The former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri was praised by many for transforming post-civil war Lebanon. AFP
The former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri was praised by many for transforming post-civil war Lebanon. AFP

2005 - The assassination of Hariri

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Updated 19 April 2025
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2005 - The assassination of Hariri

2005 - The assassination of Hariri
  • The car bomb that killed the former prime minister wiped out all hope of a prosperous and peaceful country

DUBAI: The Middle East of the early 2000s was in a state of flux. Saddam Hussein was toppled in Iraq. Al-Qaeda and its various hydra-headed affiliates were running amok, popping up everywhere. Terrorists were on a killing spree. There was chaos and confusion.

It was during this particularly unstable time that I entered journalism, at Lebanon’s Future Television. There were plenty of stories to cover in the region, mostly of death and destruction, conspiracy and collusion, revenge and vendetta. There seemed to be an unending and singularly vicious cycle of violence.

In Lebanon, on the other hand, Rafik Hariri was scripting a rare success story. By following his vision, and thanks to the Saudi-brokered Taif Agreement in 1989 that brought to an end the civil war, the country had finally found its feet as the “Switzerland of the East.”

Hariri was at the helm as prime minister from 1992 to 1998, and again from 2000 to 2004. He turned Lebanon around, infusing new life into a country that had been ripped asunder by a long, bloody civil war.

It was a dream time for the nation. Lebanon became the talk of the town in shisha cafes across the region. Here was a Middle Eastern country proving that it could rise from the ashes and earn the admiration of its people, as well as that of the wider world. Proving that it could set an example for others to follow. The one man responsible for this unprecedented, historic turnaround was Hariri.

Unfortunately, as the saying goes, all good things come to an end — or, in the case of the Middle East, are brought to a violent end with bloody carnage.

And so it was that the purveyors of death and destruction, the satanic forces that had been lying in wait for a long time, struck. The location was the center of Beirut, and the strike hit with the destructive force of about 1,000 kilograms of explosives. Hariri was assassinated at the age of only 60.

How we wrote it




Arab News dedicated its front page to Rafik Hariri’s tragic assassina­tion, capturing global outrage and local fears.

I was nearly 4,000 kilometers away at the time, in London, working for Asharq Al-Awsat. I remember that day with pain and pathos. It was Monday, Feb. 14, 2005. Those were pre-Twitter days, and suddenly I found myself deluged with text messages. I rushed to my office.

I watched the whole world freeze as I saw the images of the exploding car. This was not just another news story to me, because I had worked at Future Television, which Hariri founded, and I had known him personally. I also knew, and had worked with, a number of other people who were at the scene of the explosion in Beirut, including the cameraman who was seen weeping in images at the time.

My pain and anger were all the greater because I had witnessed what was commonly referred to as “the second golden era of Lebanon,” between 1992 and 2005, when Hariri was in his prime. Many memories flashed through my mind.

I remembered distinctly the feelings of euphoria when French President Jacques Chirac had visited and walked hand-in-hand with Hariri in downtown Beirut. That happened on a beautiful summer night in the early 2000s, when the center of the city was buzzing with citizens, expatriates and tourists. They were out to enjoy the experience of fine dining, shopping, clubbing or puffing on shisha in the newly renovated heart of the Lebanese capital.

The atmosphere felt so busy and alive, and I recall sitting with several friends. We had chosen to go to a well-known downtown cafe opposite the headquarters of the now-defunct pan-Arab daily newspaper Al-Hayat. We struggled to attract the attention of the waiters, who were doing their best to handle the flood of orders being thrown at them, mostly by much better-tipping Gulf tourists who, for obvious reasons, did not have as many problems as we students did in getting their attention.

Then, all of a sudden, a musician playing the saxophone beside our table stopped his music. Everybody stood and people all around us began clapping and cheering as Hariri appeared on the street, holding hands with Chirac.

Key Dates

  • 1

    Prime Minister Rafik Hariri supports UN Security Council Resolution 1559 calling for Syrian and other foreign forces to leave Lebanon.

  • 2

    Hariri resigns as prime minister in protest against Syria’s role in Lebanon.

    Timeline Image Oct. 20, 2004

  • 3

    While campaigning for parliamentary elections, Hariri urges the opposition to back Resolution 1559.

  • 4

    Hariri is assassinated in Beirut.

    Timeline Image Feb. 14, 2005

  • 5

    Under pressure from world opinion and the mass protests of the Cedar Revolution, Syrian troops finally withdraw from Lebanon.

