Top journalist body condemns ‘illegal visit’ of Pakistani journalists to Israel

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Journalists hold placards during a rally in support of Palestinians, in Karachi on November 8, 2023. (AN Photo)
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Updated 28 March 2025
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Top journalist body condemns ‘illegal visit’ of Pakistani journalists to Israel

  • Israeli media reported a 10-member Pakistani delegation this month visited Israel for a week
  • Karachi Press Club calls the visit an ‘effort to whitewash Israeli crimes,’ demands investigation

KARACHI: A top Pakistani journalist body on Friday condemned a recent visit by a group of local journalists and researchers to Israel, calling it an “effort to whitewash Israeli war crimes against Palestinians.”
A 10-member Pakistani delegation of journalists, intellectuals and influencers this month visited Israel for a week to learn about the Holocaust and the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas, according to Israeli media.
Pakistan does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and has consistently called for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and pre-1967 borders.
In a statement on Friday, the Karachi Press Club's (KPC) joint action committee, which represents multiple journalist unions, said the Pakistani journalists who undertook the visit do not represent the “broader media community of Pakistan.”
“We stand firm in our unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and denounce any attempt to normalize relations with a regime engaged in systematic ethnic cleansing,” the committee said in a joint statement, citing KPC President Fazil Jamili.
“The journalists in Pakistan have always been at the forefront of highlighting the suffering of oppressed people, and we will not tolerate any actions that undermine this solidarity.”
Israel Hayom, a Hebrew-language Israeli newspaper, reported the Pakistani journalists and researchers, including two women, arrived in Israel this month and carried passports declaring their invalidity for travel to Israel.
“Despite this, they bravely accepted an invitation from Sharaka, an organization working to strengthen relations between Israel and South Asian countries,” the report said. “To protect the delegation members, their passports were not stamped, and publication of their visit was delayed until they returned safely home.”
In response to media reports about the visit, the Foreign Office in Islamabad said Pakistan’s position on Israel “remains unchanged.”
“Pakistani passports explicitly state they are ‘not valid for travel to Israel’,” it said.
“Pakistan does not recognize Israel and steadfastly supports the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders.”
The KPC committee lamented that the visit, which occurred at a time when over 150 journalists have been killed by Israeli forces for exposing the truth, amounted to “complicity in Israel’s war crimes and genocide against the Palestinian people.”
It called for an immediate investigation into how these individuals were able to visit Israel.


Pakistan PM meets Sana Mir after ICC Hall of Fame induction, hopes she will nurture new talent

Updated 28 June 2025
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Pakistan PM meets Sana Mir after ICC Hall of Fame induction, hopes she will nurture new talent

  • A trailblazer for women’s cricket in Pakistan, Mir represented the national team from 2005 to 2019
  • She holds the record for the most wickets by a Pakistani woman in one-day internationals with 151

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday met with former Pakistan Women Cricket Team captain Sana Mir and congratulated her on her induction into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame, Sharif’s office said.

Mir this month became the first woman cricketer from Pakistan to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. She was honored alongside India’s MS Dhoni, England’s Sarah Taylor, South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith, Australia’s Matthew Hayden, and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori.

PM Sharif appreciated Mir saying that the Pakistan women cricket team achieved significant successes and made Pakistan famous all over the world under her leadership.

“The government is trying to promote talent on the basis of merit in every field of sports. Giving equal opportunities and facilities to men and women in every field of sports, including cricket, is among our priorities,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.

“Hopefully, you will play an active role in providing training to new talent in cricket with your experience.”

Mir thanked the prime minister and said she was trying her level best to represent Pakistan fully in the World Cricket Association and the ICC.

She gave suggestions for further promotion of cricket, especially women’s cricket, in Pakistan.

A trailblazer for women’s cricket in Pakistan, Mir represented the national team from 2005 to 2019. She is the eighth Pakistani overall and just the 15th woman globally to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

She holds the record for the most wickets by a Pakistani woman in one-day internationals with 151 and was the first Asian woman to feature in 100 T20 internationals. In 2018, she became the first Pakistani woman to top the ICC ODI bowling rankings.


Arbitration court says has jurisdiction in Pakistan’s Indus waters case against India

Updated 28 June 2025
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Arbitration court says has jurisdiction in Pakistan’s Indus waters case against India

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

ISLAMABAD: The Permanent Court of Arbitration on Friday ruled that India’s decision of holding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance did not deprive the court of its competence to adjudicate Pakistan’s complaints against its neighbor.

In its supplemental award on the proceedings instituted by Pakistan against India, the court 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.”

