Latest news with #GovernmentofTajikistan
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Pakistan won't let India cross water treaty red line: PM
DUSHANBE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday warned that Pakistan would not allow India to cross the red line by holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and endangering millions of lives for narrow political gains, outrightly rejecting weaponization of water. Addressing the three-day high-level international conference on Glaciers' Preservation being held in Dushanbe from May 29-31, 2025, Shehbaz Sharif said 'Delhi's unilateral and illegal decision to hold in abeyance the Indus Water Treaty, which governs the sharing of the Indus Basin's water, is deeply regrettable. Millions of lives must not be held hostage to narrow political gains, and Pakistan will not allow this. We will never allow the red line to be crossed.' Shehbaz Sharif warned that there are 13,000 glaciers in Pakistan and they are fast melting due to climate change. 'Pakistan gets half of its water from these glaciers and Sindh River is its lifeline,' he added. Apprising the participants about the impacts of climate change on Pakistan, the prime minister reaffirmed the country's unwavering commitment to environmental protection and glacier conservation. The international conference is being attended by over 2,500 delegates from 80 UN member states and 70 international organizations, including prime ministers, vice-presidents, ministers, and UN assistant secretaries-general. In his comprehensive address, Shehbaz Sharif touched all the relevant issues, including glacial preservation, Pakistan's climate vulnerability, 2022 floods in Pakistan, global climate action and responsibility, scientific projections on glacial melt, weaponization of water and call to protect nature and humanity's shared destiny. 'The world today bears fresh scars from the use of conventional weapons in Gaza that have left deep wounds. As if that were not enough, we are now witnessing an alarming new low—the weaponization of water,' he told the international conference being hosted by Government of Tajikistan in collaboration with the United Nations, UNESCO, WMO, the Asian Development Bank, and other key partners as a historic moment for climate ambition, glacier preservation, and international cooperation. The 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, through a resolution, had declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, 21st of March as World Day for Glaciers starting in 2025, and that the Government of Tajikistan will host the International Conference on the subject in 2025.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Won't allow India to cross IWT red line: PM
Rejecting the weaponisation of water, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday warned that Pakistan would not allow India to cross the red line by holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and endangering millions of lives for narrow political gains. "India's unilateral and illegal decision to hold in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the sharing of the Indus Basin's water, is deeply regrettable. Millions of lives must not be held hostage to narrow political gains, and Pakistan will not allow this. We will never allow the red line to be crossed," the prime minister said, addressing the three-day High-Level International Conference on Glaciers' Preservation. The conference is being attended by over 2,500 delegates from 80 UN member states and 70 international organizations, including prime ministers, vice presidents, ministers, and UN assistant secretaries-general. The prime minister, in his comprehensive address, touched all the relevant issues, including glacial preservation, Pakistan's climate vulnerability, the 2022 floods in Pakistan, global climate action and responsibility, scientific projections on glacial melt, weaponisation of water and call to protect nature and humanity's shared destiny. "The world today bears fresh scars from the use of conventional weapons in Gaza that have left deep wounds. As if that were not enough, we are now witnessing an alarming new lowthe weaponisation of water," he told the international conference being hosted by the Government of Tajikistan in collaboration with the United Nations, UNESCO, WMO, the Asian Development Bank, and other key partners as a historic moment for climate ambition, glacier preservation, and international cooperation. The 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, through a resolution, had declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, 21st of March as World Day for Glaciers starting in 2025, and that the Government of Tajikistan will host the International Conference on the subject in 2025. The prime minister said that Pakistan, being home to over 13,000 glaciers, was the most concerning as glaciers contributed nearly half of the annual flows in the Indus River system – the lifeline of our civilisation, culture and economy.
Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Trade, energy, defence and regional connectivity: Pakistan, Tajikistan review cooperation
DUSHANBE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon Thursday reviewed bilateral cooperation in different areas, including political, trade, economy, energy, defence, security, and regional connectivity. During the bilateral meeting, they agreed to actively pursue new avenues for cooperation, with a focus on fostering investment opportunities, enhancing educational linkages, prompting cultural exchanges, advancing information technology collaboration and strengthening people-to-people contacts. Earlier upon arrival at Qasr-e-Millat, the President welcomed the Prime Minister and the accompanying delegation. At the invitation of Government of Tajikistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived here to participate in the International High-Level Conference on Glaciers' Preservation (ICGP) being held on 29-31 May, 2025. PM Shehbaz to visit Turkiye, Iran, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan from May 25 to 30 He was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising the Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi, and senior officials. Upon arrival at Dushanbe, he was received by the Prime Minister of Tajikistan Qohir Rasulzoda. During the meeting, the Prime Minister and the Tajik President held in-depth and wide-ranging discussions covering various aspects of bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest. During the discussions, they fondly recalled the signing of historic Strategic Partnership Agreement during the Prime Minister's visit to Dushanbe in July 2024, which laid a strong foundation for strengthening bilateral relations and advancing shared interests. Reaffirming the fraternal ties existing between the two countries marked by shared history, culture and geography, the leaders expressed satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation and resolved to elevate the strategic cooperation to a new level, for the mutual benefit of the two countries and peoples. On CASA-1000, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to positioning it as a pivotal project for regional integration. Welcoming the holding of CASA-1000 Inter-Governmental Council in Dushanbe on 15 May 2025, the Prime Minister assured the shared commitment to its early operationalisation. Regarding economic cooperation, the two leaders, acknowledging the untapped potential in bilateral trade, underscored the importance of actively pursuing new avenues of cooperation in line with the decisions taken during the 7th Session of Pakistan-Tajikistan Joint Commission on Trade, Economic and Scientific Technical Cooperation, held in Islamabad in December 2024. They also agreed to effectively leverage the existing institutional frameworks including twelve Joint Working Groups (JWGs), to further enhance collaboration between the two countries, especially in oil & gas and energy sectors. They took good note of growing bilateral cooperation in the field of defence & security and reiterated their resolve to further boost the same in order to overcome the common security challenges faced by the two countries. They emphasized the need to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism, combating cross-border organized crime and human and drug trafficking. The leaders also exchanged perspectives on regional and global geopolitical developments. They emphasized the importance of working together to promote peace, stability, and economic development in the region. On peaceful resolution of Tajik-Kyrgyz border dispute, the Prime Minister felicitated the President on this milestone and appreciated the President's prudence and wisdom in resolving the issue through peaceful means. The Prime Minister hoped that this historical development would usher in a new era of cooperation and progress in the region. The two leaders expressed satisfaction on cooperation at the multilateral fora, including at the UN, OIC, SCO and ECO and reaffirmed their resolve to continue collaboration on global and regional issues of common interest. The Prime Minister, reaffirming Pakistan's historical and cordial ties with Tajikistan, underscored the importance Pakistan attaches to ongoing structured and multifaceted engagement with Tajikistan, for mutual gains. The Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan's commitment to strengthening connectivity linkages with the Central Asian region. Towards that end, he highlighted China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a linchpin of Pakistan's connectivity with the region. The Prime Minister also briefed the President on the latest situation in the South Asian region. The Prime Minister underscored that our region could not afford India's irresponsible and unlawful actions since 7 May 2025, which amounted to acts of war and violation of the UN Charter and international law. The Prime Minister urged the international community to hold India accountable, reiterating that Pakistan desires peace, but will defend its sovereignty with full resolve if challenged. He also underscored that the resolution of Jammu & Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, remains fundamental to securing lasting peace in the region. In response, President Emomali said that as a staunch friend of Pakistan, he too was very worried at the events of early May, adding that he would always promote peace and stability in the region. He added that he was deeply impressed by the Prime Minister's remarkable leadership that was critical to the restoration of peace and security in the region.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Science
- Scoop
‘We Are The Present': Tajik Climate Activist Urges Leaders To Include Youth Voices In Dialogue
29 May 2025 At the end of April, Fariza Dzhobirova attended a Model United Nations Conference on Glaciers' Preservation in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, where she represented Switzerland. For Ms. Dzhobirova, it was a rehearsal of sorts for the actual High-level Conference on Glaciers' Preservation which began on Thursday in Dushanbe. There, she will serve as a panel member representing her own country. 