Pakistan reviewing proposal for resumption of trade with India — Foreign Office

Pakistan reviewing proposal for resumption of trade with India — Foreign Office
Police officers stand guard at the main entry gate of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Islamabad on January 18, 2024. (AP/File)
Short Url
Updated 29 March 2024
Follow

Pakistan reviewing proposal for resumption of trade with India — Foreign Office

Pakistan reviewing proposal for resumption of trade with India — Foreign Office
  • Pakistan suspended trade with India after New Delhi’s revocation of special autonomy of Indian-administered Kashmir in 2019
  • The rift has since impacted businesses on both sides who previously traded in textiles, agricultural products and medical supplies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Thursday it was reviewing a proposal from the business community to resume trade with India.
Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic relations and suspended bilateral trade with India after New Delhi’s revocation of the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
The geopolitical rift between the two countries has since impacted businesses on both sides who previously benefited from cross-border trade in textiles, agricultural products and medical supplies.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson referred to a statement by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and said the business community had expressed in review of trade with India.
“Examination of such proposals is a regular exercise in the Government of Pakistan, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where we continue to consider all such requests and assess our policy,” she said.
Baloch, however, clarified that there was no change in Pakistan’s position at present.
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir has been a flashpoint between Pakistan and India since their independence from the British rule in 1947.
Both countries rule parts of the Himalayan territory, but claim it in full and have fought three wars over the disputed region.


Pakistan calls for sustainable interventions, strengthening health systems on World AIDS Day

Pakistan calls for sustainable interventions, strengthening health systems on World AIDS Day
Updated 01 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan calls for sustainable interventions, strengthening health systems on World AIDS Day

Pakistan calls for sustainable interventions, strengthening health systems on World AIDS Day
  • Around 88.4 million people in total have been affected HIV worldwide, says World Health Organization
  • Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif resolves to expand access to essential health care services to all Pakistani citizens

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for strengthening health systems throughout the country and for sustainable interventions as the international community marks World AIDS Day today, Sunday.
Every year on Dec. 1, the international community marks World AIDS Day to unite people in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The day is marked to show strength and solidarity against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and to remember the lives lost to the disease. 
HIV attacks and destroys the infection-fighting CD4 cells (CD4 T lymphocyte) of the immune system while AIDS is its most advanced form. People with HIV who are not on medication and do not have consistent control of their HIV can transmit it through sexual intercourse, sharing of needles, pregnancy and breastfeeding. If HIV is controlled, the risk of transmission is close to zero.
“By working together, we will continue to strengthen our health systems and expand access to essential services for our citizens,” Sharif said in a statement. 
The Pakistani premier noted that HIV/AIDS remains a global health challenge and a significant socio-economic issue that threatens livelihoods, disrupts families and deepens inequalities.
“Despite our collective efforts, the HIV epidemic in Pakistan continues to grow, underscoring the need for bold, innovative, and sustainable interventions,” Sharif noted. “It is only through the strategy rooted in equality and inclusion that we can halt the spread of HIV.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 88.4 million people have been infected with the HIV virus since the beginning of the epidemic and about 42.3 million people have died of HIV in total. 
Globally, 39.9 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2023. An estimated 0.6 percent of adults aged 15–49 years worldwide are living with HIV, although the burden of the epidemic continues to vary considerably between countries and regions.


Pakistan deputy PM rejects accusations Imran Khan supporters were shot dead in protests

Pakistan deputy PM rejects accusations Imran Khan supporters were shot dead in protests
Updated 01 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan deputy PM rejects accusations Imran Khan supporters were shot dead in protests

Pakistan deputy PM rejects accusations Imran Khan supporters were shot dead in protests
  • Khan’s party shares death certificates allegedly of three supporters which says they were killed by gunshots
  • Ishaq Dar urges PTI to provide “graves” and “dead bodies” to prove claims, accuses protesters of being violent

