Jordan joins international community in helping flood-affected families in Pakistan

Officials from Pakistan Army and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) received Wednesday, September 7, 2022, the first relief flight, for flood victims, from Jordan in Karachi, Sindh-Pakistan. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
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Updated 08 September 2022
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Jordan joins international community in helping flood-affected families in Pakistan

  • Pakistan has received 50 cargo flights, mostly from the UAE and Turkey, which brough relief goods for people displaced by floods
  • Experts suggest Pakistan should arrange fundraising conferences to generate money from the international community

KARACHI: Jordan sent its first flight with relief goods to Pakistan on Wednesday, confirmed its top diplomat, joining other members of the global community who are striving to help flood-affected people in the South Asian country.

Pakistan has suffered huge economic losses after one-third of its land was submerged by record monsoon rains which began in June and killed 1,355 people while affecting the lives of over 33 million.

The country has received 50 cargo flights since the government called for global support after launching relief and rehabilitation activities in the wake of the natural disaster caused by climate change.

On Wednesday, it also welcomed the first flight from Jordan.

“As per directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, today we are receiving C130 aircraft loaded with some humanitarian aid and relief items,” Maj. Gen. (r) Ibrahim Yala Al Madani, Jordan’s ambassador to Pakistan, said while talking to the media at the Karachi airport.

“The aircraft is loaded with food stuff, tents, mattresses, pillows and some other goods needed for human purposes,” he continued. “We will try to support Pakistan with more aids in near future.”




Jordan joins the world's humanitarian effort to help Pakistan deal with the calamitous floods as its first relief flight lands in Karachi on September 7, 2022. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Islamabad has already received a good response from the United Arab Emirates, which has sent 19 flights with food, medical supplies and tents for flood-hit families in Pakistan. According to Pakistan’s foreign ministry, Turkey has also sent 11 flights, China four and Qatar three.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Bank Alfalah Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan pledged $10 million for flood-affected people in Pakistan on Wednesday.

In an official statement, the bank said the chairman and the board of directors had “approved a fund amounting to $10 million to help with the extensive aid and rescue work required across the country.”

The bank plans to use this money to carry out flood relief activities through non-governmental organizations and will earmark a substantial amount for infrastructure rebuilding in different parts of the country.

Pakistani financial experts believe the country’s economy will slow down after the devastating floods from five percent estimated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to about two percent.

“The Impact of the floods will slow down the economy from earlier envisaged growth rate of five percent to nearly two percent, which is even below the population growth of the country,” Dr. Khaqan Najeeb, former adviser to the ministry of finance, told Arab News.

“The complete impact of the floods is yet to be calculated, but initial estimates suggest that over $10 billion will be needed for reconstruction over a period of about three years,” he continued.

Najeeb said with low forex position, the country would need foreign financial assistance to deal with the calamity.

“Of course, large part of help is needed from the international community as Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are quite low and the country is not in a position to spend a lot of money,” he said.

He suggested to call fundraising conferences after calculating the full impact of destruction caused by the floods.

“Once the economic setback to the country is fully calculated, multilateral and bilateral conferences can be held to raise funds from the international community,” he added.


Pakistan reports two new polio cases, bringing 2025 tally to 10

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Pakistan reports two new polio cases, bringing 2025 tally to 10

  • Pakistan, Afghanistan last two countries in the world where polio remains endemic
  • Pakistan reported 74 cases of polio in 2024, raising alarm bells over a fresh breakout 

KARACHI: Pakistan’s polio eradication program said on Wednesday two new cases of the wild poliovirus had been detected in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bringing the tall of 2025 cases to 10.

The new cases have emerged ahead of the government launching a third nationwide campaign to vaccinate children under the age of five, scheduled from May. 26 to June 1. The campaign will target over 45.4 million children across 159 districts, including high-risk areas of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the new cases have been detected.

Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of 5 is essential to provide children high immunity against the disease.

“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus in District Lakki Marwat and District Bannu, South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the body said in a statement. 

“With these latest detections, the total number of confirmed polio cases in Pakistan in 2025 has risen to 10, five from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four from Sindh, and one from Punjab.”

The statement said while polio vaccination campaigns continued nationwide, with two already held in 2025, certain areas, particularly in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, faced challenges such as restricted access and difficulties in conducting house-to-house vaccination drives.

