ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani spread for iftar, an evening meal with which Muslims break the fast during the holy month of Ramadan, is always an elaborate one but two things are almost never missing: the samosa and pakora.
Samosas, cousins of empanadas, pasties and other dough-wrapped morsels, can be highly spicy, come in all kinds of fillings, from meat to potatoes, and are wildly popular street snacks in Pakistan and India. Pakoras are fritters that can be made from any vegetable. Arab News took to the streets of Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad to see if people’s taste buds had changed over the years and lo and behold, it looks like samosas and pakoras remain people’s favorite foods to break their fasts with this year also.
ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s top aides said on Friday they had held a meeting with Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, in a rare development to discuss the National Judicial Policy.
The move comes days after PM Shehbaz Sharif met Chief Justice Afridi at his residence. The top judge shared the agenda of an upcoming meeting of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee and sought the input of the government during the meeting, according to the Supreme Court.
The move is part of the chief justice reform agenda aimed to reduce pendency of cases and provide speedy justice to litigants. The top judge informed PM Sharif that he would also be taking the opposition’s input and wished his reform program carry bi-partisan support to be consistent, sustainable and more impactful.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, PTI Chairman Gohar Khan said they had met the chief justice on his request to discuss the new National Judicial Policy.
“The chief justice of Pakistan had shared an agenda with us regarding National Judicial Policy and asked for our inputs on ten points,” Gohar said.
Last year, ex-PM Khan had written a letter to Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who retired in Oct., seeking judicial intervention to safeguard the rule of law and maintain the supremacy of the constitution in the country.
Khan had urged the then chief justice among other things to look into alleged rigging of Feb. 8, 2024 national election and the subsequent allocation of reserved seats in the national and provincial assemblies.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had denied the PTI its share of 70 reserved seats in parliament, contending that Khan-backed independent candidates could not claim them. PTI candidates contested the polls independently after the party lost its election symbol in the run-up to election for not holding intra-party elections.
However, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Isa, had declared in Sept. 2024 the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision on reserved seats “unconstitutional,” affirming that the reserved seats should be allocated to the PTI.
“We also told him [Chief Justice Afridi] that no one regards SC order as a court order these days. SC orders are not being implemented be it senate elections or reserved seats,” Gohar said.
The PTI chairman said the chief justice had assured them of taking ‘certain measures” to address their issues.
Earlier this month, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation visiting Pakistan also met Chief Justice Afridi for discussions on judicial reforms, accountability and the recent controversial restructuring of a commission that recommends judges for Pakistan’s superior courts.
The chief justice told the IMF team that he would be “quite guarded” in his comments and the judiciary was “not used to direct interaction with such missions,” but it was taking place on the request of the finance division, according to a statement issued by the Supreme Court.
Pakistan, currently bolstered by a $7 billion IMF facility granted in September, is currently navigating an economic recovery path. The IMF had identified that promoting good governance in all its aspects, including ensuring the rule of law, improving the efficiency and accountability of the public sector, and tackling corruption, “are essential elements of a framework within which economies can prosper.”
Pakistan arrests 30 suspects over attacks in northwest Kurram
At least 130 people have died in sectarian clashes in Kurram since November
Road closures around Kurram have caused shortage of food and medicines
Updated 22 min 21 sec ago
AP
PARACHINAR: Pakistani security forces raided several villages Thursday in a troubled northwestern region, arresting at least 30 suspects accused of deadly attacks on the country’s troops, police said.
In the restive southwestern province of Balochistan, separatists attacked a police post, killing two officers.
The arrests were made during a search operation in Kurram, a district in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where at least 130 people have died in recent months there in clashes between rival Shiite and Sunni tribes since November.
The district has been cut off from the rest of the country since November after authorities blocked roads following clashes between heavily armed tribes. Road closures around Kurram have caused a shortage of food and medicines there.
The operation was launched days after insurgents attacked aid trucks and killed five soldiers and a truck driver, according to Abbas Majid, a senior police official. He said officers also recovered some of the supplies looted by the suspects during recent attacks on aid trucks.
