ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Wednesday refuted a claim by the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) that the country had suspended its plan to repatriate illegal foreign immigrants, mostly Afghan nationals, following a deportation drive launched by the government last year.
The foreign office dismissed the assertion only a day after UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi concluded his three-day visit to Pakistan where he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Minister for States and Frontier Regions Amir Muqam, among other senior officials.
The UN refugee agency said in a statement Grandi called for the timely extension of the Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, a critical identity document held by over 1.3 million Afghans that legalizes their status in the country.
The UN agency said its visiting official expressed appreciation that the repatriation plan for illegal foreigners had been “suspended,” seeking assurances it would remain on hold. When asked about the development, however, foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch rejected the claim.
“That’s not true,” she said response. “It may be noted that no such understanding has been given by Pakistan to the UNHCR, including in recent meetings with the High Commissioner for Refugees.”
Baloch added the repatriation program remained in place and was being “implemented in an orderly and phased manner.”
The UN agency said its top official offered to work toward a dialogue over the issue later this year, promising to bring together key stakeholders to develop a package of solutions that could benefit both the Afghan refugees and the host country.
“In the meantime, as Pakistan continues to host some 3 million Afghans, all solutions need to be explored in addition to voluntary repatriation, including third-country resettlement and longer-term solutions within Pakistan,” the UNHCR added.
Meanwhile, the Afghan embassy said in a social media post that Kabul’s acting envoy in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmed Shakeeb, told Grandi in a meeting that refugees from his country were suffering due to a lack of a clear official policy over the issue in Pakistan.
“The Ambassador underscored that Afghan refugees should not be subjected to forced deportation but rather allowed to repatriate with dignity,” the post said, adding that Shakeeb called for the provision of a unified and valid card for all Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan.
The Pakistani government launched its deportation drive in November last year after a spike in suicide bombings which the officials blamed on Afghan nationals, without providing much evidence.
So far, over 620,000 Afghans have been deported to their country.
The government also says Afghans are involved in smuggling, militant violence and other crimes.
A cash-strapped Pakistan navigating record inflation, alongside a tough International Monetary Fund bailout program last year, also said undocumented migrants had remained a drain on its resources for decades.
Pakistan denies UN refugee agency’s claim of suspending repatriation of ‘illegal’ foreign nationals
https://arab.news/n9u3m
Pakistan denies UN refugee agency’s claim of suspending repatriation of ‘illegal’ foreign nationals
- Pakistan has so far deported over 620,000 Afghan nationals after launching a deportation drive last year
- Afghan envoy to Pakistan says the government lacks a clear policy over the issue, making refugees suffer
Pakistani fintech secures $52 million funding to grow Islamic finance business, plans Middle East foray
- Funding includes $5 million in equity, $47 million in strategic financing, will support Haball’s growth plans for Pakistan
- The money will also help Haball’s expansion into the Middle East, starting with Saudi Arabia this year, company said
KARACHI: Haball, a Pakistan fintech firm, raised $52 million to expand its Shariah-compliant supply chain financing and payments services, the company said on Tuesday.
The funding, led by Zayn VC and Meezan Bank, includes $5 million in equity and $47 million in strategic financing and will support Haball’s growth plans for Pakistan, the company said in a statement.
The money will also help Haball’s expansion into the Middle East, starting with Saudi Arabia this year, it added.
“Supply chain finance in Pakistan is nascent but is expected to be worth over $9 billion; driven by the severe financing gap faced by the country’s SMEs – less than 5 percent can access financing from commercial banks,” the company statement said.
Islamic banking and finance has been growing rapidly in Pakistan, the world’s second most populous Muslim country, with assets reaching 9,689 billion Pakistani rupees ($34.54 billion)at the end of June 2024, according to the Quarterly Islamic Banking Bulletin released by the State Bank of Pakistan.
The market share of assets and deposits of the Islamic banking sector in the overall banking industry stood at 18.8 percent and 22.7 percent, respectively.
The central bank has a target of 30 percent of overall banking assets and deposits to be Islamic by this year, according to its strategic plans for 2023-2028.
Haball says it provides shariah-compliant financing to nearly 8,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as multinationals, in addition to digital invoicing, payment collection, and tax compliance services.
“Haball has processed over $3 billion in payments and disbursed over $110 million in financing – optimizing supply chains across the country,” said the firm’s founder and CEO, Omer bin Ahsan.
