Category: 1. Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday his country wanted a “forward-looking” relationship with Bangladesh based on what unites the two nations, while calling for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation to help deliver peace and prosperity across the neighborhood.

Dar’s visit follows months of increased official contacts after ties began to ease in the wake of Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster last year in a popular uprising. Hasina, widely viewed as close to India and critical of Pakistan, fled to New Delhi soon after her downfall, straining relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.

The shift also created space for Bangladesh and Pakistan – once a single nation until the bloody 1971 war of independence – to reset relations.

Dar, who arrived in Dhaka earlier today, is on the highest-level trip by a Pakistani official to Bangladesh since Hasina’s ouster.

“Notwithstanding the twists and the turns of history, the people of Pakistan have fraternal sentiments toward the people of Bangladesh and hold them in the highest esteem,” he said, as he addressed a gathering at the Pakistan High Commission. “We recognize and respect the sovereign choices of the Bangladeshi nation, and believe in a future where our relations are defined not by what divides us, but what unites us.”

“I wish to underscore the strong desire of the government of Pakistan to forge a cooperative and forward-looking relationship with Bangladesh,” he added.

Dar noted the Pakistan-Bangladesh relations had seen “a number of positive developments” over the past year, citing significant progress across multiple streams of cooperation.

He pointed out that the frequency of high-level exchanges had increased, institutional mechanisms were being revived, economic and commercial ties were gaining momentum and educational and academic collaborations were being explored alongside cultural exchanges, describing the current phase as marked by “new energy and fresh enthusiasm.”

The Pakistani deputy prime minister added both countries shared common ground on several regional and international issues and reiterated support for reviving SAARC, a forum that has largely been dysfunctional since 2016, when India boycotted a planned Islamabad summit amid tensions with Pakistan.

No leaders’ summit has been held since. Pakistan’s push to revive the bloc comes as ties with India are at a low for both Islamabad and Dhaka.

“South Asia, home to nearly a quarter of humanity, cannot afford to lag behind in regional cooperation and integration,” the deputy PM said. “We are hopeful that SAARC will be reinvigorated, and our distances will shorten.”

Earlier, Dar met leaders of Bangladesh’s newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), a student-led movement that spearheaded the protests which unseated Hasina.

The party, formally launched earlier this year, has called for a “second republic” with a new constitution aimed at strengthening democracy and social justice.

Its emergence has reshaped Bangladesh’s political landscape, challenging decades of dominance by traditional parties and giving voice to younger generations.

Dar emphasized the need for greater interaction between the youth of the two countries.

As part of his outreach to political stakeholders, he also met a delegation of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations.

Additionally, he interacted with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party leadership and affirmed his country’s commitment to stronger ties on the basis of mutual respect and benefit.

The Pakistan deputy PM is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and senior officials including Adviser for Foreign Affairs Md. Touhid Hossain and Adviser for Commerce SK Bashir Uddin during his two-day stay in Dhaka.

TUESDAY, Aug 19, 2025, should stand as yet another dark day in the history of Karachi as heavy monsoon showers lasting a little over a couple of hours left the city completely paralysed. Thousands were stranded as wastrels in charge watched powerlessly … or, worse, smugly. Let us not mince words: this was not an act of nature, but a showcase of institutional rot — a height of inefficiency, a shameless betrayal of public trust, and criminal complicity in human suffering.

From Surjani Town to Clifton, and from Gulshan-i-Hadeed to Merewether Clock Tower, roads became rivers of rainwater mixed with sewage, garbage and all sorts of filth.

Broken vehicles and buses floated like lifeless wrecks. Motorists found themselves trapped for hours in gridlock with a sense of utter abandonment as there were no official machinery on the roads; not even the traffic police.

The worst part of the whole chaos was that it was not even unexpected. It was a predictable result of decades of continued hollow claims and a culture of impunity. With leaders shamelessly posing for cameras, all this was bound to happen.

Monsoons are natural, but disaster is not. However, the city administration and the provincial government clearly seem to have missed the line between the two, treating them as Siamese twins.

