Bodies of eight Pakistanis killed in Iran arrive in Bahawalpur for burial
Bodies of eight Pakistanis killed in Iran arrive in Bahawalpur for burial/node/2597400/pakistan
Bodies of eight Pakistanis killed in Iran arrive in Bahawalpur for burial
Women mourn the death of relatives, who were killed in the Mehrestan County of Sistan-Baluchistan province in southeastern Iran, during the funeral in Khanqah Sharif, near Bahawalpur, Pakistan, on April 17, 2025. (REUTERS)
ISLAMABAD: The bodies of eight Pakistani nationals killed last week in Iran arrived in Bahawalpur in the early hours of Thursday, the local administration confirmed, before being sent to their native villages for burial.
The men, who worked as auto repair technicians, were killed in Mehrestan County in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, which borders Pakistan, in an attack claimed by the Baloch National Army (BNA), a separatist group operating in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province.
Pakistani officials said the bodies were flown back from Iran aboard a military aircraft to facilitate urgent burials.
“The bodies of the eight Pakistanis martyred in Sistan, Iran, arrived at Bahawalpur Airport and were dispatched to their respective hometowns,” the district administration of Ahmedpur Sharqia said in a brief statement.
The attack triggered diplomatic activities between the neighboring states of Pakistan and Iran.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during a televised address to the federal cabinet on Tuesday, hoped Tehran would immediately arrest the killers and bring them to justice.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi also condoled the killing of the Pakistani nationals in a phone call with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday, assuring him of “full cooperation” in bringing the perpetrators to justice, according to the foreign office in Islamabad.
Thousands of Pakistanis, many from underprivileged backgrounds, cross into Iran for informal work in construction, agriculture and repair services. The killings have raised concerns about the safety of these migrant workers in Iran’s border region, which has long been volatile due to insurgent activity.
Baloch separatists in Pakistan have also waged a low-intensity insurgency in southwestern Pakistan for nearly two decades, accusing the central government of resource exploitation without local benefit.
Islamabad denies the allegations and says it is committed to inclusive development in the province.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Friday resolved to strengthen bilateral relations between both nations as they discussed the regional situation, the Pakistani foreign office said.
The development comes amid gradually de-escalating tensions in South Asia after India and Pakistan traded missile, drone and artillery strikes this month, killing around 70 people including civilians on both sides.
The situation had alarmed world powers and friendly countries, including Saudi Arabia, and prompted rigorous diplomatic efforts that realized into a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed archfoes on May 10.
At the peak of the four-day conflict, Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir had also visited Pakistan, which followed his surprise stop in New Delhi for talks with Indian officials.
“Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
“The leaders reviewed aspects of the deep and brotherly relations between the two countries, reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in all fields, and discussed current regional developments.”
India struck Pakistan on May 7, accusing Islamabad of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people on April 22. Islamabad denies the charge.
Pakistan and India have fought multiple wars, including two of them over the disputed region of Kashmir, since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both rule the region in part but claim it in full.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan share close diplomatic and strategic relations. The Kingdom has extended significant support to Pakistan during prolonged economic challenges faced by Islamabad in recent years, including external financing and assistance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programs.
Saudi Arabia has also contributed to global peacemaking efforts by hosting talks and mediating prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Friday that he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of lives in multiple landslides in China, expressing solidarity with Beijing.
At least four people were killed and 17 others were still missing in the debris after landslides hit a rural area in China’s southwestern Guizhou province, according to Chinese state media.
Two bodies were found in Changshi township on Thursday, and two others in the nearby Qingyang village, where a landslide had buried 19 people from eight households in wee hours of Thursday.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives due to landslides in Guizhou, China. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” Sharif said in a post on X.
Most of Guowa township, where Qingyang is located, had lost power after the landslides, a local newspaper reported. A resident told state media that it had rained all night.
A drone video of the area showed a large swathe of brown earth that cut through the green slope of the hilly terrain.
“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people and government of China during this difficult time and pray for the safe recovery of the missing,” Sharif added.
China and Pakistan are key strategic and economic allies.
Since 2013, Beijing has also invested tens of billions of dollars in energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major segment of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
The corridor will connect China to the Arabian Sea and help Pakistan expand and modernize its economy through a network of roads, railways, pipelines and ports built in the country with Chinese loans. A flagship of the Chinese corridor is a deep-sea port at Gwadar in Balochistan.
Beijing has also repeatedly rolled over sovereign loans to Pakistan in order to help Islamabad meet its external financing needs, whenever its foreign reserves have been critically low.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s leading fashion designer, Amir Adnan, says he is eager to open stores and manufacturing facilities in the Arab world, praising Saudi Arabia’s evolving openness and deep cultural sophistication.
