Displaying items by tag: Pakistan

Record-breaking smog is blanketing eastern Pakistan and northern India, creating hazardous conditions which are even visible in satellite images. A dense haze stretches from Pakistan’s Punjab province to India, impacting tens of millions. Lahore’s air quality index hit a hazardous 1,200, far exceeding the danger threshold of 300. The fine pollutant PM2.5, linked to serious health risks, registered 110 times over safe levels. Hospitals are overwhelmed, with over 30,000 cases of respiratory issues reported. Schools, government offices, and public spaces have been closed for a week. Children are particularly vulnerable, as UNICEF warns that over 11 million under-fives are exposed to toxic air. Authorities are urging cooperation with India to address this cross-border crisis. The climate crisis and reliance on fossil fuels compound the issue, contributing to deadly pollution worldwide.

A court in Islamabad has sentenced Shagufta Kiran, a Christian mother of four, to death for sharing allegedly blasphemous content on social media. Convicted under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, she also faces a seven-year prison sentence and a huge fine. Kiran was arrested in 2021 after forwarding a WhatsApp message which her husband claims she did not understand. Since then, the family has been threatened, forcing them to move repeatedly. Kiran's lawyer plans to appeal, while international concerns grow over the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, particularly against religious minorities. Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK, highlighted the urgent need for reform, stating that these laws are being used to persecute minorities and cause widespread injustice. He urged the international community to pressure Pakistan for legal reforms to safeguard religious freedom and protect innocent individuals from wrongful persecution.

On 26 March five Chinese nationals and a Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide attack near Besham city. They were en route from Islamabad to Dasu, where a Chinese company is building a hydroelectric dam. Four bodies have been recovered, while two remain unidentified due to burns. No group has claimed responsibility, and Chinese officials have not commented. Chinese investment in Pakistan has faced other threats from armed groups; in 2021, a bus bombing killed 13, including nine Chinese. This was the third attack in a week: on 18 March five separatists attacked a naval base in Balochistan, killing one soldier; all assailants were also killed. The Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility. On 20 March, another BLA attack in Gwadar port killed two soldiers and eight fighters. Gwadar is pivotal to the $62bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

Three women have been convicted of the brutal murder of Safoora Bibi, a schoolteacher at an Islamic seminary in Dera Ismail Khan, in March 2022. The main suspect, Umra Aman, planned the attack with her two nieces, who were students at the school; they were allegedly prompted by a dream accusing Bibi of blasphemy. The killing has highlighted the pervasive issue of vigilante attacks in the country, fuelled by Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws. Despite the government's stated zero-tolerance policy, reluctance to repeal or reform these laws persists due to pressure from hard-line Islamist groups. Over 90 blasphemy-related killings have occurred in Pakistan in the past seven decades, with a significant rise in recent years.

72-year-old Christian Younis Bhatti has been discharged from a blasphemy case after the accuser, Sosan Fatima, admitted to falsely accusing him. Fatima had alleged that Bhatti desecrated the Quran, but confessed to a conspiracy to prevent him from dividing property. Bhatti has been reunited with his family, but it was not thought safe for him to return home immediately. The incident had led to protests, prompting many Christians to flee. Bhatti's discharge, facilitated by a Christian rights organisation, was hailed as a miracle. Blasphemy accusations in Pakistan,often used to settle personal scores, can result in death sentences. Fatima's husband escaped police custody, leading to the suspension of the policemen who were with him, but was later recaptured. This case highlights the misuse of blasphemy laws and the risks faced by religious minorities in Pakistan.

Marius Werner, a young German, anonymously donated stem cells that saved the life of British doctor Dr Nick Embleton, who was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer. Unable to find a match in the UK, the search extended globally, leading to Marius. Two years after the transplant, BBC News facilitated their meeting. Nick, a veteran neonatal doctor, feared for his life upon diagnosis but now cherishes family time. Bone marrow transplants require matching donors,and both donor and patient remain anonymous initially. After a successful transplant, Nick expressed a desire to meet Marius. They met in Newcastle. Marius, overwhelmed, shared how he had been suicidal, but this opportunity to save someone brought new purpose to his life. Their meeting saw the fostering of a bond between these two ‘blood brothers’, who were brought together by a life-saving act of kindness.

Two major parties, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), have agreed to form a coalition government following inconclusive national elections. PMLN president Shehbaz Sharif, who will be the prime ministerial candidate, has stated that they have the necessary numbers to govern. Asif Ali Zardari of the PPP will be the presidential candidate. Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which won the most seats but lacked a majority, accused rivals of stealing their mandate. Claims of vote-rigging have been fuelled by a confession by a top official who has implicated the head of the election commission and a top judge. This has prompted protests, due to which social media platform X has been inaccessible. The delay in forming a government had caused concern; the country is grappling with an economic crisis amid slow growth and record inflation and rising violence by armed groups. It needs a stable administration with the authority to take tough decisions.

On 31 January Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years in prison for illegally profiting from state gifts. The court also imposed a fine of approximately £4.2 million on the couple and barred him from holding public office for ten years. On the previous day he and the vice-chairman of PTI, his political party, were given a ten-year sentence for leaking classified state documents. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68138591 These convictions come just a week before a general election in which he is disqualified from participating. The sentences are expected to run concurrently, but this has not been officially confirmed. Khan's legal team plans to appeal the rulings in the High Court. He has been in jail since August; Bushra Bibi, who had been out on remand, surrendered herself at the jail. The charges revolve around allegations (which they strongly deny) that they sold or kept state gifts received during their time in office including a jewelry set from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. See also last week’s article.

On 18 January Pakistan launched retaliatory airstrikes against alleged ‘terrorist hideouts’ in Iran, killing seven. This followed Iran's strikes on Pakistani soil on the 16th, resulting in the deaths of two children, which targeted Jaish al-Adl, an ethnic Baloch Sunni group which has previously launched attacks inside Iran. Pakistan stated that its actions were based on credible intelligence of impending large-scale terrorist activities and emphasised its respect for Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The airstrikes have heightened tensions in the region, adding to the broader Middle East crisis. Earlier in the week, Iran also conducted strikes in Iraq and Syria, targeting the alleged perpetrators of the bomb attack in Kerman which claimed 84 lives. China, a key ally of both countries, called for restraint and de-escalation in the situation. Pakistan's action is seen as an attempt to restore deterrence amid the volatile dynamics in the region.

2024 will see the most extensive year of elections ever, with 4.2 billion people in 76 countries set to vote. However, the state of democracy appears precarious; global reports show it contracting, accompanied by widespread disillusionment, especially among the youth. Elections often fail to rekindle faith in democracy, and authoritarian leaders often exploit them to their own ends. Moreover, elections can expose democracies to external threats, exemplified by Taiwan (13 January), under great pressure from its neighbour China. The one in Bangladesh (8 January) merely solidifies existing rule, with the main opposition party abstaining. In February Pakistan's election may escalate the conflict between Imran Khan and the military, while in Indonesia the outgoing president is backing a candidate who has a record of human rights abuses. 17 March will demonstrate a stark contrast: Russia's vote will proceed while Ukraine's may be postponed to protect its voters from being killed by Russian bombs. In South Africa, maybe as early as May, an opposition coalition could take power - but would that make any significant difference? The month-long election in India carries concerns over prime minister Narendra Modi’s growing authoritarianism. In June the EU assembly elections, the world's second-largest, may see far-right, anti-democratic parties making significant gains, further complicating the global democratic landscape.