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Fresh clashes in Lahore as paramilitary forces step in to help police arrest ex-PM Khan

Paramilitary troops take position as riot police officer fire tear gas to disperse the supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during clashes, in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2023. (AP)
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Updated 15 March 2023
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Fresh clashes in Lahore as paramilitary forces step in to help police arrest ex-PM Khan

  • Early on Wednesday morning, media showed footage of police using tear gas to disperse Khan supporters gathered outside his house in Lahore
  • On Tuesday, several on both sides were injured as supporters threw stones at police who arrived to arrest Khan and officers retaliated with teargas
Updated 15 March 2023
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Clashes between supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and law enforcers continued for a second day outside his residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday, as a large contingent of paramilitary Rangers joined police who had arrived there the previous day to arrest the ex-premier with a court-issued warrant.

Court orders to arrest Khan came in a case, popularly called the Toshakhana reference, involving the selling of state gifts given by foreign leaders while he was prime minister. Pakistan’s election commission found him guilty in the matter last year and a criminal inquiry is now underway. If convicted, Khan faces being barred from holding public office, a huge setback with a national election scheduled for November.

Police say a court in Islamabad ordered Khan’s arrest for not appearing before it despite repeated summons. Khan and his aides cite security concerns for the non-appearance. The ex-PM was injured in an apparent assassination attempt at a protest gathering last year.

On Tuesday, as police arrived with a court-issued warrant to arrest Khan, his supporters pelted them with stones and bricks, with officers retaliating with tear gas and batons. There were reports of injuries on both sides and TV footage also showed injured policemen and Khan supporters outside Khan’s Zaman Park home.




Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan chant anti-government slogans as they gather outside the Khan's residence, in Lahore, Pakistan, on March 15, 2023. (AP)

Early on Wednesday morning, Pakistani media widely showed footage of police shelling the area with tear gas to disperse Khan supporters gathered outside his house as a large number of Rangers arrived.

“After our workers & leadership faced police onslaught since yesterday morning of tear gas, cannons with chemical water, rubber bullets & live bullets this morning; we now have Rangers taking over & are now in direct confrontation with the people,” Khan said in a Twitter post.

Referring to Pakistan’s all-powerful military he asked:

“My question to the Establishment, to those who claim they are “neutral“: Is this your idea of neutrality, Rangers directly confronting unarmed protesters & leadership of largest political party when their leader is facing an illegal warrant & case already in court & when govt of crooks trying to abduct & possibly murder him?”

“Clearly ‘arrest’ claim was mere drama because real intent is to abduct & assassinate … There is no doubt of their mala fide intent,” Khan added.

In a video message released on Wednesday morning, Khan said a plan had been hatched in London to put him in prison and abolish all cases against his political rival Nawaz Sharif, who lives in exile in London and whose brother Shehbaz Sharif is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan.

“An agreement has been signed under the London plan which requires Imran Khan to be put in jail, the [Pakistan] Tehreek-e-Insaf [party] to be damaged, and all cases against Nawaz Sharif to be abolished,” Khan said.

“The surety has been given to Nawaz Sharif,” he added. “This is part of the London plan to put me in jail. It has got nothing to do with law, nor have I committed any crime.”

Three-time prime minister Sharif was disqualified from holding public office for life by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in April 2018 and given a 10-year prison term on corruption charges. Since 2019, he has lived in exile in London. There are a number of cases against him pending in Pakistani courts.

Explaining his decision of not appearing in court despite summons, Khan said in the video message that he had secured protective bail until March 18 and did not attend the previous hearings due to security concerns.

“To avoid the chaos, I gave an undertaking today to Ishtiaq A. Khan, who is president of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, and he tried to give the surety bond to the DIG [Deputy Inspector General of Police] who was here to arrest me,” he said.

“As per section 76 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), if a surety bond is given to the arresting officer, he cannot detain you after that,” Khan said.

