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Pakistan approves Hajj Policy 2025, adds new role to improve pilgrim services

Pakistan approves Hajj Policy 2025, adds new role to improve pilgrim services
Muslim pilgrims perform the farewell circumambulation or "tawaf", circling seven times around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah on June 18, 2024 at the end of the annual hajj pilgrimage. (AFP/File)
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Updated 05 November 2024
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Pakistan approves Hajj Policy 2025, adds new role to improve pilgrim services

Pakistan approves Hajj Policy 2025, adds new role to improve pilgrim services
  • Pakistan will send 179,210 pilgrims, equally divided between the government and private sector
  • Government will prioritize first-time pilgrims in the official balloting process, says a statement
Updated 05 November 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal cabinet on Tuesday approved the Hajj Policy 2025, said an official statement, specifying a quota of 179,210 pilgrims and introducing a new position of the “nazim” or administrator to ensure improved services for those embarking on the spiritual journey.
Hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, is an annual pilgrimage to Makkah undertaken by millions of Muslims. Pakistan has one of the largest Hajj quotas provided by Saudi Arabia to any Muslim country amid immense demand for the pilgrimage, with many citizens waiting years for an opportunity to participate.
“The federal cabinet approved the Hajj Policy 2025 on the recommendation of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony,” an official handout from the Prime Minister’s Office said. “The cabinet was informed that Pakistan’s Hajj quota for 2025 will be 179,210, divided equally between the government and the private sector.”
The new policy includes the creation of a “nazim” position, aimed at ensuring the well-being of pilgrims throughout the journey.
“For every 100 pilgrims, one nazim will be appointed from the welfare staff,” the handout added, underscoring the government’s intent to improve the pilgrimage experience.
Under the policy, children under 12 will not be allowed to travel for Hajj. Government quota allocation will be conducted through computerized balloting, with 1,000 seats reserved for hardship cases and 300 for laborers or low-income employees registered with the Workers Welfare Fund or the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution.
Additionally, the Makkah Route Initiative, offering streamlined immigration services, will be available at Islamabad and Karachi international airports. To further enhance the experience, Hajj Group Organizers will sign service agreements with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, with close monitoring of service quality.
In light of previous challenges, the cabinet has increased compensation for pilgrims who may pass away or get injured during the pilgrimage. The families of deceased pilgrims will receive Rs1 million to Rs2 million, while injured pilgrims will receive Rs1 million in compensation.
A specialized Hajj management app has also been developed to support pilgrims, along with extensive training initiatives.
The cabinet directed priority in the balloting process to first-time pilgrims and emphasized the importance of ensuring top-quality services for all participants.

Topics: Hajj 2025 hajj Pakistan Saudi Ties

Pakistani IT minister confirms amendments to cybercrime law to curb ‘fake news, misinformation’

Pakistani IT minister confirms amendments to cybercrime law to curb ‘fake news, misinformation’
Updated 15 sec ago
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Pakistani IT minister confirms amendments to cybercrime law to curb ‘fake news, misinformation’

Pakistani IT minister confirms amendments to cybercrime law to curb ‘fake news, misinformation’
  • Reports earlier suggested the government plans to establish new authority under the law with powers to block online content, social media access
  • Official says Internet may experience delays due to proposed licensing of private networks, but there is no intention to hinder Internet performance
Updated 15 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s state minister for information technology, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has confirmed the Pakistani government is reviewing amendments to the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) to curb “fake news” and “online misinformation,” the Senate Secretariat said on Thursday.
This is the first time that an official has confirmed changes to the cybercrime law since reports emerged this month that the government was planning to introduce changes to PECA that would see the formation of a new authority with powers to block online content and access to social media as well as prosecuting those propagating “fake news.”
Passed in 2016 by the then government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, the law was originally enacted to combat various forms of cybercrime, including cyber terrorism, unauthorized access, electronic fraud and online harassment, but it has variously been used to crackdown on journalists, bloggers and other critics of the state.
On Thursday, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication held a meeting, at which committee chairperson, Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, expressed concerns over persistent Internet disruptions in the South Asian country. The meeting was attended by key stakeholders from the IT and telecom sectors.
“Minister for information Technology and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima, who also briefed the Committee, reassured members that the government was actively addressing the issues surrounding IT infrastructure,” the Senate Secretariat said.
“She confirmed that amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PICA) were under review to address concerns related to fake news and online misinformation, but clarified that these measures were not intended to restrict the Internet itself.”
The development comes as millions of Pakistanis continue to face a mysterious months-long Internet slowdown that has drawn backlash from activists and business leaders. The Pakistani government has previously blamed a surge in the use of VPNs and damaged underwater cables for the slowdown, whilst also admitting that the country was “undergoing a transition.”
Hafeez-ur-Rehman, chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) that regulates Internet in the country, said there was no government policy to intentionally slow down Internet services.
“While the Internet may experience delays due to issues related to the proposed licensing of Private Network (PN) services, there is no intention from the government to hinder overall Internet performance,” Rehman was quoted as saying by the Senate Secretariat.
“The PTA plans to introduce the licensing process for VPN services starting January 1, 2025, which officials believe will streamline network management.”

