In bid to promote interfaith harmony, Hindu youths organize iftar for Muslims in Karachi

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Updated 08 April 2024
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In bid to promote interfaith harmony, Hindu youths organize iftar for Muslims in Karachi

  • Hindu youths from Maheshwar community have been hosting iftar events for primarily low-wage Muslim laborers since Ramadan 21
  • Organizer says iftar drive is a “healing wave” against hatred and aims to promote peace and unity among Muslims and Hindus

KARACHI: A group of Hindu youths in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi hosted Muslims, primarily low-wage laborers, for iftar on Sunday, saying the initiative is aimed at promoting peace and interfaith harmony. 

Muslims break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan with an evening meal known as iftar. Members of the Hindu Maheshwar community, who hail from Pakistan’s southern Tharparkar district, have been hosting Muslims for iftar daily from Ramadan 21 and aim to continue the practice till the last day of the month. The iftar is organized by the community at the Karachi Cantonment Railway Station area. 

“This is a sacred month of Ramadan in which we have organized this iftar program,” Sagar Langhani, one of the members of the Maheshwar community, told Arab News. “Its purpose is to promote peace.”

Langhani said Muslims in Pakistan celebrate Hindu religious festivals of Holi and Diwali, adding that his community would also celebrate Ramadan and Eid with Muslims. 

Bhevish Kumar, another member of the group, said in Tharparkar Hindus refrain from celebrating during the Islamic month of Muharram, in which Muslims mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He said in turn, Muslims in Tharparkar abstain from openly slaughtering animals during Eid Al-Adha out of respect for the Hindu religion, which considers cows sacred animals. 

“Our efforts extend beyond mere hospitality, we aim to instill hope, inclusivity, and pluralism,” Kumar told Arab News. “This iftar drive is a healing wave against the currents of hatred, promoting peace and unity.”

The Maheshwar community is known for its mobilization initiatives. One such example is the Maheshwari Premier League, a cricket tournament that has expanded over time to include educational, health care campaigns and free medical tests. 

For the interfaith iftar, Langhani said the group selected a menu featuring vegetable biryani, potato samosas, the sweet jalebi snack and dates. 

“This is the greatest example of peace and brotherhood which we have established, sending a message of positivity to the world,” Langhani said, adding that humanity should be promoted as it “always comes first.”

He further emphasized the inclusive nature of the event, stating that people from all faiths are present at the iftar. 

“We don’t ask anyone about their background, there is nothing about caste or creed,” he said. 

“This is a spread of love.”


Google expands creative AI tools in Pakistan with Veo 3 and Flow

Updated 7 sec ago
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Google expands creative AI tools in Pakistan with Veo 3 and Flow

  • Users can now transform their favorite photos into vivid eight-second video clips with sound
  • The photo-to-video feature on Veo 3 requires users to upload images and describe the scene

KARACHI: Google has expanded access to its advanced video generation model, Veo 3, allowing users in Pakistan and over 150 other countries to create eight-second videos from photos with sound, the company said in a statement released Friday.

The move comes amid a global surge in interest in creative AI tools, with content creators using different platforms to generate video stories and bring still images to life. With Pakistan’s growing pool of digital creators, the rollout is expected to spur local innovation in short-form content.

“This new capability allows users to transform their favorite photos into vivid eight-second video clips with sound through a powerful photo-to-video feature built on Veo 3,” Google said.

To use the feature, users select “Videos” from the tool menu, upload a photo, and describe the scene and audio. The system then generates a video that can be downloaded or shared.

The tool is accessible through Gemini, Google’s AI-powered assistant that combines search, image generation and content creation features into a single interface.

These capabilities are also integrated into Flow, Google’s AI tool for filmmakers, which now supports speech, background audio, and sound effects.

Google also underscored its commitment to responsible AI development.

“All videos generated with Gemini include a visible watermark and an invisible SynthID digital marker to indicate they are AI-created,” it said.


