ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday the party was ready for political negotiations, whether it was with “humans or angels,” in a veiled reference to criticism that the outfit had rejected talks with the civilian government and only wanted to engage with representatives of the all-powerful military.
Khan, in jail since August last year on charges he says are trumped up to keep him out of power, has repeatedly offered to hold "conditional negotiations" with the military. He has described the army as the “actual decision-makers” in the country and refused to talk to what he calls the "puppet" coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Critics have slammed Khan and his PTI party for their inflexibility on the issue, saying they are blocking attempts at reconciliation in a country that has been mired in political uncertainty since 2022, when Khan was ousted from power in a parliamentary no-trust vote.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Omar Ayub Khan, a close Khan aide and the leader of the opposition in the national assembly, said the PTI founder has given the go-ahead to form a negotiations committee comprising Omar and other senior PTI leaders like Hamid Raza, Salman Akram Rana, Ali Amin Gandapur and Asad Qaiser.
“We can have negotiations with anyone to bring stability to the country and bring down the political temperature,” Omar said, saying the main conditions for talks were the release of Khan and thousands of other PTI leaders and supporters who were in jail on “fake” charges.
He also called for judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9 last year and Nov. 24 this year in which the government says PTI supporters partook in violence and caused vandalism.
“If that doesn't happen, then we are free to start a civil disobedience movement,” Omar said.
When asked if the PTI was open to talks with the government, the leader of the opposition replied:
“We are ready for negotiations, whether it is with humans or angels or whatever they are, we are ready for negotiations.”
In Pakistan, “angels” is a widely used euphemism to refer to the army and its intelligence agencies.
Pressure on the PTI, at loggerheads with the government and military for months, has increased since last month, when thousands of the party’s supporters stormed Islamabad, demanding Khan’s release from prison. The government says protesters killed four security officers in clashes while the PTI says at least 12 of its supporters died and "hundreds" were injured as security agencies used live ammunition rounds to disperse protesters, which authorities deny.
Party leaders have described the raid on the protest site as a “massacre,” with social media platforms awash with pictures and video footage that the government has called “fake propaganda” by PTI followers. The government also says there were no civilian casualties. The army was deployed by the government during the raid to disperse protesters, but authorities say only police and paramilitary troops participated while the military acted as a "third line of defense."
In the aftermath of the protests, the Sharif coalition government formed two task forces: one to identify and take legal action against rioters and another to track and bring to justice suspects behind what the government describes as a “malicious campaign” to spread “concocted, baseless and inciting” online news, images and video content against the state and security forces.
In a strongly worded statement released last week, the Pakistan army called on the government to take action against the rioters as well as those who had launched “fake” online campaigns against the state and its security agencies.
Khan, who remains a popular figure in Pakistan despite being in prison and facing several court cases, has led a campaign of unprecedented defiance against the Sharif coalition and the all-powerful military, which he accuses of being behind his ouster from office in 2022. The army denies it interferes in politics.
Party of Pakistan’s Imran Khan says ready for negotiations with ‘angels or humans’
https://arab.news/v7gvd
Party of Pakistan’s Imran Khan says ready for negotiations with ‘angels or humans’
- In Pakistan, “angels” is a widely used euphemism to refer to all-powerful army and its intelligence agencies
- Khan has said will hold “conditional talks” with army but refuses to sit down with “puppet” government
Saudi crown prince hopes India-Pakistan ceasefire restores ‘calm’ between neighbors
- India and Pakistan exchanged missiles, drone attacks and artillery fire last week before agreeing to ceasefire
- Saudi Arabia was one of several countries that defused tensions between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday hoped the recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan would contain escalation and “restore calm” between the two neighbors, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Pakistan has credited Saudi Arabia and several other nations for playing a constructive role in defusing its tensions with India last week after fighting erupted between the two. US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Washington had brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, calming fears of an all-out war between the nuclear-armed states.
