ISLAMABAD: Twenty two-year-old Karishma Ali is used to a lot of firsts.
She was the first girl from her hometown of lower Chitral to represent Pakistan in football at both the national and international levels.
She took part in the Jubilee Games in Dubai, UAE three years ago and also represented Pakistan’s women football team in the Australian Football International (AFL) Cup.
Ali is also the first from Chitral to be featured on Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30 list.
Now, she has her eyes set on realizing her dream of seeing more girls participating in sports. For this purpose, she established the Chitral Women’s Sport Club (CWSC), the region’s first.
She says it all began when she kicked her first football at the age of nine. “I didn’t properly play football, but I became a football lover back then when I was a little kid,” Ali told Arab News. “I remember watching the World Cup with my father in 2006 and fell in love with the game.”
Ali’s decision to foray into sports was supported by her family, particularly her father, who always pushed her to excel in the game.
In Pakistan, women’s participation in sports is abysmal, mostly due to cultural restraints, patriarchal and conservative attitude, and a lack of infrastructure. For her part, Ali says she factored in all these conditions before taking the leap.
“In Chitral, there was no facility and there is still no facility for girls — which is why I am working on it,” Ali told Arab News, adding that she “never had the opportunities to play football.”
“The only time I would get to play football in Chitral was when I would go on a picnic with my father or rarely with my classmates. The boys would be playing, I would come and kick, they would stare at me, laugh and bully me but I never cared — I still went for it,” she said.
And while she had the backing of her family – and the support of coaches and mentors after moving to Islamabad at the age of 13, leading to her eventual placement on the national team – Ali says that, initially at least, the community was not receptive to the idea of girls playing sports.
“A lot of people do not appreciate the inclusion of girls in sports, so for me I thought starting [this club] and making it for girls under the age of 16 would be crucial,” she said, adding that the sports club “is not just about sports or football.”
“We are trying to teach girls about their rights, we are trying to educate them about health,” she said.
Last year, the CWSC hosted a seven-day camp for 70 girls from across Chitral and surroundings villages, resulting in the first all-women football tournament in the area.
Ali’s aim is to not just encourage athleticism, competition and confidence among young girls, but to also demonstrate how the sport can empower women and be a source of pride for the country.
“Last year [starting out] was very hard, when I told people I wanted to do this in Chitral, people thought I was crazy,” she said. “People never appreciated that I was playing sports to begin with, so to want to invite others in… I was bullied and threatened.”
However, Ali found strength in her usual source – her father. “[He] said to me: ‘You have taken this step for so many girls and, now, if you give up, that means the end of sports for every other girl back home. You decide whether you can be brave and keep fighting or people will forget you. Remember, if you stand up people will remember you, people will get inspired and get their girls involved’,” she said.
And they did.
From among the 70 girls who enrolled in the club, several live in villages and would commute for three to four hours every day just to participate.
“They would not miss the training session even for a single day and would wake up at 6am to reach the ground, play sports and go back,” Ali said of the girls, teeming with pride.
This year, Ali’s camp hosted nearly 200 girls, more than doubling last year’s attendance.
For her party, Ali, who has earned herself the “Pride of Pakistan” award that recognizes tremendous contribution made by Pakistanis, wants the same for other girls, too.
“I remember when I was a kid watching the World Cup with my cousin, I’d told him I want to play for the national team, but there was no such concept of girls playing football. When I got to the national team I sank into this confidence,” she said.
“I think of the little girl back in the village and myself in the national uniform and that fills me with happiness. We have amazing people, we have girls who want to play sports and for Pakistan and I want to be a good ambassador for them,” she said.
One woman’s small step for Chitral marks a giant leap for Pakistan in football
One woman’s small step for Chitral marks a giant leap for Pakistan in football
- Karishma Ali hopes to now provide a platform for more girls to participate in sports
- Has earned several accolades for the country, including being featured in Forbes 30 under 30
After primary schools, Pakistan’s Punjab closes high schools as smog crisis deepens
- Record air pollution has triggered hundreds of hospitalizations, school closures, lockdowns in Punjab this month
- On Tuesday, provincial capital Lahore, home to 13 million people, had worst air quality globally, according to IQAir
ISLAMABAD: The government of Punjab has closed all educational institutions in the province up to the higher secondary level from tomorrow, Wednesday, until the end of the week because of record-breaking smog that has already prompted the closure of primary schools and government offices and has sickened tens of thousands of people.
Record-high air pollution levels have triggered hundreds of hospitalizations, junior school closures and stay-at-home orders in several districts of Punjab, including the provincial capital of Lahore, which has been enveloped in a thick, toxic smog since last month.
On Tuesday, Lahore, home to 13 million people, had the worst air quality of any city in the world, according to live readings by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company.
“All the educational institutions […] up to higher secondary level shall remain closed and will shift to online mode with effect from Nov 13 within […] DG Khan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Sargodha and Rawalpindi divisions […] till Nov 17,” the province’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in a notification issued on Tuesday, ordering schools to shift to “online mode.”
