ISLAMABAD: The bodies of six Pakistani nationals, who died in a migrant boat tragedy off the coast of Libya this month while attempting to reach Europe, arrived in Islamabad on Thursday via a Qatar Airways flight, where they were received by grieving families before being transported to their native towns.
Pakistan’s foreign office said earlier this month that Libyan authorities had recovered the bodies of at least 16 Pakistani nationals who had died in the incident, while nearly 10 other Pakistani citizens were missing.
The boat capsized near the port of Marsa Dela in the northwest of Zawiya city in the Arab country, prompting the Pakistan government to activate a crisis management cell to help the victims’ families.
“The mortal remains of six Pakistani nationals ... arrived in Islamabad today,” the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
“The repatriation was facilitated by the Government of Pakistan, following formalities completed by the Pakistani mission in Tripoli, Libya,” it continued. “The deceased individuals were among the 16 Pakistanis whose bodies were recovered after the tragic incident.”
The bodies were received by Minister for Housing and Works Riaz Hussain Pirzada as the authorities ensured all necessary arrangements were in place for their onward transfer to their hometowns.
The bodies were handed over to the families, with the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation arranging their onward transportation with the help of local authorities.
The Libya boat tragedy came weeks after at least 13 Pakistanis died in a similar incident off the coast of Morocco while riding a boat with 86 migrants trying to reach European shores.
Each year, thousands of Pakistanis pay large sums for risky and illegal journeys to developed countries, hoping to find work and send money back to their families. Many people in other parts of the world also take these perilous routes to escape conflicts or other forms of persecution.
Following such recent tragedies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the authorities to take strict action against those involved in human smuggling.
Law enforcement authorities have also intensified their crackdown on human smuggling rings facilitating dangerous sea journeys for migrants.
‘Escaping hell’: Pakistanis among Myanmar scam center workers pleading to go home
Updated 41 sec ago
AFP
Some 7,000 people released from scam compounds are now enduring a grueling wait to be sent home through Thailand
Scam centers have sprung up in Myanmar’s lawless border areas in recent years as part of billion dollar criminal industry
MYAWADDY: Hundreds of exhausted young men lie in an open-sided detention center in a seedy Myanmar border town, sweating through thick tropical heat by day and prey to clouds of mosquitoes by night.
They are among some 7,000 people from more than two dozen countries released from scam compounds who are now enduring a grueling wait to be sent home through Thailand.
Conditions in the overcrowded temporary camp visited by AFP in the town of Myawaddy, near the Thai border, were squalid and those held there were begging to leave.
“It’s really no good,” one 18-year-old Malaysian man told AFP, saying the toilets and showers were so dirty they were unusable.
“I hope I can contact my parents quickly so I can go.”
In this photo taken on February 23, 2025 alleged scam center workers and victims rest during a crackdown operation by the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) on illicit activity, at the border checkpoint with Thailand in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township. (AFP)
A Chinese detainee who gave his family name as Wang said he was “very happy” at the prospect of getting out.
“I can finally escape this hell... China is the safest,” he said.
’Help me, help me, help me’
Scam centers have sprung up in Myanmar’s lawless border areas in recent years as part of a criminal industry worth billions of dollars a year.
Thousands of foreign workers staff the centers, trawling social media for victims to fleece, often through romance or investment cons.
Many workers say they were trafficked or tricked into taking the work and suffer beatings and abuse, though the government in China — where most come from — regards them as criminal suspects.
Under heavy pressure from Beijing, Myanmar’s junta and allied militias have taken action to curb the centers.
In this photo taken on February 24, 2025 members of the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) take part in a crackdown operation on illicit activity linked to scam centers in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township. (AFP)
The “crackdown” has so far involved armed uniformed men coming to the sites and asking for volunteers to leave and go home, several freed workers told AFP in Myawaddy.
But processing the workers for repatriation has been slow, leaving them trapped in limbo, smoking and playing cards to pass the time in the detention facility, which has a roof but no walls to keep the elements and insects out.
Many had their passports confiscated by scam center bosses, and those AFP spoke to said their mobile phones were taken away.
An Indian man who said he was tricked into working in the scam centers after applying for a data entry job in Thailand, told AFP he had contacted his embassy in Bangkok several times.
He begged them “help me, help me, help me. But no one helps me,” he said.
“The feeling is not good because we are in trouble right now.”
In this photo taken on February 23, 2025 a member of the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) guards alleged scam center workers and victims during a crackdown operation by the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) on illicit activity, at the border checkpoint with Thailand in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township. (AFP)
Myanmar’s raging civil war has complicated efforts to tackle the scam compounds, as most are in areas outside the ruling junta’s control.
The Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), an independent militia allied to the junta, controls two of the most notorious scam towns, Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko.
The BGF released thousands from illegal scam compounds last week and wants to swiftly deport them to neighboring Thailand for repatriation, saying it is struggling to cope with looking after so many people.
“People have to stay in cramped conditions,” said its spokesman Naing Maung Zaw.
“We have to cook three meals to feed thousands of people and arrange their health care,” he said, adding he was worried about a possible outbreak of contagious diseases.
Struggling to cope
The United Nations estimates that as many as 120,000 people — many of them Chinese men — may be working in Myanmar scam centers against their will.
Gangs that run the compounds lure people with promises of high-paying jobs, then force them to defraud people from around the world or face severe punishment and abuse.
The sites on the Thai-Myanmar border vary in how they treat their staff, analysts say, and Thai officials have claimed that a majority of workers go there intentionally.
In this photo taken on February 24, 2025 members of the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) take part in a crackdown operation on illicit activity linked to scam centers in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township. (AFP)
Victims released from smaller compounds claim that as a more sophisticated operation, Shwe Kokko — one of the area’s biggest scam hubs — draws more people who willingly go there to commit fraud.
But “not everyone living in Shwe Kokko is a criminal,” Naing Maung Zaw said.
A Chinese man surnamed Shen denied allegations that the scam center workers had traveled to Myanmar intentionally, saying he had been tricked and forced.
“If I did it voluntarily, I would take all legal responsibilities,” he said.
But so far China has treated all returning detainees — 600 were sent back last week — as suspects, with state TV showing them marched off the plane in handcuffs by police on their return home.
Thailand, Myanmar and China are expected to hold three-way talks in the coming weeks to arrange logistics for further repatriations, with Thailand saying it is working with over a dozen foreign embassies.
One of 14 detained Pakistani men who hoped to return before Ramadan said he felt abandoned by authorities after hearing of other repatriations.
“We know we’re safe now. But it’s been eight days. So why can’t we go to Thailand now?” he told AFP.
Stretched for resources to look after the hundreds of foreigners in their charge, Naing Maung Zaw pleaded to foreign embassies to “come and take your nationals ... They want to go home.”
Pakistan consumer inflation to remain stable in February — finance ministry
Inflation anticipated to remain within range of 2.0-3.0% for February, prospects of a slight increase to 3.0-4.0% by March
Inflation has eased since last year with CPI coming in at 2.4% in January compared to 24% in the same period last year
Updated 44 min 9 sec ago
Reuters
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s consumer inflation was expected to remain stable in February and maintain a downward trajectory compared to the previous year, the finance ministry said in its monthly economic outlook report on Thursday.
“Inflation is anticipated to remain within the range of 2.0-3.0% for February 2025, however, there are prospects of a slight increase to 3.0-4.0% by March 2025,” the report said.
Inflation has eased since last year with CPI coming in at 2.4% in January compared to 24% in the same period last year.
Authorities have credited the downward trend to economic stabilization under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund program secured last summer.
An IMF mission is due to arrive in Islamabad next week for the first review of the global lender’s facility.
“The primary surplus is expected to improve further in the coming months,” the ministry said, pointing to one of the benchmarks identified by the IMF.
The report also said that foreign remittances, a crucial lifeline for Pakistan’s economy, were expected to rise.
“Workers’ remittances recorded robust inflows of $20.8 billion during July-Jan FY2025, marking a 31.7% increase over $15.8 billion last year,” the ministry said.
KARACHI: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates are expected to sign several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) as Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrives on his first official visit to the South Asian country today, Thursday, state media said.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States and a major source of foreign investment, valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the Gulf country’s foreign ministry.
Sheikh Al Nahyan will be accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials, and business leaders during his visit to Islamabad.
“At the invitation of PM @CMShehbaz, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will embark on his first official visit to Pakistan on Thursday,” state-owned Radio Pakistan said in a social media post on Thursday.
The foreign office announced on Wednesday several agreements and memoranda of understanding would be signed during the visit “to bolster the existing robust framework for long-term collaboration in multifaceted sectors.”
The foreign office said the crown prince will engage in wide-ranging interactions with the Pakistani leadership to “exchange views on matters of mutual interest, reinforce historical bonds, and promote economic as well as investment cooperation.”
Pakistan and the UAE have stepped up efforts in recent years to strengthen economic relations. Last year the two countries signed multiple agreements exceeding $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones, and infrastructure development.