In the attack Thursday night in Balochistan, militants targeted a police post on the outskirts of Quetta, the provincial capital, triggering a shootout in which two officers were killed, local police chief Qasim Rodini said. He said an exchange of fire was still ongoing.
Earlier in the day, the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the killing of seven passengers in an attack on buses in Balochistan on Tuesday.
The group said in a statement that its fighters attacked the buses in the town of Rakhni and claimed those killed were affiliated with the military and intelligence services. Local authorities dismissed the claim, saying the victims were civilians with no ties to security forces.
The Baloch Liberation Army, which operates mostly in Balochistan, has also targeted Chinese nationals working on multi-billion-dollar projects in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Last year, the group killed dozens of people in three separate attacks on vehicles.
Balochistan has been the scene of a long-running insurgency with the separatists seeking independence from the central government in Islamabad. Although Pakistani authorities say they have quelled the insurgency, violence has persisted.
Five controversial India-Pakistan moments in ODI cricket
Pakistan’s Javed Miandad always found a way of unsettling his opponents with his batting or sledging
The two heavyweights clash in a blockbuster group match at the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday
Updated 43 min 42 sec ago
AFP
DUBAI: Pakistan and India clash in a blockbuster group match at the Champions Trophy on Sunday in Dubai.
AFP Sport looks at five controversial moments on the pitch between the arch-rivals in one-day cricket.
Pakistan’s Javed Miandad always found a way of unsettling his opponents with his batting or sledging, and a match against India at the 1992 World Cup was no different.
Excessive appealing by Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More seemed to have irked Miandad during Pakistan’s chase in Sydney.
The batter had a word with More, who was constantly chatting behind the stumps, before taking guard on a delivery.
Later, after completing a cheeky run, Miandad hopped like a kangaroo in a bid to imitate the glovesman in his appeals.
Pakistan’s Javed Miandad acrobatically imitates the over-enthusiastic Kiran More (left) during an ICC World Cup match played between India and Pakistan at Sydney Cricket Ground, in Sydney, Australia, on March 4, 1992. (X@cricketworldcup)
Commentators and fans saw the funny side but not Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, who looked visibly furious at Miandad’s antics.
Opener Aamer Sohail was steering Pakistan’s chase in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final when a moment of rashness from the left-handed batter cost his team the game.
Chasing 289 for victory in Bengaluru, Sohail and fellow opener Saeed Anwar made the team race to 84 in 10 overs before Anwar departed.
Sohail kept up the charge as he hit Indian medium-pacer Venkatesh Prasad for a boundary and sledged the bowler with a finger pointed in the direction of the shot.
The screengrab taken from a video shows Pakistan’s Aamir Sohail gestures after hitting a boundary against Indian medium-pacer Venkatesh Prasad in the second-quarter final match between India and Pakistan in Bengaluru on March 9, 1996. (Screengrab/Social Media)
Prasad hit back, bowling Sohail next ball to a huge roar from the crowd and a send-off gesture from the bowler to derail Pakistan’s chase.
Pakistan’s usually cool Inzamam-ul-Haq infamously confronted an India fan in the stands at a match in 1997 at Toronto and the incident became a talking point for years to come.
Inzamam was standing at the boundary when an India supporter heckled the batter with chants of “Aloo” (Potato in Hindi), referring to the cricketer’s bulky frame.
When the calls became louder on a megaphone, Inzamam directed one of his players to bring a bat from the dressing room and was soon inside the stands to go after the heckler before security intervened.
Security officials hold back Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq (second right) after a heated exchange with a spectator during the second match of the Sahara Cup between India and Pakistan in Toronto, Canada, on September 14, 1997. (Espncricinfo)
Inzamam was reprimanded for the act and years later said the chants were personal and abusive.
India batsman Gautam Gambhir — now their coach — smacked Pakistan spinner Shahid Afridi for a boundary in a match in 2007 and words were exchanged before the two nearly came to blows.
Gambhir and Afridi refused to back down after some verbal volleys and the batter and bowler collided — seemingly on purpose — in between a run.
