After initial trouble, Pakistani climber Asif Bhatti starts Nanga Parbat descent 

In this photo, posted on July 3, 2023 on a mountaineers Facebook group Karakoram Club, shows Pakistani mountaineer Asif Bhatti who went missing on world’s ninth-highest peak Nanga Parbat during his summit. (Photo courtesy: Facebook/Mobeen Mazhar)
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Updated 04 July 2023
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After initial trouble, Pakistani climber Asif Bhatti starts Nanga Parbat descent 

  • Asif Bhatti has started descent toward Camp 3 with Azerbaijani climber Isfrafyl, says Karakorum Club 
  • Bhatti was stranded 7,500 meters above sea level at Nanga Parbat for several hours due to snow blindness

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani climber Asif Bhatti, who was initially stranded for several hours 7,500 meters above sea level at the Nanga Parbat mountain due to snow blindness, started his descent toward Camp 3 at the mountain on Tuesday, a group of mountaineers named the Karakorum Club said. 

A rescue team organized by Karakorum Expeditions was awaiting a Pakistan Army helicopter to go searching for Bhatti. Nicknamed the “killer mountain,” Nanga Parbat stands 8,125 meters (26,660 feet) tall and is recognized as the world’s ninth-highest peak. Several climbers in the past have died attempting to summit the towering mountain. According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Polish climber Pawel Tomasz Kopec became the latest victim of the treacherous mountain, passing away from acute altitude sickness on Monday. 

“As per updates, Asif Bhatti and Azerbaijan’s climber Isfrafyl have already started the descent toward C3,” the Karakorum Club wrote on Twitter, adding that two other Karakorum Expedition climbers would be dropped by a helicopter at Camp 2 to provide further help to Bhatti.

On Sunday, Pakistani women mountaineers Naila Kiani and Samina Baig scaled Nanga Parbat along with a group of over a dozen local and international climbers. The feat made Kiani and Baig the first Pakistani women to summit the peak. 

Last month, 23 climbers from Norway, Russia, the United States, Switzerland, France, Turkiye, Mexico, Nepal and Pakistan summited Nanga Parbat.

Five of the globe’s 14 mountains above 8,000 meters are in Pakistan— including Nanga Parbat, which earned the nickname “killer mountain” after more than 30 people died trying to climb it before the first successful summit in 1953.


IMF’s $2.5 billion inflows this fiscal year to back Pakistan’s return to global bonds — analysts

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IMF’s $2.5 billion inflows this fiscal year to back Pakistan’s return to global bonds — analysts

  • The IMF country representative to Pakistan says the government’s program implementation remains strong
  • Analysts say IMF support was crucial during default scare and will remain vital until economic stabilization

KARACHI: Pakistan is expected to receive about $2.5 billion in financing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the current fiscal year (FY26), which analysts say will support the country’s bid to re-enter the international bonds market through instruments such as sukuk or Panda bonds.

The funding will be part of the IMF’s $7 billion commitment to Pakistan over the next two years, comprising $5.2 billion under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and $1.4 billion through the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), aimed at strengthening the country’s foreign exchange reserves, according to the IMF’s latest country report.

“The first review under the RSF, if on schedule, would go to the Executive Board for approval sometime in late 2025, along with the second EFF review,” IMF’s resident representative Mahir Binici told Arab News in a text message.

The Fund’s second review of Pakistan’s economy and end-June 2025 performance criteria is scheduled for September 15. If completed successfully, it would lead to the release of approximately $1.04 billion under the EFF and $211 million through the RSF. A third review is scheduled for March 2026 and would entitle Pakistan to the same amount of funding, if cleared.

“This would be the earliest time at which Pakistan could access RSF-related financing,” said Mahir, referring to the $1.4 billion climate resilience loan the lender approved earlier this year in May. The RSF will be disbursed in equal tranches of about $211 million over the next 28 months.

