ÂÜÀòÊÓÆ”

Pakistan seeks higher 2026 Hajj quota after 455,000 register for pilgrimage

Pakistan seeks higher 2026 Hajj quota after 455,000 register for pilgrimage
Pilgrims offer prayers around the Holy Kaaba in Makkah, ÂÜÀòÊÓÆ” on June 7, 2025. (SPA)
Short Url
Updated 1 min 36 sec ago

Pakistan seeks higher 2026 Hajj quota after 455,000 register for pilgrimage

Pakistan seeks higher 2026 Hajj quota after 455,000 register for pilgrimage
  • Islamabad urges ÂÜÀòÊÓÆ” to raise Hajj quota from 179,210 in 2025 to 230,000 next year
  • Pakistan's current Muslim population is approximately 230 million, according to latest census

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's religious affairs minister, Sardar Mohammad Yousaf, said on Tuesday the country has requested a higher Hajj quota in proportion to its population for the next year from ÂÜÀòÊÓÆ”, after early registrations for the pilgrimage reached 455,000 this month.

Pakistan's current Muslim population is approximately 230 million, according to the latest census cited by the minister.

He added the government had urged the Kingdom to raise the country’s Hajj quota from 179,210 to 230,000 in a formal letter, aiming to enable more citizens to perform the annual Islamic pilgrimage.

"A gazette notification has ... been issued regarding the population, so based on that population, our [Hajj] quota should be 230,000," Yousaf said during a news conference.

"For this, we've written to the Saudi government and demanded [an increase], and a letter has been sent [to them] by the Ministry of Religious Affairs," he continued. "We hope they will consider this [request] and adjust our quota in proportion to our population."

Yousaf highlighted that the registration of 455,000 intending pilgrims by the deadline reflected their strong eagerness to perform Hajj.

The government announced the initiation of next year’s Hajj process early, asking aspiring pilgrims to register themselves first.

No fee was required at the registration stage.

All registered applicants will now be able to choose between the government and private Hajj schemes.

A large portion of the private Hajj quota for 2025 remained unutilized due to delays by tour operators in meeting payment and registration deadlines, while the government fulfilled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims.

Private operators attributed the shortfall to technical issues, including payment processing problems and communication breakdowns.


At SCO summit, Pakistan slams Israel for using ‘aggression as tool of policy’ in Middle East

At SCO summit, Pakistan slams Israel for using ‘aggression as tool of policy’ in Middle East
Updated 7 sec ago

At SCO summit, Pakistan slams Israel for using ‘aggression as tool of policy’ in Middle East

At SCO summit, Pakistan slams Israel for using ‘aggression as tool of policy’ in Middle East
  • The bloc is seen by some Western analysts as regional grouping by Beijing, Moscow to counter United States influence in Asia
  • Pakistan FM Ishaq Dar says Israeli military actions against SCO members are ‘unacceptable,’ demands immediate end to Gaza war

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, on Tuesday criticized Israel for using “aggression as a tool of policy” in the Middle East, condemning Israeli military actions against regional states and demanding an end to its 20-month war on Gaza.

Dar said this while addressing a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM), which came in the backdrop of heightened tensions in South Asia and the Middle East, particularly after the Pakistan-India conflict and Israeli military actions against several Gulf countries.

Israel’s war on Gaza, which began after Oct. 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israel, has killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, over half of them women and children, according to the Palestinian health ministry. On Tuesday, the UN rights office said it had recorded at least 875 killings within the past six weeks at aid points in Gaza.

Speaking at the CFM meeting, Dar said Pakistan was seriously concerned at the trends of using aggression as a tool of policy, emphasizing the resolution of disputes through peaceful means and according to the principles of international law, justice and fairness.

“Israel has shown a reckless disregard for international norms and humanity through its relentless and disproportionate use of force in Gaza resulting in the death of tens of thousands of civilians causing the worst humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” he said.

“We call for immediate halt to Israel’s atrocities.”

Dar said the only viable remedy to the Palestine dispute was the realization of the two-state solution, which includes the establishment of Palestine as a viable, secure and contiguous state on the basis of pre-1967 borders.

He also condemned the “unjustified and illegitimate aggression” by Israel against Iran and the United States (US) strikes on its nuclear facilities.

“Such illegal actions directed against SCO member states are unacceptable,” Dar said.

The 12-day war between Iran and Israel, which began on June 13 Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and military leadership, killed around 1,000 Iranians and more than two dozen Israelis.

