LAHORE: A court in Pakistan has sentenced to prison three leaders of Jamat-ud-Dawa, an organization accused by India and the United States of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.
The sentencing comes ahead of a September deadline for Pakistan to avoid being blacklisted for failing to curb terror financing by global financial watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Inclusion on the blacklist, alongside Iran and North Korea, would mean being shunned by international financial institutions. The watchdog has called for Pakistan to prosecute those funding terrorism, as well as to enact laws to help track and stop terror financing.
Malik Zafar Iqbal and Abdul Salam were each handed 16-1/2 year total sentences on four charges, to be served concurrently, while a third man, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, got 1-1/2 years on one charge, according to a court judgment seen by Reuters.
The men were associates of Hafiz Saeed, who was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison in February. All the sentences are concurrent so Saeed, Iqbal and Salam will serve five years.
Saeed founded and led Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or the Army of the Pure, a group blamed by India and the United States for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 160 people, including Americans and other foreigners.
Saeed and his associates also face a further slew of cases for allegedly financing militant activities, while Iqbal and Makki have already been convicted in several cases.
Saeed says his network, which spans 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services, has no ties to militant groups. Jamat-ud-Dawa funds the militant wing LeT.
A 2011 US sanctions designation describes Iqbal as a co-founder of LeT and in charge of its financing activities. Salam is described as the interim leader of the group during the brief periods when Saeed was arrested in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, and running its network of seminaries.
Pakistan jails three accused of financing Mumbai attacks
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Pakistan jails three accused of financing Mumbai attacks

- The men were associates of Hafiz Saeed, who was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison in February
- The sentencing comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force's September deadline for Pakistan
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.”
Islamic Development Bank supports Pakistani project to reactivate out-of-work women doctors

- Originally launched in 2018, eDoctor program was born out of national need to bring licensed but inactive doctors back to work
- As many as 35 percent of female medical doctors are unemployed in Pakistan, according to 2023 Gallup Pakistan survey
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and health and education tech platform EDUCAST on Wednesday launched a telemedicine initiative aimed at reviving the careers of out-of-practice Pakistani women doctors in a project funded by the Islamic Development Bank.
Originally launched in 2018, the eDoctor program was born out of a national need to reclaim licensed but inactive female doctors who had exited the medical field due to social, familial, or logistical barriers, resulting in estimated Rs. 35 billion losses to the public exchequer. As many as 35 percent of female medical doctors are unemployed in Pakistan, according to a Gallup Pakistan survey in 2023.
The first phase of the project successfully trained and reactivated over 1,500 female doctors across 27 countries through a self-paced, digitally-enabled certification program in partnership with Germany’s Lecturio and Standford University’s Digital Medic platform.
The second phase of the project, Doctor 2.0, launched this week will offer advanced online certification in clinical practice and telemedicine, hands-on clinical observation opportunities at partner clinics, access to Al-powered virtual clinics via smartphones and integration into national initiatives such as ElderCare, polio eradication, MCH support, and rural telehealth.
“This is more than a training program, this is a movement to empower Pakistani women doctors through technology, purpose and dignity,” said Prof. Dr. Jehan Ara Hassan, Acting Vice Chancellor of DUHS. “With Doctor 2.0, we’re giving them a toolkit to reclaim their profession and serve their people.”
She added that Doctor 2.0 was positioned to become a “global model” for female-led, Al-powered, digital health, with plans to export the model to conflict-affected and underserved countries through partnerships with humanitarian agencies.
“This program embodies what modern, resilient, and inclusive health care should look like,” EDUCAST CEO Abdullah Butt said. “We’re proud to be the digital backbone of this transformative initiative.”
Past work of the eDoctor project include managing over 500,000 patients through EDUCAST’s COVID home care program in Sindh during the coronavirus pandemic.
In Afghanistan, the program provided teleconsultation services across 20 Afghan provinces, enabling cancer care, maternal health, and urgent second opinions, while in Yemen, through partnerships with NGOs like INSAN, it offered digital support in areas with no access to on-ground health services.
The program was also used to mobilize tele-triage and digital support during emergencies such as floods in Pakistan and is the backbone of Pakistan’s first elderly home health care platform, BRIDGE, supporting hundreds of senior citizens remotely.