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☆ Save the Children, others suspend Afghanistan efforts after Taliban bar on female staff
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The administration on Saturday ordered all local and foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to send female staff home until further notice. The joint statement also highlighted the effect of the ban on female staff on thousands of jobs in the midst of an enormous economic crisis. Earlier, international aid agency AfghanAid said it was immediately suspending operations while it consulted with other organisations, and that other NGOs were taking similar actions. Chargé d'Affaires Karen Decker had posted on Twitter questioning how the Taliban planned to prevent hunger amongst women and children following the ban. She pointed out that the United States was the largest humanitarian aid donor to the country.

One hostage, a security official, died during the raid , he said. The army spokesman's comments provided the first detailed official account of the standoff, in which two security personnel were killed when the militants first took over the compound, and two commandoes killed in the ensuing raid. Later other militants at the centre broke into a storeroom where confiscated weapons had been stored. STANDOFFAfter talks failed to resolve a two-day standoff, army commandos stormed the centre on Tuesday. Earlier, residents said they heard explosions coming from the vicinity of the centre on Tuesday as helicopters hovered overhead.

Pakistani Taliban militants detained at the centre had snatched interrogators' weapons and taken them captive on Sunday. Asif did not say how many militants were killed or how many hostages they had held. Residents said they heard explosions coming from the vicinity of the centre on Tuesday as helicopters hovered overhead. The army operations forced the militants and their leaders to flee to neighbouring Afghan districts. There, Islamabad says, they set up training centres to plan and launch attacks inside Pakistan, a charge Afghan authorities deny.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Islamist militants seized a counter-terrorism centre in the northwestern Pakistani area of Bannu on Sunday and took hostages to negotiate with government authorities, officials said. One said about 15 militants took control of the centre after overpowering interrogators inside, grabbing their weapons and taking five or six of them hostage. Pakistan has been fighting an insurgency by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. A spokesman for the TTP did not immediately confirm or deny a link with the militants in the compound. Reporting Saud Mehsud in Dera Ismail Khan and Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar; Writing by Gibran PeshimamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Pakistan's Imran Khan says his party to dissolve two local assemblies on Dec. 23
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Mubasher Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LAHORE, Pakistan, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on Saturday that his party would dissolve two provincial assemblies next week, earlier than scheduled, in an attempt to build pressure on the federal government to hold early general elections. Khan's party controls two of the country's four provincial assemblies. "Next Friday (Dec. 23), we will dissolve the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assemblies," Khan said while addressing a gathering of his supporters in the eastern city of Lahore. If the two provincial assemblies are dissolved earlier, separate polls would have to be held for them within 90 days, which could throw up legal problems. He added that elections in the two provinces would mean holding polls in 66% of the country, and so the government might as well hold general elections.

☆ One dead as fresh clashes erupt between Afghan, Pakistani border forces
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Gul Yousafzai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Abdul Khaliq AchakzaiQUETTA, Pakistan, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Clashes erupted once again between the border forces of Afghanistan and Pakistan near the key Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing on Thursday, resulting in one death and over a dozen injuries, Pakistani officials said. Thursday's fighting started when Pakistani forces repairing a portion of the border fence damaged during Sunday's clashes came under attack from the Afghan side of the frontier, a provincial official Balochistan, Zahid Saleem, told Reuters. Both sides blamed each other for instigating Sunday's clashes. Afghanistan's ministry of defence, run by the Taliban administration, said in a post on Twitter that Pakistani forces had opened fire first, and called for a resolution of the issue through negotiations. The police spokesman of the Afghan province of Kandahar did not reply to a Reuters request for comment on the casualties.

☆ Pakistani journalist's killing in Kenya a pre-meditated murder -report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Asif Shahzad | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

TV journalist Arshad Sharif, who had fled Pakistan citing threats to his life, was shot dead in Nairobi in October. The fact-finding team highlighted one wound in particular on Sharif's back, saying it appeared to have been inflicted from relatively close range. The fact-finding team's report also pointed out apparent contradictions in the autopsy reports in Kenya and Pakistan. The post-mortem report in Pakistan identified 12 injuries on Sharif's body whereas the Kenyan report identified just two injuries pertaining to gunshot wounds. The fact-finding team report said doctors believed the injures may be the result of torture or a struggle, but it could not be established until verified by the doctor who conducted the post mortem in Kenya.

