Tag: islamabad

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Arab News News PAKISTAN

Iranian Interior Minister arrives in Islamabad

Iranian Interior Minister arrives in Islamabad

Iranian Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a day-long visit to meet senior members of the Pakistan government and discuss important issues related to Pakistan-Iran relations…reports Asian Lite news

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has received Vahidi.

As per details, Vahidi, along with his nine-member delegation will be meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, and will be holding important meeting with other government representatives.

“During the day-long visit, the Iranian minister will hold meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and other government functionaries,” read a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Interior.

“Vahidi and Pakistani officials will discuss issues related to Pakistan-Iran border management and the exchange of prisoners,” the statement added.

Both Pakistan and Iran had agreed to form a special committee for effective implementation on an agreement for the exchange of prisoners in October last year.

The border management, especially in relation to cross border movement of banned outfits and human trafficking, for which, Pakistan-Iran border is majorly used by the traffickers to bring people from Pakistan into Iran, and move them towards Turkey and Europe through a managed and active network of agents.

The visit of Iranian Interior Minister holds great importance as it comes a week after the visit of Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, who came to Pakistan last week.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his desire to play a role of a mediator between Saudi Arabia and Iran and facilitates ways to ease tensions between the two countries.

Pakistan has also been focused on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, a point that will also be part of the discussion with the Iranian Interior Minister.

ALSO READ: Iran: Peaceful nuclear and defence capabilities irremovable options

The recent tensions in Balochistan province, which saw a serious upsurge in targeted terror attacks on security personal and their installations, showed some signs of facilitation and harbouring by terror banned outfits on the Iranian side also.

Terror groups such as Zainabiyoun, have been operating on the Pakistan-Iran border. Pakistani authorities have in the past launched Intelligence Based Operations, and have neutralised dozens of members of the groups.

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COVID-19 News PAKISTAN

Islamabad records highest-ever Covid cases

Pakistan reported 5,196 COVID cases in the last 24 hours as per the National Command and Operation Centre, with Islamabad reporting 1,836 cases, the highest since the outbreak…reports Asian Lite News

Furthermore, 15 more patients of COVID-19 succumbed to the viral disease in the last 24 hours. With this, the death toll has been pushed to 29,137, reported ARY News.

The number of critical patients has also increased. It rose to 1,293 as compared to yesterday’s 1,113.

According to NCOC, a total of 51,063 samples were tested, out of which 5,196 turned out to be positive at the positivity rate of 10.17pc as compared to yesterday’s 12.81 percent, reported ARY News.

The positivity ratio in Islamabad was recorded at 22.2 percent. Besides, one person died of coronavirus in Rawalpindi district and 368 got infected, with the positivity rate calculated at 13.5pc.

ALSO READ: Covid-19: US urges citizens to reconsider travel to India

Notably, Pakistan is facing the fifth deadly wave of COVID and the country is breaking its previous records as the number increases each day.

WHO has already warned that the nations should not treat the Omicron variant lightly and make sure that all the protocols are followed properly. (ANI)

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Afghanistan Arab News PAKISTAN

Pak to invite Afghan Taliban to ministerial meet of Afghanistan’s neighbours

Pak to invite Afghan Taliban to ministerial meet of Afghanistan's neighbours

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Islamabad will be inviting the Afghan Taliban to be part of the upcoming third ministerial meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbours…writes Hamza Ameer

Qureshi said “Afghanistan’s interim government will also be invited to the next meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbours”, as part of the country’s new formulated mechanism to keep constructive engagement with Afghanistan.

The ministerial meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbours comprises China, Iran, Pakistan Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Russia.

Pak to invite Afghan Taliban to ministerial meet of Afghanistan’s neighbours

The inclusion of Afghanistan is part of Islamabad’s strategy of active consultation and work towards formulation of a plan that should ensure an all-inclusive setup, which should be acceptable by the global community and would attract global recognition for the Afghan government in Afghanistan.

This is the first time that Afghan Taliban interim government will be invited to the meeting. The previous two meetings, inaugural held in Islamabad on September 8 and second hosted by Iran on October 27, did not extend invitation to the Afghan Taliban because the interim Afghan Taliban setup lacked global recognition.

