ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will extend expired registration cards given to almost 1.5 million Afghans for a year, the prime minister said on Wednesday, after the UN refugee commissioner asked for a pause in the country’s plan to repatriate refugees.
It was not immediately clear whether the extension of the Proof of Registration (PoR) cards that expired in June would exempt holders from any future deportations, and the Pakistani foreign office said the repatriation plan would continue.
“The cabinet accepted (the proposal) of a one-year extension of the PoR cards of 1.45 million Afghan legal residents that expired on June 30, 2024,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said in a statement.
The cards, which the UN describes as a “critical” identity document, would now be valid until June 30, 2025.
Islamabad began expelling undocumented foreigners, mostly Afghans, in November last year amid a row over accusations that Afghanistan harbors Pakistani Islamist militants, a charge its ruling Taliban deny.
Pakistan says it is also struggling to host millions of refugees as it grapples with an economic crisis.
Last year, Pakistan announced a huge drive to repatriate foreigners without visas, mostly the roughly 4 million Afghans who crossed the border during 40 years of armed conflict in their home country and after the Taliban seized power in 2021.
More than 500,000 Afghans have returned from Pakistan since the campaign was announced, according to UN figures.
The first phase of the plan targeted those who were not formally registered, though advocates and some of the PoR card holders said that in some cases they were also pressured by local authorities to leave.
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, earlier this week wrapped up a three-day visit during which he called for the extension of the registration cards and said the international community should find more solutions for refugees and host countries such as Pakistan, a UNHCR statement said.
It said Grandi also appreciated that the repatriation plan had been suspended and sought assurances it would stay on hold.
A spokeswoman for Pakistan’s foreign office denied that the plan was on hold. “It may be noted that no such understanding has been given by Pakistan to the UNHCR, including in recent meetings with the High Commissioner for Refugees,” she said.
“IFRP (Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan) remains in place and is being implemented in an orderly and phased manner.”
Pakistan extends Afghan refugee registration cards for one year
https://arab.news/6npp9
Pakistan extends Afghan refugee registration cards for one year
- Pakistan extends one-year extension of refugee registration cards of 1.45 million Afghan residents that expired last year
- Development takes place day after UN refugee commissioner asked for pause in Pakistan’s plan to repatriate refugees
Pakistan initiates talks on reprofiling Chinese power sector debt in Pakistan
- Islamabad looking to appoint local adviser in China for reprofiling Chinese credit to power sector, says finance minister
- Rollovers or disbursements on loans from China have helped Pakistan meets its external financing over the years
KARACHI: Pakistan has initiated talks on reprofiling its power sector debt to China, alongside talks on structural reforms suggested by the International Monetary Fund, Pakistan’s finance minister told a press conference on Sunday.
He said that Pakistan will address the reprofiling of Chinese credit to the power sector on a project-by-project basis and that Islamabad is looking to appoint a local adviser in China for the purpose.
The finance minister stressed that it is reprofiling and not restructuring of debt because there is no question of cutting the amount it owes. Reprofiling is generally understood to involve an agreed lengthening of the time needed to repay.
The countries, which share a border, have been longtime allies, and rollovers or disbursements on loans from China have helped Pakistan meet its external financing needs in the past.
Pakistan is in talks with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and China in order to meet gross financing needs under the IMF program for which Islamabad needs a board-level approval.
The IMF this month agreed on a $7 billion bailout for the heavily indebted South Asian economy, while raising concerns over high rates of power theft and distribution losses that result in debt accumulating across the production chain.
Two Japanese climbers fall from Pakistan’s K2
- Japanese mountaineers were attempting to summit K2 relying on minimal fixed ropes
- On Saturday, they fell from a height of 7,500 meters, says Alpine Club of Pakistan
KHAPLU, Pakistan: Two elite Japanese mountain climbers fell from Pakistan’s K2, officials said Sunday following an attempt at a helicopter rescue that spotted the motionless pair but was forced to turn back.
Veteran mountaineers Kazuya Hiraide and Kenro Nakajima were attempting an ascent of the jagged western face of the world’s second highest mountain, using an expert climbing style prioritising speed and relying on minimal fixed ropes.
