Arab legacy lingers as Pakistan’s Gwadar grows from tiny fishing town into port city

1 / 3
In this photograph taken on April 23, 2019, an Omani fort used for keeping inmates can be seen near Shahi Bazaar in Gwadar city (AN Photo by Hassam Lashkari)
Updated 29 April 2019
Follow

Arab legacy lingers as Pakistan’s Gwadar grows from tiny fishing town into port city

  • Pakistan purchased Gwadar from Oman for Rs5.5 billion in 1958
  • Thousands of Gwadar locals have dual Pakistani and Omani nationality, continue to live and work between the two countries

GWADAR: It was a still night sometime in the mid fifties when Muhammad Akbar and his father returned from sea and anchored their boat on the tiny jetty in Gwadar. Behind them, fireworks lit up the sky, reminding them that the religious festival of Eid had begun.

That is how Eid used to be officially announced in Gwadar until 1958 when the Pakistan government purchased the tiny fishing town from Oman for Rs5.5 billion (current equivalent of $3.89 billion), Akbar, now 78, told Arab News.




Arab soldiers of Oman seen in a photo handout by Gwadar resident Nasir Raheem. 

“When Gwadar became a part of Pakistan, the ritual stopped being practiced,” he said as he sipped tea at the historic Kareemuk Hotel, formerly a bakery owned by an Arab businessman who gifted it to a local who has since converted it into a tea shop.
China has funded development of a deepwater port at Gwadar in the southern Balochistan province, and is also investing in other projects as part of the giant China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In February, Saudi Arabia announced it would build a $10 billion refinery and petrochemicals complex in the coastal town.
But even as Gwadar grows from a poor coastal village into a major port city, the Arab legacy lingers.




This photo taken on Tuesday April 23, 2019 shows one of three Omani forts in Gwadar, which was part of the Sultanate of Oman until September 1958. (AN Photo by Hassam Lashkari)

The town is situated on a sandy 12-kilometer-long strip that links the Pakistani coast to rocky outcroppings in the Arabian Sea known as the Gwadar Peninsula, or Koh-e-Batil.
In 1783, the Khan of Kalat Mir Noori Naseer Khan Baloch granted suzerainty over Gwadar to Taimur Sultan, the defeated ruler of Musca. The sultan continued to rule over the territory through an administrator even after reclaiming Muscat.
From 1863 to 1879, Gwadar was the headquarters of a British administrator, a fortnightly port of call for the British India Steamship Navigation Company’s steamers and included a combined Post and Telegraph Office. The Sultan remained the sovereign of Gwadar until negotiations were held with the government of Pakistan in the 1950s.




This cannon displayed outside the old municipal office of Gwadar is one the two cannons which would fire explosives to announce the beginning of the religious festival of Eid before Pakistan purchased Gwadar from Oman in 1958, locals told Arab News on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 (AN Photo by Hassam Lashkari)

Today, officials say over 2,000 of Gwadar’s 140,000 residents are dual Pakistani and Omani nationals. Many people from Makran district, of which Gwadar is a part, serve in the Omani army and the Bahraini police. A large number continue to work in Oman, Qatar, UAE and Bahrain and send remittances back home.
Of the three forts built during Omani rule, one was restored and turned into a museum by Oman’s ministry of heritage and culture and officially inaugurated by former Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf on March 20, 2007.
“My brother works in Oman, my sister is an Omani national,” said Nasir Raheem, a social activist, whose father Raheem Bux Sohrabi campaigned for Gwadar’s accession to Pakistan. “This is the story of every second household and it connects us to the Arab world.”




On April 23, 2019, Sakeena Bibi, 80, recalled "the golden days" of Gwadar before Pakistan purchased the town from the rulers of Oman in 1958 (AN Photo by Hassam Lashkari)

Septuagenarian Akbar pointed to the cannons outside the town’s old municipal office. “They are not fired anymore to announce the advent of Eid,” Akbar said. “But we still break our fasts in the month of Ramadan much like the Arabs do.”
Unlike the rest of Balochistan, the people of Gwadar have dates and lassi, a cold drink of yogurt and water, at the traditional sundown iftar meal in the fasting month of Ramadan, and eat their dinner after evening tarawih prayers. In many homes, dates are softened in water and mixed with wheat flour to prepare the Arab dish of Sakoun, which is then distributed among family members and neighbors.
“In the olden days, women started preparing Sakoun at noon and would send it to neighbors homes a few hours before iftar,” Raheem, the social activist, said.




