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Pakistan’s diplomatic gains in Afghanistan, Gulf and US: 2021 in review

The combination of photos shows major events that made 2021 important for Pakistan's foreign policy. (AFP photos)
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Updated 30 December 2021
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Pakistan’s diplomatic gains in Afghanistan, Gulf and US: 2021 in review

  • 2021 was a busy year for Pakistan diplomatically, most importantly due to Taliban takeover of Afghanistan
  • Upward trajectory in relations with Gulf countries and mixed signals from US administration were highlights
Updated 30 December 2021
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: The year 2021 was a busy one for Pakistan diplomatically, with a Taliban takeover in neighboring Afghanistan, an upward trajectory in relations with Gulf countries, and mixed signals from the new administration in the United States.  

Below are some of the major events that made 2021 important for Pakistan's foreign policy.  

Taliban takeover of Afghanistan  

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in mid-August as US-led foreign troops withdrew 20 years after invading the country. The takeover prompted panic and chaos, and put the country on the verge of humanitarian catastrophe as the US and allied countries suspended billions of dollars in international assistance to the country's aid-dependent economy.  

Thousands of people had been airlifted from the country since August, with Pakistan facilitating the evacuation of 16,000 diplomats, foreigners, aid workers, journalists and vulnerable Afghans on its national flag carrier flights and through its land borders. 

The evacuation efforts and later Pakistan's humanitarian support for its war-battered neighbor have earned appreciation from the international community, as Islamabad made addressing the crisis one of the main points of its foreign policy and held a number of highest-level international meetings with regional countries and the world's superpowers, including an extraordinary moot of the Organization of Islamic Corporation (OIC). 

OIC extraordinary session in Islamabad  

On December 19, Islamabad hosted the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, with participants widely hailing Pakistan's efforts to organize the summit that focused on the looming economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.  

Around 70 delegations from OIC member states, non-members and regional and international organizations attended the meeting, with 20 of them led by foreign ministers and 10 by deputies or ministers of state. Other than foreign ministers from Islamic countries, delegations from the EU and the P5+1 group of the UN Security Council, including the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, were also in attendance. 

Participating nations decided to establish a humanitarian trust fund to channel humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, including in partnership with other international actors, and to appoint a special envoy on Afghanistan to the OIC Secretary General.

Relations with Saudi Arabia 

Pakistan’s relations with Saudi Arabia have been on an upward trajectory and Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the kingdom twice in 2021, in May and October.  

After Khan's second visit, the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) announced a generous financial package of $4.2 billion to help the South Asian nation address depleting foreign reserves. 

The SFD deposited $3 billion dollars into the Pakistani central bank and pledged it would additionally supply $1.2 billion worth of oil to Pakistan on credit. 

Saudi Arabia had also supported Pakistan back in 2019 with $3 billion deposits and $1.2 billion of deferred oil payment facility. 

Home to over 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates, Saudi Arabia also remained Islamabad's largest source of remittances, which during the first five months of the 2022 financial year reached over $3.2 billion.  

Expo 2022 Dubai 

The Pakistan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai has received over 550,000 visitors and led to the signing of dozens of investment and cooperation agreements since the exhibition opened in October. Most of the deals signed relate to the fields of infrastructure, housing, water management, waste management, and trade in goods and services. 

Pakistan President Dr. Arif Alvi inaugurated the pavilion, while Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi visited the UAE several times during the year.  

Prime Minister Imran Khan, meanwhile, was recognized with the Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Creative Sports Award, funded by the Dubai ruler to promote creativity in sports and the wellbeing of sportspersons. 

Relations with other Middle Eastern countries 

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi undertook a number of bilateral visits to Middle Eastern countries in 2021, including Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq and Iran. A number of bilateral visits at the ministerial and services chief levels were also undertaken. 

After the visit of the Foreign Minister of Kuwait, Ahmed Nasser Al- Sabah, to Islamabad in March, Kuwait decided to ease visa restrictions for Pakistani nationals, which had been in place since 2011. Additionally, under a government-to-government bilateral framework cooperation agreement on the recruitment of healthcare professionals from Pakistan, around 1800 healthcare professionals have traveled to Kuwait already.

Pakistan and Bahrain also convened the second session of the Joint Ministerial Commission in July 2021. 

Impact of Dasu blast on relations with China

Pakistan’s relations with China faced a jolt after a blast on a bus killed 13 people in north Pakistan in July, including nine Chinese nationals. The passengers of the bus were Chinese and Pakistani workers traveling to the site of the Dasu hydroelectric project, which is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $65 billion investment plan aiming to link western China to the southern Pakistani port of Gwadar.

