In rare public appearance, head of Pakistan’s ISI slams ex-PM Khan for anti-army campaign

Short Url
Updated 28 October 2022
Follow

In rare public appearance, head of Pakistan’s ISI slams ex-PM Khan for anti-army campaign

  • If the army chief is a traitor, why do you still meet him behind closed doors, Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum asks Imran Khan
  • Army spokesperson says slain journalist Arshad Sharif left Pakistan on instructions of CEO of TV channel he worked for

ISLAMABAD: The head of Pakistan’s powerful spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), on Thursday slammed former Prime Minister Imran Khan over his criticism of the military, appearing in a rare press conference to question the ex-premier’s motives behind anti-army remarks and portraying Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa as a “traitor” among his followers.

This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that the head of the ISI has addressed a media briefing. Lt. Gen. Nadeem Anjum was approved as ISI chief in October last year and has since never made any public appearances or comments.

The DG ISI is one of the most important and powerful posts in Pakistan, at the intersection of domestic politics, the war on militancy and Pakistan’s foreign relations.

In remarks to journalists, Anjum, who was dressed in civilian clothing, said he was aware that the media was “surprised by my presence,” but he could not remain silent while the military was being “targeted for no reason.”

The general was referring to criticism by Khan, his party and its supporters of the military’s role in politics.

Khan was ousted from the office of prime minister in April in a vote of no-confidence. Him and his supporters have since variously expressed disappointment that the military and its army chief did not support him against the ouster and instead helped bring the coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to power.

The Pakistani military, which has a long history of intervening in national politics, had said before Khan’s removal, and since, that it would remain apolitical. The ex-PM and his followers have widely criticized this policy and on social media, where Khan has a massive following, hashtags calling the army chief a traitor and asking him to resign are a daily occurrence.

“If you [Khan] are convinced that the head of your army is a traitor, then why did you praise him so much just in the recent past?” Anjum said at the presser. “If he was really a traitor in your point of view, then why do you still meet him behind closed doors?”

“Don’t do this, that you meet us in the dark of night behind closed doors to express your constitutional and unconstitutional wishes and then in the light of day call the same person a traitor.”

The DG ISI said the army chief had received an offer in March for an “indefinite extension” in service. Khan was still in government then.

“Let me also inform you that in the month of March [2022], the army chief was offered an indefinite extension in his tenure, the offer was made in my presence,” he told reporters. “It was a very attractive offer but he [army chief] turned it down because he had made the decision to bring the institution out of its controversial era and into a constitutional role.”

“The offer was made because the no-confidence motion was at its peak,” the general added.

Talking about the decision to address the press conference, Anjum said he was there to “defend” the country’s institutions:

“I would often see that lies were being spread and the youth was accepting them ... Those sacrificing their lives [soldiers] should not have to face these lies. Hence, remaining silent was morally unacceptable for me now.”

The DG ISI said his agency had informed him about organized campaigns launched against him on social media in March.

“I told them to get in touch when the retweets exceed eight thousand million. Before that, I don’t care about myself.”

“ARSHAD SHARIF KILLING”

During the presser, military spokesperson, Lt General Babar Iftikhar, also addressed the issue of the killing of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya last Sunday, saying the anchorman left Pakistan on the instructions of the CEO of the TV channel he worked for and after a threat alert was issued by the provincial administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is in power.

Arshad Sharif was killed Sunday night when the car he was in sped up and drove through a checkpoint outside the Kenyan capital and police opened fire. Nairobi police expressed regret over the incident, saying it was a case of “mistaken identity” during a search for a car involved in a child abduction case.

A hugely popular talk show host, Sharif was of late a harsh critic of the current ruling coalition and the army, and fled the country in August, citing threats to his life. He was also widely considered a staunch supporter of ex-PM Khan and his PTI party. At the time he left Pakistan, he was facing a slew of court cases related to charges of sedition and others. He left Pakistan for the United Arab Emirates and had recently traveled to Kenya from the Emirates.

Sharif’s death has unleashed outrage among the public and media and widespread calls for a transparent investigation.

“On August 5, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [KP] government issued a threat alert regarding the ARY anchor Arshad Sharif,” Iftikhar told journalists. “According to our information, the alert was issued on the special instructions of the KP chief minister and said an Afghanistan-based TTP [Pakistan Taliban] group had held a meeting in Spin Boldak and decided to target Arshad Sharif in Rawalpindi or its adjoining areas.”

The PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not share the information with the federal government or any security agencies or specify how it obtained the information that Sharif was going to be targeted, the army spokesperson said:

“The threat alert was issued with specific planning to convince Arshad Sharif to leave the country.”

Showing screenshots of conversations between ARY director news Ammad Yousaf and the channel’s CEO Salman Iqbal, the military spokesman said Sharif’s ticket to Dubai was officially booked by ARY and he left Pakistan from Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with the facilitation of government officials there. The ticket was booked by an ARY official on August 9 from a travel agency in Karachi and the return date on the ticket was September 9. Sharif left for Dubai from Peshawar on August 10 via an Emirates flight, Iftikhar said.

