海角直播

Pakistan, 海角直播 seek to deepen parliamentary cooperation during ongoing visit of Shoura Council聽

Pakistan, 海角直播 seek to deepen parliamentary cooperation during ongoing visit of Shoura Council聽
Deputy Speaker National Assembly Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah hosts lunch in honor of Saudi Shura Council delegation on June 23, 2025. (NA of Pakistan/ X)
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Updated 24 June 2025

Pakistan, 海角直播 seek to deepen parliamentary cooperation during ongoing visit of Shoura Council聽

Pakistan, 海角直播 seek to deepen parliamentary cooperation during ongoing visit of Shoura Council聽
  • Both sides agree to promote parliamentary exchanges and share legislative experience
  • Parliamentary exchanges are seen as vital to deepen political and legislative partnerships

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan鈥檚 National Assembly on Tuesday formally welcomed a high-level delegation of 海角直播鈥檚 Shoura Council as the two countries seek to deepen parliamentary cooperation.

The visit is one among many recent efforts to strengthen political, defense and economic links between the longtime allies, who already share robust trade and security partnerships and close cultural ties. 海角直播 hosts over two million Pakistani expatriates and has long been a key source of financial support for Islamabad, including during recent economic crises and through workers鈥 remittances.聽

鈥淒uring the National Assembly Budget Session 2025, Honorable Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, along with Members of the National Assembly, extended a warm welcome to the high-level parliamentary delegation of the Pak-Saudi Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Saudi Shoura Council present in the Speaker鈥檚 Gallery,鈥 the National Assembly said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

The Saudi delegation, led by Major General (Retd.) Dr. Abdulrahman bin Sanhat Al-Harbi, chairman of the Saudi-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Committee, includes Dr. Iman bint Abdulaziz Al-Jabreen and Engineer Salem bin Ali Al-Shahrani, both members of the Shoura Council.

The delegation held separate meetings with Speaker Sadiq and other Pakistani parliamentarians earlier, during which both sides agreed to promote parliamentary exchanges and share legislative experience.

鈥淭he Pak-Saudi Friendship Group established in the National Assembly is playing an important role in promoting harmony between the parliaments of the two countries,鈥 Speaker Sadiq said in an earlier statement.

鈥淓xchanges of parliamentary delegations will give the parliamentarians of both countries an opportunity to benefit from each other鈥檚 experiences.鈥

Dr. Al-Harbi said 海角直播 attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan and reiterated the Kingdom鈥檚 commitment to working together for peace and development in the region.

Frequent visits by parliamentary delegations complement high-level diplomatic and ministerial interactions between the two nations and are seen as a way to pave the ground for greater people-to-people contacts and new Saudi investments in Pakistan鈥檚 energy, mining and infrastructure sectors.

The visit also comes amid Islamabad鈥檚 efforts to attract foreign investment and strengthen partnerships with Gulf countries to stabilize its struggling economy.


Three dead, dozens missing in boat capsizes off Italy with Pakistanis, Africans aboard

Three dead, dozens missing in boat capsizes off Italy with Pakistanis, Africans aboard
Updated 19 October 2025

Three dead, dozens missing in boat capsizes off Italy with Pakistanis, Africans aboard

Three dead, dozens missing in boat capsizes off Italy with Pakistanis, Africans aboard
  • More than 32,700 migrants have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean since 2014, including an estimated one in five who were children
  • Two migrants were found dead, 14 others in critical condition when Italian police intercepted boat with 85 Pakistani, Eritrean and Somali nationals

MILAN: A migrant boat carrying around 35 people sailing from Libya capsized in the central Mediterranean leaving one confirmed dead and two dozen missing, UNICEF country coordinator for Italy said on Sunday.

The rescue operation was carried out on Friday off the coast of Italy鈥檚 Lampedusa island by the Italian Coast Guard, which saved 11 migrants, including four children traveling alone, and recovered the body of a pregnant woman, UNICEF鈥檚 Nicola Dell鈥橝rciprete said.

