Pakistan warns Pashtun rights group against stoking ethnic division as clashes kill 3

Supporters and activists of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) take part in a protest against the military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Quetta on July 7, 2024. (AFP/File)
Short Url
Updated 09 October 2024
Follow

Pakistan warns Pashtun rights group against stoking ethnic division as clashes kill 3

  • Pashtun Tahafuz Movement organizes protest in northwestern Jamrud town against government’s ban on group 
  • PTM is a fierce critic of the powerful military, accusing it of abusing Pashtuns’ rights in northwestern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned a prominent Pashtun rights group against stoking ethnic division in the country on Wednesday, as protests in the country’s northwestern province claimed the lives of three people. 

At least three protesters were killed on Wednesday afternoon as clashes erupted between Pakistani police and supporters of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) in the northwestern town of Jamrud near Peshawar city.

The clashes erupted during protests by the PTM against a ban placed on the group by Pakistan’s interior ministry on Sunday. The ministry said it had banned the PTM, alleging that the group was found to be involved in activities prejudicial to the peace and security of the country. 

The PTM alleges Pashtuns have faced rights abuses during Pakistan’s war against militants, mainly in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It blames Pakistan’s powerful military for rights abuses in the northwestern province, a charge the institution has consistently denied.

“The main reason for banning them two days ago was that you, on the one hand, are abusing your state institutions and police. You are promoting ethnic discrimination and talking to the nation about division,” Naqvi said at a press conference. 

The minister pointed out that as per Pakistani law, if an organization is declared a proscribed entity its offices are sealed, bank accounts closed, arms licenses, passports, and identity cards are canceled and restrictions are placed on it regarding its media interactions and travel.

“Anyone who helps them [PTM] or facilitates them will face the same restrictions,” Naqvi warned. 

The PTM plans to hold a tribal jirga or tribal council gathering of thousands of people from Oct. 11-13 in defiance of the state’s ban in Jamrud. Naqvi warned the Pashtun rights group against holding the event, saying that the government would share important details of the PTM’s funding in the upcoming days. 

“On the one hand you are calling it a jirga and then also calling it a court,” he said. “This is the decision of Pakistan’s government that we cannot allow any parallel judicial system in the country.”

Formed by veterinary sciences student Manzoor Pashteen in 2014, the PTM was a pressure group that shot to national prominence when they spearheaded protests against the killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud, a young garment trader and aspiring model shot dead by police in Karachi in 2018.

In the 2018 election, PTM leaders Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir were elected to parliament from Pakistan’s restive North and South Waziristan districts, respectively.

The PTM says it has faced harassment, intimidation and censorship at the hands of Pakistan’s powerful military, which has ruled the country directly for over 30 years since it gained independence in 1947.

The military denies the PTM’s accusations and has often accused it of being funded by foreign intelligence agencies, notably Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) and India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The PTM denies these allegations. 


‘Adornment’ of Eid meals: Meaty celebrations begin with aroma and activity at Quetta spice bazaar

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

‘Adornment’ of Eid meals: Meaty celebrations begin with aroma and activity at Quetta spice bazaar

  • Spice makers at Quetta Sabzi Mandi prepare spices for kebabs, rice dishes, barbecue items and meat stews
  • Orders for spices pour in from Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Punjab provinces, merchants say

QUETTA: Hajji Shair Ali moved around his shop, using a griddle scoop to collect generous amounts of cinnamon, black pepper, garlic, ginger and an array of colorful herbs. He then put them all into a grinder, the old machine churning out a bright orange spice mix, the key ingredient for marinating meat during the Eid Al-Adha religious festival.

Ali’s shop is in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, in what is commonly called Sabzi Mandi, its alleys lined with shops selling mostly fresh fruit and vegetable but also spices and other condiments.

Each year, ahead of Eid Al-Adha, the market comes alive as city residents throng to buy spices to add a fiery zing to their meat-based dishes.

The daily rush has kept Ali, 41, busy and working 15 hours a day since the Dhul Hijjah moon, which helps determine the date for Eid, was sighted last month. Eid will be celebrated in Pakistan on June 7 after the end of the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah.

“For us the season lasts all year but during Eid Al-Adha, demand for spices increases, particularly for barbecue and Pashtun rosh [slow cooked mutton or lamb] spices,” Ali told Arab News.

“Spices are the adornment of dining. If you cook meat without spices, it tastes bland. Thus, the dishes all depend on spices.”

Ali said ahead of Eid, there was also a surge in the demand for his special barbecue sauce made by blending papaya and kachri powder, a distinctive spice derived from a type of wild melon and known for its tangy and slightly sour taste, acting as a natural meat tenderizer and adding flavor to various dishes.

