Pakistan

Senator urges Pakistan to review policy towards Afghanistan

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

Senate panel receives briefing from Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed.
Secretary briefs senators on Kabul Embassy attack.
Says eight sniper shots, and 100 rounds of bullets fired at embassy.

ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs Farooq H Naek, while expressing reservation about the attack on the Pakistani embassy in Kabul, called Islamabad to review its policy towards Afghanistan.

The senator expressed his reservations during a briefing given by Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed on the attack on the Pakistan embassy in Kabul.

The secretary informed the Senate committee that Afghanistan had conveyed to Pakistan that they had arrested one sniper involved in the recent assassination attempt on the Pakistani envoy in Kabul and an investigation into the incident was underway.

Majeed said the Pakistani envoy was walking in the embassy yard when he came under attack. He explained that eight sniper shots and 100 rounds of bullets were fired from the eighth floor of a building that is close to 100 metres from the embassy.

“Thankfully, it was not a physical intrusion, and miraculously, the Pakistani ambassador remained safe,” he said, adding that the Afghan government had promised that the perpetrators of the crime would not be spared.

“The IS Khorasan has claimed responsibility for the incident,” he said, adding that Pakistan wanted peace in Afghanistan as peace and stability in Afghanistan were indispensable for Pakistan.

However, Senator Naek expressed reservations about the attack and said there was a dire need for Pakistan to revisit its policy towards Afghanistan.

“We are functioning as the spokesperson for Afghanistan, not India, in the world, but on the contrary, the Afghan government often opposes Pakistan and uses guns against us, which is unfortunate,” said the Pakistan Peoples Party senator.

FIA slammed for harassment of Pakistanis

Meanwhile, the additional director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) briefed the committee on the problems being faced by the Pakistani community living in Rwanda.

Senator Naek questioned the FIA official about the harassment of the Pakistani community living in Rwanda by officials at airports during visits to Pakistan.

“The Pakistani community, on their way back to Rwanda, is being harassed by FIA officials at airports, contrary to the fact that Pakistanis have a visa-on-arrival facility. Such an attitude of the FIA is regrettable,” he said.

He handed over written complaints received from the Pakistani High Commission in Rwanda to the FIA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials and asked for a detailed written reply to all the complaints in the next meeting.

The matter about the details of the number of Pakistani embassies, consulates, and missions presently working abroad and the grade-wise details of each staff, including ambassadors and consulars working therein with the break-up belonging to minorities with particular reference to Balochistan domicile, raised by Senator Danesh Kumar was disposed of.

Latest News

Rainfall throughout the night stops flights in Lahore.

Published

21 hours ago

Farwa

Allama Iqbal International Airport experienced many hours of flight disruption due to the intense rainfall and windstorms that occurred overnight in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab.

Aviation sources claim that because of the monsoon weather, the flight operation was unable to operate between 3 and 4 am.

It is possible that the planes will arrive at the airport at 4 am.

Amidst delays in foreign airline flights, three aircraft made landings in Multan and Peshawar.

Riyadh flights arrived in Peshawar Airport, while flights scheduled to land in Lahore in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain ended up landing in Multan Airport.

Seven hours later than scheduled, the Qatar Airways flight from Doha arrived in Lahore.

Because of the bad weather, there are delays in the arrival and departure of numerous international planes.

Latest News

Changes to Pakistan’s Test team could be significant for the Bangladesh series.

Published

21 hours ago

Farwa

Major changes to Pakistan’s team are anticipated ahead of the forthcoming Test series against Bangladesh, sources in Lahore have revealed.

As the team gets ready for the series, meetings with the players are planned for next week.

It is predicted that the Test squad would undergo several changes. The team’s lineup is expected to be strengthened by the likely inclusion of Muhammad Huraira. Key players like Faheem Ashraf, Wasim Jr., Saim Ayub, and Nauman Ali, whose contributions are vital to the team’s success, struggle to get a spot on the squad.

Furthermore, according to sources, Imamul Haq or Sahibzada Farhan are anticipated to be added to the team, subject to additional assessment. Furthermore, following a fitness assessment, Amir Jamal and Hasan Ali’s futures will be determined.

The ultimate selection for the Test team will take place following Red Ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s return to Pakistan. The ultimate squad that will play Bangladesh in the forthcoming Test series will be greatly influenced by his assessments and thoughts.

Pakistan is scheduled to visit New Zealand in March and April of 2025, according to the country’s official cricket schedule, which was released earlier this month.

Throughout their visit, the Pakistan cricket team will play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in an exciting series.

The T20I series, which starts at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on March 16, will serve as the tour’s opening event.

Latest News

PM Meets With KP Lawmakers: Promises Progression and Relief Efforts in Province

Published

21 hours ago

Farwa

Khyber Pakhtunkhawa lawmakers are given assurances by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the province’s development, namely in the amalgamated districts, with a particular emphasis on the provision of standard health and educational facilities.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa National and Provincial Assembly members paid a visit to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at PM House.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister stated that the PML-N Government has always given priority to the development of the combined districts.

The prime minister promised that the combined Districts would have standard health and educational facilities, and that Danish Schools would be established nearby to offer local pupils an education of the highest caliber possible.

The PM also underlined the importance of promoting solar energy, combating electricity theft, and helping the middle class and impoverished.

He said that in order to boost the agriculture sector’s growth, expand the amount of land under cultivation, and reduce the nation’s reliance on foreign fuel imports, the government was converting agricultural tubewells to solar energy nationwide.

According to PM Shehbaz Sharif, the government recently provided significant reduction from electricity rates for those with low and moderate incomes.

At the event, he also announced the creation of a committee headed by the deputy prime minister, whose goal will be to identify long-term solutions to the issues facing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s elected officials.

He argued that in order to preserve the nation from going into default, the current government had to make difficult political choices in order to revitalize the economy.

The parliamentarians gave Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif high marks for his visionary leadership in transforming Pakistan’s economy.