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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

UN agencies express concern over Pakistan’s directive for Afghan nationals to leave capital

Updated 05 February 2025
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UN agencies express concern over Pakistan’s directive for Afghan nationals to leave capital

  • UNHCR and IOM say forced return of Afghans to their home country can place them at increased risk
  • They say Pakistan has arrested over 800 Afghan nationals from Islamabad and Rawalpindi since Jan. 1
Updated 05 February 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which operates under the UN system, on Wednesday voiced concern over Pakistan’s directive requiring Afghan nationals to relocate from Islamabad and Rawalpindi or face deportation, urging authorities to consider human rights standards in implementing the policy.
Last year, the Pakistani government announced that Afghan citizens residing in the federal capital would require No Objection Certificates (NOCs) after saying that many of them participated in an anti-government protest launched by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
The development came months after Pakistan launched a deportation drive, citing security concerns, with officials arguing that Afghan nationals had been linked to militancy. However, the Taliban-led administration in Kabul contended that Afghan refugees were being scapegoated and insisted they were not responsible for Pakistan’s security issues.
The UNHCR and IOM said Pakistani authorities have arrested and deported over 800 Afghan nationals from Islamabad and Rawalpindi since January 1, including women and children, further raising concerns among humanitarian organizations. They said they were seeking clarity over the modality and timeframe of Afghan relocation.
“Pakistan has a proud tradition of hosting refugees, saving millions of lives,” Philippa Candler, the UNHCR representative, noted. “This generosity is greatly appreciated.”
“Forced return to Afghanistan could place some people at increased risk,” she added. “We urge Pakistan to continue to provide safety to Afghans at risk, irrespective of their documentation status.”
A UNHCR-issued non-return advisory has been in place since 2021, calling for a suspension of forced returns of Afghan nationals from any country, regardless of their status.
UNHCR and IOM have emphasized the need for a mechanism to register and screen Afghan nationals in Pakistan to provide tailored solutions, including international protection for those in need and legal pathways for individuals with strong socioeconomic and family ties in the country.
“IOM is committed to work with the Government of Pakistan and UNHCR to develop a mechanism to register, manage and screen Afghan nationals in Pakistan,” said IOM Chief of Mission, Mio Sato. “This will open the door to tailored solutions, including international protection to those in need and pathways for Afghan nationals, with long-standing socioeconomic and family ties in the country.”

Topics: Afghan refugee in Pakistan Pakistan Afghan Refugees Afghan Taliban

Pakistan’s Zardari says militants can’t derail China ties, discusses cooperation with Xi

Updated 27 sec ago
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Pakistan’s Zardari says militants can’t derail China ties, discusses cooperation with Xi

  • Zardari acknowledges ‘ups and downs’ in Pakistan-China ties amid shared security concerns
  • Chinese president says Beijing is committed to working with Pakistan for greater modernization
Updated 27 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Wednesday militant attacks will not undermine Pakistan’s ties with China, as the two countries pledged to move forward on the next phase of the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Zardari issued the statement during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where both leaders discussed security issues and economic cooperation.
The interaction came amid increasing concerns in Beijing over the security of its workers in Pakistan, many of whom are involved in CPEC infrastructure projects and have been targeted in a series of attacks in recent years.
Despite acknowledging that his country’s friendship with China had “gone through ups and downs,” the Pakistani president said it would not be broken down by militant attacks.
“Pakistan and China will always be friends, all-weather friends,” he said at the opening of talks with Xi. “No matter how many terrors, how many issues crop up in the world, I will stand, Pakistani people will stand with the people of China.”
According to an official Pakistani statement released after the meeting, the two leaders discussed the high-quality development of CPEC 2.0, which aims to expand beyond infrastructure to include other areas.
Initially launched in 2013 as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the first phase of CPEC focused on transport infrastructure, energy projects and the development of the Gwadar Port.
The next phase, dubbed CPEC 2.0, seeks to emphasize industrialization, agricultural modernization, and partnerships with third countries to enhance regional connectivity and economic growth.
Both leaders emphasized people-to-people exchanges and cultural linkages as key elements of strengthening the China-Pakistan community of shared future in the new era.
President Xi also acknowledged that China and Pakistan have an enduring friendship and have set a model for relations between two countries by advancing the construction of CPEC and cooperation in various fields.
A Chinese-funded $230 million airport, the largest in Pakistan, started operations last month in the coastal city of Gwadar in Balochistan province, where a separatist group has launched multiple attacks targeting many groups including Chinese.
A shipping port in Gwadar is the end of the envisioned economic corridor, which would cross the length of Pakistan to link the western Chinese region of Xinjiang with the Arabian Sea.
“The Chinese side is willing to work with the Pakistani side to move forward hand-in-hand on our respective paths of modernization,” the Chinese president said.
The start of operations at the airport was delayed from last year after a surge in attacks in Balochistan.
Zardari also extended an invitation to Xi to visit Pakistan, highlighting the strong public admiration for the Chinese leader in Pakistan.
Following the meeting, both presidents witnessed the signing of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to boost cooperation in science and technology, clean energy, socio-economic development, and media collaboration.
The event concluded with a state banquet hosted by President Xi in honor of the visiting Pakistani delegation.