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week denied allegations the government had shot dead Imran Khan’s supporters in recent protests, as the former premier’s party alleged three of them were shot dead by law enforcers.
The PTI says at least 20 of its supporters were killed in this week’s clashes with law enforcers as thousands of Khan supporters marched toward Pakistan’s federal capital demanding Khan’s release from prison. The government rejects this and says four paramilitary personnel and a cop were killed by protesters.
On Saturday, the party shared the death certificates of three of its alleged supporters, Sardar Ali, Anees Shahzad Satii and Malik Mubeen, which said they were killed by gunshots. The certificates were prepared by the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Federal Government Services Hospital in Islamabad. 
“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday strongly refuted allegations of state brutality and indiscriminate firing by law enforcement authorities during recent clashes with protesters,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
Dar described claims that Khan supporters suffered gunshot wounds and were subjected to unwarranted violence as “malicious” and “absolutely false,” urging them to provide evidence such as “graves and dead bodies” to substantiate the accusations.
The deputy premier said protesters came to the capital armed with heavy ammunition and tear gas canisters.
“The mob was determined to create chaos and ready to kill,” he was quoted as saying by the APP. “Our security and law enforcement agencies exercised maximum restraint with patience despite deaths within their ranks.”
The protest was called off after security forces raided the D-Chowk protest site in complete darkness soon after midnight on Wednesday, firing rubber bullets and tear gas, according to police and government officials who deny using live ammunition during the operation.
Rawalpindi police said this week that over 170 cops were injured in the protests and that police have arrested over 1,150 for clashing with law enforcers.


Pakistan to lock horns with Zimbabwe in first T20I in Bulawayo today

Pakistan to lock horns with Zimbabwe in first T20I in Bulawayo today
Updated 01 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan to lock horns with Zimbabwe in first T20I in Bulawayo today

Pakistan to lock horns with Zimbabwe in first T20I in Bulawayo today
  • Pakistan beat Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series 2-1 last month 
  • Salman Agha to lead Pakistan as Pakistan rest regular skipper Rizwan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will lock horns with Zimbabwe in the first of a three-match T20I series in Bulawayo today, Sunday, state-run media said, after completing a 2-1 ODI series victory over the hosts this week.
After losing the first ODI against Zimbabwe last month, Pakistan beat the hosts by convincing margins in the second and third ODIs in Bulawayo.
Skipper Salman Agha will lead his side in the T20 fixture against Zimbabwe on Sunday, with the next two matches to follow on Dec. 3 and 5.
“The first T20I match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will start at 1:30 p.m. local time on Sunday,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement on Saturday.
Pakistan announced late Friday that they were adding Saim Ayub, Aamer Jamal and Abrar Ahmed from the ODI squad into the T20I series following impressive showings over the past week.
The green shirts have rested Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi from the tour while white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan is also not part of the T20Is, with Agha taking his place as captain.
The match is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time.


Pakistan hikes petrol price by Rs3.72 per liter for next fortnight

Pakistan hikes petrol price by Rs3.72 per liter for next fortnight
Updated 01 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan hikes petrol price by Rs3.72 per liter for next fortnight

Pakistan hikes petrol price by Rs3.72 per liter for next fortnight
  • Government increases price after variations in petroleum products’ prices in international market, says Finance Division 
  • Pakistan revises petroleum prices every fortnight, which is also a key factor in increasing or reducing inflation in the country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has increased the price of petrol for the next fortnight by Rs3.72 per liter due to varying prices of petroleum products in the international market, the Finance Division said this week. 
Pakistan revises petroleum prices every fortnight. Petrol is mostly used in private transport, small vehicles, rickshaws and two-wheelers in Pakistan while any increase in the price of diesel is considered highly inflationary as it is mostly used to power heavy transport vehicles and particularly adds to the prices of vegetables and other eatables.
The price of petrol has increased from Rs248.38 per liter to Rs252.10 per liter after the Rs3.72 hike, the Finance Division said. 
“The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has worked out the consumer prices of petroleum products, based on the price variation in the international market,” it said on Saturday. 
According to the notification, the price of high-speed diesel has seen an increase of Rs3.29 per liter, raising its price to Rs258.43 per liter. 
Meanwhile, the price of kerosene oil has been reduced by Rs. 0.62 per liter, which means it is now being sold for Rs164.98. The price of light diesel oil has also seen a reduction of Rs0.48 per liter, lowering it to Rs151.73. 
Fuel prices in energy-starved Pakistan are instrumental in contributing to inflation. The South Asian country saw inflation reach a record high of 38 percent in May 2023. 
Pakistan’s finance ministry said this week that inflation, which was clocked at 7.2 percent in October, is expected to slow to 5.8-6.8 percent in November. 