“No state institution tried in any way to stop Arshad Sharif from leaving, if the government wanted to do so, it could have done it,” he said, adding that the journalist traveled onwards to Kenya after his UAE visa expired.

“No one at the state level forced Arshad Sharif to leave Dubai. So who were the people who forced him to leave from there? … Who told him not to return to Pakistan and that his life was safer in a country like Kenya?”

“The name of the CEO of ARY, Salman Iqbal, is coming up again and again,” the military spokesperson said. “He should be brought back to Pakistan and made part of the investigation.”

Iqbal has been based in the UAE and US since at least July this year when his channel got embroiled in a scandal related to sedition charges over remarks aired on ARY that the media regulator said were tantamount to inciting mutiny within the army.

“Kenyan police accepted their mistake and it has to be examined whether this [Sharif’s killing] is a case of mistaken identity or one of targeted killing. There are several questions that have to be answered,” the military spokesman said, calling for a “transparent and fair probe” and requesting the government to form a high-level inquiry commission.


IMF defends $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan amid India’s objections

Updated 8 sec ago
Follow

IMF defends $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan amid India’s objections

  • IMF communications director says the board approved funding as Pakistan had ‘met all of the targets’
  • She clarifies EFF disbursements go to the central bank and are not used to fund the national budget

KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week defended its decision to release a $1 billion tranche to Pakistan, despite India’s concern over its potential misuse, by pointing out the country had met all requisite targets under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
India had raised objections to the IMF’s disbursement amid a military confrontation with Pakistan, saying the funds could be diverted to support activities that it described as detrimental to regional stability. New Delhi abstained from the IMF Executive Board vote on May 9, highlighting apprehensions about the timing and potential implications of the financial assistance.
During a news briefing in Washington on Thursday, IMF Communications Director Julie Kozack addressed these concerns, saying the international lender provided financing to member states for the purpose of resolving balance of payments problems.
“In the case of Pakistan … the EFF disbursements … are allocated to the reserves of the central bank,” she said. “Under the program, those resources are not part of budget financing … [and] are not transferred to the government to support the budget.”
The IMF official further emphasized the Fund’s decision was based on Pakistan meeting all the targets set under the loan program.
“Our Board found that Pakistan had indeed met all of the targets,” she continued. “It had made progress on some of the reforms, and for that reason, the Board went ahead and approved the program.”
Kozack also outlined the safeguards to prevent any potential misuse of funds, including targets on the accumulation of international reserves and a zero target for central bank lending to the government.
She also noted the program includes substantial structural conditionality aimed at improving fiscal management.
The IMF’s disbursement this month was part of a broader $7 billion support program aimed at stabilizing Pakistan’s economy. The Fund has said future disbursements will depend on Pakistan’s continued adherence to the program’s conditions and reforms.
 


PM Sharif tells business leaders private sector key to economy ahead of June 10 budget

Updated 54 min 12 sec ago
Follow

PM Sharif tells business leaders private sector key to economy ahead of June 10 budget

  • The prime minister assures chambers of commerce representatives of his administration’s full support
  • He promises to reduce cost of doing business in the country, highlights zero tolerance for tax evasion

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in driving economic development, asserting that a robust public-private partnership was essential for the country’s emergence as a strong global economy.
Sharif made these remarks during a meeting with presidents of chambers of commerce from across the nation, coinciding with the government’s announcement to present the next federal budget on June 10.
The government has consistently stressed the need for the private sector to lead in strengthening the national economy, assuring it of state support.
Sharif reiterated this stance, highlighting the necessity of collaboration between the government and private enterprises in the country.
“There is a need to mobilize the private sector to achieve economic self-reliance,” the Prime Minister’s Office quoted him as saying during the meeting.
“Protecting the rights of the Pakistani business community and providing them with a conducive environment for profitable business are among the top priorities of the government,” he continued.
Sharif also pledged to reduce the cost of doing business in Pakistan, noting that measures were being implemented to facilitate access to loans and reduce electricity prices.
Addressing tax compliance, he emphasized a zero-tolerance policy toward tax evasion. Pakistan has historically one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the region.
The government has tried to addressed the situation by reforming its tax collection body through increased automation to improve collection and compliance.
The official statement said the delegation of business leaders commended the government’s economic policies, citing gradual improvements in the national economy and business environment.
They also presented budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
Pakistan is scheduled to release a comprehensive economic survey for the outgoing fiscal year on June 9, only a day ahead of the budget preparation.


Pakistan says 25,698 pilgrims to perform Hajj under private quota in 2025

Updated 23 May 2025
Follow

Pakistan says 25,698 pilgrims to perform Hajj under private quota in 2025

  • The annual pilgrimage is expected to take place between June 4 and June 9 this year
  • Around 55,642 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have landed in Saudi Arabia so far via 244 flights

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs minister, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, said on Friday only 25,698 pilgrims would be able to perform Hajj this year under the private scheme, after thousands of allocated slots were revoked due to non-compliance by private operators with Saudi booking rules and deadlines.