“Along with kachri powder, we add black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, coriander and garlic,” Aali said., explaining the recipe of his meat tenderizer.

Shaharyar Khan, a customer searching for spices as he was planning to host an Eid barbeque, praised the quality of spices at the market.

“During Eid Al-Adha the quality is a little better,” Khan told Arab News.

“Normally it’s already good, but for Eid, they make it even better so the taste of the food is enhanced.”

But many customers also complained of the rising prices of spices in recent years, which spice shop owners blamed on the higher prices of imported ingredients.

Essential ingredients required to make the products are imported from Vietnam, China, India and Iran, merchants explained, and the persistent devaluation of the rupee against the US dollar over the years had caused imports to surge in value.

The prices of the spices had also subsequently increased over the years.

But customer Hajji Ajmal from Kuchlak town near Quetta, said the increase was not substantial compared to the quality of spices one was getting.

“Last year I bought one kilogram of barbecue spice for Rs900 ($3.20) and this year, it is [being sold] for Rs950 ($3.38),” he said.

At the bazaar this week, curry mixes were being sold for Rs1,200 ($4.27) a packet while the price of biryani rice spice mix was higher at around Rs1,400 ($4.98).

Despite the price hikes, customers who trust the quality of the product continue to shop and orders have even been coming in from various cities in the Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

“I have prepared different spices for this Eid season, weighing more than 3,000 kgs because we have received many online orders from other cities through our social media page,” Ali, the spice merchant, said.

“During Eid Al-Adha season, we work until midnight, even skipping meals. Ten people work in a single shop to prepare the spice orders in time.”


PM Sharif urges nation to remember Palestinians as Pakistan marks Eid Al-Adha

Updated 26 min 17 sec ago
Follow

PM Sharif urges nation to remember Palestinians as Pakistan marks Eid Al-Adha

  • Palestinians enduring “ruthless and inhumane” oppression and hunger, says Shehbaz Sharif in his Eid Al-Adha message to nation
  • President Asif Ali Zardari calls for supporting underprivileged segment as Pakistan military vows to defend country’s sovereignty

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday urged the nation to remember the people of Palestine suffering “ruthless” occupation at the hands of Israel, state-run media reported, as millions of Pakistanis celebrated Eid Al-Adha.

Eid Al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar. Muslims mark the Eid Al-Adha holiday by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats, and the meat is shared among family and friends and donated to the poor.

The day began with Sharif and senior officials across the country offering Eid Al-Adha prayers in mosques and praying for Pakistan’s progress and prosperity.

“He [Sharif] said today, we must especially remember our Palestinian brothers and sisters who are enduring ruthless and inhumane oppression and hunger,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.

The Pakistani premier’s message comes as the Israeli military presses on with its intensified military campaign in Gaza, issuing an evacuation order for residents of parts of the city on Friday as the Middle East celebrated Eid Al-Adha.

The Pakistani prime minister also urged the masses to remember the people in Indian-administered Kashmir, saying that they were involved in a “just and courageous” struggle for their right to self-determination for decades.

In his message to the nation, President Asif Ali Zardari said there was a pressing need to support the underprivileged and marginalized segments of our society.

“Asif Ali Zardari said as a nation, we must support each other, share in each other’s sorrows, and work together to build a prosperous and great Pakistan,” Radio Pakistan reported.

Pakistan Army’s military leadership paid tribute to the “unwavering resilience” of the Pakistani nation, recognizing the sacrifices of the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, and citizens who continue to uphold the security of the country.

“The Pakistan Armed Forces stand resolutely with the people, united in purpose and steadfast in their sacred duty to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country,” the Inter-Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing, said.


Pakistani PM, Saudi Crown Prince hold wide-ranging talks on political, economic, security matters

Updated 06 June 2025
Follow

Pakistani PM, Saudi Crown Prince hold wide-ranging talks on political, economic, security matters

  • Sharif arrived in the Kingdom on Thursday on a two-day visit to enhance trade and investment, discuss regional security
  • Leaders discuss investment ties, latest military standoff with India and worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held bilateral talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today, Friday, and discussed a range of issues, including political, trade and investment ties, the latest military standoff with India and the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Sharif arrived in the Kingdom on Thursday on a two-day visit aimed at enhancing cooperation in trade and investment and to discuss regional security concerns. 

“The meeting reaffirmed the deep-rooted, strategic, and fraternal ties between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said a statement released by Sharif’s office after his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction on the growing momentum of bilateral cooperation in the political, economic and security domains. 

“Both leaders agreed to further elevate this strategic partnership in accordance with the shared vision of the leadership and the aspirations of the brotherly people of the two countries.”