Islamic finance bans interest payments and pure monetary speculation and can only be used to invest in Shariah-compliant assets or portfolios. ($1 = 280.5000 Pakistani rupees)
Thousands of Afghan refugees return to Afghanistan via Torkham as Pakistan intensifies deportations
- Islamabad last month set deadline for some 800,000 Afghans carrying citizen cards to leave Pakistan
- A total of 488,187 “illegal immigrants” sent to Afghanistan via Torkham since September 2023, says KP
PESHAWAR: Thousands of Afghan refugees are being repatriated through the Torkham border pass in northwestern Pakistan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Home and Tribal Affairs department said on Tuesday, as Islamabad intensifies its campaign to deport what it says are illegal immigrants.
Pakistani officials told Arab News on Monday that Islamabad has repatriated more than 13,500 Afghan nationals since the expiry of a Mar. 31 deadline expulsion deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, an identity card issued by Islamabad.
The latest deportation exercise is another phase in Islamabad’s campaign in recent years to return foreigners, mostly Afghans, living in Pakistan. The move is part of a larger repatriation drive of foreign citizens that began in 2023, with over 800,000 Afghans expelled from Pakistan since. The government initially said it was first focusing on expelling foreigners with no legal documentation and other categories such as ACC holders would be included later.
“Since Apr.1, 5,568 refugees holding Afghan Citizen Cards have been sent to Afghanistan via Torkham,” the tribal affairs department said in a statement.
The department said 2,355 ACC holders and 3,042 illegal immigrants were sent via Torkham border on Monday. Since Apr. 1, 160 ACC holders from Islamabad, 4,227 from Punjab and one from Gilgit-Baltistan were sent to Afghanistan via Torkham border.
It added that a total of 488,187 illegal immigrants have been sent to Afghanistan through Torkham since September 2023.
According to the United Nations (UN) data, Pakistan has hosted more than 2.8 million Afghan nationals who crossed the border in a desperate attempt to escape decades of war and instability in their home country. Around 1.3 million of them are formally registered as refugees and hold Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, which grant them legal protection while another 800,000 Afghans possess ACC.
Pakistan took the decision in 2023 to deport Afghan nationals from the country following a surge in suicide attacks in the country, particularly in KP. Islamabad blames Afghan nationals for being involved in attacks on its soil and accuses the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan of providing shelter to anti-Pakistan militants. Kabul denies the allegation and says Pakistan’s security matter is its internal responsibility.
International rights groups allege Afghan refugees face harassment and intimidation by Pakistani police and authorities in the forced expulsion drive. Pakistani officials deny the charges and say Afghan nationals are being sent to their homeland in a dignified manner.
“We faced terrible situations there,” Lal Saeed, an Afghan man recently deported from Pakistan, told Reuters on Monday. “The Pakistani police raided our home during the night. My two sons were taken away — and they’re still in prison. I have the proof.”
With belongings packed, Lal said he left a loaded car waiting outside and rushed to the prison, hoping for one last chance to bring his sons with him.
“When I got there, the police asked, ‘Where are you going?’ I said, ‘I’m going to Afghanistan.’ They replied, ‘Then go — we’ll deport your sons after you.’“
US discusses tariffs, critical minerals, immigration with Pakistan
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar over telephone
- Both discussed making progress toward a “fair and balanced” trade relationship, says State Department
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday about tariffs, trade relations, immigration and prospects for engagement on critical minerals, the State Department and Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in separate statements.
President Donald Trump said last week that he would impose a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports to the US and higher duties on dozens of other countries, including some of Washington’s biggest trading partners, rattling global markets and bewildering US allies. The Trump administration imposed a 29 percent tariff on Pakistan.
“They (Rubio and Dar) discussed US reciprocal tariffs on Pakistan and how to make progress toward a fair and balanced trade relationship,” the State Department said.
The US goods trade deficit with Pakistan was $3 billion in 2024, a 5.2 percent increase over 2023, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative.
“The Secretary raised prospects for engagement on critical minerals and expressed interest in expanding commercial opportunities for US companies.”
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Rubio “reciprocated the desire to collaborate with Pakistan in trade and investment in various sectors, especially critical minerals.”
The Trump administration has also used prospects of engagement over critical minerals with other countries.