The kingdom had granted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2025. Typically, this national quota is evenly split between the government-run and private schemes. However, the private sector failed to meet procedural requirements set by Saudi authorities, leading to a significant cut in their share, down from 89,801 to just over 25,000, leaving more than 67,000 would-be pilgrims affected.

“25,698 people will be able to go for Hajj under the private quota,” Yousaf said while addressing a press conference.

“Up until February 14, only 3,600 pilgrims had submitted their payments, but after a one-week extension, 10,000 more applications were received, bringing the total number to 13,000.”

He highlighted that private Hajj operators had registered 904 companies with the Saudi authorities, based on a list provided by the religious affairs ministry. However, some people ignored this and made payments to unregistered Hajj operators.

Yousaf assured that a committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would investigate the issue.

He said Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Air Sial, Airblue, and Serene Air would be transporting Pakistani pilgrims for Hajj.

Earlier in May, a ministry spokesperson issued guidelines for Hajj pilgrims, including verifying the authenticity and quota approval of private tour operators before making payments, visiting the ministry’s official website to confirm registration and avoiding reliance on unverified advertisements or information.

The ministry strongly urged all prospective pilgrims to exercise utmost caution when booking Hajj packages through private tour operators.

Some registered private organizations also failed to pay dues within the timeline set by Saudi authorities, prompting Sharif to intervene and request an extension of the deadline, which was approved.

This year’s annual pilgrimage is expected between June 4 and June 9, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis traveling to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme.

Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operation on April 29.

Around 55,642 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have landed in Saudi Arabia so far via 244 flights.


Karachi hospital reports four COVID-19 deaths amid surprise summer surge

Updated 23 May 2025
Follow

Karachi hospital reports four COVID-19 deaths amid surprise summer surge

  • A senior physician says all those who succumbed to the disease in the past fortnight were elderly individuals
  • Health experts say the recent surge in coronavirus cases during the summer months is an unusual trend

KARACHI: At least four people with underlying health conditions have died of COVID-19 at a major Karachi hospital in the past two weeks, as experts report an unusual spike in infections during the city’s peak summer season.

All four fatalities occurred at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), where doctors say they are seeing a steady increase in admissions linked to the coronavirus— a trend they describe as “unexpected” at this time of year.

“In the past two to three weeks, we have seen a significant increase in COVID cases,” Prof. Dr. Syed Faisal Mahmood, a professor of infectious diseases at AKUH, told Arab News, confirming the death of four people during the past two weeks.

The surge, he said, was happening in late spring with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that was first detected in late 2019 and declared a global pandemic within months. While the virus typically spreads more easily in colder months due to increased indoor activity and lower humidity, experts say its spread during summer in Karachi is a rare deviation from past seasonal patterns.

Mahmood said most infected individuals have been coming to the hospital with mild symptoms, such as sore throat, cough, body aches, and fever, but the virus remains dangerous for older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

“Like in previous years, this year the severe cases of COVID are mostly being seen in people who are older, especially those above 65, or those with weak immune systems,” he said.

“Among these COVID cases, there are some patients who have been hospitalized, and there have also been some deaths,” he added.

Mahmood added that while routine testing is no longer required for everyone with symptoms, caution is essential.

“If you suspect that you have COVID or any other cold or cough-related infection, it is better that you wear a mask,” he advised. “We recommend wearing a mask for at least five to ten days so that others do not get infected.”

The infectious diseases expert also urged caution for those in close contact with the elderly.

“If you are caring for someone who is elderly, then please do not visit them if you are feeling unwell, or at least wear a mask,” he said. “Please take care of yourself, and we hope that there will not be a major further increase in COVID cases.”


Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until June 24 amid ongoing tensions

Updated 23 May 2025
Follow

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until June 24 amid ongoing tensions

  • The restriction was originally imposed on April 24 after an attack in Kashmir killed 26 tourists
  • The airspace closure impacted Indian airlines, particularly on long-haul international routes

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended its ban on Indian aircraft using its airspace until June 24, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced on Friday, amid continued bilateral tensions following recent military clashes this month.

The restriction was first imposed on April 24, only two days after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the attack despite Islamabad’s denials. The administration in New Delhi also downgraded bilateral diplomatic ties and took other steps like suspending visas for Pakistanis and shutting border crossings.

In response, Pakistan took its own measures, including the closure of its airspace to Indian aircraft, including commercial and military flights.

“The ban on Indian aircraft flying through Pakistani airspace has been extended until 4:59 AM on June 24, 2025,” the PAA said.

“All aircraft that are Indian-registered, operated, owned or leased will remain subject to the ban,” it added.

The airspace closure has significantly impacted Indian airlines, particularly on long-haul international routes.

Air India, which operates numerous flights to Europe and North America, has been forced to reroute flights, leading to increased fuel consumption, longer flight times, and additional operational costs.

The airline estimates that the ban could result in approximately $600 million in additional expenses over a year and has sought compensation from the Indian government.

Despite a ceasefire agreement announced on May 10, which has held according to Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, the extension of the airspace ban indicates ongoing diplomatic strains.

The situation was further exacerbated by a recent school bus bombing in Pakistan that killed four children, an incident Islamabad has blamed on New Delhi. However, the Indian authorities have denied the charge.