'The [Model UN] conference gave me a platform to raise my voice, collaborate with like-minded peers from across the region and develop policy recommendations that we hope will influence real-world decisions,' she said. The High-level Conference on Glaciers' Preservation, hosted by the Government of Tajikistan and supported by variety of United Nations agencies, will work to underline the extreme urgency of melting glaciers, elevating it as a global climate and development challenge. Will glaciers survive the 21st century? Glaciers, alongside ice sheets, account for over 70 per cent of the world's freshwater resources and are integral to many local economies, providing water, sustaining agriculture and generating energy. However, due to the increasing temperature of the planet, glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates – scientists predict that if the current rate of melting continues, many glaciers will not survive the 21st century. In Tajikistan alone, 30 per cent of glaciers have disappeared over the last century, disrupting local and national water supplies and agricultural patterns. And Slovenia and Venezuela have lost all their glaciers. Just yesterday, one day before the conference was set to begin, a partial glacier collapse in Switzerland buried most of a small village, according to news reports. 'The death of a glacier is more than just the loss of ice,' said World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. Youth voices are the present and the future Before the conference, Parviz Boboev from the UN ountry team in Tajikistan sat down with Ms. Dzhobirova to discuss what motivates her climate activism. Parviz Boboev: What inspired you to get involved in the climate movement? Fariza Dzhobirova: Growing up in Tajikistan, where more than 90% of our freshwater comes from glaciers, I've seen how climate change is already impacting people's lives. Rivers are shrinking, water is becoming less accessible, and natural disasters like landslides and floods are affecting more and more communities. I've met a family who lost their home because of mudflow. I saw a teenage girl from that family of the same age as me that had totally different problems because of this climate-related disaster. I was thinking about my classes. She was thinking about how to survive. My message is that young people are not just the future — we are the present, and we are ready to contribute today And I know there are many examples similar to this - farmers whose land can no longer be irrigated and children whose futures are at risk. Seeing this pain and injustice made it impossible for me to stay silent or uninvolved. Participating in the upcoming Glaciers' Preservation conference means a lot to me. It's about raising the voices of people who are often left out of global discussions. For me, it's a chance to speak on behalf of my generation and my country, and to show that young people are ready to be part of the solution. Parviz Boboev: What message do you hope to share at the conference about the impact of climate change on your community and generation? Fariza Dzhobirova: Being invited to speak is a great responsibility for me. It's a chance to represent not only Tajikistan, but the voice of a generation. My message is that young people are not just the future — we are the present, and we are ready to contribute today. Climate change is not only about the environment — it's about how we live, how we work, how we learn. It affects our opportunities, our mental health, our ability to plan for the future. And yet, many young people are still excluded from decision-making processes. At the conference, I want to encourage leaders and policymakers to truly listen not just to the facts and data, but to the experiences and hopes of young people. When you give youth a platform, you don't just invest in their potential — you strengthen the resilience and sustainability of entire communities. Parviz Boboev: Youth voices are becoming increasingly important in global climate conversations. How do you see the role of young people in shaping solutions? Fariza Dzhobirova: I truly believe that young people have a unique role to play in shaping more just, inclusive and forward-looking climate solutions. We bring fresh ideas, the courage to question outdated systems and a strong sense of responsibility for the future. In countries like Tajikistan, where glaciers are directly connected to people's livelihoods, youth are already stepping up. What we need now is more trust and investment in young people. We don't expect to solve everything alone, but we do hope to be included — in dialogue, in decision-making, and in designing real solutions. Protecting glaciers and water resources is not just a technical challenge; it's a human one. By working together — across generations and borders — we can make our region stronger, more resilient, and more united in the face of climate change.
Business Mayor
23-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Communications service agency head announces internet cost reduction in Tajikistan – ASIA-Plus
09:11, today Author: Asia-Plus Due to cooperation with foreign operators, the cost of importing internet into Tajikistan has significantly decreased, Isfandiyor Sadullo, head of the Communications Service under the Government of Tajikistan, stated at a meeting of the Board of the Communications Service on April 21, according to the agency's website. He mentioned that in the first three months of 2025, Tajikistani operators managed to reduce prices for both mobile and fixed internet within the country. The volume of mobile internet packages was increased by at least 20%, while the average cost of fixed internet tariffs decreased by 55%. Additionally, tariffs for internet speeds lower than 5 Mbps were abolished, Sa'dullo noted. However, the exact timing of these changes was not specified. Asia-Plus has not been able to confirm whether these changes apply to all users. In some cases, providers increased traffic volume without changing the cost, while in others, they offered plans with double the traffic for the same price for one month as a gift. One company noted that the process of tariff changes has already begun, but it will take time to revise prices for all users. Furthermore, during the meeting, it was reported that the total revenue of the telecommunications sector since the beginning of the year amounted to 1.11 billion somoni, which is a 1.45% increase compared to the same period last year. The state budget received 155.5 million somoni in taxes. Additionally, the volume of mobile internet in Tajikistan was increased by at least 20%. Another significant achievement was the installation of 330 new base stations, which will help expand coverage and improve the quality of communication throughout the country. The Communications Service continues to implement new services, including free access to electronic wallets of financial organizations and mobile applications for government services via the internet. As part of the program for developing the digital economy, the expansion of the 5G network continues. To date, 8.3 million people in Tajikistan are connected to communications networks, with 5.3 million actively using mobile services. It was also reported that the Communications Service's call center received 2,758 requests and complaints, of which 1,882 were successfully addressed, and the remaining 876 are still under review. The contents of the complaints were not disclosed.
