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Security forces kill five militants in northwest Pakistan

Security forces kill five militants in northwest Pakistan
In this file picture, taken on June 17, 2014, Pakistani security personnel keep watch at a checkpoint in Hangu, a town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. (AFP/File)
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Updated 5 min 42 sec ago
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Security forces kill five militants in northwest Pakistan

Security forces kill five militants in northwest Pakistan
  • The military says weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants
  • Pakistan has been targeting TTP fighters in intelligence-based operations in KP
Updated 5 min 42 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN
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KARACHI: Pakistan’s security forces killed five militants, including a key commander, during an intelligence-based operation in the country’s northwest, the military said on Friday.
The operation, which took place in Tirah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, comes as Pakistani authorities face increasing attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from neighboring Afghanistan.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, assured political stakeholders in KP that the military would not launch a full-scale operation against the TTP but would continue targeted, intelligence-based actions to counter the group.
“On 17 January 2025, Security Forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in general area Tirah, Khyber District on reported presence of khwarij [TTP militants],” the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement.
“During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged khwarij location, as a result of which, five khwarij including kharji ring leader Abidullah @ Turab, were sent to hell, while one kharji was apprehended,” it added.
The ISPR noted that weapons and ammunition were recovered after the raid.
The slain militants, including the commander, were linked to several instances of extremist violence targeting both security forces and civilians.
Tirah was a major hotbed of militant activity during the 2000s and early 2010s, serving as a stronghold for groups like the TTP, Lashkar-e-Islam and Al Qaeda-linked factions.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for the successful operation, commending their efforts to combat militancy.
“The entire nation stands with our security forces in the ongoing fight against terrorism,” he said in a statement released by his office. “We are determined to eradicate terrorism in all its forms from the country.”

Topics: ISPR

Shakeel and Rizwan lead Pakistan recovery in fog-hit first Test against West Indies

Shakeel and Rizwan lead Pakistan recovery in fog-hit first Test against West Indies
Updated 1 min 47 sec ago
AFP
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Shakeel and Rizwan lead Pakistan recovery in fog-hit first Test against West Indies

Shakeel and Rizwan lead Pakistan recovery in fog-hit first Test against West Indies
  • Bad light in Multan ended play with just 41.3 overs bowled, with the hosts on 143-4
  • Shakeel and Rizwan added 97 after coming together with Pakistan in trouble at 46-4
Updated 1 min 47 sec ago
AFP

MULTAN: Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan hit unbeaten half-centuries to lead a Pakistan fightback in the first Test against the West Indies on Friday as the hosts reached 143-4 at the close of a fog-hit opening day.
When bad light in Multan ended play with just 41.3 overs bowled, Shakeel was on 56 for his ninth half-century and Rizwan was 51 not out for his 11th.
The pair added 97 after coming together with Pakistan in real trouble at 46-4.
The left-right combination of Shakeel and Rizwan negotiated the three-spinner West Indies attack with aplomb after fast bowler Jayden Seales initially left the home team struggling.
“This pitch is tough to bat on,” said Rizwan.
“We batted with caution and just took advantage of loose balls. It’s tough to judge what should be a good total, but we will target 300 plus.”
Sensing the dry and grassless Multan Stadium pitch will be tricky for batting on the last two days — and with spin set to play a major role — the home team opted to bat after winning the toss.
But play was delayed because of early morning fog compounded by poor air quality, resulting in limited visibility and wiping out the first session.
Shakeel has so far cracked four boundaries while Rizwan has seven hits to the fence.
Seales finished with 3-21 off 10 overs.
“My aim was to build pressure and get wickets,” he said. “I sense spin will play a major role on this pitch going forward.”
Both teams started with three spinners and just one frontline fast bowler, and the tourists opened the bowling with left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie alongside Seales.
It was Seales who provided the breakthrough, forcing an edge off debutant Muhammad Hurraira to wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach in the sixth over. Hurraira scored six.
Three overs later, Motie dismissed skipper Shan Masood off a faint edge to the wicketkeeper for 11, before Seales trapped Kamran Ghulam leg-before with a sharp incoming delivery for five.
It became 46-4 when Babar Azam edged Seales behind the wicket for eight, continuing a poor run of scores at home for Pakistan’s premier batter.
The two-match series is part of the World Test Championship. Pakistan currently rank eighth and the West Indies ninth and last.

Topics: Pakistan vs West Indies

‘Proud moment’ as Pakistan launches first indigenous satellite to predict natural disasters

‘Proud moment’ as Pakistan launches first indigenous satellite to predict natural disasters
Updated 48 min 47 sec ago
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‘Proud moment’ as Pakistan launches first indigenous satellite to predict natural disasters

‘Proud moment’ as Pakistan launches first indigenous satellite to predict natural disasters
  • PM Sharif praises all Pakistani scientists and engineers working on the project for their team effort
  • The country’s military calls the development ‘a momentous milestone in Pakistan’s space journey’
Updated 48 min 47 sec ago
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it a “proud moment” for the nation as China launched Pakistan’s first indigenously developed Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite into space on Friday, aiming to monitor mineral resources and predict natural disasters.
The EO-1 satellite was launched from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, following work by Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) to advance the country’s technological capabilities in space science.
The satellite is expected to enhance Pakistan’s ability to manage natural resources, predict and respond to floods and other disasters, support food security and drive economic growth through informed decision-making and sustainable development.
“Soaring higher and higher! Proud moment for the nation as [Pakistan] proudly launches its first indigenous Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China,” Sharif said in a social post on X, formerly Twitter.

