Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive’ dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys

Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive’ dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys
Members of a high-level Pakistani parliamentary delegation, led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (fifth from right), pose for a picture in New York, US, on June 2, 2025. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Short Url
Updated 03 June 2025
Follow

Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive’ dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys

Pakistani delegation demands resumption of ‘comprehensive’ dialogue with India in briefing to OIC envoys
  • Tensions between neighbors Pakistan, India remain high after they struck ceasefire on May 10
  • Pakistani delegation will present Islamabad’s position on Pakistan’s recent conflict with India 

ISLAMABAD: A high-level Pakistani delegation set up by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week briefed members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at the United Nations, calling for the resumption of a “comprehensive dialogue” with India to resolve the Kashmir dispute and other issues, Pakistan’s mission to the UN said. 

Led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the nine-member parliamentary delegation arrived in New York on Monday as the first stop in a diplomatic mission to present Pakistan’s position in world capitals following Islamabad’s recent military conflict with India. The group headed by Bhutto Zardari will visit New York, Washington DC, London and Brussels. Another delegation, led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, will also visit Moscow.

Tensions between Pakistan and India are high after they struck a ceasefire on May 10 following the most intense military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades. Both countries accuse the other of supporting militancy on each other’s soil — a charge both capitals deny.

The latest escalation last month took place following weeks of tensions after India blamed Pakistan for supporting an April 22 attack on the Kashmir territory it governs that killed 26 tourists. Pakistan denied involvement in the incident and called for an international probe. Both countries traded missiles, artillery fire and drone strikes before Washington brokered a ceasefire on May 10. 

“He [Bhutto Zardari] reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace, restraint, and diplomacy, and called for the restoration of the Indus Waters Treaty, full respect for the ceasefire, and the resumption of a comprehensive dialogue with India, with the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute at its core,” Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said in a statement on Monday. 




Members of a high-level Pakistani parliamentary delegation, led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (fifth from right), pose for a picture in New York, US, on June 2, 2025. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Following the attack at the Pahalgam tourist resort in April, India suspended the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. The move drew a sharp response from Islamabad, which said any attempts to divert or stop the flow of its waters by India would be considered an “act of war.”

About 80 percent of Pakistani farms depend on the Indus system, as do nearly all hydropower projects serving the country of some 250 million.

“Mr. Bhutto expressed grave concern at the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — a move that Pakistan considers a blatant act of weaponizing water and a violation of international and treaty obligations,” the statement said. 

The former Pakistani foreign minister thanked OIC countries for their efforts and role aimed at de-escalation, mediation and ceasefire during the conflict. He highlighted that the only path to peace was in dialogue, engagement and diplomacy.

“Mr. Bilawal Bhutto underlined that OIC has emerged as the moral conscience of the world in these difficult times and thanked the OIC member states for their steadfast support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the statement said. 

The statement said that the OIC’s permanent representatives appreciated Pakistan’s briefing and reaffirmed their solidarity with the country. 

“They reiterated their concern over the worsening security situation in South Asia and stressed the importance of upholding the principles of the UN Charter and international law and in this regard, the sanctity of treaties, including the Indus Waters Treaty,” Pakistan’s permanent mission to the UN said. 

Separately, the delegation also met Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, president of the UN Security Council for June, according to a press release issued by 
Bhutto Zardari’s residence, Bilawal House. 

“The Pakistani delegation stressed that in the face of a growing trend of unilateralism and escalation, the Security Council must play its crucial role to ensure peace and conflict resolution,” it said. 

The delegation urged the Security Council to play a “proactive role” in promoting de-escalation, ensuring respect for international law and treaties and facilitating peaceful resolution of disputes.

The statement said Birkett reaffirmed the Security Council’s commitment to upholding international peace and security in line with its mandate. 


Pakistan, UAE agree to ease visa process for Pakistani citizens

Pakistan, UAE agree to ease visa process for Pakistani citizens
Updated 8 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan, UAE agree to ease visa process for Pakistani citizens

Pakistan, UAE agree to ease visa process for Pakistani citizens
  • Mohsin Naqvi discusses enhanced security, anti-narcotics, and tech cooperation during Abu Dhabi visit
  • Pakistani interior minister briefed on crime prevention and public safety at UAE police operations center

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to take “necessary steps” to facilitate visa issuance for Pakistani citizens during a high-level meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Emirati counterpart in Abu Dhabi, according to an official statement released on Friday.

The development comes amid growing concerns over visa delays and restrictions reportedly faced by Pakistani nationals seeking employment in the UAE. Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also raised the issue in a meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.

The UAE is home to over 1.5 million Pakistanis and remains a major source of remittances.

