ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday discussed the prevailing political situation in the country with former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, warning him that the government will not allow the party to stage a protest sit-in or rally in the capital.
Thousands of Khan supporters are expected to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday for a “long march” to the capital. The PTI’s march is primarily aimed at pressurizing the government to end the jailed Khan’s imprisonment, which has lasted for over a year, on what his party contends are politically motivated charges.
The party also aims to raise its voice against alleged rigging in the Feb. 8 general elections while calling for measures to ensure judicial independence, which it says has been undermined by the 26th constitutional amendment. The government denies this.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the government to form a committee to hold discussions with the PTI. The court said that if no breakthrough was reached between the two parties, then the government would be responsible for maintaining law and order. It said that in that case, “no protest or rally or for that matter sit-in shall be allowed.”
“Mohsin Naqvi informed Barrister Gohar about the post-Islamabad High Court order situation,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. “He said we are bound by the high court’s order and cannot permit any procession, sit-in or rally.”
The minister informed the PTI chairman about the engagements of the 80-member high-level delegation accompanying the president of Belarus, who will be in Islamabad from Nov. 24-27.
“Barrister Gohar said he will inform the Interior Minister about the final response after party consultation,” the state media said.
MOTORWAYS, MAJOR ARTERIES SEALED
Pakistan’s National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) said on Friday that motorways across the country leading to Islamabad have been sealed from various areas to protect people’s lives ahead of the PTI’s planned protest.
Authorities sealed off major arteries and roads with shipping containers leading to Islamabad from the surrounding Rawalpindi city, including at the Faizabad terminal, and other areas on Friday.
In a notification released on Friday, the NHMP cited intelligence reports that protesters were planning to disrupt law and order in the capital, adding that they would be armed with sticks and slingshots.
“To prevent any untoward situation and to protect the lives of the people, motorways have been closed from various locations,” the NHMP said.
“The lives and property of the people will be guaranteed at all costs. Those who take the law into their hands will be dealt with strictly.”
Hours earlier on Friday, the NHMP had shared a notification on social media platform X in which it had said that certain sections of the motorway were closed due to maintenance work. These sections were: M-1 Islamabad to Peshawar, M-2 Islamabad to Lahore, M-3 Lahore to Abdul Hakeem, M-4 Pindi Bhattian to Multan, M-14 Hakla to Yarik and M-11 Lahore to Sialkot.
As per local media reports, the Metro Bus service between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi will be suspended on Nov. 24 while a ban on public gatherings has been imposed in Punjab from Nov. 23-25 ahead of the PTI’s march.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s interior ministry had authorized the deployment of paramilitary Punjab Rangers and Frontier Corps troops in Islamabad to maintain law and order.
Pakistan’s parliament also passed a law earlier this year to regulate public gatherings in Islamabad, specifying timings for rallies and designating specific areas. The law prescribes three-year jail terms for participants in illegal assemblies and 10-year imprisonment for repeat offenders.
Cannot allow Islamabad protest, Pakistan interior minister tells ex-PM Khan’s party
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Cannot allow Islamabad protest, Pakistan interior minister tells ex-PM Khan’s party
- Jailed Imran Khan’s party has called for “long march” to Islamabad on Nov. 24 to demand his release
- Pakistani authorities block roads, seal off motorways ahead of opposition’s Islamabad protest
Pakistan win toss, bowling in third New Zealand ODI
- The match has been reduced to 42 overs each after a wet outfield delayed the start of the play
- New Zealand have an unassailable 2-0 lead after winning the first two matches by 73 and 84 runs
TAURANGA, New Zealand: Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl Saturday in the weather-affected third and final one-day international against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui.
The match was reduced to 42 overs each after a wet outfield at Bay Oval delayed the start of play by nearly two hours.
The home side hold an unassailable 2-0 lead after winning in Napier by 73 runs and in Hamilton by 84 runs.
Despite having wrapped up the series, New Zealand have kept nearly the same team as the Hamilton match, only replacing allrounder Nathan Smith with batsman Tim Seifert.
Pakistan have also made one change, with Haris Rauf making way for fellow-pace bowler Naseem Shah.
New Zealand: Nick Kelly, Rhys Mariu, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tim Seifert, Michael Bracewell (capt), Muhammad Abbas, Mitchell Hay, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam Ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (capt), Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Naseem Shah, Sufyan Moqim, Akif Javed
Umpires: Chris Brown (NZL), Paul Reiffel (AUS)
TV umpire: Michael Gough (ENG)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)
Pakistan says two militants killed in Balochistan amid ongoing separatist violence
- The military says both militants were ‘actively involved in numerous terrorist activities’ in the area
- Shehbaz Sharif applauds the security forces for the operation, vows to eliminate militant violence
KARACHI: Pakistani security forces on Friday killed two militants during an intelligence-based operation in the southwestern Balochistan province, the military said, as the region continues to experience an uptick in separatist attacks.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by landmass and rich in mineral resources, has faced a low-level insurgency for nearly two decades. Baloch separatist groups accuse the central government of exploiting local resources, such as gold and copper, without benefiting the local population.
