ISLAMABAD: Around 160,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj this year, a government official said on Wednesday, as people continue to reach Makkah ahead of the annual pilgrimage scheduled for later this month.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring every adult Muslim to undertake the pilgrimage to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which around 70,000 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14-19.
“160,000 Pakistani pilgrims are performing Hajj this year,” the religious affairs ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday. “Nearly 90,000 Pakistani pilgrims will perform Hajj through private Hajj companies.”
The official said 55,284 pilgrims had reached Makkah via 214 flights under the government Hajj scheme while over 30,000 others were present in Saudi Arabia with private Hajj tour operators.
The spokesperson concluded that the Hajj flight operation that began on May 9 would continue till June 9.
Separately, the Pakistan Hajj Mission (PHM) has also been conducting regular inspections of kitchens run by catering companies to ensure hygienic food supply to pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom to perform Hajj.
On June 4, the PHM imposed 17 penalties amounting to SAR 263,580 ($71,000) on six catering companies contracted to provide meals to Pakistani pilgrims. Nine catering companies have been employed to fulfill the food demands of pilgrims.
A 400-member dedicated Pakistan Hajj Medical Mission is also working around the clock to serve Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has established two hospitals and 11 dispensaries in the Saudi cities of Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah to provide health care to Hajj pilgrims.
160,000 Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj this year — religious affairs ministry
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160,000 Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj this year — religious affairs ministry
- 55,284 pilgrims have reached Makkah via 214 flights operated as part of government scheme
- Around 70,000 will perform Hajj under the government scheme, rest will use private operators
India-Pakistan conflict hits shared love of film, music
- India and Pakistan banned artists, YouTube channels from each other’s countries after their militaries fought in May
- While Bollywood movies have always been popular in Pakistan, Indians love music, drama serials produced by Pakistan
LAHORE: While conflict raged between the powerful militaries of India and Pakistan, a battle was also fought on the cultural front lines despite years of shared love for films and music.
The deadly fighting in early May — the worst in decades — affected artists previously untouched by animosity between their leaders.
Ali Gul Pir, a Pakistani rapper and comedian with a huge Indian following, released a song years ago mocking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While he was spared consequences then, in May, his YouTube channel and Instagram profile were blocked in India.
“Indians now recognize that the digital space serves as a bridge between Pakistanis and Indians, and they seem intent on severing that connection,” Pir told AFP.
The collapse in bilateral relations was caused by a deadly April attack on tourists in India-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad.
Pakistan denied the allegation and, after tit-for-tat diplomatic retaliation, their militaries fought for four days before a ceasefire was reached.
The conflict hit the music industry for the first time, with Pakistani singer Annural Khalid also remembering how her Indian following dropped off.
“Delhi was my top listening city before the ban,” said Khalid, who has 3.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
“I suffered a great loss in the audience” from India, she told AFP.
“Listeners were deprived of content because music was turned into something it is not,” Khalid added.
The conflict also scrubbed out some prior exchanges, such as the soundtrack of the 2017 film “Raees” on Spotify in India.
It now shows only Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan, without his Pakistani co-star Mahira Khan.
With Pakistan producing just a handful of movies each year under strict censorship rules, Bollywood has always proven popular among viewers.
“I grew up watching Bollywood. We have the same traumas, we have the same history, we have the same stories,” said Pakistani film critic Sajeer Shaikh.
Pakistani actors and directors have for decades seen making it to Bollywood as the ultimate recognition.
But this month, Indian star Diljit Dosanjh announced his latest movie, “Sardaar Ji 3,” which features four Pakistani actors, would be released “overseas only,” after New Delhi banned Pakistani content and artists from productions.
“Abir Gulaal,” a love story starring Pakistan’s Fawad Khan and Indian actor Vaani Kapoor, was scheduled to hit Indian cinemas on May 9 but the release was postponed.
Even some in the industry who had previously backed the cross-border artistic trade changed their tune last month.
“Everything should be banned... cricket, films, everything,” said Indian actor Suniel Shetty, who has a big fan following in Pakistan.
