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Pakistan Super League ignites with grand opening, setting stage for Qalandars vs United clash

Pakistan Super League ignites with grand opening, setting stage for Qalandars vs United clash
This photograph shows fireworks over the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 9th edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 cricket with the first match between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on February 17, 2024. (Photo courtesy: PCB)
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Updated 17 February 2024
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Pakistan Super League ignites with grand opening, setting stage for Qalandars vs United clash

Pakistan Super League ignites with grand opening, setting stage for Qalandars vs United clash
  • The stadium was packed to capacity ahead of a dazzling laser show and singing performance by Ali Zafar, Aima Baig
  • Islamabad United won the toss following the lavish opening ceremony and invited Lahore Qalandars to bat first
Updated 17 February 2024
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: The 9th edition of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 cricket tournament kicked off with a star-studded ceremony at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium shortly before defending champions Lahore Qalandars took on two-time title winners Islamabad United on Saturday evening.

The stadium was packed to capacity ahead of the dazzling laser show that marked the beginning of the championship that will unfold in four cities – Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi – which will host 34 matches.
Singers Ali Zafar and Aima Baig performed the PSL 9 anthem before Islamabad United won the toss and chose to bowl.
In a statement shared by the PCB a day earlier, captain of Lahore Qalandars Shaheen Shah Afridi said he was excited to be leading the team again.

“I am genuinely excited to be leading Lahore Qalandars for the third consecutive season in HBL PSL and the hunt for a hat-trick of titles makes me eager to do well,” he said. “We are eying a third HBL PSL win this time and I can assure you that my team will show the same intensity as we have done in the past two seasons.”
Skipper of Islamabad United, Shadab Khan, on the other hand applauded his balanced squad.
“I have been captain of Islamabad United for the last four seasons and I want to lift the trophy for my team this season,” he said. “The additions of Imad Wasim and the Shah brothers are a huge boost for the franchise. Faheem Ashraf and Azam Khan are two vital cogs in our team. I want my team to stand tall in high-pressure games and get over the line. We have evaluated our mistakes from the last season and are looking forward to executing our plans aptly this time around.”
The PSL officially began in February 2016. It is a significant cricket league in Pakistan, featuring city-based franchise teams.
The PSL is a major event in Pakistan’s cricket calendar, symbolizing the country’s love for the sport, and brings together both local and international talent.
It has grown substantially in value and popularity since its inception, contributing to the global cricket landscape.

Topics: PSL 2024 Lahore Qalandars Islamabad United

Regional leaders meet in Islamabad today for key summit to discuss trade, security and other issues

Regional leaders meet in Islamabad today for key summit to discuss trade, security and other issues
Updated 33 sec ago
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Regional leaders meet in Islamabad today for key summit to discuss trade, security and other issues

Regional leaders meet in Islamabad today for key summit to discuss trade, security and other issues
  • Top officials from China, Russia, India, Iran and several Central Asian states are attending the two-day summit in Islamabad
  • On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif warmly greeted the visiting dignitaries, including Indian FM, at a dinner he hosted in their honor
Updated 33 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hosting the main session of a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Islamabad today, Wednesday, wherein leaders from SCO member states are expected to discuss trade, security and other issues of mutual interest.

The prime ministers of China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as well as Iran’s first vice president and the Indian external affairs minister are in Islamabad to attend the regional summit.

Belarus Prime Minister Roman Alexandrovich Golovchenko (left) arrives at Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad, Pakistan, on October 15, 2024, to attend the SCO 2024 summit. (Pakistan's law ministry)

The Pakistani government has declared a three-day holiday in the federal capital of Islamabad since Monday, with schools and businesses closed to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the high-profile regional summit.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted a dinner in honor of the visiting foreign dignitaries, wherein he was seen greeting and shaking hands with the attendees, including Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

“On October 16, Prime Minister Sharif will chair the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of SCO member states and deliver the opening remarks, followed by statements from the leaders of participating countries,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.

The documents reflecting outcomes of the meeting will also be signed during the session that will conclude with Sharif’s closing remarks, according to the statement.


Pakistan’s Minister for Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan (right) welcomes Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov at Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad, Pakistan on October 15, 2024. (Government of Pakistan)

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming will share a communiqué after the concluding session.

Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit. The government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.

Sharif met with Central Asian leaders and discussed trade, investment and regional connectivity as part of his engagements on the first day of the summit on Tuesday,

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) and Chinese Premier Li Qiang unveiling a plaque to mark the completion of New Gwadar International Airport in Islamabad, Pakistan on October 14, 2024. (Government of Pakistan)

Pakistan, faced with tough economic conditions, wants to position itself as a regional trade hub and to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting China and Central Asia with the rest of the world.

Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit, while the government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.

