ISLAMABAD: Businesses in Pakistan’s twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi incurred more than Rs6 billion ($21.6 million) losses due to protests by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party over the weekend, traders said on Tuesday.
Hundreds of Khan supporters set out for Islamabad from various parts of the country on Friday to take part in a protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk square. Clashes erupted as police tried to prevent the protesters from entering the Pakistani capital, resulting in the killing of one policeman.
Dozens were injured on both sides as police used tear gas to disperse Khan supporters. The twin cities remained heavily barricaded as authorities suspended mobile phone services, with retail, wholesale and distribution business as well as industry remaining shut for two days.
“The cumulative losses to businesses and traders in Islamabad and Rawalpindi run over 6 billion rupees due to closure of roads and blockade of mobile and Internet services,” Fahad Barlas, vice president of the Rawalpindi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, told Arab News.
“Apart from the financial losses, we suffer a reputational loss in terms of dealing with our foreign clients, booking the orders, and such protests take us months to restore all that.”
The PTI called simultaneous protests in all districts across the most populous Punjab province to protest the government’s proposed constitutional amendments that it claims are aimed at curtailing the independence of the judiciary, a charge denied by the government. The party also aimed to mobilize supporters through these public gatherings to pressure the government for the release of Khan, who has been in prison since August last year on a slew of charges.
Additionally, the federal and provincial governments spent a substantial amount on security, placement of shipping containers and barriers to block roads, food for law enforcement personnel and tear gas.
Arab News reached out to the Pakistani interior ministry and the Punjab home department, but did not get a response to its questions, seeking details of the expenses on security arrangements for the protests and any losses to the public property.
Nasir Qureshi, president of the Islamabad Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said the recent closure of roads and Internet services due to the protests had disrupted entire supply chains, which could take weeks to recover.
“Traders could not go to the banks to get their LCs [letters of credit] opened, the IT sector and all other businesses were hit by the roads and Internet closures,” he said, suggesting that the government should allow protests at a designated place in the federal capital to avoid disruptions to businesses and public life.
“The government suffers losses in taxation when the businesses are closed while individual traders, daily wagers, contractors and consumers have to face financial losses.”
Weekend protests by ex-PM Khan party cost Islamabad, Rawalpindi businesses $21.6 million losses — traders
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Weekend protests by ex-PM Khan party cost Islamabad, Rawalpindi businesses $21.6 million losses — traders
- Hundreds of Khan supporters set out for Islamabad from various parts of Pakistan on Friday to take part in a protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk square
- Clashes erupted as police tried to prevent the protesters from entering the capital, choking the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for two days
Pakistani diplomat, 178 devotees visit Sufi shrine in Indian capital amid tense ties
- Amir Khusro, a revered mystic, is celebrated for shaping Indo-Islamic culture through music and poetry
- Religious tourism between the two states has persisted despite their strained relations since August 2019
ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistani diplomat on Wednesday paid tribute at the shrine of a 13th-century Muslim mystic in New Delhi, joining 178 devotees from his country who traveled to India to mark the saint’s death anniversary, even as diplomatic ties between the two countries remain strained.
Amir Khusro, a revered Sufi and disciple of Nizamuddin Aulia, is celebrated for shaping Indo-Islamic culture through his poetry, music and promotion of the Persian and Hindavi languages.
Despite the downgrading of bilateral relations since August 2019, when India revoked the special constitutional status of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, religious tourism between the two countries has persisted.
“The Charge d’ Affaires of Pakistan to India, Mr. Saad Ahmad Warraich, laid the traditional chaddar [a decorative cloth] on behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan at the shrine of the famous mystic saint, Hazrat Amir Khusro (RA), in New Delhi, today,” the Pakistani High Commission said in a statement.
“A group of 178 Pakistani Zaireen [devotees] visiting India to participate in the 721 Urs celebrations of Hazrat Amir Khusro (RA) were also present on the occasion,” it added.
The Urs is an annual commemoration of a Sufi saint’s death anniversary, observed as a spiritual reunion with the divine.
According to the statement, the Pakistani diplomat and religious devotees were warmly received at the shrine by its caretaker.
The visit was organized under the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, which facilitates reciprocal religious tourism between the two countries.
The development comes as Pakistan recently issued nearly 6,000 visas to Indian Sikhs to visit Pakistan for the Baisakhi festival, one of Sikhism’s holiest celebrations, marking the spring harvest and the founding of the Khalsa in 1699.
Thousands of pilgrims gathered at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in the Pakistani city of Hasan Abdal, believed to bear the handprint of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith.
Many Indian pilgrims remain in Pakistan, visiting other sacred sites including Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.
