Pakistan army gives retired officer 14 years jail for ‘inciting sedition’ among personnel

Pakistani soldiers guard the main entrance to army headquarters in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on October 11, 2009. (AFP/File)
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Updated 30 July 2024
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Pakistan army gives retired officer 14 years jail for ‘inciting sedition’ among personnel

  • Lt. Col. Akbar Hussain convicted after military trial on May 10 and stripped of rank on July 26
  • Retired Major Adil Raja, Captain Haider Raza Mehdi got 14 and 12 years respectively last year for sedition and espionage 

KARACHI: A retired military officer, Lt. Col. Akbar Hussain, was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison for “inciting sedition among army personnel,” the Pakistan army’s media wing said in a statement on Tuesday. 

Hussain was convicted in May after a military court trial under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, and he was stripped of his rank on July 26, the military added. 

“The court of competent jurisdiction adjudged him ‘guilty’ of the offense charged, through due judicial process and awarded the punishment of 14 years rigorous imprisonment on 10th May 2024,” the army said in a statement. 

The statement said two other retired officers, Major Adil Farooq Raja and Captain Haider Raza Mehdi, were convicted and sentenced last year through the Field General Court Martial on “charges of inciting sedition among army personnel from discharge of duties and violation of the provisions of Official Secrets Act, 1923 related to espionage and acts prejudicial to the safety and interest of the State.”

“The court of competent jurisdiction had convicted and adjudged both Adil Farooq Raja and Haider Raza Mehdi on the date of 7th and 9th October 2023, through due judicial process, with the punishments awarded as 14 and 12 years of rigorous imprisonment respectively and forfeiture of rank of both individuals with effect from 21 November 2023,” the statement concluded. 

The Pakistan army rarely shares details of military court trials. 

In 2019, the military said it was conducting court-martial proceedings against two senior officers on charges of espionage but gave no details on the identity or rank of the officers nor what country or organization they were alleged to be spying for.

In 2012, a Pakistan military court sentenced five army officers to prison for having ties with the Hizb-ut-Tahrir fundamentalist group.


Heart disease kills more Pakistani women than previously understood — study

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Heart disease kills more Pakistani women than previously understood — study

  • Data from country’s top cardiac network reveals higher mortality, delayed care and diagnostic gaps for women
  • Researchers call for improved surveillance, early detection programs, inclusion of women in clinical research

ISLAMABAD: Heart disease is killing more women in Pakistan than previously understood, with female patients experiencing higher mortality rates, more severe symptoms and delayed diagnoses compared to men, according to a landmark hospital-based study published this week.

The paper, ‘Burden of cardiovascular disease in women: data from Pakistan’s largest cardiac hospital network,’ was released in npj Women’s Health this month and analyzed data from over 14,800 patients treated at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). It found that women with heart conditions are more likely to die than men, despite presenting at a younger age in some cases and with more complex symptoms.

“Women are diagnosed at a later stage, have delayed surgical referrals, and have poorer post-operative outcomes than males,” the researchers wrote. “There is a scarcity of data from South Asia due to underrepresentation of women in studies, which limits the development of evidence-based guidelines.” 

The study used prospective data collected from three patient registries, valve disease, coronary catheterization, and structural interventions, between October 2022 and June 2024. It discovered that females are more likely than males to suffer from valvular heart disease (VHD) and present at a considerably younger age. 

Females also had a higher likelihood of mitral valve disease than males, who were more likely to have aortic valve disease. Rheumatic heart disease was the leading cause of all left-sided VHD. 

Among women admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the study noted a “significantly higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension” and that women experienced “a significantly higher rate of death, longer door-to-balloon time, and total ischemic time.”

The authors stressed that gender disparities in cardiac care in Pakistan are systemic, with women often excluded from clinical trials, underdiagnosed in hospitals and referred for surgical or interventional treatment far too late.

