ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Wednesday responded to concerns raised by a top United Nations rights body regarding pre-election violence, alleged “harassment” of former prime minister Imran Khan’s party leaders and supporters ahead of national polls, saying that the South Asian country is committed to foster an “inclusive” democratic process.
During a news briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, Liz Throssell, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, urged Pakistani authorities to ensure a free and fair voting process, adding the UN body was disturbed “by the pattern of harassment, arrests and prolonged detentions” of Khan’s party leaders and supporters.
The statement came after Khan was handed jail sentences in multiple cases last week while many of his party leaders are in jail or have gone into hiding to evade arrest. Charges against the former prime minister, who had a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military leadership in 2022, range from corruption to leaking state secrets. Khan rejects the allegations and blames the military for cracking down on his party leaders and supporters to keep him away from national elections. The military rejects Khan’s accusations and says it does not interfere in political matters.
“Pakistan is fully committed to foster an inclusive democratic process, uphold the rule of law and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed in its laws and Constitution,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement.
“Our judicial system provides for fair trial and due process. Domestic legal remedies are available in case of any complaints in the electoral process.”
Throssell had also spoken of the rights body’s concerns over surging attacks on political parties and election candidates ahead of Pakistan’s general elections on Feb. 8. She deplored the violence and urged authorities to uphold fundamental freedoms necessary for “an inclusive and meaningful democratic process.”
“Security plans have been finalized to hold the elections on 08 February 2024 as per the electoral laws of Pakistan,” Baloch said in response to the UN body’s concerns regarding pre-poll violence.
On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Caretaker Interior Minister Gohar Ejaz announced the South Asian country of over 241 million had finalized arrangements for elections, but added Internet disruptions and shutdowns were a possibility during the Feb. 8 polls.
Amnesty International, along with several other human rights organizations, responded to Ejaz’s statement on Tuesday, calling on Pakistani authorities to guarantee uninterrupted Internet access and digital communication platforms for everyone across the country.
“As the people of Pakistan prepare to vote, authorities in Pakistan must adopt and prioritize measures that advance human rights, by enabling unrestricted access to information and avenues for freedom of expression, assembly, and association — both offline and online,” Amnesty International had said.
“This will also contribute to an inclusive, free, and fair election process.”
Political experts and analysts have noted the lackluster nature of election campaigns by various parties in the lead-up to polls. With Khan out of the picture, three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who returned to the country months ago and has been absolved of past convictions, seems to be the strongest contender for the prime minister’s post.
Pakistan responds to UN concerns over Khan party’s ‘harassment,’ vows to hold ‘inclusive’ polls
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Pakistan responds to UN concerns over Khan party’s ‘harassment,’ vows to hold ‘inclusive’ polls
- Top UN rights body on Tuesday voiced concerns over pre-poll violence, crackdown against supporters and leaders of ex-PM Khan’s party
- Pakistan “fully committed” to foster inclusive democratic process, uphold rule of law and protect human rights, says foreign office
COMSTECH to host sixth OIC steering committee meeting in Islamabad from Apr. 22-24
- Meeting will focus on reviewing implementation progress of OIC’s science, technology and innovation agenda 2026, says COMSTECH
- Representatives of 17 OIC institutions from Saudia Arabia, Turkiye, Jordan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Pakistan to attend the meeting
ISLAMABAD: The Ministerial Standing Committee of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) is set to host the sixth meeting of the OIC steering committee for the implementation of the OIC Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Agenda 2026 from Apr. 22-24 in Islamabad, the organization said recently.
Established by the OIC in 1981 and headquartered in Islamabad, COMSTECH continues to serve as a cornerstone of the OIC’s mission to promote scientific excellence and technological innovation, focusing on sustainable development, poverty reduction and improvement in quality of life across member states.
Confirmed participants of the upcoming steering committee meeting include heads and representatives of 17 OIC institutions from Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Turkiye, Jordan, Uganda, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Pakistan, COMSTECH said.
“The upcoming Steering Committee meeting will focus on reviewing the implementation progress of the OIC STI Agenda 2026, which was initiated following the First OIC Summit on STI in Astana, Kazakhstan, 2017,” COMSTECH said in a statement issued on Sunday.