The Saudi crown prince welcomed the ceasefire during his opening address at the GCC-USA summit in Riyadh on Wednesday, which was held in Trump’s presence.
“We welcome the ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India and hope that it will contain escalation and restore calm between the two countries,” the crown prince said as per the SPA.
The Saudi crown prince said the Kingdom aimed to work with Trump and GCC countries to de-escalate tensions in the region, end the war in Gaza and seek a “lasting and comprehensive solution” to the Palestinian cause.
“Our objective is to ensure security and peace for the peoples of the region,” he said. “We reiterate our support for all endeavors aimed at resolving crises and halting conflicts through peaceful means.”
The fragile ceasefire has temporarily halted hostilities with India and Pakistan trading blame for the conflict.
The flare-up between Pakistan and India, one of the most serious in recent years, followed a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month and escalated into missile strikes, drone attacks and cross-border fire over the past week.
India and Pakistan claim the Kashmir region in full but administer only parts of it. Both countries, bitter rivals, have fought two out of three wars over Kashmir since securing independence from British colonial India in 1947.
Pakistani official says 1.3 million Afghans repatriated since November 2023
- Pakistan launched deportation drive in November 2023 against foreigners residing illegally in country amid militancy surge
- Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have repatriated approximately 1.3 million Afghan refugees in a deportation drive launched since November 2023, Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik said on Wednesday, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Pakistan launched a repatriation drive of foreign citizens that began in November 2023, with thousands of Afghan nationals expelled since. The government initially said it was first focusing on expelling foreigners with no legal documentation and other categories, such as Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) — a document launched in 2017 to grant temporary legal status to Afghan refugees — would be included later.
Earlier this year, the country’s interior ministry asked all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave the country before Mar. 31, warning that they would otherwise be deported from April 1. Authorities subsequently started deporting thousands of Afghan nationals from all parts of the country.
“Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik informed the National Assembly on Wednesday that approximately 1.3 million Afghan refugees have been repatriated from Pakistan so far,” APP reported.
Responding to a question raised by lawmaker Anjum Aqeel Khan during a parliamentary session, Malik said around 3 million Afghan refugees were residing in Pakistan.
“Of these, 813,000 hold Afghan Citizen Cards (ECC) while 1.3 million possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards,” he was quoted as saying.
He emphasized that Afghan nationals who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome to do so provided they obtain a Pakistani visa and carry valid documentation with them.
In total, Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.
The deportation drive was launched in November 2023 after Islamabad witnessed a surge in suicide attacks and militancy that it blamed on Afghan nationals, without providing evidence.
Local and international rights organizations have accused Pakistani authorities of harassing Afghan nationals while forcefully repatriating them. The same has been accused by the Afghan Taliban, who have called on Islamabad to allow its nationals to return to their homeland with dignity.
Islamabad denies the harassment allegations and says it is ensuring Afghan nationals are deported with dignity.
China jet maker’s market capitalization soars by over $7.6 billion after India-Pakistan conflict
- Pakistan Air Force has hailed use of Chinese J-10Cs to shoot down five Indian fighter jets, including three French Rafales
- Episode has prompted reassessment of Chinese weapons, challenging long-held perceptions of their inferiority to Western arms
ISLAMABAD: The market capitalization of China’s premier jet manufacturer, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, surged by more than $7.6 billion (Rs2.1 trillion) following the recent India-Pakistan conflict last week, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, as global attention zeroed in on the combat performance of Chinese J-10C fighter jets.
The report comes after the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) hailed the use of the J-10Cs to shoot down five Indian fighter jets, including three French Rafales, during a recent flare-up in hostilities that saw the nuclear-armed neighbors pound each other with missiles, drones and artillery for four days until the United States brokered a ceasefire.
The episode has prompted a reassessment of Chinese weapons, challenging long-held perceptions of their inferiority to Western arms.
“The jet’s maker saw its market capitalization soar by over 55 billion yuan ($7.6 billion), or more than a fourth, by the end of last week,” Bloomberg reported.
