12-hour bus rides, checkpoints, high costs: Nearly 600 Pakistanis evacuated from Syria speak of arduous journey

Special 12-hour bus rides, checkpoints, high costs: Nearly 600 Pakistanis evacuated from Syria speak of arduous journey
This handout photograph, released by Pakistan’s foreign ministry on December 10, 2024, shows Pakistani nationals crossing the Syria-Lebanon border amid the country’s repatriation of expats after Syria’s opposition forces seized the capital of Damascus last week. (Photo courtesy: MOFA)
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Updated 11 December 2024
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12-hour bus rides, checkpoints, high costs: Nearly 600 Pakistanis evacuated from Syria speak of arduous journey

12-hour bus rides, checkpoints, high costs: Nearly 600 Pakistanis evacuated from Syria speak of arduous journey
  • Pakistani mission in Syria says 585 nationals evacuated from war-torn country to Lebanon via land routes
  • Armed opposition forces seized Damascus unopposed last week as President Assad fled to Russia on Sunday

ISLAMABAD: Twelve-hour-long bus rides, multiple check posts, interrogations and bills piling on were how many of nearly 600 Pakistanis evacuated from Syria this week described their fear-filled journey of leaving the war-torn nation by road through neighboring Lebanon. 
More than 1,300 Pakistanis have been stranded in Syria since last week when opposition forces seized the capital of Damascus unopposed following a lightning advance that sent President Bashar Assad fleeing to Russia on Sunday.
Pakistan’s mission in Damascus told Arab News on Wednesday 585 Pakistani nationals had been safely evacuated from Syria and were in Beirut. Efforts to transport another batch of 150 people had been hindered, the official said, due to “continuous bombing by Israeli forces.” Soon after the overthrow of Assad on Sunday ended 54 years of rule by his family, Israeli troops moved into the demilitarized zone set up after the 1973 Middle East war, saying the incursion was a temporary measure to ensure border security. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said a wave of air strikes had destroyed the bulk of Syria’s strategic weapons stockpiles.
With major Syrian airports shut, the evacuations came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged Lebanese PM Najib Mikati on Monday to “personally” assist in getting Pakistanis, including pilgrims, out of Syria by land routes through the border with Lebanon. 
“It took us over 12 hours to reach the Syria-Lebanon border, a distance that should have been just two hours,” Ilyas Naqvi, a Pakistani expatriate from Islamabad who has been living and working in Syria along with his family since 2000, told Arab News in a telephone interview. 




This handout photograph, released by Pakistan’s foreign ministry on December 10, 2024, shows Pakistani nationals crossing the Syria-Lebanon border amid the country’s repatriation of expats after Syria’s opposition forces seized the capital of Damascus last week. (Photo courtesy: MOFA)

“At every checkpoint, we were searched and questioned by different groups, and with each stop we feared for our lives, not knowing if we would make it through.”
Naqvi appealed to the Pakistani government to make arrangements for the immediate return of Pakistanis, saying they were facing “severe financial hardships.”
“I arranged my own transport because it was unsafe to stay in Syria,” he explained. “A coaster that normally costs $10 per person to the Lebanon border charged $200 per head for my family of four, leaving us with very limited funds left.”
Abeel Hassan, who hails from Pakistan’s northwestern Parachinar city and had traveled to Sayyidah Zaynab town in Syria for a religious pilgrimage, also described an arduous journey to the border. 
“We heard continuous gunfire along the way, which kept all of us in constant fear,” Hassan said. 
However, he praised the Pakistani embassies in Syria and Lebanon for ensuring a safe evacuation and swiftly arranging visas at the Lebanon border.
“Our safe travel wouldn’t have been possible without the embassy officials who accompanied us and negotiated with the armed Syrians at various checkpoints to ensure our safe passage,” Hassan added.
The journey to the Lebanon border took his family six hours, he said, and they received visas at the border without having to pay a fee due to the assistance of the Pakistani mission in Lebanon. 
Zawar Hussain from Pakistan’s Hafizabad city, who had also traveled to Syria on a religious pilgrimage, said all pilgrims had paid in advance for the journey due to which they had brought limited funds on the journey. The ordeal in Syria left them in financial difficulty, making it hard even to afford food in Beirut.
“Due to the emergency situation, everything is highly overpriced here,” Hussain told Arab News. “We paid $80 for food for five people just yesterday [Tuesday].”
While wealthy pilgrims have already returned home by buying their own plane tickers onwards from Beirut, the majority lacked such funds, he added:
“We request the government to arrange charter or commercial flights for us, as we do not have the funds to purchase air tickets, which cost over $1,100.”
Ali Hassan, another pilgrim from Pakistan’s eastern city of Sargodha, said hotels at Sayyidah Zaynab — home to the Sayyida Zaynab Mosque which is believed to house the grave of Zaynab bint Ali, the granddaughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (pbuh) — had doubled their charges following the regime change, leaving pilgrims financially drained.
“Now, we don’t have enough money to buy water bottles for our family of five, as a bottle of water here in Beirut costs one dollar,” Hassan said. 
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Lebanon Salman Athar said despite the small size of the Beirut mission, the embassy was doing “everything possible” to assist Pakistani nationals.
“We have arranged visas for them without any fee and provided the best hotels and food,” Athar told Arab News, adding that the mission was in continuous contact with evacuees and the Lebanese government. 
“The foreign ministry is also working with the government to arrange a chartered flight from Beirut to bring them home,” he added, “and once it is finalized, they will be repatriated.”


Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference

Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference
Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference

Pakistani and Saudi finance chiefs discuss boosting strategic ties ahead of AlUla conference
  • Muhammad Aurangzeb brings up enhanced bilateral trade, investments and collaboration with his counterpart
  • The ministers emphasize the need for continued economic dialogue, increased cooperation through joint initiatives

KARACHI: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Saturday discussed unlocking the full potential of their strategic relationship, as the finance chiefs of both countries met ahead of the Emerging Markets Conference in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, according to an official statement.
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb arrived in the Kingdom to attend the two-day conference, which begins on Sunday, at the invitation of his Saudi counterpart Mohammed Al-Jadaan.
The annual economic policy forum is organized by the Saudi finance ministry in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regional office in Riyadh. The event will bring together emerging market finance ministers, central bank governors, policymakers, public and private sector leaders, international institutions and academics.
“The meeting [between the two finance chiefs] underscored a shared commitment to build bridges of economic cooperation and advance mutual prosperity,” Pakistan’s finance ministry said in a statement after Aurangzeb’s interaction with Al-Jadaan.
“The discussions highlighted opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade, investments and financial collaboration, with both ministers expressing their dedication to unlocking the full potential of their countries’ strategic partnership,” it added.
Pakistan is navigating a fragile economic recovery under a $7 billion IMF loan program secured in September 2024, after implementing austerity measures and policy reforms to avert a sovereign default in 2023.
To facilitate Pakistan’s economic recovery, Saudi Arabia signed 34 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth $2.8 billion last October to boost private sector investment in key areas, including energy, infrastructure and technology.
During their meeting, the two ministers explored avenues for collaboration in infrastructure, energy, technology and finance, emphasizing the need for continued dialogue and joint initiatives to facilitate investment flows and economic opportunities that could benefit the broader region.
According to an earlier statement by Pakistan’s finance ministry, Aurangzeb is scheduled to participate in a high-level panel discussion titled “The Path to Emergent Markets,” hosted by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
The conference will feature nine sessions, with 200 participants and 36 speakers, focusing on economic resilience, financial policies for emerging markets and global economic challenges.
The discussions come at a time when the world economy is facing persistent shocks, trade tensions between major world powers, geopolitical instability and tight financial conditions.
“The conference will provide a unique platform for world leaders to discuss and analyze domestic, regional and global economic conditions and developments and to exchange ideas on solutions to global challenges,” the Pakistani finance ministry added.


Pakistan, Saudi military officials agree to deepen defense and security ties

Pakistan, Saudi military officials agree to deepen defense and security ties
Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistan, Saudi military officials agree to deepen defense and security ties

Pakistan, Saudi military officials agree to deepen defense and security ties
  • General Sahir Shamshad Mirza is in Saudi Arabia for the Joint Military Cooperation Committee meeting
  • His discussions with Saudi officials focused on military exchange programs, ongoing training initiatives

KARACHI: Senior Pakistani and Saudi military officials have agreed to further consolidate bilateral defense and security cooperation during their meetings in the Kingdom, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Saturday.
Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza is currently visiting Saudi Arabia to attend the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting.
The Kingdom remains one of Pakistan’s key defense and security allies, with ties encompassing a range of activities, including counterterrorism collaboration.
“Both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation between Armed Forces of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, focusing on mutual exchange programs, training initiatives and other defense-related activities,” the ISPR said.

In this handout photo, released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on February 14, 2025, Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza reviews the Guard of Honor at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Riyadh, as he arrives to attend the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOD)

“The military leadership reaffirmed their commitment for further strengthening existing defense and security cooperation between the two brotherly countries,” it added.
During his visit, General Mirza held meetings with Major General Talal Bin Abdullah Al-Otaibi, Assistant Minister of Defense, and General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili, Chief of General Staff of Saudi Arabia.