-With input from AP
 

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Asif Zardari Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari Chinese President Xi Jinping

Pakistan health workers kick off polio drive despite snow in Kashmir

Updated 05 February 2025
AFP
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Pakistan health workers kick off polio drive despite snow in Kashmir

  • There has been no polio case in the mountainous Himalayan region of Kashmir for 24 years
  • Pakistan recorded at least 73 polio cases in 2024, a sharp increase from six cases a year before
Updated 05 February 2025
AFP

SURGAN, Pakistan: Health workers are braving freezing temperatures this week to administer polio vaccinations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir after cases surged nationwide last year.
Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only countries where polio is endemic, and militants have for decades targeted vaccination teams and their security escorts.
A police officer guarding polio vaccinators in the northwest was shot dead by militants on Monday, the first day of the annual campaign that is due to last a week.
In Kashmir, health worker Manzoor Ahmad trudged up snowy mountains as temperatures dipped to minus six degrees Celsius (21 degrees Fahrenheit) to administer polio vaccinations in the region.
“It is a mountainous, hard area... we arrive here for polio vaccination despite the three feet of snowfall,” Ahmad, who heads the polio campaign in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, told AFP.

A health worker marks a child's finger after administering polio drops during a vaccination drive in Pakistan-administered Kashmir's Neelum Valley on February 4, 2025. (AFP

Social worker Mehnaz, who goes by one name and has been helping the vaccinators since 2018, said the difficult climate poses a huge risk to the vaccination teams.
“We have no monthly salary... we come here to give polio shots to the children despite the glaciers and avalanches,” she told AFP.
“We risk our lives and leave our children at home.”

Health workers sit on snow during a polio vaccination drive in Pakistan-administered Kashmir's Neelum Valley on February 4, 2025. (AFP)

The challenge is larger this year for the country with a population of 240 million, after it recorded at least 73 polio cases in 2024 — a sharp increase from just six cases the year before.
Health workers aim to vaccinate approximately 1,700 children within a week in the town of Surgan, around 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
“Our target is to give polio shots to 750,000 children below the age of five. There are 4,000 polio teams that visit house-to-house,” Ahmad said.

A health worker administers polio drops to a child during a door-to-door vaccination campaign amidst heavy snow in the Bakwali-Surgan area of Pakistan-administered Kashmir's Neelum Valley, on February 4, 2025. (AFP)

“There have been no polio cases in Kashmir for the last 24 years,” he added with pride.
Polio can easily be prevented by an oral vaccine, but in the past some conservative religious leaders have falsely claimed that the vaccine contains pork or alcohol, declaring it forbidden for Muslims to consume.