Dad Kareem, a fisherman who has kept the old Omani passport of his father, told Arab News on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 that the people of Gwadar have a special love for Arabs (AN Photo by Hassam Lashkari)

Sakeena Bibi, 80, said women in Gwadar still practiced many Arab traditions.
“They like to use oud scent,” she said. “Oud is put on flaming coals and the smoke is then spread in wardrobes to give clothes a long lasting fragrance.”
Whenever relatives in Oman or other Gulf countries asked about gift options, the women of Gwadar asked for oud, Bibi said.
The people of Gwadar have also taken inspiration from Leva, an African and Arab dance routine in which a man beats a drum and people dance around him. Many residents still wear the long kandura robe on special occasions like weddings, Eid and Friday prayers.




This photo taken on Tuesday April 23, 2019 shows a Omani fort in Thana Ward in Gwadar, which has now been converted into museum.  (AN Photo by Hassam Lashkari)

Dad Karim, a fisherman who like many older residents of the town still has his parent’s old Gwadar passport from the 1900s, said the people of Gwadar could tolerate criticism of Pakistan’s government “but get annoyed when someone says something against the rulers of Oman.”
“When someone from a foreign country rules another population, the locals begin to despise them,” Karim said. “Ours is a special case. There is love and only love.”


Pakistan approves 10 percent gas price hike for industry, power plants under IMF conditions

Updated 10 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan approves 10 percent gas price hike for industry, power plants under IMF conditions

  • ECC spares households in gas price hike, with only fixed charges adjusted to recover costs
  • It also approves grant for defense ministry to cover shortfall in salaries, allowances and dues

KARACHI: Pakistan on Friday approved a 10 percent increase in natural gas prices for industrial users and power plants starting next month, in line with reforms mandated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure cost recovery and tariff rationalization, an official statement said.

The decision was taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.

While prices for bulk consumers and gas-fired power plants will rise, household consumers will be shielded from the increase.

“To protect household consumers, gas prices will remain unchanged, with only fixed charges revised,” the Finance Division said in a statement released after the meeting. “However, prices for bulk consumers, industrial units and power plants will be increased by an average of 10 percent.”

The statement said the revised pricing structure, submitted by the Petroleum Division, complies with regulatory obligations under the OGRA Ordinance and meets structural benchmarks under Pakistan’s ongoing loan program with the IMF.

It also supports a shift from cross-subsidies to direct, targeted assistance for low-income consumers.

DEFENSE GRANT

The ECC also approved a Rs15.8 billion ($55.3 million) supplementary grant for the Ministry of Defense to cover a shortfall in salaries, allowances and pending dues.

The funding includes disbursements under the prime minister’s compensation package for martyrs of the recent Pakistan-India war fought last month.

In a separate decision, the committee gave in-principle approval to launch a risk coverage scheme for small farmers and underserved regions by August 14.

The program is expected to bring 750,000 new borrowers into the formal credit system and unlock a Rs300 billion ($1.05 billion) agricultural loan portfolio over three years (FY2026-28).

The statement said the total budgetary support for the scheme, covering risk coverage and bank operating costs, is estimated at Rs37.5 billion ($131.25 million), to be disbursed between FY2027 and FY2031.

The government has directed relevant ministries to incorporate additional safeguards before the official rollout.


Pakistan naval chief calls for tech-driven forces to tackle future conflicts

Updated 27 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan naval chief calls for tech-driven forces to tackle future conflicts

  • Admiral Naveed Ashraf says recent conflicts in South Asia and the Middle East show how modern warfare has evolved
  • He warns that new geopolitical shifts and power rivalries are affecting security environment in the Indian Ocean Region

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf on Friday said future wars will be won not just through firepower but by forces that are intellectually and technologically superior, urging a strategic shift in how militaries prepare for evolving threats.

Speaking at the Pakistan Navy War College in Lahore, he pointed to recent Iran-Israel and Pakistan-India conflicts as examples of how warfare has changed.

Traditional dogfights and infantry movements were notably absent from these military standoffs, replaced by precision strikes, electronic and cyber warfare.

The shifting nature of these engagements, he said, underscores the need to rethink legacy doctrines and build forces fit for the future.

“The conventional, one-dimensional study of warfare is now outdated,” Ashraf told graduating officers of the 54th Pakistan Navy Staff Course. “Winning future wars demands not only a re-evaluation of legacy warfighting strategies, but also the development and maintenance of a future-ready workforce that is intellectually astute and technologically proficient.”

Discussing the maritime challenges facing Pakistan, the naval chief said the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) was “fluid and contested.”

He also highlighted that new geopolitical realignments and ongoing power rivalries in the region, saying they were affecting the security environment in the IOR.

