Daily Archives: February 27, 2023

International

Truck convoy carrying 275 ton earthquake relief assistance goods reaches Malatya from Pakistan

ANKARA: A 21-truck convoy carrying 275 ton relief assistance goods from Pakistan arrived at Malatya, one of worst hit cities by earthquake, this afternoon. The truck convoy carrying mainly winterized tents, blankets and other essential relief goods departed from Pakistan on 11th February 2023 and reached Turkiye via Iran.

The convoy was received by Deputy Mayor Malatya Hakan Ezgi, Ambassador Fazli Corman of Turkish MOFA, Pakistan Embassy Deputy Ambassador, Abbas Sarwar Qureshi, Commander Mehmet Bhaktiyar and officials from AFAD and local administration. Under the directions of the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, an air bridge was established immediately between Islamabad and Ankara on 6th February 2023 to transport rescue teams and deliver essential relief goods. As of now, 20 flights have brought relief assistance goods to Turkiye. A ship carrying earthquake relief goods is also scheduled to leave Pakistan for Turkiye soon.

Speaking on the occasion, Abbas Sarwar Qureshi stated that Pakistan and Turkiye have a glorious history of supporting each other under all circumstances. As per the wishes of the Prime Minister and people of Pakistan, relief assistance shall keep coming from Pakistan to brotherly Turkiye till complete recovery and rehabilitation, he added. Deputy Mayor Hakan Ezgi said that the trucks have not only brought relief goods but tons of prayers and best wishes from Pakistanis whose hearts beat with the hearts of Turkish brethren. He thanked the people and government of Pakistan for quick response and solidarity with Turkiye in this difficult time.

International

Series of dialogue reflected that Pakistan was being seen as a sovereign trading partner of the US: Syed Naveed Qamar

WASHINGTON: Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar has said that the meeting of Pakistan-US Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Ministerial Council meeting reflected mutual understanding and commitment of Pakistan and United States to pursue a broad-based agenda and make mutually beneficial trade and investment ties an important pillar of our bilateral ties.

Briefing media persons about TIFA Ministerial meeting, Syed Naveed Qamar said that the two sides have agreed to have regular follow up engagements during 2023 to ensure progress on all issues and achieving tangible results. It was also agreed to convene the next TIFA Council Ministerial meeting in Islamabad in early 2024, he continued. Expressing satisfaction over the ongoing and the forthcoming high-level dialogues in various sectors including energy, climate change etc., the Minister said that the series of dialogue reflected that Pakistan was being seen as a sovereign trading partner of the United States. “United States is an important country for us and we want our relations to further grow in all possible areas,” he said.

Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar said that he had fulsome and comprehensive dialogue with United States Trade Representative (USTR) focusing on wide spectrum of trade and investment, issues of mutual interest including agriculture, textiles, digital trade, enhancing market access, cooperation on good regulatory practices including intellectual property and labor rights, and women’s economic empowerment and entrepreneurship. He said that the two sides discussed key issues including enhancing exports of Pakistani mangoes and dates to the US, increased market access for Pak textiles, increasing US investments in Pakistan’s agriculture sector especially in development of hybrid, climate resilient seeds and supporting Pakistan’s IT and tech industry.

Syed Naveed Qamar said that significant progress has been made in some of the critical areas while further progress was expected during the course of discussion that would follow. Talking about the economic challenges being faced by the country, the Minister said that Pakistan has taken tough decisions to revive IMF program. Those difficult decisions, he said, have started showing results. “In anticipation of revival of the Program, the reserves have started increasing and rupee dollar parity is witnessing stability. Turn-around period has started.” The Minister expressed the hope that with formal approval of revival of the program by IMF Board, the reserves would increase with inflow from friendly countries and international banks. He, however, stated that the revival of the program alone was not a panacea for all ills.

“We need structural reforms. Our processes need to be changed,” he continued. Responding to a question, the Minister said that the revival of the dialogue would significantly boost confidence of the business community and would help in providing them with a conducive environment marked by stability and predictability.

General

At least four killed, 14 injured in result of bike bomb blast in Barkhan area of Balochistan

BARKHAN/QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: At least four people were killed and 14 wounded in an explosion inside the Rakhni market in Balochistan’s Barkhan area on Sunday, police and health officials said.

Barkhan District Health Officer Dr. Abdul Hameed confirmed the death toll to a private TV channel, adding that the injured persons had been moved to the Rakhni Hospital.