Khan said there was no justification to arrest him after he gave the surety bond and promised to appear in the court on March 18.

PTI workers outside Khan’s residence also accused the police of using live bullets on Wednesday morning while showing the media empty casings.

The Punjab government, however, denied it had used live ammunition.

“No police officer or soldier was armed during the raid at Zaman Park as per the instructions of the inspector general of police in Punjab [province],” it said in a statement. “Now fake news of firing has been broadcast after the PTI has injured over hundred officers and soldiers.”

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court took up today, Wednesday, Khan’s plea to suspend his arrest warrants in the Toshakhana case after his lawyers filed an appeal on Tuesday.

Apart from the Toshakhana reference, the ex-premier has been booked in over 70 different cases on various charges, including blasphemy, terrorism and sedition. He has appeared in court in other cases. Khan says the cases against him are politically motivated which the government denies.

Khan was ousted from power in a parliamentary vote of no-confidence last April and has since held rallies and protest marches to ask the government to announce snap national elections.

Topics: Zaman Park Lahore Imran Khan

Pakistan dispatches 19th relief consignment to Syria amid conflicts in Middle East

Updated 17 November 2024
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Pakistan dispatches 19th relief consignment to Syria amid conflicts in Middle East

  • Pakistan says it will continue to support people affected by Israel’s military campaign in the region
  • Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Pakistan has called for a ceasefire at the UN, other forums
Updated 17 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) dispatched its 19th relief consignment on Sunday to help war-affected people in Syria and refugees from Lebanon, according to an official statement, reaffirming the country’s commitment to supporting those impacted by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The aid shipment, sent in collaboration with the Pakistani charity Al-Khidmat Foundation, consisted of 17 tons of humanitarian supplies, including buckets, powdered milk, tinned food, family packs, sleeping bags and medical kits.
The consignment departed via a chartered flight from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi to Damascus in Syria.
“This 19th consignment has been dispatched for the people of Syria and refugees from Lebanon,” the NDMA said in its statement. “Prior to this, the Government of Pakistan has sent 12 aid consignments to Palestine and six shipments to Lebanon, with a total volume of 1,722 tons.”
The statement reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting the people of Palestine and Lebanon who are in distress due to Israel’s military campaigns in the region.
It also emphasized the importance of collaboration by welfare organizations and the Pakistani public in strengthening the government’s efforts to assist those in need.
Pakistan has already established a special fund titled the “Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon,” inviting public donations.
Since the beginning of the war in October last year, Pakistan has called for a ceasefire in Gaza and has raised the issue at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other international forums, urging an end to Israeli military actions and a resolution to the humanitarian crisis.

Topics: Pakistan Syria Ties Pakistan Middle East ties National Disaster Management Authority Gaza aid

Women in Pakistan’s Karachi protest against honor killings, rising extremism

Updated 17 November 2024
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Women in Pakistan’s Karachi protest against honor killings, rising extremism