The crown prince’s visit comes as Pakistan pursues economic diplomacy with several Gulf and Central Asian nations and treads a tricky path to economic recovery while being bolstered by a $7 billion IMF bailout program.
Policymakers in Pakistan consider the UAE an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
It is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates, making it the second-largest Pakistani expatriate community worldwide and a major source of foreign workers’ remittances.
$2.2 million lost daily as 600 Iranian trucks stuck at Pakistan border, senate body told
Pakistan has mandated Iranian transporters to provide bank guarantee equivalent to value of duties, taxes on goods
Due to new rules, around 600 Iranian trucks stuck at Pakistan border, costing traders about $100 per day per truck
Updated 27 February 2025
Hassan Ali Khan
ISLAMABAD: A representative from Tehran told a Pakistani parliamentary panel this week an estimated daily economic loss of $2.2 million was being caused by Iranian trucks stuck on the border with Pakistan over the past six months due to new customs rules, a press release said.
Pakistan last year made it compulsory for Iranian transporters to provide a bank guarantee equivalent to the customs duties and taxes imposed on goods being delivered to the National Logistics Corporation (NLC) Dry Port Quetta via Taftan, a border crossing with Iran. Tehran does not demand similar guarantees from Islamabad.
“One of the most pressing issues discussed was the ongoing crisis at the Pakistan-Iran border, where over 600 trucks carrying trade goods have been stuck due to customs officials demanding court orders,” the Senate Standing Committee on Finance said in a press release after its meeting.
The Iranian representative at the meeting said each truck carried goods worth approximately $11,000 and the delay was costing traders about $100 per day per truck, which ultimately raised the price of goods for consumers.
“The drop in the number of trucks crossing the border in the past six months has led to an estimated daily economic loss of $2.2 million,” the statement quoted the Iranian official as saying.
The senate committee would now write a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urging him to take up the matter at the next cabinet meeting.
“This issue has reached a critical point. It is not only a matter of economic losses but also a matter of national pride. The situation is deeply concerning for the country as a whole,” said Saleem Mandiwalla, the chairman of the committee.
Pakistan imports from Iran stood at $943.29 million during 2023, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. Official figures for current annual trade were not available but local media outlet Business Recorder, citing Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, last year reported bilateral trade worth over $2 billion.
Earlier this month, Pakistan and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at increasing bilateral trade volume to $10 billion.
Pakistan and Iran have had a history of rocky relations despite a number of commercial pacts, with Islamabad being historically closer to Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Their highest-profile agreement is a stalled gas supply deal signed in 2010 to build a pipeline from Iran’s South Fars gas field to Pakistan’s southern provinces of Balochistan and Sindh.
Despite Pakistan’s dire need of gas, Islamabad has yet to begin construction of its part of the pipeline, citing fears over US sanctions — a concern Tehran has rejected.
Pakistan said it would seek waivers from the US, but Washington has said it does not support the project and warned of the risk of sanctions in doing business with Tehran.
Despite facing possible contract breach penalties running into the billions of dollars, Islamabad last year gave the go-ahead for construction of an 80-km (50-mile) stretch of the pipeline.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Japan held counterterrorism consultations in Tokyo on Wednesday, focusing on technology use and capacity-building initiatives, according to a statement by the foreign office in Islamabad.
Pakistan and Japan share a multifaceted relationship, with their partnership spanning various sectors, including political collaboration, economic exchange and development assistance.
Their counterterrorism cooperation is primarily centered on intelligence-sharing, capacity-building and financial measures rather than direct military collaboration.
“The 4th Round of Pakistan-Japan Counter-Terrorism Consultations was convened in Tokyo on 26 February 2025,” the foreign office said. “During the discussion, the two sides assessed evolving terrorist threats at national and regional level and reiterated their resolve to combat terrorism in all forms and manifestations.”
“Both sides explored areas for greater bilateral cooperation, including capacity-building initiatives and solutions based on emerging technologies,” it added.
During the discussions, the Pakistani side briefed its counterparts on recent policy measures and enforcement actions, highlighting progress in countering terrorism financing, dismantling militant networks and enhancing border security.
Japan has not faced any major threat from militant groups in recent years, but its citizens have been targeted abroad, including in Pakistan. In April last year, five Japanese autoworkers narrowly survived when their van was targeted by a suicide bomber in Karachi.
Despite such security concerns, trade and investment remain a cornerstone of Pakistan-Japan relations. Additionally, Japan continues to be a significant development partner, providing substantial loans, grants and technical assistance to support Pakistan’s infrastructure and social projects.
