ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday strongly condemned the killing of five passengers in a firing incident in the Kalmat area of Gwadar.
The president and prime minister, in their separately issued statements, prayed for peace for the departed souls, early recovery of the injured, and strength for the bereaved families to bear the loss.
“The terrorists are the enemies of the country’s development and prosperity of Balochistan. They cannot see progress in Balochistan,” the president said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz directed the authorities concerned to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured people and investigate the incident to identify and punish the perpetrators.
Calling the miscreants the enemies of peace and development, he said that their cowardly actions of killing innocent people reflected their brutality.
“We will never allow the anti-state designs of miscreants to succeed,” he resolved.
Prime Minister Shehbaz praised the security forces and law enforcement agencies for thwarting the nefarious designs of the anti-state elements. The entire nation, including myself, is proud of them, he remarked.
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 27 (APP): Pakistan has welcomed the diplomatic progress towards settling the “tragic” Russia-Ukraine conflict, highlighting the recent limited agreement prohibiting attacks on energy infrastructure followed by another to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, hoping the parties would honour their commitments.
“We appreciate the United States and its leadership’s active engagement, also involving the Russian and Ukrainian leadership, in bringing this to fruition,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative-designate of Pakistan to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
“We remain optimistic that this new dynamic and the momentum generated by these initial steps would eventually lead to a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire,” he said during a debate on the humanitarian situation in war-shattered Ukraine.
The Pakistani envoy also commended the role of Saudi Arabia and its leadership in facilitating dialogue for promoting peace.
Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the diplomatic progress, saying his good offices remain available to support all efforts towards a lasting peace in Ukraine.
In his remarks, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad reiterated Pakistan’s position on the Ukraine conflict, saying Islamabad has enjoyed friendly relations with both the parties, advocating dialogue and diplomacy, cessation of hostilities and peaceful resolution of this conflict.
“We believe that the security concerns, which remain at the center of this conflict, can only be addressed through an inclusive approach, which in turn would ensure the sustainability and durability of peace in the wider region.”
Voicing deep concern over the humanitarian situation, the Pakistani envoy said that the conflict, now in its fourth year, has caused immense human suffering and massive damage to infrastructure, economy, and society that has had vast consequences for the global economy, particularly for the developing countries.
“Every human life matters, and is not merely a number.”
Pakistan’s position on these as other conflicts, he said, was based on adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, self-determination for peoples, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and non-acquisition of territory by the threat or use of force.
“Consistent with the Charter, states must also implement international agreements and abide by their respective obligations , and respond to the legitimate security interests of all states.”
The ambassador pointed out that the protection of civilians and infrastructure was an obligation under international law and international humanitarian law, urging full and consistent adherence to these principles by all parties.
In this regard, he underscored the need for ensuring access and protection for humanitarian workers in conflict zones, and said the Third Geneva Convention, which governs the treatment of prisoners of war (POWs), was binding on all parties.
Opening the debate, a senior UN official warned that continuing daily attacks and humanitarian aid cuts were hitting Ukrainian civilians hard.
Since March 1, there has not been a single day in Ukraine without an attack in which civilians were harmed, Joyce Msuya, deputy head of the UN humanitarian affairs office, told the Council.
“This, and the severe global funding cuts for humanitarian operations, including for Ukraine, is further reducing our capacity to provide life-saving aid,” she said.
The UN humanitarian programme for Ukraine this year calls for $2.6 billion in aid, but it is only 17 percent funded so far.
“Recent funding cuts have led to a reprioritization of Ukraine response efforts,” said Msuya, expressing concern in particular about women and girls.
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 26 (APP): The year 2024 marked the deadliest on record for migrants in Asia, with at least 2,514 lives lost along the region’s perilous migration routes, according to new data from the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM).
This represents a staggering 59 per cent increase from the 1,584 deaths recorded in 2023, highlighting the worsening dangers faced by people on the move.
“No one should lose their life in pursuit of safety or a better future,” said Iori Kato, IOM Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
“Every life lost on migration routes in Asia, or anywhere else, is a stark reminder of the urgent need for safe and regular migration pathways – these are preventable tragedies,” he said.
