KHAPLU, GILGIT-BALTISTAN: Prominent Pakistani women mountaineers Naila Kiani and Samina Baig on Sunday summited the country’s second-highest mountain, Nanga Parbat, making the former the first Pakistani woman climber to achieve the feat.
Nicknamed the “Killer Mountain,” Nanga Parbat stands at 8,125 meters (26,660 feet) and is recognized as the world’s ninth-highest peak and Pakistan’s second-highest. Several climbers have in the past died attempting to summit the towering mountain, among them Italian Daniele Nardi and Briton Tom Ballard who went missing and were later declared dead in 2019.
With her latest feat, Kiani became the first Pakistani woman to summit the peak and the first Pakistani female climber to summit seven out of the 14 eight-thousander mountains in the world. Baig and Kiani achieve the feat with over a dozen national and international climbers who summited Nanga Parbat.
“Today on July 2, 2023, at 10:18 a.m., Naila Kiani scaled the majestic Nanga Parbat, standing tall at an inspirational height of the eight-thousander,” Karrar Haidri, the secretary-general of the Alpine Club of Pakistan — a non-government organization that promotes mountaineering — said in a statement.
“Naila has now ascended seven of the enormous 8,000-meter peaks on the planet, establishing her as one of the most talented climbers of our time,” Haidri added.
Speaking to Arab News, Haideri said:
“Samina Baig and Naila Kiani are both strong climbers and they are making the name of our country proud.”
Prior to this feat, Kiani has summited the legendary Mount Everest, the difficult K2, the commanding Lhotse, the perilous Annapurna, the elusive G1, and the G2 in Pakistan.
With her latest feat, Baig has now summited three out of the 14 eight-thousanders in the world. According to Haidri, Wajid Ullah Nagri and ten other international climbers summited Nanga Parbat on Sunday with Baig and Kiani.
“They overcame hazardous terrain, severe weather, and a plethora of challenges thanks to their undying determination, talent, and teamwork,” he said. “Their success serves as both a source of motivation for aspirant climbers and proof of the unflappable spirit of human endeavor,” the statement added.
Last month, 23 climbers from Norway, Russia, the United States, Switzerland, France, Turkiye, Mexico, Nepal and Pakistan summited Nanga Parbat.
Pakistani women climbers Naila Kiani, Samina Baig summit ‘Killer Mountain’ Nanga Parbat
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Pakistani women climbers Naila Kiani, Samina Baig summit ‘Killer Mountain’ Nanga Parbat
- Naila Kiani becomes first Pakistani woman to summit seven out of 14 eight-thousander mountains
- Kiani and Samina Baig achieve summit Nanga Parbat with other a dozen local, international climbers
PM says Azerbaijan has reaffirmed commitment to invest $2 billion in Pakistan
- Sharif made the remarks as he left the city of Lachin in Azerbaijan and flew onwards to Tajikistan
- Tajikistan is the last stop in a five-day regional diplomacy tour that also took Sharif to Turkiye and Iran
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said this week Azerbaijan had reaffirmed its commitment to invest $2 billion in Pakistan and would increase cooperation in spheres such as commerce, defense, education and health.
Sharif made the remarks as he left the city of Lachin in Azerbaijan on Wednesday evening and flew onwards to Tajikistan, the last stop in a five-day regional diplomacy tour that also took him to Turkiye and Iran.
“We have discussed joint cooperation in the fields of trade, commerce, investments,” Sharif said after meeting President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan.
“He again reiterated his commitment to invest $2 billion in Pakistan and … have more coordination in commerce, defense production, education and health and many other areas.”
On Wednesday, Sharif, Aliyev and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had met for a trilateral summit in Lachin and pledged to work together for the goal of economic development and regional prosperity and to turn their brotherhood into a “strategic partnership.”
Turkiye is a longtime ally of Pakistan, while Baku and Islamabad have moved closer in recent years with a flurry of visits and bilateral agreements.
Erdogan and Aliyev had also openly pledged support for Pakistan and expressed solidarity during its latest military confrontation with archrival India earlier this month.