“It was also mutually agreed to ensure necessary steps to facilitate visas for Pakistani citizens, especially work visas,” the interior ministry said in a statement issued after the meeting. “The UAE Minister of Interior assured full cooperation in this regard.”

Naqvi said the fraternal relations with the UAE were valued by all Pakistanis. He also highlighted that a large number of them were playing a key role in strengthening the UAE’s economy.

“We want Pakistani citizens to be able to come to the UAE easily and easing visa policies will greatly benefit them,” he added.

During his talks with UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in multiple areas including security, anti-narcotics, anti-smuggling and preventing illegal immigration.

The discussion also included regional peace and the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence to tackle security challenges.

Later, the Pakistani minister visited Abu Dhabi’s state-of-the-art police operations room, where he was briefed on crime prevention and public safety systems.

He expressed particular interest in the UAE’s advanced police monitoring model and praised the country’s use of technology for law enforcement.


Pakistan court suspends order seeking YouTube ban on government critics

Pakistan court suspends order seeking YouTube ban on government critics
Updated 45 min 50 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan court suspends order seeking YouTube ban on government critics

Pakistan court suspends order seeking YouTube ban on government critics
  • YouTube has warned 27 content creators their channels may be blocked if they fail to comply with a court order seeking to ban them
  • Digital rights groups warn the move could further erode free speech in Pakistan, where authorities face criticism for silencing dissent

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Friday suspended an order seeking to ban the YouTube channels of more than two dozen critics of the government including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, a defense lawyer said.

Alphabet-owned YouTube this week told 27 content creators that it could block their channels — including those of journalists and Khan and his opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf — if they failed to comply with a judicial magistrate court order seeking to ban them.

A regional communication manager for YouTube did not respond to a Reuters request for a comment.

The judicial magistrate court in Islamabad had said it was seeking the ban after the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency criticized the channels in a June 2 report for “sharing highly intimidating, provocative and derogatory contents against state institutions and officials of the state of Pakistan.”

The decision to suspend the order was taken by an additional sessions judge, said Imaan Mazari, the lawyer for two of the YouTube content creators.

In Pakistan, an additional sessions judge is a judicial officer who presides over a sessions court, handling both civil and criminal cases.

“Our submission is that the order has no legal basis. It was a one-sided decision without giving defense a chance to be heard,” Mazari said.

She also said the magistrate court had no jurisdiction over the matter.

The next hearing in the sessions court is on July 21.

In Pakistan’s judicial system, cases start at civil and judicial magistrate courts and appeals are heard in high courts and the Supreme Court.

Digital rights campaigners say that any ban would further undermine free speech in Pakistan, where the authorities are accused of stifling newspapers and television, and social media is seen as one of the few outlets for dissent.


Islamabad, Moscow sign protocol to restore and modernize Pakistan Steel Mills

Islamabad, Moscow sign protocol to restore and modernize Pakistan Steel Mills
Updated 11 July 2025
Follow

Islamabad, Moscow sign protocol to restore and modernize Pakistan Steel Mills

Islamabad, Moscow sign protocol to restore and modernize Pakistan Steel Mills
  • The Pakistan Steel Mills has been non-operational since 2015 due to years of financial mismanagement, political interference and mounting losses
  • Both sides discussed plans to modernize the major steel complex on the sidelines of the recent INNOPROM Annual Industrial Forum in Yekaterinburg

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia have signed a protocol to restore and modernize the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) in Karachi, Pakistani state media reported on Friday.

The development comes days after the two sides discussed plans to modernize the major steel complex and expand industrial cooperation on the sidelines of the INNOPROM Annual Industrial Forum in Yekaterinburg.

INNOPROM, Russia’s largest annual industrial trade fair, brings together government delegations, business leaders and technology firms from over 30 countries to explore partnerships in manufacturing, engineering and high-tech industries.

The protocol was signed at the Pakistan Embassy in Moscow by Pakistan’s Secretary of Industries and Production Saif Anjum and Russian General Director of Industrial Engineering LLC Vadim Velichko, reaffirming the long-standing industrial partnership.

“The project aims to restart and expand steel production [in Pakistan], marking a new chapter in bilateral cooperation,” read a report on Radio Pakistan broadcaster.

The PSM, once Pakistan’s flagship industrial complex, was built in the 1970s with Soviet assistance. While it symbolized national self-sufficiency, the mill has been non-operational since 2015 due to years of financial mismanagement, political interference and mounting losses.

Moscow is also expected to finalize an agreement with Islamabad this summer to construct a new steel mill in Karachi, Russian Consul-General Andrey B. Fedorov told Arab News this month.

Technical experts from Russia have already inspected the proposed site for the new facility, and another delegation is expected soon to draft a detailed roadmap.

