Trump refugee embargo cancels hope for Afghan migrants in Pakistan

Trump refugee embargo cancels hope for Afghan migrants in Pakistan
Afghan refugees hold placards during a meeting to discuss their situation after President Donald Trump paused US refugee programs, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on January 24, 2025. (AP)
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Updated 26 January 2025
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Trump refugee embargo cancels hope for Afghan migrants in Pakistan

Trump refugee embargo cancels hope for Afghan migrants in Pakistan
  • Trump’s order to pause admissions for 90 days starting Jan. 27 has blocked around 10,000 Afghans from entry in US
  • Tens of thousands more applications in process have also been frozen, according to a US-based non-profit AfghanEvac

ISLAMABAD: After working for years alongside the United States to combat the Taliban in Afghanistan, Zahra says she was just days from being evacuated to America when President Donald Trump suspended refugee admissions.

She sold her belongings as she awaited a flight out of Pakistan, where she has been embroiled in a three-year process applying for a refugee scheme Trump froze in one of his first acts back in office.

“We stood with them for the past 20 years, all I want is for them to stand up for the promise they made,” the 27-year-old former Afghanistan defense ministry worker told AFP from Islamabad.

“The only wish we have is to be safe and live where we can have peace and an ordinary human life,” she said, sobbing down the phone and speaking under a pseudonym to protect her identity.

The 2021 withdrawal of US-led troops from Kabul ended two decades of war but began a new exodus, as Afghans clamoured to escape Taliban government curbs and fears of reprisal for working with Washington.

Trump’s executive order to pause admissions for at least 90 days starting from January 27 has blocked around 10,000 Afghans approved for entry from starting new lives in the United States, according to non-profit #AfghanEvac.

Tens of thousands more applications in process have also been frozen, the US-based organization said.

“All sorts of people that stood up for the idea of America, now they’re in danger,” #AfghanEvac chief Shawn VanDiver told AFP.

“We owe it to them to get them out.”

Trump’s order said “the United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees,” and stopped the relocation scheme until it “aligns with the interests of the United States.”

But campaigners argue the country owes a debt to Afghans left in the lurch by their withdrawal — which Trump committed to in his first term but was overseen by his successor president Joe Biden.

A special visa program for Afghans who were employed by or on behalf of the United States remains active.

But the more wide-reaching refugee scheme was relied on by applicants including ex-Afghan soldiers and employees of the US-backed government, as well as their family members.

With America’s Kabul embassy shut, many traveled to neighboring Pakistan to enter paperwork, conduct interviews and undergo vetting.

Female applicants are fleeing the country where the Taliban government has banned them from secondary school and university, squeezed them from public life and ordered them to wear all-covering clothes.

“I had a lot of hopes for my sisters, that they should graduate from school and pursue education,” said one of five daughters of an ex-government employee’s family seeking resettlement from Pakistan.

“All my hopes are shattered,” said the 23-year-old. “I have nightmares and when I wake up in the morning, I feel like I can’t fall asleep again. I’m very anxious.”

The European Court of Justice ruled last year that Afghan women have the right to be recognized as refugees in the EU because Taliban government curbs on women “constitute acts of persecution.”

This week, the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor said he was seeking arrest warrants for Taliban government leaders because there are grounds to suspect they “bear criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds.”

Moniza Kakar, a lawyer who works with Afghan refugees in Pakistan, said some women told her they “prefer suicide than going back to Afghanistan.”

The Taliban government has announced an amnesty and encouraged those who fled to return to rebuild the country, presenting it as a haven of Islamic values.

But a 2023 report by UN rights experts said “the amnesty for former government and military officials is being violated” and there were “consistent credible reports of summary executions and acts tantamount to enforced disappearances.”

Last summer, Pakistan’s foreign ministry complained as many as 25,000 Afghans were in the country awaiting relocation to the United States.

Islamabad announced a sweeping campaign in 2023 to evict undocumented Afghans , ordering them to leave or face arrest as relations soured with the Taliban government.

At least 800,000 Afghans have left since October 2023, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.

But Afghans awaiting refugee relocation have also reported widespread harassment to leave by authorities in Pakistan.

A foreign ministry spokesman told reporters this week Trump’s administration had not yet communicated any new refugee policy to Pakistan.

Islamabad is following “the same old plan” where Washington has committed to taking in refugees this year, Shafqat Ali Khan said.

Afghans awaiting new lives abroad feel caught between a canceled future and the haunting prospect of returning to their homeland.

“I don’t have the option of returning to Afghanistan, and my situation here is dire,” said 52-year-old former Afghan journalist Zahir Bahand.

“There is no life left for me, no peace, no future, no visa, no home, no work: nothing is left for me.”


Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank, top mobile wallet team up to boost digital remittances

Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank, top mobile wallet team up to boost digital remittances
Updated 17 sec ago
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Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank, top mobile wallet team up to boost digital remittances

Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank, top mobile wallet team up to boost digital remittances
  • International transfers to be routed directly into JazzCash wallets under Dubai Islamic Bank tie-up
  • Partnership targets financial access for freelancers amid growth of Shariah-compliant digital banking

KARACHI: Dubai Islamic Bank Pakistan (DIBPL) and JazzCash, Pakistan’s largest mobile wallet provider, have partnered to streamline inward remittances and expand digital payment solutions for the country’s growing freelance economy, the two companies said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Karachi, DIBPL and JazzCash will enable international home remittances to be deposited directly into JazzCash mobile wallets through DIBPL’s global network. The collaboration will also focus on developing customized financial products for freelancers in Pakistan.

“This partnership with JazzCash is motivated by our commitment to deliver inclusive and innovative financial solutions,” Muhammad Ali Gulfaraz, CEO of DIBPL, said in a statement. 

“By combining our international and domestic scale with JazzCash’s extensive last-mile digital reach to millions of recipients, we aim to make remittances and digital transactions more accessible, secure, and aligned with the needs of a diverse customer base.”

JazzCash, a subsidiary of Jazz and a key player in Pakistan’s digital payments sector, has over 48 million registered users, according to Mobilink Microfinance Bank. It already serves over 25 percent of the country’s 2.3 million freelancers, according to company estimates.

“With over a quarter of Pakistan’s freelancers already relying on JazzCash for their payments, this partnership with DIBPL allows us to deepen our impact and build tailored solutions for a rapidly growing segment of the digital economy,” said Murtaza Ali, President of JazzCash. 

“Together, we are enabling more seamless cross-border transactions, particularly for freelancers who need fast, secure, and Shariah-compliant access to global payments.”

Pakistan’s Islamic banking sector has expanded rapidly over the past decade, now accounting for nearly 20 percent of the country’s banking assets, according to the State Bank of Pakistan. The combination of Shariah-compliant banking and mobile financial services has created new avenues for financial inclusion, particularly among unbanked populations.

The country also ranks among the top five recipients of remittances in South Asia, with overseas Pakistanis sending home over $27 billion annually. However, informal channels and limited access to formal banking continue to hinder financial inclusion.

With an increasing number of Pakistanis working as freelancers and remote workers for global clients, especially in IT, digital marketing and content creation, there is growing demand for reliable, fast, and regulatory-compliant payment solutions. 

Partnerships like the one announced Tuesday aim to address these gaps by integrating formal financial services with digital platforms, the firms said, adding that the collaboration reflects their commitment to advancing Pakistan’s digital economy while remaining within a Shariah-compliant and regulatory-compliant framework.


Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh

Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh
Updated 3 min 46 sec ago
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Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh

Injured Rauf and Shadab to miss Pakistan’s T20 series in Bangladesh
  • Haris Rauf injured a hamstring in Major League Cricket in the United States last week
  • Uncapped fast bowlers Ahmed Danial and Salman Mirza were picked in a 15-man squad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf and allrounder Shadab Khan were injured and will miss the Twenty20 series in Bangladesh this month.

Rauf injured a hamstring in Major League Cricket in the United States last week, and Shadab recently underwent shoulder surgery.

Uncapped fast bowlers Ahmed Danial and Salman Mirza were picked in a 15-man squad on Tuesday to supplement Abbas Afridi and fast bowling allrounder Faheem Ashraf.

Left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was also recalled after he was overlooked for the last home series against Bangladesh.

Spin allrounder Mohammad Nawaz has also made his way back into the national squad since last appearing in January 2024 against New Zealand, after impressive performance in the Pakistan Super League.

The three-match T20 series will be played in Mirpur from July 20-24.

Pakistan: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Sufiyan Muqeem.

 


Turkish foreign, defense ministers to visit Pakistan Wednesday

Turkish foreign, defense ministers to visit Pakistan Wednesday
Updated 52 min 29 sec ago
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Turkish foreign, defense ministers to visit Pakistan Wednesday

Turkish foreign, defense ministers to visit Pakistan Wednesday
  • Visit aims to deepen bilateral cooperation and boost defense industry ties, Turkish source says
  • Foreign Minister Fidan to offer support for regional peace and express solidarity with Pakistan

ANKARA: Turkiye’s foreign and defense ministers will visit Pakistan on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss bilateral ties, regional issues, and defense industry cooperation, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Tuesday.

Turkiye has strong ties with Pakistan and expressed solidarity with it during its military conflict with India in May, angering India.

During the visit, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will express Turkiye’s desire to deepen ties in every field and offer Ankara’s support in taking steps toward regional peace, the source said.