The survivors and the body were brought to Lampedusa, while the remaining passengers remain unaccounted for.

The boat capsized after two days at sea, Dell鈥橝rciprete said.

In a separate event, on Sunday two migrants were found dead and 14 others were in critical condition when Italian tax police intercepted a boat with 85 people on board from Pakistan, Eritrea and Somalia, the AGI news agency reported.

The 14 migrants in need of assistance and the two bodies were transferred onto two Coast Guard units 16 nautical miles off the Lampedusa coast and brought ashore to be transferred to hospitals, AGI said.

More than 32,700 migrants have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean since 2014, including an estimated one in five who were children, according to data from United Nations agencies, Dell鈥橝rciprete said.

Flavio Di Giacomo, a spokesperson for the United Nations鈥 International Organization for Migration, on Saturday said on social media platform X that at least 916 migrants had died in the central Mediterranean so far in 2025.


Pakistani charity launches $53 million project to help rebuild infrastructure in Gaza

Pakistani charity launches $53 million project to help rebuild infrastructure in Gaza
Updated 19 October 2025

Pakistani charity launches $53 million project to help rebuild infrastructure in Gaza

Pakistani charity launches $53 million project to help rebuild infrastructure in Gaza
  • The statement comes days after President Donald Trump helped reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas
  • However, Israel鈥檚 military launched an attack on Gaza, dimming hopes the ceasefire would lead to a lasting peace

KARACHI: Al-Khidmat Foundation (AKF), a leading Pakistani charity, has launched a Rs15 billion ($52.8 million) project to help rebuild infrastructure devastated by Israel鈥檚 two-year war on Gaza, the charity announced Sunday.

The development came days after US President Donald Trump helped reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas at a Sharm El-Sheikh summit, under which Hamas released 20 Israeli hostages and Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has sent several aid consignments for Gaza, was among leaders from eight Muslim-majority nations who met Trump in New York to discuss the situation in Gaza before the peace plan was formally unveiled in Egypt.

On Sunday, the AKH, which has been worked extensively in Pakistan to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, said it will help rebuild critical infrastructure to provide drinking water, food, winter relief, and health and education facilities to Gazans on short- and long-term bases.

鈥淎l-Khidmat has always responded to human suffering beyond borders,鈥 it said in a statement, urging philanthropists, donor agencies and the public at large to play their part in restoring hope and dignity for the people of Gaza.

鈥淥ur support for Gaza is not based on politics, but purely on humanitarian grounds.鈥

The AKH said it has already kicked off the process of food aid delivery to Gaza.

鈥淥ne hundred tons of aid supplies have arrived in Cairo via air cargo from Pakistan, which will be sent inside Gaza in the next 3 days,鈥 it added.

The statement came hours after Israeli military launched an attack on Gaza, Israeli media and residents reported on Sunday. The attacks dimmed hopes that the US-mediated ceasefire, which took effect on October 11, would lead to lasting peace in the enclave as Israel traded blame with Hamas.

Palestinians in Gaza told Reuters they heard explosions and gunfire in Rafah in the south of the strip and witnesses separately reported heavy gunfire from Israeli tanks in the eastern town of Abassan near Khan Younis, also in southern Gaza. Witnesses in Khan Younis heard a wave of airstrikes launched into Rafah early on Sunday afternoon.

Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a dispute over the return of the bodies of deceased hostages. Israel demanded that Hamas fulfill its obligations in turning over the remaining bodies of all 28 hostages.

Hamas has returned all 20 live hostages and 12 of the deceased and has said it has no interest in keeping the bodies of remaining hostages. The group said the process needs effort and special equipment to recover corpses buried under rubble.


