ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed authorities to take immediate steps to seize properties and assets of human traffickers, his office said, following the death of five Pakistani nationals in a migrant boat capsize off the southern Greek island of Gavdos last month.
The issue of illegal immigration to Europe and its consequences gained significant attention in Pakistan after last month’s incident, with the prime minister ordering “intensified efforts” against human traffickers in the country.
The boat tragedy, which occurred on Dec. 14, underscored the perilous journeys many migrants undertake due to conflicts around the world. In the case of Pakistani nationals, the movement is mostly driven by economic reasons, with many young individuals attempting to reach European shores in search of better financial prospects.
On Monday, Sharif presided over a meeting to discuss the progress of actions taken against human trafficking, legal proceedings against facilitators and legislative advancements to combat human smuggling.
“Severe legal action be taken against all human trafficking groups in the country so that they become an example for others,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
“Immediate legal action be taken to confiscate properties and assets of human traffickers.”
The development follows the arrest of multiple suspects involved in last month’s boat tragedy in Greece as well as another major incident in 2023, in which hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, had drowned when an overcrowded vessel traveling from Libya capsized and sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek coastal town of Pylos.
The prime minister ordered authorities to enhance prosecution for those involved in human trafficking and ensure strict punitive measures against its facilitators. He directed the Foreign Office take measures for swift extradition of Pakistanis involved in human trafficking abroad.
“The screening process at airports for individuals traveling abroad should be made more effective,” he said, asking the information and interior ministries to launch public awareness campaigns to encourage citizens to pursue only legal channels for overseas employment.
The prime minister also stressed the promotion of technical training institutes to provide certified and skilled workforce to international markets.
Pakistan PM orders immediate steps to confiscate properties, assets of human traffickers
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Pakistan PM orders immediate steps to confiscate properties, assets of human traffickers
- The issue of human trafficking gained attention in Pakistan after last month’s boat capsize in Greece that killed five Pakistanis
- PM Shehbaz Sharif orders authorities to enhance prosecution for those involved in human trafficking, ensure strict punitive measures
Pakistan dispatches another shipment carrying 97 tons of relief goods for Gaza
- The development comes as death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza rises to 52,567
- Pakistan has sent a total of 1,615 tons of relief aid for the war-torn Palestinians
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has dispatched 97 tons of humanitarian aid for the war-affected people of Gaza, its National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Monday, as Israel voted to scale up the offensive against Hamas in Gaza to the point of seizing the entire enclave.
The death toll in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war has reached 52,567, according to Palestinian authorities. In the past 24 hours alone, 32 people were reportedly killed and 119 others injured, bringing the total number of injuries to over 118,600.
Pakistan’s NDMA said the latest shipment, which is the 16th aid consignment for Gaza and the overall 27th sent to the Middle East, was dispatched as part of Pakistan’s ongoing humanitarian efforts.
“The latest consignment, sent in collaboration with Al-Khidmat Foundation, comprises approximately 85 tons of canned food, 10 tons of rice and two tons of powdered milk,” the NDMA said.
“The aid was transported via a chartered flight from Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, to Amman (Jordon) for onward distribution to the people of Palestine.”
Israel ended its months-long ceasefire with Hamas by launching a surprise bombardment on Mar. 18 and has been carrying out daily waves of strikes since then. Israeli forces have expanded a buffer zone, encircled the southern city of Rafah, and now control around 50 percent of the territory.
Israel has also sealed off the territory’s two million Palestinians from all imports, including food and medicine, for nearly 60 days. Aid groups say supplies will soon run out and that thousands of children are malnourished.
Pakistan, which does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, has consistently condemned Israeli military actions and called for the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid into Palestinian territory.
The South Asian country has dispatched a total of 1,615 tons of relief aid exclusively for Palestine, according to the NDMA. Overall, Pakistan has sent 2,142 tons of humanitarian aid, including 416 tons for Lebanon and 111 tons for Syria.
“The Government of Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to standing with the people of Palestine and will continue to provide humanitarian assistance based on the evolving needs of those affected by the ongoing crisis,” the authority said.
Pakistan takes journalists to Azad Kashmir to rebuff Indian allegations of militant training camps
- Indian media reports alleged presence of militant training camps in Bela Noor Shah and Pir Chinasi that New Delhi planned to target over Pahalgam attack
- New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, Islamabad has denied the charge and called for a credible, international probe to reveal facts about the attack
Bela Noor Shah, Azad Kashmir: Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Monday led local and foreign journalist to various sites in Azad Kashmir, where India alleges Pakistan has established militant training camps, describing the allegations as a “desperate attempt” by New Delhi to divert attention from its “internal failure” in an attack in Pahalgam.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have surged to alarming levels over the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town that killed 26 tourists on Apr. 22. New Delhi has accused Islamabad of backing the perpetrators, an allegation Pakistan has vehemently denied and called for a credible, international probe to ascertain facts about the assault.