Over 50 heritage automobiles draw crowds at vintage car show in Pakistan’s Peshawar

Over 50 heritage automobiles draw crowds at vintage car show in Pakistan’s Peshawar
Updated 42 min 52 sec ago
Follow

Over 50 heritage automobiles draw crowds at vintage car show in Pakistan’s Peshawar

Over 50 heritage automobiles draw crowds at vintage car show in Pakistan’s Peshawar
  • The event, organized by KP’s Culture and Tourism Authority, has attracted car enthusiasts and families
  • The top tourism official promises more effort in future events, plans to expand them to historical sites

PESHAWAR: Over 50 heritage automobiles from 1935 to 1980 were displayed at the 15th Vintage and Classic Car Show at the Peshawar Services Club on Saturday, drawing car enthusiasts and their families to attend the event.
The show, arranged by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) in collaboration with Classic Land Rover, featured prized vehicles from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar and other cities.
Visitors were also immersed in local culture through captivating performances of the traditional Khattak dance, known for its energetic movements and sword displays, and the soulful melodies of the rubab, a centuries-old stringed instrument native to the region.

This combination of photos, taken and released by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority on November 30, 2024, shows a general view of a vintage car showcased at the 15th Vintage and Classic Car Show at the Peshawar Services Club in Peshawar. (Photo courtesy: KP Culture and Tourism Authority)

“More effort will be made to organize similar events,” KPCTA Director General Tashfeen Haider said, according to an official statement. “The exhibitions would be expanded to historical sites in the future.”
Vehicles on display included iconic brands like Mercedes, Jaguar, Ford, Chevrolet, Mini, Land Rover, Mustang, Porsche, vintage Vespa motorcycles and more.
Haider said the show aimed to promote Peshawar as a hub of culture and tourism.

In this handout photo, taken and released by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority on November 30, 2024, officials visit the 15th Vintage and Classic Car Show at the Peshawar Services Club in Peshawar. (Photo courtesy: KP Culture and Tourism Authority)

Participants and attendees praised the organizers for bringing such an event to Peshawar.
“The goal of the rally and car show is to send a message of peace from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to make Peshawar once again a city of flowers and joy,” the KPCTA official said, referring to KP’s provincial capital that witnessed militant violence for over two decades.

In this handout photo, taken and released by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority on November 30, 2024, artists perform Pashtoon cultural dance Khattak during the 15th Vintage and Classic Car Show at the Peshawar Services Club in Peshawar. (Photo courtesy: KP Culture and Tourism Authority)

The official statement informed the participants of the show would drive their vintage vehicles to Swabi after the Peshawar exhibition to join the 12th Indus River Cross Jeep Race at the historic Hund point at the Indus River after passing through the Balahissar Fort.
Subsequently, they will continue through Faisalabad, Rahim Yar Khan, Moro and the Thar Desert before reaching Karachi.

In this handout photo, taken and released by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority on November 30, 2024, visitors pose for a photograph with a vintage car showcased at the 15th Vintage and Classic Car Show at the Peshawar Services Club in Peshawar. (Photo courtesy: KP Culture and Tourism Authority)