However, extending invitation for the third meeting at a time when no country has recognised the Taliban government setup in Afghanistan, certainly has raised eyebrows.

During the second meeting, a joint communique called on the international community to remain positively engaged with Afghanistan and develop a long-term roadmap to advance the agenda of political engagement, economic integration and regional connectivity.

As per details, the third meeting will be hosted by China, which is likely to be held early next year.

The Afghan Taliban maintain that de facto recognition of the Taliban was already there. Afghan interim foreign minister Muttaqi, during his visit to Islamabad, hoped that de jure acceptance would also happen soon.

ALSO READ: Pakistan teaches Taliban to fly

Pakistan’s foreign minister Qureshi said that the world will have to accept the reality that “war in Afghanistan has ended and the Taliban are in power”.

Pakistan has maintained and urged the international community to opt for the policy of consistent and positive engagement with the Taliban. Pakistan has also called on the Afghan Taliban government to work towards addressing pivotal concerns of the international community to seek early recognition.

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News PAKISTAN World

Pakistan govt reaches agreement with banned TLP

Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister-led Imran Khan government on October 31 reached an agreement with the hardline outlawed radical Islamist party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Prime Minister-led Imran Khan government on October 31 reached an agreement with the hardline outlawed radical Islamist party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) as the two sides negotiated for the release of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party chief Saad Rizvi, as well as expel the French ambassadors. 

The talks came as the violent protests flared across the country with tens of thousands of protesters of the radical Islamist group marching in Islamabad, heading to Gujranwala, Pakistan’s third-largest industrial centre approximately 80kms from Lahore and an estimated 220kms from Islamabad. 

Weeks after the radical Islamist protesters threatened to bring Islamabad to a halt, the Imran Khan-led government announced that it has reached a mutual agreement with TLP, ANI reported. The announcement came after Pakistan released 350 activists of the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan arrested during the unrest after they threatened of holding a “long march” against Prime Minister Imran Khan for not releasing party chief Saad Hussain Rizvi. 

The issue will be resolved peacefully by Tuesday, ending the 10-day long conflict, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said, according to Geo TV. The dialogue was held amid the partial closure of the populous cities of Lahore and Rawalpindi and demands from the rebel groups for the permanent closure of France’s embassy in Pakistan.

ALSO READ: Afghanistan reopens missions in Pakistan

“Police and Rangers are deployed on the route, the law enforcers did not stop the TLP workers on the order from the top as some government functionaries have engaged its leadership in talks,” a government official from Pakistan’s Punjab province told news agency PTI. Although, neither Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi nor religious leader Mufti Muneebur Rehman gave out the details about the meeting despite that both were a part of the meeting.

A committee panel of 12 members was earlier constituted to act as a negotiator between the Imran Khan-led administration and the outlawed Islamist party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) that has been protesting for two weeks to put pressure on the government to release the party’s leader. Minister of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, had told Pakistani media last week that the panel is in negotiations with both the PTI administration and the leaders of the outlawed group. 

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Arab News News PAKISTAN

Airblue receives its firstA321neo aircraft

Airblue receives its firstA321neo aircraft

Airblue Limited, the private Islamabad-based airline, has taken delivery of its first A321neo aircraft…reports Asian Lite News

Airblue Limited, the private Islamabad-based airline, has taken delivery of its first A321neo aircraft. It marks an important step in Pakistan’s aviation journey, making Airblue the first operator of an Airbus neo aircraft in the country. The airline currently operates an all Airbus fleet of nine A320 Family aircraft.

Airblue receives its firstA321neo aircraft

Airblue’s A321neo, on lease from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) is equipped with CFM International’s LEAP-1A engines. Currently Airblue operates domestic flights to Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Multan and to international destinations in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The A321neo will enable the airline to further expand its network.

The highly-fuel-efficient A321neo will help reduce Airblue’s operating costs and will offer exceptional technical, economic and environmental performance by incorporating the latest engines, aerodynamic advances and cabin innovations.

ALSO READ: Etihad Cargo website gets a new-look

Airblue’s A321neo is configured with 235 seats in an all economy class cabin. Passengers on-board the aircraft will benefit from the widest cabin of any single-aisle aircraft, stand-alone Off Seat Power Supply system and Wireless Content Distribution (WCD).

