ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top national security forum on Saturday announced its plan to launch a comprehensive counterterrorism campaign, Operation Azm-e-Istehkam — or Resolve for Stability — after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led a meeting of the civilian and military leadership to review the ongoing security situation in the country.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks since a proscribed armed network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), called off a fragile ceasefire with the government in November 2022. Much of the violence was witnessed in the country’s western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which share a border with Afghanistan where the TTP leaders have reportedly found sanctuary.
While the militants have primarily targeted Pakistani civilians and security forces, they have also threatened the national economy by attacking Chinese nationals working on energy and infrastructure development projects under a multibillion-dollar regional connectivity framework, causing concern in both Beijing and Islamabad.
The Central Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, a high-level forum that includes the army chief, provincial chief ministers and heads of major civil and military law enforcement agencies, convened to discuss the situation before deciding to launch the campaign.
“The Prime Minister approved a reinvigorated and re-energized national counter-terrorism campaign through launching of Operation AZM-E-ISTEHKAM, with consensus of all stakeholders including the Provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, symbolizing the national resolve to eradicate extremism and terrorism from the country,” said a statement released after the meeting.
“In the politico-diplomatic domain, efforts will be intensified to curtail the operational space for terrorists through regional cooperation,” it added. “The renewed and full blown kinetic efforts of the armed forces will be augmented by full support from all Law Enforcement Agencies, empowered by effective legislation to address legal voids that hinder effective prosecution of terrorism-related cases and award of exemplary punishments to them.”
The statement said the campaign would also be complemented by socioeconomic measures aimed at addressing the genuine concerns of people and creating an environment that discourages extremist tendencies.
It would also leverage the information space to promote a unified national narrative in support of the efforts to eradicate militancy from the country.
“The forum reiterated that the fight against extremism and terrorism is Pakistan’s war and is absolutely essential for the nation’s survival and well-being,” the statement informed. “The forum resolved that no one will be allowed to challenge the writ of the state without any exception.”
It noted that the apex committee participants also reviewed measures to ensure foolproof security for Chinese nationals in Pakistan.
INVESTOR CONFIDENCE
Earlier, the prime minister emphasized the necessity of developing a strong and comprehensive response to the challenge of militant violence in Pakistan, saying it was not possible for a “soft state” to strengthen its economy since it tends to lose confidence of potential investors.
He made the observation only a day after senior Chinese politician Liu Jianchao said in Islamabad that Pakistan’s security challenges were undermining the confidence of investors from his country.
Liu’s statement reinforced concerns raised by authorities in Beijing following several attacks on Chinese nationals working on energy and infrastructure development projects in Pakistan, including a suicide bombing in March this year that killed five of them.
“For sustainable development in Pakistan, stability and the rule of law are essential,” the prime minister said. “It is our collective responsibility to enforce the writ of the state with full force and without exception.”
“A soft state can never earn the confidence of investors, whether they are domestic or foreign,” he continued. “Therefore, a healthy and strong economy cannot be envisaged in an unstable state plagued by terrorism.”
Sharif maintained fighting militant violence was the joint responsibility of all institutions of the state.
“We have very easily left this matter to the officers and soldiers of our armed forces,” he added. “The provinces and governments have completely absolved themselves of this responsibility. This is the dangerous approach that has developed over the past years.”
He noted this was not the way Pakistan could “end terrorism.”
“After the 18th amendment in the constitution, the provincial governments have a significant role in this effort and have also been provided resources,” he said. “Therefore, I expect that the provinces will play an active part in combating terrorism. Together, God willing, we will eradicate this scourge.”
Sharif said it was important for everyone to take the ownership of the war against militancy, adding that leaving it to just one institution of the state would be a “grave mistake.”
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi also held a meeting to review the security measures for foreign nationals, particularly the Chinese workers in the country.
Pakistan initiates ‘Operation Azm-e-Istehkam’ in national security drive amid escalating militant violence
https://arab.news/w2537
Pakistan initiates ‘Operation Azm-e-Istehkam’ in national security drive amid escalating militant violence
- The counterterrorism drive was announced after PM Sharif warned ‘soft states’ failed to gain investor confidence
- Shehbaz Sharif called it a ‘grave mistake’ only to expect the armed forces to deal with the issue of militant violence
Pakistani envoy visits University of Sharjah to seek collaboration with local varsities
- Pakistan’s UAE envoy thanks University of Sharjah for giving opportunities to Pakistani students, teachers
- Praises University of Sharjah for “rapid growth” toward quality education, reiterates need for collaboration
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Faisal Niaz Tirmizi visited the University of Sharjah on Wednesday where he took part in discussions with the university’s management on collaborating with local universities, the Pakistan embassy in Abu Dhabi said.
The UAE has seen a significant increase in foreign student enrollments since the launch of the UAE National Strategy for Higher Education 2030 more than six years ago.
UAE authorities reported in April that international enrollments since the 2022-23 academic year include a seven percent increase among Pakistani students. Educational professionals believe UAE, especially Dubai, is increasingly competing with traditional education destinations such as the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
Tirmizi visited the University of Sharjah on Wednesday where he met its chancellor, Dr. Humaid Majoul Al Nuaimi, the Pakistani embassy said.