Pakistan's indigenous Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC) in northern China on January 17, 2025. (PMO)

“From predicting crop yields to tracking urban growth, #EO1 is a leap forward in our journey towards progress,” he continued, praising SUPARCO and all the scientists and engineers involved in the project for their team effort.
According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, the satellite was launched at 12:07 p.m. Beijing time aboard a Long March-2D carrier rocket and successfully entered its planned orbit.
The Pakistani military also applauded the development, highlighting its wide-ranging applications across various sectors.

Officials gesture for a group photograph following the launch of Pakistan's indigenous Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC) in northern China on January 17, 2025. (PMO)

“In agriculture, it will enable precision farming by monitoring crops, assessing irrigation needs, predicting yields, and supporting food security initiatives,” the military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement, calling the development a “momentous milestone in Pakistan’s space journey.”
“For urban development planning, the satellite will assist in tracking infrastructure growth and managing urban sprawl,” it added.
Among its other roles, the EO-1 will aid in the extraction and conservation of natural resources such as minerals, oil and gas. Additionally, it will help monitor glacier recession and water resources.
Pakistan has made significant progress in its space research program. Last year, SUPARCO announced its rover would join China’s Chang’E 8 mission to explore the moon’s surface in 2028.
“This achievement positions advanced space technology capabilities at the forefront of national progress,” ISPR added in the statement after the satellite launch, emphasizing its role in furthering Pakistan’s ambitions in space exploration.

Topics: pakistan china space program Pakistan China Ties EO-1 satellite suparco

Over 40 Pakistanis feared dead in migrant boat disaster off African coast

Over 40 Pakistanis feared dead in migrant boat disaster off African coast
Updated 17 January 2025
AP
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Over 40 Pakistanis feared dead in migrant boat disaster off African coast

Over 40 Pakistanis feared dead in migrant boat disaster off African coast
  • Hundreds of Pakistanis die every year while trying to reach Europe by land and sea
  • In 2023, nearly 350 Pakistanis were on board a fishing boat that capsized near Greece
Updated 17 January 2025
AP

ISLAMABAD: More than 40 Pakistanis are feared to have drowned in the capsizing of a boat off West Africa’s Atlantic coastline, which has emerged as a primary point of departure for migrants aiming to reach Europe.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the deaths and stressed the need for strict measures to curb human trafficking.
Zardari’s comments in a statement late Thursday came after a Spain-based migrant rights group, Walking Borders, said 50 people had died on their way to the Canary Islands and that 44 of them were Pakistanis. The group said the migrants began their journey on Jan. 2.
Pakistan said it had been informed by its embassy in Morocco that a boat carrying 80 passengers, including some Pakistanis, had set off from Mauritania and capsized near Dakhla, a Moroccan-controlled port city in the disputed Western Sahara.
Millions of people migrate to Europe each year, the vast majority using legal and regular means. Less than 240,000 people crossed borders into the continent without papers last year, according to the European Union’s border agency Frontex.
As authorities have worked to prevent migration and smuggling from countries in the Mediterranean Sea, more dangerous routes have become increasingly used. Frontex reported more than 50,000 migrants made the journey from northwest Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands in 2024, including 178 Pakistanis.
Walking Borders said in a report last week that 9,757 people had died or gone missing trying to cross to the islands, calling the route “the deadliest in the world.”
The islands are roughly 65 miles (105 kilometers) from the closest point in Africa, but to avoid security forces, many migrants attempt longer journeys that can take days or weeks. The majority last year departed from Mauritania, which is at least 473 miles (762 kilometers) from the closest Canary Island, El Hierro.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said several survivors, including Pakistanis, are staying in a camp near Dakhla. Pakistan’s Embassy in Morocco is in touch with local authorities and officials have gone to Dakhla to help survivors, according to a ministry statement.
The ministry did not say how many Pakistanis had died. Officials at the ministry were not immediately available for comment on Friday.
Hundreds of Pakistanis die every year while trying to reach Europe by land and sea with the help of human smugglers.
In 2023, an estimated 350 Pakistanis were on board an overcrowded fishing boat carrying migrants that sank off Greece. Many perished in what was one of the deadliest incidents in the Mediterranean Sea.
Pakistan says it has launched a crackdown on human traffickers.

