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Key Pakistan-China highway reopened after six days as protest over power outages ends

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Updated 08 January 2025
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Key Pakistan-China highway reopened after six days as protest over power outages ends

  • Protesters were demanding an end to over 20-hour-long power outages in northern Pakistan
  • Protests ended after center agreed to allocate funds to run thermal generators, says official
Updated 08 January 2025
Nisar Ali

KHAPLU, Gilgit-Baltistan: A key highway connecting Pakistan and China via land was reopened for trade and traffic on Wednesday after remaining blocked for six days, as hundreds of protesters agreed to end a sit-in protest against lengthy power outages in the country’s north. 
The protest, which began last week, involved residents, political parties and civil society groups who had blocked the Karakorum Highway (KKH) in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region against power outages for over 20 hours. 
The KKH, a vital trade and strategic route linking Pakistan with China, was obstructed at Aliabad, the district headquarters of Hunza. The area plays a critical role in bilateral trade facilitated by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has increased since an agreement to keep the Khunjerab Pass open year-round for economic exchanges.
Protesters had demanded the GB government operate thermal generators to reduce the duration of the power outages during winters. The regional government said it was unable to run thermal generators due to lack of funds. 
Iman Shah, a spokesperson for the GB government, said a high-level meeting in Islamabad was held by the prime minister’s adviser on political affairs, Rana Sanaullah, to discuss the issue. It was decided that the center would allocate funds to run thermal generators in winter while a round of negotiations between protesters and the GB government was held in Hunza, he said. 
“After assuring to fulfil all of their demands, the sit-in has been called off by the protesters,” Shah told Arab News. 
“The thermal generators will be run in all power crisis-hit districts of GB. At least four hours of power will be provided via thermal generators,” Shah added.




Residents stage a sit-in protest against power outages as they block the Karakoram Highway in Khaplu city, in Pakistan's mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan region, on January 7, 2025. (AFP)

Baba Jan, a member of the committee formed by protesters, confirmed a government delegation, including the GB additional chief secretary, held negotiations with protesters in Hunza on Wednesday. 
“And they announced to meet all of our written demands,” Jan told Arab News. “That’s why we decided to end the protest,” he said. 
“The KKH is opened for all kinds of traffic and protest have peacefully dispersed and returned their homes.”
Power cuts, known locally as load shedding, are a chronic issue in Pakistan, with many areas facing significant disruptions. The harsh winters in GB exacerbate the problem, leaving residents without adequate heating or access to essential services.
Faizullah Faraq, the GB government’s spokesperson, attributed lengthy power outages to the low flow of water during winters.

Topics: Pakistan electricity Gilgit Baltistan protest Gilgit Baltistan

Pakistan urges India to abide by Indus Waters Treaty after world court’s supplemental award

Updated 1 min 38 sec ago
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Pakistan urges India to abide by Indus Waters Treaty after world court’s supplemental award

  • The court ruled that India’s decision of suspending the treaty didn’t affect its competence to adjudicate Pakistan’s complaints
  • The South Asian neighbors have been arguing over hydroelectric projects on the shared Indus river and tributaries for decades
Updated 1 min 38 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday urged India to restore the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which ensures water for 80 percent Pakistani farms, and fulfil its obligations, days after the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) announced a supplemental award on the proceedings instituted by Pakistan against India over Indus waters.

India announced it was putting the 1960 World Bank-mediated treaty in abeyance a day after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, an allegation Islamabad denies. Pakistan has previously said the treaty has no provision for one side to unilaterally pull back and that any blocking of river water flowing to Pakistan will be considered “an act of war.”

In its supplemental award on the proceedings instituted by Pakistan against India over two hydroelectric projects, the court ruled on June 27 that India’s decision of holding the IWT in abeyance did not deprive the court of its competence to adjudicate Pakistan’s complaints against its neighbor. Pakistan has opposed some of hydroelectric projects by India, saying they violate the World Bank-mediated treaty on the sharing of the Indus waters.

In response to the supplemental award announced by the Court of Arbitration, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the court found hearing the Pakistan-India dispute over Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects found that it has a continuing responsibility to advance these proceedings in a timely, efficient and fair manner.

“The Court of Arbitration decided to announce this supplemental award in the wake of India’s illegal and unilateral announcement to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance,” the Pakistani Foreign Office said in a statement.

“The award vindicates Pakistan’s position that the Indus Waters Treaty remains valid and operational, and that India has no right to take a unilateral action about it. We urge India to immediately resume the normal functioning of the Indus Waters Treaty, and fulfil its treaty obligations, wholly and faithfully.”