China is the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter, but its customers are mostly developing nations like Pakistan that have limited funds. The latest developments could bolster Beijing’s sales pitch as major economies from Europe to Asia heed President Donald Trump’s call to ramp up defense spending, Blomberg said.
“There is a good chance the weapons systems China is able to offer will be even more appealing to potential buyers” especially in the Global South, said James Char, assistant professor of the China Program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, noting the J-10C was not even China’s most advanced jet.
The J-10Cs have had few battle tests and are used to patrol the Taiwan Strait and their latest reported success by Pakistan has provided some initial insight into how they might fare against US fighters such as the F-16, Bloomberg said.
Another Chinese weapon in focus after the India-Pakistan standoff is the PL-15 missile.
Parts of the air-to-air missiles were found in India after the reported shoot-downs, suggesting the weapons, deployed on Pakistan’s J-10C aircraft, proved effective in their first known combat use. With a top speed above Mach 5, the PL-15 is a rival to Western air-to-air missiles.
Pakistan says 13 armed forces personnel killed in latest India conflict
- An army personnel and air force senior technician succumbed to their injuries, says Pakistani military
- India and Pakistan engaged in four days of armed conflict last week, worst between them since 1999
KARACHI: Pakistani military media’s wing said on Wednesday 13 members of the armed forces had been killed in the latest military confrontation with India, paying tribute to their courage and “unshakeable patriotism.”
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said on Tuesday that 11 armed forces personnel had been killed in Pakistan’s latest standoff with India while 78 had been injured. Forty civilians had also been killed and 121 were injured.
India and Pakistan engaged in four days of armed conflict last week, the worst between them since 1999, pounding each other with fighter aircraft, missiles, drones and artillery fire. The conflict erupted when India fired missiles into Pakistan last Wednesday night after weeks of tensions over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, while Islamabad denied involvement.
“While defending the motherland with exemplary courage and unwavering resolve, 2 more valiant sons of the soil embraced shahadat today who were hospitalized, bringing the total number of martyred personnel of the Pakistan Armed Forces to 13 while 78 have sustained injuries in the line of duty,” the ISPR said, referring to India’s attacks on the night of May 6.
The army’s Havaldar Muhammad Naveed Shaheed and Senior Technician Muhammad Ayaz of the Pakistan Air Force were the latest armed forces personnel who succumbed to their injuries, the ISPR said.
“Their noble sacrifice stands as a timeless testament to their courage, devotion to duty, and unshakeable patriotism,” it added.
After India struck multiple Pakistani cities last Wednesday with missiles, claiming it had targeted “terrorist” camps in response to the April 22 attack, Islamabad vowed to retaliate saying it had shot down five Indian fighter jets.
Things came to a head on Saturday morning when Pakistan said India had attacked three bases, and it struck back with attacks on multiple bases in India, including a missile storage site in India’s north.
Hours later, US President Donald Trump announced he had brokered a ceasefire between the two states, calming fears of an all-out war.
Both countries claimed victory as the fragile ceasefire came into force, with Pakistan saying it targeted several Indian military sites on Saturday and destroyed an S-400 missile defense system as part of its retaliatory ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’ operation, which translates to “Wall of Lead” in Arabic, in response to India attacking three air bases.
India has also released new satellite images showing serious damage to air strips and radar stations at what Indian defense officials say are multiple Pakistani military bases crippled by massive Indian airstrikes.
Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a region split between them, since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Both nations are nuclear-armed, raising global alarm every time an armed conflict breaks out between them.
‘She can’t do it’: How a Pakistani teenage boxer fought her biggest battle before the first punch
- Aliya Soomro, 19, knocked out Thailand’s Suthida Ganyanooch in a boxing contest in Bangkok on May 3
- The eldest daughter of a laborer, Soomro says people often told her parents not to let her pursue boxing
KARACHI: In a powerful display of grit and determination, 19-year-old Aliya Soomro punched her way to international recognition, knocking out Thailand’s Suthida Ganyanooch in the first round of “The Fighter: World Boxing” match in Bangkok on May 3.