Majid Burfat
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2025

SINO-Pak relations initially evolved within a geo-economic framework after the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

However, over time, security considerations have increasingly overshadowed economics, leaving the relationship struggling between the two domains. On the other hand, Pakistan-US relations have historically been strategic and security-centric, but today, they also face the challenge of balancing security with geo-economic priorities.

Ultimately, the real test lies with Pakistan’s establishment — whether it chooses to prioritise geo-economics or maintain deeper, security-centred strategic ties with both global powers. Nevertheless, these options will inevitably come with conditions attached.

Apparently, China’s foremost concern remains security. At the same time, the US emphasises the economic dimension, framing its engagement as both an opportunity for financial advantage and a means to elevate Pakistan’s political profile, particularly in the context of the changing politics of South and West Asia. Pakistan’s geography is undoubtedly a strategic asset, complemented by its aspiration to project itself at a level comparable, if not equal to, India’s military, strategic and political stature, at least in a sustainable sense.

Two perspectives emerge in this regard. One holds that maintaining strong ties with both China and the US can help Pakistan achieve this status. The other, less popular but arguably more pragmatic, view contends that without ensuring political stability and sustained economic growth at home, such ambitions will remain elusive.

Maintaining an exclusive relationship with both China and the US is a delicate task.

However, maintaining an exclusive relationship with both is delicate, especially when there is a contrast in the approach towards and expectations from each other. The phrase ‘de-securitisation of bilateral relationship between the US and Pakistan’ is echoing in Islamabad. But, it remains unclear whether the two nations, which have maintained close security-related ties for over 75 years, will suddenly shift the paradigm, especially when other avenues for cooperation are limited in scope.

Indeed, Pakistan scored a significant boost when it secured a deal with the US on 19 per cent tariffs, opening the door to the expansion of its exports with reduced competition. For much of the past two decades, however, Pakistan’s trade relationship with Washington has been marked by a structural imbalance; the US imports more from Pakistan than it exports, leaving an annual deficit that has averaged between $2 billion to $3bn.

Lower tariffs mean Pakistan must recalibrate its trade strategies. On the surface, its recent negotiations for textile concessions and the decision to import, according to reports, a billion dollars’ worth of US crude oil appear to be tactical measures to ease the strain. Similarly, discussions on crypto cooperation and energy resources exploration carry a futuristic tone, holding some potential to generate political capital and sustain bilateral confidence.

Nevertheless, neither country can detach itself from the broader framework of security cooperation, whether in counterterrorism or regional stability. Washington’s decision to designate the Majeed Brigade of the Balochistan Liberation Army a foreign terrorist organisation — Islamabad’s long-standing demand — reflects an unusual convergence of interests in this sphere.

Yet, a serious test for Pakistan could arise if Washington, in tandem with Saudi Arabia, presses it to endorse the Abraham Accords. Such a move would almost certainly come with binding conditions, foremost among them a recalibration of Pakistan’s Iran policy. Within this context, Balochistan assumes added significance, not only for its role in regional geopolitics but also for the allure of its untapped rare earth mineral reserves.

Outside these contexts, if the US genuinely seeks to de-hyphenate security from its relationship with Pakistan, the question remains: how can this be achieved while engaging primarily with Pakistan’s defence establishment, which by its very nature prioritises security? Successive civilian governments have attempted to reframe their ties with Washington on non-security grounds.

The last serious effort came under the PPP government after 2008, when, in the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, the party mistakenly thought that it could alter the trajectory of bilateral relations. The attempt backfired. The Kerry-Lugar Bill, which was supposed to broaden cooperation beyond security, instead became a flashpoint, straining US-Pakistan ties and unsettling the civil-military balance at home.

Another perspective available in the geopolitical domain is that the developments of 2025 do not represent a pivot away from India but a diversification of Washington’s approach to South Asia.

For Pakistan, the opportunity is unprecedented: a chance to reduce overreliance on China, broaden its partnerships, and restore a measure of strategic balance. Yet history warns of how often such openings have been squandered by short-term thinking, institutional fragility and shifting global priorities. The test lies not in the signing of agreements but in their consistent implementation.

