PESHAWAR: Protest organizers leading a sit-in in Pakistan’s northwestern Bannu district said on Tuesday they opposed a proposed military operation in the region, demanding that a spike in militant attacks be tackled by empowering and better equipping civilian agencies like the police and counter-terrorism department (CTD).
Pakistan’s federal government last month announced a new campaign to counter a fresh surge in militancy in areas along the border with Afghanistan. Major opposition parties have opposed the operation and in Bannu — where eight soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing last week — thousands of people have held rallies to call on authorities to ensure peace and security.
On Friday, at least two persons were killed and more than 20 injured after gunfire triggered a stampede at the rally in the northwestern Pakistani city, prompting a sit-in that continues to date.
One of the main demands of the protesters is that federal and provincial authorities not launch any new military offensive in the area as past military campaigns have led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents.
“We can’t accept any further military operations because we have already witnessed results of operations in South and North Waziristan tribal districts, which left families homeless and houses destroyed,” Nasir Khan Bangash, president of the 45-member Bannu Aman Jirga and a senior member of the Bannu Chambers of Commerce, told Arab News on Tuesday.
“Our viewpoint is that maintaining law and order is the job of police and CTD, and they should carry out any search operations to detain any wanted person or clear the suspected area.”
Bangash added that the military’s job was the “defense” of the country’s borders, while ensuring peace and internal security was the constitutionally mandated duty of the police and CTD.
“Against the backdrop of lawlessness, police and CTD forces should be equipped to deal with security issues of the district because both the forces are raised for the purpose,” he added.
The Pakistan army was able to effectively dismantle the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, and kill most of its top leadership in a string of military operations from 2014 onwards in the country’s tribal areas, driving most of the fighters across the border into Afghanistan, where Islamabad says they have regrouped. Kabul denies this.
Islamabad says the new surge in violence is because Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers are not doing enough against militants using its soil to launch attacks on Pakistan. Kabul says rising violence in Pakistan is a domestic issue and it does not allow militants to operate on its soil.
“COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN”
Past military operations have displaced hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed countless lives and livelihoods in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, sparking a civil rights movement by ethnic Pashtuns.
Fears of more displacement have been raised by the announcement of the new Azm-e-Istehkam operation but in a press conference this week, Pakistani military spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry dispelled the fears, saying the campaign was not meant to be a full-scale military operation.
“This is a comprehensive campaign against terrorism, which won’t just root out terrorism but which will lift up all of society,” he said at a press conference.
Still, Bangash insisted the people of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province did not want any type of operation.
“Our main demand is peace and stability in the Bannu region, which is key to normal social life and enhanced business activities,” he said.
The group had already held “constructive” talks with KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Bangash said, and now the provincial apex committee, which comprises civilian leaders and military commanders in the province, would meet to discuss the issue on Thursday.
However, he said the sit-in, which entered its fourth day on Tuesday, would continue and any agreement reached with the government would have to be approved by the protesters.
Sit-in continues in northwest Pakistan over militancy surge, protesters reject army operation
https://arab.news/5mhgu
Sit-in continues in northwest Pakistan over militancy surge, protesters reject army operation
- Pakistan government has announced new counter-terrorism campaign in areas along the border with Afghanistan
- Past armed operations against militants have displaced hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed livelihoods
Punjab mulling over acquiring national airline, says Pakistan ruling party chief
- Nawaz Sharif says Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz consulted him on acquiring PIA, renaming it “Air Punjab”
- Pakistan this week kicked off national flag carrier’s privatization process, receiving single highest bid of $36 million
ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz proposed acquiring the country’s national flag carrier and renaming it as “Air Punjab,” her father and ruling party chief Nawaz Sharif said this week, days after Islamabad started the bidding process for the state-owned asset.
Pakistan’s government kickstarted the privatization process of the loss-making Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flag carrier on Thursday, holding a televised auction in which it received the sole bid of Rs10 billion ($36 million) from Blue World City, a real estate development firm.
The bid fell far short of the minimum price of Rs85 billion ($305 million) set by the government, following which Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province formally offered to exceed the bid on Friday, saying that the PIA should remain under government control to preserve its status.
“Maryam said to me during consultations, “Shouldn’t we acquire the PIA and establish a brand new airline? Bring in brand new planes and that we should give a new airline to Pakistan,” Sharif said to members of his party in New York during a meeting.