In an interview with Arab News this week, he hailed the Arab world’s appreciation for tradition and detail and expressed a desire to re-enter the Middle East market with a more immersive presence.
Adnan shared his observations about the Middle East at a time when Saudi Arabia is undergoing a cultural transformation under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030.
The initiative has opened the Kingdom to global music acts, fashion events, cinema and high-profile platforms like Riyadh Season and the Red Sea International Film Festival, as part of efforts to position it as a regional hub for arts and tourism.
“The Arab world is brilliant, and I’m so happy that it is opening up,” the Pakistani designer, who has previously operated stores in Dubai, said. “Given the opportunity, I would love to go and open up stores over there and have a whole setup over there. We would love to have an office.”
Born in Lahore to a bureaucrat father and a mother from Dhaka’s royal Nawab family, Adnan launched his eponymous brand in 1990 and is credited with modernizing the traditional sherwani. His designs have shaped Pakistani formalwear for more than three decades.
Reflecting on his experience of doing business in the United Arab Emirates, he said Arabs had a distinct appreciation for craftsmanship.
“They appreciated every stitch, every cut, every patch, every fabric, every color combination... they’re very keen observers.”
Renowned Pakistani fashion designer Amir Adnan gives a tour of his studio during an interview with Arab News in Karachi on May 21, 2025. (AN Photo)
He also appreciated the historical and intellectual legacy of the Arab world.
“They introduced medicine. They had the first hospital. They gave us algebra, calculus [and] astronomy. So, where did that come from? It’s their sophistication.”
The Pakistani designer, who studied at Karachi’s Institute of Business Administration, said that despite globalization, Arabs remain deeply rooted in their culture.
“If they had given away their culture and, you know, become totally somebody else, I would not feel so good about them. But I love the Arab people because they hold on and they respect their culture.”
Adnan said the fusion of Pakistani craftsmanship with Arab tastes could lead to meaningful collaborations, ranging from fashion to social development.
“They love our fabrics. They love our stitches. They love our handicraft. All we need to do is just convert our garments to blend into their culture,” he said. “I would go there and mix my ability to suit their requirements.”
Renowned Pakistani fashion designer Amir Adnan speaks with Arab News at his studio in Karachi on May 21, 2025. (AN Photo)
Beyond commerce, he also envisions joint creative workshops and cultural exchanges.
“We would like to work with their artisans, learn their skills and teach them ours,” he said.
The Pakistani designer believes that fashion should be seen beyond economics.
“Besides just the work and the economics of it, it is also liberation of mind,” he said. “In fact, we’ll be able to incorporate a lot of their craft and their skills into our mainstream work.”
Looking ahead, Adnan said he hopes to establish a full-fledged base in the Kingdom.
“Hopefully, one day, we’d be able to do that — set up an office over there and a whole workshop over there and even start manufacturing there… and take care of all the Arab world.”
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani foreign office (FO) on Friday criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on denying water to Pakistan from rivers flowing through India as well as economic and military consequences for Islamabad, saying they violated “the norms of responsible statecraft.”
Modi said on Thursday Pakistan will not get water from rivers over which India has rights, and that Pakistan’s army and economy will have to “pay a heavy price for every terrorist attack,” upping the rhetoric in a standoff over water access.
India last month said it was suspending the Indus Waters Treaty in a slew of measures after the killing of 26 people in an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, a charge Pakistan dismisses.
In its response to Modi’s comments at an event in Rajasthan, the Pakistani foreign office said such statements not only reflect a “deliberate attempt to mislead the public but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft.”
“Resorting to threats and boasting about military action against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law,” it said.
“This dangerous approach undermines regional peace and stability.”
Any move to stop Pakistan accessing the water would have a devastating impact. The Indus treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, guarantees water for 80 percent of Pakistan’s farms from three rivers that flow from India. The nuclear-armed neighbors have already clashed in their worst military fighting in nearly three decades before agreeing to a ceasefire on May 10.
Islamabad maintains the treaty is legally binding and no party can unilaterally suspend it, with its Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan saying that Pakistan is willing to talk about or to address any concerns India may have.
The foreign office said Pakistan remains a consistent and proactive partner in the global fight against militancy and any insinuation seeking to associate Pakistan with “acts of terrorism is factually incorrect and patently misleading.”
“It is a tactic often employed to divert attention from India’s own internal challenges, particularly its repressive policies [in Kashmir],” it said on Friday.
India and Pakistan share a troubled relationship since they got independence from British rule in 1947, and have fought three wars, two of them over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part.
India accuses Pakistan of backing armed separatists in Kashmir. Pakistan denies this and says it only offers diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris.