If Islamabad can deliver reforms and Washington sustains its commitments, the deal may indeed evolve into a long-term framework of cooperation. If not, it risks becoming just another episode in the long and uneasy history of Pakistan-US relations, full of grand announcements, followed by quiet disappointments.

Pakistan’s establishment does not see any major challenge in balancing its close ties with China while exploring new avenues with the US. It’s also not overly worried about growing China-India ties, knowing their relationship has never been truly strategic and remains uncertain in the near future. Pakistan’s confidence is anchored in its robust defence partnership with China and remains largely intact, even in scenarios where Beijing and New Delhi might coordinate strategies to outmanoeuvre US President Donald Trump.

Chinese diplomacy, however, tends to be far less vocal than Washington’s, and is often conveyed through understated gestures. The Chinese foreign minister’s recent visit to Islamabad centred on security, CPEC and new initiatives. Significantly, just a day earlier, he had been in Kabul for a trilateral security meeting.

Media reports suggest that while China and Afghanistan have advanced discussions on joining the BRI, momentum to extend CPEC into Afghanistan has cooled. The Taliban, meanwhile, appears eager to cultivate an exclusive relationship with Beijing, independent of Pakistani influence, and China has agreed to connect Afghanistan through Central Asia via direct links. This is a signal that Rawalpindi and Islamabad would do well to interpret with care.

The writer is a security analyst.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2025

WHICHEVER way one looks at it, the recent arrest of two of former prime minister Imran Khan’s nephews defies reason. Why them, and why now? As the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has pointed out, “The fact that the arrests were made 27 months after the incident is difficult to understand for any independent observer, having occurred at a time when the trials of other accused persons have long been underway or already concluded”. At least one of the nephews was, as his family pointed out, nowhere near the violence that unfolded at Jinnah House in Lahore on May 9, 2023. In fact, his family has attempted to prove with pictures that he was vacationing in Chitral. The manner of his arrest also raised questions. Lahore police had initially been unaware he was picked up. It was hours later that the country was told he had been a wanted man since 2023.

A day later, his brother faced the same ordeal. He was swept up from outside his home in Lahore, and later declared to have been arrested in a May 9 violence case. The prosecution’s argument, while seeking remand for the latter, was that he had “been seen” in a video of the protests. The timing of these arrests also complicates the picture: the first nephew was picked up hours after the Supreme Court granted bail to Mr Khan in eight cases pertaining to the May 9 riots; the second, shortly after the first had been dispatched to police remand. Some say the purpose of these arrests may be to demonstrate that the state’s position on May 9 remains unchanged. If so, this is a counterproductive way to make the point. High-handedness usually signals desperation rather than control; it also pushes public sympathy towards the victims. If the state wishes to ‘make an example’ of the May 9 protests, it should rely on evidence and sound legal arguments, not brute force.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2025

ATTOCK (Web Desk) – Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan on Saturday announced the establishment of a Blood Bank and a Benazir Bhutto Free Dialysis (Kidney) Center in Fateh Jang to ensure accessible healthcare for the people of the region.

The announcement was made during a public gathering at village Sidqal, Tehsil Fateh Jang, organized by Sardar Zaheer Khan, President PPP (Tehsil Fateh Jang).

On this occasion, in his address, the Governor noted that the absence of a blood bank from Rawalpindi to Jand has often resulted in the loss of precious lives in emergencies.

”To address this critical gap, a blood bank is being set up, alongside the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Free Kidney Centre, for which President Asif Ali Zardari will provide the funds. The projects are being developed with the support of friends and well-wishers and will offer free treatment to all patients” he highlighted.

Governor Salim Haider Khan also emphasised his commitment to public service, stating that the Pakistan Peoples Party represents the poor and its mission is to secure their rights and struggle for their welfare. He reaffirmed that he will continue to raise a strong voice for public issues with full energy and will never take any action that would embarrass the people of his constituency.

 

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb warned on Saturday that Pakistan risks slipping back to the grey list of Financial Action Task Force due to unregulated digital transactions being carried out by roughly 15% of the population, seeking to put in place a transparent regulatory regime.

