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Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
BNP chief Akhtar Mengal barred from traveling abroad, offloaded at Quetta airport
Balochistan National Party (BNP) President Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal was stopped from boarding an international flight on Sunday, with immigration officials citing his name on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL), a watchlist used to restrict international travel. According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Mengal was offloaded from a private airline flight bound for Dubai at Quetta International Airport. The officials said his name being on the PNIL was the reason he was prevented from flying. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mengal confirmed the incident and said he was informed by immigration staff at the airport that he could not travel because his name was listed on the PNIL. 'I was scheduled to fly to Dubai, but was offloaded without prior notice,' he said. The move has sparked condemnation from senior BNP leaders. Former federal minister Agha Hassan Baloch and Ghulam Nabi Marri termed the act 'illegal and unconstitutional.' Mengal and BNP are supporters of terrorists: PPP They emphasised that Mengal is still a sitting member of the National Assembly, and his resignation, submitted earlier, has not yet been officially accepted. 'The government has no legal grounds to bar a serving MNA from international travel,' the BNP leaders said, calling for an immediate explanation from the authorities concerned. Mengal, a key voice from Balochistan in the federal legislature, has been vocal about rights violations in the province and the enforced disappearances issue. The travel restriction is likely to draw further criticism from political and human rights circles, who see such actions as part of a broader clampdown on dissenting voices.
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Pakistan punishes parrot sellers for selling birds to a journalist they don't like: No, this is not a joke
Rozi Khan from Karachi found his bank account blocked. The bank said it was linked to his dealings with journalist Asad Ali Toor, who had bought parrots from him. Khan was left confused and upset. The 29-year-old bird seller learnt the account was closed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). 'Why would they suspend my account for dealing with a customer who just happens to be a journalist?' wondered Khan while speaking to Al Jazeera. But, he is not the only one. In cities like Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Sargodha in Pakistan, bird sellers face the same problem. Their bank accounts are being closed after they sell birds to Toor. Nadeem Nasir, a 60-year-old businessman from Lahore, learned that his account had been shut. He last sold parrots to Toor in early 2024 but received no warning. 'It was only after I managed to get in touch with some FIA officials through my contacts that they asked me about my relationship with Toor. That's when I realised what had happened,' he told the publication. Asad Ali Toor is a journalist and YouTuber from Islamabad. The 40-year-old is known for speaking openly against the government, courts and Pakistan Army. The FIA blocked bank accounts linked to Toor, including those of his family. 'I only found out about the account suspension after my cousin told me his account had been frozen due to transactions with me,' Toor told the publication. 'As I looked into it, I discovered that my own account along with those of my family and even my bird sellers had been locked without any prior warning or notification from the bank or the FIA,' he added. He has 3.35 lakh YouTube subscribers and over 3.55 lakh followers on X (formerly Twitter). In 2021, unknown men attacked him at home. He believes they were from military intelligence. He was arrested again in 2024 for posting 'anti-state' content online. The YouTuber stayed in jail for 18 days. Recently, his YouTube channel was listed among 27 channels to be banned for similar reasons. A court later cancelled the suspension. Toor is known for his love for birds. He spends over 50,000 Pakistani rupees ( ₹ 15,000) each month to care for his parrots. He pays for this hobby using money earned from his online work. For over a month, Toor had no access to his bank money, and he depended on friends for help. In May, a court told the FIA to restore his account. The FIA claimed they were checking for 'anti-state income' and money laundering. However, according to the court, Toor's rights were denied. His account has now been restored, but his family's accounts remain blocked.
