China, Pakistan unveil sculptures of founding fathers, highlighting strategic ties

China, Pakistan unveil sculptures of founding fathers, highlighting strategic ties
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (right) and a Chinese official unveil sculptures of Chairman Mao Zedong of China and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah of Pakistan in Islamabad, Pakistan, on December 26, 2024. (Screengrab taken from PTV News)
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Updated 26 December 2024
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China, Pakistan unveil sculptures of founding fathers, highlighting strategic ties

China, Pakistan unveil sculptures of founding fathers, highlighting strategic ties
  • The statues unveiled in Pakistan’s federal capital have been created by a veteran Chinese sculptor
  • PM Sharif says the event showed the depth of Pakistan-China ties based on trust and cooperation

ISLAMABAD: A Chinese delegation visiting Pakistan on Thursday unveiled sculptures of the founding fathers of both nations, Chairman Mao Zedong of China and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah of Pakistan, in a ceremony, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailing the event as a testament to the historic bonds between the two nations.

The event honored the pivotal roles of Mao and Jinnah in shaping the destinies of their respective nations. Mao led China through a transformative revolution, laying the foundation for its rise as a global power, while Jinnah, revered as

Pakistan’s father of the nation, spearheaded the movement for the creation of an independent homeland for Muslims in South Asia.

Last year, Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Beijing unveiled similar statues of the two leaders during a ceremony attended by high-ranking Chinese officials and dignitaries.

The sculptures unveiled in Pakistan’s federal capital today were created by veteran Chinese artist Yuan Xikun, who expressed his pride in contributing to this historic project.

“It’s a great honor for me to be here at the Prime Minister’s Office for the unveiling ceremony of the sculptures of Pakistan’s father of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the brave leader of China, Chairman Mao Zedong, which I had been invited to create,” Yuan said.

“It’s the best commemoration of the 148th anniversary of the birth of Jinnah and the 131st anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong,” he added.

Pakistan marked Jinnah’s birth anniversary, which falls on December 25, just a day ago, while China is commemorating Mao’s birthday today, December 26.

The Chinese sculptor said the inauguration of the statues reaffirmed the common admiration and respect that the two nations have for their leaders.

He also maintained the ceremony symbolized the brotherhood between the two countries.

Prime Minister Sharif, who was present at the gathering, underscored the depth of Pakistan-China relations, describing them as a model of mutual respect, trust and cooperation.

“The historic bonds between Pakistan and China forged over decades are a testament to our shared values, mutual respect, trust, and cooperation,” he said.

Highlighting the multifaceted collaboration between the two nations, Sharif praised initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), cultural exchanges and educational programs.

“Hundreds of young Pakistani students visiting Chinese universities and learning Mandarin are building a bridge between Beijing and Islamabad,” he added, adding the first batch of Pakistani agriculture graduates would visit China early next year to gain expertise in modern farming techniques.


Pakistan to launch indigenous satellite today to predict natural disasters

Pakistan to launch indigenous satellite today to predict natural disasters
Updated 9 sec ago
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Pakistan to launch indigenous satellite today to predict natural disasters

Pakistan to launch indigenous satellite today to predict natural disasters
  • The EO-1 satellite will be launched from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
  • It can provide timely updates on floods, landslides, quakes and glacier recession

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will launch its first fully indigenous Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite today, Friday, to help predict natural disasters and monitor resources, Pakistani state media reported.
The EO-1 satellite will be launched from China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The launch represents the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission’s (SUPARCO) dedication and expertise in advancing Pakistan’s technological capabilities in space science.
The satellite will enhance the country’s ability to monitor and manage natural resources, predict and respond to natural disasters, support food security and drive economic growth through informed decision-making and sustainable development.
“Designed and developed entirely by Pakistani engineers, EO-1 satellite is expected to provide substantial benefits across various sectors,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
Pakistan has witnessed erratic, frequent changes in its weather patterns, including floods, droughts, cyclones, torrential rainstorms, heatwaves and the slow-onset threat of glacial melting, in recent years that scientists have blamed on human-driven climate change.
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.
In urban development, the EO-1 satellite can help track infrastructure growth, manage urban sprawl and aid city and regional planning efforts. It will provide timely updates on floods, landslides, earthquakes, deforestation and land erosion in terms of environmental monitoring and disaster management, according to Pakistani state media.
The satellite will also support extraction and conservation strategies for natural resources, such as the monitoring of minerals, oil and gas fields, glacier recession and water resources.
Pakistan has taken strides in its space research program in the past few months. In Nov. last year, SUPARCO announced its rover will join China’s Chang’E 8 mission to explore the moon’s surface in 2028.
In May 2024, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, which was tasked with landing on the far side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the Earth. China was the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.


