FAISALABAD
A vendor busy in arranging and displaying coconut on handcart to attract the customers
FAISALABAD
Pakistan can no longer compromise its national security by accommodating huge number of undocumented immigrants: PM
ISLAMABAD, Dec 18 (APP):Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that as Pakistan stood at the crossroads of history, it could no longer continue to compromise its national security by accommodating huge number of undocumented immigrants.
“Our ultimate aim is to build a safer, more peaceful and prosperous Pakistan – with associated benefits for our own people, for the region, and the wider world,” the prime minister wrote in an article published in The Telegraph on Sunday.
He said that the governments across the world were adapting to a new era of mass migration linked to conflict, climate change, and economic opportunism.
He said the UK Government’s plan to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda was a sign of that pressure. The heated debate surrounding the proposal and the many efforts to derail the scheme illustrated the huge challenges for policymakers as they sought to balance human rights with hard realities.
Similarly, he said, France was also struggling, while Italy had expressed fears that it might become “Europe’s refugee camp”. After opening its arms to several million refugees in recent years, Germany was also feeling the strain, prompting the announcement of tough new deportation measures.
The situation in the United States was no easier, he remarked.
“Pakistan’s problem is of a different magnitude altogether. Over the last three to four decades, between four and five million migrants (roughly the population of Ireland) have arrived. Many have no right to remain. Despite being a non-signatory to 1951 Convention on Refugees (and its 1967 Protocol), we have generously accommodated the single largest caseload of refugees,” the prime minister wrote.
He said the hospitality was in Pakistan’s DNA and that was why the country had fulfilled its legal, moral and humanitarian obligations, and would continue to do so.
“We have worked very hard, over a very long period of time, to accommodate as many as we can while giving those with no right to remain ample opportunity to leave voluntarily.”
Unfortunately, Prime Minister Kakar said that despite frequent opportunities to repatriate voluntarily, and multiple government attempts to register those who remained undocumented, a significant number had persistently refused to formalise their status, choosing instead to stay in the shadows.
He said that while Pakistan had benefited from many hardworking and law-abiding migrants, the overall socio-economic and security cost of the huge influx had been staggering.
“Many work on the black market, paying no tax, depressing wages for legitimate workers. They are also susceptible to exploitation by the criminal underworld, with all its disturbing links to terrorist organisations operating in the region,” he remarked
He said that since August 2021, at least 16 Afghan nationals had carried out suicide attacks inside Pakistan, while 65 terrorists killed in encounters with security forces, mainly in the bordering region, were identified as Afghans.
“No responsible government can ignore such concerns. Whenever we raised this with the interim Afghan government, they advised us to “look inwards”. We have finally decided to heed to their advice to put our house in order,” the prime minister commented.
He said that Pakistan’s painstaking repatriation programme had attracted predictable criticism from those who did not understand the complex history of the problem – or the extraordinary efforts that had been made to avoid forcible deportations.
He said in order to ensure the welfare of those being repatriated, the government had strictly directed all the officials involved in the programme to treat deportees with due respect and care.
“Furthermore, our emphasis is on voluntary, safe and dignified repatriation of individuals (along with their legally acquired assets), and not on deportation. Some 93 per cent of those who have returned to Afghanistan have done so voluntarily. Importantly, none of the 1.46 million Afghans who applied for proof of registration cards have been returned; nor have 800,000 or so individuals who hold Afghan citizen cards.”
He said that some 79 transit centres had been set up, providing free meals, shelter and medical facilities while additional crossing points had been opened on the Pakistan-Afghan Border to facilitate the processes.
Moreover, the security personnel were escorting the immigrants to border crossings, taking particular care of women and children. Emergency helplines were available to report any abuses, he added.
Prime Minister Kakar recalled that the abrupt withdrawal of Western allies from Afghanistan in August 2021 prompted a whole new influx of refugees to Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands of Afghan nationals crossed the border, claiming their lives were in danger.
“Again, we take their welfare very seriously, recognising that some do require special protection. We will not deport at-risk groups, such as musicians, journalists, and human rights activists. We do however need help from other countries,” he said.
He said only 59,033 of the new arrivals had been resettled outside Pakistan, while 42,068 awaited evacuation to the West. The rest had failed to put forward a convincing case to anyone for asylum, and continue to stay in Pakistan illegally, he maintained.
Secretary Interior takes notice of policeman’s killing
ISLAMABAD, Dec 18 (APP): Secretary Interior Aftab Akbar Durrani on Monday took the notice of the martyrdom of Head Constable Muhammad Ashraf and his son by robbers in Islamabad.
Expressing deep sorrow over the martyrdom of Head Constable Muhammad Ashraf and his son, the Secretary Interior sought a report from the Inspector General of Police Islamabad about the incident.
