DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Seventy-year-old Gulzar Ahmad was walking past a park near his home in the city of D.I. Khan, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, when he heard roars of laughter. A group of men of all ages were laughing as though they had just heard a really good joke. But, Ahmad noticed, no one was telling jokes or even really talking.
“In the beginning I thought they were some crazy people — now I am one of them,” he said.
What Ahmad was witnessing was people indulging in laughter therapy, which aims to reduce stress. It was part of a yoga session, which until recently was something that not many people in the district were familiar with.
If anywhere needs its share of laughs, it is D.I. Khan. Dera Ismail Khan, to give it its full name, is the adjoining district to South Waziristan, which is one of seven tribal districts in Pakistan and shares a border with Afghanistan. Following the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, there was a huge influx of refugees in South Waziristan, which spilled over into D.I.Khan.
Subsequent military operations in the region added to the upheaval for residents of the underdeveloped district.
The first yoga group in the city was established at Haq Nawaz Park in 2015 by Mohammed Khalid Ali Zai, a retired military colonel.
“I wanted to do something for my native region, where I was born,” he said. “The people of the city have faced the brunt of terrorism, which spoils their lives.
That’s why I wanted to serve the population and help them keep physically fit.
“The city no longer belongs only to the people of D.I. Khan but also to the adjacent Waziristani people as well. They have been targeted by a plague of militancy for many years, which has destroyed them financially, mentally and psychologically. My dream is to see the public parks full of people and the hospitals empty.”
With people of all ages increasingly falling victim to a variety of skin, eye, stress and anxiety-related diseases, a new yoga and fitness club has opened in the heart of the city to help people stay healthy and overcome any problems. The Town Hall Yoga Club, which is for women only, provides basic fitness training and classes free of charge in the afternoons and evenings.
“Here, the majority of women are housewives and busy with domestic activities,” said Ghazala Shaheen, a yoga instructor at the club. “This is the perfect place where they can come and exercise, which ultimately helps them relieve their stress. Staying at home has made these women the victims of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other diseases.”
She said that that the popularity of the club has grown quickly: “We started with just few ladies but now, after only two weeks, we have about 60. I am hopeful that soon the numbers will rise and we will have to open new centers.”
It’s not only older women who are showing interest in the sessions, but also college and university students.
“D.I. Khan is a small city,” said Sana, a student at Gomal University. “It has few options for going out. We are feeling much better, mentally and physically, since the opening of this yoga center. Its not just a place to practice yoga but a good way to mingle with other people.”
She has also noticed improvements to her health and wellbeing, too. “Before we used to breath through our mouths. Yoga has taught us to close our mouths and inhale through our noses, which is the first step of yoga,” she said, adding that the trainers have shown her how to improve the condition of her body and respiratory system.
Nizamuddin Mehsud, a welfare officer in the city who hails from the Makin subdivision of South Waziristan, said that Yoga sessions had helped him improve his digestive system and lose weight.
“I can feel huge difference in my health,” he said, “I would recommend yoga, especially for elderly people. It’s a very good activity and helps in reducing the pain that our people have been carrying in their heads for more than a decade.”
Shoaib Alizai is a lawyer in D.I. Khan and also works as an instructor at the yoga center.
“I am happy to see more and more people joining the sessions,” he said. “Now we are conducting our sessions twice a day, morning and afternoon. There is no age restriction. Now even kids are joining us, which is very encouraging. We are seeing good results among people with diabetes, obesity and orthopedic problems.”
Doctor Muhammad Waseem Akbar, chairman of the department of media studies at Gomal University, teamed up with Khalid Ali Zai to raise awareness of the benefits of yoga among the people of the city. It was not easy at first to convince people to attend the sessions. Initially, they started practicing yoga in public parks, where they could reach people easily. As the movement gained momentum, at least six yoga centers were established in the city.
“This region had faced a lot of hardships in many ways, be it economic, psychological or financial,” said Akbar. “I felt a lot of stress among the students and that was the triggering point to launch something new for the local community that could eventually help them find peace.
“Our basic aim was attract people who had been suffering from psychiatric and psychological diseases, as those people can contract other diseases in hospitals. Such patients need an alternative place with a good environment where they can exchange their views.”
The war on terror has had a huge impact on the lives of people in the region and it will take time to heal, he added.