    Timeline Image April 27, 2005

  • 6

    Appointed by the UN to investigate Hariri’s assassination, the international Special Tribunal for Lebanon opens in The Hague. Four suspected members of Hezbollah eventually charged with his murder. One later dies, the others remain fugitives.

    Timeline Image March 1, 2009

  • 7

    Hassan Nasrallah, longtime leader of Hezbollah, killed by Israeli airstrike on an underground facility in Dahieh, the group’s stronghold in Beirut. He is succeeded by his deputy, Naim Qassem.

  • 8

    After more than 2 years of political deadlock, Lebanon’s parliament elects armed forces commander Joseph Aoun as the country’s 14th president.

The French president was on an official visit to Lebanon, and Hariri decided to show him firsthand the progress made by the Lebanese people, both socially and physically. What better way to do this than take Chirac out for a walk to experience the kind of vibrant life Hariri had worked so hard to provide for his nation?

There were no bodyguards in sight, no weapons and no formalities whatsoever. On the contrary, both leaders casually greeted people and shook hands with them. The musician began, with no prompting, to play the French national anthem on his saxophone.

It was phenomenal, and incredible, how Hariri managed to turn Lebanon around in less than a decade. There was a new airport, a new downtown area, and tourism flourished. Everything was going right for the country. It was indeed Lebanon in its prime, a legendary second golden period.

Watching from my office in London, I realized immediately how the assassination of Hariri was going to affect Lebanon. I anticipated, and then painfully witnessed, the steady deterioration and institutions failing, one after the other.

Two decades later, Lebanon has defaulted on its debt, people are protesting about the lack of jobs, opportunities and even basic necessities of modern life such as electricity 24 hours a day.

More concerning is the reality that, regardless of the government that is elected, or the heavy blow Hezbollah suffered during its most recent conflict with Israel, which brought destruction and despair to the heart of Beirut, members of the Iran-backed groups of the country.

The assassination of Hariri wiped out all hope of a prosperous and peaceful Lebanon. This only added to the depressing scenario that existed then, and continues to exist, in the wider Middle East.




Firemen try to extinguish flames engulfing one of the cars of Rafik Hariri’s convoy in Beirut after his assassination. AFP

Twenty years have passed since Hariri was assassinated, and in that time I have written umpteen articles on the state of affairs in Lebanon. Whenever I write on the topic, I recall wistfully and nostalgically the stellar vision and leadership that Hariri provided for his country. Sadly, however, those days are gone — and they are not coming back.

Hariri had a vision and that vision died with him. His critics say he was a Saudi puppet, and that he brought on the financial debt Lebanon now faces. Of course the country had to borrow money under Hariri, but it was on its way to recovery and the numbers at the time showed it.

As for the accusation that Lebanon was the Kingdom’s puppet, well, as Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Salman rightly put it during an interview with media group Vice, Saudi Arabia sent tourists to Lebanon and Iran sent terrorists (including Hezbollah, which is accused of killing Hariri).

If there is any doubt over which vision was and is better for Lebanon, one only has to compare the central Beirut that existed under Hariri when Chirac visited, with what it is today under the armed rule of Hezbollah: much like the rest of the country, it is torn apart by political divisions and unable to function, with businesses forced to close and tourists nowhere to be found.

On Feb. 14, 2025, 20 years to the day after Hariri was assassinated, his supporters took to the streets once again, able for the first time to commemorate the memory of the late statesman without any real fear of threats from Hezbollah. The militia’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and most of his deputies were killed by Israel during the dramatic events of 2024.

In January this year, after a power vacuum that persisted for more than two years amid political deadlock, Lebanon’s parliament finally freely elected a new president, former army chief Joseph Aoun. The headline on the Arab News story that reported this development was “The rebirth of a republic” — the republic that Rafik Hariri dreamed of and in pursuit of which he gave his life.

  • Faisal J. Abbas, Arab News editor-in-chief, began his journalism career in Lebanon.


