‘Without hope’: Crackdown rattles Afghans in Pakistan

In this photo taken on September 21, 2023, Afghan women walk through an Afghan refugee camp in Karachi. (AFP)
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Updated 28 September 2023
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‘Without hope’: Crackdown rattles Afghans in Pakistan

  • At least 700 Afghans have been arrested since early September in Karachi alone and hundreds more in the other cities
  • People accuse police of extorting money and ignoring legal documents, while pointing to anti-Afghan sentiment in Pakistan

KARACHI: The cow had been slaughtered and bags of rice purchased but young bride Wahida’s nuptials were cut short when her groom was arrested on their wedding day, one of hundreds caught in a recent crackdown on Afghans living in Pakistan.
The 20-year-old now lives with her in-laws at the Afghan MuHajjir aid camp in the port mega-city of Karachi but without her husband-to-be, a registered refugee.
“We are without hope,” the groom’s mother, Safar Gul, told AFP. “The police took away our son. What can we do, they have the power.”
Faizur Rehman, 22, was arrested “just because he was Afghan,” another relative named Zulaikha said.
Afghans have poured into Pakistan in their millions during decades of successive wars, many living in aid camps with restricted access to education, health care and employment.




In this photo taken on September 21, 2023, an Afghan shopkeeper waits for customers at his shop at an Afghan refugee camp in Karachi. (AFP)

Around 1.3 million are registered refugees and 880,000 more have legal status to remain in Pakistan, according to the latest United Nations figures.
Police and politicians have said a recent round-up targets only those without legal status and is in response to rising crime and poor regulation of immigration that is straining resources.
At least 700 Afghans have been arrested since early September in Karachi alone — 10 times more than in August — and hundreds more in the other cities, according to official police figures.
Afghans say the arrests have been indiscriminate.
They accuse police of extorting money and ignoring legal documents, while pointing to rising anti-Afghan sentiment as prolonged economic hardship burdens Pakistani households and tensions rise between Islamabad and Kabul’s new Taliban government.




In this photo taken on September 21, 2023, Afghan children pose for photos at an Afghan refugee camp in Karachi. (AFP)

“We have been working day and night getting people released,” said Habibur Rehman, who fled Afghanistan in the 1980s during Soviet rule but now represents the Afghan government’s refugee ministry at the camp.
“There have been crackdowns every three, four years, but this time has been the worst.”
An estimated 600,000 Afghans have arrived since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in August 2021 and imposed their austere version of sharia or Islamic law.
Lawyers have said the police operation has been complicated by registration cards for vast numbers of documented Afghans expiring at the end of June, although their status remains in place until the government rules on their renewal.
Naqibullah, who lives in a rudimentary house in the camp, said he and his father handed over 46,000 rupees ($160) to avoid jail after they were picked up by police, despite being documented refugees with permission to legally remain in Pakistan.




In this photo taken on September 21, 2023, Afghan girls read the Qur'an at an Afghan refugee camp in Karachi. (AFP)

They were advised to keep a low profile to avoid re-arrest and stay away from the kiosk they run outside the camp.
“Leaving our business behind is never an easy decision but the fear is so overwhelming that I can’t even venture out to the market. We have no choice but to remain at home,” he said.
Pakistani lawyer Moniza Kakar said she can do little for Afghans who do not have documents, and that those recently deported include the sick and poor, as well as human rights defenders and women students.
More than 1,800 Afghans were deported from Karachi last year, city police said, and nearly 1,700 have been arrested so far in 2023.
But Kakar, along with the several other lawyers giving free legal help to Afghans, said the vast majority in this sweep are documented, compared to roughly a quarter rounded up in past crackdowns.
“Our action is purely aimed at illegal immigrants,” Karachi police chief Khadim Rind told AFP, adding that allegations of arrests of legal document holders and bribe-taking should be investigated.




In this photo taken on September 21, 2023, Karachi police chief Khadim Hussain Rind speaks during an interview with AFP in Karachi. (AFP)

Afghan consul general Syed Abdul Jabbar said Afghans in Pakistan were paying the price for disputes between Kabul and Islamabad.
Relations have soured since the Taliban government seized power, with a sharp rise in militant attacks along Pakistan’s border that Islamabad alleges are being planned on Afghan soil — a charge Kabul denies.
A long-running border dispute has also seen key trade crossings closed for days.
But these issues should be “sorted out at the negotiating table,” Jabber said. “A crackdown on Afghans is the wrong approach.”




In this photo taken on September 21, 2023, Consulate general of Afghanistan Syed Abdul Jabbar talks with AFP during an interview in Karachi. (AFP)

The pressure has seen some families sell what they can and return to Afghanistan, refugee community leaders said. Others were reluctant to uproot their lives to return to a country mired in its own economic crisis, despite the end of decades of fighting.
Day laborer Habib has been a refugee in Pakistan for more than half his life but says he lost his documentation several years ago.
“I have lived with more freedom here than in our own country,” the 76-year-old told AFP.
“We don’t have documents and we are afraid they will give us trouble, but we are obeying the law,” he said. “If they don’t forcefully kick us out, we won’t go to Afghanistan.”
 