☆ Pakistan FX reserves held by central bank fall to $6.7 bln
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ISLAMABAD, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves held by the central bank fell $784 million to $6.7 billion as of Dec. 2, the central bank said in a statement on Thursday, as the country struggles to meet external financing needs. "This decline is on account of the payment of US $1,000 million against maturing Pakistan International Sukuk and some other external debt repayments," the statement said. It said some debt repayments were offset by inflows, mainly $500 million received from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Local media reported on Thursday that Pakistan had sought $4.2 billion from Saudi Arabia to shore up its reserves. Saudi Arabia, China and the United Arab Emirates have already parked funds in Pakistan's central bank to help Islamabad.

☆ Pakistan repays $1 bln international bond -central bank spokesman
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam | Fergal Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ISLAMABAD, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Pakistan repaid a $1 billion international bond, the central bank spokesman said on Friday, amidst growing uncertainty about the country's ability to meet external financing obligations. "The payment (was) made to Citibank New York," State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) spokesman Abid Qamar told Reuters in a message. The bond repayment, which matures on Dec. 5, totals $1.08 billion, the central bank chief said last week. During the week ended Nov. 25, SBP reserves stood at $7,498.7 million. Saudi Arabia on Friday also extended the term of a $3 billion deposit it has in Pakistan's foreign reserves.

☆ Pakistani embassy in Kabul attacked, one injured
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A spokesperson for Kabul police said the embassy compound was targeted by gunfire from a nearby building. Pakistan's Foreign Office said the attack had been aimed at the head of mission, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani. It said Nizamani was safe, but a Pakistani security guard, Sepoy Israr Mohammad, was critically wounded in the attack while protecting the ambassador. A spokesperson for Pakistan's foreign office said they had no plans to evacuate the embassy after the incident. "(The) Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns the attempted shooting and failed attack on the Pakistani embassy in Kabul," spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Twitter, adding that Taliban security agencies would investigate.

☆ Former Pakistan PM Khan calls off protest march to avoid creating 'havoc'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Khan has been holding country-wide protests to push the government for early elections since being ousted from power in April. He named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a senior military official of plotting his assassination, but both the government and military have denied involvement. On Saturday, Khan arrived on stage using a walking frame and addressed the crowd from behind bulletproof glass. He said he had been told by various security sources there was still a threat to his life. PTI has already resigned from the federal parliament, but remains in power in two provinces and two administrative units.

☆ Explainer: Why Pakistan's army chief matters far beyond its borders
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Even when a civilian government holds power, Pakistan's generals retain a dominant influence over security matters and foreign affairs. He later headed Pakistan's two most influential intelligence agencies - Military Intelligence (MI) in 2017 and then the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in 2018. WHY IT MATTERS GLOBALLYPakistan's army chief will play a key role in managing risks of conflict with nuclear-armed rival India on its eastern border, while dealing with potential instability and friction with Afghanistan on its western frontier. The incoming army chief could potentially play a key role in lowering the political temperature as Pakistan attempts to survive an economic crisis and recover from historic floods. He even summoned Pakistan's top industrialists to a meeting at army headquarters to encourage them to pay more tax.

ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Pakistan on Thursday named Lieutenant-General Asim Munir as chief of the army, an organisation that plays an extraordinarily influential role in the governance of the nuclear-armed nation. Munir, who was also Pakistan's chief spy, will take over from outgoing General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who retires later this month after a six-year term, the defence ministry said. "It is based on merit, law and as per constitution," Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told reporters after announcing the Munir as the new chief. On Wednesday, outgoing army chief Bajwa said the military would have no role in national politics in the future, rejecting as "fake and false" Khan's claims that a U.S.-backed conspiracy topped his government. Reporting by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Neil Fullick and Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Explainer: Who Pakistan picks as army chief matters far beyond its borders
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Even when a civilian government holds power, Pakistan's generals retain a dominant influence over security matters and foreign affairs. BAJWA'S LEGACYAppointed chief in 2016, Bajwa sought to balance ties with China and the United States. He even summoned Pakistan's top industrialists to a meeting at army headquarters to encourage them to pay more tax. WHY IT MATTERS GLOBALLYPakistan's army chief will play a key role in managing risks of conflict with nuclear-armed rival India on its eastern border, while dealing with potential instability and friction with Afghanistan on its western frontier. The incoming army chief could potentially play a key role in lowering the political temperature as Pakistan attempts to survive an economic crisis and recover from historic floods.

☆ Pakistan minister: Evidence suggests shot reporter was targeted in Kenya
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Asif Shahzad | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaISLAMABAD, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Pakistan's interior minister said on Tuesday evidence suggested a prominent Pakistani journalist was the victim of a targeted killing in Kenya, not an accidental shooting, though he still needed more information on the incident. Kenyan police spokesman Bruno Shioso declined to respond to the minister's comments on the death of TV journalist Arshad Sharif, who was shot dead on the evening of Oct. 23 on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital Nairobi. "We still need to obtain more (evidence) to confirm all this ... and we have asked the Kenyan government for more data," he added. Sanaullah said the team had returned from Kenya, but Kenyan police had not yet given Pakistani investigators all of Sharif's recovered belongings. "We will now ask the foreign office to contact the Kenyan government, and the prime minister will also speak to the Kenyan president," the minister said.

☆ Imran Khan welcomes probe into shooting
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Mubasher Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LAHORE, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday he welcomed the government's offer to launch a judicial commission to investigate the attack in which he was shot in the leg on Thursday. Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi will lead the rally in coming weeks in the eastern province of Punjab, Khan said. Khan has accused three people of devising a plan to assassinate him, naming Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and intelligence official Major-General Faisal Nasser. Sharif on Saturday said that Khan was making "baseless allegations" but that the government had requested the country's chief justice to form a judicial commission to investigate the claims. Reporting by Gibran Peshimam and Mubasher Bukhari; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] A truck is seen at a crime scene after a shooting incident on a long march by Pakistan former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in Wazirabad, Pakistan November 4, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar SoomroWAZIRABAD, Pakistan, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The party of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was shot and injured in an apparent assassination attempt, said country-wide protests would be held on Friday as tensions remained high in the South Asian nation. "Today, after Friday prayers, there will be protests across the country, which will continue until Imran Khan's demand is met," Asad Umar, a close Khan aide, said on Twitter. Khan's supporters began gathering again early on Friday at the spot of the apparent assassination attempt and called on the former prime minister to restart his march on Islamabad. Sharif has also called for a transparent inquiry into the shooting, which occurred in an area where Khan's party is in government.

Thursday's activities began at around 8 a.m. when supporters of Khan's PTI party gathered in the streets, with crowds swelling into the thousands throughout the day. "Imran Khan arrived and we welcomed him, we never thought about any attack; people were chanting, workers were dancing,” said PTI supporter and witness Qadir Khan. "I heard a burst of shots after which I saw Imran Khan and his aides fall down on the truck," witness Qazzafi Butt said. In the chaos and confusion touched off by the gunfire, supporters clamoured to know what had happened to Khan. "People chanted that they would lay down their lives for Imran Khan," he added.

[1/5] A police officer stands guard near a passenger van, cordoned after a blast at the entrance of the Confucius Institute University of Karachi, Pakistan, April 26, 2022. Even though months have passed since the attack, Pakistani authorities remain deeply worried. Shortly afterwards, schoolteacher Shari Hayat Baloch, 30, is filmed walking in a park with her young son and daughter and later addressing the camera in combat fatigues. The Chinese officials supported Pakistan's counter-terrorism forces in areas such as CCTV footage enhancement and data retrieval from cell phones, the ministry said. On the day of the Karachi attack, Habitan, a dentist, tweeted that he was "beaming with pride" at what his wife had done.

