announced. 

“We have not blocked the roads,” he added. “The government has blocked the roads, creating a situation like this. The government should have held talks with the PTI instead of blocking the roads.”

Topics: Pakistan PTI police Imran Khan PTI protest

Wheel-jam strike paralyzes Balochistan highways amid protest over kidnapped schoolboy

Updated 25 November 2024
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Wheel-jam strike paralyzes Balochistan highways amid protest over kidnapped schoolboy

  • 11-year-old Muhammad Musawir Khan was kidnapped by armed men in Quetta on Nov. 15
  • Government says law enforcement agencies are working for the kidnapped boy’s recovery
Updated 25 November 2024
SAADULLAH AKHTER

QUETTA: A wheel-jam strike paralyzed highways in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Monday as protests over the kidnapping of an 11-year-old schoolboy entered their 11th consecutive day in Quetta.
Muhammad Musawir Khan, a third-grade student, was kidnapped from a school van by unknown armed men while on his way to school on November 15.
The family has not received any ransom call from the kidnappers in all these days since his abduction. They have also categorically said they will not pay a single penny to the kidnappers.
“Today, all national highways connecting Balochistan with the rest of the country are closed against the kidnapping of my son,” Raz Muhammad, the boy’s father, told Arab News. “We will continue our protest until he safely returns home.”
Muhammad urged Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir to consider Khan as their own child and play a role in his recovery.
Other family members echoed the sentiment, saying it was the state’s responsibility to ensure the boy’s recovery and improve the general environment of insecurity.
“We have been sitting here for the last 11 days to seek protection for all children like Muhammad Musawir Khan from these kidnappers,” Hajji Malang, the boy’s uncle, told Arab News. “Whoever kidnapped our child, we will not bargain with them for his release.”

Demonstrators are protesting over the kidnapping of an 11-year-old schoolboy in Quetta, Pakistan, on November 25, 2024. (AN photo)

The kidnapped boy belongs to a prominent tribal family involved in the gold trading business in Balochistan for decades. According to the family, he was abducted from Patel Bagh, a busy neighborhood in Quetta.
Political and religious parties, traders, transporters, lawyers and civil society members have all been visiting the protest camp to express solidarity with the family and demand the immediate and safe recovery of the boy.
Speaking to the media outside the provincial assembly, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said he thought of the kidnapped child like his own son.
“We are utilizing our full capacity and the government is making serious efforts to ensure his safe recovery,” he said.
Commissioner of Quetta Division Hamza Shafqaat shared the same update while speaking to Arab News.
“The government, along with all law enforcement agencies, is working diligently for the recovery of Muhammad Musawir Khan,” he said.
“We have shared our report on the progress in the recovery of the kidnapped boy to with the Balochistan High Court, chief minister and the provincial assembly, and they have all expressed satisfaction that the investigation is heading in the right direction,” he added.
However, Shafqaat declined to divulge details of the ongoing investigation.
Malik Muhammad Sadiq Kakar, senior member of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, said that highways in Balochistan’s Quetta, Mastung, Khuzdar, Killa Abdullah, Chaman, Zhob, Killa Saifullah and Loralai districts were closed to protest the kidnapping of the child.
“We are sitting with the family of the kidnapped boy to express solidarity because we want peace in Balochistan,” he told Arab News.
Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, which shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran, has been the site of a low-level insurgency by separatist militants for over two decades.
Other extremist factions, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Daesh’s Khorasan chapter, also have a presence in the region and frequently attack security forces and civilians.
Last week, Pakistan approved a “comprehensive military operation” in the province, targeting ethnic Baloch separatist groups attacking security forces and Chinese nationals working on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Topics: Balochistan Traders Pakistan Strike

COMSTECH, Pakistani conglomerate announce internship program for OIC member countries

Updated 25 November 2024
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COMSTECH, Pakistani conglomerate announce internship program for OIC member countries

  • International program hosted by Gourmet Industries, the largest food processing complex in Pakistan
  • Selected candidates will receive accommodation, meals, and return economy-class air ticket to Pakistan
Updated 25 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), in collaboration with Pakistan’s Gourmet Industries, has announced the COMSTECH-Gourmet Industrial Internship Program for its first batch in January 2025, state news agency APP reported on Monday.

Hosted by Gourmet Industries, the largest food processing complex in Pakistan, the program offers 10 internships lasting four weeks. Selected candidates will receive accommodation, meals, and return economy-class air ticket to participate in the program, which aims to promote innovation, research, and skill development across various industrial sectors, offering participants practical training and exposure to advanced technologies and industrial processes.

The program will focus on key areas in food industry operations including bakery, dairy, and beverages, plant utilities, recycling through innovative RPET methodologies, shrink-wrap production, sugar mill logistics, and media training in journalism and broadcasting. Participants will gain hands-on experience in supply chain management, production processes, and sustainability practices also.

“The internship is open to applicants from OIC member countries holding a BS/BSc or MS/MSc in relevant fields and under the age of 40,” the report said. 

“The objective of the COMSTECH-Gourmet Industrial Internship Program is to foster innovation and research and development (R&D) across diverse industrial sectors, including food processing, engineering, plant operations, recycling, and so forth.”

The program will provide interns hands-on experience and exposure to cutting-edge technologies and methodologies, thereby enhancing their practical skills and theoretical knowledge.

“By engaging in real-world projects, interns will contribute to the advancement of industrial processes and the development of sustainable solutions, ultimately driving technological innovation and improving operational efficiencies in the fields of human nutrition and value addition,” APP added. 

“This initiative underscores COMSTECH’s mission to empower youth in OIC nations and advance technological development for socio-economic progress.”

Applicants have to complete an application form and upload requested documents (CV, Research Proposal, etc.) at: (https://form.jotform.com/243101366016444) till Nov, 30. Applicants can contact [email protected] for further information.

Topics: Internship program OIC Pakistan COMSTECH

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