“NPC, PFUJ, Türkish embassy decide to organize trade, tourism conference”

ISLAMABAD: DEC 30 /DNA/ – Ambassador of Türkiye to Pakistan Irfan Neziroglu on Monday said that Pakistan Union of Journalist and National Press Club Islamabad can be Catalyst for promoting Pakistan and Türkiye bilateral economic, diplomatic and cultural ties in future.

Pakistan and Turkish economic cooperation is needed for hours and National press Club Islamabad can play a pivotal role in this sector and other activities including international trade conferences from the platform of the National Press Club to be held in near future.

He expressed these views during a meeting with a representative delegation of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), National Press Club Islamabad and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) at the Turkish here.

The delegation comprised included President , PFUJ Muhammad Afzal Butt, President National Press Club Azhar Jatoi, Secretary National Press Club, Nayyar Ali, Secretary Finance NPC,  Waqar Abbasi, President RIUJ,  Tariq Ali Virk, Finance Secretary Nadeem Chaudhry and Joint Secretary Gulzar Khan were present.

Ambassador of Türkiye said that the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Turkey have historical significance and bilateral ties are rooted in long history.

The envoy said the relations established after the independence of Pakistan but during the eras of Late Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Ex. President of Pakistan General Zia-ul-Haq has become stronger and deeper in later decades.

The Turkish envoy said the proportion of young people in the population of Turkey and Pakistan makes them common and this potential to impact on the future economic strength of both sides.

“We are working to strengthen bilateral cooperation, bilateral trade and tourism and enhance the connectivity between both sides of the young population to exploit the bilateral potential.”

He said people-to -people connectivity between both sides are stronger and “We have good ties with every school of thought and institution in Pakistan.

The Turkish Ambassador in a meeting with the media leaders delegation said that the Turkish Embassy Islamabad is in constant contact with the institutions of inter-institutional cooperation, Chamber of Commerce and trade and Higher Education of Pakistan.

The envoy said that the trade volume between Pakistan and Türkiye is not according to its true potential  and there is a dire need for increased bilateral trade.

He appreciated the offer of PFUJ and National Press Club to organize conferences on trade and tourism between the two countries along with other stakeholders and said that “We wish to meet people of every school of thought in Pakistan and work for their welfare.

The Türkiye Ambassador said that the Türkiye International Cooperation organization TEKA is playing its due role in this regard.

He also expressed his keen interest in the tourism and hospitality sector in Pakistan.

The Turkish ambassador also showed his interest in the activities organized for children and families at the National Press Club in the Ramadan Festival.

He also assured the delegation of playing its due role in other matters including the Journalist exchange program between Türkiye and Pakistan.

The Turkish ambassador welcomed the suggestions made by PFUJ President Afzal Butt, National Press Club President Azhar Jatoi and Secretary NPC Nayyar Ali in the meeting.

Ambassador of Türkiye to Pakistan Irfan Neziroglu on Monday said that Pakistan Union of Journalist and National Press Club Islamabad can be Catalyst for promoting Pakistan and Türkiye bilateral economic, diplomatic and cultural ties in future.

Pakistan and Turkish economic cooperation is needed for hours and National press Club Islamabad can play a pivotal role in this sector and other activities including international trade conferences from the platform of the National Press Club to be held in near future.

He expressed these views during a meeting with a representative delegation of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), National Press Club Islamabad and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) at the Turkish here.

The delegation comprised included President , PFUJ Muhammad Afzal Butt, President National Press Club Azhar Jatoi, Secretary National Press Club, Nayyar Ali, Secretary Finance NPC,  Waqar Abbasi, President RIUJ,  Tariq Ali Virk, Finance Secretary Nadeem Chaudhry and Joint Secretary Gulzar Khan were present.

Ambassador of Türkiye said that the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Turkey have historical significance and bilateral ties are rooted in long history.

The envoy said the relations established after the independence of Pakistan but during the eras of Late Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Ex. President of Pakistan General Zia-ul-Haq has become stronger and deeper in later decades.

The Turkish envoy said the proportion of young people in the population of Turkey and Pakistan makes them common and this potential to impact on the future economic strength of both sides.

“We are working to strengthen bilateral cooperation, bilateral trade and tourism and enhance the connectivity between both sides of the young population to exploit the bilateral potential.”

He said people-to -people connectivity between both sides are stronger and “We have good ties with every school of thought and institution in Pakistan.

The Turkish Ambassador in a meeting with the media leaders delegation said that the Turkish Embassy Islamabad is in constant contact with the institutions of inter-institutional cooperation, Chamber of Commerce and trade and Higher Education of Pakistan.