Topics: cybercrimes law fake news Pakistan IT minister

Pakistan’s jailed former PM Imran Khan threatens civil disobedience movement

Pakistan’s jailed former PM Imran Khan threatens civil disobedience movement
Updated 30 min 3 sec ago
Reuters
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Pakistan’s jailed former PM Imran Khan threatens civil disobedience movement

Pakistan’s jailed former PM Imran Khan threatens civil disobedience movement
  • Ex-PM demands probe into crackdown on the Nov 25 protest march which he says killed 12 supporters
  • In a post on X, Khan asks supporters to converge on December 13 in the northwestern city of Peshawar
Updated 30 min 3 sec ago
Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan has called on his supporters to hold a rally next week and threatened to start a civil disobedience movement days after his party led a deadly protest march in Islamabad.
In a post on X on Thursday, Khan asked supporters to converge on Dec. 13 in the northwestern city of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which is ruled by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
He demanded a judicial probe into the crackdown on the Nov 25 protest march which he said killed at least 12 of his supporters and violence on May 9 last year which killed 8. All arrested political workers should also be released, he said.
“If these two demands are not met, a civil disobedience movement will start from December 14, and the government will be held responsible for any consequences,” Khan said.
The government denies any deaths during the Nov 25 protest march, and says that Khan’s supporters had attacked military installations on May 9 last year.
Khan was indicted on Thursday on charges of directing the May 9 attacks, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The indictment was the latest in dozens of cases against the 72-year-old former cricket star, who has been in jail since late last year.
He and his party say the cases were made up to keep him out of politics at the behest of the military after he had fallen out with the army’s generals ahead of his 2022 ouster.

Topics: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan PTI protest PTI protests

Pakistan says will push Central Asian states, UAE to expedite trans-Afghan railway project

Pakistan says will push Central Asian states, UAE to expedite trans-Afghan railway project
Updated 41 min 15 sec ago
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Pakistan says will push Central Asian states, UAE to expedite trans-Afghan railway project

Pakistan says will push Central Asian states, UAE to expedite trans-Afghan railway project
  • The railway corridor will run from northeastern Kazakhstan to Pakistan via Uzbekistan and Afghanistan
  • Aim is to use both land and sea routes to eventually link South and Central Asia with Jebel Ali port in UAE
Updated 41 min 15 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan said this week Pakistan would reach out to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan as well as the UAE to expedite work on a trans-Afghan railway project that will connect South and Central Asia with the aim of enhancing trade and economic opportunity in the region.

Running from northeastern Kazakhstan to Pakistan via Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, the railway initiative is part of a broader strategy to establish a southern corridor using both land and sea routes to eventually link South and Central Asia with the port of Jebel Ali in the UAE.

On Thursday, the Pakistani commerce minister reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to the project in a meeting with Kazakh Ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin to discuss trade, regional connectivity, and economic cooperation and lay the groundwork for several collaborative initiatives.

“The Minister reiterated the significance of the Trans-Afghan railway for strengthening connectivity with Central Asia,” the commerce ministry said in a statement on Thursday. “He committed to reaching out to Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Abu Dhabi authorities to expedite the project’s completion.”

In recent months, the railway project has seen the involvement of several countries, including Pakistan, the UAE, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Qatar.

Earlier this year, the Taliban government in Kabul signed a memorandum with Uzbekistan and the UAE to begin studies on the project’s viability after a meeting in Tashkent on Feb. 19, where technical, financial, and strategic aspects of the scheme were discussed. These developments followed an earlier meeting between transport ministers from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Qatar, which led to the approval of the main routes and implementation modalities for the corridor.

However, Pakistan faces several challenges to the corridor’s completion. 

Political instability, insurgency in the southwestern Balochistan province bordering Afghanistan and Iran, and security threats to ongoing projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are significant hurdles. Strained relations with Afghanistan due to the activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant groups, which Islamabad says operates from safe havens in Afghanistan, and an expulsion drive targeting Afghan refugees will also complicate Pakistan’s aim to secure trade routes vital to the corridor. The Taliban rulers in Afghanistan deny they allow Afghan soil to be used by terror groups. 

