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President Zardari expected to leave hospital soon after COVID treatment, doctor says

President Zardari expected to leave hospital soon after COVID treatment, doctor says
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari is pictured during his meeting with Portuguese President, in Lisbon on February 11, 2025. (AFP/File)
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Updated 06 April 2025
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President Zardari expected to leave hospital soon after COVID treatment, doctor says

President Zardari expected to leave hospital soon after COVID treatment, doctor says
  • Asif Ali Zardari was brought to a hospital on Tuesday after he complained of suffering from fever, breathing problems
  • Dr. Asim Hussain refutes rumors about President Zardari’s ‘serious’ health condition and says it is gradually improving
Updated 06 April 2025
NAIMAT KHAN
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KARACHI: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, who tested positive for coronavirus this week, is likely to be discharged from hospital in next two days, his personal physician said on Saturday.

Zardari was brought to a private hospital in Karachi from Sindh’s Nawabshah city on Tuesday after he complained about suffering from fever and breathing problems, local media outlets reported.

On Wednesday, his personal physician, Dr. Asim Hussain, confirmed the president had tested positive for coronavirus and a team of medical experts was looking after him.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Hussain refutes rumors about President Zardari’s ‘serious’ health condition and said it was gradually improving.

“At present, a low-risk variant of the coronavirus is still spreading in Pakistan. No matter what political opponents say or exaggerate anything, the health of the president is very good,” Hussain said.

“Asif Zardari’s meetings are restricted, only doctors have access to him. A panel of expert doctors is monitoring his health.”

Zardari, the widower of Pakistan’s slain first woman prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was appointed president for a second term in March last year. He previously served on the same post from 2008-2013.

Zardari, a landowner from Sindh and co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a key member of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition, rose to prominence after his marriage to Bhutto in 1987.

He was widely criticized for corruption scandals that led to the collapse of Bhutto’s government in 1990.

 

Topics: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari

Pakistan PM grants Rs5 million cheque for MMA fighter Shahzaib Rind after payment controversy

Pakistan PM grants Rs5 million cheque for MMA fighter Shahzaib Rind after payment controversy
Updated 27 sec ago
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Pakistan PM grants Rs5 million cheque for MMA fighter Shahzaib Rind after payment controversy

Pakistan PM grants Rs5 million cheque for MMA fighter Shahzaib Rind after payment controversy
  • Rind had criticized government for not living up to its promise of providing him $17,655 monetary reward
  • Shehbaz Sharif meets Rind’s father at PM House, expresses best wishes for fighter in upcoming competitions
Updated 27 sec ago
Fatimah Amjad

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif granted a cheque for Rs5 million [$17,655] for Pakistani mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Shahzaib Rind on Tuesday, the premier’s office said days after the athlete criticized the government for not fulfilling its commitment of providing him monetary reward and support. 

Rind took to social media platform X on July 23 to say that Sharif had promised him a sum of Rs5 million [$17,630] and Rs80 million [$282,080] to support the athlete’s training camp and upcoming fights last year. In a video message, the MMA fighter had said Sharif promised him the rewards after he beat Indian fighter Rana Singh at the Karate Combat 45 competition in Dubai last year. 

However, the Pakistani fighter said the government did not fulfill its promise to him. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar apologized to Rind on Twitter last week, promising him that the prime minister would resolve the issue soon. 

Sharif met Rind’s father Khair Muhammad at the Prime Minister’s House on Tuesday during which he presented the cheque to him, Sharif’s office said. 

“During the meeting, the prime minister expressed his best wishes for Shahzaib Rind in his upcoming competitions,” the statement said. 

Rind, who hails from the impoverished southwestern Balochistan province, won his first martial arts title in 2011 after claiming victory in a provincial-level competition. His first national title came in 2019 when he triumphed at the National Games in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

During the two-and-a-half years of an undefeated Karate Combat career, Rind has fought fighters from North America, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, France and India.

Topics: boxer Shahzaib Rind Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Sports in pakistan Pakistani MMA Fighters

Government says Pakistan to expand shipping capacity by 600% under maritime overhaul

Government says Pakistan to expand shipping capacity by 600% under maritime overhaul
Updated 30 min 31 sec ago
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Government says Pakistan to expand shipping capacity by 600% under maritime overhaul

Government says Pakistan to expand shipping capacity by 600% under maritime overhaul
  • Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim Authority sign funding deals to modernize national fleet with energy-efficient vessels
  • New initiative aims to cut freight costs, conserve foreign exchange and promote clean, climate-friendly maritime practices
Updated 30 min 31 sec ago
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan plans to expand its national shipping fleet by 600% over the next three years under a sweeping new initiative to modernize its maritime sector, cut sea freight costs, and reduce dependence on foreign vessels, the country’s maritime minister said on Tuesday.

