TABUR, Pakistan: The engine is from a roadcutter, the wings are burlap, the wheels are borrowed from a rickshaw: a popcorn seller has caught the attention of the Pakistan Air Force by building his own plane.
The tale of Muhammad Fayyaz has captured the hearts of many in a nation where millions, just like him, have limited access to education and are fighting for opportunities.
“I was literally in the air. I couldn’t feel anything else,” Fayyaz said of his first flight in a machine he learned to build mainly from viewing TV clips and online blueprints.
Pakistan has been thrilled before by stories of scientific prodigies plucked from obscurity before — notably, that of the engineer who said in 2012 that he had invented a car that could run on water — a story that was later debunked by scientists.
But Fayyaz insists he flew and his claim is being taken seriously by the air force, whose representatives have now visited him multiple times, even issuing a certificate to commend his work, he revealed.
There has been a steady stream of visitors wanting to view his creation, which now sits in the empty courtyard of his three-room home in the village of Tabur in central Punjab province.
The 32-year-old said he had dreamed of joining the air force as a child, but his father died while he was in still in school, forcing him to drop out at the eighth grade and do odd jobs to feed his mother and his five younger siblings.
As an adult, his passion for flying remained undiminished, so he took a wild gamble on a new dream and put everything he had into creating his own craft.
By day he worked as a popcorn seller, by night as a security guard, saving every rupee he could.
The first thing he had to acquire was information — beginning with watching episodes of the National Geographic Channel’s Air Crash Investigation for insight into thrust, air pressure, torque, propulsion.
Cheap Internet access in a nearby city helped fill the gaps, with Fayyaz claiming he spliced blueprints of planes he found online for his own creation.
He sold a piece of family land, and took out a 50,000 rupee ($350) loan from a micro-finance NGO, which he is still paying off.
He used his meagre funds creatively, buying burlap sacks wholesale and persuading a kind workshop employee who had seen him scouting for materials to build him a propeller.
There was trial and error. Some equipment needed to be replaced, designs had to be altered, the wiring had to be reworked.
His family worried he was obsessed.
“I kept telling him to stop. I kept telling him to concentrate on his family and work, he was being crazy over nothing. But he didn’t listen to a single word,” his mother, Mumtaz Bibi, recalled.
But Fayyaz kept going. And, at the end of it all produced a plane — tiny, fragile, and painted a bright blue.
In February this year, he said, after more than two years of ridicule, he was ready.
Fayyaz claims his friends helped him to block a small road which he used as a runway for that first flight attempt in February.
The plane reached 120kph before taking off, Ameer Hussain, a witness who claims to have ridden alongside the plane in a motorcycle, told AFP.
“It was between two and two and half feet off the ground,” he said. “It flew for about two to three kilometers before landing.”
AFP has been unable to verify the claim.
But the attempt made Fayyaz bold enough to want to try again in front of the rest of his village, many of whom had mocked his efforts.
He picked March 23, Pakistan Day, for the unveiling. Police said hundreds of people crowded around his tiny plane, many clutching national flags.
But before Fayyaz could even start the engine, the police arrived and arrested him, confiscating his plane.
“I felt as though I had committed one of the worst acts in the world, as though I am the worst person in Pakistan,” he explained, adding: “I had been locked up with criminals.”
The court released him with a 3,000 rupees ($19) fine.
When AFP visited the local police station, officers said they had arrested Fayyaz as his plane was a safety threat.
Officer Zafar Iqbal explained: “The plane was returned to him as a goodwill gesture. Should he obtain a flying license or permit, he is free to fly.”
Fayyaz’s misfortune resulted in social media fame, and he was called a “hero” and an “inspiration” by some netizens.
Representatives from the Pakistan Air Force have made two visits to view the plane and the commander of a nearby base issued him a certificate which praises his “passion and dexterity” in building what it described as a “mini basic airplane.”
The Pakistani popcorn seller who built his own plane
The Pakistani popcorn seller who built his own plane
- Tale of Muhammad Fayyaz has captured the hearts of many in a nation
- Cheap Internet access in a nearby city helped fill the gaps for Fayyaz
Pakistan, Bangladesh commanders underscore enduring partnership for resilience against ‘external influences’
- Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war
- Ties between both nations have warmed up since PM Hasina’s ouster due to an uprising in Aug.
ISLAMABAD: Top Pakistani and Bangladeshi military commanders have stressed the need for an enduring partnership between the two countries to remain “resilient against external influences,” the Pakistani military said on Tuesday, amid a thaw between the two countries since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war, which saw the part previously referred to as East Pakistan seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh.
In the years since, Bangladeshi leaders, particularly former prime minister Hasina, chose to maintain close ties with India. Ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have warmed up since Hasina’s ouster as a result of a student-led uprising in August, witnessing a marked improvement.
Amid the thaw, Lt. Gen. S M Kamr-ul-Hassan, principal staff officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh, met Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir in Rawalpindi, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“During their meeting, both held extensive discussions on the evolving security dynamics in the region and explored further avenues for enhancing bilateral military cooperation,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“The COAS and the PSO underscored the importance of a stronger defense relationship, emphasizing that the enduring partnership between the two brotherly nations must remain resilient against external influences.”
