KARACHI: Pakistan police on Saturday arrested multiple opposition members ahead of a planned protest by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) opposition parties to mark the first anniversary of the Feb. 8, 2024 national election, which they say were rigged to benefit their opponents.
Pakistan’s general election was marred by a mobile Internet shutdown and unusually delayed results. The polls threw up a hung National Assembly and were followed by weeks of protests by opposition parties over allegations of rigging and vote count fraud.
The caretaker government, which oversaw the electoral exercise, and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), deny the charges, however, the US House of Representatives and several European countries have called on Islamabad to open a probe into the allegations — a move Pakistan has thus far rejected.
Last month, Khan called on PTI leaders and supporters to mark Feb. 8 as a “Black Day” and hold protests across the country to raise their voice against alleged election irregularities. Khan’s announcement was followed by a similar call from JI leader Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman over the “stolen mandate.”
“Disgusting to see Meher Bano Qureshi, her MPA [member of provincial assembly] and workers being arrested for taking part in a peaceful protest [in Multan],” PTI’s Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari said on X, sharing footage of Qureshi and others inside what appeared to be a police van.
The PTI also confirmed the arrest of its member, Khawaja Farooq, and others by police in Azad Kashmir.
Opposition supporters have taken to streets in several cities across the country to register their protest on Saturday evening, following the circulation of video messages by their leaders that urged supporters to mobilize.
Khan’s PTI planned to hold a major protest rally at Minar-e-Pakistan, a historical monument in Lahore that symbolizes the country’s independence, but it was denied official permission by the Punjab provincial administration, led by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
The PML-N administration also imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, banning large gatherings across the province to prevent political demonstrations. The PTI is also expected to hold a rally in Swabi, located in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the party remains in power.
Meanwhile, the JI plans to stage a protest outside the ECP office in Karachi. The party did not win any National Assembly seats in the general elections but secured two provincial seats in the Sindh Assembly and one in the Balochistan Assembly.
PTI candidates contested the Feb. 8 elections as independents after the party was barred from the polls. While they won the most seats, they fell short of the majority needed to form a government, which was instead formed by a coalition of rival political parties led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Police arrest opposition members ahead of protest to mark anniversary of Pakistan national polls
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Police arrest opposition members ahead of protest to mark anniversary of Pakistan national polls
- Pakistan’s general election was marred by a mobile Internet shutdown and unusually delayed results, throwing up a hung parliament
- Ex-PM Imran Khan, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman asked their supporters to mark Feb. 8 as a ‘Black Day’ by holding protests
Islamabad says Iran-Israel conflict may trigger ‘refugee exodus’ into Pakistan, Afghanistan
- Pakistan shares a volatile, porous 900-kilometer-long border with Iran in southwestern region
- Pakistan’s UN envoy says refugee exodus could imperil “already fragile” condition in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s United Nations ambassador on Tuesday raised concerns about the possibility of a “refugee exodus” from Iran into neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan, as tensions in the Middle East remain high despite the US announcing a ceasefire between Tehran and Israel.
Pakistan shares a porous 900-kilometer-long border with Iran in its southwestern region, which is prone to militant violence and illicit activities such as smuggling. Analysts have warned that a long-term war between Israel and Iran, which began on June 13 after Tel Aviv attacked Iranian nuclear facilities, can lead to a large number of refugees heading toward Pakistan and other neighboring countries.
However, hopes of calm returning to the region were spurred on after US President Donald Trump announced early Tuesday that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire.
“We are also concerned about the potential destabilizing impact of the situation in Iran following unprovoked Israeli attacks,” Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, said during a Security Council session.
“A refugee exodus into neighboring countries— including Afghanistan and Pakistan— could pose significant new challenges,” he said. “This might imperil the already fragile condition in Afghanistan.”
The Pakistani envoy was speaking on the prevalent situation in Afghanistan, including the lack of opportunities for women and the surge in militant attacks in the country.
