KARACHI: The family of Priya Kumari, a Hindu girl who went missing in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province in 2021, and rights activists have called on provincial authorities to ensure her release and sought a clear deadline in this regard.
Seven-year-old Kumari went missing in Sindh’s Sukkur on August 19, 2021. While her family suspects no one, the southern Pakistani province has previously reported cases of forced conversions and marriage of Hindu girls, with those from poor families and low castes largely targeted.
The Minority Rights March, Aurat March, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Women Democratic Front, Priya Kumari Bazyabi Committee and other civil society organizations this week held a protest in Sindh’s provincial capital of Karachi to demand her release.
On Saturday, Luke Victor, a human rights defender, led a delegation, comprising Kumari’s parents, Raj Kumar and Reena Kumari, and other activists, to meet with Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar. They said the minister claimed Kumari was alive but offered no solid assurance for her release.
“While we welcome the details and progress shared by the JIT (joint investigation team) after three years [of Kumari’s abduction], we expect the JIT and the Sindh Home Minister to be able to provide more than just a vague promise of ‘soon’ and to commit to a specific date by which they expect to recover Priya safely,” the protest organizers said in a statement on Saturday.
“Open-ended discussions and vague commitments have occurred too many times without any results and have only eroded the trust once placed in the Sindh Police, which can only be restored with the safe recovery of Priya Kumari without further delay.”
During the meeting on Saturday, Kumari’s parents submitted a written application to the Sindh home minister for their daughter’s recovery and a transparent investigation into her abduction.
“There are hopes. The child is alive, and we have evidence,” the minister is heard saying in a video of the meeting.
“I cannot commit regarding the timeframe. She could be found tomorrow or within a week. We are trying to recover her soon,” he says, when asked for an assurance.
Luke, who led the delegation to the meeting, said on Sunday the “vague” statement suggested the authorities were either “lying or unwilling to act.”
“They are either lying about having traced Priya Kumari or they are unable to take action against the culprit, who could be influential,” he said.
Family, activists call for recovery of Hindu girl who went missing in Pakistan’s Sindh in 2021
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Family, activists call for recovery of Hindu girl who went missing in Pakistan’s Sindh in 2021
- Seven-year-old Priya Kumari went missing on August 19, 2021 in Sukkur city of Pakistan’s Sindh province
- In the past, the province has reported cases of forced conversions of Hindu girls and marriages with abductors
Court declares appointment of serving army officer as Pakistan database regulator chief ‘unauthorized’
- Lt Gen Munir Afsar was appointed NADRA chairman in Oct. 2023 and became the first serving army officer to be appointed on the key post
- The Lahore High Court on Friday ruled the appointment was made without requisite ‘authority of law’ and ordered Lt Gen Afsar’s removal
ISLAMABAD: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday declared as “unauthorized” the appointment of a serving lieutenant general as chairman of Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), ordering his removal from the post.
Lt. Gen. Munir Afsar was appointed NADRA chairman in Oct. 2023 and became the first serving army officer to be appointed on the key post. The appointment was made by the caretaker government of then-prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and confirmed by the elected government in March 2024 for a period of three years.
Petitioner Ashba Kamran had challenged the appointment in the LHC and stated in the petition that the appointment was “in violation of the provisions of NADRA Ordinance, 2000” and did not adhere “to the requirements of conducting a fair and competitive process for appointment by inviting potential aspirants.”
Presiding over a hearing of the case on Friday, LHC’s Justice Asim Hafeez ruled that the appointment was made without requisite “authority of law” and ordered removal of Lt Gen Afsar from the post.
“Illegality committed by way of an unauthorized appointment, by the appointing authority in absence of delegation, cannot be covered... Hence, discretion necessarily needs to be exercised, to end usurpation of the office,” the judge wrote in his verdict.
“In these circumstances, act of confirming the appointment of Respondent No 6 [Lt Gen Afsar] is unauthorized and otherwise inconsistent with the enactment, therefore, without requisite ‘authority of law’.”
The judge ruled that the “appointment, confirmation and continuing holding of the office of Chairman NADRA by respondent No. 6 is declared without the ‘authority of law’.”
Justice Hafeez ordered court officials to send a copy of the order to the federal cabinet, interior ministry and all concerned departments.
Afsar was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in October 2022. He had taken over the position of NADRA chairman from Asad Rehman Gilani, who assumed the office in June 2023 following the resignation of Tariq Malik.
