QUETTA: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province has arrested eight suspects for allegedly being involved in and facilitating last week’s suicide blast in Mastung, a source in the department with direct knowledge of the development said on Wednesday.
Sixty people were killed and scores were injured on Friday when a suicide blast targeted a gathering held to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) birthday in Balochistan’s Mastung city. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the incident while banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has distanced itself from the incident.
A spokesperson for the CTD Balochistan said the department has intensified its investigation into the Mastung suicide bombing. He added that the CTD and other law enforcement agencies were carrying out operations in Mastung and other districts of the province to arrest those involved in the bombing.
“Eight persons have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the incident [Mastung bomb blast] and facilitating it,” a CTD source told Arab News. “Further action is being taken on the information extracted from those detained.”
Meanwhile, the CTD spokesperson said authorities have not received any data relating to the suicide bomber yet, adding that various methods are being used to identify him. “We have still not received the DNA and forensic reports,” the spokesperson said. “There is no negligence in the investigation of the incident, however, results will take time.”
Situated near the provincial capital of Quetta, Mastung is mostly mentioned in the news due to incidents of sectarian violence, insurgency, and militant attacks. The security situation in the area has been volatile for years and it is widely considered as one of the more sensitive districts in Balochistan from a security perspective.
Abdul Basit, a research fellow at the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the Daesh-Khorasan outfit was most likely behind the Mastung bomb blast.
The regional affiliate of Daesh is a key rival of the Taliban. The militant group has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021. Targets have included Taliban patrols and members of Afghanistan’s Shia population.
Basit said the militant group has been struggling to survive as it faces tough opposition in Afghanistan and Pakistan. “If we look at all the data points and substantial evidence, it will give us a clear picture of which group has a stronghold in Mastung and attacks soft targets,” Basit told Aran News over the phone.
He said Daesh has conducted lethal attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and Balochistan as both provinces share borders with Afghanistan, where it has a strong presence in some towns.
“Daesh has been struggling to show its relevance in Pakistan through more attacks and the militant group might attack soft targets in the next general elections.” Basit added.
Pakistan’s Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti vowed on Tuesday to take decisive action against militants in the country, adding that the state would maintain its monopoly on violence and would not succumb to pressure on gunpoint. He gave “illegal immigrants” in the country till November 1 to leave, threatening that after the deadline passes, the administration would deport them.
The move is likely to impact millions of Afghans living in Pakistan, with a sizable number not even registered as refugees in the country.
Balochistan’s Caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai told reporters on Wednesday that out of the 24 suicide bombings that have taken place in Pakistan since January, 14 were conducted by Afghan nationals.
“During the recent attacks on security forces’ camps in Zhob and Muslim Bagh, the majority of the attackers were Afghan citizens,” Achakzai said. He added that Balochistan was hosting 584,000 Afghans out of which 313,000 are registered as refugees and 274,000 are registered with Afghan citizen cards.
“In future, the Balochistan government will expel Afghan citizens living without visa here,” he said.
Balochistan police arrest 8 on suspicion of involvement in Mastung suicide blast
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Balochistan police arrest 8 on suspicion of involvement in Mastung suicide blast
- 60 people were killed, scores injured when a suicide blast targeted a gathering in Mastung on Friday
- CTD Balochistan spokesperson says various methods are being used to identify the suicide bomber
Pakistan calls for global action over Israel’s killing of Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza
- Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan urges the world to put end to Israeli violations of international law
- Israel deliberately killed 15 Palestinian emergency workers last month in a shooting incident captured on video
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan urged the international community on Thursday to take notice of Israel’s latest “barbarity” in the Gaza Strip while referring to the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency workers in a shooting incident captured on video.
The emergency workers were shot dead on March 23 and buried in shallow graves. Initially, the Israeli military claimed it opened fire after unmarked vehicles approached its soldiers in the dark, but later changed the statement after video footage emerged showing clearly marked ambulances and fire trucks with their lights on coming under fire.
The war in Gaza, which began in October 2023, has continued despite repeated international appeals for a ceasefire. The Palestinian death toll has reportedly surpassed 50,000, with women and children making up a significant portion of the casualties.
“Pakistan in the strongest possible terms condemns the continued aggression and atrocities committed by Israeli occupation forces in occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in Gaza,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said during his weekly media briefing.