The envoy said that the trade volume between Pakistan and Türkiye is not according to its true potential  and there is a dire need for increased bilateral trade.

He appreciated the offer of PFUJ and National Press Club to organize conferences on trade and tourism between the two countries along with other stakeholders and said that “We wish to meet people of every school of thought in Pakistan and work for their welfare.

The Türkiye Ambassador said that the Türkiye International Cooperation organization TEKA is playing its due role in this regard.

He also expressed his keen interest in the tourism and hospitality sector in Pakistan.

The Turkish ambassador also showed his interest in the activities organized for children and families at the National Press Club in the Ramadan Festival.

He also assured the delegation of playing its due role in other matters including the Journalist exchange program between Türkiye and Pakistan.

The Turkish ambassador welcomed the suggestions made by PFUJ President Afzal Butt, National Press Club President Azhar Jatoi and Secretary NPC Nayyar Ali in the meeting.

Security Landscape of Pakistan’s 2024

With at least 685 fatalities and 444 terror attacks suffered, 2024 turned out to be the deadliest year for Pakistan’s civil and military security forces in a decade.

Equally alarming were the cumulative losses of civilians and security personnel, i.e. 1612 fatalities, accounting for over 63% of the totalrecorded this year and marking 73% more losses compared to 934 outlaws eliminated.

The overall fatalities recorded this year were a record 9-year high, and over 66% more than 2023. On average, nearly seven lives were lost daily, with November emerging as the deadliest month across all metrics, compared to all other months of the year.

The violence took the heaviest toll onKhyber Pakhtunkhwa which topped in human losses with 1616 fatalities, followed by Balochistan with 782 fatalities.

Key findings of the Annual Security Report 2024 issued by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Pakistan.

Overall Toll

In 2024, Pakistan suffered2546 violence-linked fatalities and 2267 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws. This tally of casualties stemmed from 1166 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations, marking a grim year for country’s security landscape.

Comparison with 2023

Compared to last year, these figures mark, i) an over 66% surge in violence (2546 vs 1533 fatalities), ii) over 55% more injuries (2267 vs 1462), and iii) around 49% more incidents (1166 vs 784).

Regional Impact | KP & Balochistan – Battleground Provinces

KP and Balochistan accounted for 94% of all fatalities and 89% of all incidents across the country. While KP suffered most of fatalities (over 63%) recorded this year, followed by Balochistan (31%), the highest surge in violence, compared to last year, however was recorded in the latter province (90%), followed by the former (65%), and it disregards 260% surge in Islamabad as the number of fatalities remains very low in comparison (26).

The Deadliest Month

November was the deadliest month across all metrics; with the highest number of attacks (125), fatalities (450) and injuries (625) recorded compared to all other months of the year.

Shifting Trends Over the Decade

The fatalities recorded this year mark a record 9-year high, exceeding the 2016 level (2432) and highest since 2015 (4366). Moreover, the data collected over the last 10 years shows a sharp downward trend from 2015 to 2020, with fatalities declining each year by around 33% on average. This 6-year long declining and in fact, an encouraging trend in Pakistan’s security landscape, was followed by resurgence in 2021. This is evident from the fact that violence in Pakistan constantly surged by 38% spike in 2021, 15% in 2022, 56% in 2023 and 66% in 2024 (almost 44% yearly surge in violence on average since 2021).

District-Level Insights | Hotspots in KP and Balochistan

The highest number of violence and counter-violence-linked fatalities were recorded in KP’s newly merged districts bordering Afghanistan such as Kurram, North Waziristan, Khyber; other districts in KP with significant fatalities included Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, and Lakki Marwat. These districts were followed by Balochistan’s districts of Quetta, Kech, Kalat, and Musakhail.

Moreover, the fatalities in these most severely affected districts of Balochistan in 2024 alone were nearly equal to their combined total recorded over the previous three years (2021–2023), while a similar trend was observed in the hardest-hit districts of KP.

Civilians, Security Forces and Outlaws Fatalities | Alarming Disparities

In 2024, an alarming disparity was observed between:

i) fatalities of civilians and security personnel vs outlaws:

Against 934 outlaws eliminated, the civilians and security personnel suffered 1612 fatalities, which account fornearly 73% more losses compared to outlaws. Their combined losses accounted for over 63% of all fatalities compared to outlaws’ making up 37% of total losses recorded this year.

ii) number of terror attacks against civilians and security forces vs counter-terror operations against outlaws: The terror attacks on security officials and civilians outnumbered the security operations conducted against the outlaws, by nearly four times i.e. 909 terror attacks vs 257 security operations.