“Political, valid economic, energy, mutual investment, transportation, defense, agriculture, information, technology, and other spheres are the ones where there are ample opportunities to advance cooperation through joint projects,” Aliyev said as he addressed Wednesday’s summit, adding that Azerbaijan had invested over $20 billion in the Turkish economy and was prepared to invest $2 billion into Pakistan’s.
He also said Azerbaijan envisaged closer cooperation with Pakistan’s defense industry.
“We do believe there is great potential and it’s of great importance. Joint military exercises and projects in the defense industry amplify the potential of our armed forces or defense cooperation ensures peace and stability across a vast geography,” Aliyev said.
There have been widespread reports in recent weeks that Azerbaijan may have dramatically increased its procurement from Pakistan of JF-17 “Thunder” light multirole fighter aircraft from an initial 16 units to a staggering 40, in a deal reportedly valued at $4.2 billion.
The aircraft in question are said to be the latest and most advanced iteration of the JF-17 family— Block III— a 4.5-generation fighter co-developed by Pakistan and China and hailed as one of the most cost-effective combat aircraft in the current global market.
International UN Peacekeepers Day: Pakistan remembers 181 of its own lost in line of duty
- Over 235,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have served in 48 UN missions worldwide in seven-decade history of UN peacekeeping
- May 29 marks creation of UN Truce Supervision Organization in 1948 to monitor ceasefire after 1948 Arab-Israeli War
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan joined the international community in celebrating the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers today, Thursday, the prime minister’s office said in a message, paying tribute to 181 Pakistanis who had been killed in the line of duty.
The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, May 29, is “an international day to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication, and courage and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.”
“In the seven-decade history of UN peacekeeping missions, more than 235,000 Pakistani peacekeepers have rendered distinguished service in 48 UN missions around the world,” PM Shehbaz Sharif said in a message.
“181 Pakistani peacekeepers have made the eternal sacrifice of their lives in achieving international peace and security.”
Sharif said the international day was an opportune occasion to review the many challenges facing UN peacekeeping, such as increasingly unilateral policies, financial sanctions, growing threats to the safety and security of UN peacekeepers, targeting of UN peacekeeping operations based on disinformation, and the destabilizing effects of new and emerging technologies.
In an effort to address these challenges, Pakistan, along with the Republic of Korea, co-hosted the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in Islamabad last month with the theme, “Towards a Safer and More Effective Peace: Using Technology and an Integrated Approach”.
Pakistan also hosts the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), one of the oldest UN peacekeeping missions, tasked with monitoring the ceasefire along the Line of Control in the UN-recognized disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The date, May 29, for the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, marks the anniversary of the creation of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in 1948 to monitor the ceasefire after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, which was the first ever UN peacekeeping mission.
Pakistan’s crypto and blockchain chief unveils country’s first strategic bitcoin reserve
- Bilal bin Saqib announced establishment of national Bitcoin wallet holding digital assets already in state custody
- Strategic bitcoin reserve is a reserve asset, funded by US Treasury’s forfeited bitcoin, announced by Trump in March 2025
ISLAMABAD: Bilal Bin Saqib, Pakistan’s minister for crypto and blockchain and the CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), unveiled the country’s first government-led strategic bitcoin reserve at Bitcoin Vegas 2025, his office said on Thursday.
The strategic bitcoin reserve is a reserve asset, funded by the United States Treasury’s forfeited bitcoin, announced by President Donald Trump in March 2025. The reserve will be capitalized with bitcoin already owned by the federal government. The United States is the largest known state holder of bitcoin in the world, estimated to hold about 200,000 BTC, as of March 2025.
At Bitcoin 2025, the biggest bitcoin conference in the United States which is underway in Las Vegas, Saqib unveiled “the country’s first government-led Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, and with it, a radically new vision of Pakistan on the global map,” his office said in a statement.
“Bilal announced the establishment of a national Bitcoin wallet, holding digital assets already in state custody — not for sale or speculation, but as a sovereign reserve signaling long-term belief in decentralized finance.”