“The agenda aims to foster research collaboration, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer among OIC member states to support sustainable development.”
It said key agenda items also include reviewing member states’ progress on STI Agenda 2026 goals, identifying new joint initiatives and partnerships and discussing future actions leading toward the proposed OIC STI Agenda.
The meeting will also feature presentations from OIC institutions on their progress, challenges and recommendations under the Abu Dhabi Declaration (2022).
To prepare for the event, COMSTECH’s Coordinator General Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary chaired a high-level preparatory meeting at the body’s headquarters in Islamabad on Sunday where he issued key directives to ensure the smooth execution of the Steering Committee’s sessions. COMSTECH said its senior officials, program managers and departmental representatives attended the meeting.
COMSTECH said it continues to play a central role in facilitating STI cooperation and will oversee coordination among partner institutions to implement recommended initiatives and sustain momentum toward the strategic objectives of the OIC-STI agenda.
Pakistan to hold nationwide anti-polio drive from today to vaccinate over 45 million children
- Seven-day polio drive will be held nationwide from Apr. 21-27, says state media
- Pakistan and Afghanistan remain only two countries where polio remains endemic
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will hold a seven-day anti-polio drive from today, Monday, to vaccinate over 45 million children against the disease, state-run media reported as Islamabad grapples to contain the infection.
Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure, and multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine — along with completing the routine immunization schedule for children under five — are crucial to building immunity against the virus. Pakistan, which has reported six polio cases so far in 2025, has planned three major vaccination campaigns in the first half of the year, with additional rounds scheduled for April and May.
The seven-day campaign from Apr. 21-27 will be the second nationwide anti-polio drive to be held this year, which aims to vaccinate over 45 million children against the disease. Sharif on Sunday formally kicked off the campaign by administering polio drops to a few children during a ceremony in Islamabad.
“It is my request to parents all over Pakistan that they help us out in administering polio drops to their children,” Sharif said at the ceremony. “Help our teams in the field so that this virus can be eliminated for good.”
The Pakistani premier thanked Islamabad’s local and international partners for helping fight the disease, saying he had no doubt Pakistan would stem the spread of the infection.
Sharif said the government has undertaken stringent security measures in sensitive areas for polio volunteers. He called on authorities to mobilize the public so that they become “soldiers” in the fight against poliovirus.
In 2024, Pakistan reported an alarming 74 polio cases. Along with Afghanistan, it remains one of the only two countries where polio is still endemic.
Pakistan’s polio program, launched in 1994, has faced persistent challenges including vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners who claim immunization is a foreign conspiracy to sterilize Muslim children or a guise for Western espionage.
Militant groups have also repeatedly targeted and killed polio vaccination workers. Gunmen attacked a vehicle and abducted two polio workers who were on their way home after visiting a health facility in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, earlier this month.
Pakistan sets up 24/7 control room to address Afghan repatriation complaints
- The decision comes a day after Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar met Taliban officials in Kabul
- The government says nearly 85,000 Afghans have returned to their home country so far in April
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has established a 24/7 federal control room to assist Afghan nationals and respond to complaints of harassment during their repatriation, according to a statement issued on Sunday, amid growing criticism of Islamabad’s ongoing deportation campaign.
The decision comes a day after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul and met senior Taliban officials to discuss bilateral cooperation, including issues linked to the mass return of Afghans from Pakistan.
“Pakistan has set up a 24/7 Federal Control Room at the National Crisis Information Management Cell (NCIMC) to assist Afghan nationals and address complaints of harassment during repatriation,” the office of Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Sadiq Khan, said in a statement.
It noted the helpline service was launched in line with Dar’s commitment during his visit to Kabul. Dar had promised that Pakistan’s interior ministry would issue a notification within 48 hours to streamline a complaints mechanism for Afghan returnees.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Dar spoke with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to thank him for the hospitality extended during the visit. Both leaders expressed satisfaction over the outcome of their talks and agreed to “expeditiously implement the decisions taken for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries,” the ministry said
Dar also invited Muttaqi to visit Pakistan, an invitation the Afghan official accepted.