For example, it is attempting to strike an agreement over critical minerals with Ukraine as part of talks related to the Russia-Ukraine war. Washington has also said it is open to exploring critical minerals partnerships with Congo and help end a conflict raging in the African country’s east.
In the call with Dar, Rubio emphasized the importance of Pakistan’s cooperation with the US on law enforcement and addressing illegal immigration, the State Department said.
Last month, Pakistan highlighted its cooperation with Washington on countering extremism after the arrest of Mohammad Sharifullah, whom the US blames for a 2021 attack on its troops at Kabul airport, in a military operation along the border with Afghanistan.
The Pakistan foreign ministry said Rubio and Dar discussed the situation in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s national airline says passenger arrested for attacking staff on Paris-bound flight
- Passenger punched woman flight attendant after she told him not to smoke mid-flight, says PIA
- PIA says police report filed against passenger who has been blacklisted by the national airline
KARACHI: A passenger was arrested by French police this week for attacking members of a cabin crew after he was told not to smoke on a Paris-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight, the national airline’s spokesperson said.
The incident took place on the Islamabad-Paris PIA flight PK-749 on Sunday after a woman flight attendant told a passenger to stop smoking, the airline said. The passenger refused and behaved rudely, prompting the crew and the captain to intervene.
The PIA said the passenger injured the flight attendant’s arm by grabbing and twisting it and punching her on the back. He also attacked the flight steward and the captain, but they managed to snatch the cigarette from the passenger.
“The captain informed French authorities during the flight as per the rules, and police arrested the passenger upon the plane’s arrival in Paris,” the PIA spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.
“A police report has been filed after recording the statements of the flight attendants and having them medically examined.”
The spokesperson said that French laws are very strict in this matter, hoping that the passenger will not be granted any concession.
“The passenger has been blacklisted by the PIA and he will not be able to travel on the national airline again,” the spokesperson said.
He commended the PIA’s staff for tackling the matter professionally, adding that the law would now take its due course.
The PIA began operating flights to Paris for the first time in four years from January this year. Its authorization to operate flights to the European Union had been suspended by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani aviation authorities to ensure compliance with international standards.
The national airline operates two weekly flights to Paris.
Pakistan eyes investments from Saudi Arabia, China, US as minerals summit kicks off
- Ministers, heads of private mining companies from various countries expected to attend two-day forum in Islamabad
- Pakistan’s petroleum minister says key agreements, memoranda of understanding will be signed at investment forum
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hosting ministers and officials of private mining companies from Saudi Arabia, China, the United States and a host of other countries for a two-day minerals summit in the capital today, Tuesday, as it eyes international investment in its natural reserves estimated to be worth $6 trillion.
Grappling with a prolonged macroeconomic crisis, Pakistan hopes to tap into its vast reserves of minerals and natural resources to turn its fortunes around. The country is home to one of the world’s largest porphyry copper-gold mineral zones, while 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 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 are organizing the summit. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said this week that the government expects around 2,000 people to attend the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum from Apr. 8-9 in Islamabad, which would include a “significant” number of foreign dignitaries.
“At the government level, ministers are also participating, heads of big private mining companies are also coming and those countries who would also be part of the discussions include participation from Turkiye,” Malik told reporters during a news conference on Monday.
“Apart from this, we are expecting senior-level participation from China, from Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, China and the United States,” he said.
He said the 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, at the forum.
The minister said the summit would also feature key agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed between Pakistan and other countries.
“It is the prime minister’s wish that we do not restrict this event to just words, so we will confirm some MoUs in front of you,” Malik said. “Along with this, not just MoUs but a few agreements will also be executed after which we will take these matters toward implementation.”
Pakistan has designated mining and minerals as a priority sector for national economic development, aiming to reduce its reliance on imports and enhance exports. The country is undertaking efforts to utilize its natural resources through foreign investment and collaboration to stabilize its $350 billion economy, which has suffered a prolonged economic crisis over the past few years.
Islamabad has aggressively pursued trade and investment with its regional allies, Central Asian states and Gulf countries in recent months to ward off a macroeconomic crisis that has drained its reserves, weakened its currency and triggered a balance of payment crisis.
Pakistan formed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a hybrid civil-military government body, in 2023 to attract international investment in its key priority sectors, mining and minerals among them.
