Sugar scam, IMF bailout saw ouster of Pakistani PM’s close aide from inner circle 

In this file photo, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen are seen at a rally in Islamabad on November 30, 2014. (AFP/File)
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Updated 21 October 2020
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Sugar scam, IMF bailout saw ouster of Pakistani PM’s close aide from inner circle 

  • Longtime friends and confidants, Jahangir Khan Tareen and Imran Khan are no longer on talking terms
  • Tareen currently lives at his Newbury farmhouse outside of London in what many see as self-imposed exile

ISLAMABAD: For nearly a decade, of all the friends and confidants in Prime Minister Imran Khan’s inner circle, sugar baron Jahangir Khan Tareen was his closest.
Today, Tareen and Khan are no longer even on talking terms, officials close to both say, as the wealthy businessman and one of the largest sugar producers in Pakistan ponders his political future at a farmhouse outside London.

There is no doubt he is in self-imposed exile, indefinitely. 
Tareen left for London in June this year amid a high-profile investigation into a sugar case that accuses him of being one of the major beneficiaries of government subsidies on sugar exports and of profiting from increasing prices in the local market. 
PM Khan, who in the past had stood by Tareen even when he was barred by the country’s top court from holding public office over corruption allegations, has pushed for an investigation into the scam.

After that, said Ishaq Khan Khakwani, a senior member of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party, things got “personal” for Tareen.
But relations between the two leaders began to go sour much before the sugar scam — perhaps just a few months after Imran Khan took oath as prime minister in 2018. 
“When people form governments, there is a lot of palace intrigue,” said Khakwani. “Everyone wants the ear of the ruler. Thus, a tussle begins.”

The first major tussle, it seems, was over an IMF bailout.

Khan inherited an economy in shambles when he came to power, with major financing gaps, a large fiscal and current account deficit, a low level of reserves and an overvalued currency. 

Seeking a bailout from the IMF seemed to be the only solution, and one that Tareen supported. But finance minister at the time, Asad Umar, was opposed to the idea, Khakwani said. 

Lengthy negotiations with the IMF kicked off and dragged on, with no agreement in sight when in April 2019, Umar, himself a close aide to the PM, was replaced as the finance minister in a surprise move. Insiders in the PTI say Umar’s tough talking with the IMF had put Tareen and other wealthy business owners at unease, afraid he would not be able to get the right deal to shore up the economy.

With Umar gone, the IMF approved a three-year, $6 billion loan a few months later, in July.
In an interview to Voice of America, science minister and close PM aide Chaudhry Fawad Hussain claimed it was indeed Tareen who had Umar removed from the finance ministry portfolio. When Umar returned to the cabinet in November as planning minister, Hussain said, the former finance chief launched his own efforts to have Tareen ousted from Khan’s inner circle.
“When Umar returned [to the cabinet],” the minister said, “he put in a lot of effort and had Tareen removed.” 
Umar and Tareen did not respond to repeated requests for comment. 

The final straw came when the sugar scam broke, and Khan personally pushed for a probe, and many government officials began to publicly distance themselves from Tareen.
“An inquiry is okay if it probes all 88 sugar mills in the country,” Khakwani said. “But only Tareen’s office was raided. His staff was humiliated.”
Come 2020, the wealthy businessman was seen as a liability that would hurt the PTI’s anti-corruption mantra and thus he was cast out of the prime minister’s palace, analysts say.
“It [the sugar report] was the government’s first major scandal where the government was accused of wrongdoing, in which those connected to the government were seen to have benefited,” political talk show host Arifa Noor said. “So the prime minister was criticized for his government being guilty of financial impropriety.”
Hamid Khan, a founding member of the PTI and a senior lawyer who is now largely estranged from PM Khan, said the PTI leader should have distanced himself from Tareen much sooner:

First, when an internal party report in 2015 demanded that Tareen be stripped of his post as PTI general secretary over his alleged role in rigging intra-party polls; and second, in 2018, when the Supreme Court declared Tareen “dishonest” and barred him from holding public office over corruption allegations.
But both times, Khan stood by Tareen.
“He always protected him,” Hamid Khan told Arab News. “Back in 2015, Khan told a gathering of the party that he cannot leave these people.”


Pakistan and Russia agree to establish new steel mill in Karachi — state media

Updated 7 sec ago
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Pakistan and Russia agree to establish new steel mill in Karachi — state media

  • The two countries have worked on deepening their ties in recent years, focusing on energy cooperation
  • Both sides also collaborated in the 1970s when the Soviet Union helped set up Pakistan Steel Mills

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia have agreed to establish a steel mill in Karachi, state media reported on Tuesday, aiming to boost bilateral ties and expand industrial collaboration between the two countries.

