Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government Tuesday gave November 1 as a deadline to illegal immigrants residing in the country, warning that action would be taken against them after the time limit.

Addressing a press conference following an apex committee meeting on the national action plan, the interior minister said that the huddle set November 1 as the deadline for the illegal immigrants to leave the county voluntarily.

DNA

ISLAMABAD, OCT 3: Ambassador Aybek Osmanov of Uzbekistan and Director General Ayub Jamali of the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) convened a productive meeting to discuss mutual interests and strengthen cultural cooperation between their nations.

This meeting signifies a crucial step toward solidifying cultural bonds between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, paving the way for future cultural exchange that will benefit both nations.

ISLAMABAD, OCT 3 /DNA/ – The President of Pakistan has been pleased to appoint Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf Hi (M) T Bt as Chief of the Naval Staff and promoted him to the rank of Admiral. His promotion to the rank of Admiral will be effective from the date of assuming Command of Pakistan Navy scheduled on 7 Oct 23.

Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf will succeed Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi who will relinquish the Command of Pakistan Navy. The Change of Command ceremony will be held at Islamabad.

Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf was commissioned in Operations Branch of Pakistan Navy in 1989 and he was awarded Quaid-e-Azam Gold Medal on successful completion of initial naval training at Germany and Pakistan.

During his illustrious naval career, the Flag Officer has served on various Command and Staff appointments. His rich Command experience of over 10 years include; Commanding Officer of a Gun Boat, a Mine Hunter, three Destroyers and Command of 25th & 18th Destroyer Squadrons. Besides, Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf remained Commandant of Pakistan Naval Academy and had the honour to Command Pakistan Navy Fleet. His distinguished Staff appointments include Fleet Operations Officer at HQ Commander Pakistan Fleet, Captain Training at HQ Flag Officer Sea Training, Chief Staff Officer to Task Force-151 at HQ NAVCENT Bahrain, Deputy President National Defence University, Naval Secretary, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Admin), Director General C4I, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Training & Personnel) and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations). Presently, Vice Admiral Naveed Ashraf is serving as Chief of Staff at Naval Headquarters. 

The Flag officer is a graduate of Pakistan Navy War College Lahore, National Defence University Islamabad, Naval Staff College USA and Royal College of Defence Studies UK. In recognition of his meritorious services, the Flag Officer has been awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) and Tamgha-e-Basalat.

Interior Minister says every effort shall be made to overcome artificial disparity between the PKR and the Dollar

Ansar M Bhatti

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti has said the Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir has made it clear that those officials involved in any kind of smuggling shall be court martialed.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad together with Information Minister Murtaza Solangi, the interior minister further said every effort shall be made to overcome artificial disparity between the PKR and the Dollar.

Bugti presented a one-month performance review of the Interior Ministry and shared details related to sugar and fertiliser smuggling. He mentioned the establishment of joint checkposts to prevent smuggling and the deployment of joint security force teams at the provincial borders.

Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on smugglers involved in transporting commodities and US dollars to Afghanistan under the guise of trade. This effort has yielded positive results, with reduced speculation and a significant recovery of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar.

Analysts however remain skeptical about the long-term impact of these administrative measures and fear further currency depreciation.

Bugti expressed the government’s determination to combat hawala, hundi, and other illegal activities vigorously, commending law enforcement agencies for their role in cracking down on illicit trade and activities.

According to Bugti, authorities have seized 2,200 metric tonnes of wheat, 8,000 metric tonnes of sugar, and 10,195 liters of petrol. Action was also being taken against filling stations selling sub-standard fuel and gasoline.

The interior minister reported that the government strongly discouraged the use of hawala and hundi, leading to the recovery of Rs658 million and the registration of 168 FIRs against individuals involved in the illegal trade of US dollars.

Efforts were underway to determine the actual value of the dollar, Bugti said, adding that a database to track trucks used in smuggling was also being drawn up.

Bugti emphasised that the value of the dollar had decreased with some effort, preventing further drain of foreign exchange.

The interior minister also highlighted the challenge of narcotics in Pakistan, revealing that 43 metric tonnes of drugs had been seized in an ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking.

Furthermore, Bugti reiterated allegations of Indian spy agency RAW’s involvement in recent terrorist attacks in Balochistan, and added that the government had announced a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism.

Regarding former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s return plans, Bugti expressed support for Sharif’s intention to participate in Pakistan’s politics, stating, “Regardless of what PML-N leaders said about me, I would still say that Nawaz Sharif is the leader who came back to the country with his daughter, and if he had been afraid of going to jail, he would not have come back.”

He emphasised that the government must treat every citizen, including Mian Nawaz Sharif, according to the law.

For a recent statement, Bugti had faced criticism from top PML-N leaders when he mentioned that authorities might arrest Nawaz Sharif at the airport if he had not been granted bail. He clarified that his statement had been politicised and reiterated that the caretaker government had no political agenda.

Before the presser, Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti held a meeting with Federal Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi to discuss the country’s law and order situation. They expressed condolences for the lives lost in recent bomb blasts and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to eliminating terrorists and their facilitators.

The meeting also addressed the caretaker government’s support for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in conducting the next general elections. Both ministers pledged to provide all necessary assistance to ensure free and fair elections, with Info Minister Murtaza Solangi emphasizing the government’s duty to maintain law and order and assist the ECP.