China investigates Wuhan former mayor who presided over COVID-19 response

China investigates Wuhan former mayor who presided over COVID-19 response
Updated 1 min 14 sec ago
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China investigates Wuhan former mayor who presided over COVID-19 response

China investigates Wuhan former mayor who presided over COVID-19 response
  • Zhou Xianwang served as the top Communist Party official in the Chinese metropolis from 2018 until early 2021
  • Beijing’s two key anti-corruption watchdogs said Zhou was suspected of ‘serious violations of disciplines and laws’
BEIJING: Chinese authorities have launched an investigation into the former mayor of the central city of Wuhan, Beijing’s top anti-graft bodies said Tuesday.
Zhou Xianwang served as the top Communist Party official in the Chinese metropolis from 2018 until early 2021, playing a major role in the handling of the first known outbreak of Covid-19.
Beijing’s two key anti-corruption watchdogs said Zhou was suspected of “serious violations of disciplines and laws” – a common euphemism for graft.
He “is currently undergoing disciplinary review and supervision investigation,” according to a statement by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission.
The statement did not provide details about Zhou’s alleged misconduct or the period of time during which it took place.
Zhou has served in a range of high-level roles, including from 2021 to 2023 as vice chairman of a provincial committee under China’s top political advisory body.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has engaged in an expansive anti-corruption campaign since coming to power over a decade ago, ostensibly aimed at stamping out graft at all levels of the ruling Communist Party.
Supporters say the drive promotes clean governance, while critics say it serves as a tool for Xi to oust political opponents.

Days of monsoon rains kill 79 as Pakistan braces for more floods

Days of monsoon rains kill 79 as Pakistan braces for more floods
Updated 4 min 26 sec ago
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Days of monsoon rains kill 79 as Pakistan braces for more floods

Days of monsoon rains kill 79 as Pakistan braces for more floods
  • Strong westerly wave to cause moderate to heavy rainfall till July 10, disaster management authority says
  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reports highest number of deaths, 29, from rain-related incidents since June 26

ISLAMABAD: The death toll from monsoon rains in Pakistan under two weeks has climbed to 79, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in its latest report, as the country braces for more heavy downpours and floods till July 10. 

Monsoon rains have battered several parts of Pakistan, especially its eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces, since June 26. As per the NDMA’s latest situation report, KP has reported the highest number of deaths from rain-related incidents, 29, followed by Punjab with 24, Sindh with 15, and Balochistan with 11 deaths in thirteen days of rain. 

Seventy-two people were injured in Punjab, followed by 34 in Sindh, 27 in KP, four in Azad Kashmir and three in Balochistan since June 26, as per the report. The NDMA on Monday forecast heavy rains and floods in several parts of the country. It said a moisture inflow from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, combined with a strong westerly wave, is expected to result in moderate to heavy monsoon rainfall till July 10. 

“These weather conditions are likely to cause both riverine and flash flooding in various regions of Pakistan,” the authority said on Monday. 

As per the NDMA’s report, 189 houses in total have been damaged across the country while 100 livestock have perished due to rain-related incidents since June 26. KP reported the highest number of houses damaged since June 26, 94, while the largest number of livestock perished were reported from Sindh, 58. 

Pakistan, home to over 240 million people, is consistently ranked among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains and glacier melt caused catastrophic floods that affected 33 million people and killed more than 1,700. The South Asian country has been the victim of irregular weather patterns recently that have ranged from heatwaves to droughts and torrential rains.

Surging temperatures in the country’s mountainous north, especially in Gilgit-Baltistan, have accelerated glacier melt, compounding the risk of sudden floods and landslides in narrow valleys and near vulnerable glacial lakes.

The NDMA advises the public to stay indoors during thunderstorms, avoid unnecessary travel and keep children away from electricity poles and waterlogged areas.


Bangladesh warms to China, Pakistan after revolution as India fumes

Bangladesh warms to China, Pakistan after revolution as India fumes
Updated 44 min 16 sec ago
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Bangladesh warms to China, Pakistan after revolution as India fumes

Bangladesh warms to China, Pakistan after revolution as India fumes
  • There is deep resentment in Dhaka over fugitive ex-PM Hasina, who escaped uprising in August and flew to New Delhi
  • India has long been wary of China’s growing regional clout as both nations compete for influence in South Asia region

DHAKA, Bangladesh: Protests in Bangladesh that toppled the government last year triggered a diplomatic pivot, with Dhaka warming toward China after neighboring India was angered by the ousting of its old ally Sheikh Hasina.

One year since the protests, that realignment risks intensifying polarization — and fears of external interference — as political parties in Bangladesh jostle for influence ahead of elections next year.

For the caretaker government, seeking domestic consensus for overhauling democratic institutions in the country of 170 million people, it is another challenge to juggle.