PM congratulates Pakistan’s Haider Ali for winning bronze at Paris Paralympics discus throw
- Ali won the bronze medal with a 52.54-meter throw, clinching his fourth Paralympic medal
- PM Shehbaz Sharif says Ali’s courage, determination are source of inspiration for Pakistanis
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday congratulated Haider Ali for winning bronze at the Men’s Discus Throw event at Paris Paralympics 2024, describing him as an “inspiration for the entire nation.”
Ali won the bronze medal with a 52.54-meter throw, clinching his fourth Paralympic medal. Uzbekistan’s Tolibboy Yuldashev won gold with a massive 57.28m throw, setting a personal best on his sixth attempt.
Ali led the field in the first attempt with a solid 52.28-meter throw, but was overtaken by Canada’s Jesse Zesseu, who won silver, with a 52.81m throw in the third round.
In his post on X, Pakistan PM Sharif said his country was celebrating Ali’s performance at the Paris Paralympics.
“Congratulations Haider Ali @HaiderAthlete on winning the Bronze medal at the Paris #Paralympics 2024,” the prime minister said. “Your courage and determination are a source of inspiration for the entire nation. Wishing you the very best!“
The development comes weeks after Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem made history at the Paris Olympics by setting a new record for the longest javelin throw and winning a gold medal for his country.
His record-breaking 92.97m javelin throw in Paris earned Pakistan its first Olympic medal since the 1992 Barcelona Games and first gold medal since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Pakistan reports 17th polio case of this year in Islamabad
- This is the first human case reported in Pakistan’s federal capital of Islamabad in 16 years
- Pakistan has reported 12 polio cases in Balochistan, three in Sindh and one in Punjab this year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported another case of polio virus in the federal capital of Islamabad, authorities said on Friday, taking the national tally to 17 this year.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio at the National Institute of Health detected the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in a child from Union Council Rural 4 of Islamabad, according the country’s polio program.
This is the first human case reported in Islamabad in 16 years, while environmental samples from the capital and neighboring Rawalpindi district have been positive for WPV1 since June, underscoring the persistent threat of polio to children’s well-being.
“It is incredibly heartbreaking that another Pakistan child has been affected by a disease that has no cure, but is entirely preventable with the help of an easily accessible vaccine,” Ayesha Raza Farooq, Prime Minister’s focal person for polio eradication, said in a statement.
In view of the “intense outbreak” of poliovirus in the country, she said, the polio program had held in-depth consultative sessions with the provinces and districts to implement plans to improve all aspects of polio eradication activities, starting from a polio campaign beginning next week.
“From September 9 onwards, polio teams will go house-to-house in 115 districts to vaccinate more than 33 million children under five,” Farooq said. “This virus does not discriminate. Wherever it finds a child with weak immunity, it will attack. Parents must understand the urgency of ensuring that their children receive polio drops and are up to date on their routine immunization.”
Muhammad Anwarul Haq, coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center for polio eradication, said the polio program was launching this targeted vaccination campaign particularly in districts where the virus had been detected and where the risk of continued transmission and spread was really high.
“We’re ramping up efforts to reach every child with polio vaccines, including in Islamabad,” he said. “We have a collective responsibility to protect the health and wellbeing of our children.”
Haq reiterated that unfortunately, parents had not always welcomed and opened their doors to the vaccinators when they visited their homes.
“I encourage all parents and caregivers to make sure your children are not missed when the vaccinators visit your house next week,” he added.
Pakistan earlier reported 12 polio cases from Balochistan, three from Sindh and one from Punjab this year.
Pakistan invites investment from Oman as it looks for external financing avenues
- Pakistan in July reached a bailout loan deal with the IMF which is pending approval from the lender’s executive board
- Approval dependent on “confirmation of necessary financing assurances from Pakistan’s development, bilateral partners”
ISLAMABAD: Finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has invited Oman to enhance investments in Pakistan, state media reported on Friday, as the South Asian country struggles to meet external financing needs as part of a $7 billion bailout loan that is pending approval by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive board.
Aurangzeb has said in recent weeks Pakistan will focus on meeting its external financing needs by speaking with foreign governments and lenders to draw foreign investment as well as seeking loan rollovers. The government is also seeking to focus on more sustainable forms of external financing such as direct investment and climate financing.
Pakistan and the IMF reached an agreement for the 37-month loan program in July. The IMF has said the program is subject to approval from its executive board and obtaining “timely confirmation of necessary financing assurances from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners.”