“These access and operational hurdles leave thousands of children particularly in South KP at risk of exposure to poliovirus as a result of missed opportunities for vaccination,” the statement said. 

Due to ongoing access constraints and community concerns, children in UC Bakhmal Ahmad Zai (Lakki Marwat) missed out on vaccination opportunities during the February and April 2025 immunization campaigns, resulting in immunity gaps. 

In UC Saintanga, Tehsil Wazir (Bannu), no comprehensive campaign had been implemented since October 2023. Limited access, shortage of female vaccinators, and gaps in monitoring had contributed to immunity gaps, leaving children at continued risk of poliovirus transmission.

“The Pakistan Polio Eradication Program is actively engaging with all stakeholders to address operational and access challenges and to enhance the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns in these high-risk areas. An intensified vaccination schedule is being implemented to interrupt virus transmission and protect children from lifelong paralysis,” the polio program added.

In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 polio cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021. 

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries in the world where polio remains endemic.

Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994 but efforts to eradicate the virus have since been undermined by vaccine misinformation and opposition from some religious hard-liners who say immunization is a foreign ploy to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western spies. 

Militant groups also frequently attack and kill members of polio vaccine teams and security guards protecting them.


Islamabad, Beijing discuss bolstering ‘collective response mechanisms’ after India-Pakistan fighting

Updated 24 min 14 sec ago
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Islamabad, Beijing discuss bolstering ‘collective response mechanisms’ after India-Pakistan fighting

  • Islamabad’s worst military standoff with New Delhi in decades gave Chinese weapons a rare battle test
  • Pakistan used China’s J10-C Vigorous Dragon and JF-17 Thunder planes, armed with air-to-air missiles

KARACHI: Beijing’s ambassador to Islamabad met the Pakistani air chief on Tuesday evening, with the two leaders vowing to “bolster collective response mechanisms to emerging threats,” the Pakistan army said in a statement, a little over a week after Islamabad’s worst military standoff with New Delhi in decades gave Chinese weapons a rare battle test.

The most striking claim from four days of fighting earlier this month was the contention of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) that its Chinese-supplied jets had shot down six Indian aircraft — including three French-made Rafale fighters — with some observers seeing this as a symbol of Beijing’s rising military might.

Pakistan accounts for around 63 percent of China’s arms exports, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). 

In the recent fighting with India, Pakistan used the J10-C Vigorous Dragon and JF-17 Thunder planes, armed with air-to-air missiles. It was the first time the J10-C has been used in active combat. Islamabad’s air defenses also used Chinese kit — including the HQ-9P long-range surface-to-air missile system — and deployed Chinese radar as well as armed and reconnaissance drones.

On Tuesday evening, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, and engaged in a “comprehensive and in-depth discussion on a range of matters including corporate-level engagements, defense cooperation and the evolving geostrategic environment in the region.”

“They underscored the importance of cohesive & collaborative approaches in responding to emerging challenges, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining peak operational readiness and swift coordination amidst the prevailing regional security dynamics,” the Pakistan army said in a statement released after the meeting. 

Sidhu commended China’s role in assisting Pakistan’s defense modernization and technological advancement.

“Both the dignitaries reaffirmed their pledge to institutionalize regular high-level exchanges through expanded joint operational exercises and exploration of multilateral frameworks that bolster collective response mechanisms to emerging threats,” the Pakistan army said.

The statement said the Chinese ambassador lauded the “unmatched operational excellence” demonstrated by PAF personnel during the recent standoff with India, terming it a reflection of PAF’s “high standards and unwavering commitment to national defense.” 

“He praised Pakistan Air Force for its exemplary professionalism and commendable utilization of Chinese-origin equipment & technology to thwart enemy aggression,” the Pakistan army said. 

“The dignitary also acknowledged PAF’s operational effectiveness and strategic acumen in employing indigenous solutions and advanced systems to safeguard national interests and deter potential threats under the current leadership.”

The ambassador assured “full technical assistance” to PAF to bolster its aerial defense capabilities, adding that continued focus on homegrown technological development would further elevate the country’s defense capabilities. 

Nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India halted their worst fighting in nearly three decades after agreeing to a ceasefire on May 10, following diplomacy and pressure from the United States.

On Tuesday, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi sad Beijing welcomed and supported efforts by Pakistan and India to handle their differences through dialogue and to achieve a “comprehensive and lasting” ceasefire.

With inputs from AFP and Reuters
 


Pakistan says open to talks with India after IMF flags tensions as loan risk

Updated 6 min 10 sec ago
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Pakistan says open to talks with India after IMF flags tensions as loan risk

  • Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has called on IMF to reconsider $1 billion loan to Pakistan
  • Finance advisor says structural benchmarks mentioned in the lender’s latest report not new terms

KARACHI: Pakistan on Tuesday hinted that it was open to “constructive diplomatic and economic engagement” with India as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said prevailing tensions between the two archfoes had increased enterprise risks to Islamabad’s ongoing loan program.

The development comes days after Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said the IMF should reconsider a $1 billion loan to Pakistan alleging it was “funding terror,” a move denounced by Islamabad as proof of New Delhi’s desperation.

India and Pakistan this month clashed in the worst military violence in decades, killing around 70 people before agreeing a ceasefire on May 10. The conflict was sparked by an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, a charge it denies.

Khurram Schehzad, adviser to Pakistan’s finance minister, said the Washington-based lender had not imposed any new “conditions” on Pakistan, which continues to pursue stability and responsible governance that supports long-term growth for itself and the region alike.

“Constructive diplomatic and economic engagement in the region, including with neighbors, remains essential,” Schehzad told Arab News, when asked about the recent developments on the fiscal front.

The IMF last week approved a loan program review for Pakistan, unlocking a $1 billion payment which the State Bank of Pakistan said had been received. A fresh $1.4 billion loan was also approved under the IMF’s climate resilience fund.

But the lender last week said the rising India-Pakistan tensions, if sustained or deteriorated further, could heighten enterprise risks to the fiscal, external and reform goals of its $7 billion ongoing loan program for cash-strapped Pakistan.

The IMF loan is vital for Pakistan which is trying to revive its debt-ridden economy that is expected to expand 2.68 percent by June, about one percent lower than the government’s earlier projection.

“Yes, the IMF report identifies regional tensions as a potential risk, as is customary in such assessments,” Schehzad said, adding that at the same time, the Fund had noted that Pakistan’s stocks market had reacted to the conflict modestly and retained most of its recent gains.

“We view this as a reflection of investor confidence in Pakistan’s macroeconomic path.”

Pakistan’s stocks, which rose more than 80 percent last year, have largely resisted selling pressures in recent weeks, despite the country’s conflict with India that saw the two sides strike each other with missiles, drones and artillery.

Schehzad rejected the impression that Pakistan had increased its defense budget and said it remained constant at 1.9 percent of the gross domestic product this fiscal year starting in June 2024.

“The Rs2.414 trillion defense budget cited in the IMF’s staff report is an absolute projection,” he said.

After debt servicing, defense spending is the second biggest drain on Pakistan’s revenues that the country is trying to improve by withdrawing energy subsidies and taxing incomes from agriculture, retail and real estate sectors as one of the conditions set by the IMF under its 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) secured in September.

BUDGET DISCUSSIONS

An IMF team is currently discussing with Pakistan the upcoming federal budget that the country is expected to unveil early next month, said IMF officials privy to the discussions, requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to media.

The talks are expected to conclude “this week” after which the IMF would issue a concluding statement, they told Arab News, without explaining what exactly the two sides were discussing.

The IMF’s latest country report, issued last week, mentioned certain structural benchmarks for Pakistan’s economic reform program that Schehzad said represented the natural progression of the measures already agreed upon, when Pakistan signed the Memorandum for Economic and Financial Policies (MEFP) in September.

“There are not newly introduced conditions. Each step builds logically on the foundations laid in earlier phases of the program,” he said, adding that each structural benchmark the IMF’s report mentioned was part of a sequenced approach to reforms that was designed in phases and built upon progress achieved in the country’s earlier reviews.

Pakistan on May 9 secured the IMF board’s nod for its first review that saw the release of about $1 billion to the cash-strapped country and the approval of the country’s request for a 28-month, $1.4 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) to cope with environmental vulnerabilities.

