��������

ISLAMABAD: Public life in the Pakistani twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi remained disrupted for a second day on Saturday, with roads blocked, mobile Internet suspended and reports of clashes between police and supporters of a religio-political party.

The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) this week urged its supporters to stage a protest outside the United States (US) embassy in Islamabad to express solidarity with Palestine, prompting authorities to raid its headquarters in Lahore.

Clashes have since been reported in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other cities, where police have placed shipping containers and fired tear gas to keep the protesters from marching to Islamabad. Protesters hurled stones at officers in response.

TLP is known for street mobilization and agitational politics, often invoking blasphemy-related issues or religious grievances. Since its rise in 2017, the group has repeatedly staged mass sit-ins and marches to Islamabad, many of which have paralyzed the capital and key highways for days.

“No group will be allowed to march on Islamabad or any other city under any circumstances,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said as he reviewed security arrangements in Islamabad’s Faizabad area on Friday night.

“No one can be permitted to take the law into their own hands.”

Educational institutions remain closed and authorities suspended the Metro bus service in the twin cities, while residents said they faced difficulties due to the suspension of mobile Internet service.

In a statement, TLP claimed that 11 of its supporters had been killed and 50 others injured since Thursday. There was no immediate comment from authorities in response to the claim.

The protest comes after Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire plan brokered by US President Donald Trump.

On Friday, State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said the government was making efforts to prevent TLP’s march toward Islamabad through peaceful means, asserting that the state “would not be blackmailed by mobs.”

“The main party to the issue is the Palestinians, and they are celebrating the recent peace deal,” he said, questioning the rationale behind the march.

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has left for the United States to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank annual meetings, the Pakistani finance ministry said on Saturday, with Islamabad seeking an early staff-level agreement with the IMF.

Pakistan secured a $7 billion, 37-month Extended Fund Facility in Sept. last year, followed by a $1.4 billion, 28-month Resilience and Sustainability Facility in May, to bankroll its economy.

The IMF this week said the two sides have made “significant progress” toward a staff-level agreement on reviews of the South Asian country’s $8.4 loans, the lender said late Wednesday.

Aurangzeb on Friday reaffirmed that talks with the IMF mission remained constructive, with only a few outstanding issues, and expressed optimism about reaching a deal shortly during his meetings in Washington.

“Aurangzeb will meet with senior officials of the IMF, World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) during his visit to the US,” the finance ministry said.

“The finance minister will also meet IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the G24 and Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP) countries platforms.”

He will discuss tax proposals and investment opportunities in Pakistan with officials and members of the US-Pakistan Business Council, according to his ministry.

During the visit, the finance minister will also meet officials of global credit rating agencies and commercial banks, especially Middle Eastern investment banks.

Pakistan’s $7 billion IMF program implementation remained strong and broadly aligned with commitments, while progress was made in discussions on fiscal consolidation to strengthen public finances, according to the lender.

Aurangzeb said on Friday the government is finalizing rapid damage assessments following recent floods and will prioritize the use of domestic resources for rescue and relief operations, before considering external assistance for rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Pakistan’s recent floods, triggered by heavy monsoon rains and India’s release of excess water, have killed more than 1,037 people and affected another over 4 million, besides damaging standing crops, homes and road network. The government has initially estimated the losses at Rs370 billion ($1.31 billion), though a detailed assessment has yet to be made.

“The IMF team wants to express its sympathy to those affected by the recent floods, and is grateful to the Pakistani authorities, private sector, and development partners for many fruitful discussions,” the global lender said this week.