  • Participants of the rally say Karo-Kari is ‘rampant’ in Sindh, oppose marriages to settle disputes
  • Protesters also raise concern about proposed amendments to Pakistan’s water distribution system
Updated 17 November 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Hundreds of women marched in Karachi on Sunday to protest honor killings, rising extremism and social injustices, while voicing concerns over proposed changes to Pakistan’s water distribution mechanism earlier this year, which southern provinces argue are detrimental to their interests.
The rally, organized by Sindhiyani Tehreek, a women-led movement supported by civil society groups, drew demonstrators from across Sindh who marched from Regal Chowk to the Karachi Press Club.
Dr. Marvi Sindhu, the central general secretary of the movement, highlighted the threat of so-called honor killings, locally referred to as Karo-Kari. These killings target individuals accused of engaging in illicit relationships or marrying against their families’ wishes, often as a means to restore the perceived honor of the family.
“We are raising our voices against the rampant killing of women in the name of honor in Sindh,” she told Arab News. “We are also here to raise our voices against rising religious extremism.”
Sindhu said Karo-Kari was “alarmingly rampant” in northern Sindh, though she noted other socially conservative practices also undermined the interests and wellbeing of women.
“Women are married to settle disputes or murder cases [in the province], only to face harassment [from their in-laws] for the rest of their lives,” she continued, urging Pakistan’s senior judiciary to form a commission to address such issues.
Amar Sindhu, a professor and member of the Women’s Action Forum, echoed similar concerns, saying the rise in extremist ideologies was deepening social injustices and threatening women’s safety in Sindh.
“We stand united against these injustices and demand action to protect women from violence and oppression,” she said.
Sindhiyani Tehreek, founded in 1980, has been a prominent force in the province, advocating for women’s rights, social justice and the preservation of Sindhi culture. The movement also has a long history of resistance against authoritarian rule, gender-based violence and environmental degradation.
Apart from social and gender issues, the protest also highlighted proposed amendments to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act, 1992, introduced in July to restructure Pakistan’s water regulatory authority.
Key changes include appointing a permanent federal chairman to the authority, replacing the current rotational system where provincial representatives take turns leading IRSA.
The movement’s general secretary condemned the amendments as “unlawful,” warning they could exacerbate interprovincial disputes and deprive Sindh of its rightful share of water.
“Sindh deserves its share of water to sustain its crops, mangroves and marine life,” she said.

Topics: women in Pakistan honor killing honor killings religious extremism

One killed in northwestern Pakistan blast targeting religio-political party leader

Updated 17 November 2024
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One killed in northwestern Pakistan blast targeting religio-political party leader

  • Attack on Maulana Shehzad Wazir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam has left him critically injured
  • The JUI leader was on his way to a mosque in Azam Warsak when the explosion took place
Updated 17 November 2024
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: One person was killed and six others injured in a blast triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting a senior leader of a prominent religio-political party in South Waziristan district on Sunday, leaving him in critical condition, police said.
The attack on Maulana Shehzad Wazir comes amid complaints from his Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) party about being targeted by militants operating in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also voiced concerns over militant threats disrupting the party’s election campaign in the region ahead of the February 8 national polls, citing warnings from law enforcement about dangers to its candidates.
“The IED was planted in a street leading to Maulana Shehzad Wazir’s mosque, who is politically affiliated with the JUI-F,” Bilal Wazir, a police officer in Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan tribal district, told Arab News over the phone. “Mufti Ijaz Wazir died on the spot while six others, including Maulana Shehzad Wazir, who was apparently the target of the attack, were left in critical condition.”
The officer said a police contingent was dispatched to the area soon after the explosion to gather evidence and shift the wounded to the hospital.
Asked about the intensity of the blast, he said it shook the entire neighborhood of Azam Warsak, a settlement on the outskirts of Wana.
Speaking to Arab News, Mufti Ijaz Shinwari, the JUI senior vice president in the tribal area, condemned the incident, saying the victims of the attack were religious leaders and key figures of his political party on the provincial level.
“This is inhumane,” he added. “This is clearly a terrorist attack and a cowardly act.”
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant group, has a history of targeting civilians, security forces and politicians in the region, aiming to perpetuate instability in KP.
In recent months, the TTP has claimed responsibility for several attacks and is suspected by officials in others.
Earlier this week, however, Daesh, a separate militant outfit, shot dead Hameed Sufi, a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, in the adjacent Bajaur tribal district.
In June, four people, including Maulana Mirza Jan, the president of JUI’s Wana chapter, were shot by unidentified attackers.
Pakistan claims Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers are providing shelter to TTP fighters across the porous border separating the two countries. However, the Afghan Taliban insists they do not allow anyone to use their soil to launch violent attacks in the neighborhood.
 