On the occasion, the Pakistan army chief reiterated the significance of joint efforts to promote peace and stability in South Asia and the broader region, while ensuring that both nations continue to contribute to regional security through “collaborative defense initiatives,” according to the ISPR.
Lt. Gen. Hassan acknowledged the sacrifices made by Pakistani armed forces in their fight against militancy, noting that their efforts serve as a beacon of “courage and determination.”
Earlier in the day, Pakistan and Bangladesh signed a landmark agreement to establish a joint business council, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) said, amid efforts to enhance trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
“The establishment of the Pakistan-Bangladesh Business Council is a milestone for trade relations between the two countries,” FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said after signing the agreement in Dhaka, along with representatives of the Administrative Federation of the Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce.
During the visit, the FPCCI chief led a Pakistani business delegation that held meetings with their counterparts in Bangladesh to discuss ways to enhance trade ties. The Trade Corporation of Pakistan also signed a memorandum of understanding for rice export to Bangladesh on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is also scheduled to visit Dhaka in the beginning of February to further consolidate the relations between the two countries.
POLL: Pakistan central bank set to deliver sixth consecutive rate cut to revive economy
- On the inflation side, 56 percent participants of the poll expect inflation to remain below 8 percent this fiscal year
- Pakistan requires ‘considerable efforts, additional measures’ to meet revenue target, central bank says
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central bank is expected to deliver a sixth consecutive policy rate cut this month, a poll found on Tuesday, ahead of a meeting of the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on Jan. 27.
The State Bank of Pakistan cut its key policy rate by 200 basis points to 13 percent on Dec. 16. This was the fifth straight reduction since June as Pakistan keeps up efforts to revive a sluggish economy with inflation easing.
The move made last year’s cuts one of the most aggressive among emerging market central banks in the current easing cycle. Cumulatively, the SBP cut rates by 900 basis points in the last year.
In a poll conducted by Karachi-based Topline Securities, 61 percent of the participants expected that the central bank will announce a rate cut of 100 basis points.
“Participants are expecting rate cut due to high real rates of 950bps in Jan. 2025, compared to historic average of 200-300bps, despite 900bps cut in total interest rates in last five consecutive meetings since Jun 2024,” Topline Securities said on Tuesday.
“We also hold the view that the SBP will announce a rate cut of 100bps, taking total cut to 1000bps. This will be 6th consecutive cut of this cycle.”
In Dec. the MPC assessed that its approach of measured policy rate cuts was keeping inflationary and external account pressures in check, while supporting economic growth on a sustainable basis.
The central bank noted that it expected inflation to average “substantially below” its earlier forecast range of 11.5 percent to 13.5 percent in 2025.
On the inflation side, 56 percent of the participants expected inflation to remain below 8 percent this fiscal year (July 2024-June 2025), according to Topline Securities.
The South Asian country is navigating a challenging economic recovery path and has been buttressed by a $7 billion facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in September.
The central bank has said that “considerable efforts and additional measures” will be required for Pakistan to meet its annual revenue target, a key focus of the IMF agreement.
Historic Islamic alliance pledges to improve access to education for girls
- The Islamabad Declaration for Girls’ Education affirms girls’ education as both a religious obligation and societal necessity
- The summit in Pakistan capital brought together diverse range of religious schools as well as activists like Malala Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: Islamic religious, political and civil leaders have united in a historic campaign to improve access to education for girls and women.
The Islamabad Declaration for Girls’ Education affirms girls’ education as both a religious obligation and societal necessity.
It brings together a diverse range of religious schools of law including Deobandi, Hanafi and Haqqani schools, as well as gender activists like Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai and political and civil society leaders.
The declaration was signed during a conference in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, convened by Saudi Arabia’s Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League and chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars.
“I am imagining this conference as a beginning of a new journey, where we commit to a future for every girl to have access to complete quality education,” Yousafzai said in a statement.
“I want to thank the Muslim World League. Your Excellency Al-Issa; you have brought us together to address the barriers holding girls back from their right to go to school.”
Al-Issa added that the gathering “will not merely be a ‘call,’ a ‘declaration,’ or simply a ‘statement of stance.’
“Rather, it will represent a qualitative transformation in supporting girls’ education — a change that will bring joy to every deprived girl,” he said.
Religious leaders who affirmed the declaration include senior figures from the Deobandi school in Pakistan and India, leading Hanafi jurists, and the presidency of Darul Uloom Haqqania, Sheikh Anwarul Haq Haqqani.
Others included the Grand Mufti of Pakistan Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani; the Mufti of Egypt Sheikh Dr. Nazir Mohammad Ayad; the Amir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Pakistan) Sheikh Fazl-ul-Rahman bin Mufti Mahmood; the President of Ulema Council of Pakistan Sheikh Tahir Mahmoud Ashrafi; and the President of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind (India) Sheikh Syed Arshad Madani.