According to Barkhan Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Khoso, the blast occurred when an improvised explosive device (IED), planted on a motorcycle, exploded.

Khoso said the police have arrived at the site and cordoned it off. “Teams have begun collecting evidence from the site,” he added.

Unverified videos making the rounds on social media show volunteers carrying bloodied victims away as a crowd gathers at the purported site of the blast. Mangled motorcycles and charred vegetables can be seen strewn about on the road. There was no claim of responsibility as yet.

The law enforcement agency also shared that the explosion had damaged several cars, motorcycles and shops. Security forces cordoned off the area and completely suspended traffic after the incident.

Meanwhile, the police and law enforcement agencies are collecting the evidence.

President Dr. Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have condemned the blast in Barkhan, Balochistan province which resulted in the loss of precious lives.

In their separate messages, they expressed their deep grief over the loss of lives and expressed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the high ranks of the departed souls.

President Dr. Arif Alvi stressed the need to “speed up efforts for the complete elimination of terrorists”. “Terrorists are the enemy of peace in Balochistan and progress,” he was quoted as saying. “Terrorists will never be successful in their nefarious plans.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought a report of the incident from Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and the inspector-general of police (IG) Balochistan.

The premier also directed to ensure the best medical facilities for those wounded in the blast. “The terrorists will not be able to escape from the punishment,” stressed the PM.

Condemning the incident, the prime minister expressed grief over the loss of lives. “We will make an example out of those who spill innocent blood,” he added.

PM Shehbaz Sharif also prayed for those who lost their lives and for speedy recovery of the injured.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the incident, saying that the elements involved in terrorism are unforgivable.

The former president said that the federal and provincial governments should bring all terrorist to justice.

Asif Ali Zardari also offered sympathies to the family of those who were killed and prayed for the speedy recovery of the wounded.

Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Barkhan district of Balochistan. According to a statement issued by Media Cell Bilawal House here Sunday, the Chairman PPP, in his reaction to the reprehensible violence in Rakhni Bazar, said that Pakistan was determined to root out those who target innocent citizens. “Terrorists have no religion or nation, they are brutal beasts in human form,” he added.

Bilawal expressed his heartfelt condolences and solidarity with the families of the citizens, who were martyred in the terror-attack and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has condemned the blast in the area of Rakhni in Barkhan, Balochistan. In a statement on Sunday, he expressed deep grief and sorrow over the death of precious lives in the incident. He extended his condolence to the bereaved families and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.

The Interior Minister also sought a report of the incident from of the authorities concerned.

He said terrorists are enemy of peace and progress in Balochistan. He said terrorists will never be successful in their nefarious plans.

Meanwhile, Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani also condemned the incident.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has condemned the blast and directed the authorities to take all possible steps to arrest the culprits. He has also summoned a report on the incident from the police.

“Those who shed the blood of innocent people are enemies of humanity,” the minister said.

“Terrorists are creating uncertainty to achieve their evil goals. But we won’t allow anti-state elements to succeed,” he stated, promising that the government would adopt an effective counter-terrorism strategy.

Bizenjo also directed officials to provide the best medical care to injured people and prayed for the high ranks of the deceased.

Islamabad

Current Security situation not worse than 2008, 2013 & 2018 elections: PICSS Report

ISLAMABAD: The security situation in the country is not as worse as it was during the 2008 and 2013 general elections while not much different from 2018 reveals data compiled by an Islamabad-based independent think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

In 2008, the elections were held on February 18. The security situation was very bleak at that time as former Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was killed just two months before the elections on December 27, 2007, in Rawalpindi. In October 2007, more than 180 people were killed in Karachi when a blast took place in a PPP rally which was held to welcome Benazir Bhutto. The year 2007 also witnessed the Red Mosque operation in July. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was also formed just two months before the general elections (December 2007).

According to statistical data from Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), 639 terror attacks took place in 2007 in which 1940 people were killed and 2807 were injured. According to the PICSS database, the month of January 2008 witnessed 459 deaths in 39 attacks, the majority of them in KP and the erstwhile FATA region. During 2022, Pakistan faced 380 militant attacks in which 539 people were killed and 836 injured. That means there was a 72 percent reduction in deaths and a 70 percent decline in the number of injured in 2022 compared with 2007. The number of deaths in January 2008 (preceding months of general elections) alone was more than the whole year of 2022.

