Saudi ambassador calls on Pakistan’s caretaker PM, discusses bilateral cooperation

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Updated 17 August 2023
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Saudi ambassador calls on Pakistan’s caretaker PM, discusses bilateral cooperation

  • Saudi Arabia’s continued support is key for Pakistan as economic stabilization is a major challenge for PM Kakar 
  • Pakistan received $2 bn from Saudi Arabia, $1 bn from UAE in July before IMF approved last-minute bailout program

ISLAMABAD: The ambassadors of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Pakistan called on caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in Islamabad on Wednesday, discussing investments and potential cooperation in the energy, infrastructure, agriculture, IT, and manpower sectors.

Pakistan has deep-rooted ties with both Gulf countries which range from trade, defense production, military, and various other sectors. Saudi Arabia and UAE are also home to more than three million Pakistani expatriates, making them the largest contributors to remittance inflows.

“The Prime Minister emphasized that the recently-instituted Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) would continue to work as before and would lay the foundations to fast-track foreign investments, particularly from Saudi Arabia,” the PM’s Office said about the meeting with the Saudi envoy Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, Kakar’s first reported sit-down with a foreign dignitary.

“In this regard, he highlighted energy, infrastructure, agriculture, IT, and manpower as potential sectors of cooperation.”

Kakar thanked the Saudi government for its consistent support for Pakistan’s development and progress. “He particularly mentioned the large number of Pakistanis working in Saudi Arabia and requested the Saudi side to continue to extend all possible facilitation to them,” the PMO added.

Later, Kakar also received a call from the ambassador of the UAE, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, who congratulated the new caretaker PM on his appointment on behalf of the UAE government.




UAE ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Al-Zaabi, meets caretaker Pakistan Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar in Islamabad on August 16, 2023. (Photo courtesy: Prime Minister's Office)

“The prime minister said he looked forward to working with the UAE on advancing the two countries’ bilateral cooperation in various fields, especially trade, investment, and energy,” a separate statement issued by the PMO said.

Pakistan set up the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in June to attract foreign investment, particularly from Gulf countries. A notification dated June 17 from then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Office said SIFC would attract investments in energy, IT, minerals, defense, and agriculture from GCC countries. The body, which has the army chief and other military leaders in key roles, aims to take a “unified approach” to steer the country out of an economic crisis.

Earlier this month, a delegation from Saudi Arabia arrived in Pakistan to explore investment opportunities in the mining sector, aiming to tap into Pakistan’s $6 trillion estimated worth of mineral deposits. The Saudi delegation attended Pakistan’s first dedicated summit on minerals in Islamabad, where then PM Sharif and Pakistan’s army chief Gen Asim Munir spoke in front of a gathering of foreign investors, diplomats, and international dignitaries. The summit was organized under the umbrella of the SIFC.

In July, Pakistan established a Land Information and Management System, Center of Excellence ((LIMS-CoE) to modernize its agricultural sector, with Saudi Arabia providing an initial $500 million investment to set up the facility.

Saudi Arabia and UAE’s continued economic and investment support is key for Pakistan, as economic stabilization is a major challenge for PM Kakar, who took oath this week, with the $350 billion economy on a narrow recovery path after an ongoing $3 billion International Monetary Fund bailout averted a sovereign debt default. Economic reforms have already fueled historic inflation and interest rates.

Pakistan received $2 billion in financial support from Saudi Arabia and $1 billion from the UAE in July before the International Monetary Fund’s board gave the final approval for the bailout deal. The Middle Eastern countries pledged the funds in April but had held off depositing the money with the State Bank of Pakistan until it was sure that the IMF bailout would be forthcoming.


Pakistan’s T20 league kicks off in Rawalpindi with a glittering opening ceremony

Updated 11 April 2025
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Pakistan’s T20 league kicks off in Rawalpindi with a glittering opening ceremony

  • Fans filled the stadium for musical performances ahead of Islamabad-Lahore opener
  • PCB begins offering Urdu commentary on streaming platforms to expand outreach

ISLAMABAD: The 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) began on Friday with a vibrant opening ceremony in Rawalpindi, as fans packed the stadium for a night of music and cricket ahead of the tournament opener between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars.
The glitzy launch featured performances by major Pakistani artists including Abida Parveen, Ali Zafar, Abrar-ul-Haq, Natasha Baig and the Young Stunners, marking the first time the PSL’s opening event was held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
“The stage is set — now we’re just waiting for you!” the official PSL account posted on X, calling the event “a celebration of cricket” as the season got underway.
Islamabad United, three-time champions, won the toss and opted to field against defending champions Lahore Qalandars in the first match of the 34-game tournament.
The six-team competition will continue through May 18, with matches scheduled in Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore and Multan.
In a move to broaden accessibility, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to provide full-match Urdu commentary on various streaming platforms, aiming to reach more than 75 million users nationwide.
PCB CEO Salman Naseer said the initiative would help extend the PSL’s reach to a wider audience, describing the 10th season as a milestone in the league’s journey.
Launched in 2016, the PSL has grown into Pakistan’s premier domestic T20 competition.
The league is expected to expand from six to eight teams after the 2025 edition, as part of its long-term development plan.