He paid tributes the martyred policeman, who along with his son tried to foil the dacoity attempt by the robbers risking their lives.
The Secretary Interior directed the IGP to take all possible measures for improving improve peace and security in Islamabad and ensure protection of the citizens.
Pakistan HC issues visas to Indian Hindu pilgrims for Katas Raj, Chakwal visit
ISLAMABAD, Dec 18 (APP): Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, India has issued 62 visas to a group of Indian Hindu pilgrims for their visit to Shree Katas Raj Temples, also known as Qila Katas, in Chakwal district of Punjab from 19-25 December.
Expressing his views on the occasion, Charge d’ Affaires Aizaz Khan wished the pilgrims a memorable stay in Pakistan, Pakistan High Commission said in a press release on Monday.
Under the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, each year thousands of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to attend various religious festivals/occasions.
The issuance of pilgrimage visas to them was in line with the Government of Pakistan’s efforts for facilitating visits to religious shrines and promoting interfaith harmony.
ECP reserves judgment on PTI’s intra-party election
ISLAMABAD, Dec 18 (APP): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday reserved its verdict on various petitions challenging the intra-party elections of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
The five-member ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja will announce the decision at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Barrister Gohar Khan was elected unopposed as the new party chairman during the PTI’s intra-party polls.
At the outset, PTI’s counsel Barrister Ali Zafar said that the party chairman’s term in office was five years, while the panel was elected for three years.
He underscored that intra-party polls were unnecessary as the chairman was elected unopposed, pointing out the lack of legal clarification on the process of intra-party polls.
The CEC remarked in a lighter vein that “even rallies are conducted online nowadays”, which led to a laughter in the courtroom.
Barrister Zafar pleaded that all the petitioners, including Babar S Akbar, were no more PTI members and that was why they had no right to take party in the party elections.
Ahmed Hasan, counsel for Akbar S Babar, sought information about any show-cause notice issued by the PTI to his client.
After listening to arguments from all parties, the ECP reserved its judgement till Tuesday.
Besides PTI Chairman Gohar Khan, all the petitioners, including Akbar S Babar attended the proceedings.
Children enjoy swings at a local Park at G 8 in the Federal Capital
ISLAMABAD
A vendor Displaying Oranges at his roadside setup at G 7 Federal Capital
ISLAMABAD
National flag to fly half-mast on the death of the Amir of Kuwait his Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah on Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab office
MULTAN
PM leaves for Kuwait to pay condolences on death of Amir Sheikh Nawaf
ISLAMABAD, Dec 18 (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Monday left here for Kuwait to pay condolences the dearh of the country’s Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.
During his visit, PM Kakar will convey sympathies to the Royal Family on behalf of the government and the people of Pakistan.
Pak, China focus on B2B cooperation, investment, technology transfer: Ambassador Hashmi
BEIJING, Dec. 18 (APP): Pakistan Ambassador to China, Khalil ur Rahman said on Monday that engineering, construction, carbon neutrality, new energy, energy storage, mining development, green and sustainable development and other fields will be the key to future cooperation between Pakistan and China.
“Now we have entered the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), our focus is more on business-to-business cooperation, investment and technology transfer between the two countries, which is also in line with the vision of the leaders of the two countries,” he said in his speech at the Pakistan-China Exchange Conference on Investment Opportunity held at the Pakistani Embassy in Beijing.
The conference was aimed at strengthening cooperation in engineering construction, carbon neutrality, new energy, mining and other fields.
With the theme of “New Opportunity, New Cooperation, and New Development”, this conference is expected to present a higher level of cooperation.
Ambassador Hashmi further said that the Pakistani government has stepped up efforts to facilitate investors and joint ventures in Pakistan. To this end, the government has established the Special Investment Facilitation Committee (SIFC) to provide “single window” facilities to foreign investors and businessmen by removing all systemic barriers.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan himself chairs the SIFC Supreme Council. Mining and energy, particularly renewable energy, are priority areas for SIFC.
Commercial Counsellor of Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, Ghulam Qadir introduced the policies and incentives to invest in Pakistan.
“We are looking for Chinese investments in different areas, especially industries that are moving from China to Pakistan where we can export value-added products to the world,” he said.
He invited Chinese entrepreneurs to participate in the 3rd Pakistan Engineering and Healthcare Expo to be held in Lahore from January 18 to 20, 2024. This event will be attended by many Pakistani-related companies and exhibitors, and B2B meetings will be held. The expo is also expected to pave the way for more achievements in China-Pakistan cooperation.
Vice Secretary General China Association of International Engineering Consultants, Lu Chang noted that over the past decade, CPEC has achieved fruitful results in providing employment and high-quality sustainable development.
He also said that they are willing to go to Pakistan to participate in this healthcare expo and are ready to work hand in hand with Pakistani entrepreneurs.