“Understanding the burden and presentation of cardiovascular disease in women is crucial to improving outcomes,” the paper stated, warning that Pakistan lacks gender-disaggregated cardiac data on a national level.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for women, and the burden is rising fastest in low- and middle-income countries. In Pakistan, non-communicable diseases account for over 60 percent of all deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Yet gender-specific health data remains scarce, and preventive screening for women is rarely prioritized.

The authors called for improved surveillance, early detection programs and “urgent inclusion of women in cardiovascular clinical research” to address the growing crisis. 

“The development of targeted awareness programs and community-based screening could play a critical role,” they wrote.

Pakistan’s public health system remains underfunded, and most cardiovascular care is concentrated in a few urban centers like NICVD. Experts warn that without immediate policy intervention, gender inequities in care could worsen as risk factors like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension continue to rise.

The researchers concluded:

“Tailored public health policies and investments in gender-sensitive health care delivery are urgently needed to reduce the cardiovascular disease burden in women.”


Imran Khan’s party denies internal rifts as new protest campaign begins

Updated 20 min 2 sec ago
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Imran Khan’s party denies internal rifts as new protest campaign begins

  • Conflicting protest announcements raise questions over PTI strategy and coordination
  • Leaders say jailed ex-PM’s release remains unifying goal despite ‘minor’ disagreements

ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan have denied reports of internal rifts over the party’s recently launched anti-government protest campaign, saying the outfit remained united in its demand for Khan’s release.

On July 13, PTI announced a 90-day “do-or-die” protest drive against the government, days after 26 of its provincial lawmakers were suspended in Punjab and the Supreme Court rejected its appeal to reclaim reserved parliamentary seats for women and minorities.

The new protest campaign was launched by Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a close Khan ally, but appeared to contradict an earlier call for a nationwide protest, posted on Khan’s official X account, set to culminate on August 5, marking the second anniversary of his imprisonment on corruption charges.

More questions emerged as senior PTI leader and Punjab Chief Organizer Aliya Hamza Malik publicly voiced concerns on X about a lack of clarity around the campaign. Malik questioned the origin of the 90-day plan and asked for details on the party’s strategy to secure Khan’s release. Khan has been in jail for nearly two years on multiple charges that he and his party say are politically motivated.

Arab News reached out to Malik for comment but received no response. However, PTI’s central spokesperson dismissed suggestions of internal divisions.

“There is no rift within the party as a whole, everyone is united on the agenda of ensuring Khan’s release, and the PTI is a large party where minor differences of opinion are natural and are part of a political culture,” PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told Arab News. “A single statement can easily be blown out of proportion in this age of social media, but the reality is quite different.

“The party remains united under Khan’s leadership and is focused on a single objective, working for his release.”

Khan was ousted from the PM’s office in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 and jailed in August 2023. Since then, the PTI has repeatedly mobilized street protests, including a large march to Islamabad in November 2024, to demand his release and challenge the legitimacy of the February 2024 general election. The government accuses the PTI of using the protests to incite instability and disrupt efforts at economic recovery.

Asked about the structure of the current protest drive, Akram said the campaign had already begun, with each provincial chapter tasked with planning its own activities.

“All provincial chapters will finalize their protest plans within this week, and the goal is to build momentum leading up to August 5,” he said, declining further comment on the plans.

Earlier this month, Khan’s sister said his sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, who live in the UK, would join the campaign in Pakistan after returning from the United States. She said they would also raise awareness internationally, including in the US, about alleged human rights violations against Khan and PTI members. 

Party leaders declined to provide updates on Sulaiman and Kasim’s plans. 

“MINOR DIFFERENCES”

In the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where the PTI holds power, party leaders also denied any discord.

CM Gandapur’s announcement of the 90-day campaign was made “in coordination with the top leadership and in line with Khan’s directions,” said Malik Adeel Iqbal, PTI’s information secretary in the province.