Army personnel stand guard at the Red Zone near a venue on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad on October 14, 2024. (AFP)

 

Topics: SCO summit 2024 SCO Summit SCO Pakistan Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

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Jemima Goldsmith says concerned about welfare of ex-husband Imran Khan

Jemima Goldsmith says concerned about welfare of ex-husband Imran Khan
Updated 15 October 2024
AFP
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Jemima Goldsmith says concerned about welfare of ex-husband Imran Khan

Jemima Goldsmith says concerned about welfare of ex-husband Imran Khan
  • Khan has been embroiled in more than 200 legal cases since he was ousted in a no-trust vote in 2022
  • The former prime minister has been detained since August last year and barred from standing for office
Updated 15 October 2024
AFP

LONDON: The ex-wife of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday called for his immediate release, citing “serious and concerning” reports about his treatment in prison.
Jemima Goldsmith said the Pakistani authorities had stopped all visits to him by his family and lawyers, postponed court hearings, and prevented him from calling his two sons since early September.
Electricity had been cut to his cell and he was no longer allowed out at any time, while the jail cook had been sent on leave, she wrote in a lengthy post on social media platform X.
“He is now completely isolated, in solitary confinement, literally in the dark, with no contact with the outside world,” said Goldsmith, who was married to the former Pakistan cricket team captain from 1995 to 2004.
The couple have two sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, who live in London.
A panel of UN experts in July criticized Pakistan for arbitrarily detaining Khan in breach of international law to apparently prevent him for running for political office.
Khan, 72, was prime minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022, and has been embroiled in more than 200 legal cases since he was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote he claims was orchestrated by the country’s powerful generals.
He has been detained since August last year and barred from standing for office. He has since applied to become the next chancellor of Britain’s Oxford University.
Goldsmith said Khan’s family had also been targeted, and his sisters and nephew arrested and jailed unlawfully, while she had faced rape and death threats from her ex-husband’s political opponents.
The release of Khan, his nephew and sisters, plus the re-establishment of contact with his sons will provide “assurance first-hand that he is well and not being mistreated,” she added.
“I disagree with IK on many political issues,” she wrote. “But this is not about politics — it’s about my children’s father, his human rights & international law.”
 

Topics: jemima goldsmith Imran Khan

Pakistan PM discusses trade, investment and connectivity with Central Asian leaders on SCO summit margins

Pakistan PM discusses trade, investment and connectivity with Central Asian leaders on SCO summit margins
Updated 15 October 2024
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Pakistan PM discusses trade, investment and connectivity with Central Asian leaders on SCO summit margins

Pakistan PM discusses trade, investment and connectivity with Central Asian leaders on SCO summit margins
  • Top officials from China, Russia, India, Iran and several Central Asian states are attending the two-day summit in Islamabad
  • On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif warmly greeted the visiting dignitaries, including Indian FM, at a dinner he hosted in their honor
Updated 15 October 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met with Central Asian leaders and discussed trade, investment and regional connectivity on the sidelines of a two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, Sharif’s office said.
The prime ministers of China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as well as Iran’s first vice president and the Indian external affairs minister are in Islamabad to attend the summit on October 15-16.
The Pakistani government has declared a three-day holiday in the federal capital of Islamabad since Monday, with schools and businesses closed to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the high-profile regional summit.
In a meeting with Kazakhstan PM Olzhas Bektenov on Tuesday, Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to work with all member states in advancing the SCO’s principles and purposes, according to the Pakistan PM’s office.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meets with Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Head of Government Meeting on October 15, 2024. (Government of Pakistan)

“Noting the warm and excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the need to enhance trade and investment, while also focusing on regional connectivity and security,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
To achieve this shared objective, he stressed the need to maintain regular and high-level contacts, including through institutional mechanisms of bilateral engagement.
In his meeting with Tajikistan PM Qohir Rasulzoda, the Pakistan premier said both countries should further cement cooperation across all spheres of shared interest, according to Sharif’s office.
He conveyed Pakistan’s strong desire to strengthen ties with Kyrgyzstan in trade and investment during a meeting with Akylbek Japarov, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic. In his meeting with Turkmen Foreign Affairs Minister Rashid Meredov, Sharif welcomed the participation of Turkmenistan in the summit as a “special guest.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) meets Akylbek Japarov, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, on the sidelines of SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) Meeting in Islamabad on October 15, 2024. (Government of Pakistan)

During the meetings, Central Asian leaders congratulated the Pakistani premier on the successful organization of the SCO summit and lauded Pakistan’s positive role as the SCO chair, Sharif’s office said.
Pakistan wants to position itself as a regional trade hub and to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting China and Central Asia with the rest of the world. In recent months, there has been a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity between Pakistan, China and Central Asian states, including Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
In a bilateral meeting with Belarusian PM Roman Golovchenko, Sharif noted that regular high-level exchanges had added positive momentum to the cordial ties between the two countries.
“This momentum needed to be sustained so as to realize the full potential of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, agricultural machinery and joint production of tractors and connectivity,” he was quoted as saying.
On Tuesday, Sharif also hosted a dinner in honor of the visiting foreign dignitaries, wherein he was seen greeting and shaking hands with the attendees, including Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.


