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Pakistani scientist among first recipients of Saudi citizenship

Pakistani scientist among first recipients of Saudi citizenship
In this file photo, released by Hospitals Magazine, Pakistani scientist Dr. Mehmoud Khan speaks at the Global Healthspan Summit in Riyadh on November 29, 2023. (Photo courtesy: Hospitals Magazine/File)
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Updated 07 July 2024
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Pakistani scientist among first recipients of Saudi citizenship

Pakistani scientist among first recipients of Saudi citizenship
  • Saudi Arabia has opened its citizenship to highly skilled professionals to attract and retain exceptional global talent
  • People belonging to specialized fields such as science, culture, sports and technology can apply for Saudi citizenship
Updated 07 July 2024
Arab News Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani scientist who was brought up in England and went to a medical university is among the first recipients of Saudi citizenship, according to a list published by the financial news portal Argaam.
Saudi Arabia opened its citizenship to highly skilled professionals as part of its Vision 2030, aiming to attract and retain exceptional global talent to enhance the kingdom’s economic and social development.
A royal decree to this effect was issued in November 2021, allowing people belonging to specialized fields such as science, medicine, culture, sports and technology to apply for citizenship.
Dr. Mehmood Khan, who earned his medical degree from the University of Liverpool Medical School in England, was also mentioned in the list of all the high achievers who received Saudi citizenship.
Khan’s distinguished career includes a number of senior corporate roles, including Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer of Global Research and Development at PepsiCo. and President of the Global R&D Center at Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
“I grew up in England. I haven’t had the chance to grow up in Pakistan,” he told OPEN Silicon Valley, an international organization of Pakistani entrepreneurs, in an interview wherein he said he was “proud to be Pakistani.”
Khan is now the CEO of Hevolution Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Riyadh that funds research through grants and provides investments in biotechnology to stimulate health sciences.
He has also managed academic programs like the Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Nutrition Trials Unit at the Mayo Clinic.
Other recipients of Saudi citizenship include:
Islam Zween, CEO of Argaam




Mohammed Zween is deemed a pioneer in the Arab world of a media model that emphasizes qualitative and educational content aimed at profitability. (File/Argaam)

Zween holds a Master’s degree from Alexandria University in Egypt, with over 25 years of experience in technology, media, and business management.
Over the past 18 years, Zween has dedicated his efforts to building pioneering digital projects in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, including “Argaam Financial Portal” and Akhbaar 24.com.
Since 2013, he has implemented a new strategy at Argaam, transforming it into the leading provider of financial media and data journalism in Saudi Arabia and the GCC. He also revamped the company’s business model, contributing to diversifying its revenue streams and achieving profitability.
Through Argaam, Zween has launched numerous initiatives and projects that enriched content related to financial data and investment awareness in the Kingdom. He has led many successful partnerships in the media and financial data fields with local and Gulf entities and made significant contributions to the development of financial media in the Kingdom and the Gulf. Under his leadership, Argaam won the Dubai Media Award for the best economic platform in 2023.
Jackie Y. Ying, Chair, Bioengineering & Nanomedicine Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center
Ying is an American scientist of Singaporean origin, who served as the founding executive director of the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore (2003-2018). She currently leads the NanoBio Lab and is a senior research fellow at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). She has published extensively on biomedical engineering and nanotechnology topics. Professor Ying was elected a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, a member of the German National Academy of Sciences, and named one of the “100 Engineers of the Modern Era.” Professor Ying was elected a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a member of the German National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina.
Niveen Khashab, founding member of KAUST




Following the completion of her ​​​​​PhD at the University of Florida, Niveen Khashab joined KAUST and became a professor of chemical science. (Supplied)

Khashab is a Lebanese scientist with advanced expertise and contributions in bioengineering and nanomaterials. She is a founding member of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and has been an associate professor of chemical science and engineering there since 2009. She is one of the laureates of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award in 2017 for her contributions to inventing innovative smart hybrid materials aimed at drug delivery and developing new technology to observe antioxidant activity between cells.
Noreddine Ghaffour, Water Desalination and Reuse Center, KAUST
Ghaffour is a French scientist who holds a PhD in membrane separation techniques from the University of Montpellier (1995) and is currently a professor of environmental science and engineering at KAUST. He specializes in water desalination techniques and has published articles and research on environmental science, renewable energy, and membrane separation.
Faraz Khalid, CEO of Noon