Pakistan, UAE agree to ease visa process for Pakistani citizens

Updated 38 min 34 sec ago
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Pakistan, UAE agree to ease visa process for Pakistani citizens

  • Mohsin Naqvi discusses enhanced security, anti-narcotics, and tech cooperation during Abu Dhabi visit
  • Pakistani interior minister briefed on crime prevention and public safety at UAE police operations center

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to take “necessary steps” to facilitate visa issuance for Pakistani citizens during a high-level meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Emirati counterpart in Abu Dhabi, according to an official statement released on Friday.

The development comes amid growing concerns over visa delays and restrictions reportedly faced by Pakistani nationals seeking employment in the UAE. Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also raised the issue in a meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.

The UAE is home to over 1.5 million Pakistanis and remains a major source of remittances.

“It was also mutually agreed to ensure necessary steps to facilitate visas for Pakistani citizens, especially work visas,” the interior ministry said in a statement issued after the meeting. “The UAE Minister of Interior assured full cooperation in this regard.”

Naqvi said the fraternal relations with the UAE were valued by all Pakistanis. He also highlighted that a large number of them were playing a key role in strengthening the UAE’s economy.

“We want Pakistani citizens to be able to come to the UAE easily and easing visa policies will greatly benefit them,” he added.

During his talks with UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in multiple areas including security, anti-narcotics, anti-smuggling and preventing illegal immigration.

The discussion also included regional peace and the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence to tackle security challenges.

Later, the Pakistani minister visited Abu Dhabi’s state-of-the-art police operations room, where he was briefed on crime prevention and public safety systems.

He expressed particular interest in the UAE’s advanced police monitoring model and praised the country’s use of technology for law enforcement.


Pakistan court suspends order seeking YouTube ban on government critics

Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan court suspends order seeking YouTube ban on government critics

  • YouTube has warned 27 content creators their channels may be blocked if they fail to comply with a court order seeking to ban them
  • Digital rights groups warn the move could further erode free speech in Pakistan, where authorities face criticism for silencing dissent

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Friday suspended an order seeking to ban the YouTube channels of more than two dozen critics of the government including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, a defense lawyer said.

Alphabet-owned YouTube this week told 27 content creators that it could block their channels — including those of journalists and Khan and his opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf — if they failed to comply with a judicial magistrate court order seeking to ban them.

A regional communication manager for YouTube did not respond to a Reuters request for a comment.

The judicial magistrate court in Islamabad had said it was seeking the ban after the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency criticized the channels in a June 2 report for “sharing highly intimidating, provocative and derogatory contents against state institutions and officials of the state of Pakistan.”

The decision to suspend the order was taken by an additional sessions judge, said Imaan Mazari, the lawyer for two of the YouTube content creators.

In Pakistan, an additional sessions judge is a judicial officer who presides over a sessions court, handling both civil and criminal cases.

“Our submission is that the order has no legal basis. It was a one-sided decision without giving defense a chance to be heard,” Mazari said.

She also said the magistrate court had no jurisdiction over the matter.

The next hearing in the sessions court is on July 21.

In Pakistan’s judicial system, cases start at civil and judicial magistrate courts and appeals are heard in high courts and the Supreme Court.

Digital rights campaigners say that any ban would further undermine free speech in Pakistan, where the authorities are accused of stifling newspapers and television, and social media is seen as one of the few outlets for dissent.


Islamabad, Moscow sign protocol to restore and modernize Pakistan Steel Mills

Updated 11 July 2025
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Islamabad, Moscow sign protocol to restore and modernize Pakistan Steel Mills

  • The Pakistan Steel Mills has been non-operational since 2015 due to years of financial mismanagement, political interference and mounting losses
  • Both sides discussed plans to modernize the major steel complex on the sidelines of the recent INNOPROM Annual Industrial Forum in Yekaterinburg

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia have signed a protocol to restore and modernize the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) in Karachi, Pakistani state media reported on Friday.