Pakistan set up the PCC in March, with Saqib, 34, as the CEO, to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading in a bid to lure international investment. Last month, Pakistan introduced its first-ever policy framework, created by a special government group under the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Terrorism Financing (CTF) authority, to set rules for how digital money like cryptocurrencies and the companies that deal in it should operate in Pakistan. The policy has been formulated to align with compliance and financial integrity guidelines of the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Earlier this month, the government also approved setting up the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA), a specialized regulatory body to oversee blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Speaking during his keynote at Bitcoin 2025, the PCC CEO highlighted that Pakistan had over 40 million crypto wallets, a median age of 23, and one of the largest and most active freelancer economies in the world.
“Saqib revealed that the government of Pakistan has allocated 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity in Phase 1 for Bitcoin mining and AI data centers, opening doors to sovereign miners, tech firms, and clean energy partners around the world,” the statement said.
Saqib is also leading the creation of the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority (PDAA) “to empower builders, protect investors, and formalize digital finance frameworks for the future.”
“This wasn’t just a policy moment, it was a rebranding of a nation,” Saqib said at Bitcoin 2025, which featured speakers including White House officials, US lawmakers and crypto industry executives. This year’s keynote speaker was US Vice President JD Vance.
Digital assets have enjoyed a resurgence under President Trump, who courted cash from the crypto industry on the campaign trail by pledging to be a “crypto president.” In his first week in office, Trump ordered the creation of a cryptocurrency working group to propose digital asset regulations. In March, he hosted a group of crypto executives at the White House.
Congress is considering legislation to create a regulatory framework for stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency pegged to the US dollar. The crypto industry has lobbied lawmakers to pass legislation creating new rules for digital assets and spent more than $119 million backing pro-crypto congressional candidates in last year’s elections.
Pakistanis among foreign students wary as Trump expands crackdown on elite universities
- Trump’s crackdown is prompting some international students to abandon applications to campuses in the United States
- Sial, Harvard student from Pakistan, says foreign students like him were “made to fight this battle which no one signed up for”
Cambridge, United States: Donald Trump’s expanding crackdown on elite universities is prompting some international students to abandon applications to campuses in the United States and spreading stress and anxiety among those already enrolled.
The president has upended the country’s reputation among foreign students, who number around one million, as he presses a campaign against US universities he sees as obstructing his “Make America Great Again” populist agenda.
He has blocked Harvard hosting international scholars in a maneuver being challenged legally, targeted non-citizen campus activists for deportation, and most recently suspended student visa processing across the board.
Harvard applied mathematics and economic student Abdullah Shahid Sial, 20, said the Trump administration’s campaign against US universities that the president accused of being hotbeds of liberal bias and anti-Semitism had been “dehumanizing.”
“It’s really unfortunate that this is the case for 18, 19, and 20-year-olds who came here without any family, and in most cases, haven’t been to the US before,” said Sial, who is from Pakistan and hopes to be able to return to Harvard next academic year.
Sial said he advised acquaintances to have backup plans if US colleges became inaccessible, and that a friend applied to Harvard’s law school, as well as Columbia’s, and two less reputable British institutions — ultimately opting to go to the UK.
“He definitely liked Harvard way more (but) he doesn’t want this amount of uncertainty surrounding his education,” Sial said.
Karl Molden, a Harvard government and classics student from Austria, said Trump’s move to block the university from hosting and enrolling foreign students meant he was unsure if he would be able to return after summer vacation.
While that decision — affecting some 27 percent of the overall Harvard population — was paused by a judge pending a hearing Thursday, the move still threw student plans into chaos.
“I kind of figured I would be in the target group of Trump. I’m personally right in the middle of it, so an option for me would be to study abroad... I have applied to study at Oxford because of all the action” taken by Trump, said Molden, 21.
“It’s just really hard”
Harvard academics say they have already started to feel the impact of Trump’s vendetta against the school, in feedback from colleagues based outside the United States.
“I’ve already heard this from professors in other countries who say ‘we encourage our best students to go to the United States’,” Harvard professor Ryan Enos told AFP at a noisy rally against Trump’s policies Tuesday, adding “we wonder if we can tell them that anymore.”