Last week, the PCA said it had previously found that once a proceeding before a court of arbitration is properly initiated, as in the present case, “there must be a strong presumption against the incidental loss of jurisdiction over the matters placed before it by subsequent acts, such as the appointment of a neutral expert.”

Weeks after India’s suspension of the treaty, the court issued a procedural order on May 16 and requested the parties to provide written submissions on the effect, if any, of these recent developments before the court.

Pakistan filed written submissions and no submissions were filed by India, but the court said it had considered New Delhi’s position.

“The current phase of the proceedings before the Court concerns the overall interpretation and application of the Treaty’s provisions on hydro-electric project design and operation, as well as the legal effect of past decisions of dispute resolution bodies under the Treaty,” it said.

“Accordingly, the text of the Treaty, read in light of its object and purpose, does not to allow either Party, acting unilaterally, to hold in abeyance or suspend an ongoing dispute settlement process.”

Under the IWT, India has been given the right to generate hydroelectricity through run-of-the-river projects on the western rivers subject to specific criteria for design and operation. The pact also gives the right to Pakistan to raise objections to designs of Indian hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.

On July 6, 2023, the PCA had issued its award on competence after considering India’s objections. In a unanimous decision, the court had ruled that it was competent to consider and determine the disputes set forth in

Pakistan’s request for arbitration in the case. Pakistan had initiated the present arbitral proceedings before the court on August 19, 2016.

The South Asian neighbors have been arguing over hydroelectric projects on the shared Indus river and its tributaries for decades, with Pakistan complaining that India’s planned hydropower dams will cut flows on the river, which feeds 80 percent of its irrigated agriculture.

The PCA noted on Friday that the principal issue concerned the implications, if any, that India’s decision to hold the treaty in “abeyance” may have on the competence of the court.

“Paragraph 16 of Annexure G to the Treaty provides that ‘[s]ubject to the provisions of this Treaty and except as the Parties may otherwise agree, the Court shall decide all questions relating to its competence’,” the PCA said.

“Accordingly, the Court found that it was for the Court — and the Court alone — to answer the question before it.”

New Delhi’s halting of the water agreement was one of a series of tit-for-tat diplomatic measures taken by both countries in the immediate aftermath of the April 22 attack in Kashmir, which resulted in a four-day military conflict between the neighbors in May.

Topics: Indus Waters Treaty World Bank

Pakistan vows to continue teamwork, coordination with Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2026

Updated 30 June 2025
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Pakistan vows to continue teamwork, coordination with Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2026

  • Pakistan sent over 115,000 Hajj pilgrims under both government and private schemes to Saudi Arabia this year
  • Saudi Hajj ministry praises “exceptional” measures undertaken by Pakistan for its pilgrims, says Pakistani religion ministry
Updated 30 June 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Hajj mission met a high-level Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah delegation on Monday to discuss the successful completion of this year’s pilgrimage, the Pakistani religion ministry said, vowing to continue the same spirit of teamwork and service for Hajj 2026. 

This year’s Hajj pilgrimage took place from June 4 to June 9, drawing millions of worshippers to Islam’s holiest sites in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan sent more than 115,000 pilgrims under both government and private schemes. Pakistan’s religion ministry said earlier this month that it is finalizing preparations to launch early registration for both private and government Hajj 2026 schemes to streamline the pilgrimage process. 

The Saudi delegation visited the Pakistan Hajj Mission in Makkah to convey their thanks and congratulations on the successful completion of Hajj 2025, Pakistan’s religion ministry said in a statement. The delegation commended the exceptional arrangements and services provided to Pakistani pilgrims, it added. 

The visiting delegation included Dr. Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat, the deputy minister of Hajj and Umrah, Eyad bin Ahmed Rahbini, assistant deputy minister for Hajj operations and Dr. Badr Muhammad Al-Solami, the director general of Hajj affairs.

“During the meeting, both sides emphasized the importance of continuing the same spirit of service, coordination and teamwork for Hajj 2026, with a shared commitment to enhancing facilities for pilgrims,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) said. 

MoRA said Dr. Mashat praised the Pakistan Hajj Mission for its professional capabilities, sincere efforts and the arrangements it had undertaken for pilgrims. He described the initiatives taken for the service of Pakistani pilgrims as “exemplary and worthy of appreciation.”

Pakistan’s Director General Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro appreciated the Saudi delegation’s visit. He highlighted the Saudi Hajj ministry’s guidance and cooperation in the smooth execution of Hajj operations, the religion ministry said. 