Khalid, who holds an MBA from The Wharton School, played an instrumental role in the success of Namshi, which was launched in 2012. (Supplied)

Khalid is an Indian entrepreneur with an MBA in entrepreneurial project management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is the CEO of the e-commerce platform Noon and co-founded Namshi, where he served as managing director and was responsible for creating, launching, and expanding the website.
Dr. Moutassem Azzubi, Chief Pediatric Neurosurgery at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital




Neurosurgeon Dr. Moutassem Azzubi has been recognised for his expertise and success in numerous conjoined twins separation surgeries. (X: @Moutasem7)

Azzubi is a Syrian neurosurgeon who has performed numerous conjoined twin separation surgeries in the Kingdom and abroad. He was recognized for his extension contributions to the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme and the team of surgeons under Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, adviser to the Royal Court, supervisor general of KSrelief.
Rami Al-Qawasmi, CEO of Mawdoo3.com




Rami Al-Qawasni holds a bachelor`s degree in Economics from Sussex University in the United Kingdom and started his business journey in Jordan. (Supplied)

Al-Qawasmi is known for his passion for artificial intelligence and startup development. He has created and developed over 10 companies before the age of 30. Under his leadership, Mawdoo3.com raised $23.5 million in a funding round.
Ahmed Mirghani, partner at BIM Ventures




Ahmed Mirghani has contributed to bringing many traditional investors into the world of venture capital. (Supplied)

Mirghani is a Sudanese entrepreneur with an MBA in entrepreneurship from Prince Mohammed bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship. He is a co-founder and a leading figure at BIM Ventures and founded the “Angel Investor Mine” network, which has significantly contributed to bringing many traditional investors into the world of venture capital and the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Topics: Saudi citizenship Dr. Mehmoud Khan Pakistan Saudi Ties

Chinese premier to undertake bilateral visit to Pakistan on Oct. 14— Deputy PM Dar

Chinese premier to undertake bilateral visit to Pakistan on Oct. 14— Deputy PM Dar
Updated 57 min 23 sec ago
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Chinese premier to undertake bilateral visit to Pakistan on Oct. 14— Deputy PM Dar

Chinese premier to undertake bilateral visit to Pakistan on Oct. 14— Deputy PM Dar
  • Visit to take place ahead of SCO’s Council of Heads of Government summit in Islamabad on Oct. 15-16
  • Malaysian Prime Minister Ibrahim is also scheduled to visit Pakistan on Wednesday with high-level delegation
Updated 57 min 23 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: China’s premier Li Qiang will undertake a bilateral visit to Pakistan on Oct. 14, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed this week, saying that a series of upcoming international visits hosted by the South Asian country will prove Islamabad is not isolated at the global stage.

China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan that has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. The CPEC is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative, a massive China-led infrastructure project that aims to stretch around the globe.

The Chinese prime minister’s visit comes ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of Government Meeting in Islamabad on Oct.15-16. Founded by China and Russia in 2001, the SCO is a prominent Eurasian entity focused on political, economic, international security and defense matters.

“In the next two weeks, three important international visits are taking place in Pakistan,” Dar told ARY News channel in an interview on Monday. “Malaysia’s prime minister is coming to Pakistan on Oct. 2 with his delegation after which China’s prime minister will arrive in Pakistan on Oct. 14, which is a bilateral visit.”

Chinese investment and financial support since 2013 have been key for Pakistan’s struggling economy, including the rolling over of loans so that Islamabad is able to meet external financing needs at a time its foreign reserves are low.

Though time-tested allies, relations between the two neighbors have undergone a slight strain over the past couple of years due to recent security challenges. Separatist and religiously motivated militants have attacked Chinese projects in Pakistan and killed Chinese personnel. China has repeatedly asked Pakistan to guarantee the security of its citizens in the country. Islamabad has in turn sought to ease Beijing’s fears, vowing to provide fool-proof security to its citizens living and working in the country. 