But on Saturday “they fell from a height of 7,500 meters (24,600 feet),” Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) Secretary Karrar Haidri said in a statement.
“A helicopter rescue was attempted, however the heli could not land,” said Wali Ullah Falahi, the deputy commissioner for Shigar district, which encompasses the 8,611-meter K2.
“Upon close inspection, the bodies of the two climbers were spotted, and it was determined that there was no movement. The heli then turned back,” he told AFP.
No organization, as yet, has confirmed the pair are dead.
Ishii Sports — a Japanese outdoor goods brand sponsoring the pair — said the high altitude and steep slope forced the helicopter to abort its landing.
“The pilot said the two men can be seen, but their status was unclear,” the firm said in a statement. “We are currently reviewing how we will rescue them.”
Rescue attempts are extremely risky on K2, even on the southeastern ridge, which is the most common route climbers take to the top.
The western face is a more vertical and exposed rock face, and has only been successfully scaled once before by a Russian team in 2007.
The ACP said Hiraide and Nakajima had both won multiple Piolets d’Or awards — described as “the Oscars of climbing” — for their feats of sportsmanship.
They “meticulously planned and trained for their K2 expedition, underscoring their dedication to pushing the boundaries of high-altitude mountaineering,” the ACP said.
During this summer climbing season three other Japanese climbers have died in Pakistan — all on the 7,027-meter Spantik mountain, which is also in the Gilgit Baltistan region.
Pakistan is home to five of the world’s 14 mountains above 8,000 meters, including K2 which is considered a more difficult ascent than Everest, earning it the nickname “Savage Mountain.”
On World Hepatitis Day, Pakistan PM announces nationwide campaign against disease
- Pakistan currently has 10 million out of 60 million hepatitis C cases worldwide, says Sharif
- Says Pakistani citizens will have free access to screening and treatment for hepatitis C
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a nationwide campaign against hepatitis on Sunday on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day, as governments and health organizations raise awareness about the disease and its implications on millions around the globe today.
Every July 28 the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners mark World Hepatitis Day to increase awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases it causes. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that is caused by a variety of infectious viruses and noninfectious agents leading to a range of health problems, some of which can be fatal.
In a statement issued by his office, Sharif lamented that Pakistan has a “very high burden” of hepatitis C infection, pointing out that the country currently has 10 million infected cases out of 60 million hepatitis C cases globally. He said it is feared Pakistan would see an epidemic of liver cancer if necessary actions to prevent and eliminate viral hepatitis are not taken.
“The government stands firm in its dedication to overcome the challenges posed by hepatitis,” Sharif said. “I am pleased to announce a nationwide campaign aimed at eradicating hepatitis C.”
Sharif said as part of this campaign, his government would focus on decentralizing testing and treatment centers, ensuring that services provided are tailored to the needs of Pakistani citizens in alignment with the Global Strategy.
“I reassure every citizen of our great nation, Pakistan, will have free access to screening and treatment facilities for hepatitis C,” he said.
Sharif said the government’s core objective remains to uplift the health and well-being of people suffering from hepatitis while simultaneously reducing the impact it has on work productivity, preventing liver cancer, and averting premature death.
“On this World Hepatitis Day, let us stand united in our efforts to raise awareness, support those affected by viral hepatitis, and work toward a future free from the burden of this disease,” he said.
“Together, we can make a difference and build a healthier and more prosperous nation.”
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia discuss upcoming global conference on girls’ education
- Pakistan, Muslim World League will join hands to host global conference in Islamabad in September this year
- Pakistan’s deputy prime minister meets Saudi envoy to discuss cooperation in education, trade and investment
ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistani officials this week discussed the upcoming global conference on girls’ education, scheduled to be held later this year in Islamabad, with Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, the foreign affairs ministry said.
Pakistan will join hands with the Muslim World League (MWL) organization to host the global conference in Islamabad in September. Pakistan’s state media said last month the primary objective of the three-day conference is to “explore and formulate” effective strategies to ensure better resource allocation for promoting girls’ education on a global scale.
