Attack on civilian convoy in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district kills 38

Attack on civilian convoy in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district kills 38
Local residents and volunteers gather and wait for the arrival of victims of gunmen firing incident on passenger vehicles, at a hospital in Parachinar, in Kurram district of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on November 21, 2024 (AP)
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Updated 22 November 2024
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Attack on civilian convoy in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district kills 38

Attack on civilian convoy in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district kills 38
  • Kurram, a former semi-autonomous tribal area, has a long history of violent conflicts
  • PM Sharif has asked the authorities to identify the attackers and bring them to justice

PESHAWAR: At least 38 people were killed and several others wounded on Thursday when a convoy carrying civilians in the conflict-hit northwestern Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was attacked by unknown assailants, the district administration confirmed.
Kurram, a former semi-autonomous tribal area bordering Afghanistan, has a long history of violent conflicts that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years. A major conflict in the district, triggered in 2007, lasted for years before being resolved by a jirga, a council of tribal elders, in 2011.
More recently, clashes erupted over a property dispute in July, leaving the region in a state of tension. The ongoing unrest has intermittently claimed over 50 lives and injured more than 150 people. Authorities had earlier shut down roads leading to the area for all traffic during the conflict, later providing security for convoys to ensure safer travel.
“We are in touch with KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and the province’s inspector general police due to the incidents taking place there since they need our help,” Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said during a media interaction in Islamabad, as he referred to rising instances of militancy in KP. “Thirty-eight people have been killed in Kurram today.”
Prior to Naqvi’s statement, Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javid Ullah Mehsud told Arab News over the phone the convoy of commuters was traveling from Peshawar to Parachinar in Upper Kurram when it came under attack in the Uchat Kali area of Lower Kurram.
“Thirty-two people have been killed and several others injured. We are gathering further information,” he said, adding that a rescue operation was underway.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also took notice of the development, condemned the incident and describing the attack on civilians as an act of “barbarity.”
“Enemies of the country’s peace attacked a convoy of innocent civilians, which is tantamount to animalistic behavior,” he said in a statement. “We will thwart the evil attempts by anti-state elements to destroy the peace of our country.”
The prime minister directed the authorities to identify the perpetrators of the attack and ensure they were brought to justice.
“The miscreants involved in the incident must be given exemplary punishment,” he said.
Local elders, law enforcement agencies and health officials contributed to the rescue efforts soon after the attack on the convoy.
“The locals helped in the rescue operation,” Islam Gul Orakzai, a local youth representative, told Arab News. “We played our role to ensure respect for the dead and assist in the recovery efforts.”
Orakzai said the entire region was in mourning after the tragic incident.
“We want peace in our region,” he continued, emphasizing the toll the ongoing law and order situation has taken on the local population.


Pakistan Navy ship participates in UAE defense exhibition to bolster maritime ties

Pakistan Navy ship participates in UAE defense exhibition to bolster maritime ties
Updated 11 sec ago
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Pakistan Navy ship participates in UAE defense exhibition to bolster maritime ties

Pakistan Navy ship participates in UAE defense exhibition to bolster maritime ties
  • The UAE event features naval vessels from eight nations and participation from 65 countries
  • PNS Yarmouk has carried out joint exercises with the UAE Navy’s ship Al Emarat, ISPR says

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Navy ship is participating in an international defense exhibition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of efforts to strengthen maritime relations with the Gulf nation, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.
The Pakistan Navy ship Yarmouk arrived in the UAE for the International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) and the Naval Defense Exhibition (NAVDEX 25), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
Several high-profile officials, including the UAE’s minister for tolerance and the defense ministers of Romania and Yemen, visited the vessel.
“Participation in the defense exhibition reflects Pakistan’s strong defense ties with the UAE and its active role in global maritime security initiatives,” the ISPR said.