Subsequent Indian media reports alleged the presence of militant training camps in Azad Jammu and said India intended to target them in response to the Pahalgam attack. Tarar attempted to dismiss the Indian claims by taking a delegation of journalists to de facto border dividing the disputed Himalayan region to witness on-ground realities for themselves.
“There were numerous contradictions and inconsistencies in their [Indian] claims and they failed to substantiate them and we are proactively present at one of the locations India has alleged to be a terrorist camp,” Tarar told journalists at Bela Noor Shah, some 26 kilometers from Azad Kashmir’s capital of Muzaffarabad.
“The Indian allegations regarding the areas of Bela Noor Shah and Pir Chinasi in Azad Kashmir are fabricated and baseless as not only is the local population living a normal life [here], but educational institutions are [also] functioning and tourism is continuing as usual.”
Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since their independence from Britain in 1947. The region is divided between the two countries, though both claim it in full and have fought two of their three wars over the disputed territory.
Since 1989, several Kashmiri groups have carried out attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of supporting these groups, a charge Islamabad denies, insisting it offers only diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris.
Following the April 22 attack, public anger has swelled India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “full operational freedom” to respond to the assault. There have been fears that India may conduct limited strikes close to its border with Pakistan.
Denying Pakistan’s involvement in the attack, Tarar criticized India for not providing any evidence to back up its claims and reiterated that India’s possible strikes against Pakistan will have a “forceful response.”
“Our desire for peace should not be mistaken for weakness as any Indian aggression will be met with a strong and forceful response — one they will remember for ages,” he said.
India has consistently attempted to defame Pakistan through “false propaganda” but all such efforts have failed to yield results, according to the Pakistani information minister.
It was evident from the visit of the media delegation, which was flown to Muzaffarabad from Islamabad and was later taken to the scenic town of Bela Noor Shah via jeeps.
Arab News team observed lush, serene hills of Azad Kashmir and business going on as usual in the town.
“This is a tourist spot and very peaceful area where people from all over Kashmir and Pakistan come for recreation,” Muzaffarabad Commissioner Ghuftar Hussain told Arab News at Bela Noor Shah.
Ameer Ali, a 23-year-old resident of the nearby Sawan Pani village who had come for recreation at the top of the hill, said he had never seen any militant camp in the area during his lifetime.
“I am a university student in Muzaffarabad and have frequently visited various places in the area with friends, but I have never seen any camps anywhere in these regions,” he told Arab News, adding that Kashmiris want peace, but they would fight alongside Pakistan Army if they were attacked by India.
“If India attacks us, Kashmiris will stand shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan Army and firmly resist any Indian aggression.”
Shafaat Qadri, a 45-year-old madressah teacher, said Bela Noor Shah had been nothing but a peaceful tourist spot.
“Today, I brought a visiting friend to this picnic spot who is here from Rawalakot University,” he said. “Visiting this place has been part of our routine, and if there were any suspicious activities here, they could not go unnoticed by the locals.”
Kashmiris have grown accustomed to such Indian allegations and they no longer “take them seriously,” Qadri added.
Pakistan central bank lowers key policy rate to 11%
- The decision came in the backdrop of soaring tensions with neighboring India following a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir
- It will be followed by International Monetary Fund’s decision on releasing $1 billion to Islamabad from its $7 billion bailout
KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank reduced its key policy rate by 100 basis points to 11% on Monday, resuming a series of cuts that brought the rate down from a record high of 22% after a brief pause in March.
Nine of 14 analysts surveyed by Reuters expected the central bank to cuts its key rate, with three expecting a 50 bps cut and two calling for a 100 bps cut.
The decision came in the backdrop of soaring tensions with neighboring India following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. The nuclear-armed neighbors have announced a raft of punitive steps that aim to hurt each other economically.
It also comes ahead of an imminent International Monetary Fund (IMF) decision on releasing Islamabad’s next tranche of $1 billion from its $7 billion bailout program.
The bank had cut the rate by 1,000 basis points since June from an all-time high of 22% before a surprise decision to hold it in March, citing the risk of price rises including from increased US tariffs.
The inflation rate fell to 0.3% in April, its lowest in roughly a decade and below finance ministry estimates of 1.5% to 2%. The central bank forecasts average inflation to be in the range of 5.5% to 7.5% for the fiscal year ending June.
Pakistan’s manufacturing sector growth slowed to a seven-month low in April, with the HBL Pakistan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) easing to 51.9 from 52.7 in March, as concerns over global trade weighed due to the impact of US President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements.
New orders slumped while export orders in particular plummeted. Employment fell for a second month as firms cut costs.
‘We are not afraid’: Pakistanis at India-Pakistan border ceremony amid Kashmir tensions
- Soldiers from both nations perform aggressive marches, avoid traditional handshake as emotions run high over standoff
- Border crossing closed after attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blames on Pakistan, which denies charge
At the Wagah-Attari border, which marks the final boundary between the nuclear-armed nations of India and Pakistan, the atmosphere is charged with patriotism. The sound of drums can be heard as soldiers perform a choreographed, ceremonial march, showcasing both countries’ pride.