Separately, Qiang’s visit to Pakistan will be preceded by Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to Islamabad. The Malaysian premier will arrive in the South Asian country on Wednesday for a three-day visit to strengthen ties in trade, connectivity, energy and other sectors between the two nations. 

The recent string of international visits to Pakistan highlights the government’s attempts to attract foreign investment in key sectors of the economy. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly assured bilateral and regional partners that Islamabad prefers seeking mutually beneficial partnerships rather than loans. 

Crisis-wracked Pakistan sees international investments as key to avert a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has weakened the country’s national currency, drained its resources and lowered its foreign exchange reserves to alarming levels. 

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Ishaq Dar China premier's visit to Pakistan Li Qiang Premier Li Qiang SCO Summit Arab News Pakistan

Pakistan condemns attack on UAE ambassador’s residence in Khartoum

Pakistan condemns attack on UAE ambassador’s residence in Khartoum
Updated 01 October 2024
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Pakistan condemns attack on UAE ambassador’s residence in Khartoum

Pakistan condemns attack on UAE ambassador’s residence in Khartoum
  • UAE envoy’s residence in Khartoum was attacked amid clashes between Sudanese military, rival RSF
  • Pakistan says attack violation of international law, Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961
Updated 01 October 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office this week strongly condemned an attack on the residence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ambassador in Khartoum allegedly by a Sudanese army aircraft, terming it a violation of international law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Violent clashes have taken place in Khartoum over the past week in a major flare-up of hostilities between Sudan’s armed forces and its rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). 

In a statement on Monday, UAE’s foreign ministry condemned the attack and called on the Sudanese army to assume full responsibility for the “cowardly act.” Sudan’s military government refuted the accusations, saying that the RSF had bombed the ambassador’s residence. 

“Pakistan strongly condemns the attack on the residence of the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates in Khartoum, Sudan,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement on Monday. 

“Such attacks are a violation of international law and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961 that uphold the respect for diplomatic premises and personnel.”

The UAE’s foreign ministry termed the attack a “flagrant violation of the fundamental principle of the inviolability of diplomatic premises,” stressing the importance of protecting diplomatic buildings and staff residences of the embassy, according to the treaties and customs regulating diplomatic relations.

The ministry said it would submit a formal letter to the League of Arab States, the African Union and the UN reporting the attack.

Topics: Sudan Khartoum Rapid Support Forces Arab News Pakistan

Pakistan extends date for filing income tax returns to Oct. 14

Pakistan extends date for filing income tax returns to Oct. 14
Updated 01 October 2024
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Pakistan extends date for filing income tax returns to Oct. 14

Pakistan extends date for filing income tax returns to Oct. 14
  • Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue had earlier set Sept. 30 as deadline for filing income tax returns for tax year 2023-34
  • Shehbaz Sharif’s government has previously blocked over 210,000 mobile connections to compel people to file tax returns
Updated 01 October 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central tax revenue authority this week announced it had extended the last date for filing income tax returns to Oct. 14 after considering requests from trade bodies, tax bar associations and the general public. 

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) had warned non-filers that it would not allow any extension in the Sept. 30 deadline to file income tax returns for the tax year 2023-24. However, in a notification on Monday night, it announced that income tax returns can now be filed by Oct. 14. 

“The FBR made the decision in view of requests from various trade bodies, Tax Bar Associations and general public,” the board said in a notification, a copy of which was seen by Arab News. 

Pakistan has one of the lowest tax ratios in the world, according to the World Bank. The South Asian country’s failure to generate tax revenues in higher amounts stems from the fact that it has a narrow tax base, low compliance rate, an inefficient tax administration and massive tax evasion, the international financial institution has said.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) last week approved a $7 billion loan for Pakistan, critical for the South Asian country to meet its external financial obligations and strengthen its national currency. One of the key demands of the IMF from Pakistan has been to improve its tax administration and broaden its tax base. 

Pakistan last year came to the brink of default as the economy shriveled amid political chaos, the devastating 2022 floods and decades of mismanagement. Last-minute loan rollovers from friendly countries as well as a $3 billion bailout from the IMF helped the nation avert the crisis.