“There are no differences within the party,” he told Arab News. “We are focused on finalizing our protest plans in KP, while Punjab will make its own plans. If anyone has any concerns, they should raise them with the central leadership or Khan, rather than making them public.”

Ali Imtiaz Warraich, PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, said “minor differences” stemmed from communication challenges due to limited access to Khan in jail.

“As it is difficult to contact Imran Khan and receive directions due to obstacles in leadership meetings with him, the emergence of minor differences is natural,” he said. “But there is no rift between the KP and Punjab chapters or their leadership.”

Warraich said the party’s unity was visible last week when a large number of PTI lawmakers from Punjab joined CM Gandapur at a meeting in Lahore when the 90-day protest plan was announced. 

“We will organize our own protest plans in the province as per the directions of local and central leadership,” he said.

Asked whether the Punjab government would permit the protest campaign, provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari said peaceful protest was a democratic right but accused the PTI of abusing that right in the past.

“PTI has a history of violence and anarchy,” she told reporters. “No political party is allowed to attack with weapons as Pakistan is our red line.”

“Politics should be kept above personal ego and self-interest and political issues resolved through political means,” Bukhari added.

Hundreds of PTI supporters were arrested after riots allegedly incited by the party against the military on May 9, 2023. The government also says four soldiers were killed in November protests last year. PTI denies the charges. 


‘Generational benefits’ from Reko Diq mines will uplift conflict-hit Balochistan — Barrick CEO

Updated 44 min 56 sec ago
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‘Generational benefits’ from Reko Diq mines will uplift conflict-hit Balochistan — Barrick CEO

  • Mining giant highlights local hiring, health care and education projects during visit to remote Chagai village
  • Project being developed in backdrop of decades of unrest, economic marginalization in restive Balochiatan

QUETTA: The chief executive of Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold said this week the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper and gold project in Pakistan’s Balochistan province will deliver “generational benefits” to the impoverished, conflict-hit region, as he met residents of Humai village near the mine site.

The Reko Diq project, jointly owned by Barrick and the governments of Pakistan and Balochistan, is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits. Long delayed by legal disputes and concerns over foreign investment, the mine is seen as a potential economic game changer in a province that has long suffered from poverty, underdevelopment, and armed separatist violence.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has for years seen unrest rooted in demands for greater autonomy and a larger share of natural resource revenues. Separatist militants have regularly targeted infrastructure, Chinese investments, and security forces. Against this backdrop, Barrick has emphasized its commitment to inclusive and transparent development.

“Reko Diq is not just a mining project; it is a multi-generational opportunity that promises sustained economic and social development for local communities for decades to come,” Barrick CEO Mark Bristow said in a statement on Monday released after he visited Humai, the closest village to the project site in District Chagai.

Bristow met local elders and development committee members, reaffirming the company’s goal to invest in job creation, skills training, education, and health care for Baloch communities.

“We are creating job opportunities not only through RDMC but also through our large network of partner and supplier companies that are coming onboard to support this major development,” Bristow said. “Currently, 75 percent of our workforce is from Balochistan — the majority from District Chagai — and we aim to continue strengthening this local representation.”

Bristow also highlighted recent investments in health care, including a new Mother and Child Health Center in Humai that offers maternal care services — the first such facility of its kind in the area.

“No meaningful development of this world-class mineral resource can happen without the active involvement and support of the people who live here,” he said.

Humai village chief Liaqat Malik and Par-e-Koh Community Development Committee Chairman Taj Muhammad thanked Bristow and RDMC for their engagement and development work, pledging continued community support for the project, according to the Barrick statement. 

The Reko Diq project is expected to begin production by 2028 and generate thousands of jobs while significantly boosting Pakistan’s export revenues. The Pakistani government has said it will ensure environmental protections and fair distribution of project benefits, though watchdog groups continue to call for greater transparency and community participation in oversight.