“In the latest incidents of brutality, Israel has mercilessly killed 15 Palestinian emergency and civil defense workers,” he continued. “Pakistan demand that the international community should take immediate notice of this barbarity and stop this blatant violation of international law and charter of the United Nations.”
Khan highlighted his country’s condemnation of the continued aggression by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Pakistan, which does not recognize Israel, has consistently supported the Palestinian demand for an independent state based on pre-1967 borders.
It has repeatedly raised concerns over the Gaza conflict at various global forums, including the UN Security Council, and has called for a ceasefire and accountability for Israel’s actions.
World Bank investment arm commits $300 million loan to Pakistan’s Reko Diq mining project
- Located in Balochistan, Reko Diq is among the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold reserves
- IFC says its involvement will mitigate project risks and support sustainable mining practices in Pakistan
KARACHI: The World Bank’s private investment arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), will extend $300 million in debt financing for Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper and gold mining project, according to an IFC project disclosure published on Wednesday.
Reko Diq, located in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, is among the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold reserves. Once operational, it is expected to significantly boost Pakistan’s exports, generate substantial tax and royalty revenues and contribute to economic growth and job creation.
IFC said its involvement will mitigate project risks in the restive Balochistan region and support sustainable mining practices.
“The estimated total Project cost is $6.6bn, and it will be financed using a combination of debt and equity,” IFC announced while sharing a summary of its investment.
“IFC’s proposed investment consists of an A-loan of up to $300 million,” it added. “Other parallel lenders will provide the remaining debt financing.”
An A-loan is a direct loan provided by the IFC from its own funds, typically with long-term repayments. It is a form of debt financing, requiring the borrower to repay the loan with interest, unlike equity financing where the investor takes ownership stakes in the project.
The Reko Diq project is being supported by IFC’s technical and financial expertise. The institution will act as Environmental and Social (E&S) coordinator, ensuring adherence to its performance standards and helping implement best practices in sustainability.
IFC will also provide advisory support on mining operations, transport infrastructure and risk mitigation.
According to the investment summary document, the project will strengthen domestic supply chains and contribute to community development in Balochistan.
It is also expected to deepen domestic market integration by linking Balochistan to national and global markets and encouraging further investment in Pakistan’s mineral sector.
The IFC has actively engaged with Pakistan recently through several high-level visits and financial commitments. Earlier this year, its Managing Director Makhtar Diop visited the country in February and met with public and private sector stakeholders to expand IFC’s investment footprint and reaffirm its commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth.
Subsequently, the IFC announced plans to significantly increase its investment in Pakistan, with a target of up to $2 billion annually over the next decade, potentially amounting to $20 billion.
The initiative aligns with the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework, which envisions a combined investment of around $40 billion in Pakistan over ten years.
With input from Reuters
Pakistan PM departs for Belarus on two-day visit to boost bilateral cooperation
- The two sides plan to sign several agreements during Sharif’s two-day visit, says Pakistan’s foreign office
- Visit can also help Pakistan diversify trade partnerships since Belarus can be a gateway to Eurasian markets
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left for a two-day visit to the Eastern European country of Belarus on Thursday, his office said, as the two sides prepare to sign several agreements to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Belarus after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and has maintained diplomatic relations with it since 1994.
However, bilateral trade has remained modest, with annual volumes ranging between $50 and $65 million, according to the Belarusian embassy in Islamabad.
Belarus mainly exports tractors, trucks, potash fertilizers, synthetic yarns and tires to Pakistan, while Pakistani exports include rice, textiles, leather goods and surgical instruments.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has departed for a two-day official visit to Belarus,” the PM Office said in a statement. “At the invitation of His Excellency President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to Belarus from April 10 to 11, 2025.”
According to another statement released by the foreign office earlier today, Sharif will hold talks with Lukashenko to review progress in areas of mutual interest.
“The two sides are expected to sign several agreements to further strengthen cooperation,” it added.
The prime minister’s visit follows a series of bilateral engagements in recent months. The Belarusian president visited Pakistan last November for his third official trip to the country, during which both sides signed a “Roadmap for Comprehensive Cooperation for 2025-2027” to expand economic ties and institutional linkages.
Fourteen other agreements and memorandums of understanding were also inked, covering cooperation in environmental protection, disaster management, halal trade and science and technology.