Pakistan PM ends ‘monumental’ Belarus visit as both sides sign defense, trade and environmental pacts

Updated 11 April 2025
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Pakistan PM ends ‘monumental’ Belarus visit as both sides sign defense, trade and environmental pacts

  • Shehbaz Sharif says Belarus will welcome over 150,000 skilled Pakistani workers for ‘nation-building’
  • He also calls for a direct air link between both countries along with deeper mining and agricultural ties

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday concluded what he called a “monumental” two-day visit to Belarus, during which both countries signed a series of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) aimed at boosting cooperation in defense, commerce, environmental protection and other key sectors.

Sharif held talks with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk to review bilateral ties, as delegation-level talks were also held between the two sides encompassing discussions on bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international issues.

According to state media, Pakistan and Belarus signed a cooperation accord between their interior ministries along with a roadmap for military-technical collaboration between 2025 and 2027.

Agreements were also inked on defense cooperation, environmental protection, postal services, trade development, business support and coordination between trade bodies, the Associated Press of Pakistan said.

“A monumental day in Pakistan-Belarus ties,” Sharif said in a post on social media while sharing details of his visit.

“Highlights of our talks included the agreement to send over 150,000 highly skilled Pakistani workers to contribute to nation-building efforts in Belarus; enhanced cooperation in agriculture and food security; and potential joint ventures in the manufacturing of electric buses and agricultural machinery — steps that will help transform our enduring bond of friendship into a lasting partnership.”

Pakistan has in recent months intensified efforts to expand economic cooperation with a number of countries in and around the region, aiming to leverage its location as a transit hub for trade and earn foreign exchange.

Addressing a ceremony in Minsk, Sharif said Belarus was a leader in equipment manufacturing for the mining sector and Pakistan stood to gain from closer industrial cooperation.

“There is no reason why we shouldn’t benefit from your experience,” he continued, pointing to Pakistan’s vast mineral resources.

He also emphasized the value of establishing a direct air link between the two countries and thanked Lukashenko for his willingness to welcome skilled Pakistani labor.

Sharif also spoke of strengthening Pakistan’s agriculture sector with mutual cooperation, saying 65 percent of the country’s population lived in rural areas.

“We need your expertise,” he said. “We need to have joint ventures between Belarus and Pakistani companies to manufacture agricultural equipment in Pakistan so we can offer to the farmers at very economical rates, both companies from Belarus and Pakistan, they will have win-win situation.”

In recent years, trade between Belarus and Pakistan has ranged from $50 to 65 million annually, though recent official visits have raised hopes for increased commercial exchange.

Later, Sharif met with Belarusian parliamentary leaders and agreed to deepen inter-legislative cooperation.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has concluded his two-day official visit to Belarus and left for home,” the Government of Pakistan said in a social media post toward the end of the day. “He was seen off at Minsk International Airport by Prime Minister Alexander Turchin, Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov and officials of the Pakistani embassy.”


US education body urges Pakistani students to choose American universities amid visa concerns

Updated 15 min 49 sec ago
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US education body urges Pakistani students to choose American universities amid visa concerns

  • USEFP says Pakistani students currently in the US will complete their education, continue to receive stipends
  • It says several US government-funded programs, including the Fulbright scholarship, still remain in place

ISLAMABAD: The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) said on Friday it encouraged Pakistani students to choose American universities, adding that US-funded exchange programs, including the Fulbright scholarship, remained operational despite broader aid cuts under President Donald Trump.
The statement comes amid rising concern over the cancelation of student visas in the US, which has led to the abrupt departure of hundreds of international students.
Some universities reported that students were asked to leave immediately after learning, in some cases via text or email, that their visas had been revoked.
Several social media posts suggested recently Pakistani students were among those affected, prompting the country’s foreign office to say a day earlier it was seeking details from its missions in the US and would offer assistance to those impacted.
“The United States and USEFP remain committed to promoting the strong and enduring people-to-people ties between the United States and Pakistan,” USEFP said in a statement. “The United States proudly hosts 11,000 Pakistani students at US universities, and we encourage Pakistanis to continue to choose the United States for higher education opportunities.”
The organization clarified that 54 Pakistani students currently studying in the US under the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program would complete their education as planned and continue receiving stipends and related benefits.
“A number of US Government-funded exchange programs remain in place and are available to Pakistanis, including the Fulbright Program,” the statement added. “Fulbright participants in the United States continue to receive their stipends. Assertions that the Fulbright Program has been terminated or that students will be left stranded in the United States are false.”
However, USEFP said the US Department of State was conducting a global review of exchange programs to align them more closely with the new administration’s priorities and would share updates as available.