Sharif is due to preside over a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government and deliver the opening remarks on Wednesday, followed by statements from leaders of participating countries during the session, according to the Pakistani foreign office. The documents reflecting outcomes of the meeting will also be signed during the session, which will conclude with Sharif’s closing remarks.
Foreign office said Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming will interact with media to share a communiqué after the concluding session on Wednesday.
Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit. The government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.

Topics: SCO summit 2024

Ghulam says ‘wait is over’ after century on Pakistan debut

Ghulam says ‘wait is over’ after century on Pakistan debut
Updated 15 October 2024
AFP
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Ghulam says ‘wait is over’ after century on Pakistan debut

Ghulam says ‘wait is over’ after century on Pakistan debut
  • The 29-year-old made 118 on the opening day of the second Test, anchoring Pakistan to 259-5
  • Since his first-class debut in 2013, Ghulam has piled on runs in all three formats of the game
Updated 15 October 2024
AFP

MULTAN: One of a dozen brothers, Kamran Ghulam got used to waiting his turn for a bat as a child.
He then had to wait for his Pakistan debut, but it all seemed worth it on Tuesday when he scored a century against England in Multan.
The 29-year-old debutant made a terrific 118 on the opening day of the second Test, anchoring the hosts to 259-5.
Dawood, one of the 10 older brothers, said Ghulam had learnt to be patient from very early on.
“We used to play cricket at our village and would not allow Kamran to bat on the pretext that ‘you are very small’,” Dawood told AFP from Peshawar, in Pakistan’s northwest, on the phone.
“He was a good fielder so we used to order him to field only and like a very obedient boy he would follow, and that patience has seen him through difficult times.”
Six of the brothers played for the same club in their village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would often be at loggerheads over who should bat first.
“It was normal to have a fight, but at the end of the day we always returned home happy and today we are at the height of our happiness,” said Dawood, 40.
“Our late father always wanted Ghulam to become a good player but he died 22 years ago.
“He would have been the happiest in the family.”
Since his first-class debut in 2013, Ghulam has piled on runs in all three formats of the game with his best coming in 2020-21 when he amassed 1,249 runs in 11 domestic matches.
That broke a 36-year record.
Ghulam was included in Pakistan’s preliminary squad for a home series against South Africa in 2021 but was not given a chance.
He said he knew his opportunity would come some day — as long as he was patient.
“They say the fruit of patience is always sweet and it is proved today,” said Ghulam after his opening-day heroics in Multan.
“I was eager for my chance and had always thought whenever it will come I will make it worthwhile.”
Last year Ghulam was in Pakistan’s squad against New Zealand in a one-day international in Karachi but he only got a chance as a substitute for Haris Sohail, who suffered concussion.
Ghulam’s full Test debut finally came as he replaced out-of-form Babar Azam following Pakistan’s innings defeat last week.
“There was pressure of replacing Azam so I had to do something special,” said Ghulam.
“So I am delighted that I am successful in achieving a feat and my wait is over.”

Topics: Kamran Ghulam

Pakistan Navy cadets win silver medal in international sailing competition in Brazil

Pakistan Navy cadets win silver medal in international sailing competition in Brazil
Updated 15 October 2024
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Pakistan Navy cadets win silver medal in international sailing competition in Brazil

Pakistan Navy cadets win silver medal in international sailing competition in Brazil
  • A total of nine teams from around the world competed in the J24 boat category
  • Pakistan Navy team captain dedicates the victory to quality training by instructors
Updated 15 October 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Cadets of Pakistan Navy’s sailing team won the silver medal by securing second position in the 79th International Naval Academy Sailing Competition held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Pakistan Navy said on Tuesday.
A total of nine teams from around the world competed in the J24 boat category, according to the Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) of Pakistan Navy.
J24 is the world’s most popular keelboat class used in almost all major international championships, including the PanAm Games, World Sailing Games and Nations Cup.
“The PNA [Pakistan Naval Academy] team captain dedicated the victory to the quality training,” the DGPR said in a statement.
The participating teams included cadets from naval academies of Pakistan, Brazil, China, Italy, Portugal, Argentina, Colombia, Peru and India, according to the DGPR.
“After securing first position during International Sailing Championship in Sri Lanka earlier in August this year, this is consecutive second extraordinary performance at international level during last three months by cadets of PNA,” it said.
Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, congratulated the victorious Pakistan Navy team and lauded the efforts of PNA faculty and instructors for the brilliant performances internationally.

Topics: Pakistan Navy

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