Fidan will stress the countries “need to strengthen their cooperation in the defense industry,” the source said.

Ankara also has cordial ties with India, but after its support for Pakistan, small Indian grocery shops and major online fashion retailers boycotted Turkish products, while New Delhi also canceled Turkiye-based aviation service provider Celebi clearance over “national security” reasons.


Pakistan to deploy AI, global experts in push to modernize agriculture

Pakistan to deploy AI, global experts in push to modernize agriculture
Updated 08 July 2025
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Pakistan to deploy AI, global experts in push to modernize agriculture

Pakistan to deploy AI, global experts in push to modernize agriculture
  • PM orders reform plan to increase yields, exports and climate resilience
  • Sector contributes 23% to GDP but lags behind in technology and output

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed authorities to harness artificial intelligence and international expertise to overhaul Pakistan’s struggling agriculture sector, which employs more than a third of the national labor force but suffers from declining productivity and growing climate stress.

Pakistan’s agriculture sector, despite accounting for nearly 23 percent of GDP and employing around 37 percent of the workforce, continues to face low yields, water inefficiency, outdated farming practices and limited mechanization.

“To ensure effective use of artificial intelligence and modern technology in agriculture, benefit should be taken from the services of internationally renowned experts,” Sharif said while chairing a high-level review meeting in Islamabad on Monday, according to an official statement.

Pakistan’s agriculture sector faces a host of structural challenges that artificial intelligence and modern technology could help address. These include low per-acre yields due to outdated farming techniques, inefficient water use, erratic weather patterns worsened by climate change and limited access to quality seeds and real-time crop data. 

Farmers often lack timely information on pests, soil health and weather forecasts, leading to avoidable losses. AI-powered tools, such as satellite imaging, predictive analytics, and precision irrigation systems, can optimize resource use, improve forecasting, and boost productivity — critical for a sector that lags behind regional benchmarks in output and resilience.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Sharif called for a “comprehensive short- and long-term action plan” to modernize farming through advanced machinery, quality seed, crop zoning and easy loans for farmers.

The PM said revitalizing agriculture would require activating state research centers and bringing in private sector support to drive innovation.

“Modern research must be ensured in agricultural research centers through public-private partnership,” he said, directing officials to improve per-acre crop yields and promote the value-added processing of farm goods for export.

With the country among the most climate-vulnerable in the world, the prime minister also ordered the adoption of “climate-resistant seeds and modern farming methods” to protect food security. He said farmers should be supported in adapting to changing conditions, especially in flood-hit provinces like Sindh and Balochistan.

He instructed that new cotton farming zones be mapped in consultation with provincial governments, keeping in view changing rainfall and temperature patterns.

“After detailed consultation with the provincial government, comprehensive planning should be done for cotton farming in new suitable areas, especially in Sindh and Balochistan,” Sharif said.

In a move aimed at diversifying Pakistan’s energy sources, the prime minister also called for research into biofuel production using agricultural inputs.

“Research and planning should be done to include biofuels in the country’s energy mix,” he said.

Sharif directed that farmers and key stakeholders be brought into the policy process and coordination with provincial governments be strengthened for the effective rollout of reforms.


Facing price surge, Pakistan turns to sugar imports to ease consumer strain

Facing price surge, Pakistan turns to sugar imports to ease consumer strain
Updated 08 July 2025
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Facing price surge, Pakistan turns to sugar imports to ease consumer strain

Facing price surge, Pakistan turns to sugar imports to ease consumer strain
  • Federal cabinet approves import of 500,000 metric tons of sugar through public sector 
  • Government decision is aimed at stabilizing prices, preventing market manipulation and hoarding

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved the import of 500,000 metric tons of sugar through the public sector to stabilize prices and prevent market manipulation, the Ministry of National Food Security announced on Tuesday, signaling an urgent intervention to cushion consumers from rising costs amid growing political and economic pressure.

The move comes at a time when sugar prices have surged to nearly Rs200 per kilogram in parts of the country, triggering public concern and drawing political heat.

In Pakistan, escalating sugar prices have historically triggered public outcry and become flashpoints for opposition criticism, with allegations of hoarding and cartelization frequently surfacing in election years or periods of economic volatility.

“All arrangements for the import have been finalized, and immediate implementation is now underway,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The decision represents a departure from previous governments’ approach, where artificial shortages were often created, placing a burden on the national exchequer through subsidies,” it continued.

Earlier, the government had allowed sugar exports, but it said in the statement the decision was taken when the domestic sugar supplies were abundant.

Faced with volatile market conditions now, it continued, the government is stepping in to stabilize prices and ensure uninterrupted availability of the essential commodity.

The ministry maintained the aim of the intervention was to strike a balance in prices and protect consumers from the effects of speculative trading and artificial scarcity.