Islamabad denies the allegations, saying it is committed to improving the lives of local residents in the province through various development projects.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement security forces conducted the operation in Kech District on the reported presence of militants.
“During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and after an intense fire exchange, two terrorists were sent to hell,” said the statement.
“The killed terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area against the law enforcement agencies as well as the innocent civilians,” it added.
The ISPR said a “sanitization operation” was continuing in the area to eliminate any remaining militants.
It maintained that Pakistani forces were “determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan.”
Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for carrying out the operation.
“The nation is proud of the bravery of our officers and soldiers,” he said in a statement circulated by his office.
“Our war against terrorism will continue until it is completely eradicated from the country,” he added.
Pakistanis hailed for helping rescue children during gas pipeline blast in Malaysia
- Some people jumped into a nearby river to escape the heat and danger of the blast but began to struggle
- Pakistani men visiting the area dived in to help those who were nearly swept away by the current
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani nationals were among the first responders who rescued children from drowning in Malaysia after a gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights this week, Malaysia’s New Straits Times reported, with witnesses describing their role as swift and selfless.
The rescue took place on Thursday morning after a gas pipeline explosion in the Putra Heights area. As some residents attempted to cross a nearby river to escape the heat and danger from the blast, several individuals, including children, began to struggle in the water.
Pakistani men visiting the area, along with local residents, entered the river to assist those in difficulty.
“We saw that people were calling for help,” said Amir Nawab, 48, one of the Pakistani men involved in the rescue. “When we reached the scene, one of my friends jumped into the river. We saw children struggling in the water and feared they might be swept away by the current.”
Another rescuer, Jaaffar Ali, also from Pakistan, said he acted instinctively when he saw people in distress.
“I saw people who needed help and just acted. I'm thankful they were all saved,” the Malaysian newspaper quoted him as saying.
Similar acts involving Pakistani nationals have been reported in recent months, including during flood rescues in the UAE and an incident in Germany where a Pakistani taxi driver helped save residents from a house fire.
Ahmad Syawal Hassan, a Malaysian resident of Kampung Sri Aman, said he heard the children crying out and was among the first to jump in.
“More people were trying to cross the river at the time. Some had suffered burns. We helped them all get to safety,” he said.
Pakistan detains hundreds of Afghans as allegations of bribery, unlawful arrests surface
- The government announced a March 31 deadline for ACC holders to leave the country or face deportation
- Spokesperson for the Afghan government says Kabul is ready to welcome repatriated refugee families
KARACHI: Pakistani police have detained hundreds of Afghan refugees holding Afghan Citizen Cards (ACCs) across the country, with activists claiming Friday the authorities are also rounding up refugees exempt from the current deportation round, though the government denies the allegation.
According to UN data, Pakistan hosts more than 2.8 million Afghan nationals who crossed the porous border in a desperate attempt to escape decades of war and instability in their home country.
Around 1.3 million of them are formally registered as refugees and hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which grant them legal protections. Another 800,000 Afghans possess ACCs, a separate identity document issued by the Pakistani government that recognizes them as Afghan nationals without offering refugee status. Last month, the government announced that ACC holders must leave Pakistan by March 31 or face deportation.
Since the start of April, police crackdowns have been reported in different Pakistani cities, though the federal authorities have not released any data on the recent detentions. The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, have said that 193 ACC holders have been deported from Peshawar.
“In Karachi, more than 100 PoR card holders have been detained, some of whom we managed to get released,” human rights activist Moniza Kakar, who is monitoring the process, told Arab News.
“Similarly, a large number of refugees with legal status have been detained for bribes in different cities of Punjab and the capital Islamabad,” she added.
The ongoing Afghan repatriation process is part of a broader drive launched in 2023, which has so far seen more than 800,000 Afghans expelled.
Pakistani authorities maintain Afghan nationals have been involved in militant attacks and organized crime, accusations Kabul denies.
The crackdown began amid a surge in violence in Pakistan by armed groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), whose leaders Islamabad claims are based in Afghanistan, a charge rejected by the Taliban administration.
Asked about the claims of an indiscriminate crackdown against Afghan nationals, Qadir Yar Tiwana, Director General of Media at the Ministry of Interior, refuted these allegations.
“No PoR card holders have been arrested,” he told Arab News over the phone. “If anyone possessing a PoR card is detained during the process, they are immediately released after verification of their credentials.”
Tiwana said the operation was only targeting “illegal immigrants” and was ongoing.
He added that detailed data on arrests and deportations would be shared at a later stage.
Requests for comment from the Sindh home minister and the Karachi Police chief went unanswered.
Hajji Abdullah Shah Bukhari, chairman of Afghan refugees in Sindh, agreed with Tiwana.