Yet, for the teenage fighter from Karachi’s gritty Lyari neighborhood, the real battle was fought long before she entered the ring, as she braved relentless criticism and deeply ingrained gender norms back home.
In a country where many women still struggle to pursue their ambitions, especially in fields traditionally considered the preserve of men, Soomro said her victory was about more than just boxing as it challenged the limits others had set for women like her.
“They ended up motivating me,” she told Arab News at her modest residence, referring to all those who questioned her passion. “People thought they were demotivating me, but what they didn’t realize was that their negativity was actually turning into my motivation.”
“People gossiped about me, saying things like, ‘Make her quit, she can’t do it, this is beyond her,’” she said, recounting how many of them whispered such comments in her parents’ ears.
Born and raised in Lyari, an area long associated with poverty and gang violence, Soomro grew up hearing doubts about girls’ capabilities and endured years of neglect.
“You know, people still follow old-fashioned thinking that girls can’t do anything, that it’s not in their capacity and that they should just stay at home and tend to the stove,” she said.
But she was not just disappointed in people but also the sports authorities since even after being repeatedly shortlisted for Pakistan’s national boxing team, she was dropped without explanation.
“I was told, ‘Be ready, you’ll get your ticket in the morning.’ But when I got ready and sat waiting in the morning, I found out someone else had taken my place.”
Soomro’s father, Muhammad Hanif Soomro, a laborer and former footballer, said he made it his life’s mission to help his daughter, eldest of his four children, succeed.
“I am very happy as what has happened with me is not happened with my daughter,” he said, recalling how his poverty and lack of support deprived him of making his dream of playing football for his country come true.
He said he just unheard criticism of his daughter.
“If we had listened to the criticism, this would not have been possible,” he maintained. “The answer to criticism is hard work, dedication and she proved it. That’s her response.”
Without sponsors or institutional backing, Soomro said she walked from company to company during Ramadan, seeking help.
“Even during Ramadan, while fasting, I would go around to companies asking for sponsorship,” she said. “No one supported me.”
Eventually, help came from unexpected place, with Muhammad Hussain Bhatti, a leader from the fishermen’s community, getting her visa and tickets.
“After that, he took full responsibility for my sponsorship,” she added.
The victory in Bangkok has changed how Soomro is seen. Upon her return, she was applauded by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah who awarded her a shield and Rs1 million ($3,553) cash prize.
“Now, after returning with a victory, the situation has changed,” she said. “The chief minister is giving me great support.”
She’s also been offered a sports scholarship and professional coaching support ahead of her upcoming fight against an Indian opponent in Dubai.
But for Soomro, the transformation is deeply personal.
“The same ground where people once gossiped about me, I was later invited there as a chief guest, and they said, ‘She is our daughter.’ That was a moment of pride for me,” she said.
Soomro hopes her success will inspire other girls in Lyari and across Pakistan to pursue their dreams, regardless of societal pressures.
“I would just say this,” she said. “Don’t confine girls within four walls. Let them live freely. Just as you consider boys to be strong, know that women’s strength is even more important in your life... Women are powerful.”
She informed that boxing ran in her blood, with her maternal grand grandfather being a boxer.
“There was this one story. A cow had broken free. My great grandfather stood in a specific stance and threw a counter right, and it hit so hard that one of the cow’s horns broke off,” she said, smiling.
Despite being a third-year BBA student at a local university, Soomro balances her studies, training and coaching.
“Boxing isn’t just a sport for me,” she said. “Boxing is my life.”
Recalling her fight in Bangkok, Soomro said when she stepped into the ring, she just wanted to win. She knocked her opponent out in just 45 seconds.
When her Thai rival stood up, she hugged Soomro, saying: “Your punch is very hard.”