Pakistan unveils Wheat Policy 2025-26 to ensure fair prices, stable reserves

Pakistan unveils Wheat Policy 2025-26 to ensure fair prices, stable reserves
Updated 19 October 2025

Pakistan unveils Wheat Policy 2025-26 to ensure fair prices, stable reserves

Pakistan unveils Wheat Policy 2025-26 to ensure fair prices, stable reserves
  • Under the new policy, the federal and provincial governments will acquire strategic reserves of about 6.2 million tons from the 2025-26 wheat crop
  • The procurement will be made at international import price of Rs3,500 ($12) per maund to ensure profit to farmers, maintaining market competitiveness

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has unveiled its Wheat Policy 2025-26 that aims to ensure fair prices for farmers and maintain stable strategic reserves to safeguard national food security, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif鈥檚 office announced Sunday.

Under the new wheat policy, the federal and provincial governments will acquire strategic reserves of about 6.2 million tons from the 2025-26 wheat crop, according to PM Sharif鈥檚 office.

The procurement will be made at Rs3,500 ($12) per maund as per the international import price of wheat, which will ensure fair price and profit to farmers while maintaining market competitiveness.

鈥淭he government is well aware of the difficulties faced by farmers,鈥 Sharif was quoted as saying at a meeting of provincial and regional representatives and stakeholders.

鈥淭he policy will play a significant role in ensuring food security for the people of Pakistan.鈥

The development comes weeks after floods in Pakistan鈥檚 breadbasket Punjab province destroyed 30 percent of the country鈥檚 wheat stocks, a senior official of a leading business forum said.

Pakistan was ranked as the world鈥檚 eighth-largest wheat producer by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) last year. It said the country had produced 31.4 million tons of the crop that year, which amounted to 4 percent of the world鈥檚 total wheat production.

Agriculture contributes 24 percent to Pakistan鈥檚 gross domestic product, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The USDA has estimated Pakistan鈥檚 wheat production this year at 28.9 million tons from 9.1 million hectares till August, 8 percent down from last year鈥檚 31.4 million tons.

The new policy reflects a unified effort by federal and provincial stakeholders to strengthen the agricultural economy and support the farming community, according to Sharif鈥檚 office.

National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain will head a national committee, comprising representatives from all provinces, to monitor implementation and coordination of new policy measures.

鈥淯nder the [new] policy, there will be no restrictions on inter-provincial movement of wheat to ensure its availability across Pakistan,鈥 the PM鈥檚 office said.


鈥楳arket is almost dead鈥: Traders in Pakistani town decry border closures due to Afghanistan clashes

鈥楳arket is almost dead鈥: Traders in Pakistani town decry border closures due to Afghanistan clashes
Updated 19 October 2025

鈥楳arket is almost dead鈥: Traders in Pakistani town decry border closures due to Afghanistan clashes

鈥楳arket is almost dead鈥: Traders in Pakistani town decry border closures due to Afghanistan clashes
  • Key border crossings of Chaman, Torkham were closed for trade last week amid deadly Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes
  • Traders in Chaman say closure of key crossing causing unemployment, business losses on both sides of the border

CHAMAN/BALOCHISTAN: Hajji Abdul Bari Achakzai鈥檚 office wears a deserted look. The empty chairs in his office in the southwestern Pakistani city of Chaman reflect the impact that border closures, triggered by clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, have had on bilateral trade in both countries.

Pakistan and Afghanistan saw fierce fighting on Oct. 11, when Afghan forces struck multiple Pakistani military posts. Afghanistan officials claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in response to what they said were repeated violations of Afghan territory and airspace. Pakistan鈥檚 military gave lower figures, saying it lost 23 soldiers and killed more than 200 鈥淭aliban and affiliated terrorists鈥 during retaliatory fire along the border.

The clashes caused border closures between Pakistan and Afghanistan last week, through the northwestern border crossing in Torkham and southwestern Chaman crossing in Balochistan, effectively halting trade and the movement of people between the two countries.

