NICOSIA: Cyprus’ chief prosecutor appointed an independent investigator Sunday to oversee a criminal probe into the death of a Pakistani man who was allegedly shot by police earlier this month.
Attorney General George L. Savvides said in a statement that the decision followed a briefing by the chief of police regarding the ongoing inquiry into the incident.
Savvides said he had appointed an independent “criminal investigator in relation to the circumstances of the death of a young man from Pakistan.”
“Senior Counsel of the Republic, Mr. Ninos Kekkos, will lead the investigations being conducted by the police.”
The move comes a day after authorities said the Pakistani national was fatally shot with a police service weapon.
The announcement followed a postmortem exam that contradicted an initial forensic analysis ruling out criminal circumstances.
According to the postmortem, a bullet wound was found on the right side of the man’s back.
Police found the 24-year-old’s body in a field in a suburb of the capital Nicosia on January 6, a national holiday.
Several days later, police disclosed an earlier incident in which officers had fired shots during an attempt to intercept and arrest suspects, saying the death could be connected.
Local news website Phileleftheros reported Sunday that three police officers were being questioned over the shooting, which happened in a different place from where the body was found.
Phileleftheros reported that police had said shots were fired at the tires of a vehicle believed to be involved in illicit migrant smuggling near the line that divides the island into the UN-recognized south and the Turkish-backed north.
Irregular migrants frequently cross the so-called Green Line from the Turkish Cypriot north into the more affluent Greek-speaking Cyprus Republic.
Phileleftheros reported that the health ministry has requested a report from the police on the incident so it can review the forensic expert’s findings.
Cyprus orders probe into alleged police shooting of Pakistani man
https://arab.news/mg2a9
Cyprus orders probe into alleged police shooting of Pakistani man
- Police found the 24-year-old’s body in a field in a suburb of the capital Nicosia on January 6, a national holiday
- Announcement follows postmortem exam that contradicted initial forensic analysis ruling out criminal circumstances
Pakistan, Russia resolve to strengthen cooperation amid surging ‘terrorism’ in Afghanistan
- Pakistan, Russia joint working group to counter international “terrorism” meets in Moscow
- Discussions revolved around growing need for adaptive strategies, says Pakistan foreign ministry
ISLAMABAD: Senior officials from Pakistan and Russia on Tuesday agreed to strengthen cooperation in the face of evolving “terrorism” in Afghanistan and the region, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Pakistan and Russia have both struggled with threats from armed militant groups. Islamabad complains about increasing “cross-border” attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that it says originate from Afghanistan, allegations denied by Kabul.
Russia also faces threats from Daesh militants. On Mar. 22, 2024, a deadly attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow killed over 140 people and injured several. The attack, claimed by Daesh militants, was one of the deadliest in Russia in recent years.
Both sides discussed counter-terror strategies during the 11th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism in Moscow on Tuesday. Pakistan’s delegation was led by Special Secretary (United Nations) Nabeel Munir, while the Russian side was led by Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Vershinin, for talks that will go on till Wednesday.
“The two sides held an in-depth exchange of views on the global and regional terrorism landscape, with particular attention to the evolving threat posed by terrorism in Afghanistan and the region,” Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry said.
“The discussions focused around the increasingly transnational nature of terrorism and the growing need for adaptive and cooperative strategies.”
The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their resolve to strengthen cooperation amid shared challenges posed by militants. The two delegations also recognized that collective efforts remain essential to maintaining regional and global stability, the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
Both sides decided to hold the working group’s next meeting in 2026.
Pakistan and Russia held the last meeting of the working group on Nov. 16, 2023, during which Moscow and Islamabad discussed national strategies and measures in combating “terrorism.”
The platform provides both sides an opportunity to share their experiences and best practices in battling militancy.
Pakistan praises Islamic Development Bank’s anti-polio efforts, with $587 million disbursed since 2013
- PM’s focal person for polio eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, meets IsDB delegation in Islamabad
- IsDB is one of largest financiers of Pakistan’s anti-polio program, announced $587 million loan in 2023
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani prime minister’s aide on polio eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, on Tuesday acknowledged the Islamic Development Bank’s (IsDB) financial and strategic contributions to sustain its anti-polio program in the country.
The IsDB has contributed over $587 million to eradicate poliovirus from Pakistan since 2013, making it one of the largest financiers of the country’s anti-polio program. It announced a loan of $100 million in December 2023 to support Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts.
Farooq met a high-level delegation of the IsDB’s Regional Hub in Turkiye at the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) in Islamabad on Tuesday, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme said.
“The Islamic Development Bank has been a pillar of strength for the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, especially during its most challenging phases,” Farooq was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s anti-polio program.
“Your financial and strategic contributions have been instrumental in sustaining the program and ensuring that vaccination campaigns reach the most vulnerable children across the country.”