Hungarian FM to visit Pakistan today with high-level delegation to explore business opportunities
- Pakistan and Hungary to sign agreements on culture, heritage and visas during foreign minister’s visit
- Deepening collaboration in trade, energy and investment sectors focus of both governments, says Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Hungary’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan today, Thursday, with a high-level delegation to explore business opportunities in the country, Pakistan’s foreign office said.
Szijjártó is touring the country Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s invitation, the foreign office said, adding that the two will hold delegation-level talks after holding one-on-one discussions.
“Deepening collaboration in economic, trade, energy and investment sectors is the focus of the two governments,” the foreign office said on Wednesday.
It said various memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and an agreement on cooperation in the fields of culture (2025-2027), archaeology and cultural heritage, and for abolition of visas for holders of diplomatic passports will be signed between the two countries on the occasion.
“This would be FM Szijjártó’s second visit to Pakistan, aimed at lending positive impetus to enhanced bilateral cooperation and mutually rewarding economic partnership,” the statement said.
Pakistan enjoys cordial relations with Hungary and this year Islamabad will mark 60 years of the establishment of its diplomatic relations with the country. The two countries enjoy cooperation in energy, with Hungarian oil and gas company MOL Group actively investing in Pakistan’s oil and gas exploration sector since the early 2000s.
MOL Pakistan has invested heavily in exploration and production, especially in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistan has pursued agreements in trade, energy, tourism, livestock, mining and minerals and other priority sectors with regional allies and Gulf countries in recent months. Islamabad hopes to attract foreign investment in its priority sectors to achieve sustainable growth.
Pakistan formed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in June 2023 to attract international investment in these sectors, mainly from Gulf countries. The SIFC says it aims to fast-track decisions related to investments.
Karachi braces for heatwave this week as mercury soars in southern Pakistan
- Starting this Sunday, Karachi’s temperature may surge close to 40 degrees Celsius, says meteorologist
- More relief centers will be set up providing water and first aid to citizens, says commissioner’s office
KARACHI: Authorities in Pakistan’s largest city of Karachi are bracing for a heatwave expected to hit the metropolis next Sunday, with the mercury already surging to high levels in some parts of the southern Sindh province.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast “heatwave conditions” are likely to continue in Sindh, South Punjab and Balochistan till Apr. 18. It said that a shallow westerly wave is expected to affect the upper parts of the country from Wednesday afternoon until Apr. 20.
The highest temperature during the day in Sindh was recorded in Nawabshah, 47° C., as per the Met Office. The temperature in other cities of Sindh such as Larkana and Jacobabad surged to 46° C.
“Mainly hot and dry weather is expected over most parts of the country, while very hot in southern parts,” the Met Office said. “However, dust/thunderstorm-rain is expected at isolated places in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, Islamabad, northeast Punjab, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during (evening/night).”
Meteorologist Anjum Zaigham told Arab News that a heatwave situation is anticipated in Karachi from Sunday onwards. He said the temperature in the city these days is “more or less normal,” ranging between 34 to 37 degrees Celsius.
“Starting this coming Sunday, there will be an increase in the intensity of heat in Karachi, and it is expected that the temperature may reach close to 40 degrees Celsius, potentially creating a heatwave-like situation,” Zaigham said.
He noted that high humidity, particularly in the morning, contributes to a higher “feels like” temperature.
“From this coming Sunday until Wednesday or Thursday, a heatwave like situation may develop in Karachi,” he said.
Relief stalls were set up in different districts of Karachi, with the commissioner’s office spokesperson saying more roadside relief centers will be established to provide water and first aid in case of emergency.
Climate change is exacerbating heat waves in Pakistan, leading to more frequent extreme temperatures. Pakistan ranks among the top ten most vulnerable to climate change impacts and also faces increased risks of untimely downpours, floods and droughts.
These heat waves contribute to various illnesses, significant economic losses and weather-related deaths during the summer season. A deadly heat wave in Karachi in 2015 resulted in over 2,000 deaths, while devastating floods in 2022 killed approximately 1,700 people and affected over 33 million nationwide, requiring extensive rebuilding efforts.
Bodies of eight Pakistani nationals killed in Iran to be repatriated today, says envoy
- Pakistan’s envoy to Iran says Islamabad will send military plane to repatriate bodies for urgent burial
- Baloch separatists claimed responsibility for killing eight Pakistanis in Sistan-Baluchestan last week
ISLAMABAD: The bodies of eight Pakistani nationals killed in Iran last week will be repatriated to the country early Thursday, Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran announced on Wednesday, saying that a military plane would bring back the corpses for urgent burial.
Pakistan on Saturday confirmed eight of its nationals were killed in the Mehrestan County of Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province, which borders Pakistan. The attack was claimed by the Balochistan National Army (BNA), one of several separatist outfits operating in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during a televised address to the federal cabinet on Tuesday, hoped Iran would immediately arrest the killers and bring them to justice.
“All arrangements have been completed for sending mortal remains of 8 of our nationals to Bahawalpur tonight,” Muhammad Mudassir Tipu, Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran, said on social media platform X.