Last month, following the worst military confrontation between India and Pakistan in decades, Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf nations, played a key role in mediating between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, helping to avert a potential war. 

“The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the Kingdom’s proactive role during recent tensions between Pakistan and India, and its steadfast commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region and beyond,” the statement added. 

The two leaders also discussed the “dire humanitarian situation in Gaza,” calling on the international community to fulfill its moral and legal obligations. They reiterated their “unwavering support for a just and durable resolution to the Palestinian question, grounded in the Arab Peace Initiative and the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.”

Earlier in the day, Sharif held “informal talks” with the Crown Prince at a special luncheon at the royal court. 

A statement from Sharif’s office said the Crown Prince gave a “special welcome” to the PM and personally drove him to attend the lunch.

“The Saudi Crown Prince warmly welcomed Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at the lunch and informal talks were held between the two leaders,” the statement said. 

“The lunch was attended by important leaders from the Middle East, including members of the Saudi cabinet and top Saudi civil and military leadership.”

“STRENTHEN BILATERAL COOPERATION”

Sharif reached Jeddah on Thursday evening and departed for Makkah to perform Umrah, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had said in an earlier statement.

“The two leaders will discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, welfare of the Muslim Ummah, and regional peace and security,” PMO said about Sharif’s meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince.

The visit comes amid deepening economic ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. 

In recent months, the two countries have signed multiple agreements aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment. Notably, Saudi Arabia has committed to a $5 billion investment package to support Pakistan’s economy, which has been grappling with a balance of payments crisis.

Last year, Saudi and Pakistani businessmen signed 34 memorandums of understanding worth $2.8 billion, covering sectors such as industry, technology, and agriculture. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s Manara Minerals is in talks to acquire a 10-20 percent stake in Pakistan’s $9 billion Reko Diq copper and gold mining project, one of the largest of its kind globally.

Defense cooperation is also a key component of the bilateral relationship. The two nations have a history of military collaboration, with Saudi Arabia providing support to Pakistan during times of regional tension and Pakistan training Saudi forces. 

Pakistan has a 2.7 million-strong diaspora in Saudi Arabia, which accounts for the highest remittance inflow, a crucial lifeline for the country’s economy.


Pakistan says US should encourage India to engage in ‘comprehensive dialogue’

Updated 06 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan says US should encourage India to engage in ‘comprehensive dialogue’

  • Weeks after their worst military confrontation in decades, India and Pakistan have dispatched top lawmakers to press their cases in the US
  • Pakistan team led by ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, India’s by one of its most prominent opposition politicians Shashi Tharoor

WASHINGTON: The head of a delegation visiting Washington DC to present Islamabad’s position following a recent military standoff with New Delhi said on Friday the United States should encourage India and Pakistan to engage in a “comprehensive dialogue.” 

Weeks after their worst military confrontation in decades, India and Pakistan have dispatched top lawmakers to press their cases in the United States, where President Donald Trump has shown eagerness for diplomacy between them.

After crisscrossing the world, the delegations descended this week at the same time on Washington, which played a key mediatory role in a ceasefire after four days of fighting between the nuclear-armed adversaries in May.

In strikingly similar strategies, the rival delegations are both led by veteran politicians who have been critical of their countries’ governments and are known for their ease in speaking to Western audiences. Pakistan has embraced an active role for the Trump administration while India, which has close relations with Washington, has been more circumspect and has long refused outside mediation on the flashpoint Himalayan territory of Kashmir.

“Just like the United States and President Trump played a role in encouraging us to achieve this ceasefire, I believe they should play their part in encouraging both sides to engage in a comprehensive dialogue,” said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the scion of a political dynasty whose Pakistan People’s Party says it belongs neither to the governing coalition nor opposition.

“I don’t quite understand the Indian government’s hesitance,” Bhuttoo Zardari, the head of the Pakistani diplomatic delegation, told AFP.

“I’m the first to criticize the United States for so many reasons, but where they do the right thing, where they do the difficult task of actually achieving a ceasefire, they deserve appreciation.”

India’s delegation is led by one of its most prominent opposition politicians, Shashi Tharoor, a former senior UN official and writer.

He said he was putting the national interest first, despite disagreements domestically with Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tharoor said he heard “total support and solidarity for India” during his meetings with US lawmakers and a “complete understanding of India’s right to defend itself against terrorism.”

“NO EQUIVALENCE”

Gunmen on April 22 massacred 26 tourists on the Indian-administered part of Kashmir, most singled out as Hindus, in the deadliest attack on civilians in decades in the scenic region that has seen a long-running insurgency.

