DUBAI: While India and Pakistan’s fierce cricket rivalry has been on display at the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, some families in the country have divided loyalties.
The UAE is home to many cricket-loving cross-border couples from India and Pakistan who find it an easier option than living on the subcontinent, where Pakistanis have trouble getting visas for India, and vice versa.
Cross-border ties have been strained ever since the violence and upheaval that accompanied the creation of modern India and Pakistan at the end of British rule in August 1947.
The two have fought three wars since becoming independent, deepening mistrust and suspicion of each other, while thousands of families remain divided by the border.
Relations further soured after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and cross-border unions are now few and far between.
One rare high-profile example is Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her husband, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, who have a home in Dubai.
Indian national Kasim Vakkil and his wife Ghazala, from Pakistan, are also part of the UAE’s large South Asian community.
“My marriage would not have been possible if we were not living in UAE,” Kasim told AFP.
“Ghazala is from Lahore and I am from Mumbai but living at this neutral venue made our marriage possible.”
They came together through cricket when Kasim met his future father-in-law at a game between Pakistan and South Africa in the UAE, where Pakistan hosts games owing to the risk of terror attacks on home soil.
“I went to watch a match between Pakistan and South Africa in 2014 where I met Ghazala’s father which became the first step toward our proposal,” said Kasim, a former college-level fast bowler in Mumbai.
“I would not have imagined watching Pakistani cricketers like Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Amir before my own eyes but it became possible since UAE became a neutral venue for the Pakistan team.”
Ghazala, who works in human resources, said watching India and Pakistan play made her think of home.
India thrashed Pakistan by eight wickets in the group stage and they are set to meet again in the Super Fours on Sunday.
“Now with India and Pakistan playing in UAE for the Asian title it has given us double joy as we get to see players from both the countries which gives us a nostalgic feeling,” said Ghazala.
India is playing in the Emirates for the first time since 2006, sparking huge interest among the country’s large number of Indian expats.
Club-level cricketer Naveed Siraj hails from Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, while his wife, Nida, is from the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
“My uncle and aunty lived in Kuwait and Nida’s family were their neighbors so they initiated the talk for our marriage,” said Naveed.
“UAE is a neutral venue for all the expats from Pakistan and India so everyone lives here in comfort and enjoys everything including cricket.”
Dubai taxi driver Sunil Manohar, from India’s Karnataka state, married Nunda from Pakistan’s Sindh province after their families met in the UAE.
“UAE is a nice place for cross-border families,” he said. “In the past, a few couples were stuck in Pakistan because they were not getting an Indian visa.”
Over the boundary! The cricket-loving India, Pakistan couples bowled over in UAE
Over the boundary! The cricket-loving India, Pakistan couples bowled over in UAE
Pakistan’s Imran Khan demands ‘time frame’ for progress in talks with government
- The jailed ex-premier seeks a meeting with his negotiating team to get the details of the process
- Government asked Khan’s PTI to bring its demands in writing in the next round of talks on Jan. 2
ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday called for a “time frame” within which negotiations with the government should progress and the demands of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, including the release of political prisoners, should be addressed.
Khan’s message was conveyed by Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, chairman of PTI, after meeting the ex-premier at a high-security prison in Rawalpindi. The former prime minister, who has been imprisoned for over a year on charges he claims are politically motivated, has threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement by urging overseas Pakistanis to halt remittances if his demands are not met.
Khan’s demands include the release of all PTI political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate violent protests on May 9 last year and Nov. 26 this year, which the government claims involved PTI supporters.
His insistence on a time frame comes just a day after the government initiated formal negotiations with the PTI, asking it to bring all its demands in writing.
“I informed Khan Sahib about the negotiations that have started,” Gohar said while speaking to the media after the meeting. “Khan Sahib said it’s a good thing that negotiations are taking place, but there should be a time frame within which progress should be made.”
Asked about the exact time frame he had in mind, Gohar said Khan had not specified one, only emphasizing that progress on his party’s demands should happen “as soon as possible.”
He described his interaction with Khan as a “routine meeting” lasting half an hour.
Gohar said PTI plans to present its charter of demands in the next round of talks, scheduled for Jan. 2, and expressed hope for meaningful results.
Meanwhile, Khan reiterated his stance through a post on X, formerly Twitter, calling for his nominated negotiation team to meet him.
“To make the negotiation process meaningful, it is important that I meet with my nominated negotiation team so that I can have a proper understanding of what is going on,” he said.
The ex-premier maintained that his party would postpone the civil disobedience movement if its demands were implemented but expressed skepticism about the government’s willingness to investigate the May 9 and November 26 incidents.
“We will not allow that to happen,” he added.
Pakistan Railways starts manufacturing new coaches after technology transfer from China
- Pakistan will assemble 184 new passenger coaches at Railways Carriage Factory in Islamabad in next three years
- China is also helping Pakistan upgrade and dualize an existing Main Line- 1 rail track from Karachi till Peshawar
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways (PR) has started production of new train coaches in the country, Pakistani state media reported on Tuesday, following the transfer of technology from China.
The South Asian country has been able to locally produce high-speed passenger coaches and goods wagons using technology transferred by China, according to media reports.
China has also helped build capacity of PR engineers and technicians who have succeeded in manufacturing new coaches and wagons at workshops in Lahore and Islamabad.
"As many as 184 new passenger coaches would also be assembled at Pakistan Railways Carriage Factory, Islamabad during the next three years," the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) state news agency reported, citing a railways official.