India announced it was putting the 1960 World Bank-mediated treaty, which ensures water for 80 percent of Pakistani farms, 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 light of the developments, the PCA 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.”

The IWT grants Pakistan rights to the Indus basin’s western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — for irrigation, drinking, and non-consumptive uses like hydropower, while India controls the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — for unrestricted use but must not significantly alter their flow. India can use the western rivers for limited purposes such as power generation and irrigation, without storing or diverting large volumes, according to the agreement.

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.

The Pakistani government welcomed the supplemental award by the PCA in the IWT case.

“Pakistan welcomes the Supplemental Award by the Court of Arbitration in the Indus Waters matter that has been handed down today and made public on the website of the Permanent Court of Arbitration,” it said in an X post on Friday.

“Pakistan notes that the Court has affirmed its Competence in the light of recent developments and that unilateral action by India cannot deprive either the Court or the Neutral Expert... of their competence to adjudicate the issues before them.”

Islamabad said the priority at this point was for India and Pakistan to find a way back to a meaningful dialogue, including on the application of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Pakistan is “ready to engage in a meaningful dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, water, trade and terrorism,” it said, quoting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s comments earlier this week.


Pakistan eyes $700 million in freight earnings by expanding shipping fleet — maritime ministry

Updated 28 June 2025
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Pakistan eyes $700 million in freight earnings by expanding shipping fleet — maritime ministry

  • PNSC plans to add 24 vessels over three years to expand and modernize the national fleet
  • State shipper earned Rs25 billion between July and March in FY25, down 18 percent year-on-year

KARACHI: The state-run Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) is set to buy at least 24 more vessels in the next three years to generate an estimated $700 million in freight earnings, the maritime ministry said on Friday.

Pakistan currently owns 10 ships including five double-hull Aframax oil tankers and as many Supramax and Panamax bulk carriers.

“The national carrier is now targeting to increase its cargo handling to 52 percent by volume and 43 percent by value (excluding containerized cargo) within three years,” the ministry said in a statement.

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced the three-year plan in a meeting held in Islamabad to discuss the government’s business strategy to revitalize the maritime and logistics sectors.

The move is part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s strategy to renew and expand Pakistan’s aging shipping fleet in a phased manner to enhance cargo capacity, fuel efficiency and compliance with International Maritime Organization standards, including those governing carbon emissions and ballast water management.

The plan, if implemented, would boost the revenues of the national flag-carrier, whose income from shipping business declined 18 percent to Rs25 billion ($88.5 million) in July–March this year compared to the previous one, according to PNSC’s financial results posted on the Pakistan Stock Exchange website.

Muhammad Arshad, the ministry spokesman, told Arab News that Pakistan’s current fleet will be more than doubled with the induction of 13 vessels in the first year.

Eight vessels will be bought in the second year and three in the third, which would take the total to 34 vessels in Pakistan’s fleet by 2028.

“PNSC currently manages approximately 11 percent of the country’s cargo by volume and 4 percent by value,” the ministry said.

During the meeting, the minister proposed deepening collaboration between the PNSC, Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works and local industries for the local manufacturing of modern cargo vessels, oil tankers and container carriers.

“This initiative is expected to create skilled employment, strengthen local supply chains, boost industrial activity and rejuvenate Pakistan’s shipbuilding sector, positioning the country as a regional maritime hub,” it said.

The cash-strapped country plans to finance its modernization efforts without burdening the treasury through leveraging public-private partnerships, maritime leasing models and tapping into global green shipping funds.

The government is trying to revive Pakistan’s debt-ridden economy with the help of the International Monetary Fund and has set a tax revenue target of Rs14.3 trillion ($50 billion) for the next financial year starting July.

Last week, the prime minister directed the authorities to lease new vessels to expand the PNSC’s fleet with an aim to reduce the $4 billion annual foreign exchange burden on sea-based trade.

Pakistan looks to bolster its maritime trade capacity and reduce reliance on foreign shipping lines, which officials say significantly contributes to the country’s widening trade deficit and puts pressure on foreign exchange reserves.


Flash floods in Pakistan’s northwest kill 11 as rains trigger landslides, house collapses

Updated 27 June 2025
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Flash floods in Pakistan’s northwest kill 11 as rains trigger landslides, house collapses

  • PDMA calls Swat the hardest hit area, where flooding, landslides and flash torrents killed 10 people
  • Pakistan is bracing for extreme monsoon season, ramping up efforts to deal with potential calamities

PESHAWAR: At least 11 people, including four children, were killed and six injured after flash floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains swept through Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) over the past 24 hours, officials said on Friday.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), heavy rains caused flooding in the Swat River near Khwazakhela, damaging homes and infrastructure in several areas.

