Pakistan PM departs for Belarus on two-day visit to boost bilateral cooperation

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Updated 10 April 2025
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Pakistan PM departs for Belarus on two-day visit to boost bilateral cooperation

Pakistan PM departs for Belarus on two-day visit to boost bilateral cooperation
  • The two sides plan to sign several agreements during Sharif’s two-day visit, says Pakistan’s foreign office
  • Visit can also help Pakistan diversify trade partnerships since Belarus can be a gateway to Eurasian markets

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left for a two-day visit to the Eastern European country of Belarus on Thursday, his office said, as the two sides prepare to sign several agreements to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Belarus after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and has maintained diplomatic relations with it since 1994.

However, bilateral trade has remained modest, with annual volumes ranging between $50 and $65 million, according to the Belarusian embassy in Islamabad.

Belarus mainly exports tractors, trucks, potash fertilizers, synthetic yarns and tires to Pakistan, while Pakistani exports include rice, textiles, leather goods and surgical instruments.

“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has departed for a two-day official visit to Belarus,” the PM Office said in a statement. “At the invitation of His Excellency President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to Belarus from April 10 to 11, 2025.”

According to another statement released by the foreign office earlier today, Sharif will hold talks with Lukashenko to review progress in areas of mutual interest.
“The two sides are expected to sign several agreements to further strengthen cooperation,” it added.
The prime minister’s visit follows a series of bilateral engagements in recent months. The Belarusian president visited Pakistan last November for his third official trip to the country, during which both sides signed a “Roadmap for Comprehensive Cooperation for 2025-2027” to expand economic ties and institutional linkages.
Fourteen other agreements and memorandums of understanding were also inked, covering cooperation in environmental protection, disaster management, halal trade and science and technology.
For Pakistan, closer ties with Belarus offer several strategic advantages that include diversifying trade partnerships beyond traditional markets, enhancing defense collaboration through access to Belarusian technology and tapping into regional connectivity opportunities, with Belarus serving as a potential gateway to Eurasian markets.
The partnership also complements Pakistan’s broader goals, such as the development of an export-oriented economy.


Pakistan warns of rainfall, storms in Punjab from May 7-11

Pakistan warns of rainfall, storms in Punjab from May 7-11
Updated 07 May 2025
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Pakistan warns of rainfall, storms in Punjab from May 7-11

Pakistan warns of rainfall, storms in Punjab from May 7-11
  • Authorities advise citizens to stay indoors and in safe places during rainfall and storms
  • Rain with strong winds predicted in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat region and other districts

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Wednesday warned of rainfall and thunderstorms across the country’s eastern province from May 7-11, an alert issued by the authority said. 

Pakistan is highly vulnerable to climate change, facing numerous impacts like rising temperatures, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and changes in agricultural patterns. The country’s vulnerability is exacerbated by factors like reliance on the Indus River, which is fed by melting glaciers and its location in a region prone to floods and droughts.

“Dusty winds and thundershowers are likely in most districts of Punjab from May 7-11,” the PDMA said in a statement. “Rain with strong winds is predicted in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiat, Attock, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Jhelum and Gujranwala.”

The authority added that there were chances of rainfall in Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Narowal, Okara, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Khushab, Sargodha and Mianwali.

Rainfalls and hailstorm were also predicted in South Punjab, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar between May 8-10, the PDMA said.

Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia confirmed that an alert was issued to the district administrations including the education, health, irrigation, construction, livestock and police departments.

The PDMA alert advised citizens to stay indoors and in safe places during rainfall and contact the PDMA’s 1129 helpline for any assistance.

In early April, a severe hailstorm and heavy rainfall lashed Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and its surrounding areas, damaging thousands of vehicles and smashing the windows of homes. 

Experts say there is evidence suggesting a link between climate change and increased hailstorm frequency and intensity. While the exact relationship is still being studied, a warming climate can create conditions more conducive to large hail formation.