Topics: PAkistani migrants shipwreck

New feeder service launched between Dubai and Karachi to strengthen trade ties

New feeder service launched between Dubai and Karachi to strengthen trade ties
Updated 17 January 2025
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New feeder service launched between Dubai and Karachi to strengthen trade ties

New feeder service launched between Dubai and Karachi to strengthen trade ties
  • UAE has been modernizing Pakistani ports, trying to turn the South Asian country into a transit trade hub
  • Pakistan aims to bolster economy, attract international trade opportunities by optimizing global sea lanes
Updated 17 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: DP World, in collaboration with Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation (NLC), launched a feeder service this week to transport shipping containers from Dubai to Karachi, state media reported.
A global logistics giant operating in over 75 countries, DP World specializes in port operations, terminal management and logistics services. Feeder services use smaller vessels to transport containers between regional ports, reducing shipping costs and transit time.
“DP World and National Logistics Corporation (NLC) have started the feeder service for shipping containers from Dubai’s Jebel Ali port to Karachi,” Radio Pakistan reported on Thursday.
“The Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, inaugurated the feeder service,” it added.
The weekly service promises faster and more reliable container delivery, directly benefiting the business community and boosting economic activity in the region.
The initiative also aims to enhance trade connectivity and strengthen economic ties between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan.
The UAE, one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners, has played a key role in modernizing the South Asian country’s ports and establish them as transit trade hubs. By optimizing global sea lanes, Pakistan seeks to bolster its economy and attract greater international trade opportunities.
Top officials from DP World, NLC and Port Qasim attended the launch ceremony, highlighting the strategic importance of this initiative for regional trade dynamics.

Topics: National Logistics Corporation DP World

Pakistan recorded highest ever monthly IT exports of $348 million in Dec. 24 — data

Pakistan recorded highest ever monthly IT exports of $348 million in Dec. 24 — data
Updated 17 January 2025
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Pakistan recorded highest ever monthly IT exports of $348 million in Dec. 24 — data

Pakistan recorded highest ever monthly IT exports of $348 million in Dec. 24 — data
  • Exports were up 28% year-on-year in the first half of fiscal year 2025
  • Growth comes amid concerns over slow Internet speed, VPN restrictions
Updated 17 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded the highest ever monthly IT exports of $348 million, up by 15 percent year-on-year and 12 percent month-on-month in Dec. 2024, while exports were up 28 percent year-on-year in the first half of fiscal year 2025, data from the Topline Securities brokerage house showed on Friday.

The growth figures come as associations and businesses have expressed alarm over slowing Internet speeds since last year, as the federal government moves to implement a nationwide firewall to block malicious content, protect government networks from attacks, and allow the government to identify IP addresses associated with what it calls “anti-state propaganda.” The government has also been cracking down on VPN use for months, with the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) announcing that businesses and freelancers would be able to legally use VPNs by registering with the government, but unregistered VPNs would be blocked in Pakistan after Nov. 30, 2024. The deadline was later withdrawn, and a new one has not been announced.

The use of VPNs has sharply risen in Pakistan since February last year when the government banned X soon after allegations of rigging in general elections surfaced. The election commission denies them.

In a report released on Friday, Topline said monthly IT exports in Dec. 2024 were higher than the last 12 month’s average of $299 million. This is the 15th consecutive month of YoY IT export growth, starting from Oct. 2023. This takes IT exports for the first half of fiscal year 2025 to $1.86 billion, up by 28 percent YoY. Export proceeds per day were recorded at $16.6 million for Dec. 24, compared to $14.8 million in Nov. 24. 

“YoY jump in IT exports is due to (1) IT export companies growing client base globally, especially in GCC region, (2) relaxation in the permissible retention limit by the State Bank of Pakistan, increasing it from 35 percent to 50 percent in the Exporters’ Specialized Foreign Currency Accounts, (3) allowance of equity investment abroad through these foreign currency accounts and (4) stability in PKR encouraging IT exporters to bring higher portion of profits back to Pakistan,” the Topline report said. 

“Pakistani IT companies are active in engaging with global clients. Recently leading IT companies of Pakistan attended Oslo Innovation Week 2024, and Pak-US Tech Investment Conference.”

According to a Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) survey, 62 percent of IT companies are maintaining specialized foreign currency accounts.

A major development in FY25 was the state bank adding a new category of Equity Investment Abroad (EIA), specifically for export-oriented IT companies. IT exporters can now acquire interest (shareholding) in entities abroad utilizing up to 50 percent proceeds from specialized foreign currency accounts. 

“This development will further boost confidence of IT exporters to remit proceeds back to Pakistan,” Topline said.

“We believe, IT sector will continue its growth trajectory and momentum with likely growth of 10-15 percent for FY25 to $3.5-3.7bn. Under ‘Uraan Pakistan’ national economic plan, the government has set a target of $10bn IT exports by FY29. This implies a target CAGR of 28 percent till FY29.”

Last August, the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) warned that frequent Internet disruptions and low speeds caused by poor implementation of the national firewall had led many multinational companies to consider relocating their offices out of Pakistan, with some having “already done so.” 

The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), the country’s top representative body for the IT sector, warned last year Internet slowdowns and the restriction of VPN services could lead to financial losses and closures and increase operational costs for the industry by up to $150 million annually.

Topics: Pakistan IT exports

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