Work on the project stalled for several months after the blast and the Chinese repeatedly called for foolproof security for their workers in Pakistan before they continued with the Dasu and other projects. After extensive diplomatic efforts and the beefing up of the security of Chinese nationals, work on the project has reportedly resumed. 

In another development Beijing hosted the 15th session of the Pakistan-China Joint Economic Committee (JEC) on Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technical Cooperation after 11 years gap. 

Revival of ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India 

The militaries of India and Pakistan said in a rare joint statement in February that they had agreed to observe a ceasefire along the disputed border in Kashmir, having exchanged fire hundreds of times in recent months. The nuclear-armed neighbours signed a ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kashmir region in 2003, but the truce has frayed in recent years, and there have been mounting casualties among villagers living close to the de facto border.

According to the Pakistan foreign office, there were 7763 ceasefire violations carried out by India from August 2018 till 15 October 2021, which resulted in 80 deaths and 526 injuries on the Pakistani side of the border. Out of these, around 300 took place between January to October 15 this year. 

Cold shoulder by the United States

Much has been written and said in Pakistan about US President Joe Biden not calling the Pakistani premier since the former was sworn in as president in January. The perceived diplomatic affront marks the latest setback in US-Pakistan relations after the two nations' cooperation during the 'war on terror' following the 9/11 attacks by al-Qaeda, the militant group founded by Osama bin Laden.

In 2004, the US named Pakistan an official major non-Nato ally, spurred by Washington’s need for support to fight in Afghanistan. But US administrations have since regularly accused their ally of harbouring Taliban insurgents, claims denied by Pakistan.

Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the US severed $2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan, with the then-president accusing Islamabad of “nothing but lies and deceit”. But after Trump made a deal with the Afghan Taliban that relied on help from Pakistan, he invited Khan to the White House.

After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in the public hearing in Congress in September that Pakistan had a “multiplicity of interests some that are in conflict with ours.” He said the US would “recalibrate” its relationship with Pakistan in the coming weeks to formulate what role Washington would want it to play in the future of Afghanistan.

Topics: Pakistan Afghanistan Gulf US 2021

Amroti ‘Water’ Mosque: Century-old symbol of faith and resistance in southern Pakistan

Updated 02 April 2025
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Amroti ‘Water’ Mosque: Century-old symbol of faith and resistance in southern Pakistan

  • Mosque was built around 1890 under guidance of Syed Taj Mahmood Shah Amroti, first translator of Qur’an into Sindhi language 
  • Mosque’s location became problem when British wanted to built Sukkur Barrage but resistance by Amroti and followers forced retreat 
Updated 02 April 2025
NAIMAT KHAN

SHIKARPUR, Sindh: Standing on seven pillars in the middle of the Kirthar Canal, a unique mosque in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district is more than just a place of worship — it is a symbol of defiance and resistance against British colonial rule.

With its whitewashed walls rising above the flowing waters, the Amroti Mosque’s architecture is as unique as its story.

The mosque was first constructed from mud, wood and palm tree trunks on a mound around 1890 under the guidance of scholar and educationalist Syed Taj Mahmood Shah Amroti, who was the first to translate the Holy Qur’an into the Sindhi landguage and provide detailed explanations of its teachings. For years, the mosque served as a place of workshop for the residents of Junejo village in Shikarpur until its location became an issue when the British colonial rulers of India decided to build the Sukkur Barrage and its canals, ordering the demolition of the masjid.

Historical accounts say Amroti sent over 20 letters to authorities asking to change the canal’s route but received no response and the British eventually issued a warrant for his arrest.

“In 1922, the British government started the Kirthar Canal project to irrigate uncultivated lands of Sindh and Balochistan [provinces],” Sayed Rushdullah Shah Amroti, the administrator of Amroti Mosque and the great grandson of Amroti, told Arab News. 

The picture taken on March 19, 2025, shows blue tiles in the Amroti Mosque in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district. (AN Photo)

“When Hazrat Amroti came to know that the British government wanted to demolish the mosque, he decided to camp here and offered stiff resistance to British authorities.”

When British officials arrived with machines to demolish the mosque, local villagers joined Amroti in a massive protest. In the end, the British agreed not to destroy the mosque and instead promised to strengthen its structure so that both the mosque and the canal could remain.