Airlines cancel, reroute flights after India-Pakistan clashes

Airlines cancel, reroute flights after India-Pakistan clashes
Updated 07 May 2025
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Airlines cancel, reroute flights after India-Pakistan clashes

Airlines cancel, reroute flights after India-Pakistan clashes
  • India launched missile strikes in Pakistani territory on Wednesday night in response to deadly attack last month
  • Flights of Korean Air, Taiwan’s China Airlines, Russian national carrier Aeroflot and others rerouted or canceled

BANGKOK: Clashes between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan on Wednesday sent airlines scrambling to cancel, divert or reroute flights.

The neighbors and longtime rivals exchanged heavy artillery fire along their contested frontier after India launched missile strikes in retaliation for a deadly attack last month.

Here is a round-up of what airlines are doing to avoid flying over the conflict zone.

Korean Air has begun rerouting its flights from Seoul Incheon to Dubai, using a southern route that passes over Myanmar, Bangladesh and India, instead of the previous path through Pakistani airspace.

“We are currently monitoring the situation for further changes,” a Korean Air official told AFP.

Taiwan’s China Airlines said several flights have been diverted or canceled.

Two flights from Taipei to Frankfurt and Amsterdam “made a technical diversion to Bangkok” before returning to the Taiwanese capital.

Three flights from Taipei to Prague, Rome and London were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“China Airlines continues to monitor the situation and will adjust flight schedules as needed,” it said.

EVA Air said it will adjust flights to and from Europe “based on actual conditions to avoid affected airspace to ensure the safety of crew members and passengers.”

A flight from Vienna to Bangkok will return to the Austrian capital while a flight from Taipei to Milan will be diverted to Vienna for refueling and then continue to the Italian city, the airline said in a statement.

Russian national carrier Aeroflot said all its flights from Moscow to and from India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and the Seychelles would be rerouted.

Singapore Airlines said its flights have been rerouted to avoid Pakistani airspace.

Malaysia Airlines rerouted two flights from Kuala Lumpur — one to London Heathrow and one to Paris Charles de Gaulle. They stopped in Doha before continuing their journeys.

The carrier also suspended all flights to and from India’s Amritsar until May 9.

Thai Airways said it was rerouting flights to destinations in Europe and South Asia from 5:00 am on Wednesday (2200 GMT Tuesday) to avoid Pakistani airspace, warning of possible delays.

At least eight flights to European cities were affected, the airline said, while a return flight scheduled to go from Bangkok to Islamabad and back again on Wednesday was canceled.

Sri Lankan Airlines said its flights were unaffected and there is no change to its four weekly flights to Pakistan’s Lahore and Karachi.


Pakistan’s top court allows military trials of civilians accused of attacking army sites — media

Pakistan’s top court allows military trials of civilians accused of attacking army sites — media
Updated 07 May 2025
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Pakistan’s top court allows military trials of civilians accused of attacking army sites — media

Pakistan’s top court allows military trials of civilians accused of attacking army sites — media
  • Decision follows a legal battle sparked by violent protests on May 9, 2023, by ex-PM Khan’s party
  • The court has directed the government to legislate within 45 days to provide a right of appeal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top court on Wednesday reinstated the Army Act in its original form and overturned its earlier ruling that had blocked military trials for civilians accused of attacking military installations, according to the local media reports.
The decision follows a legal battle sparked by violent protests on May 9, 2023, when supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan stormed military facilities across Pakistan and set some of them on fire after his brief arrest on graft charges.
Subsequently, dozens of people were arrested and prosecuted in military courts, triggering constitutional challenges from rights groups and activists, as Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party vocally opposed the trials.
“The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reinstated the Pakistan Army Act in its original form and declared its earlier verdict from October 23, 2023, null and void,” Geo News reported.
“The apex court delivered the verdict with a 5-2 majority,” it added. “Justices Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Naeem Akhtar Afghan dissented.”
The ruling restores previously nullified clauses of the Army Act that allow civilians to be tried in military courts under certain circumstances.
The court also directed the government to legislate within 45 days to provide a right of appeal for any convictions handed down by military courts, Geo News said.
Khan’s PTI, whose supporters were among those arrested after the May 2023 protests, condemned the ruling.
“The constitutional bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan has just given the government’s petition a go by allowing military trial of civilians,” the party said in a statement. “The purpose of military law is to maintain discipline within the armed forces. It was never designed to be applied to civilians.”
The previous Supreme Court ruling in October 2023, delivered by a five-judge panel, had declared that trying civilians in military courts violated constitutional rights to a fair trial and due process. That decision was welcomed by rights groups and legal experts as a step toward strengthening judicial independence and limiting the military’s influence over civilian legal matters.
The government and the defense ministry appealed the verdict, citing national security concerns and the need to hold accountable those who attacked military installations.
 