Pakistan is consistently ranked among the nations most vulnerable to climate change. The country suffered its worst floods in 2022, which killed over 1,700 people, displaced millions and caused infrastructure damage worth an estimated $30 billion. Even this monsoon season, flash floods have already killed more than 60 people, mostly in the country’s northwest and central regions.

The climate funding will be disbursed “with each joint EFF and RSF review,” Mahir said.

“The first EFF review and RSF request were recently concluded, and the program implementation has been strong,” he said in response to a question about Pakistan’s performance in terms of compliance with the loan’s conditions.

Sana Tawfik, a Karachi-based economist and head of research at Arif Habib Ltd., said the IMF’s financial support was a key factor behind Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic indicators and would keep the government on track to secure funding from both bilateral and commercial lenders.

“The bilateral lenders like China, Saudi Arabia and other countries, as well as Pakistan’s commercial lenders closely observe whether or not the IMF is onboard,” she said.

Tawfik maintained Pakistan was aiming to return to the international bonds market, potentially through a sukuk issue or Panda bonds.

In March, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said his government aimed to raise about $200 million through Panda bonds by December 2025 to diversify funding sources, reduce dependence on Western markets, and boost foreign exchange reserves.

The move came after an improvement in Pakistan’s sovereign credit rating by three major agencies, with the government targeting a “single-B” rating to regain access to global debt markets.

“The IMF staying on board is very important for this,” Tawfik said, adding that continued dollar inflows were also critical to repaying Pakistan’s external debt.

In FY26 alone, the country is expected to repay around $17 billion in foreign loans, excluding the current account deficit, according to IMF data.

“The significance of this 37-month loan program is that it came as a medium-term support for Pakistan and that’s why we are seeing improvement in our macroeconomic indicators,” she told Arab News.

Muhammad Waqas Ghani, head of research at JS Global Capital Ltd., said participation in the IMF program served as a crucial policy anchor, supporting structural reforms aimed at stabilizing Pakistan’s fragile economy.

While the country looks to tap global capital markets, Ghani said “association with the Fund is essential for enhancing confidence among both local and international investors.”

He added that continued IMF backing was key to unlocking further multilateral and bilateral support.

Tawfik agreed.

“The IMF support was important for Pakistan at the time [it came close to] default [in 2023] and it will remain important until we properly stabilize as an economy,” she said.


250,000 Pakistanis register for Hajj 2026 as deadline ends today

Updated 40 min 53 sec ago
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250,000 Pakistanis register for Hajj 2026 as deadline ends today

  • Applicants can choose between government and private Hajj schemes after registering
  • Registration is mandatory for all intending pilgrims, though no fee is required at this stage

ISLAMABAD: Some 250,000 Pakistanis have signed up to perform Hajj in 2026 as the deadline for mandatory registration ends today, Wednesday, state media reported.

Last month, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced the launch of the Hajj registration process, which would remain open until July 9. After the deadline, applicants will be able to choose between the government and private Hajj schemes.

Intending pilgrims can register through 15 designated banks, and only those who complete the process will be eligible to perform Hajj next year. No fee is required at the registration stage.

“With just one day remaining for the mandatory registration of Hajj 2026, as many as 250,000 Pakistanis have completed the process,” the Associated Press of Pakistan said in a report on Tuesday.

“It is noteworthy to mention that Wednesday, July 9, is the final date for intending pilgrims to register for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage.”

People may also submit their applications online, it said, adding that the expenses and other terms and conditions of Hajj 2026 will be issued separately as per the Hajj policy.

Registration is mandatory for pilgrims who were left out of the private scheme this year, as well as for Pakistanis residing abroad.

Pakistan had received a quota of 179,210 pilgrims from Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025, evenly divided between the government and private Hajj operators.

However, a major portion of the private quota remained unutilized due to delays by companies in meeting payment and registration deadlines, while the government filled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims.

Private operators blamed the situation on technical glitches such as payment issues and communication breakdowns.


