PESHAWAR: Pakistani authorities will perform DNA testing on the remains of the suicide bomber who rammed his explosive-laden car into a vehicle in the country’s northwest, killing five Chinese nationals and their local driver, officials said Wednesday.
The attack occurred in Shangla, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where thousands of Chinese nationals work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which includes a multitude of megaprojects such as road construction, power plants and agriculture. The CPEC is a lifeline for Pakistan’s cash-strapped government, currently facing one of its worst economic crises.
The five were engineers and laborers heading Tuesday to the Dasu Dam, the biggest hydropower project in Pakistan, where they worked. Their remains were transported to the capital, Islamabad, local police official Altaf Khan said, adding that the deceased had a police escort when the attack happened.
Pakistani officials said they shared the latest investigation developments with their Chinese counterparts. China is expected to send its own experts Wednesday to the attack site to conduct an independent investigation while collaborating with Pakistani authorities.
Khan said they have further expanded a search that started a day earlier, looking for the attacker’s possible accomplices.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatists as well as a breakaway Gul Bahadur faction of Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, and is a separate group, but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban.
The TTP denied being behind the attack in a statement Wednesday, saying: “We are in no way related to the attack on the Chinese engineers.”
Tuesday’s attack came less than a week after Pakistani security forces killed eight Balochistan Liberation Army militants who opened fire on a convoy carrying Chinese citizens outside the Chinese-funded Gwadar port in the volatile southwestern Baluchistan province.
The Chinese foreign ministry condemned the attack and offered “deep condolences to the deceased” in a statement Wednesday.
The ministry said China has asked “Pakistan to thoroughly investigate the incident as soon as possible, hunt down the perpetrators, and bring them to justice” and added that “any attempt to undermine China-Pakistan cooperation will never succeed”.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised a swift conclusion to the investigation during a visit with the Chinese ambassador, Jiang Zaidong, on Tuesday.
Chinese laborers working on CPEC-related projects in Pakistan have come under attack in recent years.
In July 2021, at least 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, were killed when a suicide bomber detonated his vehicle near a bus carrying several Chinese and Pakistani engineers and laborers, prompting the Chinese companies to suspend work at the time. Pakistani authorities at the time initially insisted it was a road accident, but China disputed the claim, saying victims were the target of a suicide attack.
Pakistan to perform DNA testing on remains of suicide bomber who killed 5 Chinese nationals
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Pakistan to perform DNA testing on remains of suicide bomber who killed 5 Chinese nationals
- Attack occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where thousands of Chinese nationals work on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
- The five Chinese were engineers and laborers heading Tuesday to Dasu Dam, the biggest hydropower project in Pakistan
Pakistani province orders arrest of suspects involved in shooting at Kurram aid convoy
- Unidentified men on Saturday fired at aid convoy traveling toward Kurram district rocked by sectarian and tribal clashes
- Participants of high-level meeting chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister vow not to show militants any mercy
PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has ordered the immediate arrest of suspects involved in the recent shooting at an aid convoy en route to the northwestern Kurram district, which has been rocked by sectarian and tribal clashes in recent weeks, a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said on Sunday.
Saturday’s gun attack was carried out by unidentified men near Bagan, a tense locality in the district’s center, as Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud and other officials led an aid convoy to Kurram, leaving the top officials and four security men injured.
Kurram, a northwestern district of around 600,000 people in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has been rocked by tribal and sectarian clashes since Nov. 21 when gunmen attacked a convoy of Shia passengers, killing 52.
The attack sparked further violence and blockade of a main road connecting Kurram’s main town of Parachinar with the provincial capital of Peshawar, causing medicine, food and fuel shortages in the area, as casualties surged to 136.
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur held a meeting with senior provincial officials on Saturday night to take stock of the situation in Kurram after the incident, the CM Office said in a statement.
“People involved in the firing should be handed over to the law,” the statement said. “A first information report against all suspects involved in the shooting should be registered after which they should be immediately arrested.”
The statement said that after a peace agreement between the warring factions in Kurram, the responsibility for its violation falls on the people of the area. Participants of the meeting also decided to fix bounties on militants’ heads to eliminate them.
“No mercy will be shown to any terrorist nor will those who aid them be spared,” it added.
