Pakistan lock horns with India today in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy

Pakistan lock horns with India today in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy
Pakistan’s national hockey team gestures during the Hero Asian Champions Trophy match against Japan at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulun Buir, China on September 11, 2024. (Photo courtesy: International Hockey Federation)
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Pakistan lock horns with India today in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy

Pakistan lock horns with India today in Asian Hockey Champions Trophy
  • Pakistan, who have remained unbeaten, won 5-1 against China on Thursday
  • The Pakistani team has already qualified for the semifinal of the tournament

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will face India today, Saturday, in their last pool match of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir, China.
The much-anticipated match will begin at 12:45pm Pakistan Standard Time, with the Pakistan side having already qualified for the semifinal of the tournament.
Pakistan, who have remained unbeaten, registered a 5-1 win against hosts China on Thursday and moved to the second spot on the points table.
“It is a collective team effort, we are learning by each match,” Hannan Shahid, who was named “hero” of Thursday’s match, said after the win.
Shahid said his side conceded too many cards in the start of the tournament, but had overcome it.
“Hero of the team award is a result of my team’s effort, they created chances for me to score and I am happy how we have progressed in the tournament,” he added.
Others who scored goals for Pakistan included Rehman Abdul and Ahmad Nadeem, while Jiesheng Gao scored the only goal for China.


Authorities forecast more rains in upper parts of Pakistan after monsoon kills nearly 350

Authorities forecast more rains in upper parts of Pakistan after monsoon kills nearly 350
Updated 1 min 4 sec ago
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Authorities forecast more rains in upper parts of Pakistan after monsoon kills nearly 350

Authorities forecast more rains in upper parts of Pakistan after monsoon kills nearly 350
  • Rain-windstorms expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab and Kashmir
  • The South Asian country has seen erratic weather changes in recent months which have been blamed on climate change

ISLAMABAD: Weather authorities have forecast more rains in upper parts of Pakistan today, Saturday, Pakistani state media reported, after monsoon killed nearly 350 people in the South Asian country.
Monsoon rains are crucial for Pakistan’s agricultural economy, providing essential water for crops and replenishing water reservoirs. However, the country has lately been experiencing increasingly erratic weather patterns, including harsh rains, heatwaves, droughts and floods.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said this month that at least 347 people had been killed and 648 injured in incidents relating to downpours and floods throughout the country since the monsoon season began in July.
“Rain-windstorm/thundershower is expected in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Pothohar region, northeast/upper Punjab and Kashmir during the next twelve hours,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported, citing weather authorities.
“Partly cloudy weather with rain-windstorm and thundershower may also occur at isolated places in lower Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, north Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan.”
The weather is likely to remain hot and dry in other parts of the country, according to the report.
Pakistan has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns in recent years that scientists have blamed on climate change. This year, the South Asian country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall, while some areas of the country faced deadly heat waves in May and June.
In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting economic losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people.


Pakistan Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff: China corridor is ‘stabilizing force’ for South Asia

Pakistan Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff: China corridor is ‘stabilizing force’ for South Asia
Updated 13 September 2024
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Pakistan Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff: China corridor is ‘stabilizing force’ for South Asia

Pakistan Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff: China corridor is ‘stabilizing force’ for South Asia
  • General Sahir Shamshad Mirza emphasizes Pakistan’s strategic bond with China at a major Beijing forum
  • He hails CPEC as a game-changing initiative to ensure greater regional connectivity and economic growth

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza said on Friday the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was not just beneficial for his country’s economy but also a “stabilizing force” for South Asia.

CPEC is a massive infrastructure and economic development initiative that was launched in 2015 as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It aims to enhance connectivity between the two states through a network of roads, railways, energy projects, and special economic zones.

The primary goal of CPEC is to improve Pakistan’s infrastructure, boost trade, and create jobs while providing China with direct access to the Arabian Sea via Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.

It is widely viewed as a strategic partnership between the two countries that has the potential to reshape the region’s economic geography.