Topics: militancy in Pakistan IED blast pakistan bombing South Waziristan

Smog drops from hazardous to unhealthy in Pakistan’s Lahore

Updated 17 November 2024
AFP
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Smog drops from hazardous to unhealthy in Pakistan’s Lahore

  • The city’s AQI index reached a daily average of 243, still considered ‘very unhealthy’
  • Current pollution level is 10 times higher than what is deemed acceptable by WHO
Updated 17 November 2024
AFP

ISLAMABAD: The air quality in Pakistan’s smog-choked city of Lahore on Sunday fell below the threshold considered “hazardous” for humans for the first time in two weeks.
The AQI index reached a daily average of 243, still “very unhealthy” but below the highest level of 300 considered “hazardous.”
The level of PM2.5 particles was also more than 10 times higher than the level deemed acceptable by the World Health Organization.
The city of 14 million people close to the border with India peaked at a record AQI of 1,110 on November 14.
Punjab, home to more than half of Pakistan’s 240 million people, closed schools in its major cities on November 6, and on Friday extended the closure to November 24.
It has also banned all outdoor sports in schools until January, and cracked down on polluting tuk-tuks, barbecues and construction sites in pollution hot spots across Lahore.
Seasonal crop burn-off by farmers on the outskirts of the city also contributes to toxic air the WHO says can cause strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases.

Topics: smog Pakistan Smog Lahore Smog

Pakistan’s finance chief says PM Sharif will soon unveil ‘home-grown’ economic agenda

Updated 17 November 2024
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Pakistan’s finance chief says PM Sharif will soon unveil ‘home-grown’ economic agenda

  • Muhammad Aurangzeb calls the recent IMF visit part of ongoing talks, enhancing mutual trust
  • The visit came weeks after the $7 billion loan approval, making observers think it was unusual
Updated 17 November 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will soon unveil a “home-grown agenda” for economic development, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday, as he informed that his interaction with a visiting International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation last week went well, providing both sides an opportunity to enhance mutual trust.
The IMF delegation, led by Pakistan mission chief Nathan Porter, completed a five-day trip to the country during which it held wide-ranging conversations with the government.
The international lending organization approved a $7 billion loan for Pakistan in September, though it explicitly stated that the delegation’s visit was not part of the first review of the loan program, which is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.
The IMF visit, which came just weeks after the loan’s approval, surprised observers who considered it unusual, though the finance minister described it as part of an ongoing dialogue between the two sides, noting that it resulted in a positive IMF statement.
Aurangzeb also said the government would specify its overall economic game plan in the next few days.
“The prime minister will soon share a home-grown agenda about how we are going to take forward our overall economic roadmap,” he said, without disclosing its details. “It has been very well syndicated with all the stakeholders.”
The minister emphasized that dealings between Pakistan and the IMF were completely transparent, with all agreed details available in the public domain. He noted the recent discussions with the IMF covered taxation and energy reforms, along with the privatization plan for state-owned enterprises and public finances.
“I welcomed this visit because this is an ongoing dialogue to ensure mutual credibility and trust,” he added. “We have shared our roadmap with them and explained how we are taking things forward.”
The finance minister said the two sides would continue to hold virtual talks, though he noted that he appreciated every opportunity to meet IMF officials face-to-face.
He also mentioned that discussions with the international lender included climate resilience and decarbonization, emphasizing that these issues had to be addressed alongside broader economic challenges rather than sequentially.
Pakistan has faced a prolonged economic crisis marked by rapid currency devaluation and dwindling foreign exchange reserves, which forced it to seek external financial assistance from friendly nations and global financial institutions.
The country has seen an improvement in its macroeconomic indicators in recent months, though it has yet to fully recover from its financial difficulties.
Reflecting on his visit to Washington for the World Bank and IMF meetings earlier this year, Aurangzeb described the discussions as productive.
“They gave us a platform to share with the comity of nations about how we turned the economy around in 14 months,” he said. “We also got an important message, which is that there is no room for complacency and we must stay the course [of stringent economic reforms].”
 

Topics: IMF in Pakistan Pakistan economy Shehbaz Sharif Muhammad Aurangzeb Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb

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