Security Forces Under Siege

In 2024, the security forces personnel also suffered the highest number of terror attacks and fatalities in a decade, i.e. 444 terror attacks and 685 fatalities. This figure exceeds the 2015 level where they suffered 298 attacks and 415 fatalities, and is highest since 2014 (543 terror attacks and 781 fatalities).

The number of terror attacks against them and the resulting losses continued to decline from 2015 to 2020, for 6 consecutive years. Starting 2021, a resurgence was recorded across both these metrics which continued each successive year till the period under review.

Resurgence in Militancy and Insurgency

Historical data on militancy and insurgency-related fatalities, similar to the previous trend on overall fatalities, indicates a sharp upward trend since 2021. The fatalities resulting from militants’ attacks – after continuing to decline for 7 consecutive years (from 2014 to 2020) by a yearly average of around 29%, surged each year from 2021 onwards till the period under review, by the average of 38%.

The declining trend in insurgency observed since 2014 also reversed sharply in 2022, with the violence escalating by 38% in 2022, 118% in 2023, and 192% in 2024 (116% surge each year on average).

Sectarian Violence

Sectarian violence in 2024 claimed 182 lives and left 234 people injured. The majority of the victims were Shias, with 79 killed and 35 injured, followed by Sunnis, who suffered 21 fatalities and 72 injuries. Incidents involving both Shia and Sunni communities resulted in 79 deaths and 117 injuries. Additionally, the violence claimed the lives of 2 Ahmadis and 1 Christian.

Historical data on sectarian violence against Shia and Sunni communities reveals a deeply troubling trend, where between 2015 and 2020, sectarian violence claimed 467 lives. Alarmingly, this figure rose to 487 in the subsequent four years (2021–2024), underscoring the escalating nature of this threat and its growing impact on Pakistan’s security landscape.

ISLAMABAD: DEC 30 /DNA/ – The Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Monday lauded the Ankara Declaration which would resolve the differences between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) and the Federal Republic of Somalia.

The Ankara Declaration came under discussion during a meeting between Dr. Jemal Beker, Special Envoy and Ambassador Extraordinary of the FDR Ethiopia to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, and H.E. Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, Additional Secretary (Africa) for the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.

During the meeting, Ambassador Dr. Jemal praised the crucial role played by the Republic of Türkiye in mediating the dialogue between the two sisterly countries for resolving their differences which would further integrate the region and ensure regional peace, prosperity and development.

He said the Ankara Declaration is a manifestation of the comprehensive foreign policy reforms undertaken by the Government of Ethiopia, which gives top priority and focus to its neighboring countries to integrate the region by ensuring lasting peace and sustainable development.

The Ambassador said the declaration is based on a win-win scenario and aimed at accomplishing peace and stability in the region, and providing Ethiopia an access to sea as enshrined in the international laws. 

The FDR Ethiopia has rendered numerous sacrifices for global peace by consistently participating in the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in the region and beyond, the Ambassador remarked.

On the other hand, Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan commended the Ankara Declaration as a crucial initiative for the regional peace, stability and development.

The dialogue is only solution for all the problems, he said while acknowledging the pivotal role played by the FDR Ethiopia in regional peace and stability. 

During the meeting, both sides also reviewed the full spectrum of the relations between the FDR Ethiopia and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and also discussed future initiatives for further strengthening their bilateral ties including the Single Country Exhibition scheduled for May, 2025 in Addis Ababa.

ISLAMABAD: DEC 30 /DNA/ – As Pakistan stands at a critical juncture, it is essential for the nation to address the deepening challenges threatening its future. Time is running out, and the people of Pakistan—custodians of the great Indus civilization—must not be allowed to sink into despair or delusion about the present or the future. Immediate action is needed to secure the fundamental human rights that every citizen is entitled to, including access to education, clean drinking water, healthcare, safety, and the freedom of expression within a thriving society, not merely one that survives.

The path forward requires the unity of all Pakistanis—young and old, rural and urban, privileged and marginalized, rich and poor, civilian and military. It is only through collective action that we can address the critical socio-economic issues that face the nation. We must dismantle all forms of discrimination, whether based on gender, religion, sect, class, caste, or geography, in order to meet the global, regional, and national challenges ahead.

This vision can only be achieved when people come together through a bottom-up approach, developing plans and programs for implementation within deliberative democratic processes. By fostering collaboration and ensuring active participation, we can create a knowledge-based society that provides opportunities for all and a safe, inclusive, and flourishing environment for future generations.

This will require building institutions that support strong local governance, provincial self-sufficiency, and effective federal coordination to ensure national harmony. We must create a society that eliminates the push factors which force individuals to risk their lives in search of better opportunities abroad.

Now is the time for action. Let us unite and begin working toward a brighter, more sustainable future for Pakistan—starting today.