This handout photo shows UAE Tolerance and Coexistance Minister Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan onboard Pakistan Navy Ship Yarmook during International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) & Naval Defense Exhibition (NAVDEX) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Photo courtesy: Handout/Pakistan Navy)

Pakistan has intensified its naval diplomacy in the region and beyond in recent years, particularly with Gulf nations, as part of efforts to enhance maritime security and defense collaboration.
The growing engagement aligns with Islamabad’s broader strategy of maintaining stability in regional waters and securing trade routes amid evolving geopolitical dynamics.
The UAE event, which features naval vessels from eight nations and participation from 65 countries, comes weeks after Pakistan hosted the AMAN-25 multinational exercise, where 60 countries took part in maritime drills aimed at enhancing interoperability and regional security.

In this handout photo, released on February 28, 2025, Pakistan Navy official briefs visitors onboard Pakistan Navy Ship Yarmook during International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) & Naval Defense Exhibition (NAVDEX) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Photo courtesy: Handout/Pakistan Navy)

Following AMAN-25, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia conducted the Affaa Al Sahil bilateral naval exercise, which concluded in Karachi last month with a demonstration of firepower and combat tactics.
During its visit to the UAE, PNS Yarmouk also carried out joint exercises with the UAE Navy’s ship Al Emarat.


Hong Kong conglomerate plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistan to upgrade port infrastructure

Hong Kong conglomerate plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistan to upgrade port infrastructure
Updated 58 min 19 sec ago
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Hong Kong conglomerate plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistan to upgrade port infrastructure

Hong Kong conglomerate plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistan to upgrade port infrastructure
  • The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to boost trade and seek international partnerships to expand its maritime activities
  • Hutchison Ports investment is expected to generate at least $4 billion in revenue over the next 25 years through royalty, rent and taxes

KARACHI: Hutchison Ports, a subsidiary of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistan to improve its port infrastructure, the Pakistani finance ministry said on Thursday.
The statement came after a delegation of Hutchison Ports, led by its Middle East & Africa Managing Director Andy Tsoi, met Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and briefed him about the firm’s 25-year presence in Pakistan.
Hutchison Ports has been operating two terminals, HPKICT and HPSAPT, in Pakistan and has contributed more than Rs225 billion ($804 million) in government revenues and provided employment to a workforce of 5,000 individuals, according to the port operator.
During the meeting with Aurangzeb, Hutchison Ports delegates presented their upcoming investment plan, aimed at upgrading their existing terminals to enhance operational efficiency, logistics connectivity, and automation.
“The investment includes infrastructure development, road improvements to facilitate efficient cargo movement, modernization of HPKICT into a cutting-edge automated terminal, and the development of a 52-hectare logistics park to enhance trade connectivity,” the Pakistani finance ministry said.
“The delegation highlighted that their investment is expected to generate at least USD 4 billion in revenue over the next 25 years through royalty, rent, and tax contributions.”
The automation upgrades will include remote quay cranes, electric trucks and digitalized gate operations, alongside training programs for maritime professionals in port operations, management and artificial intelligence (AI) applications, according to the statement.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb appreciated Hutchison Ports’ commitment to Pakistan’s maritime sector and acknowledged their significant role in boosting trade and economic activity.
“He reaffirmed the government’s support for strategic investments that contribute to Pakistan’s economic growth and infrastructure development,” the finance ministry said.
The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to boost trade and seek international partnerships to expand its maritime activities.
On January 22, South Korean shipping company, HMM, launched the India North Europe Express (INX) weekly shipping service in Pakistan, providing the South Asian country direct access to Europe.
The service, launched in collaboration with Ocean Network Express (ONE) container liner and Pakistan’s United Marine Agencies (UMA), will ensure timely and efficient delivery of Pakistani goods to the destined European ports and beyond, according to HMM.
Prior to that, Dubai-based logistics giant DP World, in collaboration with Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation, launched in Jan. a feeder service to transport shipping containers from Dubai to Karachi, Pakistani state media reported. Pakistani officials and DP World have also finalized terms for a freight corridor project from Karachi Port to the Pipri Marshalling yard in southern Pakistan.
Pakistan is currently on a tricky path to economic recovery since avoiding a default in June 2023. The South Asian country last year secured a new $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and has been actively pursuing trade and investment opportunities to put the economy back on track.