“The meeting aimed at exploring avenues for cooperation and collaboration between Pakistani universities and the University of Sharjah,” it said.
“Both sides reiterated the need for further collaboration among the faculty and students of the University of Sharjah with centers of excellence and higher learning in Pakistan.”
The Pakistani envoy lauded the University of Sharjah’s “rapid growth” toward quality education, where around 18,000 students from various nationalities are currently enrolled.
“He deeply appreciated the university’s management for giving opportunities to many Pakistani students and faculty members,” the embassy said.
The meeting was also attended by senior officials from Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in UAE and the university management, the statement concluded.
Ex-senator among 5 killed in blast while campaigning for by-election in northwest Pakistan
- Ex-senator Hidayat Ullah Khan was on his way to attend nephew's by-election campaign, say police
- Pakistani Taliban deny involvement in blast, accuse Pakistan Army of killing the former senator
Peshawar: A former Pakistani senator was among five persons killed in a blast on Wednesday while they were campaigning for an upcoming by-election in the country’s northwestern Bajaur district, police and rescue officials confirmed.
Ex-senator Hidayat Ullah Khan was killed in a blast that targeted his vehicle in Bajaur district’s Damadola area while he was on his way to attend an election campaign for his nephew Najeeb Ullah, Bajaur Police Spokesperson Muhammad Israr Khan said.
“The number of persons killed has reached 5.” Khan told Arab News. “Three were killed on the spot while the others were taken to the hospital and died during treatment.”
He said police were still ascertaining the intensity of the blast, adding that the Bomb Disposal Squad [BDS] was at the site to investigate the blast.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Bilal Faizi had earlier said three persons had died in the blast.
“Three dead bodies and one critically injured person were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital Bajaur,” he said, adding that two others were injured in the incident.
Khan, who was an independent senator from 2018 to 2024, was the son of former National Assembly lawmaker Hajji Bismillah Khan and the younger brother of ex-KP governor Shaukat Ullah Khan.
He was campaigning for his nephew Najeeb Ullah Khan, who is contesting the by-election on the PK-22 provincial assembly seat in Bajaur as an independent candidate where polling is set to take place on July 11.
Polling on the PK-22 constituency was postponed on Feb. 8 after independent candidate Rehan Zeb was killed by unidentified men days before the election.
Both the provincial and National Assembly seats from the constituency were won by Zeb’s brother Mubarak Zeb. He decided to vacate the PK-22 seat in favor of the National Assembly one, following which Pakistan’s election regulator then announced polling for the PK-22 constituency on July 11.
TTP DENIES RESPONSIBILITY
Pakistan’s tribal areas bordering Afghanistan to the west have seen a surge in militant attacks since Nov. 2022 when a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke down.
Pakistan blames the TTP for the surge in violence, accusing it of targeting Pakistani security forces, politicians and civilians from Afghanistan in a bid to enforce its strict version of Islamic law in the country.
The TTP, however, did not take responsibility for the blast. In a statement released to the media, the banned outfit accused the Pakistan Army of killing the former senator to malign it.
“We would like to reiterate once again that we consider only the security forces and their personnel as our targets,” the TTP said.
Separately, PM Shehbaz Sharif condoled over the loss of lives in the blast. He directed authorities to apprehend those involved in the blast and bring them to book.
“Terrorist elements are enemies of the country’s peace and democracy,” Sharif said. “We will not rest until we eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country.”
Pakistan’s government announced last month it would launch a new anti-terrorism operation titled “Azm-e-Istehkam” or Resolve for Stability to root out militants in the country.
Pakistan petroleum union announces strike against new tax from July 5, government rejects ‘blackmailing’
- Petroleum dealers association says government’s move to impose 0.5 percent advance tax will “devastate” their business
- Pakistani official says government has taken steps to ensure “smooth” supply of petroleum products across the country
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) have announced it would close petrol pumps across the country on July 5 to protest the government’s decision to impose an advance tax on turnover, saying the move would “devastate” their businesses already reeling from high taxes and inflation.
Petroleum dealers in Pakistan are demanding the government withdraw an advance income tax of 0.5 percent imposed in the recently passed federal budget 2024-25.
Pakistan’s tax-heavy $67.76 billion budget for the new fiscal year came into effect on Monday amid an annual inflation projection of up to 13.5 percent for June. The ambitious budget with a challenging tax revenue target of Rs13 trillion ($46.66 billion) has drawn the ire of the government’s allies and opposition alike. The revenue collection target for the new fiscal year is almost 40 percent higher than the last fiscal year.
The PPDA says its members are earning minimal profit due to staggering inflation and high taxes. Talks between the government and the association this week failed to break the deadlock between the two sides.
“We are going on a nationwide strike starting July 5 and plan to close petrol pumps across the country,” PPDA Chairman Abdul Sami Khan told Arab News on Wednesday.
“Our demand is simple: the government should immediately withdraw the advance tax decision.”