“To honor the departed souls, our leadership is sending military plane for urgent burial.”
Tipu said the Iranian dignitaries will be paying their respects to the bodies before sending them to Pakistan.
IRAN ASSURES ‘FULL COOPERATION’
Earlier on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi condoled the killing of the Pakistani nationals and assured Islamabad of “full cooperation” in bringing the perpetrators to justice, Pakistan’s foreign office said.
Araghchi spoke to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in a telephone call, the foreign office said.
“Wherein the latter while offering condolences on the tragic death of eight Pakistanis in Iran assured full cooperation in bringing the perpetrators to justice and repatriating the mortal remains of the victims,” the statement said.
Thousands of Pakistanis, mostly from economically disadvantaged areas, frequently cross into Iran to take up informal work in sectors such as vehicle repair, construction and agriculture.
Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has faced a low-level insurgency for nearly two decades. Baloch separatist groups accuse the central government of exploiting the region’s natural resources such as gold and copper, without providing benefits to the local population.
Islamabad denies these allegations, asserting that it is committed to improving the lives of Baloch residents through various development projects.
Pakistan may import crude oil from US to lower tariff burden — official
- Countries are scrambling to find ways to lower US tariff burdens, which include buying more American oil
- High-level Pakistani delegation is scheduled to travel to US to discuss American tariffs, trade imbalance
KARACHI: Pakistan’s government is mulling “very good options” which range from importing crude oil from the United States (US) to abolishing tariffs on American imports, an official privy to the matter said on Wednesday, as Islamabad attempts to offset a trade imbalance that has triggered higher tariffs from Washington.
US President Donald Trump has imposed a 10 percent baseline tariff on all imports to the US and higher duties on dozens of other countries. Pakistan faces a 29 percent tariff due to a trade surplus with the US of about $3.6 billion, although that is subject to the 90-day pause Trump announced last week.
The US is the largest buyer of Pakistan’s textile goods, importing goods worth $5.43 billion last year through June, according to State Bank of Pakistan. In return, cash-strapped Pakistan imported $1.88 billion worth of American goods, resulting in the trade imbalance.
Countries are scrambling to find ways to lower their US tariff burdens, and Pakistan is no different. Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said last week Islamabad will send a high-level delegation to Washington to discuss the American tariffs.
“There have been talks of Pakistan potentially importing oil, soya been (oil) and cotton from the US. That’s already it,” an official who spoke to Arab News on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to media, said.
The finance ministry did not respond to Arab News’ request for a comment till the filing of this report.
The official said the Pakistani delegation will inquire about the expectations of the American government regarding trade, which could include abolishing duties or non-tariff barriers against US products.
“Or they may ask us to buy more cotton from them,” the official said.
A senior official from Pakistan’s commerce ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity as well, said the discussions were at an “immature stage” and further meetings would be held to finalize them.
“What decisions are taken, what we offer to them, all options are being examined,” he said. “Everything is on the cards but what is finalized, that cannot be said right now.”
Pakistan spends about $17 billion annually on oil imports, most of which come from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan is also counted among the largest buyers of cotton, which it uses as raw material for its huge textile industry. Most of Pakistan’s cotton imports come from the US.
As per official data, Pakistan spent more than half a billion dollars ($578 million) last year on the import of 204,890 tons of raw cotton and 119,845 tons of soya bean oil after the local harvest was found to be in poor quality.
In 2023, Pakistan began buying discounted Russian crude oil banned from European markets due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Muhammad Waqas Ghani, head of research at the Karachi-based JS Global Capital Ltd., said Pakistan faces limitations in diversifying its product slate when it comes to Russian crude oil.
He said this was because Russian crude oil yields a higher output of furnace oil. a less desirable fuel in the country’s evolving energy mix.
“Importing US crude could offer access to a wider range of crude grades, better aligned with Pakistan’s long-term goal of phasing out furnace oil,” Ghani explained. “This move would also open doors for improved trade terms and potentially pave the way for tariff relief which is our primary objective for now.”
‘OTHER VERY GOOD OPTIONS’
Pakistan’s cotton production has been hit hard by low quality of seeds and climate-induced calamities such as floods caused by excessive rains.
“Apart from that (US oil import) there are other very good options which are being discussed,” the official said.
However, he confirmed that none of these options had been finalized yet as the delegation would want to meet the American officials and gauge Washington’s expectations.
“Let’s listen to them first,” he said.
Pakistan’s financial experts and independent think tanks have advised Islamabad to establish trade agreements with emerging economies such as Africa or the Central Asian Republics (CARs) or reinforce existing partnerships with China or the Middle East.
Financial experts have also called upon the country to use America’s imposition of tariffs as an opportunity and diversity its exports market to other regions to mitigate potential losses.