“The impact of the resistance was that the British government was forced to kneel down,” Sayed said. “They left the mosque as it was and made the canal around its four sides.”

The mosque in its present shape was subsequently built, serving as a reminder of the importance of both faith and rebellion as it stood amid the waters of the Kirthar Canal, which originates from the Indus River at Sukkur Barrage and became operational in 1932 as a vital watercourse for Balochistan, particularly districts like Jafarabad and Naseerabad. 

The picture taken on March 19, 2025, shows Amroti Mosque constructed in the middle of Kirthar Canal in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district. (AN Photo)


“STRANGE SPIRITUAL STATE” 

In the past, residents would use boats to reach Amroti Mosque for prayers but after independence from British rule in 1947 and the creation of the two separate nations of Pakistan and India, the government rebuilt a proper structure for the mosque, constructed a bridge for easier access and ensured that water continued to flow beneath it.

Though the small mosque only allows 10-12 people to pray at a time, it holds great cultural and spiritual value for the people of the area.

“We are very proud of the religious and Islamic achievements of our ancestors, and wherever we go in the world, the respect we receive because of our connection to Amroti Sharif is largely due to the role of this mosque,” Rushdullah said.

Nasim Bukhari, a local writer, described the mosque as a “great symbol of resistance in history.” 

Worshippers pray at the Amroti Mosque in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district. (AN Photo)

“And this has been the history of Sindh, that we have never accepted defeat. Even if we had to face defeat, we would die with our names still alive. We never ran away,” he said. 

Amroti’s struggle was part of a larger resistance movement in Sindh, according to Bukhari.

“Syed Taj Mahmood Amroti fought against the British in his time and became a symbol of resistance. The people of that time, unarmed, fought with perseverance,” the author said, highlighting Amroti as an inspiration for others. One of his disciples, Syed Salah Aajiz Memon, later became the first Sindhi and Muslim figure against whom the British filed a case for rebellion.

“The name and deeds of our leader, Syed Taj Mahmood Amroti, have had their impact, but the resistance movement led by his followers and disciples also carries a remarkable legacy,” Bukhari said.

The picture taken on March 19, 2025, shows aerial view of the Amroti Mosque constructed in the middle of Kirthar Canal in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district. (AN Photo)

To date, the mosque continues to serve as a place of deep spirituality and worshippers describe a “profound sense of peace” at the place, especially when the water runs high and the mosque appears to be floating in the canal.

“While praying here, a strange spiritual state occurs,” Maulana Shahnawaz Baloch, the prayer leader at the mosque, told Arab News. 

“At this time, the water level is low, yet there is still a spiritual atmosphere. When the water level is higher due to the season, a completely different spiritual experience takes place.”

 

 

Topics: Water Mosque Ramadan in Pakistan Shikarpur

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Pakistan warns Afghan Citizen Card holders of legal action as expulsion deadline expires

Updated 8 sec ago
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Pakistan warns Afghan Citizen Card holders of legal action as expulsion deadline expires

  • Pakistan issued a Mar. 31 deadline for ACC holders to return voluntarily to Afghanistan 
  • Since 2023, state-run media says Pakistan has deported around 886,000 Afghan nationals 
Updated 8 sec ago
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s state broadcaster on Wednesday warned Afghan Citizen Card holders and “illegal foreigners” of strict legal action as the deadline for them to return to their countries voluntarily expired this week.

Islamabad last month announced a deadline of Mar. 31 for Afghans in Pakistan holding ACCs, a certain immigration document, to leave the country. The move was part of Pakistan’s larger drive to expel what it says are illegal immigrants from the country. 

Pakistani authorities maintain Afghan nationals have been involved in militant attacks and organized crime, accusations Kabul denies. Islamabad’s decision to hasten the expulsion of Afghans holding ACCs has coincided with the Eid Al-Fitr celebrations, casting a shadow over the religious holiday for thousands of Afghan families. 

“Strict legal action will be initiated against the illegal foreigners and Afghan Citizen Card holders as the deadline given to them to leave the country has expired,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said. 

It added that the process of repatriation of Afghan nationals to their country is continuing. 

“As of now, the total number of returnees stands at around 886,000,” the state broadcaster said.

ACCs were issued by Pakistani authorities and are held by 800,000 Afghans, according to the United Nations. 

More than 1.3 million Afghans who hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, are also to be moved outside the capital Islamabad and the neighboring city of Rawalpindi. 