Pakistan actress Humaira Asghar Ali found dead at Karachi home — police

Updated 09 July 2025
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Pakistan actress Humaira Asghar Ali found dead at Karachi home — police

  • Ali’s body was discovered when a court bailiff arrived at her rented flat to get it vacated
  • The actress appeared on ARY’s reality TV show ‘Tamasha’ as well as in a 2015 film ‘Jalaibee’

KARACHI: Humaira Asghar Ali, a Pakistani actor and model, was found dead at an apartment in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, police said late Tuesday.

Ali’s body was discovered when a court bailiff arrived at the rented apartment to get it vacated on court orders on a complaint filed by the landlord, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mehroz Ali.

“The landlord had filed a court case to have the premises vacated. Today, when the bailiff arrived with a court-issued break-and-enter order and forced open the door, the woman’s body was found inside,” SSP Ali told Arab News.

“The woman has been identified as Humaira Asghar Ali who was a TV actress. It has been learned that she was originally from Lahore.”

The deceased actor was best known for her appearances on ARY’s reality TV show ‘Tamasha’ as well as a 2015 action thriller, ‘Jalaibee.’

Following post-mortem, Karachi Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed said, the deceased’s body was in a “very advanced stage of decomposition,” which suggested that she died around a month ago.

“We have collected all relevant samples for analysis. Cause of death reserved,” Syed said.

Ali’s death comes just weeks after renowned actress Ayesha Khan was found dead in her apartment in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, according to police.

Her neighbors reported a foul smell emitting out of her apartment that led to the discovery of the 84-year-old’s body.


Imran Khan’s sons to lobby US, march in Pakistan in new protest movement — sister

Updated 08 July 2025
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Imran Khan’s sons to lobby US, march in Pakistan in new protest movement — sister

  • Khan’s PTI party last week announced new protest campaign after top court denied it reserved parliamentary seats
  • His sister says Khan’s sons will highlight rights situation in Pakistan in US, ‘injustice’ being done to ex-PM

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s sons, Sulaiman Khan and Kasim Khan, will lobby in the United States (US) about Pakistan’s human rights record before traveling to the South Asian country to join a protest movement by their father’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan’s sister announced on Tuesday.

The PTI last week announced it would launch a nationwide protest movement against the government after the Islamic month of Muharram, days after Pakistan’s top court denied the party reserved parliamentary seats for minorities and women.

Khan’s party has frequently held protests in recent years, demanding a probe into Feb. 2024 election results and the release of Khan, who has been jailed for nearly two years. His sons live in the UK and have not visited Pakistan in years, facing criticism by Khan opponents for not joining demonstrations for their father’s release, which his party was calling supporters from all over the nation to join.

Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, told reporters in Rawalpindi on Tuesday that his sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, had decided to travel from the United Kingdom (UK) to the US and would eventually arrive in Pakistan to play their role in the PTI’s protest campaign against the government.

“Firstly, they are going to America and they’re telling all their friends, ‘And we will go and tell them [US administration] about the human rights [situation] and what injustice is being done to their father [in Pakistan]’,” Aleema said.

“Secondly, Sulaiman [and] Qasim have said, ‘After that, we will come to Pakistan.’ And they want to play their part in the [protest] movement.”

This is not the first time Khan’s sons have spoken about Pakistan’s domestic politics and their father, who has been in jail on corruption and other charges.

In a rare interview with business influencer and citizen journalist Mario Nawfal in May, they had urged US President Donald Trump and the “people of influence” around the world to help free their father from prison, speaking of alleged “suppression of democracy” in Pakistan and a lack of basic facilities for Khan in his prison cell.

Khan’s PTI has held frequent protests demanding his release and against the Pakistani government over what it says were rigged general elections in Feb. 2024 and a campaign to subdue PTI and its support base since Khan’s ouster from the PM’s office in April 2022.

Pakistani authorities deny the allegations and accuse the ex-premier and his party of leading violent anti-government protests in the past, particularly in May 2023 and Nov. 2024. Hundreds of PTI supporters were jailed after riots allegedly ordered by the party against the army on May 9, 2023, while the government says four troops were killed in protests in November last year to demand Khan’s release. The PTI denies instigating followers to violence.