Seventy-year-old Achakzai鈥檚 family has been in the business of importing and exporting goods from Chaman since the past 60 years. The border closures have taken a toll on his business and affected Chaman, he said.

鈥淒ue to these repeated border closures, Chaman has reached near-total unemployment,鈥 Achakzai told Arab News on Saturday.

Pakistan is a key exporter of goods, mainly fresh fruits, rice, flour and other edible items to Afghanistan, while it imports dry fruits and other scrap material from the country.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused the administration in Kabul of failing to take action against militant outfits such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which it alleges carry out attacks targeting Pakistan from Afghan soil. Kabul denies the allegations.

The TTP have become emboldened since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, carrying out attacks against Pakistani security forces. These attacks have caused repeated clashes between Pakistani and Afghan border forces, triggering frequent border closures.

Both countries agreed to a ceasefire in Doha on Saturday, though tensions remain heightened, amid closure of border crossings.

As per the Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI), the annual Pakistan-Afghan trade volume has declined from $2.5 billion dollars to $10 million during the last two fiscal years.

Apart from Torkham in the northwest, the Chaman鈥揝pin Boldak crossing is one of the busiest and most strategically important trade routes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

鈥淐haman used to be a key route for trade between Kabul-Karachi and Hirat-New Delhi and this transit point remained a source of income for us,鈥 Achakzai noted.

Zia Ul Haq Sarhardi, senior vice president of the PAJCCI, said recent tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan are causing losses worth billions of rupees that cannot be estimated accurately. He described the escalation in tensions as a 鈥渕ajor tragedy.鈥

鈥淚 don鈥檛 see the border will reopen easily this time because the Pak-Afghan bilateral relations have been worsening,鈥 Sarhardi said.

Muhammad Ayoub Meerani, president of the Quetta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) in Balochistan鈥檚 capital city, blamed the Pakistani government鈥檚 policies for declining trade with Afghanistan. 

鈥淎fghanistan鈥檚 landlocked market has moved away from us and into the hands of Iran, Uzbekistan, and other countries,鈥 Meerani told Arab News.

鈥淓ven small, perishable items are not being exported from here causing millions of dollars鈥 damages to the business community of Balochistan.鈥

He called on both countries to end their conflict and for border trade to resume.

DESERTED MARKETS

Local traders remain busy hunting for customers in Chaman, where Naimatullah Achakzai, 36, runs a shop selling dry fruits on Taj Road.

鈥淭he market is almost dead,鈥 he said. 鈥淎round 60 percent of the goods in our shop come from Afghanistan, like almonds, raisins, cashews, walnuts, and all kinds of dry fruits. We bring them from across the border and supply them throughout Pakistan.鈥

He warned that if the situation persists, around 2 million people in Chaman and Afghanistan鈥檚 Spin Boldak border town would be 鈥渄evastated.鈥

Hajji Jamal Shah Achakzai, president of the traders鈥 association in Chaman district, agreed.

鈥淥ur entire livelihood depends on the border. Goods that used to go out and come in from the border are now almost non-existent,鈥 he said.

鈥淐haman has suffered heavy losses. If the situation continues, people will start migration from this bordering town.鈥


Pakistan environmental agency launches plan to curb vehicular emissions, smog in capital

Pakistan environmental agency launches plan to curb vehicular emissions, smog in capital
Updated 19 October 2025

Pakistan environmental agency launches plan to curb vehicular emissions, smog in capital

Pakistan environmental agency launches plan to curb vehicular emissions, smog in capital
  • The new framework combines strict enforcement with long-term transition to cleaner fuels and electric vehicles
  • Pakistani urban centers routinely rank among most polluted cities, with vehicular emissions as one of main reasons

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has rolled out a comprehensive Vehicular Emission Control Action Plan (VECAP) for the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the climate change ministry announced on Sunday, marking a major policy initiative to combat air pollution and smog in the capital city.

