Tag pakistan

SHIMSHAL HUNZA: The jeep bumps along a sloppy mud road carved between Pakistan´s northern mountains, its tyres running with breathtaking precision along the very edge, where nothing but air lies between them and the snake-like river winding hundreds of feet below.

More than 3,000 metres (around 10,000 feet) above sea level the vehicle has no room for error, its other side just inches from scraping along the rock face, its passengers worriedly monitoring how anxious the driver appears.

For his part, Shahid Karim spends as much of his time watching the mountains themselves as he does gauging how close he is bringing his jeep to the edge.

“At every second death is written on this road… This whole area is notorious for landslides,” he says, adding that falling rocks have struck his vehicle many times.

The precarious roads of Pakistan’s mountainous north are lifelines for its scattered and remote population. The thoroughfare Karim is travelling is the only one connecting the 2,400 residents of the village of Shimshal to the outside world.

Drivers like Karim, a native of the region who has been navigating this particular stretch of road since 2004, are the only ones who use them, making a career out of ferrying villagers, tourists, and the handful of Westerners who make the knuckle-whitening journey each year.

They are the ones with the experience to know that landslides are as great a threat as the road´s narrowness and lack of safety barriers.

During spring and autumn, when there is no snow or rain, an ibex walking delicately along the heights can trigger a rockfall, while a strong breeze on a summer´s day can set pebbles sliding away.

The lightest rainfall can shift rocks, while in the frozen winters even sunlight can be dangerous, melting the snow that surrounds boulders and prevents them from raining down on the road.

Sometimes rocks falling from above are less of a danger than those tumbling away beneath the car tyres, loosened by the weight of the vehicle and sent crashing down into the abyss.

The more desperate passengers are for the journey to end, the slower the driver is forced to crawl along the roads.

“We have passengers with us whose lives depend on us,” Karim says. “So it is really important to drive slowly.”

A high-level Saudi delegation, due to arrive in Pakistan today, is expected to sign five important Memorandums of Understanding with the government. Photo: File

ISLAMABAD: A high-level Saudi delegation, due to arrive in Pakistan today, is expected to sign five important Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the government.

The Saudi delegation will include petroleum ministers as well as the Saudi finance minister and the energy minister, according to an announcement by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry.

The prospect of setting up oil refineries in Gwadar is likely to be discussed by the delegation. According to sources, the Saudi officials are expected to sign an agreement to sell petroleum products to Pakistan on deferred payments.

During its six-day visit to Pakistan, the Saudi delegation will also sign an MoU to make investments in the Balochistan Reko Diq gold and copper mines, sources said.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia signed three agreements: Fawad Chaudhry

Further, agreements to privatise two Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) power plants and sale of phosphate-containing fertilisers to Pakistan are also expected to be signed by the delegation.

The Saudi delegation will also visit the Gwadar port and Reko Diq project, sources further said.

Earlier this week, Information Minister Chaudhry said pacts with the Kingdom will be transparent and a huge investment will be made by the country.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed “three grant agreements” to bring major investment in the country after the former invited the country to become the third partner in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plan.

NEW YORK:( Media-92) Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi was unable to meet Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj as she left a session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session midway on Thursday.

Qureshi and Swaraj were attending the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) council of foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UNGA session.

Speaking to the media after the session, FM Qureshi said he did not speak to his Indian counterpart.

“She left the meeting midway. Maybe she was not feeling well,” he said.

“My question is how is regional cooperation possible if the nations in the region are not ready to sit and you are the obstacle in those talks,” he questioned.

The FM further said, “If the nations want to achieve something from the SAARC forum they need to move forward.”

“To move forward, the next meeting has to be set. Only one nation is hampering the progress and success of SAARC in the region,” he asserted.

Further, the foreign minister said, “India talks about SAARC and what the platform can achieve, however, there has been no substantial result yet and their behaviour is contrary to SAARC objectives. Pakistan wants to see SAARC succeed in the region.”