“These benchmarks are not surprises. They are deliberate follow-ons to earlier milestones,” Schehzad said, citing Pakistan’s parliamentary approval of the next budget in line with the IMF staff agreement as a second step toward the country’s goal of achieving a primary surplus of 2 percent of GDP by FY27.

“The first step was the FY25 budget [presented in June last year], which targeted a 1.0 percent surplus.”

Terming several other IMF structural benchmarks as a continuation of what has been agreed upon with the lender, Schehzad said some new benchmarks were introduced in response to recent developments.

“The plan to publish a post-2027 financial sector strategy and the move to remove the cap on the debt service surcharge are based on new realities, including the recent constitutional amendment and the government’s evolving energy sector reform strategy,” he said.

Other reforms, according to the adviser, included phasing out incentives in Pakistan’s special technology zones and industrial parks by 2035 to ensure a level-playing field, and lifting a ban on the import of used cars to reduce trade barriers was consistent with the trade liberalization goals outlined in the September 2024 MEFP.

The finance adviser confirmed that the remaining 13 actions fall under the separate climate resilience-focused facility, RSF, that were approved by the IMF’s executive board.

“These measures reflect Pakistan’s steady and sovereign commitment to economic reform and transparency, not externally imposed demands,” he said. 


Egyptian president has accepted invitation for official visit to Pakistan — PM Sharif

Updated 20 May 2025
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Egyptian president has accepted invitation for official visit to Pakistan — PM Sharif

  • Pakistan and Egypt have cordial relations and both countries have resolved in recent years to enhance their bilateral trade
  • PM thanks President El-Sisi for Egypt’s proactive diplomacy that helped Pakistan, India reach a truce after this month’s standoff

ISLAMABAD: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has accepted an invitation to visit Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday, following a telephonic conversation between the two leaders.
Pakistan and Egypt have cordial ties and both countries have resolved in recent years to enhance bilateral trade by facilitating businessmen with visas, exchanging trade-related information and promoting private-sector contacts.
During their conversation, PM Sharif conveyed his profound gratitude to President El-Sisi for Egypt’s constructive role and proactive diplomacy that helped Pakistan and India reach a truce after a four-day standoff.
“Expressing satisfaction on Pakistan-Egypt relations, the prime minister highlighted the need to enhance bilateral trade and investment,” Sharif’s office said.
“The prime minister extended a most cordial invitation to the Egyptian president to undertake an official visit to Pakistan which was graciously accepted.”
Friendly ties between Pakistan and Egypt can be traced back to 1947, when the former gained independence and its founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, visited Egypt on the special invitation of King Fuad II.
In July last year, Pakistan’s then religious affairs minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain and Egyptian Ambassador to Pakistan Dr. Ihab Abdelhamid Hassan agreed to enhance cooperation between the two countries in religious education and other areas of mutual interest.
During the call on Tuesday, PM Sharif and President El-Sisi also discussed developments in the Middle East, particularly the situation in Gaza.
“The prime minister urged the international community to ensure consistent and timely delivery of badly needed humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza,” Sharif’s office said.


Bangladesh T20 tour to Pakistan confirmed after India ceasefire

Updated 20 May 2025
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Bangladesh T20 tour to Pakistan confirmed after India ceasefire

  • Bangladesh were initially scheduled to play five T20 internationals from May 25
  • Conflict with India also forced Pakistan to reschedule its Twenty20 cricket league

KARACHI: Pakistan has confirmed that Bangladesh will go ahead with a Twenty20 tour after it was put in jeopardy following cross-border conflict with India earlier this month.
Bangladesh were scheduled to play five T20 internationals from May 25, but will instead play three matches from a date yet to be confirmed.
Earlier this month India and Pakistan clashed for four days — their worst conflict in decades — before a ceasefire agreement.
Pakistan was also forced to reschedule its Twenty20 league — the Pakistan Super League (PSL) — after a ten-day break.
The Indian Premier League — the world’s richest cricket tournament — was also interrupted.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said negotiations with their Bangladesh counterparts were successful, after some touring players had raised security concerns.
“PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi... convinced them of full security and the series now comprises three T20Is instead of five,” a board press release said.
All three T20Is will be played in Lahore, likely after the PSL final on May 25.