LAHORE: Ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam were arrested on Friday after flying back to the country to face lengthy prison sentences, in a high-stakes gamble to galvanize their beleaguered party ahead of a July 25 election.
Uniformed men escorted the Sharifs, who were sentenced in absentia on corruption charges last week, from their airplane after it touched down in the central city of Lahore at around 8:45 p.m. (1645 GMT), a Reuters reporter on board said.
A spokesman for Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party confirmed they were arrested soon afterwards. Local Geo TV said Sharif and his daughter were taken to another waiting aircraft to be flown out of Lahore, where more than 10,000 Sharif supporters were gathered to greet him.
Their return could shake up an election race marred by accusations Pakistan’s powerful military is working behind the scenes to skew the contest in favor of ex-cricket hero Imran Khan, who describes Sharif as a “criminal” who deserves no support.
Clashes broke out Friday evening at the main highway entry point to Lahore between pro-Sharif protesters and police who had been deployed in their thousands, a Reuters witness said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Mobile phone service had been cut off in mid-afternoon, as Sharif’s brother, Shehbaz, led around 10,000 party supporters on a march toward the city center in defiance of a citywide ban on public gatherings, according to a Reuters witness.
Nawaz Sharif decried the tactics ordered by the caretaker government that took over in June ahead of the general election, as Pakistan’s constitution requires.
“What credibility will these elections have when the government is taking such a drastic action against our people and this crackdown is taking place all over the country?” he told Reuters at the airport in Abu Dhabi as he waited for a connecting flight to Lahore.
Pakistan’s third major political movement, the Pakistan Peoples Party, joined the criticism of the crackdown, with its prime ministerial candidate Bilawal Bhutto Zardari questioning why Sharif’s supporters would be prevented from gathering.
“Why is Lahore under siege? Right to peaceful protest is fundamental for democracy,” tweeted Bhutto Zardari, the son of two-time prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated at a political rally in 2007.
The country’s media regulator warned local news channels to abstain from airing statements “by political leadership containing defamatory and derogatory content targeting various state institutions specifically judiciary and armed forces,” the regulator said in a statement.
Adding to the tension surrounding the upcoming poll, a suicide bomber hit an election rally of a regional party in southwestern Pakistan, killing 85 people. The bombing was the biggest attack in Pakistan in more than a year and the third incident of election-related violence this week.
Ousted Pakistani PM Sharif arrested after flying home to face jail
Ousted Pakistani PM Sharif arrested after flying home to face jail
LIV Golf set for first-ever night event at 2025 season opener in Riyadh
- After three years of hosting the event in Jeddah, LIV Golf will debut at Riyadh Golf Club from Feb. 6-8
- Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, and many of golf’s biggest stars set to compete
RIYADH: Following three years of hosting events at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club near Jeddah, LIV Golf will make its debut this season at the Riyadh Golf Club from Feb. 6-8 in what will be its first-ever night event.
The event will feature a strong line-up of players including LIV Golf 2024 individual champion Jon Rahm (Legion XIII), LIV Golf Jeddah 2024 winner Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC), as well as international golfing stars such as World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson (HyFlyers GC), five-time major winner Brooks Koepka (Smash GC), 2024 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau (Crushers GC), and many more.
Ross Hallett, LIV Golf executive vice president and head of events, shared his excitement, saying, “LIV Golf Riyadh is going to be a can’t-miss event featuring world-class competition and entertainment for fans of all ages. Hosting the tournament at night is another example of our commitment to innovation and presenting new ways to enjoy the sport at its highest level.
“We encourage all fans to arrive early to enjoy the fan village, food festival, fun fair and on-course treasure hunt amongst the many family activities happening around the golf course as we deliver an unforgettable experience at Riyadh Golf Club starting on the 6th of February,” he added.
The 2025 season opener will also mark the debut of Lee Cheih-po, winner of the LIV Golf Promotions 2024 event at Riyadh Golf Club. The Chinese-Taipei star secured the sole spot to join the league’s prestigious 54-player field after a thrilling final day at the Riyadh Golf Club in December.
Gritty Gulf Giants overcome MI Emirates in thrilling DP World ILT20 contest
- Tom Banton of MI Emirates takes the Green Belt as highest run-scorer in the tournament so far
ABU DHABI: Gulf Giants were forced to dig deep to defeat the MI Emirates by two wickets, in a real nail-biter at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
In the DP World ILT20 clash, t Giants looked down and out at one stage, before their lower order showed nerves of steel to guide the side over the finish line. The win helps Gulf Giants to move to fifth on the points table.
Asked to bat first, MI Emirates had a slow start as they lost the openers Kusal Perera for four and Muhammad Waseem for 12, both to Daniel Worrall, in the powerplay. The in-form Tom Banton then began the job of rebuilding for MI Emirates, hoping for support from his skipper.
