Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government has launched a major crackdown against proscribed organizations operating in the country banned by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by freezing bank accounts and assets, local reports said on Tuesday.

The reports quoted the country's Foreign Ministry as reporting that the government had issued an order to streamline the procedure for implementation of UNSC sanctions against designated individuals and entities.

Islamabad, Mar 5 (PTI) Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar's brother was among 44 members of the banned militant outfits arrested by authorities in Pakistan, amid mounting pressure from the global community on Islamabad to rein in the terror groups operating on its soil.

Mufti Abdur Rauf, brother of Azhar, and Hammad Azhar are 44 people arrested during the crackdown, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi said at a press conference here.

He said a dossier shared by India with Pakistan last week also contained names of Mufti Abdur Rauf and Hammad Azhar.

ISLAMABAD, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said here on Tuesday that trade and investment is one of the main focuses of his government's foreign policy and he wants to further promote it to attract foreign investment, local media reported.

In a meeting with local business community, the prime minister said that after coming to power last year, the government successfully overcame the challenge of stabilizing the economy, and now their next focus is to promote economic growth in the country.

Islamabad, Mar 4 (PTI) In an unusual move, Pakistan's ruling party on Monday tweeted in chaste Hindi Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement that the person who solves the Kashmir issue will be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.

"Main Nobel Shanti Puraskaar Ke Yogya Nahi Hun. Is(ka) Yogya Vyakti Vah Hoga Jo Kashmiri Logo Ki Iccha Ke Anusar Kashmir Vivaad Ka Samadhaan Karta Hai aur Upmahadweep Main Shanti aur Manav Vikash Ka Marg Prashasth Karta Hai," the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf pary tweeted quoting Khan, in an obvious move to catch the attention of Indian Twitterarti.

A resolution was submitted in Pakistan Parliament to endorse Imran Khan for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for de-escalating tensions with India. Responding to the submission, PM Khan said in his tweet that the person worthy of the award would be “the one who solves the Kashmir dispute”.

Lahore, Mar 3; PTI/GANASHAKTI: Flight operations resumed at Lahore airport on Sunday after being suspended for over 72 hours as Pakistan's airspace was closed in the wake of escalating tensions with India.

Pakistan on Wednesday closed its airspace for commercial flights and suspended flight operations across major airports, including in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, for an indefinite period.

Islamabad, Mar 2; PTI/GANASHAKTI:  Pakistan was not under "pressure" or "any compulsion" to release Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday, a day after the IAF Wing Commander returned home.

India has been maintaining that the Pakistani decision is in consonance with the Geneva Conventions.

Pakistan was under intense pressure from the US, the UAE and Saudi Arabia to de-escalate the tensions with India in the wake of the Pulwama attack and release the Indian pilot.

Islamabad, Mar 1 (PTI) Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday announced that he will not attend a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) being hosted by the United Arab Emirates over the grouping's failure to rescind the invitation to his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.

Swaraj has been invited to the OIC meeting as a guest of honour despite strong protest from Pakistan. Qureshi informed Parliament that he would not be attending the conference in the UAE on March 1-2.

Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan has announced that his country will return the captured Indian air force pilot as a “peace gesture” to its neighbour. This is a significant step towards reducing tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries.

Wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured after his jet was shot down in Azad Kashmir on Wednesday.

BANGKOK (AP) — A temporary closure of air space over Pakistan snarled air traffic Thursday, especially between Asia and Europe, though some airlines adjusted by rerouting their flights.

In Bangkok, an important and busy hub for transcontinental flights, thousands of travelers were stranded.

Bangkok airport officials said over 4,000 travelers were affected. Those needing help were getting access to accommodations and alternative travel arrangements, they said, though some of those stranded complained they were getting no help at all.