The UN says nearly three million Afghans live in Pakistan, many having fled there over decades of war in their country and after the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan.

Pakistan kicked off its deportation drive in 2023 amid a surge in violence by armed groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), whose leaders Islamabad claims are based in Afghanistan, a charge rejected by the Taliban administration.

The move has further soured Islamabad’s ties with Kabul. Afghanistan’s Refugees Minister Mawlavi Abdul Kabir on Tuesday requested Pakistan to halt the deportations and allow Afghans to return to their country voluntarily. 

“He emphasized the importance of humane treatment for refugees, especially in light of reports of mistreatment of Afghans by border nations, including instances where individuals holding legal visas were also deported,” Afghan state news agency Bakhtar said. 

International rights groups have also urged Islamabad to halt the deportations, warning that some returning Afghans could face threats under Taliban rule.

Pakistan insists it is carrying out the deportation campaign in a humane manner, saying it respects the dignity of all Afghan nationals.

Topics: Afghan Citizen Card Afghan refugees

In Pakistan’s Shikarpur, an arms dealer by trade and storyteller at heart

Updated 39 min 43 sec ago
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In Pakistan’s Shikarpur, an arms dealer by trade and storyteller at heart

  • Agha Sanaullah Khan, 76, has sold weapons since 1090s at Pathan Armory in historic Shikarpur city
  • He has authored four Sindhi language travelogues and collection of short stories called ‘Ghalti’, or ‘Mistake’
Updated 39 min 43 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

SHIKARPUR, Sindh: Agha Sanaullah Khan, a 76-year-old arms dealer, sat last month in front of piles of books, with assault rifles, pistols and other ammunition and weapons’ accessories stacked up around them at his shop in the southern Pakistani city of Shikarpur.

Is this a bookstore or an arms dealership?

Welcome to Pathan Armory near Lakhi Dar, one of the seven gates of the historic Shikarpur city, where Khan has been selling weapons for over three decades. 

Agha Sanaullah Khan (R), a 76-year-old arms dealer, sits with a customer at his shop Pakistani city of Shikarpur, on March 24, 2025. (AN Photo)

But his true passion lies somewhere else: in writing short stories and travelogues. 

The septuagenarian, who has authored four Sindhi language travelogues, and a collection of short stories called ‘Ghalti’, or ‘Mistake,’ says customers who visit his armory are often surprised when they find him pouring over books. 

“They come and say, ‘Weapons and books both?’,” Khan said, as he counted change for a customer. “What can I do? Whenever I get free, I read. One should read. Not just reading, I also write here, sir. I sit here and write. This is my nature.”

“Weapons are my business, my livelihood, and I earn from it. I support myself with it,” he explained. “Books are my passion.”

“PASSION FOR TRAVEL”

Khan, whose father was a bureaucrat, set up his armory in the early 1990s in Shikarpur where he lives with his wife while his children are settled in the United states. 

The city, which from the 17th to 19th centuries used to be a vital trade hub connecting Central Asia and the Indian Sub-continent, is now plagued by a major crime problem, with several dacoit gangs operating in riverine areas of the district.

Nasir Aftab, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Larkana Range, told Arab News the security situation in Shikarpur had improved due to ongoing armed operations against dacoits.

Agha Sanaullah Khan (R), a 76-year-old arms dealer, reads his travelog at his shop in the Pakistani city of Shikarpur, on March 24, 2025. (AN Photo)

“The operation has weakened the organized criminal network, leading to a drastic improvement in security in the region,” Aftab said. “Public confidence has been restored, and the dacoits are finding it difficult to regroup. With continued law enforcement efforts, lasting peace and security in Shikarpur, Kashmore, and surrounding areas is becoming a reality.”

But for Khan, weapons and pistols were “a necessity now.” 

“The law-and-order situation here is such that people are forced to keep guns. And it is allowed by the government, I have the license.”

The arms dealer’s heart, however, lies in storytelling and his passion for travel writing is inspired by a love for tourism. 

In his books, he has documented his journeys from the bustling streets of India and the serene landscapes of Nepal to the vibrant markets of Thailand and sprawling cities of the United States. 

“When I was born, I had a passion for tourism. When I became wise, I thought I should travel,” he said. “I came into the [arms] business but touring remained stuck in my mind.”

The septuagenarian says his travels to India with friends, which he has written about in his first travelogue, were particularly impactful, as he was able to reconnect with migrants from Shikarpur and experience their hospitality and shared history. 