The PTI announced the latest round of protests after the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench on June 27 ruled that the party was not entitled to reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies, upholding an earlier verdict by the Peshawar High Court. The dispute arose after the PTI lost its electoral symbol ahead of the February 8, 2024 national polls and its candidates contested as independents.

Despite PTI-backed candidates winning the most general seats, the party was denied reserved seats for women and minorities, which are allocated to political parties based on proportional representation, by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The government lost its two-thirds majority in parliament in July 2024 when the top court reversed the ECP’s decision, terming it unconstitutional and ordering the reserved seats to be allocated to PTI. The ECP and the political parties had filed review petitions, which were accepted by the top court last week.


Chinese air chief hails Pakistan’s ‘textbook’ response in recent India conflict — ISPR

Updated 08 July 2025
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Chinese air chief hails Pakistan’s ‘textbook’ response in recent India conflict — ISPR

  • PLA Air Force chief praises ‘precision and discipline’ of PAF in face of Indian aggression
  • High-level visit follows Indian claims Beijing gave Pakistan ‘live inputs’ during four-day war

ISLAMABAD: The Chinese air chief has praised Pakistan’s military response during its May conflict with India as a “textbook example” of modern warfare, the Pakistan army said on Tuesday, quoting remarks that come amid renewed Indian allegations of Chinese support to Islamabad during their latest conflict in May. 

Lt. Gen. Wang Gang, chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), made the comments during a high-level visit to Islamabad on Monday, where he met Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu and discussed regional security, airpower cooperation, and bilateral military ties.

“He praised the decisive and measured response delivered by PAF pilots under the resolute leadership of the Air Chief, describing it as a textbook example of precision, discipline and courage in the face of unprovoked aggression,” the Pakistani army said in an official statement, quoting Wang. 

The Chinese general “paid rich tribute to the exemplary performance” of the PAF during the conflict with India, which took place from May 7 to 10 and involved drones, missiles, and artillery fire before a US-brokered ceasefire ended hostilities.

Wang’s remarks follow claims by Indian Army Deputy Chief Lt. Gen. Rahul Singh, who last week alleged China had provided Pakistan with “live inputs” about Indian military positions during the May fighting. Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has rejected the claim as “factually incorrect” and a “shoddy attempt” to explain India’s battlefield failures.

While Beijing has not officially responded to the Indian allegations, the Chinese delegation’s strong endorsement of PAF’s conduct has added diplomatic weight to its deepening military alignment with Islamabad.

“Lt. Gen. Wang Gang expressed deep appreciation for the high state of operational readiness and the cutting-edge capabilities of Pakistan Air Force,” the official statement said, adding that he was “particularly impressed by PAF’s seamless integration of Multi-Domain Operations, terming it a hallmark of modern air warfare.”

The visiting delegation was also given a detailed briefing on the PAF’s evolving force structure, modernization plans and strategic initiatives.

Air Chief Marshal Sidhu “reiterated that Pakistan and China enjoy historic and time-tested ties rooted in mutual trust, strategic convergence and shared aspirations for regional peace & stability,” the statement added.

Pakistan and China have long collaborated on airpower development, including co-producing the JF-17 fighter jet and holding joint training exercises. But their military alignment has grown closer in recent years, particularly amid rising tensions with India, with whom both have longstanding disputes. The latest visit reinforces that trajectory, military observers say.

“The meeting stands as a testament to the shared resolve of Pakistan and China to advance their time-tested strategic partnership through deepened cooperation and innovation-driven collaboration,” the Pakistani military said.

In an address this week, Munir said India had failed to achieve its stated military objectives in “Operation Sindoor,” New Delhi’s campaign during the May conflict.

Pakistan said it launched “Operation Bunyan Al Marsoos” in retaliation for Indian attacks on civilian and military sites. India claimed it had only targeted militant infrastructure.

Tensions between the neighbors had escalated into a brief war after an April 2025 militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed several tourists, an incident New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, which Islamabad denied.