The development comes as Islamabad presses ahead with a second phase of its repatriation plan, targeting more than 800,000 Afghans whose residence permits have been canceled.
Rights groups and Afghan officials have raised concerns about the treatment of deportees, many of whom have reported harassment, arbitrary arrests and family separations.
Pakistan says nearly 85,000 Afghans have returned so far in April, with a large number of them undocumented. The United Nations says more than half of them are children, with many families entering a country where women face restrictions on work and education under Taliban rule.
Islamabad has defended the deportation policy as a national security measure, pointing to rising militant violence and alleging that many Afghan nationals have remained involved attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban government in Kabul, however, denies the charge.
The first phase of the deportation campaign began in late 2023 wherein hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghans were expelled from Pakistan.
At Dubai exhibition, Pakistan’s envoy says art can shape global perception of his country
- Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi visits Imran Qureshi’s exhibition during Alserkal Art Week in Dubai
- He says art can build cross-cultural understanding, pledges support for future collaborations in UAE
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, said on Sunday art could serve as a powerful tool of soft power for his country, helping project its positive image on the world stage, as he visited an exhibition by a leading Pakistani artist in Dubai on its concluding day.
Titled “Vanishing Points,” the event ran from April 13 to 20 as part of Alserkal Art Week and was held at Concrete, a prominent contemporary art space at Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue.
Curated by Nada Raza, Director of the Alserkal Arts Foundation, the show featured Imran Qureshi’s latest body of work, spanning photography, video, painting and a site-specific installation, offering a vivid meditation on urban life and the visual chaos of South Asian cityscapes.
Known for pioneering a contemporary revival of Indo-Persian miniature painting, Qureshi’s practice blends traditional techniques with modern perspectives.
“Imran Qureshi’s art vividly transforms Pakistan’s day-to-day life into breathtaking visual narratives,” Tirmizi said after touring the exhibition.
“Through his lens, the bustling streets, Sufi shrines and architectural heritage come alive, arising a deep sense of connection,” he continued. “His depiction of a Sufi tomb with Qawwali resonating in the background is particularly mesmerizing and emotionally powerful.”
The ambassador emphasized the importance of art as a form of diplomacy, saying it could promote cross-cultural understanding and enhance Pakistan’s global standing.
He also pledged support for future cultural collaborations in the UAE, particularly with platforms like Alserkal Avenue that promote diverse artistic voices.
A recipient of Pakistan’s Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of the country’s highest civilian honors, and France’s Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, a prestigious distinction recognizing significant contributions to the arts and literature, Qureshi is among the internationally celebrated artists.
His works are housed in prominent collections, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Qureshi’s works are also featured in Art Dubai, another major international art fair running in the city.
This year’s Art Dubai edition includes work by 10 Pakistani artists, reflecting the country’s growing presence on the global contemporary art scene.
Peshawar Zalmi reignite media partnership with Arab News Pakistan for PSL 2025
- Zalmi clinched the 2017 title and have remained strong contenders in subsequent seasons
- After a challenging tournament start, they have bounced back with 120-run win against Multan
ISLAMABAD: A popular franchise of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Peshawar Zalmi, announced on Sunday a renewed media partnership with Arab News Pakistan, continuing a collaboration that began in 2020.
The PSL, launched in 2016, is Pakistan’s premier T20 cricket league featuring six city-based teams.
Peshawar Zalmi, representing the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, clinched the PSL title in 2017 and have consistently been strong contenders in subsequent seasons.
“Proud to go global with @arabnewspk as our International Newspaper Partner for #HBLPSLX,” Zalmi announced on their social media account on X, exclaiming, “Where cricket meets the world.”
Arab News Pakistan was launched in February 2018 and has since provided in-depth coverage of Pakistan, including sports.
Its parent organization, Arab News, was founded in 1975 and is part of the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), one of the largest media conglomerates in the region.
Peshawar Zalmi had a challenging start to this year’s PSL but bounced back with a commanding 120-run victory over Multan Sultans on Saturday, marking their first win of the season.
They are now set to face Karachi Kings in the next match on Monday at the National Stadium in Karachi.