“Now the people are coming to us after seeing the effects that Yoga can have on their lives and bodies,” said Akbar.
Yoga trends in D.I. Khan — once a Taliban gateway
Yoga trends in D.I. Khan — once a Taliban gateway
Pakistan says over 20,000 Hajj applications received today
- Saudi Arabia has allotted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage
- Quota of 5,000 has been allocated this year for overseas Pakistanis on “first-come, first-served basis”
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani religious affairs ministry has said over 20,000 Hajj applications had been received by Monday, as the nation prepares for the annual pilgrimage slated to be held in June next year.
Saudi Arabia has allotted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage, to be divided equally between the government and private schemes. Around 15 designated Pakistani banks started receiving applications for Hajj 2025 from intending pilgrims on Monday.
“20,170 Hajj applications received till Monday,” a spokesperson for the Religious Affairs Ministry said on Monday, saying applications were continuing to be filed at designated banks across the country.
“Reception of applications under the government Hajj scheme will continue till December 3.”
A quota of 5,000 has been allocated for overseas Pakistanis on a “first-come, first-served basis,” the ministry said, adding that the lottery for the government Hajj scheme would be held on Dec. 6
Pakistan’s religious affairs minister this month announced the country’s Hajj 2025 policy, according to which pilgrims can pay fees for the annual Islamic pilgrimage in installments for the first time.
Under the government scheme, the first installment of Hajj dues, amounting to Rs200,000 ($717), has to be deposited along with the Hajj application, while a second installment of Rs400,000 ($1,435) must be deposited within ten days of the balloting. The remaining amount has to be deposited by Feb. 10 next year.
On Sunday, Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry said it had launched the “Pak Hajj 2025” mobile application to guide and facilitate pilgrims. The app is available for both Android and iPhone users.
Naval chief says Pakistan’s economic future ‘inextricably linked’ to maritime security
- Admiral Naveed Ashraf says challenges in Indian Ocean Region requires greater vigilance
- He says Pakistan’s socio-economic prosperity can be assured by harnessing blue economy
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Monday emphasized the importance of maritime security for the country’s economic future, calling for robust measures to address “unprecedented challenges” in the Indian Ocean Region.
In a message issued to mark the Seventh Maritime Security Workshop, scheduled to run from November 26 to December 5 at the Pakistan Navy War College in Lahore, Ashraf highlighted the need to harness the country’s maritime potential while ensuring a secure environment for trade and economic growth.
He noted the Indian Ocean Region faced significant challenges, including geopolitical competition, nuclearization and transnational threats, compounded by rapid technological advancements.
“The country’s economic future is inextricably linked to the sea, which serves as mankind’s last reservoir for sustenance,” he said. “Securing our maritime domain is not merely a national priority but a necessity, requiring cooperation, innovation and vigilance.”
Ashraf stressed the potential of Pakistan’s maritime resources to drive socio-economic prosperity through the exploitation of the blue economy, enabled by a secure maritime environment.
His comments come at a time when Pakistan has made a strategic offer to landlocked Central Asian economies for access to its ports, allowing them to conduct trade via sea routes.
The initiative underscores Pakistan’s ambition to position itself as a critical hub for regional economic activity.
“Our rich maritime resources offer great potential for economic prosperity,” the naval chief maintained.
“Let us work toward a secure and stable maritime environment that benefits not only our nation but the global community at large,” he added.
Policeman killed in clashes with Imran Khan supporters leading protest march to Islamabad
- Punjab information minister says 70 people wounded in violence by Khan’s supporters, party says scores of its followers also hurt
- Protest ‘long march’ has coincided with visit of Belarus president, with government accusing PTI of trying to sabotage economic recovery
ISLAMABAD: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said on Monday one police constable had been killed and five were critically injured in violence by supporters of jailed former premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is leading a protest march to the federal capital of Islamabad.
Thousands of rallygoers reached the edges of Islamabad on Monday, after protest caravans set out from various parts of the country a day earlier to call for the release of political prisoners, including Khan, among other demands.
The protesters set out despite the government refusing to grant the PTI permission to enter Islamabad for a sit-in. Last week, the district administration also imposed a two-month ban on public gatherings in the capital, citing security challenges and inconvenience to the public. Earlier this year, parliament also passed a new law to regulate public assembly in Islamabad, which laid out, among other rules, that any party or group wanting to hold a protest would need permission from the administration and could only assemble at a designated venue and during set timings.