Russia has a long history of industrial cooperation with Pakistan, having previously built key infrastructure projects such as the Guddu Power Station in Sindh in the 1980s, one of the country’s major electricity producers.
Moscow and Islamabad have expanded cooperation in recent years despite global tensions over the war in Ukraine.


Pakistan rain death toll rises to 90 as authorities issue fresh flood warning

Pakistan rain death toll rises to 90 as authorities issue fresh flood warning
Updated 11 July 2025
Follow

Pakistan rain death toll rises to 90 as authorities issue fresh flood warning

Pakistan rain death toll rises to 90 as authorities issue fresh flood warning
  • Heavy rains have also damaged at least 343 houses nationwide
  • Relief operations underway in affected areas, authority says

KARACHI: The death toll from monsoon downpours in Pakistan rose to 90 after three children died in rain-related incidents in the eastern Punjab province, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Friday, amid fresh alert about possible flooding between July 13 and July 17.

Punjab has reported 32 deaths, including 18 children, while the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has recorded 30 deaths, 14 of them children, since the start of monsoon in late June.

The southern province of Sindh has reported 16 deaths and the southwestern Balochistan province has logged 11 fatalities. One man lost his life in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

“The total number of 90 deceased include 45 children, 29 men and 16 women,” the NDMA said in a report on Friday, adding that another 158 people were injured in incidents across the country.

“Minor flooding is ongoing at Tarbela, Taunsa and Guddu Barrages, while moderate flooding continues at Kalabagh and Chashma.”

Heavy rains have also damaged at least 343 houses nationwide. Of them, 109 were destroyed and 234 incurred partial damages, according to the NDMA.

Flood relief operations have been underway in affected areas, with authorities distributing tents, ration bags, blankets, sandbags, quilts, gas cylinders, mattresses, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, plastic mats, hygiene kits and food packets to affected families.

A total of 24 relief camps have been set up in Punjab and two in Sindh, providing shelter to 176 people, whereas around 245 people have been rescued in 21 operations carried out across the country.

FLOOD ALERT

Taunsa Barrage located on Indus River in Punjab’s Dera Ismail Khan district “may experience moderate flooding,” the NDMA said in a fresh alert on Friday.

There is a risk of minor flooding at Marala and Khanki along the Chenab River and at Nowshera along the Kabul River. Flooding is also expected in the Swat and Panjkora Rivers as well as their adjoining streams.

The NDMA has advised people to exercise caution and avoid crossing streams, bridges and floodwaters.

Pakistan has also rolled out a location-based SMS alert system to warn citizens living in flood-prone areas about imminent weather threats.

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 triggered catastrophic floods that affected 33 million people and killed more than 1,700.


Pakistani father kills daughter over TikTok account, police say

Pakistani father kills daughter over TikTok account, police say
Updated 11 July 2025
Follow

Pakistani father kills daughter over TikTok account, police say

Pakistani father kills daughter over TikTok account, police say
  • TikTok is wildly popular in Pakistan, in part because of its accessibility to a population with low literacy levels
  • Pakistani authorities have repeatedly blocked or threatened to block the app over what they call ‘immoral behavior’

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan police on Friday said a father shot dead his daughter after she refused to delete her account on popular video-sharing app TikTok.

In the Muslim-majority country, women can be subjected to violence by family members for not following strict rules on how to behave in public, including in online spaces.

“The girl’s father had asked her to delete her TikTok account. On refusal, he killed her,” a police spokesperson told AFP.

According to a police report shared with AFP, investigators said the father killed his 16-year-old daughter on Tuesday “for honor.” He was subsequently arrested.

The victim’s family initially tried to “portray the murder as a suicide” according to police in the city of Rawalpindi, where the attack happened, next to the capital Islamabad.

Last month, a 17-year-old girl and TikTok influencer with hundreds of thousands of online followers was killed at home by a man whose advances she had refused.

Sana Yousaf had racked up more than a million followers on social media accounts including TikTok, where she shared videos of her favorite cafes, skincare products, and traditional outfits.

TikTok is wildly popular in Pakistan, in part because of its accessibility to a population with low literacy levels.

Women have found both audience and income on the app, which is rare in a country where fewer than a quarter of the women participate in the formal economy.

However, only 30 percent of women in Pakistan own a smartphone compared to twice as many men (58 percent), the largest gap in the world, according to the Mobile Gender Gap Report of 2025.

Pakistani telecommunications authorities have repeatedly blocked or threatened to block the app over what they call “immoral behavior.”

In southwestern Balochistan, where tribal law governs many rural areas, a man confessed to orchestrating the murder of his 14-year-old daughter earlier this year over TikTok videos that he said compromised her “honor.”