News18
4 days ago
- Business
- News18
Only In Pakistan: Journalist Criticises Government But Parrot Sellers Pay The Price
Last Updated: The issue first surfaced in April when 29-year-old parrot seller Rozi Khan, based in Karachi, discovered his bank account had been shut down Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has frozen the bank accounts of prominent independent journalist Asad Ali Toor and multiple bird sellers nationwide over transactions connected to parrot sales. The issue first surfaced in April when 29-year-old parrot seller Rozi Khan, based in Karachi, discovered his bank account had been shut down. After completing a routine sale in Islamabad, he tried to withdraw money but received an 'Invalid bank account" message at the ATM. His bank manager later informed him that the account was frozen on 10 April under an FIA directive, Pakistan-based The Friday Times reported. 'I sell birds to all sorts of people," Rozi told the outlet. 'I had no idea that selling parrots to a journalist could lead to this." The freezes are not limited to Rozi. Sellers in Lahore, Sargodha, Rawalpindi, and other cities have also found their accounts blocked after trading with Toor. One such seller, 60-year-old businessman Nadeem Nasir from Lahore, said that his account was frozen without warning after a cheque unexpectedly bounced, Al Jazeera reported. When he contacted FIA officials, they questioned him about Asad Ali Toor. 'I have known Asad for the last five years and have developed good relations with him," Nasir said. 'But the last time he purchased parrots from me was in 2023 and early 2024. Since then, there has been no business transaction between us." Asad Ali Toor is a well-known YouTuber and outspoken critic of the government, boasting over 335,000 subscribers. He has a noted passion for rare parrots and reportedly spends over Rs 50,000 per month on their care. While Toor's bank accounts, along with those of his parents, brother, and cousin, were frozen, sellers who have dealt with him also suffered similar restrictions. Toor learned of the bank freeze after a cousin alerted him. 'It's not just me," he said. 'Even people who sold me birds are being punished. It's absurd." Neither the FIA nor other Pakistani authorities have publicly commented on the matter or announced any formal charges related to the freezes. Notably, Toor's YouTube channel was targeted for suspension earlier this year, along with 26 others, for 'anti-state" content — though a sessions court reversed that suspension two days later. view comments Location : Pakistan Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Mint
13-07-2025
- Mint
Pakistani man buys ticket to Karachi, wakes up in Saudi Arabia, sues Airline: 'blamed me for the mistake'
In a bizarre travel blunder that has sparked headlines in Pakistan, a domestic passenger bound for Karachi ended up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, despite not carrying a passport or visa. The incident has raised serious questions about security and verification procedures at Lahore airport. The passenger, Shahzain, had booked a routine domestic flight from Lahore to Karachi with a private airline. But instead of landing in the southern Pakistani city, he found himself on international soil in Jeddah, without even realising he had boarded the wrong flight. 'Two planes were parked at the domestic terminal gate. I handed over my ticket, and no one stopped me. I only realised something was wrong two hours into the flight,' Shahzain told ARY News. According to him, airline staff failed to verify his boarding pass properly or notice the absence of international travel documents. 'When I asked why we hadn't reached Karachi, the crew panicked and blamed me for the mistake,' he said, adding that he was later informed it could take up to three days to arrange his return. Shahzain has now issued a legal notice to the airline, accusing it of gross negligence and demanding compensation for the ordeal, including travel costs and emotional distress. The legal fiasco has also caught the attention of Pakistan's airport authorities. According to reports, the Lahore Airport Management has held the airline accountable for the lapse and has submitted a formal request for disciplinary action. A senior airport official told ARY News, 'This is a clear case of negligence and carelessness on the airline's part. The passenger had no passport or visa. He should never have been allowed on an international flight.' The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is expected to conduct an inquiry into how a passenger without valid travel documents cleared boarding and ended up overseas. The airline has not yet issued an official statement.
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
No visa, no passport: Pakistani man lands in Jeddah instead of Karachi after boarding wrong flight
A passenger travelling from Lahore to Karachi was mistakenly flown to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by a private airline despite not carrying a passport or visa, prompting him to issue a legal notice against the carrier. Pakistani man bound for Karachi mistakenly flown to Jeddah without passport.(Representational image/ AFP File) The passenger, Shahzain, has now sent a legal notice to the private airline, accusing it of negligence and seeking compensation for the ordeal, ARY News reported. According to Shahzain, he boarded the wrong aircraft after presenting his ticket to the crew. 'Two planes were parked at the domestic terminal gate, and I was unaware of the mistake until it was too late,' he said. He claimed that no airline staff informed him of the error despite checking his boarding pass. He only realised something was amiss two hours into the flight. 'I questioned why the plane had not yet reached Karachi. This caused panic among the crew, who then blamed me for the mistake,' he said, adding that he was later told it would take two to three days to arrange his return. 'I was told that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would conduct an inquiry, to which I assured [them of] my cooperation,' he was quoted by ARY News as saying. The legal notice sent to the airline demands reimbursement for the unexpected travel costs and compensation for the distress caused. Shahzain maintains that the airline is responsible for failing to verify his documentation and for allowing him to board an international flight without travel papers. The incident has drawn the attention of the Pakistan Airport Authority, with the Lahore Airport Management reportedly holding the airline accountable. A senior airport official said the passenger's arrival in Jeddah was due to the airline's 'negligence and carelessness,' and that a formal request for action had been submitted to the relevant authorities, the report added. With ANI inputs