He starred in the 2004 movie “Main Hoon Na,” which subtly promotes peace between India and Pakistan.
“It’s something really unfortunate about politics, creating that rift and putting boundaries around art,” said Dua Zahra, assistant manager at Warner Bros South Asia’s music label in Pakistan.
As part of its measures in the wake of the Kashmir attack, New Delhi’s ban on some Pakistani YouTube channels included private broadcaster HUM TV.
The channel, which says around 40 percent of its viewers are from India, simply told its fans to use a VPN to continue watching.
Since Modi took office more than a decade ago, many Indian critics and filmmakers have warned that Bollywood is now increasingly promoting his government’s Hindu nationalist ideology.
While the conflict has created divisions on the cultural scene, there are signs that the trade will endure.
Over a month after the ceasefire, three Indian films were in the top 10 on Netflix Pakistan, while the top 20 trending songs in India included two Pakistani tracks.
Pir, the rapper and comedian, vowed to “bridge gaps.”
“Let’s not make war, let’s just make art,” he said.
“Let’s just not bomb each other.”
Pakistan urges India to abide by Indus Waters Treaty after world court’s supplemental award
- The court ruled that India’s decision of suspending the treaty didn’t affect its competence to adjudicate Pakistan’s complaints
- The South Asian neighbors have been arguing over hydroelectric projects on the shared Indus river and tributaries for decades
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday urged India to restore the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which ensures water for 80 percent Pakistani farms, and fulfil its obligations, days after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) announced a supplemental award on the proceedings instituted by Pakistan against India over Indus waters.
India announced it was putting the 1960 World Bank-mediated treaty in abeyance a day after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, an allegation Islamabad denies. Pakistan has previously said the treaty has no provision for one side to unilaterally pull back and that any blocking of river water flowing to Pakistan will be considered “an act of war.”
In its supplemental award on the proceedings instituted by Pakistan against India over two hydroelectric projects, the court ruled on June 27 that India’s decision of holding the IWT in abeyance did not deprive the court of its competence to adjudicate Pakistan’s complaints against its neighbor. Pakistan has opposed some of hydroelectric projects by India, saying they violate the World Bank-mediated treaty on the sharing of the Indus waters.
In response to the supplemental award announced by the Court of Arbitration, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the court found hearing the Pakistan-India dispute over Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects found that it has a continuing responsibility to advance these proceedings in a timely, efficient and fair manner.
“The Court of Arbitration decided to announce this supplemental award in the wake of India’s illegal and unilateral announcement to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance,” the Pakistani Foreign Office said in a statement.
“The award vindicates Pakistan’s position that the Indus Waters Treaty remains valid and operational, and that India has no right to take a unilateral action about it. We urge India to immediately resume the normal functioning of the Indus Waters Treaty, and fulfil its treaty obligations, wholly and faithfully.”
Last week, the PCA said it had previously found that once a proceeding before a court of arbitration is properly initiated, as in the present case, “there must be a strong presumption against the incidental loss of jurisdiction over the matters placed before it by subsequent acts, such as the appointment of a neutral expert.”
Weeks after India’s suspension of the treaty, the court issued a procedural order on May 16 and requested the parties to provide written submissions on the effect, if any, of these recent developments before the court.
Pakistan filed written submissions and no submissions were filed by India, but the court said it had considered New Delhi’s position.
“The current phase of the proceedings before the Court concerns the overall interpretation and application of the Treaty’s provisions on hydro-electric project design and operation, as well as the legal effect of past decisions of dispute resolution bodies under the Treaty,” it said.
“Accordingly, the text of the Treaty, read in light of its object and purpose, does not to allow either Party, acting unilaterally, to hold in abeyance or suspend an ongoing dispute settlement process.”
Under the IWT, India has been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through run-of-the-river projects on the western rivers subject to specific criteria for design and operation. The pact also gives the right to Pakistan to raise objections to designs of Indian hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.
On July 6, 2023, the PCA had issued its award on competence after considering India’s objections. In a unanimous decision, the court had ruled that it was competent to consider and determine the disputes set forth in
Pakistan’s request for arbitration in the case. Pakistan had initiated the present arbitral proceedings before the court on August 19, 2016.