Residents of Pakistani Kashmir say they fled into hills during Indian strikes

Residents of Pakistani Kashmir say they fled into hills during Indian strikes
Updated 07 May 2025
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Residents of Pakistani Kashmir say they fled into hills during Indian strikes

Residents of Pakistani Kashmir say they fled into hills during Indian strikes
  • Mosque loudspeakers told people to seek shelter as ground shook, sounds of explosions reverberated, residents say
  • Many people gathered after sunrise near a mosque that had been hit in the strikes, its roof smashed and minaret toppled

MUZAFFARABAD: Residents of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir, said they fled their homes and ran into surrounding hills as India launched airstrikes early on Wednesday in a part of the city.

Mosque loudspeakers told people to seek shelter as the ground shook repeatedly and the sounds of explosions reverberated, they said.

“We came outside,” said Muhammad Shair Mir, 46, describing the events of the night. “Then another blast happened. The whole house moved. Everyone got scared, we all evacuated, took our kids and went up (the hill).”

Many people gathered after sunrise near a mosque that had been hit in the strikes, its roof smashed and minaret toppled. Security forces had cordoned off the area.

The district commissioner, a senior local official, said three people were killed near the collapsed mosque. In total, Pakistan’s military said 26 people were killed and 46 wounded in Indian attacks across Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir, which is called Azad Kashmir.

India launched the strikes early on Wednesday, saying it was targeting “terrorist camps” that served as recruitment centers, launchpads, and indoctrination centers, and housed weapons and training facilities.

Pakistan called it a “blatant act of war” as tensions spiraled between the nuclear-armed rivals after a deadly attack by Islamist gunmen on tourists in Indian Kashmir. It said none of the targeted areas were militant camps.

District officials said that at the Line of Control that divides Pakistani and Indian Kashmir, mortar and light arms fire between the two armies continued into the morning and had killed at least six civilians on the Pakistani side.

Police in Indian Kashmir said at least 10 people were killed and nearly 50 injured there.

In Muzaffarabad, hospitals were operational and some small businesses opened in the morning but schools were closed and examinations canceled, according to local authorities.

Shair Mir said he and his family spent four hours in the open. Some of his neighbors had gone to hospital with injuries and the rest were shaken, he said.

“This is wrong ... poor innocent people, our poor mothers are sick, our sisters are sick .. our houses were rattled, our walls have cracked,” he said.


UAE, Turkiye among world powers urging restraint after India-Pakistan military clash

UAE, Turkiye among world powers urging restraint after India-Pakistan military clash
Updated 07 May 2025
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UAE, Turkiye among world powers urging restraint after India-Pakistan military clash

UAE, Turkiye among world powers urging restraint after India-Pakistan military clash
  • President Trump calls the escalation ‘a shame’ but hopes it will end ‘very quickly’President Trump calls the escalation ‘a shame’ but hopes it will end ‘very quickly’
  • China calls India’s military action ‘regrettable,’ asks both countries for restraint

ISLAMABAD: World leaders on Wednesday urged restraint and pressed for a peaceful resolution after India launched strikes in Pakistan, triggering retaliatory attacks and raising fears of a broader military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

The international reaction came as tensions soared following Indian attacks on six locations inside Pakistan, which Islamabad said killed at least 26 civilians and injured 46.

