ISLAMABAD: Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif will arrive in Islamabad on February 7, with repatriation of Pakistani prisoners among other affairs on the agenda, the Pakistani interior minister said on Tuesday.
Last month, Saudi Arabia ratified agreements that help both countries streamline the repatriation of prisoners and measures to counter human and drug trafficking.
The treaties were signed during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the kingdom in May last year.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said his country was trying to bring back Pakistani prisoners from wherever they were.
“Tomorrow, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif is arriving on the invitation of the interior ministry. And this for interior ministry, this country and repatriation of our prisoners in Saudi Arabia will be a good decision,” Ahmed said at a press conference in Islamabad.
“We are inviting interior ministers of different countries where our people are in prisons. It is as per instructions of the prime minister.”
The minister said the government was making efforts to bring back Pakistanis languishing in prisons of brotherly Muslim countries for not being able to pay fines imposed for minor offenses.
“We are taking this to the cabinet that people who are languishing in our brotherly Islamic countries due to fines, their release should be managed by paying their fines,” he said.
Ahmed said Pakistan had already secured release of many prisoners from Turkey, adding that officials from Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait would also be visiting the country soon.
Saudi interior minister expected in Islamabad Monday with Pakistani prisoners on talks agenda
https://arab.news/wnr53
Saudi interior minister expected in Islamabad Monday with Pakistani prisoners on talks agenda
- Pakistani interior minister says they are trying to secure release of Pakistanis languishing in Muslim countries
- Officials from Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait will also be visiting Pakistan soon to discuss release of prisoners
PM Sharif says Pakistan witnessed world’s biggest drop in gender digital gap in 2024-25
- PM says Pakistan has over 200 million telecom subscriptions and 150 million broadband users
- Mobile manufacturing is up 47.5 percent as Pakistan boosts connectivity through submarine cables
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday Pakistan recorded the world’s biggest reduction in the gender digital divide in 2024-25, with eight million more women gaining access to mobile Internet.
The announcement came on World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, observed annually on May 17 to promote the importance of information and communication technologies (ICTs).
The day was institutionalized in 1969 to commemorate the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on this day in 1865.
Pakistan has been striving to advance gender equality in digital access to serve its broader economic goals, particularly as it seeks to attract foreign investment in its IT sector.
“Pakistan has made remarkable progress in narrowing the gender digital divide,” Sharif said in a statement released by his office.
“In 2024-2025, 8 million more women gained mobile Internet access, reducing the gender gap from 38 percent to 25 percent— the highest improvement globally, led by rural women,” he added.
The prime minister highlighted that Pakistan’s digital transformation includes surpassing 200 million telecom subscriptions, 150 million broadband users and two million fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections.
Additionally, mobile manufacturing has grown by 47.46 percent, and international connectivity has been enhanced through high-capacity submarine cables.
The prime minister noted the mobile ecosystem was now contributing $16.7 billion to Pakistan’s economy.
He said the government was committed to fostering a digital environment that promotes inclusion and empowers women through targeted policies, skills development programs and gender-sensitive digital infrastructure.
Sharif also called on all stakeholders to champion gender-responsive digital transformation and continue building an inclusive and empowered digital Pakistan.
President Zardari visits troops in Gujranwala, lauds swift military response to Indian attack
- He praises people who lost their lives during the conflict, calling their sacrifice a source of national pride
- Pakistan says its response to New Delhi culminated in a successful pushback that neutralized the threat
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday praised the armed forces for swiftly repelling an Indian attack, saying they had changed the battlefield dynamics “within a matter of hours” in a recent military confrontation.
The comments came during a visit to Gujranwala Cantonment, where the president met with troops and top military leadership, including Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.
Zardari’s remarks refer to Pakistan’s military retaliation, launched in response to Indian missile and drone attacks last week in various parts of the country.
The operation, according to Pakistani officials, culminated in a successful pushback that neutralized the threat and shifted the momentum on the ground.
“History will bear witness to how, within a matter of hours, the Pakistan Armed Forces repelled aggression with unmatched precision and resolve, sending an unequivocal message of Pakistan’s strength, resilience and national unity,” Zardari said, according to a statement from the military’s media wing.
During his visit, the president paid tribute to both military personnel and civilians who lost their lives in defense of the country, calling their sacrifice “a sacred trust and a source of enduring national pride.”
He also congratulated troops on the conclusion of the military operation, praising their morale, combat readiness and commitment to safeguarding national sovereignty.
The visit came amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India following cross-border hostilities, though both sides have now been observing a fragile ceasefire.
The president was also accompanied by interior minister Mohsin Naqvi and received at the cantonment by senior army commanders from Gujranwala and Mangla Corps.
Pakistan detains four deportees linked to human smuggling after UAE convictions
- The suspects arrived in Pakistan on emergency travel documents after serving their sentences in the UAE
- Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on human smuggling networks following migrant boat tragedies
KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday detained four men deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for their alleged involvement in human smuggling and prostitution, as Pakistan intensifies its crackdown on such networks following a series of deadly migrant boat tragedies.
The suspects were arrested upon arrival at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, according to an FIA statement, after being convicted in the UAE for participating in illegal activities. After serving their sentences, they were deported to Pakistan on emergency travel documents.
