ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday met with Muslim World League (MWL) Secretary-General Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa and lauded him for his valuable contributions for the promotion of true image of Islam around the world, PM Sharif’s office said.
Dr. Al-Issa arrived in Islamabad on April 7 on a nine-day trip aimed at fostering interfaith harmony and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s bilateral relations with Pakistan. The MWL is a Makkah-based non-governmental organization that represents followers of Islam around the world.
In his meeting with the MWL secretary-general in Islamabad, PM Sharif thanked Dr. Al-Issa for visiting Pakistan on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr and conveyed his best wishes for King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“He [Sharif’s] also acknowledged the critical role of Muslim World League in developing unity among the Muslim Ummah, advocating for Muslim causes around the world and in spreading the message of peace, tolerance and inter-faith harmony,” the PM’s office said in a statement.
“Extending his best wishes to the Secretary General for the success of his ongoing visit, the Prime Minister assured him of Pakistan’s continued support and partnership with the Muslim World League.”
Sharif underscored that Pakistan attached utmost importance to its strong fraternal ties with Saudi Arabia that were rooted in common faith, shared values and culture, according to the statement. The MWL secretary-general praised the prime minister for his commitment and efforts to further strengthen ties between the two countries.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy strong trade, defense and cultural ties. The Kingdom is home to over 2.7 million Pakistani expatriates and serves as the top destination for remittances to the cash-strapped South Asian country.
Saudi Arabia has also often come to cash-strapped Pakistan’s aid by regularly providing the South Asian country oil on deferred payment facilities and offering direct financial support to help stabilize its economy and shore up its foreign exchange reserves.
During his ongoing visit to Pakistan, Dr. Al-Issa has delivered the Eid Al-Fitr sermon at the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad and visited an orphanage in the Pakistani capital, where he shared the joy of Eid Al-Fitr with orphaned children.
In his sermon, Al-Issa called on Muslims to keep Palestinians close to their hearts and in their prayers as they celebrated Eid. He also spoke about the responsibility of Muslims to use their actions to project Islam in its true light.
Pakistan PM meets Muslim World League chief, lauds him for promoting Islam’s true image
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Pakistan PM meets Muslim World League chief, lauds him for promoting Islam’s true image
- MWL Secretary-General Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa arrived in Islamabad on April 7 on a nine-day trip
- The visit is aimed at fostering interfaith harmony and strengthening Saudi Arabia-Pakistan bilateral relations
Pakistan says 979,486 Afghan nationals deported as expulsion drive continues
- State media says 3,387 “illegal Afghan nationals” were sent back to their homeland from Pakistan on Sunday
- Pakistan has established a 24/7 control room to assist Afghan nationals, address harassment complaints
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has deported 979,486 Afghan nationals since the government launched an expulsion drive against illegal foreigners in 2023, state-run media reported on Monday, reiterating that authorities are ensuring their return takes place in a “dignified” manner.
Islamabad launched the deportation campaign in November 2023, asking all foreigners without legal documentation to leave the country. Earlier this year, it launched the second phase of deportations, setting a deadline of Mar. 31 for people with Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs) — which since 2017 have granted temporary legal status to Afghans — to leave the country or face being deported.
According to United Nations data, Pakistan has hosted more than 2.8 million Afghan nationals who crossed the border in a desperate attempt to escape decades of war and instability in their home country. Around 1.3 million are formally registered as refugees and hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which grant them legal protection. Another 800,000 Afghans possess ACCs, a separate identity document issued by the Pakistani government that recognizes them as Afghan nationals without conferring refugee status.
“The total number of illegal Afghan nationals leaving Pakistan has reached 979,486,” Radio Pakistan said in a report. “Three thousand, three hundred and eighty-seven illegal Afghan nationals were sent back to their homeland yesterday [Sunday].”
Pakistan established a 24/7 federal control room on Sunday to assist Afghan nationals and respond to harassment complaints during their repatriation. The decision came a day after Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Kabul to discuss with the Afghan Taliban the issues linked to the mass return of Afghan nationals.
Last week during his visit to Pakistan, Afghan refugees minister proposed the formation of a high-level committee comprising officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan and relevant international organizations to address “refugee-related issues in a coordinated manner.”
Afghanistan has called for the peaceful and coordinated repatriation of its citizens amid reports of arrests and harassment during Pakistan’s mass expulsion drive. Islamabad denies the accusations and has urged Kabul to facilitate the reintegration of its citizens.
Pakistan’s deportation policy in 2023 followed a rise in militant attacks, particularly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan. Islamabad has in the past blamed militant attacks and other crimes on Afghan citizens, who form the largest portion of migrants in the country.
The government says militants, especially from the Pakistani Taliban also known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), are using safe havens in Afghanistan and links with Afghans residing in Pakistan to launch cross-border attacks. The ruling administration in Kabul has rejected the accusations.
Relations with Pakistan growing at a ‘good pace,’ says UAE deputy PM
- Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan hopes UAE, Pakistan strengthen cooperation in priority sectors
- Al Nayhan’s two-day visit expected to further strengthen longstanding ties between the two countries
ISLAMABAD: United Arab Emirates’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said on Monday that his country’s ties with Pakistan are growing at a “good pace,” hoping the two sides would further strengthen cooperation in priority sectors.