India accused Pakistan of backing the assailants — which it denies — and launched strikes on Pakistani territory. More than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides.

“There can be no equivalence between a country sending terrorists and a country having its civilians killed, holiday-makers, tourists, men shot down in front of their wives and children after being asked their religion,” Tharoor told a news conference.

He said he was “puzzled” by those who believe denials of responsibility by Pakistan, pointing to how US forces found Osama bin Laden in the country.

Tharoor also noted that former Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto Zardari’s father, had advocated peace with India but was in power during the siege of Mumbai on November 26, 2008.

“If they can’t control what they’re doing to us, why bother to talk to them?” said Tharoor, who pointed to the outsized role of the military in Pakistan.

“NEW NORMAL”

Trump has repeatedly credited his administration with averting nuclear war and said the United States had negotiated an agreement to hold talks between the two sides at a neutral site, an assertion that met India’s silence.

Pakistan had cool relations with Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, whose aides bitterly resented Islamabad’s role in the Afghanistan war, but Pakistan has quickly worked to woo Trump including with the arrest of a suspect in a deadly 2021 attack that killed more than 170 people, including 13 US troops, during the withdrawal from Kabul.

Bilawal, recalling how his mother, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was killed in a terror attack, said Pakistan was ready to discuss terrorism with India but that Kashmir as a “root cause” also needed to be on the table.

He said that India was establishing a dangerous new precedent in South Asia where whenever there is a terrorist attack in any country, “you go straight to war.”

“I think that the fate of 1.7 billion people and our two great nations should not left in the hands of these nameless, faceless, non-state actors and this new normal that India is trying to impose on the region,” he said.

The two delegations have no plans to meet in Washington.


Pakistan moves to build ‘direct collaboration’ with New York Crypto Council

Updated 06 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan moves to build ‘direct collaboration’ with New York Crypto Council

  • CEO of Pakistan Crypto Council has been on a visit to the United States since last month
  •  Saqib has met over a dozen key US lawmakers, government officials, including New York mayor

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Minister of State for Crypto and Blockchain, Bilal Bin Saqib, has met New York City Mayor Eric Adams, in a “key step” toward building “direct collaboration” between the crypto councils of Pakistan and New York, Saqib’s office said in a statement on Friday. 

The minister, who is also the CEO of the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), has been on a visit to the United States since last month, where he has met over a dozen key US government officials and lawmakers to strengthen cooperation in the areas of digital assets, blockchain regulation, and financial innovation.

Pakistan set up the PCC in March to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading in a bid to lure international investment. In April, Pakistan introduced its first-ever policy framework to set rules for how digital money like cryptocurrencies and the companies that deal in it should operate in Pakistan. The policy has been formulated to align with compliance and financial integrity guidelines of the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Last month, the government also approved setting up the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), a specialized regulatory body to oversee blockchain-based financial infrastructure. Saqib last week also unveiled the country’s first government-led strategic bitcoin reserve at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas.

“Both New York City and Pakistan have taken bold steps by establishing dedicated Crypto Councils to support the responsible growth of the digital economy,” a statement from Saqib’s office said after he met Adams.

“This meeting marked a key step toward building direct collaboration between the New York Crypto Council and the Pakistan Crypto Council— two government-backed bodies committed to shaping the future of Web3.”

Adams and Saqib explored opportunities to co-develop knowledge-sharing initiatives, capacity-building programs, and strategic advisory efforts to foster innovation and also discussed regulatory compliance. 

“This event marked the final stop on Minister Saqib’s official US tour focused on blockchain innovation, public-private partnerships, and advancing global crypto collaboration. The meeting at Gracie Mansion offered a fitting conclusion— highlighting New York City’s pivotal role in global tech leadership and Pakistan’s emergence as a bold new voice in the digital asset space,” the statement said. 

Late last month, Pakistan announced the allocation of 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity in the first phase of a national initiative to power bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence data centers. The allocation is the first phase of a broader, multi-stage digital infrastructure roll-out.

On Thursday, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired a meeting at the Finance Division to review progress on the development of a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital and virtual assets in the country. 

The law ministry tabled a draft of the proposed legal framework during the meeting, which was developed through close collaboration with members of the PCC, key stakeholders and technical experts.

“During the meeting, the draft was thoroughly reviewed and refined,” the Finance Division said. “It was collectively agreed that in-principle approval process will be fast-tracked to ensure timely enactment and effective implementation.”

The draft legislation outlines a regulatory structure for digital and virtual assets, encompassing governance mechanisms, licensing protocols and investor protection provisions, the statement said. The proposed framework seeks to position Pakistan as a forward-looking participant in the digital asset ecosystem, the statement added.