Soomro presented a commemorative shield to the Saudi delegation as a token of gratitude and goodwill at the end of the meeting, MoRA said.

“The gesture symbolized not only appreciation for their visit but also the hope for continued bilateral cooperation in future Hajj endeavors,” the religion ministry said. 

Pakistan began its post-Hajj flight operations on June 11 with the arrival of a Pakistan International Airlines flight, PK-732, in Islamabad carrying 307 pilgrims. The flights are expected to conclude by July 10.

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Ties Pakistan Hajj 2026

Superstar Mahira Khan criticizes India’s ban on Pakistani celebrities’ social media accounts

Updated 3 min 34 sec ago
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Superstar Mahira Khan criticizes India’s ban on Pakistani celebrities’ social media accounts

  • India blocked access to social media accounts of Pakistanis following a plunge in relations last month
  • Khan insists she loves her Indian fans, emphasizes role of artists in forging cross-border connections
Updated 3 min 34 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani top actor Mahira Khan has spoken out against India’s ban on Pakistani celebrities and social media accounts, calling it a “political game” and emphasizing the role of artists in building cross-border connections.

India banned the social media accounts of Pakistani celebrities and influencers in early May, days before the two nuclear-armed countries took part in their worst military confrontation in decades, trading artillery fire, missile strikes and drone attacks for four days before the US brokered a ceasefire on May 10. 

New Delhi’s measures to ban Pakistan accounts came in response to India’s allegations that Islamabad was involved in an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 were killed. Pakistan denies involvement and has repeatedly called for an international probe.

When asked what she thought about India’s ban, Khan said she had “zero reaction” to it and still loved her fans in India.

“Fans are fans. People are people, they are the public. What does it [have to do] with politics?” the actress told Independent Urdu in an interview. 

“Anyway, it [politics] eventually connects obviously but this is a political game that ‘Okay, we will close this, we will ban this, we will do that.’ I don’t believe in that.”

Khan said she did not believe in banning art, wondering why artists were the first to bear the brunt of “political problems” between nations. 

“It is strange, isn’t it, that a war erupts or there is a political problem, then the first attack, why do we do it on artists? This is something to think about,” the actor asked. 

“Because artists are the people, and art is the thing that connects people. So the first thing is you ban this, that this [art] dies, love, that there is no love.”

Pakistan’s telecommunication authority responded with measures of its own on May 7, announcing it had blocked 16 YouTube channels and 32 websites from India for spreading “anti-Pakistan propaganda” and disseminating false information.

Khan is one of the most popular and highest paid actors from Pakistan and the recipient of several accolades, including seven Lux Style Awards and seven Hum Awards. She has also made a mark in international cinema, most notably in the Bollywood flick ‘Raees’ in which she stared alongside Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan in 2017.

In addition to acting, Khan promotes social causes such as women’s rights and the refugee crisis and is vocal about issues such as child abuse and sexual harassment. Khan has been a national and global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Afghan refugees in Pakistan in 2019.

While the ceasefire between India and Pakistan persists, tensions continue to simmer as New Delhi says it will continue to hold in abeyance a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan. The treaty guarantees water access for 80 percent of Pakistan’s farms through three rivers originating in India.

Topics: Mahira Khan Love Guru Movie Pakistan India Ties

World Bank appoints Bolormaa Amgaabazar as new country director for Pakistan

Updated 30 June 2025
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World Bank appoints Bolormaa Amgaabazar as new country director for Pakistan

  • New director takes helm as World Bank rolls out $40billion decade-long development plan
  • Appointment comes amid economic pressures and calls for deeper reform under IMF loan
Updated 30 June 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: The World Bank has appointed Bolormaa Amgaabazar as its new country director for Pakistan, effective tomorrow, Tuesday, succeeding Najy Benhassine who had held the position since 2020.

Amgaabazar’s appointment comes as the World Bank launches a major new 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with Pakistan, committing up to $40 billion in combined support from its financing arms. The CPF, approved earlier this year, will focus on tackling child stunting, improving education, strengthening climate resilience, and supporting structural reforms to boost private sector-led growth.

“The World Bank and Pakistan have a long-standing partnership that has benefited millions of people over generations,” Amgaabazar said in a statement. 

“I look forward to deepening our engagement with the federal and provincial governments, local institutions, civil society, the private sector, development partners, and other stakeholders.”

A Mongolian national, Amgaabazar joined the World Bank in 2004 and has worked in East Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. She previously held leadership roles in the Bank’s offices in the Kyrgyz Republic and, most recently, Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Prior to joining the Bank, she worked in international development in Mongolia and Southeast Asia.