“India-Bangladesh relations have probably never experienced such intense strain before,” said New Delhi-based analyst Praveen Donthi, from the International Crisis Group.

There is deep resentment in Dhaka over the fate of fugitive ex-prime minister Hasina, who escaped a student-led uprising by helicopter in August 2024 and flew to New Delhi as thousands of protesters stormed her palace.

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus said popular anger in Muslim-majority Bangladesh had been “transferred over to India” because Hasina was offered sanctuary by New Delhi’s Hindu nationalist government.

Hasina, 77, has defied extradition orders to attend her crimes against humanity trial, and has already been convicted in absentia for contempt of court with a six-month sentence.

Md Touhid Hossain, who heads Bangladesh’s foreign ministry, said that “the relationship is now at the readjustment stage.”

Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus’s first state visit was to China in March, a trip that saw him secure $2.1 billion in investments, loans and grants.

Beijing has also courted leading politicians directly.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — the expected election frontrunner — said China is “keen” to work with the next elected government with “sincerity, steadfastness, love, and affection.”

India has long been wary of China’s growing regional clout and the world’s two most populous countries compete for influence in South Asia, despite a recent diplomatic thaw.

Bangladesh has also moved closer to Pakistan, India’s arch-enemy.

In May, more than 70 people were killed in four days of missile, drone and artillery fire between the forces of New Delhi and Islamabad, sparked by a deadly militant attack on civilians in India-administered Kashmir.

The following month, officials from Dhaka and Islamabad met counterparts in China.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the trio had agreed to “cooperation programs” including in trade, industry, education and agriculture.

Obaidul Haque, who teaches international relations at the University of Dhaka, said talks with Beijing had “borne fruit,” including alternative health care after once popular medical tourism to India was restricted.

“For example, China designated three hospitals for Bangladeshi patients when India made access difficult,” he said.

Bangladesh and Pakistan — which split in 1971 after Dhaka’s independence war — began trade by sea last year, with direct flights also slated.

That sparked worry in New Delhi.

“The current Indian political leadership, owing to its ideological foundations... are unwilling to accept Dhaka under a government they perceive as Islamist and hostile toward India,” Donthi said.

“The visible engagement between Dhaka, Islamabad, and Beijing enhances this perception further.”

Both New Delhi and Bangladesh have imposed trade restrictions on each other.

India, which encircles much of Bangladesh by land, has imposed multiple trade restrictions — including tightening rules on Indian imports of jute fibers, ready-made garments, plastic products and food.

But trade between the neighboring nations remains high, said Md Humayun Kabir, a former Bangladeshi ambassador to Washington, who has also served in India.

But he urged caution, saying Dhaka should “tread carefully forming alliances,” and seek to strengthen “multilateral relations” as a balance.

“Cooperation still exists between the countries, but the warmth is gone,” he said.

Separately, Bangladesh, the world’s second-largest garment exporter, has also been caught in the global shakeup caused by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Dhaka is proposing to buy Boeing planes and boost imports of US wheat, cotton and oil in a bid to reduce the trade deficit, with Yunus in June telling US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of his “commitment to strengthening” ties.

But in terms of regional tensions, analysts say little will change soon — and warn they have the potential to escalate.

“Things might change only if New Delhi is satisfied with the electoral process and sees somebody amenable to it come to power in Dhaka,” the Crisis Group’s Donthi added.

“It is very unlikely that their position will change toward the current government in Dhaka,” he said.

“There may be attempts to undermine it rather than to collaborate.”


Pakistan greenlights independent regulator to oversee digital assets ecosystem

Pakistan greenlights independent regulator to oversee digital assets ecosystem
Updated 39 min 55 sec ago
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Pakistan greenlights independent regulator to oversee digital assets ecosystem

Pakistan greenlights independent regulator to oversee digital assets ecosystem
  • Authority to operate as regulator dedicated to licensing, monitoring, supervising virtual asset providers
  • Pakistan previously banned cryptocurrency transactions in 2018, citing financial risks and lack of regulation

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet this week approved the summary to create the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), the office of the minister of state on blockchain and crypto said, describing it a “landmark step” to oversee the country’s rapidly growing digital assets ecosystem. 

The development takes place less than four months after the government set up the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) in March to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading to lure international investment. In April, Pakistan introduced its first-ever policy framework to set rules for how digital money like cryptocurrencies and the companies that deal in it should operate in Pakistan while in May, Islamabad also unveiled the country’s first government-led strategic bitcoin reserve at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas.