Poor visibility delays toss in Pakistan-West Indies Test in Multan

Poor visibility delays toss in Pakistan-West Indies Test in Multan
Updated 17 January 2025
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Poor visibility delays toss in Pakistan-West Indies Test in Multan

Poor visibility delays toss in Pakistan-West Indies Test in Multan
  • Pakistan regularly suffers from winter smog which has dire health consequences
  • Air quality in Multan was ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ and set to rise during the day

MULTAN, Pakistan: Toss in the first Test between Pakistan and the West Indies in Multan on Friday was delayed because of poor visibility, as air quality monitors recorded high levels of pollution.

Pakistan regularly suffers from winter smog which has dire health consequences.

“The visibility has been affected due to fog so the toss has been delayed,” Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.

“Once the visibility improves the two umpires will inspect the conditions.”

A pitch inspection was due at 9:30 am (0430 GMT).

The air quality in Multan was “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and set to rise throughout the day, according to monitoring site IQAir.

The two-match Test series is part of the World Test Championship’s third cycle (2023-2025) in which Pakistan are eighth and the West Indies ninth and last.

The second Test starts from January 25, also in Multan.


Pakistan court expected to announce verdict today in land bribe case against ex-PM Khan

Pakistan court expected to announce verdict today in land bribe case against ex-PM Khan
Updated 17 January 2025
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Pakistan court expected to announce verdict today in land bribe case against ex-PM Khan

Pakistan court expected to announce verdict today in land bribe case against ex-PM Khan
  • Khan, wife are accused of receiving land worth millions of dollars as a bribe from real estate tycoon
  • The announcement of the verdict in the Al-Qadir Trust case has already been postponed thrice before

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Pakistan is expected to announce a much-anticipated verdict today, Friday, in a case in which former prime minister Imran Khan is accused of receiving land as a bribe by misusing his office during his premiership.

The announcement of the verdict in the Al-Qadir Trust case has already been postponed thrice before, drawing criticism from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The case involves a charitable trust set up by Khan and his third wife Bushra Khan in 2018 when he was still in office.

Pakistani authorities say the trust was a front for the couple to receive valuable land as a bribe from a real estate developer, Malik Riaz Hussain, who is one of Pakistan’s richest and most powerful businessmen. Hussain, like Khan and Bushra, denies any wrongdoing.

After the third postponement of the verdict on Jan. 13, Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had accused Khan of using “delaying tactics” in the case and not showing up at the court for the announcement of the verdict, while

Khan’s party said the delay raised questions on merits of the trial.

“Imran Khan is being tried for establishing Al-Qadir University, which seems to scare the current regime, as they feel threatened by the very notion of an enlightened nation, equipped to determine right from wrong,” the PTI said in an X post on Friday.

Senator Talal Chaudhry, a member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, said on Jan. 13 the Al-Qadir Trust case was an “open-and-shut case” and there was no possibility of a deal in it.

“Whether the decision is made today or tomorrow, it is a clear verdict, [this is] an open-and-shut case,” he said. “This is about Pakistan and there is no possibility of a pardon.”

Gohar Ali Khan, the PTI chairman and one of Khan’s lawyers, told reporters on Jan. 13 that his party had nothing to do with the postponement of the verdict.

“When decisions are based on political considerations or to put pressure, then everyone can see the writing on the wall,” Gohar said.

“We came prepared that the verdict would be released today but the judge has postponed it of his own accord.”

Authorities say the Al-Qadir Trust scheme originated with 190 million pounds repatriated to Pakistan in 2019 by Britain after Hussain forfeited cash and assets to settle a British probe into whether they were proceeds of crime. Instead of putting it in Pakistan’s treasury, Khan’s government is accused of using the money to pay fines levied by a court against Hussain for illegal acquisition of government lands at below-market value for development in Karachi.

Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023 and faces a slew of legal cases, says all charges against him are politically motivated and being backed by his political rivals led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s all-powerful military. Both deny the allegations.


Pakistan central bank says UAE has confirmed rollover of $2 billion deposits

Pakistan central bank says UAE has confirmed rollover of $2 billion deposits
Updated 17 January 2025
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Pakistan central bank says UAE has confirmed rollover of $2 billion deposits

Pakistan central bank says UAE has confirmed rollover of $2 billion deposits
  • The development comes ahead of a review of Pakistan’s $7 billion IMF program, expected in Feb.
  • The UAE has rolled over deposits with Pakistan since 2023, helping it shore up its foreign reserves

ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has confirmed a rollover of $2 billion deposits with Pakistan, the Pakistani central bank said on Thursday.

The Gulf country has rolled over the deposits with Pakistan’s central bank since 2023, helping the South Asian country shore up its foreign exchange reserves, strengthen its currency and secure financial bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Pakistan’s $350 billion economy has struggled for decades with boom-and-bust cycles and the South Asian country secured a $7 billion, 37-month loan program from the IMF in Sept. last year. The next review of the program is expected in February.

“UAE has confirmed rollover of its two deposits of $1.0 billion each placed with State Bank of Pakistan for another one year, which were maturing in January 2025,” the Pakistani central bank said in a statement.

The development comes more than a week after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in the Pakistani city of Rahim Yar Khan. Sharif later told his cabinet that the UAE president had agreed to roll over the $2 billion loan, which was due to mature this month.

The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States (US), and a major source of foreign investment, valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE foreign ministry. It is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates, who are one of the major sources of remittances to the South Asian country.

In January last year, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth more than $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure, a Pakistani official said, amid Pakistani caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s visit to Davos, Switzerland to attend 54th summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $16.45 billion as of January 10, with SBP-held reserves at $11.73 billion, according to the central bank.

In the past, Pakistan has also secured external financing, a key condition for IMF bailouts, from longtime allies Saudi Arabia and China.


Pakistani airline says ad showing plane flying toward Eiffel Tower never meant to evoke 9/11

Pakistani airline says ad showing plane flying toward Eiffel Tower never meant to evoke 9/11
Updated 54 min 35 sec ago
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Pakistani airline says ad showing plane flying toward Eiffel Tower never meant to evoke 9/11

Pakistani airline says ad showing plane flying toward Eiffel Tower never meant to evoke 9/11
  • The illustration showed a plane superimposed over the French flag and tilted toward the landmark, with the words ‘Paris, we’re coming today’
  • The advert was posted on X by Pakistan International Airlines, or PIA, on Jan. 10, the day that the company resumed flights to European Union

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national airline said Thursday that an advertisement showing a plane heading toward the Eiffel Tower was never intended to evoke the memories of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The illustration, not in video format, shows a plane superimposed over the French flag and tilted toward the Paris landmark, with the words “Paris, we’re coming today.”

The ad was posted on X by Pakistan International Airlines, or PIA, on Jan. 10, the day that the company resumed flights to European Union countries after a four-year ban by the bloc’s aviation safety agency.

Many social media users immediately decried the ad, and Pakistan’s prime minister called for an inquiry. On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar described the ad as an act of “stupidity.”

PIA spokesman Abdullah Hafeez said Thursday that the ad, which hasn’t been deleted and has more than 21.2 million views, was only ever meant to celebrate that the airline was resuming flights to Europe, and never intended to harm 9/11 survivors or victims’ families.

Hafeez told The Associated Press that he was surprised over the criticism. But he said that “we apologize to those who feel the advertisement hurt them.

“We want to make it clear that we had no intention to hurt the feelings of anyone,” Hafeez said.

He said that the Eifel Tower was shown in the ad because it’s one of the best places in the world.

Curbs on PIA had been imposed in 2020 after 97 people died when a PIA plane crashed in Karachi in southern Pakistan. Then Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that an investigation into the crash found that nearly a third of

Pakistani pilots had cheated on their pilot’s exams. A government investigation later concluded that the crash was caused by pilot error.

The ban caused a loss of nearly $150 million a year in revenue for PIA, officials say.

Pakistan has some connections to the Sept. 11 attacks. One of the 9/11 masterminds, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was detained in the country in 2003. In 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in a US special forces raid in Pakistan.