“We will continue to support Pakistan to address some of its most acute development challenges including child stunting, learning poverty, its exceptional exposure to the impacts of climate change, and the sustainability of its energy sector,” Amgaabazar added.

Since the World Bank Group started operating in Pakistan in 1950, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the main lending arm of the Bank, has provided over $48.3 billion in assistance. The International Finance Corporation, which focuses on private sector development, has invested approximately $13 billion to advance private sector‑led solutions, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, which offers political risk insurance and credit enhancement to encourage foreign direct investment, has provided $836 million in guarantees. 

The current portfolio for IBRD, IFC and MIGA in Pakistan includes 106 projects and a total commitment of $17 billion.

The country has teetered on the brink of economic crisis for several years and economists and international financial institutions have called for major economic reforms.

Pakistan is currently under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout program, which requires the country to boost government revenues and shore up external sources of financing, much of which comes from loans from China and Gulf nations.

Topics: Pakistan-World Bank Bolormaa Amgaabazar

As PM urges new tourism push, Swat river tragedy raises alarm over tourist safety

Updated 30 June 2025
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As PM urges new tourism push, Swat river tragedy raises alarm over tourist safety

  • 13 tourists from family of 17 swept away in Swat River on Friday during rise in water levels caused by monsoon rains
  • Rains and floods in 2022 inundated a third of the country, killing 1,737 people and causing widespread destruction
Updated 30 June 2025
Fatimah Amjad

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed Pakistan’s tourism authorities to take immediate steps to boost the country’s international profile as a travel destination, including launching a global branding campaign, creating special tourism zones and attracting long-term investment in the sector.

While the prime minister did not refer to it during a Monday meeting on tourism development, his comments come just three days after a deadly flash flood in the scenic Swat Valley killed 13 members of a single tourist family.

According to rescue officials in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where Swat is located, 17 family members were swept away in the Swat River on Friday during a sudden rise in water levels caused by monsoon rains. Twelve bodies had been recovered as of Sunday, with search operations ongoing for the final missing person. The incident drew widespread condemnation in the media and online over what many called a slow response by emergency services.

“Pakistan’s tourism sector holds unlimited potential to earn foreign exchange,” the prime minister said at Monday’s meeting, according to a statement from his office.

“God Almighty has blessed Pakistan with natural resources and timeless beauty.”

Pakistan offers a diverse range of tourism attractions, drawing visitors with its dramatic landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture.

From the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush in the north, home to some of the world’s highest mountains like K2, to the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-Daro and Taxila, the country blends natural beauty with archaeological significance.

The Hunza, Swat, and Skardu valleys are popular for trekking, mountaineering, and scenic retreats, while cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad offer a mix of Mughal architecture, bustling bazaars, colonial-era landmarks, and modern urban life.

Religious tourism is also growing, with sites such as Kartarpur for Sikh pilgrims and the Buddhist ruins in Takht-i-Bahi. Pakistan’s coastline along the Arabian Sea, its deserts, forests, and diverse cultures make it a unique destination with year-round tourism potential.

Sharif directed the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation to move swiftly on plans to showcase the country abroad as a tourism brand, stressing public-private partnerships and stronger federal-provincial coordination to develop tourism infrastructure across the country.

“With snow-covered mountains, forests, rivers, as well as plains and desert areas, our country is not behind any nation in the world in terms of tourism,” Sharif said.

“Under the vision for national development, we will place Pakistan among the world’s leading tourist destinations.”

Officials at the meeting briefed the prime minister on proposals to promote medical tourism, develop recreational areas and improve access to northern tourist regions. 

Sharif emphasized encouraging domestic tourism alongside international promotion.

“Special measures should be taken to encourage domestic tourism and the arrival of local tourists at recreational spots,” he said. “Planning should be done to ensure long-term investment in the tourism sector.”

Since Friday’s tragedy in Swat, videos widely shared on social media have showed tourists stranded on rocks midstream, shouting for help as floodwaters surged. 

Survivors have widely said rescue services took hours to reach the scene.

The incident has sparked criticism over disaster preparedness in tourist areas.

The disaster was part of a broader wave of flash flooding across northern Pakistan last week, which has killed at least 32 people, according to rescue agencies.

Weather officials have warned of above-average monsoon rains this year, raising further concern over the vulnerability of tourist destinations in mountainous areas.

Forecasters say they cannot rule out a repeat of the “extreme situation” seen during devastating floods in 2022 when rains inundated a third of the country, killing 1,737 people and causing widespread destruction.

Topics: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tourism in Pakistan

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