For Pakistan, closer ties with Belarus offer several strategic advantages that include diversifying trade partnerships beyond traditional markets, enhancing defense collaboration through access to Belarusian technology and tapping into regional connectivity opportunities, with Belarus serving as a potential gateway to Eurasian markets.
The partnership also complements Pakistan’s broader goals, such as the development of an export-oriented economy.
UAE to grant 100,000 Pakistanis five-year visas this year – Sindh governor’s office
- Official statement quotes the UAE envoy mentioning the number of these visas his country plans to issue
- UAE consulate confirmed this week Pakistani citizens can apply for work, medical and other types of visas
KARACHI: The United Arab Emirates plans to issue five-year visas to 100,000 Pakistanis this year, according to an official statement released by authorities in Pakistan’s Sindh province on Wednesday, following a visit by Governor Kamran Khan Tessori to the UAE consulate in Karachi.
The governor’s office and UAE authorities in Pakistan said this week all visa-related issues between the two countries had been resolved, and Pakistani nationals could now apply for five-year visas to the Emirates.
The development came amid widespread reports in recent months of a decline in visa approvals for Pakistanis, allegedly due to violations of local laws and customs, as well as political sloganeering while abroad.
Tessori visited the UAE consulate in Karachi on the invitation of UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi following a meeting between the two officials in Karachi on Monday.
“The governor of Sindh, Kamran Khan Tessori, was warmly welcomed by the UAE ambassador and consul general during his visit to the UAE consulate,” the Governor House said in a statement.
“The governor toured the visa center at the consulate, where the ambassador briefed him on the facility,” it added. “Ambassador Hamad Obaid Al-Zaabi said 100,000 Pakistanis would be granted five-year visas. The consul general added that applicants would be treated with great respect at the visa center and receive full cooperation.”
Earlier this week on Tuesday, the UAE consulate in Karachi issued a statement on the meeting between Tessori and Al-Zaabi.
“We love Pakistanis very much,” the statement quoted Consul General Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi as saying. “Every person can apply for a UAE visa … Pakistani citizens can also apply for a UAE visa for work, medical treatment and other needs.”
The UAE is home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates, making it the second-largest overseas Pakistani community globally and a major contributor to remittance inflows to Pakistan.
Policymakers in Pakistan also view the UAE as an ideal export market due to its proximity, which reduces transportation and freight costs and facilitates smoother trade.
Gunmen kill three policemen in southwestern Pakistan
- The incident happened on the peripheries of Balochistan’s provincial capital Quetta
- Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti promises ‘revenge for the bloodshed of our martyrs’
QUETTA: At least three policemen, including a sub-inspector, were killed in southwestern Pakistan when armed militants targeted a police mobile in the volatile Balochistan province on Wednesday night, a senior police official said.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by landmass and rich in mineral resources, has faced a low-level insurgency for nearly two decades. Baloch separatist groups accuse the central government of exploiting local resources, such as gold and copper, without benefiting the local population.
Islamabad denies the allegations, saying it is committed to improving the lives of local residents in the province through various development projects.
The latest attack took place on the peripheries of the provincial capital, Quetta, targeting a police vehicle parked near a restaurant.
“A police mobile was targeted after unknown gunmen riding on motorbikes attacked the police team with intense firing,” Muhammad Baloch, Senior Superintendent of Police, told Arab News.
“Three policemen, including a sub-inspector, were killed in the targeted attack and one was injured,” he added.
Baloch said the policemen were patrolling the area when the incident happened.
No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, though suspicion is likely to fall on separatist militants, especially the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) that has previously targeted the police force in similar attacks.
CCTV footage of the attack seen by Arab News showed that armed men riding on two motorbikes attacked the police van. The gunmen, who had covered their faces, could also be seen escaping the area.
Sarfaraz Bugti, the Balochistan chief minister, condemned the attack, promising an effective response against the perpetrators.
“The state is not weak,” he said in a statement. “We will take revenge for the bloodshed of our martyrs.”
Last month, three policemen were killed and several injured after a police mobile was targeted with an improvised explosive device in Quetta.
Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has witnessed an uptick in militant violence recently, with the separatist BLA intensifying attacks against security forces and commuters in the region.
Last month, militants affiliated with the group held hundreds of hostages aboard the Jaffer Express, a passenger train, for nearly 36 hours before the army intervened and launched a rescue operation.