KP government spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif said on Saturday that Mehsud’s condition was out of danger. The official was leading a convoy of 17 trucks, which were carrying tents, blankets, medical kits, tarpaulins, solar lamps and sleeping bags when the attack occurred.
Kurram police spokesman Riaz Khan told Arab News that the attack injured DC Mehsud, his police guard and three members of the Frontier Corps (FC) paramilitary force.
Saturday’s gun attack came days after a grand jirga, or council of political and tribal elders formed by the KP provincial government, brokered a peace agreement between the warring Shia and Sunni tribes, following weeks of efforts.
Under the peace agreement signed on Wednesday, both sides had agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons to the authorities within two weeks, but the attack on the aid convoy has once again cast a cloud on peace in the restive district.
According to the peace agreement, any party that launches an attack after the signing of the deal will be considered a “terrorist” and action will be taken against it. Another point of the agreement says that a fine of Rs10 million ($35,933) will be imposed on those who violate the terms of the deal by using weapons against each other.
Land disputes in the volatile district will be settled on a priority basis with the cooperation of local tribes and the district administration, according to the peace agreement. Opening of banned outfits’ offices will be prohibited in the district, while social media accounts spreading hate will be discouraged via collective efforts backed by the government.
India issues visas to 100 Pakistani pilgrims for Sufi saint’s death anniversary
- Pakistani pilgrims to depart for Ajmer in India today to partake in religious festivities
- India issued visas “significantly below” allowed quota of 500 pilgrims, says state media
ISLAMABAD: India has issued visas to 100 Pakistani pilgrims to attend events related to the annual death anniversary of revered Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, state media reported this week, saying that the number was “significantly below” the allowed quota of 500 pilgrims.
Pakistan and India regularly issue visas to residents of each other’s countries to attend birth and death anniversaries of religious personalities. The 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines agreement allows devotees from both countries to visit sacred sites, including Hindu temples in Pakistan and Islamic shrines in India.
However, political tensions between the two nations have at times disrupted these exchanges, with instances where visas were denied to religious pilgrims.
“The Indian authorities have issued visas to only 100 Pakistani pilgrims for the annual Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer Sharif, India, significantly below the allotted quota of 500,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said on Saturday.
Pakistan’s religion ministry spokesperson Umer Butt said India has denied visas to a potential 400 Pakistani pilgrims this year to attend Chishti’s death anniversary.
“Despite the restrictions, he said 100 Pakistani pilgrims are set to leave for Ajmer Sharif on Sunday via the Wagah border,” APP reported.
He said these pilgrims will participate in various religious ceremonies at Chishti’s shrine, widely known as Gharib Nawaz, at Ajmer in India’s Rajasthan.
Despite the tensions between the two countries, Pakistan has actively promoted religious tourism in recent years, welcoming Buddhist monks as well as Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India and across the globe.
The inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019, which allows visa-free travel for Indian Sikhs to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, is a significant milestone in these efforts.
Each year, a large number of Indian Sikhs also travel to Pakistan to pay homage at sacred sites, including Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Samadhi in Lahore, the last resting place of the founder of the Sikh Empire, and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, revered for its connection to Guru Nanak.
Pakistan demands UN take meaningful measures for free plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir
- Pakistan marks Jan. 5 every year to commemorate day UN recognized right to self-determination for people of Kashmir in 1949
- PM Shehbaz Sharif urges world to call for immediate cessation of human rights violations, release of political prisoners
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the international community and the United Nations on Sunday to ensure a free, fair and transparent plebiscite for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir, criticizing New Delhi for taking steps to “consolidate its occupation” of the disputed valley.
Pakistan marks ‘Right to Self-Determination Day’ for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir every year on Jan. 5, which commemorates the United Nations Security Council’s resolution passed on Jan. 5, 1949. In it, the UN supported the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide their future through a free and fair plebiscite under UN supervision.
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir has been divided between Pakistan and India since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both countries govern parts of the territory but claim it in full, having fought two of their three wars over the disputed region.
“It is time for the international community, including the United Nations, to live up to their promises and take meaningful measures, enabling the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination,” Sharif said in his statement.
Sharif noted that every year the UN expresses unequivocal support for the realization of the right to self-determination for peoples under foreign occupation.