☆ Pakistani journalist crushed by Imran Khan's truck during coverage
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Mubasher Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The incident prompted Khan to halt the "long march" that he is leading towards Islamabad to pressure the federal government into calling snap elections. His convoy started from the eastern city of Lahore, and is expected to reach Islamabad on Friday. PTI leader Mussarat Jamshed Cheema confirmed that Naeem was run over by Khan's vehicle. The incident occurred as Khan's convoy was near the city of Gujranwala, 220 km (136 miles) from Islamabad. Reporting by Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore, Pakistan; Writing by Gibran Peshimam; editing by Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Pakistani returns home after 18 years of U.S. detention in Guantanamo prison camp
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KARACHI, Pakistan, Oct 29 (Reuters) - A Pakistani national held by the United States for 18 years in the Guantanamo Bay prison camp without trial on suspicion of links to al Qaeda returned home to Pakistan on Saturday, Pakistan and the United States said. "We are glad that a Pakistani citizen detained abroad is finally reunited with his family," the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement. At 75, he was the oldest inmate at the camp, according to Reprieve, a London-based human rights group that worked on his case. It said in a statement that Paracha's continued detention was no longer necessary to protect against a "significant threat" to the security of the United States. The Defense Department said 35 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay, of whom 20 are eligible for transfer and three for a Periodic Review Board.

☆ Pakistan's ex-premier Imran Khan set to march on Islamabad to demand snap polls
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Mubasher Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LAHORE, Pakistan Oct 28 (Reuters) - Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan gathered hundreds of supporters in the eastern city of Lahore on Friday to join a caravan of cars and trucks heading for the capital Islamabad to pressure the government into calling snap polls. Khan plans to lead the motorised caravan slowly northwards up the Grand Trunk Road to Islamabad, drawing more support along the way before entering the capital in a week. DONE THIS BEFOREThe growing crowd of Khan supporters in Lahore chanted slogans including “Imran Tere Jannisar, Beshumar, Beshumar", meaning "Imran, countless people are willing to give their life for you". As Khan's supporters assembled in Lahore, large numbers of police were deployed along the 260-kilometres (160-mile) route to Islamabad. Having once been regarded as close to the generals, Khan has accused the military of supporting his opponents move to oust him.

A senior police officer told The Star newspaper that the shooting was being treated as a case of mistaken identity. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Twitter that he had spoken by phone to Kenyan President William Ruto about the incident. Former prime minister Imran Khan condemned the death and said Sharif had been murdered for his journalistic work. “We're deeply saddened by the death of Arshad Sharif. We encourage a full investigation by the government of Kenya into his death," U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

☆ Pakistan summons U.S. ambassador over Biden's nuclear remarks
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KARACHI, Pakistan Oct 15 (Reuters) - Pakistan's foreign minister said on Saturday he had summoned the U.S. ambassador after President Joe Biden questioned the safety of Pakistan's nuclear programme. In a speech on Thursday, Biden said Pakistan is "maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world" as it has "nuclear weapons without any cohesion". "As far as the question of the safety and security of Pakistan's nuclear assets are concerned, we meet all – each and every – international standard in accordance with the IAEA," he said at a press conference on Saturday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterA transcript of Biden's speech was published by the White House on its website. The foreign minister said worries about Pakistan's nuclear programme were not raised on his recent trip to Washington, where he held extensive meetings, including at the State Department.

☆ Pakistan keeps policy rate at 15%, projects high inflation, weak growth
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Syed Raza Hassan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

GDP growth could fall to around 2% in the 2023 financial year compared to previous forecast of 3%-4% before the floods, the central bank statement said. However, the central bank later said the economy faces significant imbalances including a large current account deficit and persistently high inflation. INFLATION VS POLICY RATEThe central bank projected inflation after the floods to be on higher side compared to the last estimate of between 18%-20% in FY2022-23. Higher food prices could raise average headline inflation, the bank said, adding that the impact on the current account deficit was likely to be muted. It said it will leave the current account deficit in the vicinity of the previously forecast 3% of GDP.

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