In 2013 general elections were held on May 11. According to PICSS Militancy Database, the four preceding months before May 2013 witnessed 366 terror attacks in the country in which 1120 people were killed and 2151 injured. That means those four months witnessed 52 percent more deaths and 61 percent more injured than the whole year of 2022. PICSS data shows that political parties were the major targets of terrorists during the elections campaign of 2013. According to a PICSS report, “The militants killed at least 119 people and left more than 438 others injured in some 59 attacks on different candidates, elections offices, rallies and public meetings of different political parties, polling stations and office of election commission during 60 days long election process, starting from 21st of March to 20th of May, 2013”. ANP, PPP, MQM and independent candidates were the main target of terrorists during the 2013 election campaign.

There is no doubt that terrorist attacks increased by around 32 percent during 2022 compared with 2021 however, the situation is much better than in 2008 and 2013. Pakistani security forces are also better trained and equipped than they were in 2008 and 2013. If terror trends of 2022 are compared with 2018 then more people were killed in terror attacks in 2018 than in 2022 as 579 people were killed and 960 injured in 2018 compared with 539 killed and 836 injured in 2022.

Islamabad

Russia-Ukraine conflict could be beginning of World War III: Mahathir

ISLAMABAD: Former Malaysian prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said that the current crisis between Russia and Ukraine can be interpreted as the “start of the third World War”.

“I hesitate to write this article. I may be accused of apologising for the Russians. I am not. I think the present war between Ukraine and Russia is caused by the Europeans’ love of war, of hegemony, of dominance,” he wrote in a series of tweets on Friday.

He said that Russia was the partner of the US, Canada and Western Europe in the war against Germany. “The moment Germany was defeated, the west declared that Russia, their partner was their new enemy,” he added.

The former prime minister said that the west started preparing for war against Russia and NATO was set up to form a military alliance against Russia.

In response, he said, Russia then set up the Warsaw Pact and a Cold war ensued, adding that the world had to choose between the west and the east.

He said that after the Russians disbanded the Warsaw Pact and allowed the countries of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to leave the bloc, NATO did not disband.

“Instead the countries freed from Russian hegemony were urged to join NATO as enemies of Russia. The pressure against the weakened Russia was heightened.”

As the former socialist republics join NATO and the threat against Russia heightened, Mahathir said, Russia rebuilt its military capabilities and confronted the powerful western alliance, saying that tension increased as NATO forces carried out exercises close to Russia.

The former prime minister said that Russia pre-empted with the invasion of Ukraine and that can be interpreted as the start of the Third World War.

“There is talk of using nuclear weapons. Already the world has to endure shortages of supplies due to sanctions against Russia and Russian retaliation,” he said.

He talked about US provocation in the Far East. “A visit by a high US official to Taiwan caused an increase of tension between China and Taiwan. Both are arming and the US has sold a lot of weapons to Taiwan, while China became more belligerent.”

He further said that Malaysia is also experiencing shortages and inflation, advising his country to prepare “contingency plans to deal with what may be the beginning of a Third World War”.

Islamabad

Hong Kong police arrest three after model found dismembered in fridge

ISLAMABAD: Hong Kong police said on Sunday they had arrested three people in connection with the murder of 28-year old model Abby Choi, whose legs were found in a refrigerator in a house on the city’s outskirts, along with tools used in dismembering bodies.

Police found Choi’s body on Friday but have yet to locate her head, torso and hands. They also found a meat slicer and an electric saw at the scene in the financial hub’s rural Tai Po district.

The gruesome murder of local influencer Choi, who appeared on the digital cover of L’Officiel Monaco fashion magazine last week, has gripped local tabloids as authorities search for the remaining parts of her body, including with drones and an abseiling team.

Police said they have charged two men, aged 31 and 65, jointly with one count of murder, and a 63-year-old woman with one count of perverting the course of justice. They are set to appear in a local court on Monday.

Governance

Govt to send PTI leaders, workers to ‘far-off jails’ first

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that the government will first direct Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers – who voluntarily presented themselves for arrests – to far-off jails before sending them to prisons in Lahore or Rawalpindi.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said that between 100 to 150 people have thus far courted arrests as part of the PTI’s ‘Jail Bharo’ movement — a drive that seeks to mark a protest against the government’s policies and to put pressure on the ruling coalition to announce elections.