The railyway project is part of Pakistan’s wider push to consolidate its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting the landlocked Central Asian states with the rest of the world, leveraging its strategic geographical position. In recent weeks, there has been a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity between officials from Pakistan and the Central Asian nations.

Topics: trans-afghan railway Pakistan Railway Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan

Islamabad says Russia and Pakistan to launch freight train service next year

Islamabad says Russia and Pakistan to launch freight train service next year
Updated 54 min ago
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Islamabad says Russia and Pakistan to launch freight train service next year

Islamabad says Russia and Pakistan to launch freight train service next year
  • Awais Leghari says the North-South freight train service will connect Pakistan to Russia via Iran and Azerbaijan
  • Cold War rivals Pakistan, Russia have warmed up to each other in recent years through regular interactions
Updated 54 min ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Energy Minister Awais Leghari has said that Russia and Pakistan are set to be linked by a freight train line next year as bilateral talks expand between the two countries.
The statement comes months after Pakistan’s ambassador to Moscow, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, expressed Islamabad’s readiness to join the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200-kilometer route connecting Russia and Central Asia with India via Iran, at the International IT Forum in Khanty-Mansiysk.
In an interview with Russian broadcaster RT this week, Leghari said the initiative would mark an important milestone in enhancing connectivity between Pakistan and Russia.
“As early as March next year, the first South-North train trial run will transport goods from Russia to Pakistan via Iran and Azerbaijan,” he told the broadcaster.
Leghari said talks were also ongoing between Moscow and Islamabad regarding the establishment of direct air service between the two countries.
“We are looking at these three or four major initiatives,” he said. “We are looking at linkage of Pakistan and Russia through airline services, the aviation sector, that makes it easier for our people to interact with each other, businesses to flourish and interact and communicate with each other.”
Pakistan and Russia, once Cold War rivals, have warmed up to each other in recent years through regular business and trade interactions as Islamabad seeks to enhance its role as a transit hub for landlocked economies in Central Asia.
Both countries this week signed eight memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of health, trade and education, the Pakistani energy ministry said, amid Islamabad’s efforts to boost foreign investment and enhance cooperation to stabilize its fragile economy.
The agreements were signed during the 9th Inter-Governmental Commission meeting in Moscow between Pakistan and Russia, with Leghari leading the Pakistani side at the talks to explore bilateral trade options.
Islamabad’s ties with Russia also saw significant improvement last year after Pakistan started purchasing Russian crude oil at a discount. Geopolitical tensions triggered fuel prices to more than double in Pakistan last year, forcing the country to opt for cheaper sources of fuel.
In 2023, Pakistan’s bilateral trade with Russia reached $1 billion. This was an increase from 2022, when Russia exported $505 million to Pakistan and Pakistan exported $75.8 million to Russia.

Topics: Pakistan Russia Ties

Retired diplomat Mohammad Sadiq reappointed Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan

Retired diplomat Mohammad Sadiq reappointed Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan
Updated 06 December 2024
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Retired diplomat Mohammad Sadiq reappointed Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan

Retired diplomat Mohammad Sadiq reappointed Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan
  • Sadiq, who served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul from Dec. 2008 till Apr. 2014, resigned as special representative to Afghanistan in March 2023
  • His reappointment comes at a time of strained Pakistan-Afghanistan relations due to surge in militant attacks in Pakistan, expulsion of Afghan refugees
Updated 06 December 2024
REHMAT MEHSUD

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reappointed veteran diplomat Mohammad Sadiq its special envoy for Afghanistan, the Pakistani foreign ministry said this week.
Sadiq, who served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul from Dec. 2008 till Apr. 2014, retired in 2016 as secretary of the national security division. 
The veteran diplomat was later appointed Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan, but he resigned from the post in March 2023 after serving for nearly three years.
His reappointment comes at a time of strained ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan due to cross-border militant attacks in Pakistan and subsequent expulsion of Afghan refugees.
“The Prime Minister of Pakistan has been pleased to approve the appointment of Ambassador (R) Mohammad Sadiq as Special Representative of Pakistan for Afghanistan with immediate effect,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a notification this week.
Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups, urging the Taliban administration in Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by armed factions to launch cross-border attacks. The Taliban government in Kabul says Pakistan’s security and other challenges are a domestic issue and cannot be blamed on the neighbor.
In Nov. 2023, Pakistan began expelling illegal foreigners following a spike in bombings which the government said were mostly carried out by Afghan nationals. Islamabad has also blamed illegal Afghan immigrants and refugees for involvement in smuggling and other crimes.

Topics: Pakistan Afghanistan Ties

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