“She told me to name it as ‘Air Punjab.’“
The former prime minister said he told the Punjab chief minister to weigh the option of buying the PIA or the possibility of the Punjab government establishing a new one altogether.
“We could introduce a new airline that would offer direct flights from Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta to New York, along with services to London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and other international destinations,” Sharif said.
He said the Punjab government was holding consultations on the matter.
Pakistan decided to move ahead with PIA’s privatization under terms agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a 37-month, $7 billion bailout approved in September, aiming to divest over 51 percent of its stake in the financially struggling national carrier.
Critics, including PIA union representatives and independent analysts, called the low bid an “embarrassment” for the government, with airline employees suggesting Pakistani authorities should expand PIA’s fleet to restore its operational viability.
Authorities shut primary schools in Pakistan’s Lahore for a week amid record pollution
- Lahore’s air quality index soared to unprecedented 1,194 as smog enveloped city on Sunday
- The provincial government says strong winds from India have increased pollution in Lahore
ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan’s second city of Lahore on Sunday announced closure of all primary schools for a week due to record pollution, as smog in the city rose several times above the levels deemed dangerous for health.
For days, Lahore, a city of 14 million people, has been enveloped by dense smog, a mix of fog and pollutants caused by low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal stubble burning and winter cooling.
The air quality index, which measures a range of pollutants, exceeded 1,000 on Saturday, well above the level of 300 that is considered “dangerous” for human health, according to data from IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitor.
The provincial government in Punjab recorded peaks of over 1,000 on Sunday, which it considered “unprecedented” in the country’s most populous province.
“All the classes up to 5th grade in all schools (public, private & special education) located in the territorial jurisdiction of district Lahore shall remain closed for one (01) week with effect from 04-11-2024 (Monday) till 09-11-2024 (Saturday),” Dr. Imran Hamid Sheikh, a senior environment protection official, said in a notification.
The situation will be assessed again next Saturday to determine whether to extend the closure of schools.
“This smog is very harmful for children. Masks should be mandatory in schools,” provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said at a news conference on Sunday. “We are keeping an eye on the health of children in senior classes.”
The provincial government had established smog counters at hospitals, she added.
“Public should strictly follow precautionary measures, the elderly, the sick and children should be especially careful,” Aurangzeb was earlier quoted as saying by her Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
She urged people to wear face masks and not venture outside their homes unnecessarily, warning farmers against burning crop residues.
“Arrests and fines for violations will continue,” she added.
Breathing the toxic air has catastrophic health consequences, with the World Health Organization saying strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases can be triggered by prolonged exposure.
On Saturday, the concentration of deadly PM2.5 pollutants — fine particulate matter in the air that causes most damage to health — was more than 40 times the level deemed acceptable by the WHO. PM2.5 levels on Sunday morning exceeded that before decreasing slightly.
Last month, authorities banned schoolchildren from outdoor exercise until January and adjusted school hours to prevent children from traveling when the pollution is most punishing.
Children are particularly vulnerable because they have less developed lungs and breathe more rapidly, taking in more air relative to their size than adults.
Last week, the provincial environmental protection agency announced new restrictions in four “hot spots” in the city. Tuk-tuks equipped with polluting two-stroke engines are banned, as are restaurants that barbecue without filters.
Government offices and private companies will have half their staff work from home starting Monday. Construction work has been halted and street and food vendors, who often cook over open fires, must close at 8 pm.
— With additional input from AFP
Pakistani airline Air Sial launches weekly flights from Islamabad to Riyadh
- Air Sial launches two flights per week from Islamabad to Riyadh, says airline
- Airline says will start flights from Lahore, other Pakistani cities to Riyadh “soon”
ISLAMABAD: Air Sial, one of Pakistan’s most prominent private airlines, this week launched its weekly flights from Islamabad to Riyadh, announcing that flights from the eastern city of Lahore to the Saudi capital will commence “soon.”
Thousands of Pakistanis visit the Kingdom every year where they live and work, and to perform the voluntary Umrah pilgrimage at some of the holiest sites in Islam in Makkah and Madinah.
Several Pakistani airlines offer direct flights to Jeddah, Riyadh and other Saudi cities at economical rates, promoting religious tourism and connectivity between the two close allies.