The office of the minister of state for blockchain and cryptocurrency described the cabinet’s approval as a “landmark step” toward establishing a comprehensive legal and institutional framework to oversee the country’s rapidly growing digital assets ecosystem. 

“The proposed authority will operate as an independent regulator dedicated to licensing, monitoring, and supervising virtual asset service providers (VASPs), while ensuring full alignment with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) guidelines and international best practices,” the statement said on Monday. 

It added that the authority will also oversee public protection mechanisms, anti-money laundering protocols and cyber risk mitigation across virtual asset transactions within the country.

The statement said the government’s coordinated approach, combining sovereign asset reserves, surplus energy deployment and robust regulation, reflects Pakistan’s ambition to become a “digital assets hub” in South Asia.

“By building trust, attracting foreign investment, and fostering innovation in the blockchain sector, Pakistan is setting the foundations for a secure, inclusive, and future-proof digital economy,” the state minister’s office said. 

It described Pakistan as being among the world’s “promising” frontier markets for digital assets, saying it has over 40 million crypto users and an estimated annual trading volume of $300 billion which was occurring through informal channels as per industry sources. 

Pakistan’s move to adopt digital currency is a significant shift for it, considering it had previously banned cryptocurrency transactions in 2018 citing financial risks and lack of regulation. 


Pakistan to participate in over 120 expos this fiscal year, prioritizing Gulf events

Pakistan to participate in over 120 expos this fiscal year, prioritizing Gulf events
Updated 08 July 2025
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Pakistan to participate in over 120 expos this fiscal year, prioritizing Gulf events

Pakistan to participate in over 120 expos this fiscal year, prioritizing Gulf events
  • Pakistan has been actively participating in international expos to showcase products, services from its growing sectors
  • Last year, Pakistani companies struck deals worth multi-million dollars at key exhibitions across the Arab Gulf region

ISLAMABAD: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) will participate in over 120 international exhibitions to boost exports and foreign investment as part of its business plan this fiscal year, the Pakistani commerce ministry said on Monday, with a major focus on Gulf states.

Pakistan has been actively participating in international exhibitions to attract customers by showcasing products and services from its growing sectors like information technology (IT), health care, food and engineering. The country recently participated in the Arab Health, Gulfood and AI Everything exhibitions, highlighting its ambition to promote “Made-in-Pakistan” products, forge business-to-business (B2B) partnerships, and tap into new trade opportunities.

Gulf states present a key export opportunity for Pakistani businesses, given their strong consumer demand and large expatriate workforce, and Pakistani companies last year secured millions of dollars in joint ventures, investments and business collaborations during their participation in exhibitions across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Abdullah Ghauri, a section officer to the TDAP secretary, said that participants of a meeting of the TDAP board, presided over by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, on Monday placed a special focus on ensuring Pakistan’s participation in all key trade events across the Gulf countries.

“We participated in 23 exhibitions and expos last year, majority of them in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar,” he told Arab News.

“Out of a target of 120 exhibitions, the participation in last year’s 23 major events across the Gulf states remains a key priority, subject to possible adjustments depending on the circumstances.”

Monday’s TDAP board meeting gave approvals for various strategic initiatives to enhance the country’s export competitiveness and trade facilitation in the financial year 2025–26 which began on July 1, according to the commerce ministry.

The annual business plan included Pakistan’s participation in over 120 exhibitions, along with “Made-in-Pakistan” exhibitions in Ethiopia, Bangladesh and other countries.

Ghauri said this year’s calendar would be published within a week with exact details of the events, adding that information technology (IT), agri-based products, hospitality and services, and infrastructure development would be among major areas of focus.

Pakistan’s IT sector is a priority area for the government to boost export revenues and stabilizing external accounts and Islamabad expects it to reach $4 billion this fiscal year under the “Uraan Pakistan” initiative, which aims to raise IT exports to $10 billion by 2029.

The TDAP board endorsed measures to promote greater participation of women entrepreneurs in international trade exhibitions, according to the commerce ministry.

“The Minister for Commerce stressed the importance of shifting Pakistan’s export focus toward emerging international markets instead of relying solely on traditional destinations,” the ministry said, adding that this approach would help diversify export avenues and reduce dependency on limited regions.

The commerce minister also called for the induction of dedicated researchers within TDAP to conduct sector-specific studies and provide data-driven insights to strengthen the authority’s planning and policy support capabilities.