“Our relations with [the] People’s Republic of China are truly special and time-tested relationship that not only serves as a testament to our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership but also as a cornerstone for peace and stability, both for Pakistan and the region that are today fraught with challenges,” Mirza said while addressing the Security Cooperation and Asia-Pacific Prosperity and Stability Session of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in China.

“Ladies and gentlemen, [the] China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative,” he continued. “It is an initiative of enhanced regional connectivity and economic development. Indeed, CPEC is not only a game changer for Pakistan’s economy, but also a stabilizing force in South Asia.”

The 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum is being held from September 12 to 14, with unprecedented participation from over 100 countries and organizations. Under the theme of “Promoting Peace for a Shared Future,” this year’s event features critical discussions on global security, regional stability, and innovative technologies in defense.

The Pakistan government is already negotiating “CPEC 2.0” to mark the second phase of the joint corridor project carried out by the two countries, shifting the focus from infrastructure and energy projects to industrial cooperation, agriculture, socio-economic development and technological advancements.

CPEC 2.0 also aims to develop new Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to attract foreign investment and boost industrial growth, as part of Pakistan’s economic revitalization strategy.

– With input from China News Service via Reuters


Pakistan launches probe into ex-PM Khan’s ‘threatening’ social media post targeting state institutions

Pakistan launches probe into ex-PM Khan’s ‘threatening’ social media post targeting state institutions
Updated 13 September 2024
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Pakistan launches probe into ex-PM Khan’s ‘threatening’ social media post targeting state institutions

Pakistan launches probe into ex-PM Khan’s ‘threatening’ social media post targeting state institutions
  • Khan criticized powerful people, saying they were putting the country’s stability at stake to maintain power
  • Information minister say FIA is investigating who is operating Khan’s social media account and from where

ISLAMABAD: The government has directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate a “threatening” social media post by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in which he criticized Pakistan’s military and judiciary, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on Friday, adding a team of interrogators was currently questioning him in prison.

Since the collapse of his government in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, Khan has repeatedly alleged that his ouster was orchestrated by US officials in Washington with the complicity of Pakistan’s military, accusations that both the US and Pakistani authorities have denied.

Khan, who has been imprisoned for over a year on multiple charges, has continuously criticized Pakistan’s military and intelligence services, accusing them of involvement in a failed assassination attempt on him during a protest in November 2022.

In a recent social media post, he likened the current military leadership to General Yahya Khan, accusing them of risking the country’s stability to maintain power. He also named Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa among the powerful individuals who he said were upholding the “system of injustice and brutality” against his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

“The FIA is investigating the matter of the threatening post by PTI’s founding chairman,” the information minister said in a statement.

“The founding chairman of PTI shared an anti-state post on social media and posted material against Pakistan’s integrity,” he continued, adding he had targeted the institutions of military and judiciary.

The minister said that an FIA team had arrived at Adiala Jail to determine who was operating Khan’s social media account and from where.

Tarrar did not elaborate on why he considered the ex-premier’s lengthy post threatening, though it urged Pakistanis to “come out for a street movement to protect our freedom.”

Khan’s legal spokesperson, Naeem Haider Panjutha, also confirmed that a “four-member team” from the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing had gone to the prison to interrogate the former prime minister while condemning the development.


Dhaka’s National Press Club marks 76th death anniversary of Pakistan’s founder

Dhaka’s National Press Club marks 76th death anniversary of Pakistan’s founder
Updated 13 September 2024
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Dhaka’s National Press Club marks 76th death anniversary of Pakistan’s founder

Dhaka’s National Press Club marks 76th death anniversary of Pakistan’s founder
  • Participants say Bangladesh would have been treated like Kashmir if it had not been part of Pakistan in 1947
  • They emphasize the need for closer relations with Pakistan and China, asking their country to honor MA Jinnah