“Over 300 ACC holders have been detained in Karachi,” he said. “They [the police] are also taking some PoR card holders, but they [the refugees] are set free once their credentials are verified.”
Kakar, however, said this was only done after these refugees bribed the police.
“Hundreds of registered PoR card holders have contacted us saying they have been arrested and bribes were demanded of them,” she asserted.
Muzaffar Shah, a resident of Islamabad, corroborated these accounts, saying numerous refugees holding PoR cards had been taken from his neighborhood despite showing police their identity.
“The UNHCR is silent, the Taliban are quiet and the government of Pakistan is quiet, while poor refugees are facing hardship,” Shah, himself a registered refugee, said over the phone, referring to governmental functionaries and officials of the UN refugee agency.
Rahmatullah Jan, a refugee in Karachi, recalled being picked up alongside ACC holders in the Sohrab Goth area.
“Despite immediately presenting my PoR card to the raiding police, I was still taken to the station before eventually being released,” he said.
Spokespersons for the UNHCR and the consul general of Afghanistan in Karachi did not respond to requests for comment.
However, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Afghan government, agreed to address the issue over the phone.
“We expressed the desire that refugees should not be forced, but rather be left to make their own choice,” he said. “We have also urged Afghan refugees to return to their homeland, and we will welcome them.”
US lobbied UN rights council to dilute Pakistan’s Gaza proposal, diplomats say
- UN rights council adopted the resolution moved by Pakistan seeking Israel's accountability
- Despite forsaking the council, US lobbied to block any new UN investigation against Israel
GENEVA: Two months after President Donald Trump announced a halt to US engagement with the United Nations Human Rights Council, Washington is influencing its work by applying pressure publicly and behind the scenes, seven diplomats and rights workers said.
The United States left its seat empty during a six-week session of the 47-member council ending on Friday, but its lobbying and pressure had some success, the sources told Reuters.
They said the US, which has accused the council of an anti-Israel bias, had focused on blunting a proposal by Pakistan on the creation of an International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), the most rigorous type of UN investigation, on Israel's actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The version of Pakistan's proposal that was passed on Wednesday by the council, whose mission is to promote and protect human rights worldwide, did not include the creation of the IIIM.
The council already has a commission of inquiry on the Palestinian Territories, but Pakistan's proposal would have created an additional probe with extra powers to gather evidence for possible use in international courts.
A March 31 letter sent by Brian Mast, Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, and James R. Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, cautioned against voting the proposal through.
“Any HRC member state or UN entity that supports an Israel-specific IIM ... will face the same consequences as the ICC faced,” the letter said.
It appeared to be referring to sanctions approved by the House of Representatives on the International Criminal Court in protest at its arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister over Israel’s campaign in Gaza.
The final version of Pakistan’s proposal referred only to an invitation to the UN General Assembly to consider an IIIM in the future.
Two Geneva-based diplomats said they had received messages from US diplomats before the change of wording asking them to oppose the new investigation.
“They were saying: ‘back off on this issue,’” said one, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Reuters could not establish whether the revision was a direct result of US actions.
A US State Department spokesperson said it was complying with the executive order signed by Trump on Feb. 4 withdrawing the US from the council and would not participate in it, adding: “As a matter of policy, we do not comment on private diplomatic conversations.”
Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Geneva did not respond to a request for comment.
“The US seems to be trying to have it both ways. It doesn’t want to pay for or participate in the UN but it still wants to boss it around,” said Lucy McKernan, Deputy Director for United Nations at Human Rights Watch’s Geneva office.
‘RAW POWER’
The US and Israel are not members of the council but, like all UN member states have informal observer status and a seat in the council’s meeting chamber.
International human rights institutions are now at a critical juncture, said Phil Lynch, Director of International Service for Human Rights, a non-governmental organization.
“We are potentially confronting a future characterised by lawlessness and raw power,” he said.
The US was once the top donor to the UN rights system, but Trump has said the UN is “not being well run” and aid cuts by his administration have forced scalebacks.
The US and Israel have also opposed the mandate of one of the council’s independent experts during this session.
The Israeli ambassador said on March 24 that Francesca Albanese, a critic of Israeli actions in Gaza, had breached a UN code of conduct through “blatant antisemitic behaviour and discourse,” a diplomatic note showed.
The US State Department spokesperson said Albanese was “unfit for her role.”
“The correspondence received is under consideration,” council spokesperson Pascal Sim said, adding that whenever the council makes a nomination, “it does so with the knowledge that the mandate-holder is expected to serve up to six years in this function.”
The internal body that ensures UN experts adhere to a code of conduct condemned what it described as a coordinated campaign against Albanese, according to a letter from the Coordination Committee of Special Procedures dated 28 March.
It found no evidence to support Israel’s complaints against Albanese. However, it is introducing social media guidelines for UN experts in light of some concerns raised about her X posts.