The South Asian neighbors have been arguing over hydroelectric projects on the shared Indus river and its tributaries for decades, with Pakistan complaining that India’s planned hydropower dams will cut flows on the river, which feeds 80 percent of its irrigated agriculture.
The PCA noted on Friday that the principal issue concerned the implications, if any, that India’s decision to hold the treaty in “abeyance” may have on the competence of the court.
“Paragraph 16 of Annexure G to the Treaty provides that ‘[s]ubject to the provisions of this Treaty and except as the Parties may otherwise agree, the Court shall decide all questions relating to its competence’,” the PCA said.
“Accordingly, the Court found that it was for the Court — and the Court alone — to answer the question before it.”
New Delhi’s halting of the water agreement was one of a series of tit-for-tat diplomatic measures taken by both countries in the immediate aftermath of the April 22 attack in Kashmir, which resulted in a four-day military conflict between the neighbors in May.
Pakistan vows to continue teamwork, coordination with Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2026
- Pakistan sent over 115,000 Hajj pilgrims under both government and private schemes to Saudi Arabia this year
- Saudi Hajj ministry praises “exceptional” measures undertaken by Pakistan for its pilgrims, says Pakistani religion ministry
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Hajj mission met a high-level Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah delegation on Monday to discuss the successful completion of this year’s pilgrimage, the Pakistani religion ministry said, vowing to continue the same spirit of teamwork and service for Hajj 2026.
This year’s Hajj pilgrimage took place from June 4 to June 9, drawing millions of worshippers to Islam’s holiest sites in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan sent more than 115,000 pilgrims under both government and private schemes. Pakistan’s religion ministry said earlier this month that it is finalizing preparations to launch early registration for both private and government Hajj 2026 schemes to streamline the pilgrimage process.
The Saudi delegation visited the Pakistan Hajj Mission in Makkah to convey their thanks and congratulations on the successful completion of Hajj 2025, Pakistan’s religion ministry said in a statement. The delegation commended the exceptional arrangements and services provided to Pakistani pilgrims, it added.
The visiting delegation included Dr. Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat, the deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, Eyad bin Ahmed Rahbini, assistant deputy minister for Hajj operations and Dr. Badr Muhammad Al-Solami, the director general of Hajj affairs.
“During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of continuing the same spirit of service, coordination and teamwork for Hajj 2026, with a shared commitment to enhancing facilities for pilgrims,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said.
MoRA said Dr. Mashat praised the Pakistan Hajj Mission for its professional capabilities, sincere efforts and the arrangements it had undertaken for pilgrims. He described the initiatives taken for the service of Pakistani pilgrims as “exemplary and worthy of appreciation.”
Pakistan’s Director General Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro appreciated the Saudi delegation’s visit. He highlighted the Saudi Hajj ministry’s guidance and cooperation in the smooth execution of Hajj operations, the religion ministry said.
Soomro presented a commemorative shield to the Saudi delegation as a token of gratitude and goodwill at the end of the meeting, MoRA said.
“The gesture symbolized not only appreciation for their visit but also the hope for continued bilateral cooperation in future Hajj endeavors,” the religion ministry said.
Pakistan began its post-Hajj flight operations on June 11 with the arrival of a Pakistan International Airlines flight, PK-732, in Islamabad carrying 307 pilgrims. The flights are expected to conclude by July 10.
Superstar Mahira Khan criticizes India’s ban on Pakistani celebrities’ social media accounts
- India blocked access to social media accounts of Pakistanis following a plunge in relations last month
- Khan insists she loves her Indian fans, emphasizes role of artists in forging cross-border connections
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani top actor Mahira Khan has spoken out against India’s ban on Pakistani celebrities and social media accounts, calling it a “political game” and emphasizing the role of artists in building cross-border connections.
India banned the social media accounts of Pakistani celebrities and influencers in early May, days before the two nuclear-armed countries took part in their worst military confrontation in decades, trading artillery fire, missile strikes and drone attacks for four days before the US brokered a ceasefire on May 10.