Their understanding reflects a broader deepening of Pakistan-Russia relations in recent years, including energy cooperation on oil and gas supplies. In 2023, the two sides worked on a deal for the delivery of Russian crude to Pakistan, and talks have continued on broader energy partnerships.

The two countries are also collaborating on the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline, a major infrastructure project aimed at transporting imported gas from Karachi to Punjab to help meet Pakistan’s energy needs.

The idea of the new steel mills was discussed during a meeting between Russian representative Denis Nazaroof and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Haroon Akhtar Khan.

“The primary focus of the discussion was the establishment of new steel mills in Pakistan,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.

The new project echoes the historic collaboration between the two sides in the 1970s, when the Soviet Union helped set up Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).

PSM was once the country’s largest industrial complex. However, the facility suffered decades of neglect, financial mismanagement, and political interference, ultimately shutting down production in 2015 after accumulating billions in losses.

“Pakistan is a secure and thriving hub for investment, and the international community has recognized its potential,” Khan said during the meeting.

“I invite all Russian businesspeople to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan,” he added.

Khan also emphasized the Prime Minister’s vision to attract foreign investment and underscored the potential for meaningful Pakistan-Russia cooperation in the steel sector.


China reaffirms support for lasting ceasefire between India and Pakistan after military standoff

Updated 38 min 59 sec ago
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China reaffirms support for lasting ceasefire between India and Pakistan after military standoff

  • China’s deputy foreign minister meets Pakistan’s envoy in Beijing to discuss regional tensions
  • He calls for a comprehensive ceasefire and offers his country’s support in achieving it

ISLAMABAD: China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong met with Pakistan’s envoy in Beijing to discuss tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi and expressed support for a lasting ceasefire, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The meeting followed a recent flare-up in hostilities between India and Pakistan, marked by cross-border missile, drone and artillery exchanges. The situation prompted international concern and calls for de-escalation.

According to a statement from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sun emphasized Beijing’s support for a sustainable ceasefire between the two South Asian neighbors during his meeting with Ambassador Khalil Hashmi.

“China welcomes and supports Pakistan and India achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire,” Sun said. “China is ready to continue to play a constructive role in this regard.”

China, a longstanding ally of Pakistan, has maintained a strategic diplomatic and defense relations with Islamabad.

During the recent hostilities in the region, reports indicated that Pakistan deployed Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets and PL-15 missiles in its military operations.

This marked the first known combat use of the J-10Cs, reflecting the potency of Chinese military hardware and highlighting Beijing’s significant role as Islamabad’s primary defense partner.

While China has expressed support for Pakistan, it has also called for restraint and dialogue.

In a statement issued earlier, the Chinese foreign ministry urged both India and Pakistan to prioritize peace and stability, remain calm and restrained and resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation.

The recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, brokered with international mediation, has also been welcomed by China.


Pakistan envoy at UN urges end to Gaza blockade, calls it collective punishment by starvation

Updated 14 May 2025
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Pakistan envoy at UN urges end to Gaza blockade, calls it collective punishment by starvation

  • Israel imposed the blockade in March, restricting entry of food, fuel and medical supplies
  • UN agencies warn nearly 470,000 people are facing significant levels of hunger in Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat at the United Nations on Tuesday called for an immediate end to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, labeling the restriction of humanitarian aid as a violation of international law and a form of collective punishment through mass starvation.

Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in the war-torn Palestinian territory, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed emphasized the dire consequences of the blockade, which has been in place since March this year.

The blockade has severely restricted the entry of food, fuel and medical supplies, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
According to the World Health Organization, the blockade has led to severe shortages of essential supplies, with reports indicating that approximately 470,000 people are facing significant levels of hunger.

“The blockade imposed since 2nd March must be lifted,” Ahmed said. “Humanitarian access is not a favor – it is a legal obligation. Aid convoys and medical teams must be protected and allowed to operate freely and safely.”

“The normalization of starvation as a weapon of war is a crime,” he continued. “Collective punishment must end, and accountability must be ensured. The Gaza Reconstruction Plan must be fully and actively supported, and no forced displacement of Gazans must be tolerated.”

The ambassador’s remarks come amid escalating concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The situation has been described as a deliberate starvation of a civilian population as a method of warfare by various humanitarian organizations.

UN agencies have reported that the blockade has resulted in the closure of bakeries and the depletion of food stocks, leaving the population with limited access to basic necessities.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has also highlighted the challenges faced in delivering aid, noting that humanitarian supplies have not entered Gaza for several weeks.