Pakistan’s Sindh to procure 1,000 ‘pink’ electric motorcycles to encourage women empowerment

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Pakistan’s Sindh to procure 1,000 ‘pink’ electric motorcycles to encourage women empowerment

  • Women driving motorcycles is rare in conservative Pakistan, where many are deprived of education, work opportunities 
  • Applicants must be students or employed, have two-wheeler license and be residents of Sindh, says Chief Minister’s House

KARACHI: The provincial government in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Thursday announced it would procure 1,000 pink electric motorcycles for women to encourage female mobility and provide them with sustainable transportation, a statement from the Chief Minister’s House said. 

Women driving motorcycles is rare in conservative Pakistan, where men in many households are the breadwinners while women tend to chores at home. Women driving cars or riding pillion on two-wheelers driven by a male relative is more socially acceptable in the country. 

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting of the provincial government’s senior ministers, advisers and special assistants to review provincial matters on Thursday. During the meeting, Shah was told that the Transport and Sindh Mass Transit Authority (T&MTD) plans to launch a program aimed at enhancing female mobility through sustainable transportation.

“This initiative will introduce approximately 1,000 electric motorcycles for women, which will be allocated through an open and transparent balloting process,” the CM House said.

“The initiative requires Rs300 million to be obtained outside the budget.”

The cabinet also noted that an increasing number of women worldwide are opting for electric motorcycles as their primary mode of transport for daily commuting. 

“Key factors driving this demand include greater mobility, cost-effectiveness compared to cars or public transport, eco-friendliness, and minimal maintenance,” the statement said. 

The CM House said electric bike provide women independence, promote economic empowerment, break gender stereotypes and improve safety and security for them.

Applicants must be permanent residents of Sindh, a student or a “working female,” and hold a valid two-wheeler driving license. 

The applicant also cannot sell the electric motorcycle for a period of seven years, the statement said. 


UAE-based company founded by Pakistanis to back AI-first ventures with $100 million investment

Updated 27 February 2025
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UAE-based company founded by Pakistanis to back AI-first ventures with $100 million investment

  • Disrupt.com says $100 million commitment to focus on AI, cybersecurity, Web3.0, automotive technology and retail innovation
  • Company says it partners with ambitious entrepreneurs to build, scale and invest in high-potential, globally focused tech startups

KARACHI: A venture builder company with its headquarters in the UAE and founded by Pakistani entrepreneurs, Disrupt.com, announced a $100 million commitment to build and back AI-first ventures worldwide on Thursday. 
Founded initially in 2008 as “Gaditek” in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi by three entrepreneurs named Aaqib Gadit, Uzair Gadit, and Umair Gadit, venture builder and investor Disrupt.com says it partners with ambitious entrepreneurs to build, scale and invest in high-potential, globally focused technology startups. 
“Today, Disrupt.com— founded by Aaqib Gadit, Uzair Gadit, and Umair Gadit— has announced a $100 million commitment to build and back AI-first technology ventures worldwide,” the company said in a statement. 
Disrupt.com said that since it began operations, the company has deployed over $40 million into its portfolio, supporting a mix of startups that it “built from scratch, co-built with external founders, and invested in as strategic backers.”
“The $100 million commitment announced by Disrupt.com will focus on five key areas: artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, Web3.0, automotive technology, and retail innovation,” it said.
Web3 is an umbrella term for technologies like blockchain that decentralize data ownership and control on the Internet.
“By targeting pre-seed to Series A stage startups with strong organic growth potential and clear paths to profitability, the venture builder aims to create sustainable businesses that will shape the future of industries worldwide,” it added. 
Aaqib Gadit said now is the time to start “doubling down” on investing in the next wave of startups that will shape the future of the world. 
“With Web 3.0 in its infancy and AI storming into our lives, the opportunity to problem solve and create businesses that will fit the needs of how people live and work is up for the taking,” he said in a statement shared by Disrupt.com.
Uzair Gadit said the big moves in AI and tech always come from either China or the US.
“We believe that MENA and Pakistan have a key role to play in this transformation,” he said. 
Disrupt.com says its portfolio already includes ZigChain, a Web3.0 platform with 500,000+ users and hundreds of millions in managed assets, and PureSquare, a cybersecurity venture. 
The company says it has also made strategic investments in AI-focused startups such as Agentnoon, an organizational transformation platform, and Ahya, a climate action scaling tool.


Pakistan approves FIFA’s proposed amendments to lift international suspension

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan approves FIFA’s proposed amendments to lift international suspension

  • FIFA suspended Pakistan on Feb. 6 after South Asian country rejected electoral reforms 
  • Pakistan hopes move would pave way for team to play in Asian Cup qualifiers in March 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Thursday unanimously approved FIFA’s proposed constitutional amendments in an extraordinary meeting in Lahore, the body said, as it attempts to return to international soccer again.
FIFA hit Pakistan on Feb. 6 with a third international suspension in less than eight years after the federation rejected electoral reforms. 
Attendees at the Extraordinary Congress called by the PFF in Lahore included officials from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation.
“The congress members endorsed the FIFA proposed amendments in the best interest of Pakistan football, paving the way for the national team’s participation in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers following the expected lifting of FIFA’s suspension,” the PFF said in a statement.
The global football governing body warned the suspension would only be lifted subject to the PFF Congress “approving the PFF Constitution’s version presented by FIFA and the AFC [Asian Football Confederation].”
The PFF said it was hopeful the suspension would be lifted in time for Pakistan to play Syria on Mar. 25 in its first qualifier for the 2027 Asian Cup.