The announcement came after a signing ceremony where officials from the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Port Qasim Authority (PQA) inked separate agreements with the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) to finance the fleet expansion and upgrade program.

“This initiative reflects our broader vision to modernize the maritime sector, boost operational efficiency and introduce advanced technologies across all institutions,” Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said according to an official statement.

Chaudhry said the expansion would focus on integrating energy-efficient and climate-smart vessels into the state-run fleet to align with Pakistan’s national climate goals.

He said the plan is aimed at conserving foreign exchange and enabling compliance with global environmental standards.

Officials from KPT and PQA said the upgraded fleet would enhance Pakistan’s trade connectivity and reduce the environmental impact of sea transport by lowering fuel consumption and emissions.

Pakistan is stepping up efforts to strengthen port infrastructure to support international trade. The Maritime Affairs Ministry recently announced plans to expand Gwadar Port’s capacity, including the introduction of new shipping lines and a direct ferry service between Gwadar and the Gulf countries, set to improve freight and passenger connectivity with the Gulf region.

Pakistan has also offered access to its southern ports to Central Asian countries, positioning itself as a gateway for regional transit commerce under broader corridor agreements and transit trade frameworks.

Topics: Ministry of maritime affairs Pakistan Maritime Affairs

Pakistan, Kuwait agree to boost high-level exchanges, deepen ties in trade and defense

Pakistan, Kuwait agree to boost high-level exchanges, deepen ties in trade and defense
Updated 29 July 2025
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Pakistan, Kuwait agree to boost high-level exchanges, deepen ties in trade and defense

Pakistan, Kuwait agree to boost high-level exchanges, deepen ties in trade and defense
  • Pakistan’s deputy PM meets Kuwaiti foreign minister to discuss ties in energy and multilateral diplomacy
  • Islamabad eyes Gulf labor exports to boost remittances, which hit $38.3 billion during the last fiscal year
Updated 29 July 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya agreed to increase high-level official exchanges to strengthen bilateral relations and bolster cooperation in trade, investment and defense, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement on Tuesday.

The two ministers met on the sidelines of the International Conference on the Two-State Solution at the United Nations in New York.

Pakistan has been seeking to enhance economic and strategic partnerships with Gulf nations, including efforts to export more skilled human resources to the region in a bid to boost remittances, which reached a record $38.3 billion in the last fiscal year.

“The two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen Pakistan-Kuwait relations, with a focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, energy, food security and defense,” the foreign office said. “They also discussed close collaboration at multilateral fora, including at the UN and OIC [Organization of Islamic Cooperation].”

“Both sides agreed to undertake high-level exchanges in the near future to deepen bilateral engagement,” it added.

Dar and Al-Yahya also expressed concern over continued Israeli aggression against Palestinians and the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling for a just and lasting resolution.

They voiced hope that the outcomes of the UN conference would contribute meaningfully toward the realization of the two-state solution.

Earlier this year, Pakistan and Kuwait held the fourth round of Bilateral Political Consultations in Kuwait in May, where senior officials reviewed cooperation in trade, labor and consular affairs.

Prior to that, in February, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al‑Ahmad Al‑Sabah and pledged to transform bilateral relations into a robust economic partnership, while also coordinating positions on regional issues including the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The two sides are also trying to enhance collaboration in defense training, cybersecurity and military joint exercises.

Topics: Pakistan Kuwait ties Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar

Pakistan welcomes Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire, hopes for peaceful resolution via diplomacy

Pakistan welcomes Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire, hopes for peaceful resolution via diplomacy
Updated 29 July 2025
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Pakistan welcomes Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire, hopes for peaceful resolution via diplomacy

Pakistan welcomes Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire, hopes for peaceful resolution via diplomacy
  • Thailand, Cambodia agreed to ceasefire on Monday after days-long fighting killed at least 35, displaced over 270,000
  • Pakistan’s foreign office hopes for resolution of conflict through regional cooperation between the two neighbors
Updated 29 July 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Tuesday welcomed the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire after days of fighting, hoping the two sides would resolve their outstanding issues through diplomacy and regional cooperation. 