“Regrettably, the Kashmiri people have not been able to exercise this inalienable right for over seven decades,” he said.
“The international community must also call for immediate cessation of human rights violations, release of political prisoners, and restoration of fundamental rights and freedoms of the Kashmiri people.”
In 2019, India repealed Article 370, which granted special autonomous status to the part of Kashmir controlled by New Delhi, and the era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan was over, India Today reported.
The move triggered a sharp reaction from Pakistan, which suspended trade with India and downgraded its ties with the country.
“Through a series of illegal and unilateral actions taken since 5 August 2019, India is trying to alter the demographic and political structure of the disputed territory, aimed at transforming the majority Kashmiri people into a disempowered minority community, in their own homeland,” Sharif said.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s “strong resolve” to continue extending its moral, political and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir to pursue their right to self-determination.
Pakistan government warns of ‘hurdles’ to talks if Imran Khan’s party doesn’t submit demands
- Second round of talks between Khan’s party, government ended inconclusively this week after PTI did not submit demands in writing
- Khan’s party has publicly stated two demands: release of political prisoners and setting up of judicial commissions to probe protests
ISLAMABAD: A leading government spokesperson this week warned that negotiations with former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party may face “serious hurdles” if the party fails to submit its demands in writing in the next meeting.
The PTI and the government’s second round of talks on Jan. 2 ended inconclusively after Khan’s party demanded more time to meet and consult the jailed former premier before submitting their demands in writing to the government.
The two sides kicked off negotiations last month to end the political deadlock in the country. Khan’s party has publicly stated two demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9, 2023, and Nov. 26, 2024, which the government says involved his party supporters, accusing them of attacking military installations and government buildings.
“In an interview with a private television channel, he [Senator Irfan Siddiqui] said that if PTI does not submit its demands in writing as promised, the negotiation process may face serious hurdles,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
“He said even after 12 days, no significant progress has been made.”
Siddiqui, who is the parliamentary leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ()PML-N) in the Senate and a member of the government’s negotiation committee, said the government had facilitated Khan’s party by arranging its meetings with the former prime minister in jail.
However, he said the PTI remained “indecisive” about formalizing their demands despite written assurances made in joint declarations.
“However, if the written demands are not presented in the third meeting, the negotiations could face significant setbacks,” Radio Pakistan quoted Siddiqui as saying.
He said the date for the third meeting between the two sides would be decided by the PTI.
Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-trust vote in 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis, particularly since the PTI founder was jailed in August last year on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars. His party and supporters have regularly held protests calling for his release, with many of the demonstrations turning violent.
The talks between the two sides opened days after Khan threatened a civil disobedience movement, and amid growing concerns he may face trial by a military court for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during the May 9, 2023 protests.
Pakistan Business Council elects new board to strengthen trade, investment ties with UAE
- PBC provides a platform to Pakistani companies and professionals in Dubai, helping them with networking
- It also engages in initiatives to enhance Pakistan’s image, organize business forums and cultural activities
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) Dubai, a non-profit organization established in 2004 to strengthen trade and investment ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has elected its new board of directors for the 2025-2026 term, according to its statement on Saturday.
PBC serves as a platform for Pakistan-related companies and professionals operating in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, facilitating business networking, information exchange and maintaining strong connections to Pakistan.
Established under the patronage of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the council boasts a membership of over 200 Pakistani businessmen and companies from diverse sectors, including trade, manufacturing, professional services, finance, technology and health care.
Pakistan’s Consul General in Dubai, Hussain Muhammad, congratulated the newly elected board during a ceremony held at the Pakistan Association Dubai.
“The PBC serves as a dynamic platform for fostering trade, investment and collaboration between Pakistan and the UAE,” he said, according to a council statement. “I urge the new board to continue identifying and promoting sectors where both nations can collaborate for mutual benefit.”
PBC actively engages in initiatives to enhance Pakistan’s image. It also closely works with local government departments in Dubai and organizes events such as business forums, seminars, workshops and cultural celebrations related to Pakistan.
During the ceremony, the consul general praised the outgoing board for their contributions and highlighted the strong relationship between Pakistan and the UAE.
Members of both the outgoing and incoming boards also addressed the gathering, saying the council was playing a vital role in promoting business-to-business collaboration between the two countries.