The SCO, comprising China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Iran, Belarus and Central Asian states, is seen by some Western analysts as a regional grouping by Beijing and Moscow to counter United States influence in Asia.

The CFM meeting, a key diplomatic gathering aimed at preparing the groundwork for the upcoming SCO Leaders’ Summit later this year, was convened to review progress on multilateral cooperation and set the agenda for endorsement by heads of state.


A year after maiming, Cammie the camel walks again with prosthetic limb in Pakistan

A year after maiming, Cammie the camel walks again with prosthetic limb in Pakistan
Updated 59 min 40 sec ago

A year after maiming, Cammie the camel walks again with prosthetic limb in Pakistan

A year after maiming, Cammie the camel walks again with prosthetic limb in Pakistan
  • Cammie lost her leg after a landlord in Sanghar attacked her for straying into his field for food
  • A US-based firm built a prosthetic limb for the camel cared for by a Karachi animal shelter

KARACHI: A year after being brutally maimed by a landlord who chopped off her leg in Sanghar district of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, Cammie the camel walked again Tuesday morning on all four legs with the help of a prosthetic limb, creating a euphoric feeling among her caregivers.

Cammie’s first steps came after a long period of intensive rehabilitation at the Karachi shelter of the CDRS Benji Project for Animal Welfare, which collaborated with a US-based prosthetics firm and received support from the provincial government to provide the young camel with a new limb.

“Today I am ecstatic,” Sarah Jahangir, director of the animal shelter, told Arab News. “I don’t have words for how happy I am seeing Cammie stand up on her prosthetic.”

“I am so proud of my team,” she continued.

Jahangir also expressed gratitude to Senator Qurat-Ul-Ain Marri and her sister, Shazia Marri, a provincial lawmaker in Sindh, for their support.

“I can’t thank both enough for rescuing Cammie, and trusting us and supporting us wholeheartedly.”

Cammie had wandered into a private field in Sanghar last year in search of food when a landlord, enraged by the intrusion, hacked off her front leg with a sharp weapon.

The incident led to public outcry that forced the state to intervene. Authorities filed an animal cruelty case against the landlord, arresting five people under Pakistan’s rarely enforced animal rights laws.

The prosthetic leg, specially designed by Virginia-based Bionic Pets, was delivered two months ago. Cammie’s medical team had waited for both her physical wound to heal and for her mental readiness before fitting the limb.

“She was a very scared, nervous little child,” said Sheema Khan, the shelter manager, who was crying on Tuesday when Cammie took her first steps with the new leg.

To help her emotionally overcome, Cammie was paired with another rescued camel, Callie, who became her emotional companion. Their friendship proved vital: on the night Callie arrived, Cammie stood up on her own for the first time in months.

However, the wounded camel couldn’t walk until the moment arrived on Tuesday morning.

“Seeing Cammie stand on her own is vindication of months of dedicated hard work,” Senator Qurat-Ul-Ain Marri told Arab News.

“When this tragic incident first occurred, my sister, the elected MNA from Sanghar, was appalled
 With the help of the Sindh Government and the selfless volunteers at CDRS Benji, we resolved to bring her back on her feet, and today we have managed that. Allah has been most kind.”


Pakistan monsoon death toll rises to 116 after five more killed in last 24 hours

Pakistan monsoon death toll rises to 116 after five more killed in last 24 hours
Updated 15 July 2025

Pakistan monsoon death toll rises to 116 after five more killed in last 24 hours

Pakistan monsoon death toll rises to 116 after five more killed in last 24 hours
  • The development comes as authorities warn of more downpours, flooding over the next two days
  • At least 253 people have been injured in rain-related incidents since monsoon began in late June

ISLAMABAD: At least five more people were killed in rain-related incidents in Pakistan in the last 24 hours, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Tuesday, taking the overall monsoon death toll to 116 since late June.

In Punjab, two children died after being struck by lightning in Okara, while two others were killed in a house collapse in Bahawalnagar. A man was killed in a house collapse in Sindh’s Hyderabad. At least 253 people have been injured in rain-related incidents since monsoon began in late June.

In its latest report on Tuesday, the NDMA said monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal were penetrating into central parts of Pakistan and were likely to cause thunderstorm and heavy rains.

“Scattered to widespread thunderstorm/rain with isolated heavy falls and torrential rains at few places is expected over Bahawalpur, Multan, DG Khan, Sahiwal, Lahore, Gujranwala and Faisalabad Divisions,” it said.