The development comes days after the two sides discussed plans to modernize the major steel complex and expand industrial cooperation on the sidelines of the INNOPROM Annual Industrial Forum in Yekaterinburg.

INNOPROM, Russia’s largest annual industrial trade fair, brings together government delegations, business leaders and technology firms from over 30 countries to explore partnerships in manufacturing, engineering and high-tech industries.

The protocol was signed at the Pakistan Embassy in Moscow by Pakistan’s Secretary of Industries and Production Saif Anjum and Russian General Director of Industrial Engineering LLC Vadim Velichko, reaffirming the long-standing industrial partnership.

“The project aims to restart and expand steel production [in Pakistan], marking a new chapter in bilateral cooperation,” read a report on Radio Pakistan broadcaster.

The PSM, once Pakistan’s flagship industrial complex, was built in the 1970s with Soviet assistance. While it symbolized national self-sufficiency, the mill has been non-operational since 2015 due to years of financial mismanagement, political interference and mounting losses.

Moscow is also expected to finalize an agreement with Islamabad this summer to construct a new steel mill in Karachi, Russian Consul-General Andrey B. Fedorov told Arab News this month.

Technical experts from Russia have already inspected the proposed site for the new facility, and another delegation is expected soon to draft a detailed roadmap.

Russia has a long history of industrial cooperation with Pakistan, having previously built key infrastructure projects such as the Guddu Power Station in Sindh in the 1980s, one of the country’s major electricity producers.
Moscow and Islamabad have expanded cooperation in recent years despite global tensions over the war in Ukraine.


Pakistan rain death toll rises to 90 as authorities issue fresh flood warning

Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan rain death toll rises to 90 as authorities issue fresh flood warning

  • Heavy rains have also damaged at least 343 houses nationwide
  • Relief operations underway in affected areas, authority says

KARACHI: The death toll from monsoon downpours in Pakistan rose to 90 after three children died in rain-related incidents in the eastern Punjab province, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Friday, amid fresh alert about possible flooding between July 13 and July 17.

Punjab has reported 32 deaths, including 18 children, while the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has recorded 30 deaths, 14 of them children, since the start of monsoon in late June.

The southern province of Sindh has reported 16 deaths and the southwestern Balochistan province has logged 11 fatalities. One man lost his life in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

“The total number of 90 deceased include 45 children, 29 men and 16 women,” the NDMA said in a report on Friday, adding that another 158 people were injured in incidents across the country.

“Minor flooding is ongoing at Tarbela, Taunsa and Guddu Barrages, while moderate flooding continues at Kalabagh and Chashma.”

Heavy rains have also damaged at least 343 houses nationwide. Of them, 109 were destroyed and 234 incurred partial damages, according to the NDMA.

Flood relief operations have been underway in affected areas, with authorities distributing tents, ration bags, blankets, sandbags, quilts, gas cylinders, mattresses, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, plastic mats, hygiene kits and food packets to affected families.

A total of 24 relief camps have been set up in Punjab and two in Sindh, providing shelter to 176 people, whereas around 245 people have been rescued in 21 operations carried out across the country.

FLOOD ALERT

Taunsa Barrage located on Indus River in Punjab’s Dera Ismail Khan district “may experience moderate flooding,” the NDMA said in a fresh alert on Friday.

There is a risk of minor flooding at Marala and Khanki along the Chenab River and at Nowshera along the Kabul River. Flooding is also expected in the Swat and Panjkora Rivers as well as their adjoining streams.

The NDMA has advised people to exercise caution and avoid crossing streams, bridges and floodwaters.

Pakistan has also rolled out a location-based SMS alert system to warn citizens living in flood-prone areas about imminent weather threats.

Pakistan, home to over 240 million people, is consistently ranked among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains and glacier melt triggered catastrophic floods that affected 33 million people and killed more than 1,700.