Pakistan is only one of two countries worldwide where polio remains endemic. The Pakistani government launched a seven-day nationwide campaign on Monday to vaccinate over 45 million children against the disease.
Dr. Walid Mohamad Abdelwahab, director of the IsDB’s regional hub in Turkiye, reaffirmed the institution’s support for Pakistan in achieving a polio-free future, the statement said. He commended Pakistan for its efforts and collaboration in the fight against polio, it added.
The delegation briefly visited the NEOC control room following the meeting, where they were informed about the national reach of the campaign. The IsDB delegation was told the campaign would cover over 45.4 million children through the efforts of more than 400,000 frontline health workers via door-to-door vaccinations.
“IsDB commended the Government of Pakistan’s relentless efforts and reaffirmed its support in reaching the last mile of polio eradication,” Pakistan’s anti-polio program said.
In 2024, Pakistan reported an alarming 74 polio cases. The country’s polio program, launched in 1994, has faced persistent challenges including vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners, who claim immunization is a foreign conspiracy to sterilize Muslim children or a guise for Western espionage.
Militant groups have also repeatedly targeted and killed polio vaccination workers during nationwide drives.
Pakistan looks to boost US imports, remove non-tariff barriers to escape Trump measures
- Pakistan’s government mulling options which range from importing crude oil from the US to abolishing tariffs on American imports
- Islamabad is trying to appease the US to seek reprieve from the 29 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump last month
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Bloomberg this week Pakistan is looking to buy more goods from the US and remove non-tariffs barriers to escape President Donald Trump’s high tariffs.
Pakistan’s government is mulling options, which range from importing crude oil from the US to abolishing tariffs on American imports, as Islamabad attempts to offset a trade imbalance that has triggered higher tariffs from Washington.
“It’s a bigger canvas that we are looking at in terms of engaging the US,” Aurangzeb said in an interview with Bloomberg News on Monday ahead of the IMF-World Bank spring meetings in Washington. “We will constructively engage, and we will have a formal delegation coming in.”
Pakistan is looking to buy more cotton and soybean from the US, the finance chief said, adding that it is also in talks to tear down non-trade barriers to open its markets to more US products.
“We can also look at if there are any issues with respect to non-tariff discussion, whether there are any onerous inspections at our end for US products, we can obviously view that.”
Islamabad is trying to appease the US to seek reprieve from the 29 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by Trump. While those levies are on hold until July, Pakistan has said it will send a trade delegation to Washington in the coming months to bridge the trade gap.
The US is Pakistan’s largest export market with over $5 billion in annual exports as of 2024, while Pakistan’s imports from the US are about $2.1 billion.
The finance minister said the country is also open to foreign direct investments from US firms in its recently opened minerals and mining sectors.
Aurangzeb, a close aide of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is in the US for a nearly week-long trip to participate in the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The former JPMorgan Chase & Co. banker said that the crisis-ridden nation will tap the international capital markets to secure more funds for a sustainable growth.
“What we are looking for is how we get away from a boom-and-bust cycle which Pakistan has gone through and get on to a sustainable growth path,” he told Bloomberg.
Pakistan is preparing to debut its first-ever Panda bond in the range of $200 million to $250 million that will likely take place in the fourth quarter of this year, the minister added.
Authorities are trying to rebuild Pakistan’s tattered economy after it came close to a default in 2023. Last month, the South Asian nation won an initial nod for a $2.3 billion IMF loan that will give it funding visibility until 2027.
Last week, Fitch upgraded Pakistan’s credit rating, citing confidence that the South Asian country will be able to sustain reforms under the IMF loan program.
Pakistan sets up National Cybercrime Investigation Agency amid digital crackdown concerns
- The development comes months after Pakistan introduced new law to regulate social media content, which provides for a regulator with its own investigation agency, tribunals
- Journalists have long complained of increasing state pressure on traditional and digital media in Pakistan, which is ranked 152nd out of 180 countries on press freedom index
KARACHI: Pakistan has transformed the Cybercrime Wing of its Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) into an autonomous organization and named the new agency as the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the FIA said on Tuesday, amid digital crackdown concerns in the South Asian country.
The development comes months after Pakistan introduced a new law to regulate social media content, with journalist groups and rights activists saying it is aimed at curbing press freedom and dissent on social media.
Enacted in 2016 and further tightened with amendments this January, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) was drafted with the stated aim to combat cybercrimes such as hacking, online harassment, and data breaches.
In its statement on Tuesday, the FIA said the Pakistani government had given autonomous status to its erstwhile cybercrime wing in view of the “growing threats of cybercrime” and transformed it into the NCCIA.
“This new organization has been established under the name of National Cybercrime Investigation Agency, which has full authority to prevent, investigate and prosecute cybercrime across the country,” it said.
“This organization will take effective measures against online fraud, harassment, digital blackmail, fake websites, identity theft, social media crime and other cyber activities.”