“Pakistani airline, Air Sial has commenced weekly flights to the Saudi capital Riyadh from Islamabad, with two flights per week,” Air Sial said in a statement it circulated among reporters on Sunday.
“The management has announced that flights to Lahore will also start soon.”
Pakistan’s Welfare Attaché, Rana Muhammad Masoom, inaugurated the airline’s regional office in Riyadh on Thursday, Air Sial said, adding that community members and Air Sial’s country and regional management were also present at the ceremony.
(please embed Air Sial tweet here)
“A cake-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the start of the weekly flights from Riyadh to Islamabad, and it was announced that new flights to Lahore and other cities will be launched soon,” the airline concluded.
Air Sial was inaugurated in 2020 by the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry to improve air travel to and from Pakistan’s Sialkot city, a major industrial hub in Punjab. The airline uses a fleet of modern Airbus A320 aircraft for its operations.
Pakistan eyes enhanced trade, economic ties with Uzbekistan amid investment push
- Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan arrives in Tashkent for three-day official visit
- Khan to take part in fourth Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum, says commerce ministry
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan is in Uzbekistan on a three-day visit aimed at enhancing bilateral trade, commerce and economic ties with the Central Asian state, his ministry confirmed on Sunday, amid Islamabad’s efforts to attract foreign investment to improve its economic prospects.
Pakistan has increasingly sought to enhance regional connectivity to landlocked Central Asian states by providing them access to its warm water ports. It recently offered Central Asian states to become part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project, under which Beijing has pledged around $65 billion in energy, infrastructure and other projects in Pakistan.
Khan arrived in Tashkent on Saturday evening marking the start of his three-day visit to Uzbekistan, the commerce ministry said.
“Key agenda items include strategic meetings with top Uzbek officials such as Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Jamshed Khujaev and Transport Minister Mr. Ilkhom Makhkamov to discuss pivotal projects in trade, investment, and logistics,” the ministry said.
Khan’s visit will feature the ninth session of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, and the fourth Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum, the commerce ministry said. The session will be co-chaired by Khan and Uzbek Minister for Investment, Industry and Trade Mr. Laziz Kudratov.
The ministry said that the Business Forum will host 33 Pakistani business delegates across various sectors for B2B meetings aimed at fostering new partnerships and enhancing trade.
“The minister’s visit reflects both nations’ dedication to deepening economic and technical collaborations and supporting mutual goals, including Uzbekistan’s ongoing WTO accession,” the ministry concluded.
Pakistan has increasingly sought to promote closer ties with regional allies to bolster its fragile $350 billion economy, which is currently suffering from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.
The South Asian country narrowly avoided a sovereign default last year when it secured a last-gasp $3 billion financial assistance package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Pakistan’s economic crisis saw its inflation reach double-digit figures, foreign exchange reserves plummet to historic lows and its currency weaken significantly against the US dollar over the past two years.
Pakistan pick pace-dominated XI to rattle Australia in first ODI
- Pakistan head into Melbourne ODI with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain and Haris Rauf in playing XI
- Green shirts will play three ODIs against Australia on Nov. 4, 8 and 10 at Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, respectively
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will head into the first ODI against Australia on Monday with fiery fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain featuring in the playing XI squad, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said.
Pakistan’s new white-ball skipper Mohammad Rizwan will lead his side for the first time since assuming captaincy this month at Melbourne against Australia on Monday.
The South Asian country is scheduled to play three ODIs on Nov. 4, 8 and 10 in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, respectively before taking on Australia in a three-match T20I series on Nov. 14, 16 and 18.
“The men’s national selection committee has confirmed Pakistan’s playing XI for the first ODI against Australia,” the PCB said in a statement.
Rauf and Hasnain have both had ample experience playing on Australian pitches for the Big Bash League (BBL). Both bowlers have the ability to bowl above 150 kmph and bamboozle batters through sheer pace.
Australian pitches favor pace and bounce, serving as ideal hunting grounds for pacers from Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and the West Indies in the past.
Afridi and Shah, Pakistan’s experienced pace bowlers, will return to the squad after they were dropped from the Test squad after England drubbed Pakistan in the first Test in Multan last month.
Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Kamran Ghulam have both been included in the squad while the green shirts will rely on openers Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub to deliver the goods with the bat against Australia.
Playing XI:
Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain
