Islamabad, Pakistan: There is no doubt that Pakistan and China are close partners and iron brothers, united by a bond of mutual respect and shared destiny but does this relation provide immunity to Pakistanis to attack or kill Chinese citizens?
In another event in Karachi, two Chinese nationals were shot and injured and the Foreign Office of Pakistan stated that it was a result of a firing incident following a dispute with a private guard.
The Foreign Office expressed sympathy to the families of the injured and offered prayers for their swift recovery. The statement further stated that the incident is under investigation and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in close contact with the Ministry of Interior and the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad.
“Pakistan and China are close partners and iron brothers, united by a bond of mutual respect and shared destiny”, added the FO statement.
On October 31, 2024, Pakistan FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch expressed “surprise” over the Chinese Ambassador’s concerns about the security situation in Pakistan. Addressing the weekly briefing, Baloch said that Ambassador Jiang Zaidong’s statement “does not reflect Islamabad and Beijing diplomatic tradition.” Baloch called the Chinese envoy’s response “surprising.”
It may be mentioned that addressing a seminar in Islamabad on Tuesday, Jiang Zaidong said that two terror attacks within six months were unacceptable and the government (Pakistan) should launch a crackdown against all anti-China terrorist groups. He called security the biggest constraint to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and added that “without a safe and sound environment nothing can be achieved”.
Chinese Ambassador said that Pakistan should severely punish the perpetrators and crack down on all anti-China terrorist groups. To punish terrorists, Pakistan needs a mechanism that is directly linked with Pakistan’s justice system and it has been testified that the normal judicial system has failed to cater to the demands of dealing with terrorists.
Surprisingly, Pakistan’s Foreign Office which is known for its Western tilt hardly responds to any statement regarding the security issues within Pakistan if it comes from Western countries such as the United States or the EU but was quick to respond statement of the Chinese Ambassador.
Karachi factory where Chinese were shot at
On October 6th, a convoy carrying Chinese staff of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited was attacked near the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, which caused two Chinese died, one Chinese injured, and some local casualties. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Pakistan strongly condemned this terrorist attack.
The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Pakistan launched an emergency plan immediately, requesting the Pakistani side to investigate the attack thoroughly, severely punish the perpetrators, and take all necessary measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions, and projects in Pakistan. However, the Chinese are attacked again in less than one month.
Monitoring Desk: Two more young boys from Pakistan are kidnapped in Thailand but the government of Pakistan is silent over such incidents.
The entire Pakistan, especially Azad Kashmir, is affected by the incidents of kidnapping and torture of Pakistani youths in Thailand. Two youths from Muzaffarabad, Advocate Rais Abbasi and Umar Asif, are also among the abductees. These youths belong to Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir, where the people are already facing numerous difficulties and deprivations. These two youths facing this violent situation is another tragic chapter in the continuous suffering of Kashmiris.
Advocate Rais Abbasi’s family while talking to the media said that their children left the country legally and were abducted on the way. He says that if the government and institutions continue to show the same indifference, they will be forced to stage a dharna in front of Parliament House Islamabad. He emphasized that these youth are the valuable assets of the state and the state has to ensure their safety
Sahiwal, Pakistan: A powerful seminar held at the Arts Council Sahiwal, hosted by the Sahiwal Minority Forum Pakistan, brought together prominent political and social leaders to discuss the urgent need for protecting minority rights and enforcing constitutional promises. Attendees stressed that the government must honor commitments to minorities, both within the constitution and party manifestos, to foster a more inclusive society.
Key voices in the seminar included Ashiknaz Khokhar, Yasir Talib, Jalil Butt, Ali Waris, Najma Waseem, Dr. Irfan Bhatti, Pastor Naveed Kashif, Reverend Naeem, Dr. Maqsood, and Aneel Younas, among others. They spoke passionately about the alarming increase in incidents affecting minorities and demanded accountability, insisting that without real enforcement, these tragedies will only escalate. “It’s time to hold those responsible accountable,” one speaker emphasized, “to prevent further harm and ensure true protection for minority communities.”
A major point of discussion was the violation of Article 22-A of Pakistan’s Constitution. The participants argued that education must not create a sense of superiority for any single religious group, as it disrupts the social balance and contributes to deep-seated divisions. They also pointed to the overall gap between laws on paper and their real-world application, which remains a persistent obstacle to justice.
Speakers also called out the government for failing to fulfill promises in their party manifestos regarding minority welfare. They highlighted the need for stronger laws against forced conversions and early marriages and demanded concrete actions to protect the lives and property of minorities. “There is a clear gap between promises and reality,” one participant noted, “and this lack of action is deeply felt in our communities.”
The forum closed with a pledge from the participants to stay closely connected with local leaders and ensure minority representation in district-level decision-making. “We will not be silent,” they said collectively, “We will continue to advocate and ensure that minorities have a seat at the table for all district issues.”
With the seminar’s powerful message ringing through the district, Sahiwal’s minority communities are calling on government leaders to turn their promises into action and secure a future where all citizens can thrive equally.
Lahore, Pakistan: In connection with the celebrations marking 150 years of Mayo School of Arts and National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan, the opening ceremony of “The Drawings of Ustad Bashir ud Din—A Restrained Grace ” and Amin Rehman’s installation project “Bleeding Borders” will be held on November 12, 2024, at 4 p.m. at the Zahoor ul Akhlaq Gallery at National College of Arts. This exhibition will travel to the National Art Gallery, Islamabad, from December 2 to 15, 2024.
“Bleeding Borders” and “Ustad Bashiruddin- A Restrained Grace” feature two separate bodies of works exhibited at the Zahoor-ul-Akhlaq Gallery in NCA. The latter features drawings, projections of paintings and archival material related to Ustad Bashiruddin who was a student and teacher at Mayo School of Industrial Arts followed by National College of Arts, Lahore. The institution was renamed as it underwent restructuring in 1958 and became the National College of Arts, Lahore. The second set of artworks features contemporary art by Amin Rehman who is a contemporary artist based in Toronto, Canada.
Ustad Bashir ud Din was born and raised in Kasur, Punjab. He received his art education from the Mayo School of Arts Lahore and taught at the Mayo School and National College of Arts Lahore from 1953 to 1982. He was a master miniature painter known for his wash painting style and drawing. He worked in the Department of Fine Arts till 1982 after which he retired. He went on to nurture and guide generations of students who became famous artists and designers. Forty drawings of Ustad Bashir ud Din’s will be on display for the first time in this exhibition. This section of the exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue with academic essays on Ustad Bashiruddin written by Mrs. Salima Hashmi, Aasim Akhtar, and Zohreen Murtaza.
In the second gallery, Ustad Bashir ud Din’s son Amin Rehman exhibits his recent project titled, “Bleeding Borders.” Rehman’s deep knowledge of history inspired him to travel ancient trading routes through the region’s contemporary borderlands. His artworks are the result of on-site research and documentation that explores the living situation of communities surviving along Pakistan’s borderlands, which include India, Iran, and Afghanistan. Rehman investigates the migration of people through trade routes and traces metaphorical steps that Central Asian invaders took to reach India. The resulting artworks guide us with untold and hidden stories, shedding light on various poor living conditions and repercussions of colonial rule. Often they move across borders for economic and social reasons owing to their cultural and social ties across both sides. The larger body of work in this series comments on political interests, foreign intervention, histories of invasions, and the living situations at the borders. Amin Rehman is exhibiting forty mixed-media works, including neon signage and video projections.
“Bleeding Borders” is accompanied by catalogue texts from Dr. Lee Rodney, Manar AboTouk, Varda Nisar, Asim Akhtar and Zohreen Murtaza.
Monitoring Desk: Indus Shield-Chinese, a bilateral module of Exercise Indus Shield 2024, being conducted separately between Chinese and Pakistan forces has concluded at an operational air base of Pakistan Air Force.
The exercise witnessed participation from People’s Liberation Army Air Force of China, with its personnel and high-tech equipment comprising AESA Radar and Long Range BVR Equipped J-16 & J-10C fighter aircraft, Lethal HQ-22 Surface to Air Defence system, Potent Airborne Electronic Warfare YTG-9 Platform, alongside KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning system pitched against PAF’s J-10C and JF-17 Block-III fighter jets simulating contemporary aerial combat scenarios.
The successful execution of such a large-scale exercise demonstrates the Pakistan Air Force’s joint operational readiness among allied nations while addressing contemporary security challenges.
Aimed at validating interoperability between China and Pakistan in the face of contemporary air combat challenges and by simulating various military tactics in a near realistic multi-domain operations training environment, Indus Shield-Chinese has maximized the warfighting potential of both the participating air forces.
Islamabad, Pakistan: Mushaal Hussein Mullick, wife of jailed Kashmiri leader Mohammad Yasin Malik, has made a heartfelt plea to Rahul Gandhi, India’s opposition leader, to intervene and save her husband’s life before it’s too late, says a press release.
She’s urged Gandhi to pressure the Indian government to immediately transfer Yasin to an intensive care unit (ICU) facility due to his rapidly deteriorating health, as he had gone on an indefinite hunger strike unto death on November 2 against Indian brutalities and illegal arrest and no legal or medical care in jail.
Mushaal, former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Human Rights and Women Empowerment, wrote a letter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi requested him for immediate intervention to save the life of Yasin Malik from Indian judicial murder.
She appealed to the international community to take notice of the deteriorating health of Yasin, fearing that the hunger strike could prove fatal for his health because he had already been in extremely unsanitary conditions due to the denial of the best medical facilities.
Former SAPM appealed to world leaders and advocates for justice to take cognizant of the situation because her husband was a chronic heart and kidney patient.
Mushaal stated that Yasin was a symbol of non-violence and a proponent of Kashmir’s peaceful resistance; however, even then he was facing life-threatening neglect in Tihar Jail.
She demanded that he urgently needed medical attention because the indefinite hunger strike could be fatal for his health, as he was being denied proper medical care, no doctor of his choice, not being given life-saving drugs, and no right to a fair trial.
Mushaal urged Rahul Gandhi to initiate an urgent debate on shifting him to an ICU facility in a hospital immediately before it’s too late.
She expressed alarm that the custodial killing of Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Ashraf Sherai Sahab and the International Community’s inability to do anything about it still haunts us, as the same pattern is being followed in the case of Yasin Malik.
Former SAPM stressed the need that the right to be treated by a medical practitioner of his own choice was a fundamental right as recognized under the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights; therefore India has no right to deny this right to Yasin Malik.
She lamented that Indian civil society has chosen to remain silent as genocide takes place in Kashmir but I am offering a chance to this civil society through its leader of opposition to stand on the right side of history.
“Indian Judiciary has become complicit in the crimes of its govt; this judiciary has become the Nazi judiciary, which will have to be tried alongside the executive whenever a War Crimes Tribunal is established,” Mushaal added.
Ex-SAPM demanded that Pakistan develop a whole-nation approach on this issue with the sole objective of the nation to secure Yasin’s life. She urged that all diplomatic, social, legal, legislative, political, and economic resources should be diverted toward this cause.
She urged the international community to resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute in accordance with the United Nations resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Islamabad, Pakistan: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar while addressing a joint presser showed their commitment to work together in the region against terrorism and to enhance bilateral trade between the two countries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Monday on a two-day official visit and he will hold meetings with the civil and military leadership of Pakistan. This is his first visit to Pakistan after Israel attacked Iran in response to the Iranian attack on certain Israeli cities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held talks on the situation in the Middle East and Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations. They also discussed opportunities to advance cooperation between Pakistan and Iran in a wide range of areas including trade, economics, energy, and security.
Islamabad, Pakistan: “One of the challenges we face is that a segment of people misuse tourist visas to seek jobs illegally, or, in some cases, individuals with criminal records manage to slip through the system. This creates trust issues and impacts genuine travelers”.
This was observed by Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, the Ambassador of Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in his interview with Dispatch News Desk (DND) News Agency Islamabad.
Ambassador Tirmizi believes that unskilled Pakistani labor as well as highly skilled and educated people such as bankers, IT professionals, doctors, engineers, and businessmen have positively contributed to the progress and development of the UAE. Ambassador Tirmizi whose door is open to every Pakistani living in UAE believes that the Embassy should act as the “home of every Pakistani living in UAE instead of only a residence of the Ambassador”.
Hereunder is the text of his interview:
Question: Your Excellency, Pakistani students studying in UAE, as well as the diaspora at large, call your tenure ‘a golden era’ of Pakistan’s public diplomacy in the Gulf. What are the ingredients of your public diplomacy that make you different from others?
Answer: During my tenure, I have prioritized active outreach, ensuring that our Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate in Dubai remain approachable to all Pakistanis living in the UAE. I have made it a point to regularly engage with the community through various platforms, be it through community events, media, social media, or in-person meetings, ensuring that people know their voices are heard. My team and I have focused on availability as we are not just sitting in our offices but going out to meet the community where they are.
Active community engagement is central to fostering stronger ties between Pakistan and the UAE, believes Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi
Additionally, we’ve adopted a proactive approach to collaboration—whether with students, professionals, or business leaders—to foster stronger ties between Pakistan and the UAE. Active community engagement is central, from supporting cultural events to providing consular services efficiently. Another essential aspect has been our close cooperation with the UAE government, which strengthens bilateral relations and facilitates the Pakistani diaspora’s integration and contribution to the UAE.
Question: There is a general perception that the UAE is a destination for illiterate and unskilled manpower from Pakistan. Is it true? If not, what are the fields where educated and skilled segments of Pakistani society can find opportunities?
Answer: I somehow agree that historically UAE had been a destination for the majority of unskilled Pakistani labor, but that does not mean that our highly skilled and educated people did not come here. Pakistani bankers, IT professionals, doctors, engineers, and businessmen have positively contributed to the progress and development of the UAE. The UAE has long evolved from being a destination for just unskilled labor. Today, Pakistani professionals are excelling across various sectors. Our skilled workforce includes IT professionals who are contributing to the UAE’s digital transformation, engineers working in construction and technology, and finance experts such as bankers, accountants, and auditors who play crucial roles in the UAE’s financial services sector.
One of the challenges we face is that a segment of people misuse tourist visas to seek jobs illegally, or, in some cases, individuals with criminal records manage to slip through the system. This creates trust issues and impacts genuine travelers
In the healthcare industry, Pakistani doctors, nurses, and other health professionals have gained a strong reputation for their expertise. Additionally, Pakistanis are thriving in academia, research, media, and entrepreneurship. There are countless opportunities for those with education, skills, and the right attitude to contribute to and benefit from the UAE’s rapidly growing economy. So, I strongly encourage educated Pakistanis to explore these sectors where their skills are highly valued.
My message to the youth is simple: every Pakistani abroad is an ambassador of our country. Your conduct, work ethics, and integrity reflect on Pakistan as a whole
Question: The UAE visa regime is making it tougher for Pakistanis to travel. What are the reasons behind this, and how can they be mitigated?
Answer: One of the challenges we face is that a segment of people misuse tourist visas to seek jobs illegally, or, in some cases, individuals with criminal records manage to slip through the system. This creates trust issues and impacts genuine travelers.
We need to enhance pre-departure scrutiny. We should implement more stringent checks to ensure that only law-abiding citizens, with no criminal background, are allowed to go abroad. We need to focus on verifying documentation authenticity and ensuring that those traveling for work have the appropriate visas rather than misusing tourist visas. Through better coordination between our government and the UAE, we can help address these concerns and streamline the visa process for genuine travelers.
Question: What message do you want to send to the youth of Pakistan based on your experience working in the Gulf region?
Answer: My message to the youth is simple: every Pakistani abroad is an ambassador of our country. Your conduct, work ethics, and integrity reflect on Pakistan as a whole. Therefore, make sure to maintain a positive image. Work hard, be disciplined, and contribute meaningfully to the society you live in. Whether you are here for studies, employment, or business, respect the local laws and policies, which will open doors to further opportunities.
Additionally, I urge all Pakistanis to take pride in their contributions and ensure that when they send money back home, it is done through legal and formal banking channels, which supports our national economy. The Gulf region, particularly the UAE, offers immense opportunities for those willing to put in the effort, and I encourage every young Pakistani to make the most of these prospects.
Editor’s Note: Faisal Niaz Tirmizi is a career Diplomat who strongly believes in emerging diplomatic engagements including Public Diplomacy. A postgraduate of the Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1993 and since then handled bilateral, multilateral, consular, and administrative assignments both in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and abroad. He served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Desk Officer of Middle East, Central Asia, Afghanistan, India as well as Director of Personnel, Protocol and Foreign Secretary’s Office. He has held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan Missions abroad in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan, Abu Dhabi, and the United Arab Emirates.
Islamabad, Pakistan: The recent Amendment to the Services Act by the Parliament has been well received by people from all walks of life especially members of the Armed Forces community.
With almost all having consensus on the fact that three years tenure for the Services Chiefs is too little to affect any long-term changes; enhancement of the same to five years will assist in addressing such obvious predicaments.
On the other hand, credible senior sources in the military have confided that another major shortcoming for a relatively limited tenure of three years was the availability of more controls with political forces who had been maintaining intrusive influence over the military i.e. politicization of the military.
When compared with other modern militaries of the world, this enhancement in the service limit of the service chiefs is nothing new but in line with them. For example, in the US it is 4 years, UK 3-4 years, China 5 years, Germany 3-5 years & France 4 years.
Also, several researchers in the world vividly enunciate that a relatively longer period of service chiefs assists in making militaries independent and immune from interference from the outside world. Thus, Chiefs can make decisions that benefit not only the militaries alone in the mid to long term but also assist the countries as a whole.
Notwithstanding the above, this enhanced tenure limit of the Services Chiefs will definitely accrue several other important advantages as well including a continuation of policies, adequate time for implementation of a perceived vision, greater stability, and bridging trust deficit between the Government and the Services Chiefs which has been bitter at times in the past in Pakistan.
In sum, this enhancement in the age limit of Service Chiefs will further add to the professionalism of the Armed Forces while making the institution immune to interference by the political parties while providing additional leverage to the Chiefs for maintaining intrusive influence over military affairs – a win-win situation both for the Armed Forces & the country alike.
Islamabad, Pakistan: The Parliament on Monday confirmed its supremacy by adopting much-needed bills for extending the tenures of all armed services chiefs from three to five years and increasing the strength of judges in the Supreme Court as well as in High Courts. All the bills were signed by the President on the same and they are enforced already.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif presented amendments to the Pakistan Army, Navy, and Air Force Acts, for extending the tenure of all military chiefs from three to five years. The act also provides the power to the President for reappointment in armed forces.
The amendments remove previous age limits and extend tenure options, enabling the Chief of Army Staff and other military leaders to continue serving as generals beyond the earlier prescribed age of 64 years.
The power of the Parliament ensures the continuity of strategic policies
By another bill presented by the Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, the number of Supreme Court judges has increased to 34 from 17. Additionally, judges in the Islamabad High Court have been raised from nine to 12.
These legislative moves reflect the government’s focus on judicial reform and the standardization of military leadership tenures, addressing institutional demands and fostering continuity.
According to the Army Act, the tenure of the Chief of Services was fixed for three years, which has been increased from three years to five years. This is a very important and welcoming decision as it will provide continuity strategic policies and would enable sitting Chiefs to plan futuristic developments in their respective forces under their command. It was quite a difficult task to take any major policy decision-making and initiative to its logical conclusion in the services and at the national policy level in a short period of three years because the implementation of major decisions takes time. Meanwhile, when a new leadership comes after the tenure ends, it affects the ongoing policy and the work starts afresh consequently both the service and the country are affected by the change. The job has been for five years which will greatly benefit the continuity and stability of the policies.
On the other hand, the number of judges in the Supreme Court has increased from 17 to 34, which will definitely increase the efficiency of the Supreme Court and make it easier to deliver justice to the people.
Gen Asim Munir has been adamant about solving the economic crisis in Pakistan by setting up the Special Investment Facilitation Council, intending to bring in billions of dollars of investment from abroad, especially from Pakistan’s Gulf allies. The economic crisis, led to the Pakistani rupee devaluing to its weakest in its history, valuing at 308 per dollar when currency smuggling to Afghanistan was at its peak. To strengthen the rupee, he initiated crackdowns on the black market, which had been selling dollars illegally, harming the rupee. These crackdowns were successful, and the Pakistani rupee rebounded to become the world’s best-performing currency in September 2023.
The change in the tenure of the COAS will help Gen Asim Munir with strategic planning he has in his mind that is surely based on self-reliance and sovereignty and both are deeply rooted in the strong economy of any country therefore, he had been working to create economic opportunities for Pakistan. Now, Pakistan’s share market has become the most promising in South Asia, and Karachi 100 Index has broken all previous records and is at 91,938.
Sahiwal, Pakistan: A powerful seminar held at the Arts Council Sahiwal, hosted by the Sahiwal Minority Forum Pakistan, brought together prominent political and social...
Lahore, Pakistan: In connection with the celebrations marking 150 years of Mayo School of Arts and National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan, the opening...
Monitoring Desk: Indus Shield-Chinese, a bilateral module of Exercise Indus Shield 2024, being conducted separately between Chinese and Pakistan forces has concluded at an...
Islamabad, Pakistan: Mushaal Hussein Mullick, wife of jailed Kashmiri leader Mohammad Yasin Malik, has made a heartfelt plea to Rahul Gandhi, India's opposition leader,...
Islamabad, Pakistan: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar while addressing a joint presser showed their commitment to...