Authorities have closed all schools in Islamabad and the adjacent garrison city of Rawalpindi, while the Internet and WhatsApp messaging services have also slowed as the protest march continues. All routes connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been completely shut for the last two days, as are highways and roads from other cities leading to the federal capital.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, Bukhari said one policeman had been killed in clashes with PTI supporters.
“FC [Frointier Corps] soldier Samiullah sustained a gunshot wound to the leg in Sargodha. In Kati Pahari on the Attock Motorway, [police] Constable Wajid was shot in the neck and arm and is in critical condition,” the minister said, only giving the first names of officers.
“In Wah Cantt [in Rawalpindi district], the injured include Sub-Inspector Farooq and Sub-Inspector Zohaib, while Constable Mubashir has lost his life. Five people remain in critical condition.”
She added that 70 people had been wounded in clashes with the protesters just outside Islamabad, while there were reports of several other clashes elsewhere in the province.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said those responsible for the killing of the policeman would be brought to justice.
Khan’s party said scores of its workers were also hurt.
“TILL MY LAST BREATH”
The PTI march started on Sunday but could not reach Islamabad as shipping containers placed by the government on key points on major highways slowed the pace of the caravans. The PTI says its final destination is D-Chowk, a high-security area in the capital’s Red Zone that houses key government buildings and is a popular site for protests. Heavy contingents of police and other security forces have been stationed across Islamabad and at entry and exit points.
The largest PTI protest caravan began its journey from Peshawar, the provincial capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province where Khan’s party is in power. It is being led by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan’s wife Bushra Khan, who was released on bail in October after nearly nine months in detention.
Khan has been in jail since August last year and faces a slew of charges he says are politically motivated.
On Monday evening, the PTI said in a text to reporters that the rally had “broken through one of the biggest barrages of containers and is at the gate of Islamabad.”
“Until Khan does not return to us, we will not end this march,” Bushra said to supporters from atop the protest caravan as the PTI edged closer to Islamabad. “I will stand there till my last breath, you people have to stand by me. I will keep standing even if nobody does because this does not concern just my husband but the country and its leader.”
Islamabad police confirmed over 400 arrests related to the protest in the past few days, saying the detainees were being held in different police stations. The PTI said over 3,500 of its leaders and supporters had been arrested in connection to the protests.
PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai, who is part of the caravan, told Arab News over the phone the march would carry on until it reached D-Chowk.
“We will only return from D-Chowk when Imran Khan and other innocent party workers are released from Pakistani prisons,” he said.
The PTI also said key leaders Gohar Khan and Ali Mohammad Khan had been allowed to meet the PTI flounder at Adiala jail, but no details were shared about the focus or outcome of the discussions.
The PTI’s march has coincided with a visit to Islamabad by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and a 68-member delegation to discuss investment deals. The government has accused the PTI of trying to sabotage the foreign visit in a bid to destabilize its economic recovery efforts.
Yousafzai rejected this criticism, saying his party had called the protest well before the Belarusian delegation’s arrival was announced.
“We have not blocked the roads,” he added. “The government has blocked the roads, creating a situation like this. The government should have held talks with the PTI instead of blocking the roads.”
KP government spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif also said the PTI planned to hold a “protracted protest.”
“We are advancing according to our plan and are not in a hurry,” he said. “The government should prepare food supplies for the police for several days because we won’t stop until our demands are met.”
A report prepared by Pakistan’s ministry of finance and released on Sunday estimated economic losses of Rs190 billion ($684 million) per day due to political protests.
Wheel-jam strike paralyzes Balochistan highways amid protest over kidnapped schoolboy
- 11-year-old Muhammad Musawir Khan was kidnapped by armed men in Quetta on Nov. 15
- Government says law enforcement agencies are working for the kidnapped boy’s recovery
QUETTA: A wheel-jam strike paralyzed highways in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Monday as protests over the kidnapping of an 11-year-old schoolboy entered their 11th consecutive day in Quetta.
Muhammad Musawir Khan, a third-grade student, was kidnapped from a school van by unknown armed men while on his way to school on November 15.
The family has not received any ransom call from the kidnappers in all these days since his abduction. They have also categorically said they will not pay a single penny to the kidnappers.