Swat was the worst-affected district, where 10 of the 11 reported fatalities occurred.

“According to the PDMA’s preliminary report, a total of 11 people have died and six others were injured,” the authority said in a statement. “The deceased include four men, three women, and four children, while the injured include three men and three women.”

Residents gather, after tourists, who were on a picnic, were swept away by overflowing floodwaters in the Swat River, in Swat Valley in Pakistan on June 27, 2025. (REUTERS)

“Swat district was the hardest hit, where flooding, landslides and flash torrents killed 10 people and injured six,” it added. “A total of 56 homes were damaged in the affected areas, six of them completely and 50 partially.”

The PDMA statement said its Emergency Operations Center was active and coordinating with district administrations, rescue services and relevant departments.

Flood alerts have also been issued to district administrations in Nowshera and Charsadda in KP, with instructions to implement preemptive safety measures in anticipation of further rainfall.

The statement informed the PDMA has supplied 136 trucks of non-food relief goods to district authorities as part of its monsoon contingency plan.

These include tents, tarpaulins, kitchen sets, blankets, pillows and sleeping bags. An additional Rs450 million ($1.62 million) has been disbursed to local governments for immediate relief and compensation needs.

Monsoon rains in Pakistan often cause widespread flooding and damage, particularly in mountainous northern regions.

Earlier this week, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned of heavy rains and flash floods in several parts of the country from June 26 till June 28.

A youngster rides his bicycle on a street during heavy rainfall, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on June 27, 2025. (AP)

It advised residents in flood-prone areas, particularly near nullahs, low-lying zones and slopes, to remain alert and avoid unnecessary movement, calling on emergency services to ensure readiness for any potential incidents.

Pakistan is currently bracing for another extreme monsoon season and ramping up efforts to deal with any potential calamity.

Commuters make their way through a flooded street following heavy rainfall in Hyderabad, in Sindh province on June 27, 2025. (AFP)

In 2022, deadly floods brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt killed over 1,700 people and impacted 33 million people in Pakistan. Raging currents swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damages estimated at $30 billion.


Pakistan’s top court rules Imran Khan’s party ineligible for reserved parliamentary seats

Updated 27 June 2025
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Pakistan’s top court rules Imran Khan’s party ineligible for reserved parliamentary seats

  • The court sets aside earlier ruling in PTI’s favor, upholds Peshawar High Court verdict
  • Khan’s PTI calls ruling a ‘funeral of justice’ as government welcomes the decision

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top court on Friday ruled the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan is not entitled to reserved seats in the national and provincial legislatures, setting aside an earlier judgment that had granted the party its share.

The Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench dismissed all review petitions filed by PTI and allied petitioners, reinstating the Peshawar High Court’s earlier ruling rejecting the allocation of reserved seats to the party.

“The impugned majority judgment dated 12.07.2024 is set aside… and the judgment rendered by the Peshawar High Court, Peshawar is restored,” the short order read.

The dispute about the reserved seats stems from the February 8 general elections, where PTI candidates contested as independents after the party lost its electoral symbol for not holding valid intra-party elections, as required under the Elections Act.

Despite winning the most general seats in the national polls, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruled that PTI was ineligible for reserved seats for women and minorities in parliament, which are allocated based on proportional representation from among the seats won by political parties.

Last year in July, the Supreme Court reversed the ECP’s decision, terming it unconstitutional and ordering the reserved seats to be allocated to PTI.

However, the government subsequently passed amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, in a move widely seen as targeting PTI’s eligibility for reserved seats.

The revised law stipulated that only those candidates who had formally declared their party affiliation before the returning officer — and whose party had submitted lists of nominees for reserved seats within the legal deadline — would be entitled to such allocations.

Since PTI-backed candidates contested the February election as independents, and the party did not submit lists for reserved seats, the amendments effectively barred it from claiming a share.

With Friday’s verdict, the apex court has now ruled that the independents backed by PTI in the February election cannot be treated as party nominees for the purpose of seat allocation.

Responding to the development, Khan’s party described the short order as the “funeral … of justice” in a social media post.

The government, on the other hand, welcomed the decision, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulating its legal team’s “tireless efforts.”

“The decision has upheld the supremacy of the Constitution and law, and ensured correct interpretation of legal provisions,” he said in a statement.

“The opposition should now join the government in playing a constructive role for the country’s development and prosperity,” he added.

The reserved seats in question will now be allocated to other political parties, including Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party and its coalition partners.

The top court’s verdict will numerically strengthen the government while dealing yet another blow to Khan’s PTI, which has faced legal and political challenges since the downfall of its administration in a no-confidence vote in April 2022.