“Eighty per cent of the arrested ones are asking to be released,” said Sanaullah as he revealed that all participants of the PTI’s drive have been taken into custody for 30 days.

“You wished to go to jail, so you have been sent there,” he said mockingly, “we are having you visit jails so that you can acquaint yourselves with the conditions there”.

It may be noted that several petitions have been filed at the Lahore High Court (LHC), expressing fears that the arrested PTI leaders and workers may be falsely accused of involvement in unlawful activities to cause them “maximum harm”, adding that they have been transported to “some unknown place” to “torture” them.

Without referring to the matter that remains subjudice, Sanaullah said “we will first fill jails in far-off areas and afterward fill the jails of Lahore and Rawalpindi”.

“We hold the judiciary in utmost respect and regard,” he added as he stressed that “weakening” the judiciary would be synonymous with “increasing the difficulties of the country”.

However, the interior minister simultaneously stressed that “bench-fixing” allegations must be probed, hinting at a series of controversial audio leaks attributed to former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

Sanaullah urged the apex court to take suo motu notice over the alleged close ties that Elahi maintains with a Supreme Court judge.

Turning his attention towards former premier Imran Khan, he said that “he is a trouble-maker, and never once did something for the betterment of the country.

He noted that first Imran was bringing a sea of people to tread on the capital, then he said he was going to fill the jails, “but now the people know him for what he is”.

Sanaullah alleged that Imran was “spreading instability in the country” and called the ‘Jail Bharo’ movement a “big walk of shame”.

District

Funeral prayer of cop martyred in Khuzdar blast held in police line

KHUZDAR: Funeral prayers of Policeman Abdul Slam Zehri, who embraced martyrdom in Khuzdar blast performed in Khuzdar police line on Sunday (Yesterday).

Deputy commissioner Khuzdar Major Muhammad Elyas, DIG (Deputy Inspector General) Khuzdar range Pervaiz Imrani, SSP Khuzdar Fahad Khoosa, assistant director local government Mir Abdul Razaq Zehri joined the funeral prayers.

Terrorist has target police vehicle on Saturday night at Jhalawan medical complex Khuzdar which resulted the martyrdom of two police officials and other injured.

Coffin of martyrdom were wrapped up in Pakistani Flag.

Deputy commissioner Khuzdar Major Muhammad Elyas, DIG (Deputy Inspector General) Khuzdar range Pervaiz Imrani, SSP Khuzdar Fahad Khoosa and other gave their shoulder to the coffin to bring it to the ambulance.

They said force moral is high. These types of attacks and martyrdoms prove as stair of success. Cowardly attacks cannot shake the determination of our force. Police, FC, Levies forces sacrificed their lives to protect people live and the land.

Before this funeral prayer of other martyr cop Din Muhammad Nosherwani’s funeral prayer was performed. All officials including DC Khuzdar has attend his funeral also.

Court

SC to hear Rao Anwar plea to remove name from ECL

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) will hear Naqeeb Ullah Masood murder case major accused Rao Anwar’s application to remove name from Exit Control List (ECL) on Monday(Today).

Three members bench led by Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan will hear the case.

Keep clear that Anti-Terrorist Court on Januray 14, 2023 has issued verdict of Naqeeb Ullah Masood murder case. Court had acquitted all accused including SSP. Rao Anwar.

After that Rao Anwar filed petition in Supreme Court in which he pleaded court that he has to go abroad for treatment purpose so his should be removed from the ECL.

Sports

PSL security expenditures PCB chief telephone contact to PM

ISLAMABAD:Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management committee Najam Sethi has made telephone contact to Prime Minister Shahbaz Shareef to discuss Pakistan Super League (PSL) security issue.

According to source, Najam Sethi has informed Prime Minister Shahbaz Shareef about the details of PSL security expenditures.

Chairman PCB ask PM not to give money for PSL security.

Najam Sethi said PSL is national event and holding it is responsibility of national institutions. He said if they do not give up the demand of money. We will be compelled to hold matches in Karachi.

PM assured Najam Sethi full cooperation and help. He said PSL is national event so you do not need to be worry.

Earlier Punjab government refused to issue amount of PKR.500million for the security expenses of PSL.

Later on PCB had delivered message to Punjab government that they will not pay any amount for security expenses.

PCB has decided in meeting that they will remain determined to their decision.