Thousands attend funeral of senior Pakistani cleric slain in northwest

Thousands attend funeral of senior Pakistani cleric slain in northwest
Updated 39 min 34 sec ago
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Thousands attend funeral of senior Pakistani cleric slain in northwest

Thousands attend funeral of senior Pakistani cleric slain in northwest
  • Hamidul Haq, the head of Jamia Haqqania seminary, was one of seven people killed in a suicide bombing a day earlier
  • Haq was the son of the late Maulana Samiul Haq, a Pakistani politician who was assassinated in 2018 in Rawalpindi

AKORA KHATTAK: Thousands of mourners attended a funeral Saturday of a cleric slain in Pakistan’s northwest.
Hamidul Haq, the head of Jamia Haqqania seminary, was one of seven people killed in a suicide bombing a day earlier at a mosque inside a seminary compound. Police said Haq was the target of the attack.
He was the son of the late Maulana Samiul Haq, a Pakistani politician who led his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-S) party before being assassinated in 2018 in Rawalpindi.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack.
Authorities issued a photo of the alleged suicide bomber and urged the public to identify him, offering a reward of Rs500,000, or $1,787, for information on his name, parentage and place of residence.
Mourners packed into the main hall of the seminary for Haq’s funeral, with more praying on the street. The prayers passed without incident due to a heavy police deployment and seminary students guarding the venue.
The bombing at Jamia Haqqania seminary was one of four attacks in Pakistan on Friday, two of them at mosques, which were unusual both in their number and timing, just before the holy month of Ramadan.


KSrelief, WHO sign $300 million deal to fight polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan

KSrelief, WHO sign $300 million deal to fight polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan
Updated 01 March 2025
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KSrelief, WHO sign $300 million deal to fight polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan

KSrelief, WHO sign $300 million deal to fight polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan
  • The deal was agreed on the sidelines of Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum
  • It includes a series of preventive activities to eradicate polio in settlement areas

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief recently signed a $300 million cooperation agreement with the World Health Organization to develop a strategy for eradicating polio around the world.

The deal, agreed on the sidelines of the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, was signed by Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the agency’s supervisor general and adviser to the Royal Court, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

It includes a series of preventive activities that will help eradicate polio in settlement areas in target countries, notably Pakistan and Afghanistan.


Pakistan reports sixth case of polio virus this year

Pakistan reports sixth case of polio virus this year
Updated 01 March 2025
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Pakistan reports sixth case of polio virus this year

Pakistan reports sixth case of polio virus this year
  • The latest polio case was reported in the Thatta district, which is the fourth case in Sindh this year
  • Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio remains an endemic

KARACHI: Health authorities have confirmed another case of polio virus in Pakistan, the country’s polio program said on Saturday, taking this year’s nationwide tally to six.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of 5 is essential to provide children high immunity against the disease.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed the polio virus in a child in Thatta district of the southern Sindh province, according to the Pakistan polio program.
“This is the fourth polio case from Sindh and the sixth case from Pakistan at large this year,” it said in a statement.
“The polio program urges all parents to get their children vaccinated against polio at every opportunity to keep them protected from this devastating disease.”
Pakistan witnessed an intense resurgence of polio virus last year, with a total of 74 cases reported nationwide. Of these, 27 were from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 23 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
The South Asian country last month concluded its first nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2025, with 99 percent of the targets achieved, according to the polio program. The campaign, conducted on Feb. 3-9, vaccinated more than 45 million children.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries in the world where polio remains an endemic.
Immunization campaigns have succeeded in most countries and have come close in Pakistan, but persistent problems remain. In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994 but efforts to eradicate the virus have since been undermined by vaccine misinformation and opposition from some religious hard-liners who say immunization is a foreign ploy to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western spies. Militant groups also frequently attack and kill members of polio vaccine teams.