But Nicholas Pooran could add only eight to the cause while Dan Mousley added five more, before both were dismissed, leaving MI Emirates in a spot of bother at 57/4. Banton was joined by Kieron Pollard, and they dug in, keeping the scoreboard moving even when the big hits were hard to come by.
Banton completed his half-century in the 15th over, and in the next Pollard took Aayan Khan to the cleaners, smashing three sixes in a 21-run over.
The Bantom fell in the 17th over for 56 and a superb 66-run stand came to an end. The MI Emirates would need a strong finish and along with Pollard, who scored 34, Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd added a few lusty blows as well. Hosein finished unbeaten on 20 and Shepherd was not out on eight as MI Emirates reached 151/6 in their 20 overs. Banton’s half-century meant he took over the Green Belt as the highest run-getter in the tournament.
Gulf Giants too could not get off to a fast start, as captain James Vince was the first to fall for one. Soon after, Jordan Cox was packed off for nine, and the Gulf Giants were 20/2 in the fourth over. Tom Alsop was joined by Gerhard Erasmus, and they had to rebuild after the early scares.
Both Alsop and Erasmus avoided the high-risk approach and steadied the ship with a solid half-century stand. The third wicket produced 65 runs for Gulf Giants, who were back in the contest. Alsop was the next to fall for 32 and Erasmus followed shortly after for 37. For MI Emirates, Muhammad Rohid Khan and Alzarri Joseph were doing most of the heavy lifting with the ball.
Shimron Hetmyer and Ibrahim Zadran tried to up the ante after that, but Joseph castled the West Indian southpaw for seven, which put further pressure on the Gulf Giants. Fazalhaq Farooqi cleaned up Zadran for 11 after that, but Tom Curran was soldiering on at the other end for the Giants, who had four wickets left. Curran and Mark Adair were picking some crucial boundaries at this point, and brought the Giants to within 17 runs of the target, with two overs to go.
Farooqi accounted for Adair for 15 in the 19th over, before Aayan Khan combined with Curran and Muhammad Zuhaib to clinch a thrilling win off the final delivery of the game. Khan, who scored an unbeaten 11 off six deliveries, was instrumental in helping his side over the line.
Player of the match Adair said: “It was just about getting the basics right again. Tom Curran came in and shared his experience, and that helped in the crucial moments.”
MI Emirates’ captain Pooran said: “It was a tough one today, we weren't disciplined enough, and paid the price as a team.”
Brief Scores
Gulf Giants beat MI Emirates by two wickets
MI Emirates 151/6 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 56, Kieron Pollard 34, Daniel Worral 2 for 19, Mark Adair 1 for 24, Blessing Muzarabani 1 for 16,)
Gulf Giants 152/8 in 20 overs (Gerhard Erasmus 37, Tom Alsop 32, Tom Curran 16, Fazalhaq Farooqi 3 for 34, Muhammad Rohid Khan 2 for 15)
Player of the Match: Mark Adair
Saudi Arabia condemns deadly attack on healthcare facility in Sudan
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia strongly condemned on Sunday the drone attack on a Saudi-run hospital in El-Fasher in Sudan's Darfur region.
A drone attack on Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital in the besieged town in western Sudan has killed 70 people and wounded 19 others, the World Health Organization said.
The Kingdom described the attack as a “violation of international law and international humanitarian law.”
“The Kingdom reiterated its rejection of these violations and emphasized the critical need to protect health and humanitarian workers,” read the foreign ministry statement.
It called for practice of “self-restraint” and avoidance of “targeting civilians.”
The Kingdom also called for adherence to the commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan.
It was not clear which of Sudan's warring sides had launched the attack.
The conflict in Sudan has unleashed a humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.
Tens of thousands have been killed and over 12 million people have been uprooted.
Immersive installation takes center stage at Quoz Arts Fest with ENESS’s ‘Forest Dancer’
DUBAI: As part of this year’s Quoz Arts Fest in Dubai, ENESS, the Australian-based creative studio, will debut an immersive light and sound installation titled “Forest Dancer and the Path to Pure Creation” at Concrete in Alserkal Avenue on Jan. 25-26.
ENESS founder Nimrod Wies said that the installation symbolized “freedom and joy through creativity.”
“The artwork promotes the idea that embracing your creative gifts positively impacts those around you and inspires you to find your place in humanity through art,” he said. “We hope that visitors experience joy and playfulness in our exhibition and take away from it the inspiration to fill their lives with creativity and expression.”
The installation features inflatables packed with computers controlling sound, lightplay and motion-tracking LED eyes. “The biggest challenge is that we arrive from the other side of the world and we work all hours to create a completely immersive artwork that takes over any space that it occupies,” Wies said.