“I met with someone who had migrated from here, Guman Punjabi from Shikarpur. He served me greatly. I met many other migrants and they treated me well,” Khan recalled.

His fascination with America, where his two sons and two daughters live, has led him to write two travelogues while a third one is in the works. 

“You can say that I have traveled all over the country, New York, Washington and all major cities of Florida state,” he said, adding that he considered America his second home, but chose life in his hometown of Shikarpur over procuring an American nationality.

Khan, who wants to inculcate a love for reading and writing in others, recently donated nearly 4,000 books to a local library on a friend’s request.

He now wishes to leave behind a legacy that is rooted in his passion for words.

“At present, people know me as an arms dealer,” said Khan as he polished an assault rifle, “but I want that a time comes when people know me more as a travelogue writer.”

Topics: arms dealer writer story teller

International Association of Women Police selects Pakistan’s Ayesha Butt for global award

Updated 02 April 2025
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International Association of Women Police selects Pakistan’s Ayesha Butt for global award

  • Butt, who is a city traffic officer in Gujranwala, is scheduled to receive award at IAWP conference in Glasgow in September
  • Pakistani woman cop awarded for her “distinguished service and commitment to policing,” says IAWP President Julia Jaeger
Updated 02 April 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: The International Association of Women Police (IAWP) has selected Pakistan’s Ayesha Butt for its global ‘Excellence in Performance Award 2025,’ Punjab Police announced on Wednesday, describing the development as a “source of pride” for the country. 

The IAWP is an international organization with over 70 countries and 30 affiliate organizations as its members. The IAWP says its mission is to strengthen, unite and raise the capacity of women in policing internationally. It provides critical opportunities for women in training, mentoring, collaboration and networking. 

Butt currently serves as city traffic officer in Pakistan’s eastern city of Gujranwala at the rank of superintendent of police (SP). 

“I am writing to inform you that you are selected to receive the 2025 International Association of Women Police Excellence in Performance Award,” Julia Jaeger, IAWA president, wrote in a letter shared by Punjab Police on Wednesday.

“The IAWP is proud to honor your distinguished service and commitment to policing. On behalf of our members, the Board of Directors and the Recognition Committee, congratulations on receiving the highly competitive global recognition,” she added. 

Jaeger wrote that Butt would be presented with the award at the IAWP’s 62nd annual conference scheduled to be held in Glasgow in September this year. 

“We sincerely hope you can attend and receive your award in person,” Jaeger wrote. 

Separately, Punjab Police praised Butt for winning the award in a press release. 

“Inspector General Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar congratulates SP Ayesha Butt on making the police department’s name shine,” Punjab Police said. 

“SP Ayesha Butt’s success is a source of pride for all police officers, especially women officers,” Anwar was quoted as saying by the police. 

The achievement is a significant one for Pakistan, where women often lack family and societal support in pursuing careers in law enforcement. 

Topics: International Association of Women Police

Pakistan president hospitalized, health ‘improving,’ aide says

Updated 02 April 2025
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Pakistan president hospitalized, health ‘improving,’ aide says

  • Asif Ali Zardari was hospitalized in Karachi on Tuesday after suffering from fever and infection, media reports say
  • Reports of Zardari being shifted to Dubai for treatment are “inaccurate,” clarifies Sindh minister Sharjeel Memon
Updated 02 April 2025
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari’s health is improving and he will be fine “soon,” his close aide and Sindh minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said this week, following media reports of the president being hospitalized in Karachi. 

Zardari was brought to a hospital in Karachi from Sindh’s Nawabshah city on Tuesday after he complained about suffering from fever and an infection, local media outlets reported. 

The president is also the co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a key member of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition government. Neither the PPP nor the presidency have commented on Zardari’s health so far.

“The reports about President Asif Ali Zardari being shifted to Dubai for treatment are inaccurate,” Memon wrote on social media platform X on Tuesday. 

“His health is improving and Inshallah he will be fine very soon,” he added. 

In a statement released from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday, Sharif contacted Zardari to inquire about his health and pray for the president’s speedy recovery.

“The entire nation’s prayers are with you,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the PMO. 

Zardari, who is the widower of Pakistan’s slain first woman prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was appointed president for a second term in March last year. He previously served as president of Pakistan from 2008-2013.

A landowner from Sindh, Zardari rose to prominence after his marriage to Bhutto in 1987. He was widely criticized for corruption scandals that led to the collapse of Bhutto’s government in 1990. 

Topics: President Asif Ali Zardari

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