According to the Malala Fund, 12 million girls are out of school in Pakistan and only 13 percent of girls advance to grade IX. The international non-governmental organization says social norms such as gender stereotypes and preference for educating boys continue to prevent girls from accessing education.
Malki called on Pakistan’s deputy prime minister on Saturday to discuss the “positive trajectory of fraternal relations between Pakistan and the kingdom,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement.
“Secretary education who participated in the meeting, briefed on the forthcoming conference of Muslim countries on Girls’ Education in Islamabad,” MoFA said on Saturday.
Key topics of discussion between the two also included enhancing cooperation in various sectors including education, trade and investment, the foreign ministry said.
“The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the commitment to strengthening mutually beneficial bilateral ties between the two brotherly countries,” the statement said.
Pakistan’s state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said in June that the conference will feature a diverse group of international and national dignitaries, including education ministers from numerous Islamic countries to address and find solutions to different challenges faced by girls in the education sector.
It said eminent scholars, education experts, policymakers and various other stakeholders are expected to attend the conference. They will share their expertise, experiences, and best practices in the field of girls’ education, Radio Pakistan said.
Protesters camped in Islamabad for third day demand slashing petroleum levy, prices of essentials
- Thousands of Jamaat-e-Islami supporters have camped in Rawalpindi for a sit-in against inflation, new taxes
- Government has formed three-member committee for negotiations which are scheduled to begin today
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani religious party protesting against the rising cost of living in the country has put forth 10 demands for the government, which include reducing the petroleum levy and slashing prices of essential products, as it gears up for negotiations scheduled to be held today, Sunday.
Thousands of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) supporters have camped in Rawalpindi’s historic Liaqat Bagh ground, demanding the government remove additional taxes imposed in the latest budget presented last month.
JI chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has also called for a reduction in power tariffs recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) amid soaring inflation, along with a review of Pakistan’s loss-making agreements with independent power producers (IPPs).
The government formed a three-member negotiating committee on Friday to engage with the JI leadership when the party said hundreds of its workers had been arrested by law enforcement agencies.
“Jamaat-e-Islami has decided to put forth 10 demands before the government,” the religious party said in a statement issued on Saturday night.
The party called on the government to provide a 50 percent “relief” to those who consumed 500 units of electricity and abolish the petroleum levy, and withdraw the recent hike in prices of petroleum products.
JI demanded the government reduce the prices of essential commodities by 20 percent and withdraw taxes on stationery items.
The party also demanded the government slash its non-development expenditures by 35 percent and reduce its overall expenditures. It also called on authorities to abolish agreements related to capacity charges and payments in dollars to IPPs and demanded a review of all existing agreements with the power producers.
“Unauthorized taxes on agriculture and industries should be reduced by 50 percent,” JI said. “Industry, trade and investment should be ensured so that the youth get employment. Tax on the salaries class should be abolished and the privileged class should be brought under the tax net.”
’DON’T DISRUPT PUBLIC LIFE’
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced the formation of the government’s negotiating team on Friday, saying it included him and two senior members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
“We are ready for negotiations, but don’t disrupt public life,” he said during a news conference. “The government’s three-member committee will talk to you. Amir Muqam, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and I will negotiate with you. Whenever you express willingness, we are ready for the negotiations.”
The JI decided to form a four-member committee to negotiate with the government after Tarar and his delegation went to meet the party leaders and held a conversation in an amicable environment on Friday.
The JI said the information minister had assured its leadership of releasing the detained party workers.
Prior to that, the Rawalpindi district administration closed Murree Road, a main thoroughfare in the city, with shipping containers and deployed heavy contingents of security personnel around the sit-in site to avoid any untoward incident.
The JI chief had also addressed his supporters at Liaqat Bagh, expressing his resolve to make the government accept the party’s demands.
“If the government believes our sit-in will remain confined to Murree Road, this is its wishful thinking,” Naeem-ur-Rehman said. “If they do not reduce electricity bills, address the IPP issue and revoke tax slabs imposed on the salaried classes, then this sit-in will not remain limited here. It will spread to the entire country.”