“Scattered thunderstorm/rain with isolated heavy falls is expected over the upper catchments of all rivers along with Islamabad, upper Sindh, east Balochistan, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, DI Khan, Rawalpindi and Sargodha Divisions.”

The authority said flash flooding due to hill torrents is expected in DG Khan and east Balochistan on July 15-16, while urban flooding is expected in major Punjab cities over the next two days.

The NDMA earlier directed authorities to ensure deployment of emergency teams, improve drainage systems and coordinate closely with local administration. It advised public to stay away from weak structures and electricity poles, avoid unnecessary travel and relocate vehicles and livestock to safer locations.

Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, arriving in early June in India and late June in Pakistan, and lasting through until September.

The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. But increasingly erratic and extreme weather patterns are turning the rains into a destructive force.

Pakistan is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.

In 2022, unprecedented monsoon floods submerged a third of Pakistan and killed 1,700 people, with some areas yet to recover from the damage. In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, including strong hailstorms.


Pakistan regulator unveils gender policy to boost women’s role in corporate, finance sectors

Pakistan regulator unveils gender policy to boost women’s role in corporate, finance sectors
Updated 15 July 2025

Pakistan regulator unveils gender policy to boost women’s role in corporate, finance sectors

Pakistan regulator unveils gender policy to boost women’s role in corporate, finance sectors
  • SECP releases draft Women EquiSmart Policy 2025–2028 for public consultation on its official website
  • It focuses on women’s leadership on boards, inclusive workplaces and gender-smart financial products

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top financial regulator on Tuesday launched a draft policy aimed at tackling gender inequality in the country’s corporate and financial sectors, seeking to improve women’s representation on company boards, expand access to finance for women entrepreneurs and make workplaces more inclusive.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) published its Women EquiSmart Policy 2025–2028 for public consultation on its website, calling it the first comprehensive gender framework for regulated sectors such as capital markets, insurance and non-banking finance.

“The draft framework reflects the SECP’s strategic shift from fragmented diversity efforts to a structured, cohesive regulatory approach to gender inclusion, aligned with national priorities and global frameworks,” the regulator said in a statement.

The draft policy is built around six pillars, including women’s leadership on boards, gender-disaggregated reporting, women’s entrepreneurship, gender-smart financial products, inclusive workplace practices and institutional capacity building.

The statement said it identifies policy gaps, proposes timelines and regulatory actions and assigns roles to key stakeholders across the public and private sectors.

While Pakistan has seen efforts in recent years to promote workplace equality — such as corporate codes encouraging gender diversity — these have largely remained voluntary and inconsistently implemented.

SECP’s proposed framework seeks to introduce a more enforceable and measurable approach to gender inclusion.


Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike

Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike
Updated 15 July 2025

Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike

Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike
  • There has been a spike in cases of mostly young men being arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022
  • Rights groups, police say many are brought to trial by private law firms, who use volunteers to scour Internet for offenders

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan court ordered a government probe on Tuesday into allegations that young people are being entrapped in online blasphemy cases, following appeals from hundreds of families.

There has been a spike in cases of mostly young men being arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022.

Rights groups and police have said that many are brought to trial by private law firms, who use volunteers to scour the Internet for offenders.

“The government will constitute a commission within a 30-day timeframe,” said Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan at Islamabad High Court, adding that the commission is required to submit its findings within four months.

Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan punishable by death, and even unsubstantiated accusations can incite public outrage, lead to lynchings and to families being shunned by society.

A report published by the government-run National Commission for Human Rights in October last year said there were 767 people, mostly young men, in jail awaiting trial over blasphemy allegations.

“This is a huge ray of hope and it’s the first time that the families have felt heard,” said lawyer Imaan Mazari, who represents the families of arrested men and women, of the court order.

“Youngsters have been falsely roped into cases of such a sensitive nature that the stigma will last forever even if they are acquitted,” she added.

A 2024 report by Punjab police into the sudden spike in cases, that was leaked to the media, found that “a suspicious gang was trapping youth in blasphemy cases” and may be motivated by financial gain.

The Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan (LCBP) is the most active of lawyers groups prosecuting young men in Pakistan.

Sheraz Ahmad Farooqi, one of the group’s leaders, told AFP in October that “God has chosen them for this noble cause.”

In recent years, several youngsters have been convicted and handed death sentences, although no execution has ever been carried out for blasphemy in Pakistan.

“We will fully support the probe commission and are confident that our voices will finally be listened to, our concerns will be heard, and the truth will come out,” the relative of one of the accused, who asked not to be named because of the backlash, told AFP.