Pakistan aims to collect an ambitious $46 billion through taxes this financial year. Authorities have identified 4.9 million taxable persons in the country by using modern technology. On Sunday, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced that the country’s tax filers this year have almost doubled from 1.6 million last year to 3.2 million. He also disclosed that last year Pakistan recorded at least 300,000 new tax filers while this year, the figure has swelled to 723,000. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has used unusual methods in the past, including blocking 210,000 mobile connections, to compel people to file their tax returns. The finance minister warned that non-filers will be deprived of certain facilities to encourage them to become part of the tax net.

“Non-filers will not be able to buy vehicles, won’t be able to buy properties, won’t be able to [access] current bank accounts and mutual funds and will face a lot of problems with cash deposits and withdrawals,” he said. 

Topics: Pakistan income tax tax returns FBR fbr extension date 2024

Pakistani devotee of patriotic songs has collected 5,000 recordings

Pakistani devotee of patriotic songs has collected 5,000 recordings
Updated 29 min 40 sec ago
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Pakistani devotee of patriotic songs has collected 5,000 recordings

Pakistani devotee of patriotic songs has collected 5,000 recordings
  • Absar Ahmed, a broadcaster and author, has songs in over a dozen languages and various formats 
  • Ahmed says preserving the songs, passing on to future generations is the “most important responsibility”
Updated 29 min 40 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Absar Ahmed placed the large vinyl disc on a vintage Dansette phonograph and lowered the stylus onto the record as the sound of a decades-old Pakistani patriotic song began to fill the room. 

Ahmed, a 36-year-old broadcaster and researcher, was three years old when he fell in love with the iconic 1987 song “Dil Dil Pakistan,” becoming a devotee and going on to collect more than 5,000 patriotic songs, or “milli naghmas” as they are called in Urdu. The songs span decades, and Ahmed’s collection has them in dozens of languages and formats, including cassette tapes, CDs, and vinyl records. 

Ahmed has also authored two books on national songs, “Yeh Naghmay Pakistan Kay” and “Har Taan Pakistan.”

“I started collecting cassettes in 1996 when I bought my first cassette,” Ahmed told Arab News. “By 1999, I properly began gathering milli naghmas and at that time.”

The picture taken on September 29, 2024, shows the patriotic song collection of Absar Ahmed. (AN photo)

Many recordings have fallen into Ahmed’s lap as his reputation as a collector has spread. Others he has had to research, find and buy, traveling across Pakistan just to get his hands on a particular vinyl disk or a set of spool tapes. But many hundreds of songs he has recorded directly from radio or TV. 

“I would record every national song that was broadcasted on radio or television. I always kept a cassette in my tape recorder, ready to record any milli naghma that played on Radio Pakistan,” Ahmed said, referring to the country’s state broadcaster.

“This treasure, this collection of sounds from Pakistan, has been safely preserved and it is now part of my record collection.”

Absar Ahmed, Pakistani broadcaster and author, is listening to a song on his computer in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 29, 2024. (AN photo)

A significant part of Ahmed’s collection is in the Bengali language as many Pakistani patriotic songs were sung by Bengali artists when present-day Bangladesh used to be a part of Pakistan before it seceded after the 1971 war. 

Mufeez Rahman, an official who worked at Radio Pakistan’s Dhaka station, had protected the records from rioters in 1971, Ahmed said. In 2014, he contacted the Pakistani collector after learning about his collection through the Internet.

“I can’t even imagine how I found these,” Ahmed said. “They were no longer available anywhere else but before his death, he [Rahman] made sure to pass them on to me.”

One of Ahmed’s most notable finds is the first Indian national song recorded in 1911, “Tarana-e-Milli,” based on a poem by the legendary Allama Muhammad Iqbal, widely regarded as having animated the impulse for the Pakistan Movement and who would go on to become the national poet of Pakistan after the country’s creation out of India in 1947. 

The 1911 version was sung by Ustad Pyare Sahib, a revered singer from the Indian city of Kolkata, who migrated to Karachi after the partition of the subcontinent. 

“I was able to obtain the audio of this song in a digital format, which was given to me by someone who had the gramophone record although it later broke.”

Ahmed has national songs in Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Sindhi, Balochi, Brahui, Saraiki, Sheena, Pashto, Burushaski and Gilgiti languages. He has also digitized a significant portion of his collection, hoping the precious recordings will be accessible to future generations. 