In Pakistan, the higher secondary level refers to upper secondary education, which includes grades 11 and 12. It is also known as intermediate education.
Speaking to reporters, Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat said the decision to close higher secondary institutes was taken “in light of the complaints received from the district.”
“This drastic decision had to be taken to protect children from the deadly effects,” he said. “There is a sense of educational loss, but the decision to close educational institutions is being taken out of compulsion.
Primary schools and government offices had already been closed until Nov. 17 in many districts of Punjab earlier this month, with school closures likely to affect the education of more than 20 million students, according to associations representing private and government schools.
Authorities in 18 districts of Punjab also closed all public parks, zoos and museums, historical places, and playgrounds for ten days last week.
On Friday, a court in Lahore ordered the government to shut all markets after 8pm. Authorities have already banned barbecuing food without filters and ordered wedding halls to close by 10pm.
On Monday, the UN children’s agency said the health of 11 million children in Punjab province was in danger because of air pollution
“Prior to these record-breaking levels of air pollution, about 12 percent of deaths in children under 5 in Pakistan were due to air pollution,” UNICEF’s representative in Pakistan, Abdullah Fadil, said.
“The impact of this year’s extraordinary smog will take time to assess, but we know that doubling and tripling the amount of pollution in the air will have devastating effects, particularly on children and pregnant women.”
Bus carrying wedding guests falls into river in northern Pakistan, killing 18
- Accident took place on Gilgit Baltistan region as bus was heading to Chakwal in Punjab
- So far only one woman had been found alive and was being treated at hospital, officials say
MANSEHRA, Pakistan: A bus carrying about two dozen wedding guests fell into the Indus River in northern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least 18 people, officials said.
It happened in the Gilgit Baltistan region as the bus was heading to Chakwal, a city in Punjab province, government spokesman Faizullah Farqan said.
He said a search for bodies continued, and so far only one woman had been found alive and was being treated at a hospital.
Police said it was unclear what caused the crash, and officers were yet to record the lone survivor’s statement.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari offered condolences and asked rescuers to expedite efforts to find missing passengers.
Road accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor infrastructure and disregard for traffic laws and safety standards. In August, 36 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in two separate bus crashes.
Pakistan says developing nations need $6.8 trillion by 2030 to meet climate pledges
- PM Sharif calls on donor countries to give 0.7 percent of gross national income as development assistance, use existing climate funds
- Premier says debt cannot become “acceptable new normal” in climate financing, calls for focus on non-debt financing solutions
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday developing countries would need an estimated $6.8 trillion by 2030 to implement less than half of their current nationally determined contributions (NDCs), or national action plans for reducing emissions and adapting to climate impacts defined by the Paris Agreement.
Nearly 200 nations have gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, for COP29 climate talks this week to thrash out the details of a deal known as the New Collective Quantified Goal, designed to deliver billions of dollars of climate finance to the regions that need it the most. But the United States, Europe and others say they will only commit to the fund if the list of countries contributing to it is widened to include the likes of China, South Korea and Singapore, and the resulting deadlock could block progress during the talks.
Meanwhile, COP29 follows a year of weather disasters that have emboldened developing countries in their demands for climate cash.
Pakistan is ranked the 5th most vulnerable country to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. In 2022, devastating floods killed over 1,700 people and affected over 33 million, with economic losses exceeding $30 billion. International donors pledged over $9 billion last January to aid Pakistan’s flood recovery but officials say little of the promised funds have been received so far.
“Developing countries will need an estimated $6.8 trillion by 2030 to implement less than half their current NDCs,” Sharif said in an address on the sidelines of the World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit.
“Donor countries should fulfill their commitment to provide 0.7 percent of their gross national income [as development assistance] and capitalize existing climate funds.”
One such commitment, the $100 billion Annual Climate Finance pledge established over a decade ago at COP15, is now reported by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to have reached only $160 billion, Sharif said.
“Despite this number remaining a tiny proportion of the defined need, a significant part of this financing is dispersed in the form of loans, further enhancing the debt burden on developing nations and potentially pushing them toward mounting debt traps, I call them death traps,” Sharif added.
“Pakistan alongside many other developing countries calls for stronger, more equitable climate finance mechanisms. Debt cannot become the acceptable new normal in climate financing which is why we must resume focus on non-debt financing solutions, enabling countries to fund climate initiatives.”
Sharif also called on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to set up a committee to review NDCs “periodically.”
“We need to double adaptation financing from present level and loss and damage funds must be enhanced and directed toward resilient infrastructure and other pressing needs,” Sharif added.
Governments last year pledged $800 million toward a new ‘loss and damage’ fund to help poorer nations being hit by climate-fueled disasters. The fund, which has a director and a host nation, will now be deciding how the funds should be dispersed and calling for more contributions at COP29.