Pakistan’s prime minister and military have also accused “Indian terror proxies” of involvement in a suicide bomb blast on an army school bus in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province that killed five people, including three children, on Wednesday. India rejected the allegation.
Both nations have retaliated since the April attack by halting trade, closing borders and suspending most visas.
The Pakistani foreign office urged the Indian leadership to exercise restraint, saying such escalatory statements only exacerbate tensions.
“India should demonstrate maturity by resolving outstanding disputes through peaceful dialogue and diplomacy,” it said.
“Pakistan remains firmly committed to peaceful coexistence, regional stability, and constructive engagement. However, our desire for peace should not be misconstrued as weakness... Any misadventure or aggression will be met with a resolute and proportionate response. Pakistan has demonstrated its resolve in the past and will do so again, if required.”
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani politicians and analysts have said that the country’s top military commander Asim Munir’s promotion to the field marshal rank, which followed Pakistan’s recent standoff with India, would not further affect the political landscape as he already held “great influence.”
The Pakistani government elevated Army Chief Munir to the rank of field marshal on Tuesday, making him only the second military officer after Ayub Khan to attain the title in the history of the South Asian country.
The promotion came more than a week after Pakistan declared victory in a four-day military conflict with India, which saw the archfoes trade missile, drone and artillery strikes, killing around 70 people on both sides.
The office of the army chief is widely seen as the most powerful position in Pakistan, a country where the military has directly ruled for nearly half its history and wields considerable influence in matters of national significance even during civilian rule.
“It will, God willing, have no [further] impact on political space or Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),” Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a spokesperson of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan-led PTI party, told Arab News this week.
“He already held all the influence.”
Khan’s PTI has been at loggerheads with the military since the downfall of its administration in 2022 and on May 9, 2023, hundreds of people carrying its flags had attacked government and military installations over the ex-premier’s arrest in a graft case. The attacks followed hundreds of arrests and dozens of Khan supporters were even tried in military courts.
The PTI denies it instigated its followers to violence and accuses the military and its political rivals of a nationwide crackdown on its supporters. The Pakistani government and the military deny the accusation.
Bukhari called Munir’s promotion an “internal matter” of the army.
“It’s generally an internal matter for the army as a result of a victory against India,” he said, adding that the entire nation celebrated that victory and ceasefire.
“We hope that with this promotion, an internal ceasefire is also reached.”
For National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who is also the vice president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, the promotion was not only a recognition of an individual’s capability, but also an acknowledgment of the sacrifices and professional competence of the Pakistani armed forces.
“Field Marshal Munir thwarted the enemy’s nefarious designs with great courage and strategy,” he said, adding the decision of his elevation would further boost the morale of the military and promote national unity.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s top political leadership conferred the baton of field marshal on Army Chief Munir at a ceremony in Islamabad. PM Shehbaz Sharif praised him for his “unflinching courage” and the army for responding with speed and precision to Indian military strikes.
The strikes were triggered by an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, an allegation denied by Islamabad.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, a senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), maintained the promotion of the army chief was a “merit-based decision” by the government as he fully deserved it.
“This move has no political angle, neither has been done to harm anyone. So, all should appreciate it,” he told Arab News.
Liaqat Baloch, a senior member of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, said it was the government’s prerogative to make such promotions.
“I think now Field Marshal Munir should work for the supremacy of the constitution,” he said, adding it would further elevate his status among people.
Baloch said the move would not have much impact on political parties, including the PTI or any other opposition group.
Political analysts believed the promotion will further strengthen army chief’s commanding position in the power structure of the country.
“Field Marshal Munir now holds a central and commanding position within the power structure, especially in light of the current weakness and disunity among civilian political leaders,” Mushahid Hussain Syed, a seasoned politician and political commentator, told Arab News.
Even before the standoff with India, he said, all major political forces were already convinced of the establishment’s central role in Pakistan’s power dynamics.
“All the mainstream political forces are convinced that the path to Islamabad passes through Rawalpindi [home to army headquarters],” he added.
But Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), said the top military commander’s promotion would not “further shrink political space for the opposition,” including Khan’s party.
“I do not think this promotion would lead to greater influence in the government affairs than he [Asim Munir] already has,” he added.
Defense analyst and author, Ayesha Siddiqa, called the promotion a “political decision” by the ruling PML-N party to “appease” the most powerful individuals within the country.
“It is a political decision because the basis on which this title is given [the standoff with India] was not even an all-out war,” she told Arab News.
“This is possibly a move by the PML-N to ensure that the army chief stays happy and does not consider too seriously any major [rapprochement] vis-a-vis [the jailed former premier] Khan.”