“Today, all national highways connecting Balochistan with the rest of the country are closed against the kidnapping of my son,” Raz Muhammad, the boy’s father, told Arab News. “We will continue our protest until he safely returns home.”
Muhammad urged Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir to consider Khan as their own child and play a role in his recovery.
Other family members echoed the sentiment, saying it was the state’s responsibility to ensure the boy’s recovery and improve the general environment of insecurity.
“We have been sitting here for the last 11 days to seek protection for all children like Muhammad Musawir Khan from these kidnappers,” Hajji Malang, the boy’s uncle, told Arab News. “Whoever kidnapped our child, we will not bargain with them for his release.”
The kidnapped boy belongs to a prominent tribal family involved in the gold trading business in Balochistan for decades. According to the family, he was abducted from Patel Bagh, a busy neighborhood in Quetta.
Political and religious parties, traders, transporters, lawyers and civil society members have all been visiting the protest camp to express solidarity with the family and demand the immediate and safe recovery of the boy.
Speaking to the media outside the provincial assembly, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said he thought of the kidnapped child like his own son.
“We are utilizing our full capacity and the government is making serious efforts to ensure his safe recovery,” he said.
Commissioner of Quetta Division Hamza Shafqaat shared the same update while speaking to Arab News.
“The government, along with all law enforcement agencies, is working diligently for the recovery of Muhammad Musawir Khan,” he said.
“We have shared our report on the progress in the recovery of the kidnapped boy to with the Balochistan High Court, chief minister and the provincial assembly, and they have all expressed satisfaction that the investigation is heading in the right direction,” he added.
However, Shafqaat declined to divulge details of the ongoing investigation.
Malik Muhammad Sadiq Kakar, senior member of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, said that highways in Balochistan’s Quetta, Mastung, Khuzdar, Killa Abdullah, Chaman, Zhob, Killa Saifullah and Loralai districts were closed to protest the kidnapping of the child.
“We are sitting with the family of the kidnapped boy to express solidarity because we want peace in Balochistan,” he told Arab News.
Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, which shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran, has been the site of a low-level insurgency by separatist militants for over two decades.
Other extremist factions, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Daesh’s Khorasan chapter, also have a presence in the region and frequently attack security forces and civilians.
Last week, Pakistan approved a “comprehensive military operation” in the province, targeting ethnic Baloch separatist groups attacking security forces and Chinese nationals working on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
COMSTECH, Pakistani conglomerate announce internship program for OIC member countries
- International program hosted by Gourmet Industries, the largest food processing complex in Pakistan
- Selected candidates will receive accommodation, meals, and return economy-class air ticket to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), in collaboration with Pakistan’s Gourmet Industries, has announced the COMSTECH-Gourmet Industrial Internship Program for its first batch in January 2025, state news agency APP reported on Monday.
Hosted by Gourmet Industries, the largest food processing complex in Pakistan, the program offers 10 internships lasting four weeks. Selected candidates will receive accommodation, meals, and return economy-class air ticket to participate in the program, which aims to promote innovation, research, and skill development across various industrial sectors, offering participants practical training and exposure to advanced technologies and industrial processes.
The program will focus on key areas in food industry operations including bakery, dairy, and beverages, plant utilities, recycling through innovative RPET methodologies, shrink-wrap production, sugar mill logistics, and media training in journalism and broadcasting. Participants will gain hands-on experience in supply chain management, production processes, and sustainability practices also.
“The internship is open to applicants from OIC member countries holding a BS/BSc or MS/MSc in relevant fields and under the age of 40,” the report said.
“The objective of the COMSTECH-Gourmet Industrial Internship Program is to foster innovation and research and development (R&D) across diverse industrial sectors, including food processing, engineering, plant operations, recycling, and so forth.”
The program will provide interns hands-on experience and exposure to cutting-edge technologies and methodologies, thereby enhancing their practical skills and theoretical knowledge.
“By engaging in real-world projects, interns will contribute to the advancement of industrial processes and the development of sustainable solutions, ultimately driving technological innovation and improving operational efficiencies in the fields of human nutrition and value addition,” APP added.
“This initiative underscores COMSTECH’s mission to empower youth in OIC nations and advance technological development for socio-economic progress.”
Applicants have to complete an application form and upload requested documents (CV, Research Proposal, etc.) at: (https://form.jotform.com/243101366016444) till Nov, 30. Applicants can contact [email protected] for further information.