Ahmad said Islamabad wished to see a prosperous Afghanistan but warned that Pakistani Taliban fighters were operating from the country. He said that Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) with around 6,000 fighters has safe havens close to the border with Pakistan, posing direct threat to Islamabad’s national security.
“As part of our defensive measures, Pakistan has confiscated a significant cache of modern weapons originally left behind by international forces in Afghanistan,” Ahmad said.
Afghanistan has repeatedly rejected Pakistan’s allegations that TTP fighters use its soil to launch attacks against Islamabad. Kabul has urged Pakistan to resolve its security challenges internally, without blaming Afghanistan.
IRAN-ISRAEL CEASEFIRE
Trump announced the “complete and total” ceasefire between Tehran and Tel Aviv through a social media post on Tuesday, with the development taking place after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a US military base in Qatar.
Iran said it was retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites, adding that as long as Israel stopped its attacks early Tuesday morning, it would halt theirs.
Israel did not immediately acknowledge any ceasefire, but there were no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4 am local time. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Tehran and other cities until shortly before that time.
The US strikes against Iran over the weekend prompted fears of a wider regional conflict. Iran had said the US had crossed “a very big red line” with its risky gambit to strike with missiles and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs.
Pakistan has consistently denounced Israel’s military action against Iran and in Gaza, calling on the international community to intervene and impose an immediate end to the conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.
UK trade envoy visits Pakistan to promote investment, long-term economic cooperation
- British envoy Mohammad Yasin begins three-day visit to Karachi, Islamabad, to “unlock new opportunities”
- Yasin’s visit to pave the way for UK-Pakistan Trade Dialogue later this year, says British High Commission
ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Pakistan Mohammad Yasin has begun a three-day trip to Karachi and Islamabad cities to encourage investment and long-term economic cooperation between the two countries, the British High Commission said this week.
Pakistan and the UK enjoy robust economic ties, with the UK being Islamabad’s largest export destination in Europe and third largest export destination globally. The UK has invested heavily in Pakistan’s financial services, oil & gas exploration, petroleum refining, electricity generation, pharmaceutical, publishing, industrial chemicals and cement sectors.
In a statement shared by the British High Commission, Yasin said that though the two nations enjoy close commercial ties, there is “much more we can achieve together.”
“It is a place close to my heart, and I have seen over many years the enormous potential to help both our countries prosper,” Yasin was quoted as saying on Monday. “During my visit, I look forward to supporting efforts that unlock new opportunities and drive growth.”
The commission said Yasin is expected to meet senior Pakistan government stakeholders including Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain, and business leaders “to strengthen trade and encourage investment.”
“Mr. Yasin’s visit will help pave the way for the UK-Pakistan Trade Dialogue, due to launch later this year,” the commission said. “The Dialogue will offer a platform to grow exports, increase investment flows, address business environment concerns and identify opportunities for greater market access.”
The British High Commission noted that over 200 UK companies are operating in Pakistan, with the top five contributing around one percent of Pakistan’s GDP.
The visit takes place amid Pakistan’s push in recent months to forge stronger trade and investment relations with regional allies and friendly countries. The South Asian country is navigating a tricky path to economic recovery from a prolonged crisis that has drained its foreign exchange reserves and weakened its balance of payments position over the past three years.
Apart from the close ties the two countries enjoy, the UK is also home to a large Pakistani diaspora and a preferred destination for thousands of Pakistani students to pursue higher education opportunities.
Pakistan condemns Syria church suicide bombing as death toll surges to 25
- Suicide bomber targeted packed Mar Elias Church on outskirts of Damascus on Sunday
- Pakistan reaffirms support for efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace, stability in Syria
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office this week condemned a suicide attack targeting a church in Syria that killed 25 people, reaffirming its support for efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in the country.
Syrian state media reported that a suicide bomber carried out an attack inside the packed Mar Elias Church in Dweil’a on the outskirts of Damascus on Sunday. While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the Syrian Interior Ministry said a fighter from the Daesh group entered the church and fired at the people there before detonating himself with an explosives vest.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the heinous suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, on 22 June 2025, which resulted in the loss of precious lives and left many injured,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a press release on Monday.