Nearly weeklong closure of Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing disrupts trade, traffic

Updated 27 February 2025
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Nearly weeklong closure of Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing disrupts trade, traffic

  • Pakistan shut down over dispute concerning Afghanistan’s construction of border post on Feb. 21
  • Since then 5,000 trucks and vehicles carrying perishable goods have been stranded on both sides

PESHAWAR, Pakistan: A nearly weeklong closure of a key crossing on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border has disrupted bilateral trade and the movement of people, causing financial losses to traders and leaving people stranded in harsh winter conditions, officials said Thursday.

The Torkham border crossing has remained closed since Feb. 21 after Pakistan shut it down over a dispute concerning Afghanistan’s construction of a border post.

Since then, more than 5,000 trucks and vehicles carrying goods, including fruits and vegetables, have been stranded on both sides, awaiting the reopening of the trade route, according to Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Torkham also serves as a vital corridor for transporting goods between Pakistan and Central Asian countries, and Sarhadi urged both countries to resolve their dispute so that bilateral trade and movement of people could resume.

At Torkham, truck driver Najeeb Ullah said that he was forced to sleep in his vehicle because he can’t leave it unguarded on the road.

“We request Pakistan and Afghanistan to have mercy on us, as we are suffering without any reason,” he told reporters.

Another driver, Mustafa Khan, said that he was hoping to return to his northwestern city of Peshawar after delivering a supply of cement in Afghan city Jalalabad, but “I am stuck here since Friday, and I have no idea for how many days we will have to face this trouble.”

Farhad Nusrat, an Afghan citizen, said that he was returning home with his mother and children, and the closure of the border crossing has forced them to spend their days and nights in the open area. He appealed to Pakistani authorities to reopen the border.

Authorities said that hundreds of Pakistanis were also stranded on the other side of the border.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistan. However, Abdul Jabbar Hikmat, the commissioner on the Afghan side of the border, confirmed the closure by Pakistan.

“Whenever Pakistani authorities conduct construction on their side, we say nothing. But whenever we do something, they close the border,” Hikmat said.

Border closures at Torkham are common because of disputes over new posts along the porous Durand Line, which Afghanistan has never officially recognized. Pakistan, meanwhile, has nearly completed a border fence to strengthen control.

The Torkham crossing is located on the edge of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Pakistani Taliban militants frequently target security forces.


Pakistan to host summit in April to seek investments in $6 trillion minerals sector 

Updated 27 February 2025
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Pakistan to host summit in April to seek investments in $6 trillion minerals sector 

  • Government’s National Minerals Harmonization Framework 2025 to be unveiled at summit 
  • Reko Diq mine is considered one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will host a minerals summit in April this year, state media reported on Thursday, as the cash-strapped South Asian nation seeks investments in its vast natural reserves estimated to be worth $6 trillion.

Pakistan has enormous reserves of minerals and natural resources, which the government hopes can become a key source of economic development in the future. The country has one of the world’s largest porphyry copper-gold mineral zones. The Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan has an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore. Barrick Gold, which owns a 50 percent stake in the Reko Diq mines, considers them one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas, and their development is expected to have a significant impact on Pakistan’s struggling economy. The Kalabagh iron ore deposits are the largest known deposits in the country.

Pakistan also has vast, untapped reserves of rare earth elements, industrial minerals, non-metallic resources, and gemstones. Northern regions like Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are believed to harbor lithium reserves as well.

State-run APP news agency said on Thursday the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan’s leading exploration and production (E&P) company, in collaboration with the government of Pakistan and strategic partners, would organize the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25) on April 8-9, 2025, in Islamabad. 

“The forum will serve as a premier platform for global stakeholders to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s emerging minerals sector and unlock the country’s vast mineral potential,” the media outlet reported. 

“During the event, the federal government will formally unveil Pakistan’s newly developed, investor-friendly National Minerals Harmonization Framework 2025 which aims to attract investment in the country’s mineral sector.”

Partners for the event include Barrick, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), Government Holdings (Private) Limited (GHPL), Pakistan Minerals Private Limited (PMPL), Frontier Works Organization (FWO), Mari Energies, and the Reko Diq Mining Company (RDMC).

PMIF25 will bring together high-level government representatives, foreign and local investors, leading corporations, policymakers, international diplomats, financial organizations, and industry experts to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s mining sector. 

“The event will highlight recent policy reforms, large-scale mining potential, and the country’s commitment to sustainable resource development, reinforcing its ambition to become a global mining hub,” APP said, calling the event a “transformative opportunity” for Pakistan’s mining sector that will help foster local and international partnerships and promote responsible mining practices.