However, the usual symbol of cooperation — a handshake between the two countries’ soldiers — is missing, and the iron gates that separate the two sides remain locked. This is in the context of tense relations between India and Pakistan, heightened by a deadly attack in Kashmir.
Despite the tension, people gather to express their feelings, celebrate their national identities, and watch the dramatic flag-lowering ceremony that has become a symbolic ritual at the border. Visitors on the Pakistani side say they are not afraid of the soaring tensions and for them, it is business as usual.
“We don’t feel any such tension. We feel that we are as safe as we used to be before,” Muhammad Luqman, a Pakistani teacher who was visiting the Wagah border, told AFP.
“The reason for this is that we feel our country’s defense is in strong hands. We don’t have any sort of doubt or fear.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “full operational freedom” to respond to the attack as public anger swelled in his country after New Delhi accused Pakistan of involvement in the April 22 attack that killed 26 tourists. Islamabad has denied the allegations and called for a credible international probe into it.
On Monday, Pakistan carried out a second missile test in three days after saying it was preparing for an incursion by India.
The two nuclear-armed countries have exchanged gunfire along their de facto border in Kashmir, and there have been fears that the latest crisis between the nuclear-armed rivals, who have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, could spiral into a military conflict.
“Pakistan is a brave nation. We live near the Wagah border. If there is any danger, we will be first picked up from the village, then it will be the turn of the people of the city, because we live in the [border] village,” said Muhammad Abu Bakar, a student.
“The villagers should be afraid, but the villagers are not afraid.”
The flare-up between India and Pakistan has once again alarmed world and regional powers, who have called for restraint and urged the two neighbors to resolve the crisis through dialogue.
Pakistan continues to engage foreign capitals, friendly states as tensions with India simmer over Kashmir
- Pakistan-India relations have plummeted since India accused Islamabad of an attack in the disputed Kashmir region that killed 26 tourists on April 22
- The subsequent diplomatic flare-up, exchanges of gunfire between the two neighbors has alarmed world and regional powers, who have called for restraint
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues to engage foreign capitals and friendly nations as tensions simmer with India over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists on April 22, with the two nuclear-armed neighbors taking a raft of punitive measures against each other.
India has blamed Pakistan for the attack in Pahalgam resort town. Islamabad has denied involvement and asked for evidence which New Delhi has so far not publicly shared. Both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, taken diplomatic measures against each other, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.
Amid soaring tensions, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Monday for discussions on bilateral ties and regional developments, days after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif postponed his scheduled visit to Malaysia.
Separately, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott met Sharif at his office, where the prime minister shared Pakistan’s perspective on the prevailing situation in South Asia. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi is also on a visit to Gulf countries, including Oman and Qatar, where he is expected to brief the Gulf leaders on Pakistan's stance.
"We will demonstrate patience, we will exercise full restraint and we will not be the first one to take any escalatory move," Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar told reporters in Islamabad, following his meeting with the Iranian FM Araghchi.
"However, if India takes any adventure, any escalatory move, then we will give a befitting reply. So, that's where we stand."
Dar said Pakistan had nothing to do with the Pahalgam incident, reiterating PM Shehbaz Sharif's offer for a credible international probe into the April 22 attack.
"Our offer is very much there," he added.
In his meeting with FM Araghchi, PM Sharif shared Pakistan’s concerns over the prevailing tensions in South Asia as a result of India’s "provocative behavior" since the Pahalgam attack, according to Sharif's office.
"He categorically rejected any attempts to link Pakistan to the incident, without sharing any evidence," Sharif's office said. "He also stressed that India’s weaponization of the Indus Waters Treaty was unacceptable and a redline for the people of Pakistan."
India suspended the 1960 World Bank-mediated treaty a day after the Pahalgam attack, saying the suspension would last until "Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism." Pakistan has described the suspension of treat as an "act of war."
The flare-up and exchanges of small arms fire between India and Pakistan across their de facto border in Kashmir has alarmed world and regional powers, who have called for restraint and urged the two neighbors to resolve the crisis through dialogue. Pakistan has assured foreign capitals and friendly nations that it would not be the first one to strike, according to officials.
In his meeting with British High Commissioner Marriott, Sharif urged the United Kingdom, which enjoys good relations with both Pakistan and India, to play its part in de-escalating the situation.
"The British high commissioner thanked the prime minister for sharing Pakistan’s position and said that the UK would work closely with Pakistan and India for maintaining regional peace and security," Sharif's office said.
Also on Monday, Interior Minister Naqvi met his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and briefed him on the prevailing regional situation.
"Pakistan has always rejected the policy of aggression. India has been offered an independent and impartial investigation into the Pahalgam incident, the truth about the incident should come before the world as to who is really responsible for it," Naqvi was quoted as saying by his ministry.
"Making baseless and illogical accusations against Pakistan is tantamount to ignoring our great sacrifices in the war against terrorism."
Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations. They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a region split between them, since gaining independence from the former British colonial rule in 1947.