In this handout photo, released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on February 14, 2025, Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza (left) reviews the Guard of Honor at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Riyadh, as he arrives to attend the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOD)

Their discussions covered strategic and security issues, the evolving regional environment and bilateral defense collaboration.
The JMCC meeting, which Mirza and Al-Ruwaili co-chaired, serves as a key platform for defense dialogue and coordination between the two nations.

In this handout photo, released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on February 14, 2025, Saudi military officials welcome Pakistan’s Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Riyadh, as he arrives to attend the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOD)

The ISPR said Saudi military officials praised the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and acknowledged their sacrifices in the fight against militancy.
Upon his arrival at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Saudi Arabia, General Mirza was given a Guard of Honor by a smartly turned-out military contingent, reflecting the strong defense ties between the two nations.

In this handout photo, released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on February 14, 2025, Saudi and Pakistani military officials gesture for a group photograph following the 8th round of the Pakistan-Saudi Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting at the Armed Forces Headquarters in Riyadh. (Photo courtesy: Handout/MOD)

 


Pakistan’s interior minister calls for global unity against militant violence in meeting with US envoy

Pakistan’s interior minister calls for global unity against militant violence in meeting with US envoy
Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistan’s interior minister calls for global unity against militant violence in meeting with US envoy

Pakistan’s interior minister calls for global unity against militant violence in meeting with US envoy
  • Mohsin Naqvi expresses optimism that Pakistan-US ties will strengthen under President Donald Trump
  • His recent meetings with US lawmakers focused on combating militancy, strengthening bilateral ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday described militant violence as an international challenge, calling for global solidarity to combat the threat during a meeting with US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker.
Baker assumed the role at the US Embassy in Islamabad in January, following the departure of Ambassador Donald Blome. The position is a temporary appointment, with her responsibilities including engagement with Pakistani officials on bilateral issues until a new envoy is confirmed.
“Terrorism is an international issue, and the global community must work together to address it,” Naqvi said during the meeting.
He also recalled his recent official visit to the United States, which took place earlier this month. The trip focused on bilateral cooperation, counterterrorism strategies and security concerns.
“The meetings with US Congress members were extremely positive,” the minister said. “Discussions focused on developing a joint strategy to combat terrorism and further strengthening bilateral relations.”
Pakistan and the US have historically cooperated on counterterrorism efforts, with both sides benefiting from intelligence-sharing support.
More recently, the US has repeatedly expressed support for Pakistan’s security concerns, particularly as Islamabad blames rising militant violence on cross-border attacks from Afghanistan — an allegation denied by authorities in Kabul.
Naqvi expressed optimism that Pakistan-US relations would strengthen under President Donald Trump’s administration.
He also invited Baker to attend Islamabad’s upcoming spring festival celebrations.


Pakistan army says officer, three soldiers killed in anti-militant operations in northwest

Pakistan army says officer, three soldiers killed in anti-militant operations in northwest
Updated 36 min 30 sec ago
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Pakistan army says officer, three soldiers killed in anti-militant operations in northwest

Pakistan army says officer, three soldiers killed in anti-militant operations in northwest
  • Security forces killed 15 Pakistani Taliban in two separate operations in Dera Ismail Khan and North Waziristan
  • The militants were involved in numerous violet activities in the area and were wanted by law enforcement agencies

ISLAMABAD: An officer and three soldiers were killed on Saturday as security forces launched two separate operations against militants in Pakistan’s northwest, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement.
The intelligence-based operations took place in Hathala, Dera Ismail Khan District, and Miran Shah, North Waziristan District. Both the areas, along with the rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, have seen a surge in militant violence since the collapse of a fragile ceasefire agreement between the government and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in late 2022.
Pakistan brands TTP fighters as “khwarij,” a historical reference to an extremist sect in early Islam known for rebelling against authority, declaring other Muslims as apostates, and justifying their killing.
“An intelligence-based operation was conducted by the Security Forces in general area Hathala, Dera Ismail Khan District, on reported presence of Khwarij,” the ISPR said. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and resultantly, nine khwarij including Kharji ring leaders HVT [high-value targets] Farman [alias] Saqib, Kharji Amanullah [alias] Toori, Kharji Saeed [alias] Liaqat, and Kharji Bilal were sent to hell.”