Topics: anti-polio campaign polio campaign in Pakistan polio campaign in Kashmir snow Neelum Valley Pakistan-administered Kashmir

Pakistan and China agree to boost intelligence sharing in high-level security talks in Beijing

Updated 05 February 2025
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Pakistan and China agree to boost intelligence sharing in high-level security talks in Beijing

  • Both nations share concerns over militant violence, particularly due to attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan
  • The two countries also discuss border security and advancing high-quality development under CPEC projects
Updated 05 February 2025
Usama Iqbal Khawaja

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China discussed security cooperation on Wednesday, agreeing to enhance intelligence sharing to address growing threats during a high-level meeting in Beijing, according to an official statement circulated by the interior ministry.
The two nations share concerns over militant violence, particularly due to attacks on Chinese nationals working on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in various Pakistani cities. Such incidents have prompted Beijing to call for enhanced security measures.
Last year, several Chinese nationals lost their lives in deadly suicide bombings, the most recent of which occurred in October 2024, killing two Chinese engineers near Karachi airport just days before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in the federal capital.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is currently accompanying President Asif Ali Zardari on a five-day visit to China, met with his Chinese counterpart, Qi Yanjun, in Beijing to discuss concrete measures to bolster security and strengthen intelligence-sharing mechanisms.
“The meeting focused on improving intelligence coordination between the two countries,” said the official Pakistani statement.
It noted that discussions included an exchange on modern technology for police and paramilitary forces, as well as a detailed discussion on acquiring advanced equipment from China for law enforcement agencies.
The talks further covered border security cooperation, including measures to safeguard key routes and infrastructure projects. Both sides expressed a commitment to deeper collaboration in law enforcement and counterterrorism efforts.
Beyond security cooperation, the two countries are also working to establish special economic zones and encourage private sector partnerships to deepen economic ties. The development of these zones is a key component of CPEC, aiming to boost industrialization and economic growth in Pakistan.
President Zardari also met with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, to reaffirm the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China.
Both officials emphasized strategic mutual trust and discussed advancing CPEC’s high-quality development, focusing on cooperation in science and technology, renewable energy, infrastructure and agriculture.

Topics: China Pakistan ties Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Chinese nationals in Pakistan China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Saudi cabinet approves memorandum of understanding with Pakistan to combat financial crimes

Updated 05 February 2025
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Saudi cabinet approves memorandum of understanding with Pakistan to combat financial crimes

  • The development signifies deepening strategic relations between the Kingdom and the South Asian state
  • MoU was signed between Pakistan’s Financial Monitoring Unit and Saudi Department of Financial Investigation
Updated 05 February 2025
Usama Iqbal Khawaja

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pakistan’s Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) to enhance cooperation in combating money laundering, terrorist financing and related crimes, the Saudi Press Agency reported this week.
Pakistan has faced significant challenges with money laundering and terrorist financing in recent years, leading to its placement on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list in June 2018.
After implementing comprehensive reforms to strengthen its financial system, the country was removed from the grey list in October 2022.
The FMU, established under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2010, serves as Pakistan’s financial intelligence unit, responsible for analyzing suspicious transaction reports and coordinating with international counterparts.
“[The cabinet approved] a memorandum of understanding between the General Department of Financial Investigation at the Presidency of State Security in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Financial Monitoring Unit in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan regarding cooperation in exchanging investigations related to money laundering, terrorist financing, and related crimes,” the SPA reported.
The MoU signifies the deepening strategic relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. A significant Pakistani diaspora resides in the Kingdom, and numerous Pakistani businesses have established a presence there.
Saudi Arabia has been a key supporter of Pakistan’s economy, bolstering its reserves with substantial deposits in the State Bank of Pakistan and offering deferred oil payment facilities.
The Saudi cabinet also highlighted the Kingdom’s hosting of the INTERPOL Regional Bureau as a significant step, saying it underscored international recognition of the Kingdom’s pivotal role in combating extremism and other crime in their different forms.

Topics: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Saudi Arabia Cabinet Pakistan Saudi Arabia ties

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