“The most rewarding part of my journey has been to exhibit all over the world and see different people respond to the artworks. I love seeing the appreciation audiences feel and experience, and hearing their joyful feedback.”
Speaking about the festival’s appeal, Wies said: “Working with Quoz Arts Fest suits the ENESS vision because we love to be involved in local cultures and bring our work to thriving areas with all-ages audiences who are open to new ideas. We think that the Alserkal neighborhood is the coolest place in Dubai.”
Wies said that public art created opportunities for alternate behavior and emotion. “Public spaces are generally relatively codified with clear designations for what sort of behavior is undertaken where. However, the introduction of public art can reconfigure a space visually, emotionally and behaviorally.”
Looking ahead, Wies said: “We have works coming up all around the world. We are looking forward to our next experience in Saudi Arabia.”
Desert Vipers cruise to eight-wicket win as Hales and Curran shine against Sharjah Warriorz
- Khuzaima Tanveer’s four-wicket haul sets foundation for Vipers’ sixth win of the DP World ILT20 season
SHARJAH: Alex Hales and Sam Curran powered the Desert Vipers to a commanding eight-wicket victory over the Sharjah Warriorz at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Their stunning 128-run partnership off just 65 balls turned a modest chase of 152 into a one-sided affair, with Hales smashing a 36-ball half-century and Curran following with a blistering 33-ball 50. The pair enabled Vipers to win in just 14.5 overs and inch closer to the play-offs.
Earlier, David Payne set the tone for the Vipers with two wickets in a sharp spell. UAE’s Khuzaima Tanveer then ripped through the middle and lower order with an excellent four-wicket haul while Jason Roy made a spirited contribution for the Warriorz with 55 runs in 38 balls.
Defending 151, early breakthroughs were crucial for the Warriorz, and Adam Milne delivered by removing Fakhar Zaman and Dan Lawrence within the first four overs, giving his side the ideal start.
However, Hales and Curran seized control of the chase. Initially cautious, Hales shifted gears spectacularly, launching three consecutive sixes off Muhammad Jawadullah in the 13th over to bring up a 36-ball half-century. Hales finished the innings with seven fours and five sixes.
Curran soon followed suit, unleashing a flurry of boundaries. He hammered Adam Zampa for a six and two fours in the 14th over, while Tim Southee’s 15th over went for 19 runs, sealing the deal for the Vipers. Curran reached his 33-ball 50 on the back of two sixes and five fours as the Vipers comfortably chased down the target in just 14.5 overs.
In the first innings, David Payne gave the Vipers an early advantage, exploiting the new ball to remove Johnson Charles and the in-form Avishka Fernando within the first five overs. The early breakthroughs left the Warriorz searching for stability.
Skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Jason Roy responded with intent as the pair found the gaps consistently, building a 50-run partnership in just 33 balls with Roy looking in excellent touch, contributing 24 runs off just 13 deliveries.
Kohler-Cadmore, batting at a measured pace, shifted gears with a towering six off Wanindu Hasaranga. However, the leg-spinner struck back in the same over, dismissing the batter for 42 runs off 36 balls. At the halfway mark, the Warriorz were 75/3.
Roy continued to lead the charge and brought up his half-century in just 35 balls. His dismissal in the 17th over, courtesy of Mohammed Amir, derailed the death overs.
Meanwhile, Tanveer dismantled the middle and lower order with a decisive spell. He accounted for Tim Seifert, Rohan Mustafa, Luke Wood, and Tim Southee, finishing with figures of four wickets for 22 runs.
Ashton Agar chipped in with a crucial late cameo. Remaining unbeaten on 15 runs, including two sixes, pushing the total to 151/8 in 20 overs.
Player of the Match Tanveer said: “Whenever I play cricket, I truly enjoy it without feeling any pressure. The captain gave me a clear plan to hit the deck hard, and I simply executed it, which led to taking wickets. Overall, I’m really enjoying my time out there.”
Sharjah Warriorz captain Tim Southee said: “We got ourselves into a good position but lost too many wickets in the back half. We’ve shown glimpses of quality but haven’t been able to string enough together. With four games left, the equation is pretty simple. It was tough in the first few overs, and we needed to take regular wickets. On a positive note, it was great to see Jason Roy back in form.”
Brief scores
Desert Vipers beat Sharjah Warriorz by eight wickets
Sharjah Warriorz 151/8 in 20 overs (Jason Roy 55, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 42, Tim Seifert 16, Khuzaima Tanveer 4 for 22, David Payne 2 for 33)
Desert Vipers 152/2 in 14.5 overs (Alex Hales 77 not out, Sam Curran 54 not out, Adam Milne 2 for 17)
Player of the Match: Khuzaima Tanveer