The A320neo Family offers airlines more options for configuring the generous floor space offered by its A321neo, allowing more flexibility and thus increasing the total number of available seats. These new cabin options, along with the A320 Family commonality and its new engine options, will allow Airblue to further enhance its operations, routes, and market share.  

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-Top News Afghanistan Asia News

Afghan political leaders in Islamabad oppose Taliban govt

The Afghan delegation comprising erstwhile Northern Alliance leaders and Speaker Afghan Parliament Mir Rehman arrived in Pakistan on Sunday…reports Asian Lite News.

Political leaders from Afghanistan visiting Pakistan have opposed “the single-party government” in their country, Samaa TV reported.

This statement came shortly after the Taliban issued a statement to commemorate Afghanistan 102nd Independence Day. The statement included a declaration of the formation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The Afghan delegation comprising erstwhile Northern Alliance leaders and Speaker Afghan Parliament Mir Rehman arrived in Pakistan on Sunday.

In a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, the delegate said they were invited to Pakistan a month ago. Their visit began on August 15 and on the same day, Kabul fell to the Taliban.

Rehmani said Afghanistan should be governed by a constitution that is acceptable to everyone. “A single-party authoritarian government would not be accepted,” he told reporters.

Separately, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan held a meeting with former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and senior leader of ousted government Abdullah Abdullah to discuss ‘efforts for stability in Afghanistan’.

Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah also held talks with the Taliban over future government plans in Afghanistan.

Both leaders on Wednesday met the Taliban commander and senior leader of the Haqqani network, Anas Haqqani, as part of efforts to form an inclusive government in the war-torn country, Dawn reported.

Efforts are being made to maintain stability in Afghanistan at a time when thousands of people are trying to flee the country through Kabul airport. All other transit routes have been taken over by the terrorist group.

Women journalists barred from working

Women journalists in Afghanistan have said that they are being barred from working by the Taliban who have overtaken control of the country and who had assured that women would be allowed to work corresponding with Sharia law.

They have also asked the Taliban to respect their right to work, TOLO News reported.

Shabnam Khan Dawran, an anchor at RTA (Radio Television Afghanistan) said that the Taliban has not allowed her to enter her office to continue her work.

“I wanted to return to work, but unfortunately they did not allow me to work. They told me that the regime has changed and you cannot work,” Dawran was quoted by TOLO.

Another journalist Khadija said that she was also banned by the Taliban from working.

“I went to the office but I was not allowed in. Later other colleagues were banned, too. We talked with our new director who has been appointed by the Taliban,” said Khadija.

Khadija said that the Taliban told them that a decision will be made soon about their work.

“There has been a change in the programs, they broadcast their desired programs, there are no female presenters and female journalists,” said Khadija, TOLO News reported further.

This is even as the Taliban in their first press conference after taking control of Afghanistan said that the rights of women will be “respected with the framework of Islamic law.”

The Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid assured that the group is committed to providing women with their rights based on Islam. “Taliban are committed to providing women with their rights based on Islam. Women can work in the health sector and other sectors where they are needed. There will be no discrimination against women.”

Taliban had also announced a “general amnesty” for all Afghan government officials and urged them to return to work, including women corresponding with Sharia law. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Imran asks ministers to keep mum on Taliban takeover

READ MORE-India takes charge of UNSC counter-terror panel

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Asia News

Islamabad on high alert after terror threat

The security of high profile individuals including VVIPs, VIPs, diplomats and Chinese nationals has also been tightened…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad has been put on high alert in the wake of intelligence reports that terrorists might strike in the city.

The security of high profile individuals including VVIPs, VIPs, diplomats and Chinese nationals has also been tightened, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported.

Moreover, the security was also tightened around important installations, hospitals and religious places.

The Central Police Office (CPO) of Islamabad had written letters to various departments of the city, asking them to upgrade security for personalities and installations, senior police officers told Dawn.

The security officials have also been directed to stay on high alert at all check posts and points.

Earlier this month, radical Islamist party the Tehrik-i-Taliban in Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for a deadly bomb blast at a luxury hotel in Quetta, hosting the Chinese ambassador, which led to the killing of four. (ANI)

Also read:Islamabad’s bid to expel French envoy fails