ISLAMABAD: In a significant development, the National Press Club in Dhaka arranged an event in remembrance of Pakistan’s founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to mark his 76th death anniversary with Urdu songs, poetry, and recitals this week, according to a report published by a Bangladeshi newspaper on Thursday.
The tribute to Jinnah comes at a time of profound political change in Bangladesh, where just weeks ago, a student-led protest toppled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid’s government, marking the end of her 15-year rule.
The unrest led to the toppling of statues of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding father and Wajid’s father, amidst widespread dissatisfaction with his daughter’s increasingly autocratic governance.
The event in remembrance of Pakistan’s founding leader is particularly striking, given Bangladesh’s historical resentment toward Pakistan over the events of the 1971 independence war, signaling a re-evaluation of the country’s political and historical narratives, driven by a turbulent domestic environment and evolving sentiments toward its neighbors.
“If Bangladesh had not been part of Pakistan in 1947, we would have been in the same position as Kashmir today, with the Indian junta holding weapons to our necks,” one of the speakers identified as Muhammad Samsuddin was quoted as saying by Dhaka Tribune. “Bangladesh gained independence because of Pakistan, which Jinnah helped create.”
“Why should we change the name of Allama Iqbal Hall or Jinnah Avenue,” he asked. “These changes were made because [New] Delhi wanted them, but we did not. Bangladesh must foster strong relations with China and Pakistan.”
Another speaker, Nazrul Islam, said Bangladesh should continue to have good relations with Pakistan.
“If Jinnah had not been there, Pakistan would not have existed, and without Pakistan, Bangladesh would not exist,” he continued. “Jinnah is the father of our nation, but we do not acknowledge it.”
“We must preserve our brotherhood, and I hope that both Jinnah’s birth and death anniversaries will continue to be observed here every year,” he added.
The Bangladeshi newspaper informed the Pakistani high commissioner was invited to the event, though he could not attend the ceremony and sent his deputy.
Two Pakistani students studying in Bangladesh were present at the gathering and performed Urdu songs dedicated to their country’s founding father.
 


Pakistan’s army chief vows support to police amid rising militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan’s army chief vows support to police amid rising militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Updated 13 September 2024
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Pakistan’s army chief vows support to police amid rising militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan’s army chief vows support to police amid rising militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Militant factions have relentlessly targeted the cops in the province, leading to police protests in KP
  • General Munir vows to maintain ‘the hard-earned peace’ during his visit to the Orakzai tribal district

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir praised the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province during a visit to the Orakzai tribal district on Friday, vowing to provide all possible support to them in performing their duties.

The army chief’s visit comes at a time when militant factions operating in the area have relentlessly targeted the police, killing over 75 of them since the beginning of the year, leading to protests by law enforcement personnel in various parts of the province against these killings.

Security in the region has mostly been dominated by the army, which has been fighting proscribed militant factions like Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban for about two decades, with the police seeking greater government support to empower them to deal with extremist violence in the area.

The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), informed General Munir received a briefing on the security situation in the area along with the ongoing intelligence-based counterterrorism operations that have been undertaken to ensure stability in the restive tribal district.

“Pak Army will continue to provide all out support to KPK Police and other LEAs in enabling them to perform their duties in newly merged districts,” the army chief said, referring to the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan that were integrated into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa nearly six years ago.

Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir (left in first row) receives briefing on the security situation during his visit to the Orakzai tribal district, Pakistan, on September 13, 2024. (ISPR)

He paid tribute to all the uniformed personnel of the police and security forces who had laid down their lives while performing their duties, saying “the hard-earned peace” achieved through their sacrifices would be maintained at all costs.

Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir (right) interacts with troops in Orakzai tribal district, Pakistan, on September 13, 2024. (ISPR)

The army chief also appreciated the support of the local population in assisting the security forces with their efforts, noting that their positive role was essential in sustaining peace in the region.

Earlier, General Munir laid a floral wreath at the Martyrs’ Memorial and interacted with troops in Orakzai who had participated in recent counterterrorism operations in the area.