Ahead of the session, Geo News asked Swaraj if current issues between Pakistan and India will affect SAARC but she brushed off the question and said, “I do not want any fights.”

Further, Sri Lankan foreign minister while speaking to Geo News on India-Pakistan relations said, “If two countries are fighting we have been asked to mediate.” While the Nepali foreign minister said he will speak after the session.

FM Qureshi is currently in New York for the 73rd session of the UNGA.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has expressed his disappointment at the national side after the green shirts crashed out of Asia Cup on Wednesday.

Afridi took to Twitter and said, “Congratulations Bangladesh. Disappointed by Pakistani team’s overall performance. Lacked attacking play of cricket in all fields. It is a young side who performed well in the last tournaments and set expectations high.”

“More focus on practice is needed for a stronger comeback,” Afridi added.

Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by 37 runs in an all-important game in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night with Mushfiqur Rahim’s scoring 99 to guide Bangladesh into the Asia Cup final.

The former skipper missed out on a century but still lifted Bangladesh from a precarious 12-3 to 239 all out in 49.5 overs before they kept Pakistan down to 202-9 in 50 overs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Mashrafe Mortaza’s team will now face defending champions India in the final in Dubai on Friday, with an opportunity to win the continental title for the first time.

I first left Afghanistan, and crossed over into Pakistan, in 1988. Back then, I was running; afraid for my life, leaving behind a bloody war. My wife and two young children journeyed with me for days. Everything I had ever owned, I had now left behind in the country of my birth.

Pakistan was an alien country to me. I had neither a roof over my head not a penny to my name. In order to make ends meet, and to feed my family, I worked various jobs in Peshawar. By the time I had two more children, I had collected enough money to open a small electric appliance store on Peshawar’s Dalazak road.

All four of my children were raised here, in Pakistan. Two were even born here. For them, and for me, Pakistan is now home.

Well, at least that is what we thought.

In the last few years, officers have been visiting our residence. They tell us that we must go back to Afghanistan – the country I left 30 years ago. Asking me to return to Afghanistan is like forcing me to walk on fire.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve visited my country of birth several times in the past for a wedding or a funeral. But every time I went I left like a stranger in a strange land. I have my roots in Pakistan now. My shop is here. My children have only known Pakistan. Why should they have to leave their country and live in mine?

Last month, someone told me about a speech our Prime Minister Imran Khan made. He promised to grant citizenship to the million or so Afghan refugees and Bengalis living in Pakistan for decades. I heard he said that all those born in the country will be given passports. It was exciting news. My uncertainty was almost over. A few days later, I heard that the prime minister hesitated when asked again about the right of citizenship. I heard that he would no longer be able to deliver on his promise.

Prime Minister, I do not have the means to restart a life in Afghanistan. Pakistan is my Garden of Eden. My paradise. Please don’t take it away from me.
Peshawar’s Afghan Colony

There are so many others like me. Peshawar’s dusty Afghan Colony is overpopulated with similar stories. They are poor. They fled a war in the 80s and have worked hard since then to set up small businesses such as grocery and leather shops and kiosks.

Several times in a week, the police show up and arrest the men. It has been an endless cycle of harassment and confusion.

Pakistan was once an alien country to me. Today, it is home. But now I and my children are the aliens. Is that fair

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Dr Farooq Sattar on Saturday said he will challenge the results of NA-245, Karachi during the July 25 polls.

“I have prepared a petition to challenge NA-245 results in the election tribunal,” Sattar said while speaking to the media in Karachi. “I will provide evidence and witnesses.”

The MQM-P leader said he was hopeful that his petition will be heard and a decision will be taken in his favour.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Amir Liaquat Hussain had emerged victor from the NA-245 constituency as he bagged 56,615 votes against Sattar who secured 35,247 votes during the July 25 polls.

Last week, Sattar resigned from the MQM-P’s top decision-making body — Rabita Committee.