“FIA Immigration carries out a major operation,” the statement said. “Four suspects arriving from the UAE have been taken into custody. The suspects were involved in illegal activities in the UAE.”
“The suspects have been transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Karachi for further legal action,” it added.
The arrests come amid Pakistan’s broader campaign against human smuggling, which has gained urgency following multiple migrant boat disasters involving Pakistani nationals.
Earlier this year, over 40 Pakistanis were feared drowned near Morocco’s coast while in 2023 more than 200 Pakistanis were presumed dead in a shipwreck off Greece.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to dismantle human smuggling networks that lure citizens into perilous journeys with false promises of better lives abroad.
“Global cooperation is essential to combat prostitution carried out under the guise of human smuggling,” the FIA said.
“All available resources are being utilized to eliminate human smuggling,” it added.
Envoy shares potential of Pakistan freight corridors, ports for regional connectivity at Dubai event
Envoy shares potential of Pakistan freight corridors, ports for regional connectivity at Dubai event
- The Global Logistics Alliance conference brings together over 2,000 industry leaders, experts and potential partners to explore logistics opportunities
- The development comes as Pakistan strives to boost trade, overseas investment amid a gradually healing macroeconomic environment after a prolonged downturn
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Envoy to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi has underscored Pakistan’s freight corridors, port projects at a global logistics conference in Dubai, saying the South Asian has the potential to become a crucial hub for regional trade, transport and economic cooperation.
Ambassador Tirmizi said this while delivering a keynote address at the 12th Global Logistics Alliance (GLA) conference in Dubai, according to Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID).
The three-day event, running from May 15 till May 18, has brought together over 2,000 industry leaders, experts and potential partners from 130 countries to network, acquire knowledge and explore opportunities in the logistics sector.
In his speech, Ambassador Tirmizi highlighted Pakistan’s strategic location at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia as well as the Middle East.
“Pakistan is poised to become a vital corridor of connectivity and cooperation across the region,” he said, lauding the UAE-based firms DP World and AD Ports for their investments in freight corridors and port development projects in Pakistan.
The development comes as Pakistan strives to boost trade and overseas investment amid a gradually healing macroeconomic environment after a prolonged downturn that forced Islamabad to seek external financing from friendly nations and multiple loan programs with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The Pakistani government has pursued aggressive economic diplomacy in recent years, signing several agreements and memoranda of understanding with countries in Central Asia and the Middle East.
In her remarks, GLA President Grace Sun emphasized the importance of the event in creating new business synergies and accelerating global logistics collaboration.
On the sidelines of the conference, Ambassador Tirmizi and Sun discussed the potential of organizing a regional networking conference in Pakistan under the GLA framework, with a focus on engagement from South and Central Asian logistics stakeholders, according to the PID.
Ambassador Tirmizi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to working with international partners to develop “smart, efficient, and sustainable logistics infrastructure,” particularly through transformational initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Pakistani animated film ‘The Glassworker’ heads to US theaters with Watermelon Pictures
- The Pakistani animated film revolves around two people from disparate backgrounds, a glassblower and a violinist
- The movie, selected as Pakistan’s submission to the 2025 Academy Awards, took the animation world by storm in 2024
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first hand-drawn animated film “The Glassworker” is set to screen in the United States (US) after Watermelon Pictures acquired its distribution rights, the US-based film production and distribution company said this week.
The Glassworker, released in Pakistan in July last year, was storyboarded by young Pakistani animator, Usman Riaz, who also directed the movie that comprised 1,477 cuts and 2,500 individual drawings, bringing to life the coming-of-age tale of two people from disparate backgrounds: young Vincent who is an apprentice at his father’s glass workshop, and the talented violinist Alliz, the daughter of a military colonel.
Around them, a war threatens to upend their lives and the relationships between the children and parents are tested. A total of 250 people worked on the film including national and international cast and crew.
In a post on Instagram, Watermelon Pictures said they were proud to announce that their very first animated feature, The Glassworker, would soon be coming to US theaters.
“After being selected as Pakistan’s submission to the 2025 Academy Awards, #TheGlassworker took the animation world by storm as Pakistan’s first ever hand-drawn animated feature,” the distribution company said.
“An ode to Hayo Miyazaki’s dedication to telling beautiful stories frame by frame, The Glassworker is truly a work of art.”
The deal was closed during Cannes and negotiated by Hamza Ali for Watermelon Pictures and Hélène Espeisse on behalf of Charades, which is representing the film at this year’s Marché Du Film, US entertainment website DEADLINE reported.
“The Glassworker is a breathtaking, emotional story that will resonate deeply with audiences of all ages. We are honored to bring this cinematic gem to US theaters,” Watermelon Pictures co-founder Hamza Ali was quoted as saying.
Ali launched the film production and distribution company in April, 2024 along with his brother, Badie Ali, with Alana Hadid as creative director. The firm aims to amplify the voices of underrepresented filmmakers across the globe.
“We are thrilled that The Glassworker will be released theatrically in the United States by Watermelon Pictures. Their rapid growth and recent string of successful, meaningful films make them the perfect partner to bring our work to American audiences,” Khizer Riaz, the film’s producer, was quoted as saying.
“We couldn’t be more excited.”