The UAE deputy premier arrived in Islamabad on Sunday for a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening cooperation in energy, trade and security, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in an earlier statement.
Pakistan and the UAE have deepened their economic partnership in recent years. The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment, with over $10 billion invested in the last two decades.
“I must say that our relationship has been growing on a good pace,” Al Nayhan said during a joint media interaction with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“I think both our leaders, the people of Pakistan and the UAE do want to see more development in the relationship,” he added.
The UAE deputy prime minister said relations between the two countries, over the past few years, have been “moving faster than they have for a while.”
“And I really look forward that the good spirit that has been moving the relationship in the last few months would continue on so many different cycles, if it’s trade, investment, aviation,” Al Nayhan said.
The UAE royal is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his visit.
His stay in Pakistan is expected to further strengthen the longstanding ties between the two countries and contribute to deepening bilateral engagements in diverse fields, benefiting the peoples of both countries, according to the foreign office.
The UAE is home to over a million Pakistani expatriates, the second-largest overseas Pakistani community globally, and a major source of remittance inflows to Pakistan.
Policymakers in Islamabad view the UAE as an ideal export destination due to its geographic proximity, which lowers freight costs and facilitates smoother trade.
In recent years, the two countries have signed a series of agreements to boost economic ties.
In February, during the Abu Dhabi crown prince’s visit to Pakistan, the two sides signed accords in mining, railways, banking and infrastructure.
Last year in January, Pakistan and the UAE signed deals worth more than $3 billion covering railways, economic zones and infrastructure development.
The UAE has become an even more crucial partner for Pakistan amid Islamabad’s efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth after suffering from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.
Pakistan to start vaccination process for Hajj pilgrims from today
- Hajj pilgrims from around the world must comply with strict vaccination requirements set by Saudi Arabia’s ministry of health
- Vaccines will be provided in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Multan cities from Monday, in Karachi and other cities from Tuesday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religion ministry will start providing mandatory vaccines to Hajj pilgrims from today, Monday, state-run media reported as Islamabad undertakes preparations for the annual Islamic pilgrimage.
Hajj pilgrims from around the world must comply with strict vaccination requirements set by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health to ensure public safety during one of the world’s largest annual gatherings.
Mandatory vaccines include the meningitis shot, with additional recommendations for the seasonal influenza vaccine, while travelers from regions prone to yellow fever and polio must also provide corresponding immunization certificates.
“Ministry of Religious Affairs will start provision of vaccine to intending Hajj pilgrims from Monday,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said in a report. “The vaccine will be provided in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Multan from Monday,” it added.
Meanwhile, the state broadcaster said Hajj pilgrims in Karachi, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, Faisalabad and Sialkot cities will start receiving vaccines from Tuesday.
“In Quetta, mandatory vaccination for Hajj pilgrims will be carried out on Wednesday,” it said, adding that the religion ministry will also provide gifts to Hajj pilgrims.
Pakistan’s religion ministry announced this month around 90,000 Pakistanis are expected to perform Hajj this year under the government scheme. Saudi Arabia has allowed Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the pilgrimage, which is split equally between government and private schemes.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a three-member inquiry committee to investigate why Pakistan failed to fully utilize its quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2025.
Hajj flight operations are set to begin from Apr. 29, with the first flight departing from Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore.
Pakistan Cricket Board refutes former head coach’s non-payment claims
- Jason Gillespie recently said PCB had not paid him his dues for his nine-month coaching stint
- PCB says Gillespie “abruptly” left his position without giving a four-month notice period
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently rejected claims by former head coach Jason Gillespie that he had not been paid his dues, clarifying that the ex-Australian cricketer breached the terms of his contract and left his position “abruptly.”
Former fast bowler Gillespie took up the coaching assignment in April 2024 but stepped down in December due to disagreements with the PCB. Since resigning from the role, Gillespie has been an outspoken critic of the PCB, criticizing the board for what he described was its short-sightedness and accusing current interim white-ball coach Aqib Javed of interfering in his job.
When asked during a recent interview with a local sports platform about his relationship with the PCB, Gillespie wished the board well but said he was still waiting for it to pay him his dues for the coaching job.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board refutes claims made by a former head coach on the non-payment of his dues,” the PCB said in a statement on Sunday. “The PCB spokesman states that the former head coach abruptly left his position without giving a four month notice period, which was a clear breach of the contractual terms.”
The board said Gillespie’s coaching contract “explicitly mentioned” a notice period applicable to both parties, adding that the former coach was “fully aware of it.”
Earlier this month, Gillespie’s comments during an interview made headlines when he revealed that his time with the PCB had a negative impact on his passion for coaching cricket.
“The Pakistan experience has soured my love for coaching, I’ll be honest,” Gillespie said. “I’ll get it back, I’m sure I will, but that was really a blow.”
The former fast bowler said he had been disappointed with how his coaching stint with Pakistan ended.
“It’s had me question whether I want to coach full time again,” he said.
Pakistan cricket analysts and critics have slammed the PCB for appointing a plethora of coaches, selectors and captains over the past few years, blaming the increasing instability within the board as the main reason for the national cricket team’s recent dismal performances.
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.