On Tuesday, the world’s top multilateral banks, including the World Bank, European Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank, pledged to ramp up climate finance to low and middle income countries to $120 billion a year by 2030 as part of efforts at COP29 to agree to an ambitious annual target.
Reaffirming a goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average by 2050, the new figure is a more than 60 percent increase on what the group of 10 multilateral development banks (MDBs) had funneled to poorer nations last year, according to a statement released during the UN climate summit.
The new figure includes $42 billion to help adapt to the impacts of extreme weather, a 70 percent increase over the 2023 number.
Emerging fintech operator in Middle East, Pakistan to acquire FINCA Microfinance Bank
- FINCA operates in 108 cities in Pakistan, providing state-of-the-art deposit and payment solutions
- ABHI established global headquarters in Abu Dhabi in Jan. 2024, has expended to Dubai and Saudi Arabia
KARACHI: Abhi Private Limited, an emerging fintech operator in the Middle East and Pakistan, and leading tech conglomerate TPL Corp. Limited, are all set to jointly acquire FINCA Microfinance Bank Limited, a statement from Abhi said on Tuesday.
FINCA Pakistan, part of a global FINCA network, operates in 108 cities across Pakistan, providing state-of-the-art deposit and payment solutions, including micro-credit facilities aimed at improving livelihoods.
ABHI established its global headquarters in Abu Dhabi in January 2024 and has also expanded its business through partnerships in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
“The strategic alliance between Abhi and TPL Corp. aims to reshape financial inclusion efforts across Pakistan by combining FINCA’s extensive microfinance network and expertise with Abhi’s innovative digital solutions and TPL Corp’s presence in retail, insurance and technology sectors,” Abhi said in a statement.
“By bringing together these complementary strengths, the partnership is set to diversify and expand access to financial products and services that cater to underserved communities, including rural populations, small businesses, and lower-income individuals.”
The acquisition will combine TPL’s diverse business portfolio and FINCA Pakistan’s established presence and deep knowledge of the market, with the combined entity being “well-positioned to introduce customer-focused solutions that can make a tangible difference in underserved regions.”
“At Abhi, we’ve always believed in creating accessible financial solutions for everyone,” said Omair Ansari, CEO & Co-founder of Abhi.
“By joining forces with TPL, we’re making a stride toward expanding our reach and delivering impactful financial products to millions of Pakistanis who have previously lacked access to essential services.”
Looking ahead, Abhi, TPL and FINCA plan to focus on delivering a new range of financial products “tailored to underserved communities, driving financial inclusion and contributing to the nation’s economic growth.”
“FINCA Pakistan delivered on its promise to develop a nationwide microfinance network that is creating economic opportunity throughout Pakistan, especially for women,” said Jeff Smith, chair of the FINCA Pakistan Board of Directors.
“Abhi and TPL share FINCA’s commitment to expanding access to financial services for small entrepreneurs. The infusion of new capital and more comprehensive digital services have the potential to significantly accelerate financial inclusion in Pakistan.”
Top leaders of Imran Khan’s party briefly arrested, released in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi
- Leader of the opposition in the national assembly and other PTI leaders had arrived at Adiala jail to meet Khan
- Ex-PM has been in jail since August last year and faces a slew of legal challenges he says are politically motivated
ISLAMABAD: Top aides of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan were briefly detained before being released in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi as they arrived to meet their leader at a local prison, his party said on Tuesday, with police saying they were arrested for breaking a law against public gatherings.
Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, and several other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had arrived at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail to meet Khan when they were arrested for what Punjab Police has described as violating Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code, a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit the assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period.
“PTI workers were detained for violating Section 144 but were released after being issued a warning,” Punjab Police Spokesperson Sajjadul Hassan told media.
The PTI says the leaders were detained to block them from meeting Khan who has been imprisoned since August last year and faces a slew of legal cases, from corruption to terrorism, which he says are politically motivated.
“PTI leadership has been set free, after being kept in custody till the time for scheduled meeting with Imran Khan was over,” the party said in a text message to reporters.
In a post on X, the PTI said the arrests showed the “blatant misuse of power” of the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s PML-N party, which it said was “aimed at silencing PTI leaders and anyone standing with Imran Khan.”
“This assault on political freedoms is a grave warning for all citizens. The nation must stand up for itself, get organized, and peacefully protest,” the PTI said. “This is not an issue of any one person or party; it is a matter of Pakistan’s survival and integrity.”
Since his ouster from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary no-trust vote, Khan has been embroiled in over 150 cases and has been sentenced in several, including to three years, 10 years, 14 years and seven years to be served concurrently under Pakistani law. Khan’s convictions were later overturned in appeals but he cannot be freed due to other, pending cases against him.
He has maintained his innocence and has argued that the cases are an attempt to sideline him politically by keeping him out of the public area. The government denies it is persecuting Khan or his party.