Ambassador Ahmed called upon the international community to take decisive action to alleviate the suffering of the Gazan people and to uphold the principles of international humanitarian law.


Trump calls for deeper India-Pakistan engagement, hails US role in ceasefire at Riyadh forum

Updated 14 May 2025
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Trump calls for deeper India-Pakistan engagement, hails US role in ceasefire at Riyadh forum

  • The US president says he used trade as leverage to secure the ceasefire, a claim India denies
  • He asks Marco Rubio to help leaders of both countries ‘go out and have a nice dinner together’

ISLAMABAD: United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated he had brokered a “historic ceasefire” between India and Pakistan using trade as leverage, while urging his administration to help build diplomatic ties strong enough for the nuclear-armed rivals to someday “go out and have a nice dinner together.”

The statement came days after a major standoff between the two South Asian neighbors, which saw both sides exchange missile and drone attacks as well as artillery fire across the Line of Control in Kashmir.

Trump, who announced the ceasefire on Saturday, said it followed a night of intense diplomatic activity. Subsequently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed the two countries had agreed to hold talks at a neutral venue to discuss a broad range of outstanding issues.

Trump made the remarks about the ceasefire during his address to the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh, shortly after arriving in the Kingdom where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and senior Saudi officials. 

The visit also saw the signing of more than $300 billion in defense and economic deals.

“Just days ago, my administration successfully brokered a historic ceasefire to stop the escalating violence between India and Pakistan,” he said. “And I used trade to a large extent to do it and I said, ‘Fellas, come on, let’s make a deal. Let’s do some trading. Let’s not trade nuclear missiles. Let’s trade the things that you make so beautifully.’”

Trump praised the efforts of his top aides, including Vice President JD Vance and Rubio, and called the leadership in both India and Pakistan “strong and smart.”

“Maybe we can even get them together a little bit, Marco, where they go out and have a nice dinner together,” he added. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

He warned that the recent crisis, which he said “started off small,” had the potential to spiral into a broader conflict with devastating consequences.

“Millions of people could have died,” he said.

India, however, negated shortly before Trump’s speech that trade was a factor in the US-mediated truce.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, confirmed that top leaders in New Delhi and Washington remained in close contact during the standoff, but denied that trade was discussed.

“The issue of trade didn’t come up in any of these discussions,” he said, referring to calls between Vance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as between Rubio and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

With input from AP


First batch of 633 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to reach Jeddah today, ministry says

Updated 13 May 2025
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First batch of 633 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims to reach Jeddah today, ministry says

  • Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operation on Apr. 29 which will continue till May 31
  • Around 29,000 Pakistani pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage

ISLAMABAD: The first batch of 633 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims is set to arrive in Saudi Arabia today, Wednesday, via two separate flights from Islamabad under the Road to Makkah Initiative, the Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs said.

This year’s annual pilgrimage is expected to take place between June 4 and June 9, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis expected to travel to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme and 23,620 Pakistanis through private tour operators.

Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operation on Apr. 29 which will continue till May 31. Pilgrims continued to leave for Madinah during the first 15 days of the operation until May 13 and now, they will land in Jeddah and travel directly to Makkah.

“Under this phase, the first PIA flight, PK-741, carrying 305 guests of Allah Almighty (intending pilgrims), is scheduled to land at King Abdulaziz International Airport at 10:10am while the second flight, PK-759, carrying 328 pilgrims, will arrive at 6:55pm,” the ministry quoted Pakistan’s Director-General Hajj Abdul Wahab Soomro as saying.

The Makkah Route Initiative is designed to streamline immigration processes by enabling pilgrims to complete official travel formalities at their departure airports. Initially tested in Islamabad in 2019, the program was later expanded to Karachi, benefitting tens of thousands of Pakistani travelers. This saves pilgrims several hours upon arrival in the Kingdom, as they can simply enter the country without having to go through immigration again.

Around 29,000 Pakistani pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia. Of them, 14,000 are currently in the holy city of Makkah and 15,000 in Madinah. For the first time, Pakistani Hajj pilgrims will have access to fully air-conditioned camps in Mina and will be accommodated in top-of-the-line hotels and buildings in the Azizia and Batha Quraish neighborhoods, according to the religious affairs ministry.

They will receive a specially designed bag containing the Pakistani flag, a QR code for identification, and relevant information. A mobile app will provide access to Hajj group information, training schedules, flight details, accommodation details, and live maps and locations during the pilgrimage.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has also launched mobile apps like Nusuk, Hajj Navigator, Tawakkalna and Asefny to streamline Hajj services, with the aim to make the pilgrimage experience smoother by offering real-time guidance and ensuring pilgrim safety.