PR Executive Officer Amir Ali Baloch said that a new Green Line-styled train will be run between Lahore and Karachi soon, according to the Radio Pakistan broadcaster.
He said he had issued orders to further improve the quality of food and drink in trains, and requested public to take special care of cleanliness.
Last month, China and Pakistan discussed advancement of rail, road and economic zone projects under the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to connect China to the Arabian Sea through a network of roads, railways, pipelines and ports in Pakistan and help Islamabad expand and modernize its economy.
The discussions on key projects were held during Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong's meeting with Pakistani Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, according to Pakistan's Press Information Department (PID).
China is also helping Pakistan upgrade and dualize an existing Main Line- 1 (ML-1) railway track, built in the late 19th century. The $6.8 billion, 1,872-kilometer-long ML-1 line connects the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi to Peshawar in the country's northwest.
ICC Champions Trophy schedule announced, matches split between Pakistan and Dubai
- The tournament is set to begin on 19 February in Karachi, with Pakistan taking on New Zealand
- ICC says Lahore will host the final match of the cricket contest on 9 March, unless India qualify
ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place from February 19 to March 9, with matches hosted across Pakistan and Dubai in a hybrid model.
The tournament’s structure follows a compromise decision after India refused to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns. Exercising its rights as the host nation, Pakistan designated Dubai as the neutral venue for India’s matches, ensuring all teams’ participation.
“The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 fixtures and groupings have been announced by the ICC ... with the tournament set to begin on 19 February in Karachi with the final on 9 March,” the global governing body of cricket announced in a statement on its website.
“The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches, and will be played across Pakistan and in Dubai,” it added. “Lahore will also host the final on 9 March, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai. Both the semifinals and the final will have reserve days.”
In Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host three group-stage games each. Lahore is also set to host the second semifinal.
Meanwhile, Dubai will host all three of India’s group matches and the first semifinal, should India qualify.
The tournament opener on February 19 will feature Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi, while India will face Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
This will be the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy and its return after an eight-year hiatus, the last tournament having taken place in England in 2017. The event will feature the top eight teams in world cricket competing for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.
The hybrid model, while a logistical challenge, aims to strike a balance between accommodating geopolitical realities and ensuring the integrity of the tournament, which cricket fans worldwide await.
Pakistan to link up with 2Africa submarine cable from next year, boosting internet speeds
- Pakistanis have been experiencing a months-long internet slowdown, which has sparked a backlash from activists
- The government has attributed the slowdown to a surge in Virtual Private Network usage, damaged underwater cables
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to enhance its internet speeds and connectivity by linking up with the 2Africa submarine cable next year, state media reported on Tuesday.
2Africa, one of the world's largest submarine cable systems, spans 45,000 kilometers and connects 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, utilizing SDM1 technology to offer speeds of up to 180 Tbps.
Millions of Pakistanis have experienced a mysterious, months-long internet slowdown, sparking backlash from activists and business leaders who believe the government is testing a firewall to control online spaces.
The Pakistani government has attributed the slowdown to a surge in Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) usage and damaged underwater cables, while also acknowledging that the country is "undergoing a transition."
"The project, according to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), will improve Pakistan’s international telecommunications infrastructure and enhance connectivity," the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
"PTA has made significant strides in enhancing international connectivity through the facilitation of Transworld Associate, the landing partner of the 2Africa submarine cable for Pakistan."
The first phase of 2Africa cable project began on Dec. 1, with the Pre-Lay Shore End (PLSE) installation. This key step in deploying submarine cables involves the initial setup and preparation at the shore end before the deep-sea cable laying begins, according to the PTA.
The installation of the deep-sea section of the submarine cable will begin on April 1, 2025 in the second phase of the project, which will involve laying the cable across the ocean floor to connect various regions.
In August, the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) warned that frequent Internet disruptions and low speeds caused by poor implementation of the national firewall had led many multinational companies to consider relocating their offices out of Pakistan, with some having “already done so.”
The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) had also warned that internet slowdowns and the restriction of VPN services could lead to financial losses and closures, and an increase in operational costs for the industry by up to $150 million annually.
Pakistan’s IT exports have been growing at an average of 30 percent per year and are on way to achieving over $15 billion in the next 5 years, according to industry data. But it depends upon the government's ability to ensure continuity of export, fiscal, financial, infrastructure and IT policies, P@SHA said.
Pakistan PM extends condolences to Turkey over loss of lives in armament factory blast
- The blast killed 12 people and injured four others in the capsule production facility of the factory in Balikesir province
- In his message, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif said they were praying for the bereaved families and swift recovery of the injured
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday extended his condolences to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish people over the loss of lives in a blast at an armament factory, which killed 12 people.
The blast occurred in the capsule production facility of the factory located in the province of Balikesir, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Balikesir Governor Ismail Ustaoglu said the explosion collapsed the capsule production building and that the surrounding buildings sustained minor damage.
"Deeply saddened to learn about the accident at the explosive production facility in Balıkesir province, resulting in the loss of 12 precious lives," Sharif said on X.
"While expressing our solidarity with the people of Turkiye, we pray for the bereaved families & swift recovery of the injured."
Pakistan and Turkiye share strong bilateral religious, cultural, trade and defence relations. In May this year, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Islamabad on a two-day official visit.
During the visit, both countries decided to increase bilateral trade volume to $5 billion, amid Pakistan's efforts to boost foreign investments and better manage its $350 billion economy.