New Delhi’s measures to ban Pakistan accounts came in response to India’s allegations that Islamabad was involved in an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 were killed. Pakistan denies involvement and has repeatedly called for an international probe.
When asked what she thought about India’s ban, Khan said she had “zero reaction” to it and still loved her fans in India.
“Fans are fans. People are people, they are the public. What does it [have to do] with politics?” the actress told Independent Urdu in an interview.
“Anyway, it [politics] eventually connects obviously but this is a political game that ‘Okay, we will close this, we will ban this, we will do that.’ I don’t believe in that.”
Khan said she did not believe in banning art, wondering why artists were the first to bear the brunt of “political problems” between nations.
“It is strange, isn’t it, that a war erupts or there is a political problem, then the first attack, why do we do it on artists? This is something to think about,” the actor asked.
“Because artists are the people, and art is the thing that connects people. So the first thing is you ban this, that this [art] dies, love, that there is no love.”
Pakistan’s telecommunication authority responded with measures of its own on May 7, announcing it had blocked 16 YouTube channels and 32 websites from India for spreading “anti-Pakistan propaganda” and disseminating false information.
Khan is one of the most popular and highest paid actors from Pakistan and the recipient of several accolades, including seven Lux Style Awards and seven Hum Awards. She has also made a mark in international cinema, most notably in the Bollywood flick ‘Raees’ in which she stared alongside Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan in 2017.
In addition to acting, Khan promotes social causes such as women’s rights and the refugee crisis and is vocal about issues such as child abuse and sexual harassment. Khan has been a national and global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Afghan refugees in Pakistan in 2019.
While the ceasefire between India and Pakistan persists, tensions continue to simmer as New Delhi says it will continue to hold in abeyance a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan. The treaty guarantees water access for 80 percent of Pakistan’s farms through three rivers originating in India.
World Bank appoints Bolormaa Amgaabazar as new country director for Pakistan
- New director takes helm as World Bank rolls out $40billion decade-long development plan
- Appointment comes amid economic pressures and calls for deeper reform under IMF loan
KARACHI: The World Bank has appointed Bolormaa Amgaabazar as its new country director for Pakistan, effective tomorrow, Tuesday, succeeding Najy Benhassine who had held the position since 2020.
Amgaabazar’s appointment comes as the World Bank launches a major new 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with Pakistan, committing up to $40 billion in combined support from its financing arms. The CPF, approved earlier this year, will focus on tackling child stunting, improving education, strengthening climate resilience, and supporting structural reforms to boost private sector-led growth.
“The World Bank and Pakistan have a long-standing partnership that has benefited millions of people over generations,” Amgaabazar said in a statement.
“I look forward to deepening our engagement with the federal and provincial governments, local institutions, civil society, the private sector, development partners, and other stakeholders.”
A Mongolian national, Amgaabazar joined the World Bank in 2004 and has worked in East Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. She previously held leadership roles in the Bank’s offices in the Kyrgyz Republic and, most recently, Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Prior to joining the Bank, she worked in international development in Mongolia and Southeast Asia.
“We will continue to support Pakistan to address some of its most acute development challenges including child stunting, learning poverty, its exceptional exposure to the impacts of climate change, and the sustainability of its energy sector,” Amgaabazar added.
Since the World Bank Group started operating in Pakistan in 1950, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the main lending arm of the Bank, has provided over $48.3 billion in assistance. The International Finance Corporation, which focuses on private sector development, has invested approximately $13 billion to advance private sector‑led solutions, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, which offers political risk insurance and credit enhancement to encourage foreign direct investment, has provided $836 million in guarantees.
The current portfolio for IBRD, IFC and MIGA in Pakistan includes 106 projects and a total commitment of $17 billion.
The country has teetered on the brink of economic crisis for several years and economists and international financial institutions have called for major economic reforms.
Pakistan is currently under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout program, which requires the country to boost government revenues and shore up external sources of financing, much of which comes from loans from China and Gulf nations.