Ashraf congratulated the graduates while encouraging them to be more analytical and innovative in their upcoming assignments.


British Council, Sindh government to train 30,000 teachers, impact two million students

Updated 27 June 2025
Follow

British Council, Sindh government to train 30,000 teachers, impact two million students

  • The initiative aims to improve language teaching through inclusive and multilingual methods
  • It builds on the success of a similar program in Punjab, which benefited over 140,000 teachers

ISLAMABAD: The British Council and the Government of Sindh have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to improve English language teaching in public schools, aiming to train 30,000 teachers and indirectly benefit over two million students, according to a statement issued on Friday.

English is a compulsory subject in Pakistan’s schools and colleges and remains the dominant language in government, academia and the corporate sector. Despite years of formal exposure, however, many students struggle to use the language effectively, raising concerns about the quality and methods of instruction.

The new initiative aims to address these challenges by equipping teachers with inclusive and multilingual approaches that support more effective language acquisition.

“This agreement renews our partnership with and commitment to the people and Government of Sindh,” said James Hampson, Country Director, British Council Pakistan. “Our ambition of supporting 30,000 teachers and 2 million children is a great next step.”

Under the agreement, the British Council will deliver its “English as a Subject for Teachers and Educators” (EaSTE) program to newly inducted primary and early childhood teachers.

The collaboration also includes training 1,000 in-service teachers as mentors and deploying a scalable digital Learning Management System (LMS) to facilitate continuous professional support.

“Our focus is not just on access but on quality,” said Sindh Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah at the occasion. “Through this initiative, we are equipping our teachers with the tools they need to teach English more effectively, in ways that reflect the linguistic and cultural realities of our classrooms.”

The program builds on the British Council’s long-standing work in education in Pakistan and replicates a successful model from Punjab, where EaSTE reached more than 140,000 teachers.


From pavement to passion: Islamabad’s young skateboarders push for recognition

Updated 1 min 18 sec ago
Follow

From pavement to passion: Islamabad’s young skateboarders push for recognition

  • As nation where nearly 64% population is under 30, Pakistan is fertile ground for growth of youth sport like skateboarding
  • Skateboarding remains unrecognized in Pakistan, there are no dedicated skate parks and shops and few coaches available

ISLAMABAD: On a hot summer afternoon in Islamabad’s F-9 Park, laughter echoed across the cracked concrete as teenagers cruised over curbs and kick-flipped their boards with casual defiance.

For this small but growing community of skateboarders in the Pakistani capital, the pavement is a playground — and a protest.

Globally, skateboarding has long been associated with youth culture. It is a sport that thrives in urban settings and offers young people a sense of identity, freedom, and creative expression. Since its rise in the United States in the 1960s, it has evolved into a global movement, now part of the Olympic Games and supported by thriving communities from Brazil to Japan.

In this context, Pakistan is fertile ground for the growth of skateboarding — a nation of over 240 million people where nearly 64% of the population is under the age of 30. But the country does not officially recognize skateboarding as a sport. Its official game is field hockey but cricket dominates pitches, TV screens and public discourse. Other sports like football, badminton and volleyball enjoy some government support but skateboarding remains entirely on the fringes.

“There’s not even one dedicated skate shop in Pakistan,” said Ali Hamza, a 21-year-old engineering student who founded Skate Pakistan, a grassroots movement using Instagram to grow and connect the local skate scene. “It’s still seen by many as a toy.”

This photo, posted on December 20, 2024, shows a skateboarder riding his board in Lahore. (Photo courtesy: Instagram/@hamzahh9)

Hamza’s Instagram page, started in 2021 “just to see if anyone else was skating,” soon connected him to others across Islamabad and beyond. Today, Skate Pakistan meetups attract 12–15 regulars, with larger competitions drawing dozens. Most participants are teenagers with limited access to professional training or gear, and the initiative is driven entirely by volunteers and enthusiasts, growing into a fledgling community of teens and young adults passionate about the sport and eager to see it taken seriously.

Hamza’s own introduction to skateboarding came through Hollywood films as a child. At the time, he assumed the aerial tricks were camera tricks.

“Honestly, I used to think it was fake,” he said, laughing. “Like, how can a board that’s not even attached to your feet fly up like that?”

Curious, he bought a cheap board from a local sports shop in 2019. With no coaches or skateparks in Islamabad, Hamza turned to YouTube tutorials and online courses to learn the basics.

“My first day on the board, my father was holding one arm and my brother held the other. I was just praying I wouldn’t fall,” he said.