On Thursday, Aurangzeb held a virtual meeting with the chairman of the Pak Oman Investment Company Limited, Juland Jaifer Salim Al-Said, “to discuss ways for expanding business collaborations and enhancing investment and trade flows between the two brotherly countries.”
The minister provided an in-depth overview of Pakistan’s current economic situation, emphasizing progress made in stabilizing the economy and fostering a conducive environment for business and investment.
“Aurangzeb said the government is determined to push ahead with its reform agenda to facilitate the private sector, promote businesses and provide a secure and friendly investment climate,” Radio Pakistan reported.
“Finance Minister highlighted the significant strides achieved in recent months to stabilize the economy and put it on a sustainable path of growth. He also mentioned the improvements registered in several macro and micro economic indicators of the economy as well as a host of structural reforms undertaken in various sectors of the economy, including energy, taxation, privatization, and downsizing of government to let the private sector lead the growth with the government playing the role of a facilitator, in the process.”
Radio Pakistan said the Pak Oman Investment Company chairman said Oman viewed “Pakistan as a brotherly country and a potential place for business and investment.”
“He expressed hope that due to opening up of more investment opportunities in Pakistan in the wake of ongoing economic reforms, there would be more business collaborations,” Radio Pakistan said.
The first Pakistani Business Expo will be held in Muscat on October 13-14.
Pakistan is in talks with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and China to meet gross financing needs under the IMF program, Aurangzeb said in July following a trip to China to seek energy sector debt reprofiling.
Rollovers or disbursements on loans from Pakistan’s long-time allies, in addition to financing from the IMF, have helped Pakistan meet its external financing needs in the past.
Tough conditionalities placed by the IMF, such as raising tax on agricultural incomes and lifting electricity prices, have unleashed street protests and prompted concerns about poor and middle class Pakistanis grappling with rising inflation and the prospect of higher taxes.
Electric vehicles will account for up to half of auto sales by 2030, BYD Pakistan says
- Warren Buffett-backed Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD last month announced its entry into Pakistan
- Partnership has announced plans to open assembly plant in 2026 but will introduce vehicles for sale this year
KARACHI: Up to 50% of all vehicles bought in Pakistan by 2030 will be electrified in some form in line with global targets, BYD Pakistan, a partnership between China’s BYD and Pakistani car group Mega Motors, said.
Warren Buffett-backed Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD last month announced its entry into Pakistan, making the South Asian nation of 250 million people one of its newest markets.
The partnership has announced plans to open an assembly plant in early 2026, but will introduce vehicles for sale later this year, after launching three models in August.
“I see conversion to new energy vehicles NEV at up to 50 percent,” Kamran Kamal, BYD’s spokesperson in Pakistan, told Reuters in an interview at his office on Thursday.
Kamal is also the CEO of Hub Power, which owns Mega Motors.
The target is an ambitious one for Pakistan’s auto sector, which has been largely dominated by Japanese automakers Toyota, Honda and Suzuki, with vehicle sales hitting a 15-year low in the fiscal year to June.
Recently South Korea’s KIA has begun challenging for market share along with Chinese companies Changan and MG, all of whom offer hybrid vehicles. BYD Pakistan is the first major new energy vehicle entrant in the Pakistani market.
Hybrid electric vehicle sales in Pakistan have more than doubled in the past year. While reaching 30 percent NEV adoption by 2030 is feasible, achieving 50 percent may be more challenging due to infrastructure hurdles, said Muhammad Abrar Polani, auto sector analyst at Arif Habib Limited.
Kamal said the challenge of charging infrastructure would be addressed by government plans to incentivise its construction.
Local media reported in August that standards for EV charging stations had been drafted by the power ministry, with the government considering offering them affordable electricity.
Kamal said BYD Pakistan is collaborating with two oil marketing companies to establish a charging infrastructure network and aims to establish 20 to 30 charging stations within the initial phases concurrent with the rollout of its cars.
BYD Pakistan will initially sell fully assembled vehicles, which are subject to higher import charges than vehicles shipped in parts and assembled locally.
“Our main focus is to have locally assembled cars on the roads as soon as possible,” said Kamal, citing difficulties in importing and selling fully assembled units under Pakistan’s current duty structure.
Kamran said BYD Pakistan is deciding on the size of a new plant, but details about the investment and partnership with power utility HUBCO will be disclosed later.