“If certain level of activity is happening and happening at this scale, it’s only a question of when, not if, that we are going to get into trouble as a country, as a sovereign again,” said Senator Aurangzeb while speaking at the workshop on the Leadership Summit on Block chain and Digital Assets: Technology and Innovation.

The minister added that in terms of know your customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering sanctions, Pakistan exited the grey list after six years with great difficulty and this (digital transactions) cannot be a reason to go back there.

His statement came two days before the government convened the maiden meeting of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), which will be held on Monday. The session will review key policy items and discuss how to move forward with a regulatory framework, stated the minister.

Aurangzeb shared that over 25 million people or 10-15% of the country’s population, especially youth, is involved in digital businesses and this cannot be ignored. In this context, Aurangzeb said that the increased activity has to be regulated due to the danger of international sanctions.

The digital transactions are so far illegal in Pakistan and the amendments related to declaring digital currencies legal are pending for the approval of the federal cabinet. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a committee to further review these amendments, particularly the proposal to allow dual nationals to become the deputy governors of the central bank.

Aurangzeb stressed the need for Pakistan to accelerate its adoption of blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), cryptocurrency, and Web 3.0 technologies to strengthen the country’s digital economy.

The finance minister said the world has already made progress in this space, and Pakistan must not lag behind. “We have been very blessed in terms of getting some international collaborations and international success transfers. We don’t need to start from ground zero and use those templates and see whether it works for Pakistan or not.”

“We have to accelerate our journey in terms of the new economy, and the ministry stands ready to assist,” he added.

The finance minister noted that the country’s economy is moving in the right direction and highlighted Pakistan’s successful exit from the FATF grey list, while urging greater transparency in digital transactions.

The minister said that there is an offensive element, an economic element and there is a defensive element from a regulatory point of view, which the government would look at.

Aurangzeb said that from next week the parliamentary standing committees would start discussing the Virtual Assets Ordinance, which the government had promulgated a few weeks ago to establish an independent regulator for virtual assets and crypto currencies.

Under the ordinance, the government has established “the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regul­atory Authority (PVARA), which is an autonomous federal body empowered to license, regulate and supervise entities dealing in virtual assets”.

The PVARA is based on ad-hoc legislation, which will expire in four months and can be extended by another four months. To give it permanency, both the houses of the Parliament have to pass the PVARA Act.

The authority has been granted comprehensive powers to ensure transparency, compliance, financial integrity and the prevention of illicit activities in alignment with international standards, including those of the FATF.

Under the ordinance, any person or company intending to offer virtual asset services in or from Pakistan must be licensed by the PVARA. A structured licensing regime will be introduced, with specific requirements for incorporation, operational capacity, compliance frameworks and reporting obligations, the statement added.

The ordinance also incorporated a framework for responsible innovation by establishing a regulatory sandbox, allowing emerging technologies and business models to be tested under supervisory oversight. “Technology is all about being faster, cheaper and better. If blockchain, AI, crypto and Web 3.0 can, in the context of the economy, deliver that for Pakistan, that is what we are collectively shooting for,” he said.

Published on: August 24, 2025 6:37 AM

Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Saturday reaffirmed Pakistan Army’s resolve to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Balochistan in their pursuit of peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief expressed these views during his meeting with Balochistan chief minister, members of the provincial cabinet and senior civil officials. The visit was aimed at reviewing the security situation, assessing development initiatives and enhancing civil-military coordination for stability in the province.

Field Marshal Munir underscored the importance of good governance, infrastructure development and inclusive, people-centric progress. He stressed that joint civil-military efforts were vital to address the challenges faced by the people of Balochistan and reiterated full support for initiatives aimed at improving socio-economic conditions, particularly in southern parts of the province.

During an interaction with troops, the army chief commended their high morale, operational preparedness and dedication to safeguarding national sovereignty. He lauded their role in ensuring peace and stability in the region under difficult circumstances.

According to the ISPR, the army chief was also given a detailed briefing on the security environment, the threat landscape, successful operations against “Fitna al Hindustan,” and ongoing development projects in southern Balochistan.

The provincial chief minister, chief secretary and other senior officials were present on the occasion. Earlier, Field Marshal Munir was received by the Balochistan corps commander on his arrival.