Khan said the move would “devastate” the petrol pump business in the country, adding that dealers would be left with no other option but to wind up their businesses for good if the government does not reverse its decision.
“We are ready to discuss our concerns and possible solutions with the government,” Khan said. “We request the prime minister, petroleum minister and finance minister to immediately abolish this tax, otherwise we will be unable to continue running our businesses.”
Imran Ahmed, the deputy general of oil at Pakistan’s petroleum ministry, rejected the strike call. He said the government would not entertain “blackmailing tactics” but was willing to discuss petroleum dealers’ genuine concerns.
“We will not support the strike or such tactics,” he told Arab News. “This new advance tax applies to all traders, not only petroleum dealers.”
Ahmed said the government is in talks with the dealers and their representatives, whom he said have also met officials of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s tax authority.
He said the ministry has instructed oil marketing companies to keep as many sites open as possible to ensure a smooth supply of petroleum products in the country.
“We have also instructed PSO [Pakistan State Oil] to ensure maximum supply and storage of petroleum products by keeping their sites open,” Ahmed said.
Japanese climber dies after summiting Pakistan’s ‘Golden Peak’ mountain
- Onishi Hiroshi, 64, was part of a team comprising four Japanese climbers and two Pakistani porters
- Hiroshi, who summited Golden Peak mountain on July 1, died after falling into crevasse, says official
KHAPLU, GILGIT-BALTISTAN: A 64-year-old Japanese climber, who summited the 7,027-meter high Spantik “Golden Peak” mountain earlier this week, was found dead in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan region on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
Japanese mountaineer Onishi Hiroshi fell into a crevasse, a deep crack formed in glaciers or ice sheets, while descending from Camp II of the Spantik mountain on Tuesday, Nagar district’s Deputy Commissioner Ata ur Rehman Kakar said.
Kakar said Hiroshi was part of a four-member team of Japanese climbers and two Pakistani porters, who summited Golden Peak on July 1.
“The dead body has been recovered and the deceased identified as 64-year-old Japanese climber Onishi Hiroshi,” Kakar told Arab News. “The body has safely been brought to Camp I. The other three Japanese climbers are safe.”
In June, two Japanese climbers went missing during their attempt to summit the same peak. The body of Ryuseki Hiraoka, 55, was found 300 meters below Camp 3 while authorities were unable to locate the second climber, 36-year-old Atsushi Taguchi.
Pakistan is home to five of the world’s tallest mountains that loom above 8,000 meters, including the K2 and Nanga Parbat mountains, known for their treacherous climbs.
Spantik, more popularly called the Golden Peak due to a distinct golden hue cast upon it at sunrise, is largely viewed as more accessible for climbers.
Several climbers die in Pakistan every year while trying to reach the summit of some of the world’s highest mountains, including K2, which is in Pakistan’s north.
Pakistan’s tallest man passes away on Alam Channa’s death anniversary, once the world’s tallest
- 30-year-old Zia Rasheed was 8 feet tall, had several height-related medical conditions
- Channa held Guinness world record as tallest living man between 1982-1998 at 7.7 feet tall
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tallest man Zia Rasheed died at the age of 30 on July 2, local media widely reported, coincidentally the 26th death anniversary of Alam Channa, another Pakistani who was once the tallest living person on earth.
Rasheed is believed to have reached the height of 8 feet by the time he was 18, but his stature brought with it a host of illnesses associated with being too tall. The current tallest man in the world, Sultan Kosen from Türkiye, stands at a height of 8 feet 3 inches, around three inches taller than Rasheed.
Height is a risk factor for multiple health conditions such as cellulitis, skin abscesses, chronic leg ulcers, and osteomyelitis. Height is also believed to be related to the incidence of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
“Zia Rasheed, the tallest person in Pakistan, died after protracted ailments on Tuesday,” Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper report said, adding that the youngest of five brothers had been unwell for a long time and was laid to rest in his native village near Vehari district in Pakistan’s central-eastern Punjab province.
“He suffered from a leg-related illness that caused him considerable discomfort and pain for much of his life,” the Samaa news website said.
“Unfortunately, Zia never received the proper medical treatment he needed. Despite his condition, he remained in Pakistan, unable to secure the resources necessary to seek better medical facilities abroad.”
“Rasheed had a normal childhood until he experienced a significant growth spurt at the age of 12, which was later attributed to a malfunctioning pituitary gland,” Samaa added. “This glandular issue caused an overproduction of growth hormone, leading to his extraordinary height.”
Ironically, Rasheed died the same day as Alam Channa, a Pakistani who held a Guinness Book of World Record as the tallest living man in the world between 1982 and 1998, measuring 7.7 feet. A local celebrity and common fixture at moving circuses for most of his life, he suffered from kidney failure and high blood pressure and was sent by the government for treatment to the US.
He was admitted to the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York but died on July 2, 1988. He is buried in Sehwan, a town in Sindh known for the famous shrine of Sufi saint, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, where Channa’s family members as helpers had worked for decades. He himself worked for the shrine in his youth before joining the circus.