The spike in migrant deaths was primarily linked to two of the region’s most vulnerable populations: the minority Muslim Rohingya fleeing Myanmar and Afghans escaping conflict and instability.
“The increase in deaths across Asia of people fleeing conflict and persecution in the region is of grave concern,” Kato said.
In 2024, at least 1,517 Afghan migrants lost their lives while in transit – up 39 per cent from 2023.
Deaths among Rohingya migrants more than doubled, reaching 889 compared to 436 the previous year.
On 5 August 2024 alone, over 150 people were reportedly killed by artillery fire while attempting to cross the Naf River from Myanmar to Bangladesh.
IOM also highlighted that the risks facing migrants extended beyond conflict-related violence. Many are vulnerable to perilous conditions en route, including overcrowded and unsafe boats, abuse by smugglers and extreme weather conditions.
Lack of identification of migrants was also a major concern, with over 1,000 of those who died in 2024 unidentified. Among the documented deaths, 1,086 were men, 205 were women, and 217 children.
“A lack of official reporting of data on missing migrants means we know our data do not fully capture the true number of lives lost during migration in Asia,” Kato said.
“And even within the records we have, so few identifying details are known, meaning there are immeasurable effects on families searching for lost relatives,” he added.
Migration in Asia is complex, driven by economic inequality, conflict and environmental factors, worsened by climate change. However, limited legal pathways have forced many to rely on irregular and highly dangerous routes.
One of the deadliest corridors remains the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, where stateless Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants embark on treacherous sea journeys in search of refuge. Many pay smugglers for passage, only to find themselves trapped on overcrowded boats with insufficient food and water, facing violence from crew members and the risk of being turned away at their destination.
Meanwhile, overland migration routes across South and Southeast Asia – such as those from Nepal to India, or from Afghanistan and Pakistan through Iran and Turkey – also pose serious risks. Migrants frequently endure extreme environmental conditions, exploitation by traffickers, and border violence.
Sea crossings to Australia, once a significant migration route, have sharply declined in recent years due to strict border controls, according to IOM.
While official data on boat interceptions remains scarce, the closure of this route has left many stranded in transit countries with little access to healthcare, education or legal protection, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation, it was pointed out.
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 26 (APP): The United Nations Wednesday welcomed an agreement on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to ensure the protection of civilian vessels and port infrastructure, saying it “will be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains.”
In a statement, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres, told reporters at the regular noon briefing in New York that the UN chief’s good offices remain available to support all efforts towards a lasting peace in Ukraine.
“Reaching an agreement on freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to ensure the protection of civilian vessels and port infrastructure, will be a crucial contribution to global food security and supply chains, reflecting the importance of trade routes from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation to global markets,” Dujarric said.
“The Secretary-General reiterates his hope that such efforts will pave the way for a durable ceasefire and contribute to achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions and in full respect of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.
Earlier, the United States announced separate agreements with Ukraine and Russia on Tuesday to pause their strikes in the Black Sea and against each other’s energy targets.
The United Nations has been working consistently on the issue, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, especially since U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote to the leaders of Ukraine, Russia and Turkey in February last year to put forward a proposal for “safe and free navigation in the Black Sea.”
The United Nations and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Initiative between Russia and Ukraine in July 2022 to allow the safe export of Ukrainian grain. Under an accompanying three-year memorandum of understanding, U.N. officials agreed to help Russia move its food and fertilizer exports to foreign markets.
Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Initiative in July 2023, complaining that its food and fertilizer exports faced serious obstacles.
Top U.N. trade official Rebeca Grynspan has continued to work with Russia on implementation of the MOU and most recently met with Russian officials in
“The United Nations also remains closely engaged in the continued implementation of the memorandum of understanding,” Dujarric said.
Serving the nation since 1947 by providing an accurate, objective, uninterrupted flow of news to the people, the national news service is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to transform the existing news operations into a forward-looking service – APP Digital for its diverse subscriber-base and the public.
Contact us: news@app.com.pk
Copyright © Associated Press of Pakistan