The plan, unveiled by the climate ministry in coordination with the capital administration, Islamabad Transport Authority and Traffic Police, outlines both short- and long-term measures to regulate exhaust emissions, modernize urban transport and improve air quality in the capital.

After the heat-trapping industrial emissions, the rapidly increasing vehicular emissions have emerged as one of the leading sources of choking air pollution in Islamabad, according to Saleem Shaikh, a climate change ministry spokesman.

These emissions release high levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which contribute significantly to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

鈥淭his ambitious action plan provides a clear and viable roadmap to cleaner, healthier air for Islamabad鈥檚 citizens,鈥 Shaikh said in a statement. 鈥淚t moves beyond temporary measures and builds a structured, long-term framework that combines enforcement with innovation and public engagement through awareness and advocacy.鈥

The short-term phase (0鈥18 months) focuses on strong enforcement and community awareness. Under this phase, Pak-EPA and the Islamabad Traffic Police will conduct regular and surprise roadside inspections to ensure compliance with National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS).

The plan mandates 100 percent NEQS compliance for all government transport fleets within the specified timeframe and introduces third-party emission testing for private and commercial vehicles through certified laboratories. Vehicle owners will be required to obtain mandatory emission compliance certificates, which will be linked with registration and transfer processes.

Pakistan鈥檚 main urban centers routinely rank among the most polluted cities in the world, with vehicular emissions remaining one of the top contributors to air pollution. This severe air pollution also undermines economic productivity and diminishes the quality of life for millions of residents.

Shaikh said city-wide public awareness campaigns would be launched through television, radio and digital media to promote regular vehicle maintenance and discourage the use of smoke-emitting vehicles at all levels. Officials have recently fined 215 vehicles and impounded 32 others for violating emission limits, he added.

Special focus would now be placed on diesel-run buses, trucks and water tankers, while all petrol vehicles would be checked for catalytic converters, according to the climate change ministry. Burning of trash and solid waste would also be strictly prohibited and those found involved will be fined under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act provisions.

鈥淎bove all, public participation is key,鈥 Shaikh said. 鈥淐leaner air cannot be achieved by enforcement alone. Citizens, transporters and institutions must all contribute by maintaining vehicles, avoiding open burning, and supporting the shift toward low-emission mobility.鈥

Sharing details of the long-term phase (18鈥60 months) of the EVPP, Shaikh said they would concentrate on a structural shift toward cleaner fuels and technologies in this stage.

鈥淯nder this long-term phase to overcome air pollution challenges in the capital, a Comprehensive Electric Vehicle Promotion Programme (EVPP) will be launched to establish EV charging stations across Islamabad, introduce a 10 percent EV quota in government fleets, and offer incentives such as tax exemptions and dedicated EV lanes,鈥 the climate change ministry official said.

鈥淭he ministry鈥檚 overarching goal is to make Islamabad a model city for clean and climate-smart transport. This is part of Pakistan鈥檚 broader commitment to achieving sustainable urban air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.鈥

Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns, which have led to frequent heat waves, untimely rains, storms, cyclones, floods and droughts in recent years. This year, monsoon floods killed 1,037 people and caused initial losses worth $1.31 billion.

Experts have warned that without urgent adaptation and mitigation measures, the human and economic toll of climate change will only deepen in the years ahead.

Discussing implementation of the new framework, Shaikh said it would be executed through multi-agency coordination, involving joint efforts of Pak-EPA, ICT Administration, Excise and Taxation Department, Capital Development Authority (CDA), Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), and Islamabad Traffic Police.

This collaborative approach combines policy reform, enforcement and technology adoption to deliver lasting environmental benefits, according to the official.

鈥淭he success of this plan will depend on sustained institutional support, inter-agency cooperation and active public participation,鈥 he said. 鈥淐leaner air for Islamabad is achievable only when every stakeholder, from policymakers to commuters, plays their role responsibly for the sake of their own and environmental health but also for the health of future generation and city鈥檚 environmental sustainability.鈥