In response, Pakistan claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets and struck Indian military posts along the Line of Control.

UNITED STATES

US President Donald Trump condemned the escalation, expressing hope that the fighting would end quickly.

“It’s a shame,” he said. “Just heard about it. I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past. They’ve been fighting for a long time. They’ve been fighting for many, many decades. I hope it ends very quickly.”

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was monitoring the situation closely and would continue to engage with the leadership of both countries for a “peaceful resolution.”

CHINA

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said India’s actions were “regrettable,” urging both countries to exercise restraint and refrain from further complicating the situation, Reuters reported.

“China finds India’s military operation early this morning regrettable. We are concerned about the ongoing situation,” the spokesperson said. “We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation.”

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan called on Pakistan and India “to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation that could threaten regional and international peace,” Emirates News Agency-WAM reported.

“He reaffirmed that diplomacy and dialogue remain the most effective means of peacefully resolving crises, and achieving the shared aspirations of nations for peace, stability, and prosperity,” it added.

QATAR

A statement from the Pakistani prime minister’s office said he spoke by telephone to Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, on Wednesday afternoon. 

While thanking Qatar for its solidarity and support to Pakistan at this difficult time, the Prime “The Prime Minister of Qatar expressed condolences for the loss of precious lives. He appreciated Pakistan’s commitment to fostering peace in

South Asia and said that Qatar wanted to play its role in de-escalating the prevailing situation in the region,” Sharif’s office said.

TURKEY

Turkiye urged India and Pakistan to act with common sense amid the military escalation between them, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday, saying India’s latest military action created the risk of an “all-out war.”

In a statement, the ministry reiterated its support for Pakistan’s call for an investigation into an Islamist militant attack that killed 26 in the Indian-administered side of the Himalayan region on April 22.

UNITED NATIONS

The spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN chief called for “maximum military restraint” from both countries, Reuters reported.

“The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border,” the spokesperson said. “He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries. The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.”

FRANCE

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot aurged Pakistan and India to show restraint.

“We understand India’s desire to protect itself against the scourge of terrorism, but we obviously call on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint to avoid escalation and, of course, to protect civilians,” he said in an interview on TF1 television of France.

UNITED KINGDOM

The UK is ready to support both India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions, Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said on Wednesday, following the worst violence between the nuclear-armed arch-foes in two decades.

“Our message would be that we are a friend, a partner to both countries. We stand ready to support both countries. Both have a huge interest in regional stability, in dialogue, in de-escalation and anything we can do to support that, we are here and willing to do,” he told BBC radio.

The Foreign Office advised British nationals against travel within eight kilometers (five miles) of the India-Pakistan border, within 16 kilometers of the Line of Control — a heavily fortified zone of high-altitude Himalayan outposts that represents the de facto Kashmir border — and all travel to the southwestern Balochistan province of Pakistan.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. British nationals should stay up to date with our travel advice and follow the advice of local authorities,” it added.

RUSSIA

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “deep concern” over the escalating military confrontation between Pakistan and India, urging both nations to exercise restraint.

Russia added that it condemned all forms of terrorism, according to a statement by the Russian foreign ministry.

GERMANY

Germany said on Wednesday that an “escalation must be prevented” amid the most serious military confrontation between India and Pakistan in two decades.

“Responsible action is urgently needed from both countries,” said the foreign ministry in a statement on X, adding it was convening a crisis meeting and German officials were in contact with both sides.

ITALY

Italy’s Minister for Interior Mr. Matteo Piantedosi paid a courtesy call on Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

“Minister Piantedosi expressed concern at the escalation of the already tense situation and offered condolences for the innocent lives lost in Pakistan. He called for restraint on both sides,” a statement from Dar’s office said. 

With inputs from Reuters and AFP