Earlier, he had also said he was consulting with his close friends over an offer he had received from the PTI to join the party and contest the by-election on NA-247 from Dr Arif Alvi’s seat.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday sought recommendations from parliamentarians over the government’s proposal to grant citizenship to all Afghan and Bengali children born in the country.

Taking to the floor of the House, the premier said, “A final decision has not yet been made in this regard and the proposal is up for discussion.”

“Everyone should present their recommendations,” he said while adding that the government will seek recommendations from all parliamentarians and consult them before taking a decision.

“I will keep asking this question that these people who are living here what is their future?” he said. “Children born in Pakistan have the right to be called Pakistani,” the premier asserted.

PM Imran asserted, “As per the 1951 law, all those born in the country have the right to its citizenship. This law is followed in various countries, including Europe.”

“Several people have been living in Karachi for decades without any nationality,” he lamented.

The premier said that the laws are different for temporary immigrants. “But those Bengalis who have been residing here for 45 to 50 years are being wasted. They are neither granted citizenship nor do they move back,” he upheld.

Upholding that he is saying all this on the basis of humanity, PM Imran questioned, “If we do not take a decision on migrants then when will we?”

“Immigrants are also humans,” PM Imran said. “If we do not take a decision regarding immigrants then we will have to face severe problems.”

PM Imran further said that in accordance with international laws refugees cannot be forced to leave the country. “We will have to draft a police for immigrant children born in the country,” he maintained.

“This is a human rights issue and at some point a decision will need to be made in this regard,” he continued.

PM Imran further explained that the reason for rising street crime in Karachi is that immigrant children are not granted citizenship owing to which they are refused jobs. “Immigrant children cannot go to school and this problem is about to enter all out societies,” he upheld.
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THARPARKAR: The toll of children dying for various reasons in Sindh’s Tharparker region continues to rise as two more children succumbed to malnutrition in the past 24 hours.

The Sindh health department said the deaths took place at Civil Hospital, Mithhi with the deceased including an infant and a three-year-old.

The recent deaths of two children take the death toll in Tharparker to 28 for this month and 454 this year.

According to the health department, every year 1,500 children die due to malnutrition, infections and lack of proper medical facilities in the remote region.

A report released by the United Nation’s Children Fund in April stated that Pakistan is among countries with the highest infant mortality rates, with 22 infants dying before turning one month old.

Among these countries, eight are in Africa and two in Asia, including Afghanistan which is ranked third.

“Pakistan is the riskiest place to be born as measured by its newborn mortality rate,” the report stated. “A baby born in Pakistan is almost 50 times more likely to die during his or her first month than a baby born in Japan, Iceland and Singapore.”

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Human Rights has launched an awareness campaign about women’s rights to inheritance under Islamic jurisprudence and the Constitution.

Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari on Friday announced that the Ministry of Human Rights through the awareness campaign aims to educate people about the religious and legal protection provided to women.

“The protection of a women’s right to inheritance has been one of the priorities of the incumbent government for equality and justice in Pakistan,” Mazari said.

Islam and Constitution of Pakistan guarantee women’s inheritance rights and offer clear guidance in this regard, she added.

A helpline, 1099, has also been launched by the Human Rights Ministry to provide free legal advice in this regard.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s official account also shared a video announcing the launch of the nationwide campaign.

GOJRA: A man threw acid on a woman, her parents and brother on Wednesday night in Chak 92 JB area in retaliation for being ousted from the village after she accused him of harassment.

According to police, the suspect, who has been identified as Safdar, threw acid on the family as revenge after he was made to leave the village following harassment allegations.

As revenge for his ouster, the man threw acid on the woman and her family, police said.

“Safdar forced the girl’s mother to drink acid, killing her on the spot,” police added.

The girl’s father, Anwar, and her eight-year-old brother, Mohsin, were shifted to Allied Hospital in Faisalabad for treatment, police further said.

Raids are under way to arrest the suspect, the officials added.

According to a report released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) earlier this year, 143 women were attacked with acid or were set on fire in Pakistan last year.