In this handout photo, taken and released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (2R) offers funeral prayer of a Pakistan army officer, Lt. Muhammad Hassaan Arshaf, who was killed during the operation against militants in North Waziristan District, at the Lahore Garrison in Lahore on February 15, 2025. (Photo courtesy: ISPR)

The statement added all these militants were involved in numerous violet activities and were wanted by law enforcement agencies.
“In another operation conducted in general area Miran Shah, North Waziristan District, six khwarij were effectively neutralized by the security forces,” the statement continued.
“However, during intense fire exchange, Lt. Muhammad Hassaan Arshaf (age: 21 years, resident of District Lahore) leading his troops from the front, fought gallantly and embraced Shahadat along with his three men,” it added.

In this handout photo, taken and released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets father of a Pakistan army officer, Lt. Muhammad Hassaan Arshaf, who was killed during the operation against militants in North Waziristan District, during his funeral prayer at the Lahore Garrison in Lahore on February 15, 2025. (Photo courtesy: ISPR)

The military said sanitization operations were underway to clear any remaining militants, reiterating its determination to eliminate militancy from the region.
The Pakistani military has intensified operations against TTP hideouts, vowing to wipe out the group, which Islamabad accuses of carrying out cross-border attacks from Afghanistan. The Taliban-led government in Kabul, however, denies providing safe havens to Pakistani militants.


Pakistan Senate passes tougher laws to curb human smuggling, illegal migration

Pakistan Senate passes tougher laws to curb human smuggling, illegal migration
Updated 15 February 2025
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Pakistan Senate passes tougher laws to curb human smuggling, illegal migration

Pakistan Senate passes tougher laws to curb human smuggling, illegal migration
  • Hundreds of Pakistanis have lost lives in boat capsizing incidents since 2023, while trying to reach Europe
  • Despite intense crackdown leading to arrests, such tragedies continue, necessitating more stringent laws

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Senate on Friday approved amendments to three key laws aimed at combating human trafficking and illegal migration, following a series of deadly migrant boat tragedies that have claimed hundreds of lives.
The legislation— covering human trafficking, migrant smuggling and emigration— seeks to strengthen penalties for offenders, including those involved in smuggling young girls and trafficking beggars to Gulf states.
Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on human smugglers after multiple boat tragedies. In January, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) issued Interpol red notices for 20 suspected foreign-based traffickers, though migrant deaths continue as people attempt to cross treacherous waters on rickety boats to reach European shores.
The three bills, unanimously passed after clearance by the relevant Senate standing committees, aim to further strengthen the legal framework to tackle the crisis. The Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (Amendment) Bill expands the definition of trafficking to include organized begging, following concerns raised by Pakistan’s diplomatic missions in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Iraq and Malaysia.
“The agents and gangs who are involved in this practice easily dodge prosecution as beggary is not a crime in any law entrusted to FIA,” reads the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, which has amended multiple sections of a 2018 law to prevent human trafficking. “The sensitivity of issue demands urgent need of making beggary a crime.”
In the past, several Pakistanis reportedly traveled abroad for Hajj, Umrah or personal visits but engaged in begging, tarnishing the country’s image.
The bill also increases penalties for traffickers, raising prison sentences from a minimum of three years to up to 14 years for offenses involving women and children. Fines for trafficking crimes now range from Rs1 million ($3,581) to Rs2 million ($7,162).
Similarly, the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants (Amendment) Bill stiffens penalties for offenders, increasing the maximum prison term from five years to 10 years and raising fines from Rs1 million to Rs10 million ($35,810).
It also targets individuals who harbor undocumented foreigners in Pakistan, increasing their prison term from three years to five years and doubling fines to Rs2 million.
The third approved bill revises the 1979 Emigration Ordinance to eliminate leniency for human smugglers. Courts will no longer have the discretion to impose only fines on those found guilty, making jail sentences mandatory for offenders.
“To curb the menace of unlawful emigration and create deterrence among perpetrators and prevent repetition of offenses, it is inevitable to amend the Court’s discretion, which currently has the option to award either imprisonment or a fine,” the bill said.
The three bills come at a time when two migrant boat tragedies involving dozens of Pakistanis — one near Morocco and the other off the coast of Libya — have been reported since the beginning of the year. Prior to these incidents, an overcrowded vessel carrying over 250 Pakistanis capsized in June 2023 near Greece.
There has also been a rise in deportations of Pakistanis from Gulf nations. In November 2024, authorities added 4,300 individuals involved in organized begging to the Exit Control List (ECL).
According to official statements, hundreds of Pakistanis have been deported in recent months due to visa irregularities, insufficient travel funds, procedural lapses and involvement in crimes or begging.