UN to cut 20 percent of humanitarian staff amid funding shortfall, scale back operations in Pakistan

Updated 11 April 2025
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UN to cut 20 percent of humanitarian staff amid funding shortfall, scale back operations in Pakistan

  • UN aid chief Tom Fletcher cites a $58 million shortfall after major funding cuts by the US
  • Fletcher says the agency will focus its resources by operating in fewer locations than before

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will cut 20 percent of its staff as it faces a shortfall of $58 million, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher has told staff after OCHA’s largest donor — the United States — cut funding.
“OCHA currently has a workforce of around 2,600 staff in over 60 countries. The funding shortfall means we are looking to regroup to an organization of around 2,100 staff in fewer locations,” Fletcher wrote in a note to staff on Thursday.
OCHA works to mobilize aid, share information, support aid efforts, and advocate for those in need during a crisis. It relies heavily on voluntary contributions.
“The US alone has been the largest humanitarian donor for decades, and the biggest contributor to OCHA’s program budget,” Fletcher said, noting that its annual contribution of $63 million would have accounted for 20 percent of OCHA’s extrabudgetary resources in 2025.
Since returning to office in January for a second term, US President Donald Trump’s administration has slashed billions of dollars in foreign assistance in a review that aimed to ensure programs align with his “America First” foreign policy.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month announced a new initiative to improve efficiency and cut costs as the world body turns 80 this year amid a cash crisis.
Fletcher said OCHA would “focus more of our resources in the countries where we work,” but would work in fewer places.
“OCHA will scale back our presence and operations in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Gaziantep (in Turkiye) and Zimbabwe,” Fletcher said.
“As we all know, these exercises are driven by funding cuts announced by Member States and not by a reduction of needs,” he said. “Humanitarian needs are on the rise and have perhaps never been higher, driven by conflicts, climate crises, disease, and the lack of respect of international humanitarian law.”


Thousands rally across Pakistan against Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, urge Muslim states to act

Updated 11 April 2025
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Thousands rally across Pakistan against Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, urge Muslim states to act

  • Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s key religio-political party, called the protest across Pakistan
  • JI chief urges building a strong pro-Palestine movement and preparing for a nationwide strike

KARACHI: Thousands of supporters of a prominent Pakistani religio-political party poured into the streets of Lahore and other major cities on Friday to protest Israel’s military strikes in Gaza, with their leaders demanding urgent action from Muslim states to stop the bloodshed.

The call for nationwide demonstrations came from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) after intensified conflict in Gaza, which began in October 2023. International efforts for a ceasefire have not held, with reports indicating the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 50,000, with a significant number of women and children among the casualties.

Pakistan has long advocated for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital and does not recognize Israel.

Addressing a large gathering in Lahore, the JI chief, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, urged Muslim leaders to get united.

“Liberating this occupied land is the duty of every Muslim,” he said. “When our paths are blocked [as individuals], it becomes the responsibility of [Muslim] rulers and their armies. Even a small step forward can lead to a ceasefire.”

In his speech, Rehman emphasized the historical and ideological connections between Pakistan and Palestine, remembering how his country's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, made them clear.

“When Israel was imposed as an illegitimate entity [over Palestinian territory and people] in 1948, Quaid-e-Azam [Jinnah] said that Israel was the illegitimate child of the West, a tool created for their use,” he continued.

The JI chief also highlighted the engagement of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Pakistan’s national poet-philosopher, with the Palestinian issue, mentioning his attendance at a conference in Palestine in 1931.

“That is the foundation of Pakistan’s connection with Palestine, and it was a stated policy of our country that we promised never to recognize Israel,” he added. “So, if anyone talks about a two-state solution, or speaks in favor of Israel in secrecy, we want to make it clear that there is only one state — the state of Palestine — and it is under occupation.”

Rehman called for sustained public pressure on governments around the world, hoping it would force them to address the issue.

“Pressurize your government through public protest,” he said. “Protests have erupted in Bangladesh, in India and across Europe and America — people are rising. Don’t let this flame of resistance die. Be ready for the struggle.”

He maintained he would consult religious scholars and speak with other parties to unite for a powerful movement.

“We are already in communication with the Palestinian leadership. One day, we will call for a complete nationwide strike across Pakistan,” he said, appealing to traders and the general public to prepare for future mobilization and boycott of Israeli and Western products.

“We do not stand with the oppressors,” he continued. “The Palestinian resistance is legitimate under the UN Charter.”

Meanwhile, in Karachi, hundreds gathered outside the Bait-ul-Mukarram Mosque in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal neighborhood, where the city’s JI chief, Munem Zafar, addressed the protesters.

“The massacre in Gaza continues unabated. Zionist forces are committing genocide. Over 60,000 people have been martyred in the last 18 months,” he said, adding that 90 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure had been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes.

Zafar announced a “Solidarity with Gaza March” to be held in Karachi on April 13 along Sharah-e-Faisal, to be led by Rehman, the party’s central chief.

“We want to awaken the conscience of the Muslim rulers,” he said. “We urge families — children, elders, women — to join in large numbers.”

The party also called for a boycott of goods produced by companies supporting Israel.

Hundreds of protests were also held outside various mosques after the Friday prayer congregations in Karachi and other Pakistani cities on JI’s call.