“This gathering brings together the intellectual capital of the Muslim world not just to appreciate the enormity of the challenge we face, but also as a declaration of our resolve to overcome all these impediments,” said Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In addition, the Muslim World League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation agreed on a number of practical measures to improve access to education.
One of these measures is an awareness campaign by a number of educational centers and scholars.
Another is a new Islamic Educational Alliance drawing on a diverse and influential network of religious leaders, intellectuals, policy experts and academics from leading Islamic universities worldwide
The Muslim World League will also partner with a number of international organizations including the UN Refugee Agency and UN University for Peace to further the cause of providing access to education for women.
The summit brought together more than 150 dignitaries from 44 Muslim and other friendly states, according to Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
Peshawar Zalmi bolster bowling line-up for PSL 2025 with Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Ali
- The Pakistan Super League 2025 is scheduled to take place between April 8 and May 19, with 116 players from 10 countries
- Babar Azam says weather will have a lot to do with this year’s PSL and they have kept combination according to conditions
ISLAMABAD: Peshawar Zalmi have bolstered their bowling line-up for this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) with the inclusion of Corbin Bosch and Mohammad Ali, skipper Babar Azam said on Tuesday.
The statement after all six PSL franchises assembled their squads at the glittering PSL 2025 Player Draft in Lahore. The Twenty20 tournament is scheduled to take place between April 8 and May 19, with 116 players from 10 countries.
Azam said they had included all-rounders and further improved their bowling line-up, expressing his satisfaction over the selection of players for this year’s PSL edition.
“The main thing that we have discussed is our combination. Our batting line-up is very good and we have further improved bowling,” he said in a video shared on Tuesday.
Azam said they attached “great priority to bowlers” and picked South African Corbin Bosch and Muhammad Ali.
“So, these two picks of ours are very good, and the difficult numbers are 5 and 6. In that, you have to bring in a game-changer element and choose such a player, so we have seen that spark in him [Ali],” he said.
“We have seen that thing, that he can have a different impact. So, we have picked him in that sense, the way he played in the Champions Cup and the way he made an impact, he should make the same impact in this PSL.”
The Zalmi skipper said weather will have a lot to do with this year’s PSL and they have kept the combination according to the conditions.
“We have the spinner, Sufiyan Muqeem, with us,” he said. “So, we have made a very good combination and we are following the plan.”
Peshawar Zalmi squad: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Hussain Talat, Nahid Rana, Arif Yaqoob, Najeebullah Zadran, Max Bryant, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufyan Moqim, Ali Raza and Maaz Sadaqat
Supplementary players – Ahmed Daniyal and Alzarri Joseph
Pakistan says in ‘advanced’ talks with Saudi Arabia for investment in copper, gold mines
- Saudi Arabia last year offered Pakistan a 15 percent investment stake in the Reko Diq copper and gold mine
- Reko Diq, one of largest copper-gold mine, is jointly owned by Canadian firm Barrick Gold Corp. and Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are in “advanced” stages of talks relating to investment in Pakistan’s copper and gold mines, Pakistani Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik said on Tuesday.
Pakistan has taken steps in recent months to attract foreign investment in its mining sector. The South Asian country is home to the Reko Diq copper and gold mine that is located in its southwestern Balochistan province.
Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold mine, is jointly owned by Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold Corp. and Pakistan. Last year, Saudi Arabia offered Pakistan a 15 percent investment stake in the project, Pakistani state media reported in September.
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh, Malik said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were in advanced stages of conversations about a “very large asset,” and had done all the requisite homework in this regard.
“Both sides have come up with valuation frameworks, the valuation ranges are in place, and both of the teams are empowered now to negotiate, and right now, we are under non-disclosure. So, I can’t give you the details, but suffice to say that we are expecting very big announcements very soon,” he said.
“It depends, I mean in mining, it’s going to be the mining assets, particularly the copper mining assets, copper and gold mining assets. So, we are very hopeful about that.”
Reuters reported that Saudi Arabian mining company Manara Minerals could invest in Pakistan’s Reko Diq mine in the next two quarters, citing the Pakistani petroleum minister.
Manara, a joint venture between Saudi state-controlled miner Ma’aden and the $925-billion Public Investment Fund (PIF), was set up as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to diversify its economy away from oil, including by buying minority stakes in assets overseas.
“I’m very hopeful that in the next quarter or two we will have very big announcements,” Malik was quoted as saying by Reuters.
“So, we’re very hopeful that this year, we will make some big announcements, both in the way of Reko Diq, but hopefully also” in mines around it, he added.
Asked if Manara would be involved, Malik said, “why not, of course.” Reuters said Manara did not immediately respond to its emailed request for comment.
Manara executives visited Pakistan in May last year for talks about buying a stake in the Reko Diq mine. Manara’s then-acting chief executive Robert Wilt, now CEO of Ma’aden, told Reuters that a stake in Reko Diq was among several opportunities the company was evaluating.
Pakistan is also in talks with other Gulf countries about mining opportunities, Malik added.