Pakistan launches simplified digital tax system as part of $47 billion revenue drive

Updated 13 min 59 sec ago
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Pakistan launches simplified digital tax system as part of $47 billion revenue drive

  • New returns aimed at salaried workers to boost compliance and expand Pakistan’s narrow tax base
  • Reform part of broader economic agenda tied to IMF program and long-term fiscal sustainability

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will launch simplified digital tax returns for salaried individuals today, Tuesday, the prime minister’s office announced, in a move aimed at increasing tax compliance and widening the country’s historically narrow tax base.

The launch is part of a broader reform effort tied to the government’s economic stabilization agenda and structural benchmarks under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. Despite a population of more than 240 million, Pakistan has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the region, with only a small percentage of citizens filing returns.

At a meeting to review progress on tax reforms, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was briefed that besides the new tax system for the salaried class, user-friendly, digital tax return forms would also be made available to other taxpayer categories from July 30. Urdu-language versions will be introduced to increase accessibility for salaried individuals.

“A third-party validation should be ensured for the transparency of all FBR reforms,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by his office. “Public awareness campaign should be launched regarding the ease of filing tax returns so that more and more people file returns under the new system.”

In June, the government set a record-high tax collection target of Rs14.13 trillion ($47.4 billion) for the fiscal year 2025–26, marking a 9 percent increase from the previous year. Officials say meeting this goal is essential to reducing reliance on external debt and ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability.

Sharif emphasized that expanding the tax net and easing the burden on low-income groups were key policy priorities. He also praised the FBR for deploying artificial intelligence in tax assessments, calling it a “milestone” in modernizing the country’s tax infrastructure.

“The prime minister directed provision of special facilities to small and medium-sized businesses to join the digital invoicing system,” the statement from his office said.

IMF country representative Mahir Binici said last week Pakistan’s recent reforms had helped restore macroeconomic stability and rebuild investor confidence but warned that global uncertainty continued to pose significant risks.

“Structural reforms remain central to Pakistan’s long-term economic sustainability, particularly reforms that strengthen tax equity, improve the business climate, and encourage private-sector-led investment,” Binici said during a recent lecture at an Islamabad-based think tank.

He added that geopolitical tensions, weakening global cooperation and external shocks required governments like Pakistan’s to take prudent, forward-looking actions to shield their economies.


Pakistan to restrict Iraq pilgrimages to organized groups from 2026, no solo travel allowed 

Updated 14 July 2025
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Pakistan to restrict Iraq pilgrimages to organized groups from 2026, no solo travel allowed 

  • The announcement comes after a conference of Iran, Iraq and Pakistan interior ministers in Tehran
  • Thousands of Pakistanis travel annually to Iran and Iraq, with some of them staying behind illegally

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Shiite pilgrims will not be able to individually travel to Iraq from next year to visit holy sites, the country’s interior minister announced on Monday, following his meeting with counterparts from Iran and Iraq.

Naqvi said this after attending a tri-nation conference, requested by Islamabad, in Tehran to discuss issues relating to thousands of Pakistani Shiite Muslims, who travel annually to Iran and Iraq.

The conference concluded with an agreement to establish a joint working group to oversee coordination and operational matters, ensuring safe and seamless travel of the pilgrims to the two countries.

“From January 1, 2026, we will not be allowing any Pakistani to leave for Iraq without zaireen [pilgrims] group organizer, which means that we will register people who will be allowed to take the groups to Iraq,” Naqvi said in televised comments after the conference.

Last month, Pakistan evacuated over 260 nationals from Iraq and another 450 Pakistanis who had been stranded in Iran during the Tehran-Israeli conflict, according to the country’s foreign ministry. There was no confirmation of the number of evacuees who had traveled legally and those who had been staying in the two countries illegally.

The group organizers will be bound to bring back all pilgrims going with them, according to the Pakistani interior minister. The move is aimed at discouraging overstay of Pakistani pilgrims in Iraq.

“The people who are overstaying there, the people who have started working there, we need to stop this,” Naqvi said, adding they would need support from Iran and Iraq to implement the decision.