The foreign office’s statement followed Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement of an “unconditional ceasefire” between Thailand and Cambodia on Monday. Talks between the two neighboring countries were held at Ibrahim’s official residence in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya. Acting Thai Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet both attended the meeting, along with the ambassadors of China and the United States. 

Fighting over a border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia broke out last week, killing at least 35 people and displacing more than 270,000 from both sides of the border. Ibrahim said Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire effective at midnight on Monday (17:00 GMT) while a meeting between the military commanders of both nations will follow on Tuesday.

“Pakistan welcomes the successful conclusion of the special meeting hosted by Malaysia on the Cambodia-Thailand situation,” the foreign office said in a statement. “We appreciate the spirit of dialogue and express hope for a peaceful resolution through diplomacy and regional cooperation.”

Thailand and Cambodia have wrangled for decades over border territory and been on a conflict footing since the killing of a Cambodian soldier in a skirmish late in May. The development led to a troop buildup on both sides and a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand’s fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.

Both countries accused each other of starting the fighting last week, that within hours increased from small arms fire to heavy artillery and rockets, and Thailand’s unexpected scrambling of an F-16 fighter jet to carry out airstrikes.

Pakistan had also engaged in a military conflict with its nuclear-armed neighbor India in May. Both countries pounded each other with fighter jets, artillery fire, drones and missiles before that killed over 70 on both sides of the border before agreeing to a ceasefire brokered by Washington on May 10. 

Topics: Thailand Cambodia ceasefire Pakistan Cambodia ties Pakistan Thailand ties

Pakistani American surgeon’s health firm launches ‘Hami,’ world’s first AI physician assistant

Pakistani American surgeon’s health firm launches ‘Hami,’ world’s first AI physician assistant
Updated 29 July 2025
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Pakistani American surgeon’s health firm launches ‘Hami,’ world’s first AI physician assistant

Pakistani American surgeon’s health firm launches ‘Hami,’ world’s first AI physician assistant
  • Hami streamlines medical intake, analyzes clinical data and generates evidence-based recommendations for physicians, says firm
  • Says Hami is currently in active deployment across multiple hospitals in Pakistan and will expand globally over the coming year
Updated 29 July 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A US-based health tech firm founded by Pakistani American trauma surgeon Dr. Adil Haider announced on Tuesday it had launched “Hami,” the world’s first artificial intelligence-powered physician assistant to enable personalized, evidence-driven patient care to people. 

Boston Health AI announced that Hami functions as an interactive AI-powered physician assistant that streamlines medical intake by actively listening to patients, gathering their complete health stories, including past illnesses and concerns. It is equipped with features such as a real-time AI-enabled ambient scribe, which enables Hami to listen, transcribe, and intelligently format physician-patient conversations into structured notes.

Boston Health AI is a US-based health tech firm founded in 2024 by Dr. Haider which describes itself as a “passionate team of innovators, clinicians, health care professionals and technologists re-imagining how health care is delivered.”

Hami, which supports multilingual input and delivers language-agnostic experiences, is currently in active deployment across multiple hospitals in Pakistan and will expand globally over the coming year, the firm said. 

“With Hami, we’re using the power of AI to break barriers and support physicians in delivering expert level care to every patient, whether they’re in Boston or Badin,” Dr. Haider said in a press release issued by Boston Health AI. “It’s a reimagining of what accessible, intelligent and physician-empowered health care can look like at scale.”

Dr. Haider, who founded Boston Health AI and has served previously as the dean of Pakistan’s prominent Aga Khan University Medical College, said Hami bridges the gap between physicians and patients. He noted that the AI assistant streamlines medical intake, analyzes clinical data and generates structured, evidence-based recommendations for physicians. 

“It reduces administrative burden, enhances physician efficiency and supports high-quality consultations,” he noted. “Through Hami, we aim to reach and improve the lives of 1 billion patients worldwide.”

Boston Health AI pointed out that as per the World Health Organization’s projections, the global shortfall of health care professionals will reach 11 million by 2030. It said In Pakistan alone, over 87 million people lack access to essential care. Patients in these environments often face long wait times and rushed consultations, severely limiting the quality and continuity of care.

The firm said Hami reduces the administrative burden on physicians, freeing them to focus on important decision-making and high-value consultations. It added that Hami also provides interactive after-visit summaries to help patients revisit key points and stay aligned with their recommended care plans.

Boston Health AI disclosed that Hami is bound by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and European Union’s GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) which ensures patient’s data is kept confidential. 

Topics: Boston AI Dr. Adil Haider AI in health

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