The FIA said the public will now have to contact the NCCIA for the sake of investigation or complaints relating to cybercrimes, the FIA said, adding that the new agency could be reached at helpline number 0519106691 or email helpdesk@nr3c.gov.pk.
The development comes weeks after the Freedom Network, a Pakistani media and development sector watchdog, said the new social media law was being used as a “tool” by state authorities to suppress freedom of expression and target journalists. It released a data analysis for March 2025 documenting eight instances of threats against journalists, with three cases directly involving the contentious PECA legislation.
Pakistani officials have defended the PECA law, which provides for a social media regulatory authority that will have its own investigation agency and tribunals, according to a draft on the parliament’s website. Such tribunals will be able to try and punish offenders with prison sentences of up to three years and fines of two million rupees ($7,200) for dissemination of “false or fake” information.
“This is the first time the government has defined what social media is,” Information Minister Ataullah Tarar told reporters after the amended law was passed this year.
“There is already a system in place for print and electronic media and complaints can be registered against them.”
Journalists have long complained of increasing state pressure on traditional and digital media in Pakistan, which is ranked 152nd out of 180 countries on press freedom index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a media watchdog that promotes and defends press freedom.
Social media platform X is officially banned in Pakistan, but accessible using VPNs, while YouTube and TikTok have faced bans in the past.
Breaking barriers: Women fuel change at Pakistan’s male-dominated petrol pumps
- While fuel stations have been predominantly staffed by men, there is a growing movement toward gender inclusivity
- In the federal capital of Islamabad, hundreds of women are now working alongside male staff at fuel stations
ISLAMABAD: Clad in a crisp blue uniform and gripping the nozzle with practiced ease, Sumeera Bibi pumped fuel into the tank of a car, gesturing to the driver to check the reading on the dispenser machine.
While fuel stations in Pakistan have been traditionally staffed by men, there is a growing movement toward gender inclusivity, with some stations now employing women like Sumeera as attendants.
One notable example was the launch last year of Pakistan’s first all-female staffed fuel station, located in Johar Town, Lahore.
In the federal capital of Islamabad also, hundreds of women are now working alongside male staff at fuel stations.
“Since getting this job, I have been able to care for my children on my own and overcome all my problems,” Sumeera, a mother of five, told Arab News on Monday at a Pakistan State Oil station on Constitution Avenue, home to major government buildings and embassies.
Getting the job has been life changing for Sumeera, married for years to a drug addict, before the relationship spiraled out of control and she was forced to move in with her sister.
“There were many difficulties as I had no job and was dependent on my sister,” said Sumeera, who works an 8 am-6pm shift six days a week.
“We faced many problems in the beginning, especially when customers would often try to touch our hands while returning their [credit] cards,” she said.
But getting a timely salary, annual bonus, free medical care and the means to raise and educate her children without being dependent on anyone have made all the difficulties worth it.
“Before this, I had never worked. I had never even dealt with strangers,” she said. “Now, I deal with all kinds of people every day. There’s no shame in hard work.”
“POSITIVE RESPONSE“
The overall labor force participation rate for women in Pakistan at 25 percent is significantly lower than the global and South Asian average. A large portion of women in the labor force (67 percent) are employed in agriculture, with only 16 percent in services and 14 percent in manufacturing, according to UN Women. Even among women with higher education, labor force participation rates are relatively low, with only around 25 percent of women with a university degree participating in the labor force.
Several factors contribute to the lower female labor force participation, including social norms, safety concerns, lack of mobility, and the availability of transportation.
But despite the challenges, more and more women are venturing out.
Another fuel station attendant, Sana, who only gave her first name, said getting a job had taught her how to face the world and deal with all kinds of people, including those who did not appreciate women working in public spaces in a male-dominated filed.
“Every type of customer visits the station,” she told Arab News.
“Some customers praise our work, saying it’s great that we are working in an open environment instead of being confined to an office, while others discourage us, saying it’s not suitable for women.”
But management was supportive and helped to protect against and handle customers who caused trouble or misbehaved, Sana added.
Rukhsana Bibi, who works at a PSO station in Islamabad’s F-8 sector, said she felt “secure” at the job, as all stations were monitored by CCTV cameras.
Coming from a middle-class background with limited education, Rukhsana said she stepped out of her home not just to earn but to build a better future for her children.
“My husband is a laborer, and his income couldn’t cover our household expenses and children’s education, that’s why I left home.”
Jahanzaib Abbasi, Deputy Division Manager at PSO Islamabad, said the company, as an equal opportunity employer, had started hiring women during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We received a very positive response,” he said. “Many women have now been working for six months to two years, and they are satisfied and happy with their jobs.”
For customers like Azka Durrani, seeing women confidently working at fuel stations is a “heartening sign of growing empowerment and changing social norms.”
“Whenever I see these ladies working at a fuel station,” she said as Rukhsana filled her car’s tank, “I feel empowered.”