The halt to visa processing revealed this week is reportedly to allow for more stringent screening of applicants’ social media — and protest activity.
“International students already represent the most tracked and vetted category of nonimmigrants in the United States. It is a poor use of taxpayer dollars,” said the NAFSA Association of International Educators non-profit.
Trump, meanwhile, continued his assault on Harvard, saying university leaders have “got to behave themselves.
“Harvard is treating our country with great disrespect, and all they’re doing is getting in deeper and deeper,” he said Wednesday in the White House.
One Spanish student of politics and statistics, who declined to be named for fear of retaliation, told AFP she would not be deterred from pursuing her planned year abroad at Columbia University.
“It’s scary, because we think to ourselves that all our activity on social networks could be monitored, for example, if we like pro-Palestinian posts or anti-Trump posts. All of that could see us denied a visa,” she said.
Students due to return to Harvard after the summer break are in limbo pending a ruling on Harvard’s exclusion from the foreign student system.
“I’m completely in the dark,” said 20-year-old Alfred Williamson, a Welsh-Danish physics and government student in his second year at Harvard.
“As for my other options, and like all other international students, I’m just clinging on to the hope that Harvard will win this battle against the White House.”
Sial, the Harvard student from Pakistan, said foreign students like him were “made to fight this battle which no one signed up for.”
“It’s really unfortunate that it’s come down to that.”
International rights bodies write joint letter to Pakistani PM calling for releases of Baloch activists
- Dr. Mahrang Baloch, one of the leading campaigners for Baloch minority, was arrested in March on charges of terrorism, sedition
- In Balochistan, impoverished province that borders Afghanistan and Iran, security forces are battling a growing separatist insurgency
ISLAMABAD: Amnesty International along with four other human rights organizations on Wednesday wrote to the Pakistani prime minister, calling for an end to the “harassment and arbitrary detention” of Baloch human rights defenders (HRDs) exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, particularly in Balochistan province.
The letter comes in the wake of Dr. Mahrang Baloch, one of the leading campaigners for the Baloch minority and the leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), and a number of other activists, being arrested in March on charges of terrorism, sedition and murder.
Security forces are battling a growing insurgency in Balochistan, an impoverished province that borders Afghanistan and Iran. Rights groups say the violence has been countered with a severe crackdown that has swept up innocent people. Authorities deny heavy handedness.
“All five organizations — Amnesty International, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Front Line Defenders, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organization Against Torture — appeal to Pakistan’s Prime Minister to release Baloch human rights defenders and end the crackdown on dissent in line with Pakistan’s international human rights obligations,” Amnesty Internation said on X, sharing a copy of the joint letter.
The joint letter called on the government to take the following steps:
Immediately and unconditionally release all Baloch HRDs and their family members “arbitrarily detained solely for peacefully exercising their rights in line with the right to liberty and safety”; drop all charges against them; pending their release, ensure the safety of HRDs and family members, including by sharing accurate information about their whereabouts, providing effective access to family members, legal counsel and medical treatment; conduct a thorough, impartial, effective and transparent investigation into the allegations of torture and mistreatment by Pakistani authorities of Baloch HRDs under detention; end the crackdown against HRDs, journalists, protesters and dissidents by ensuring their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fully protected; cease all forms of reprisals against family members of HRDs; and conduct an “effective, prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into the unlawful use of force” against protesters including Dr. Baloch on March 21 in Quetta and bring those suspected of responsibility to justice through fair trials.
Activists say in the crackdown against militancy in Balochistan, authorities have harassed and even carried out extrajudicial killings of Baloch civilians. Pakistani authorities reject the “baseless allegations.”
A dozen UN experts called on Pakistan in March to immediately release Baloch rights defenders, including Dr. Baloch, and to end the repression of their peaceful protests. UN special rapporteur for human rights defenders Mary Lawlor said she was “disturbed by reports of further mistreatment in prison.”
Balochistan is the site of a long-running separatist movement, with insurgent groups accusing the state of unfairly exploiting Balochistan’s rich gas and mineral resources. The federal and provincial governments deny this, saying they are spending billions of rupees on the uplift of the province’s people.