Islamabad expressed its heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
“Pakistan stands in full solidarity with the brotherly people of Syria in this hour of grief, and reaffirms its strong support for efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the country,” the foreign ministry added.
The church suicide blast was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and came as an interim government in Syria led by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa tries to win the support of minorities.
Syria has made major inroads into the international fold since President Bashar Assad was removed in December 2024 after over a decade of civil war in the restive country. His ouster led to the United States and the European Union lifting its sanctions on the Arab country.
Deputy PM Dar to lead Pakistan side at trade, investment and energy talks in UAE today
- The Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission will focus on multiple domains and explore new avenues of bilateral cooperation
- Both countries have strengthened economic ties in recent years and the session provides an opportunity to align their priorities
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar has arrived in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate today, Monday, in the 12th session of the Pakistan-UAE Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), according to the Pakistani foreign office.
The JMC serves as the highest institutionalized platform for bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the UAE and the upcoming session will take forward the agenda of deepening strategic, economic and development cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
The Pakistani delegation will be led by Dar and comprise senior officials from economic affairs, commerce, energy, maritime affairs and interior ministries, according to the Pakistani foreign office.
The UAE side will be led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, along with high-level representation from relevant Emirati institutions.
“The session will review progress across multiple domains of bilateral cooperation and explore new avenues for collaboration in trade, investment, energy, infrastructure development and IT,” the Pakistani foreign office said.
“A number of legal instruments are expected to be finalized during the session to institutionalize sectoral cooperation.”
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and a major source of foreign investment valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE’s foreign ministry.
Policymakers in Pakistan consider the Emirates an optimal export destination due to their geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
Both countries have stepped up efforts in recent years to strengthen their economic relations. In Jan. 2024, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth more than $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure.
“The [JMC] session will provide an important opportunity for both sides to align their economic priorities and unlock the potential of enhancing scope of mutually beneficial partnership,” the foreign office added.
Pakistani PM speaks to Saudi, Qatari envoys as Iran fires missiles at US air base in Qatar
- Qatar called the attack a ‘flagrant violation’ of its sovereignty and said it reserved the right to respond
- In phone call with Saudi envoy, PM Shehbaz Sharif urges joint efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed concern over Iran’s missile attack on a United States (US) military base in Qatar and called for efforts to restore peace in the region, Sharif’s office said on Monday, following his telephonic talk with Qatari and Saudi envoys to Islamabad.
Iran launched missile attacks Monday on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq in retaliation for the American bombing of its nuclear sites, state media said, amid escalating tensions in the volatile region.
Qatar said it had “successfully intercepted” missiles targeting the US base, and added it reserved the right to respond in accordance with international law. The US confirmed its air base was targeted by missile attack from Iran and said no casualties were reported.
Shortly after the attack, Sharif spoke with Qatar’s Ambassador to Islamabad Ali Mubarak Ali Essa Al-Khater and expressed solidarity with the Qatari government and people. He then spoke with Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador Nawaf bin Said-Al Malki.
“The Prime Minister urged that all efforts must be made to de-escalate tensions and restore peace in the region,” Sharif’s office said, following his conversation with the Saudi envoy.
“He said Pakistan would continue to work closely with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to intensify peace efforts.”
The Qatari and Saudi envoys thanked the prime minister for expressing solidarity and immediately reaching out to them after the development that could imperil peace and stability in the region, according to Sharif’s office.
Qatar earlier said it condemned the Iranian missile attack, calling it a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty.
“We express the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of the attack on Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement.
The Al-Udeid air base is home to the US Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC), which provides command and control of air power across the region as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest expeditionary wing in the world.
Iran’s retaliation came a day after the US launched a surprise attack Sunday morning on three of Iran’s nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution.
Just before the explosions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on the social platform X: “We neither initiated the war nor seeking it. But we will not leave invasion to the great Iran without answer.”