 “Preserving them and passing them on to future generations is the most important responsibility,” Ahmed said.

His efforts are recognized by experts in the field. 

Hafiz Muhammad Noorullah, a producer at Radio Pakistan, said Ahmad’s collection was of “great significance.” 

“Absar Ahmad has compiled a collection of over 5,000 songs. Such a vast number of national songs is not even preserved at Radio Pakistan,” he told Arab News. 

“National songs carry their own importance, and preserving them for future generations is a monumental task that deserves recognition.”

Topics: Pakistan Patriotic songs

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Pakistan women lose warm-up match to Bangladesh, Australia eye dominance in T20 World Cup

Pakistan women lose warm-up match to Bangladesh, Australia eye dominance in T20 World Cup
Updated 01 October 2024
AFP
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Pakistan women lose warm-up match to Bangladesh, Australia eye dominance in T20 World Cup

Pakistan women lose warm-up match to Bangladesh, Australia eye dominance in T20 World Cup
  • Bangladesh defeat Pakistan by 23 runs in warm-up match in Dubai on Monday 
  • The women’s T20 World Cup will begin on Thursday with Australia, India as favorites
Updated 01 October 2024
AFP

DUBAI: Australia are hot favorites for their seventh title at the women’s T20 World Cup starting Thursday in their first tournament appearance since the retirement of four-time tournament-winning captain Meg Lanning.

New skipper Alyssa Healy faces a challenge in the United Arab Emirates, leading a team that has only failed twice to win the 20-over trophy since the competition was first staged in 2009.

The 34-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has been a member of all six of Australia’s prior title wins but said she was entering this year’s tournament with “no real expectations.”

“It’s the best against the best and whoever can be most consistent or win those little moments along the way can get the job done,” Healy wrote in a column for the International Cricket Council’s website.

She nonetheless said her team was brimming with young talent, naming up-and-coming all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, 22, and batting phenomenon Phoebe Litchfield, 21, as players to watch.

Australia face formidable rivals India and New Zealand in their group. They arrive in the UAE fresh from a 3-0 T20 sweep of the Kiwis.

India’s prospects have been buoyed by the runaway success of the Women’s Premier League at home since the 20-over competition’s inaugural season last year.

“If I talk about this team, we have a few players who have been playing for a long time and they know their roles really well,” skipper Harmanpreet Kaur said.

“This is the best team we are going for a T20 World Cup with.”

India finished runners-up in 2020 and lost in the semifinals in 2018 and 2023.

New Zealand’s Sophie Devine will step down as captain at the end of the tournament after playing in every World Cup, earning two runner-up finishes.

“The T20 World Cup’s been an important vehicle in the development and growth of the women’s game,” Devine said.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan round out the first group while Bangladesh, England, Scotland, South Africa and the West Indies make up the second.

The South Africans, who lost to Australia in last year’s final in Cape Town, have a new captain in Laura Wolvaardt who is keen to build on that performance.

“Reaching our first-ever World Cup final in 2023 was a big landmark moment for us,” she wrote on the ICC website.

The Proteas surprisingly beat England in the semifinals.

“It was a big ‘breaking the barriers and pushing the boundaries’ moment for the team.

“Before that, we’d made the semifinals on a number of occasions, so to be able to go that one step further was very important for us as a group.

“Now we’d like to go that one step further and lift the trophy.”

Heather Knight’s experienced England side, which includes Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alice Capsey, Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell, will be keen for revenge when they meet the Proteas on October 7.

Bangladesh face Scotland at Sharjah in the opening match of the tournament, where the prize money is for the first time equal to the men’s edition with a $2.34 million purse for the winners of the October 20 final.

That is a 134 percent increase on the $1 million awarded to the Australians when they clinched the title in South Africa last year.

The ICC said the move was intended “to prioritize the women’s game and accelerate its growth.”

Bangladesh were slated to host the tournament but it was shifted to Dubai and Sharjah after weeks of political unrest in July and August ousted the government of autocratic ex-premier Sheikh Hasina.

Topics: Australia cricket team Bangladesh Dubai T20 World Cup Women’s T20 World Cup Cricket Arab News Pakistan bangladesh women vs pakistan women

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