This photo, posted on December 20, 2024, shows skateboarders spray painting a board ahead of a competition in Lahore. (Photo courtesy: Instagram/@hamzahh9)

Fall he did and repeatedly. But with each tumble, he said, the fear wore off.

“The more I fell, the more this fear lessened.”

While Pakistan has a few modest skateparks — including one in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, and another set up with German NGO support in Karachi in 2020 — most skateboarders still ride on sidewalks, underpasses, or abandoned lots.

Security guards at parks often ask them to leave. Potholes, rough terrain, and broken pavement pose daily hazards.

But the lack of infrastructure and support hasn’t stopped the community from growing.

“I mean, it’s fun, it’s something physical, you’re out with your friends, so why not?” said Hasaan Khan, 16, a regular at the sessions held in Islamabad’s F-9 park.

“Skateboarding builds up your endurance, since you keep falling over and over again,” added Rija Mughal, also 16. “It’s pretty good for your physical health too.”

BUILDING A MOVEMENT

For many, skateboarding took off during COVID-19, when lockdowns closed schools and sports grounds.

“I found an old skateboard at home during COVID, had nothing else to do, so I started riding around,” said Ahmed Ali Rana, who was 13 at the time. “It just clicked.”

This photo, posted on December 20, 2024, shows a skateboarder riding his board in Lahore. (Photo courtesy: Instagram/@hamzahh9)

Rana said he was nervous at his first Skate Pakistan competition but was surprised by how welcoming everyone was.

“That’s the best part. It’s not just about the sport, it’s about the friends and the community.”

Zayan Nadir, another teen skater, said skating gave him a mental escape:

“It helps people get away from their problems. But to build a bigger community in Pakistan, you need more skate shops, more skate parks, and more freedom for skaters.”

Currently, there’s no national or provincial skateboarding federation, and the Pakistan Sports Board does not include the sport in its list of recognized disciplines. In contrast, neighboring India has had multiple international skateboarding events and boasts over two dozen skateparks, including some that cater to underprivileged youth.

The inclusion of skateboarding in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games also helped raise its profile globally, particularly among younger audiences. Yet, in Pakistan, there is little official recognition, funding, or visibility.

This photo, posted on December 20, 2024, shows a skateboarder riding his board in Lahore. (Photo courtesy: Instagram/@hamzahh9)

Hamza said public perception also remained a big hurdle.

“There’s still this idea that a skateboard is a toy, not a sport,” he said. “That’s what we are trying to change through social media.”

At a recent meetup, teenagers practiced ollies and kick turns on a concrete ramp while others filmed slow-motion footage for Instagram reels. There were no referees, no medals — just scratched boards, scraped knees, and smiles.

Hamza said the goal now was to push for formal recognition and better infrastructure so more young people across Pakistan could skate without obstacles — literal or social.

“We just want people to see that this is serious,” he said. “It deserves space, support and respect.”


At least nine dead, four missing after flash flooding in Pakistan’s Swat River

Updated 42 min 58 sec ago
Follow

At least nine dead, four missing after flash flooding in Pakistan’s Swat River

  • Heavy rains caused river levels to rise dangerously, triggering the flash floods
  • Rescuers saved three people, as search continues for those who are still missing

PESHAWAR: At least nine people drowned and four others were missing in the wake of flash flooding in the Swat river in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the KP Rescue 1122 service said on Friday.

The perennial river originates in the high glacial valleys of the Hindu Kush mountains, from where it flows into the Kalam area before forming the spine of the wider Swat valley.

The flash floods resulted from heavy rain, rapidly raising river water to dangerous levels at several locations across the Swat valley, according to the rescue service.

Bilal Faizi, a KP Rescue 1122 spokesman, said rescue teams had so far recovered nine bodies from different areas of Swat as floods continued to ravage parts of the valley.

“Rescuers in Swat have recovered the bodies of nine people who were swept away in the floodwaters,” he told Arab News. “A search operation is still ongoing to locate four other missing individuals.”

Earlier, Faizi had said a total of 16 people had been trapped in the floods, adding that three of them had been rescued.

The development came a day after Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned of heavy rains and flash floods in several parts of the country from June 26 till June 28.

It advised residents in flood-prone areas, particularly near nullahs, low-lying zones and slopes, to remain alert and avoid unnecessary movement, calling on emergency services to ensure readiness for any potential incidents.

“A total of 120 rescue personnel are taking part in the rescue operations [in Swat],” Faizi said.

Pakistan is currently bracing for another extreme monsoon season and ramping up efforts to deal with any potential calamity.

In 2022, deadly floods brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt killed over 1,700 people and impacted 33 million people in Pakistan. Raging currents swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damages estimated at $30 billion.