The two again had a go at each other with expletives clearly visible in dramatic TV images, before the on-field umpire intervened to douse the fire.
Gambhir and Afridi have kept up the rivalry even after retiring and indulge in ugly exchanges on social media on cricket and politics.
Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar never backed down from a fight but in a duel with Harbhajan Singh at the 2010 Asia Cup the Indian spinner had the last laugh.
Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh and Shoaib Akhtar engage in a heated exchange during the India vs Pakistan match of Asia Cup in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, on June 19, 2010. (AP)
Akhtar bowled a dot ball to tailender Harbhajan in India’s chase and threw a few sledges, but that only triggered the batter to hit a six for an India victory in the final over off Mohammad Amir.
HarbHajjan celebrated wildly in front of Akhtar, who told him where to go.
Akhtar and HarbHajjan recently playfully re-enacted the moment on TV in a promotion video for the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan face India in Champions Trophy clash on Sunday with no room for error
The neighbors only meet in multi-nation events because of political tensions and the match is taking place in Dubai after India refused to travel to Pakistan
Pakistan were well beaten by New Zealand by 60 runs in the opening game of the competition in Karachi and need to beat favorites India to stay in the hunt
Updated 21 February 2025
AFP
DUBAI: Pakistan face arch-rivals India in a Champions Trophy blockbuster on Sunday in front of a sell-out Dubai crowd knowing that another defeat will virtually end their title defense.
The neighbors only meet in multi-nation events because of political tensions and the match is taking place in Dubai after India refused to travel to tournament hosts Pakistan.
In front of what is expected to be a full house at the 25,000-capacity Dubai International Stadium, and with hundreds of millions more watching glued to their televisions, Pakistan are under pressure.
Mohammad Rizwan’s side were well beaten by New Zealand by 60 runs in the opening game of the ODI competition in Karachi and realistically need to beat favorites India to stay in the hunt for a semifinal spot in the eight-nation tournament.
New Zealand top Group A ahead of India — who beat Bangladesh on Thursday by six wickets — on a better run-rate. Pakistan are fourth and bottom of the group.
The top two teams from each of the two groups make the semifinals.
“If we want to win against the great teams of the world and be one of the great teams of the world we will have to bring consistency,” Pakistan batsman Salman Ali Agha said.
“We can’t play well in one game and bad in another.”
Pakistan chased down a record 353 against South Africa last week in a tri-nation tournament at home but in the final crashed to 242 all out in a defeat to New Zealand.
They suffered a big blow in the loss on Wednesday when their premier batsman Fakhar Zaman suffered a muscle injury. He has been ruled out of the tournament.
Imam-ul-Haq came in as replacement for a team that hammered India in the final of the previous Champions Trophy, in 2017.
That was India’s last defeat to Pakistan in an ODI match and Rohit Sharma’s men have since won five of the last six games against their greatest rivals, with one rained off.
They last met in a one-day game at the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad, with hosts India winning by seven wickets.
Another loss and an early exit for the hosts would take the gloss off the tournament, Pakistan’s first ICC event since co-hosting the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
In contrast, India lived up to their favorites tag against Bangladesh, chasing down a tricky 229 with 21 balls to spare in Dubai.
In-form Shubman Gill hit an unbeaten 101 for his second successive ODI century after pace spearhead Mohammed Shami returned bowling figures of 5-53.
Victory for India would put them on the cusp of the last four.
“After winning there is no point in having a mindset,” a confident-looking Shami said in response to a question on facing Pakistan next.
“You should stay in the same frame (habit) when you win a match and when you perform well. I don’t think you need to think too much about the ICC tournament or any international match.”
Fellow pace bowler Harshit Rana claimed three wickets in his team’s win and exuded the same confidence.
“It’s great to perform ahead of the Pakistan match and hopefully I can take this momentum forward,” said Rana. “But the Pakistan match is just another game for us.”
Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.
Deteriorating political ties have meant the bitter rivals have not played a bilateral cricket series for over a decade.
India last visited Pakistan in 2008, for the Asia Cup.
QUETTA: Two policemen and four militants were killed in an attack on a police check-post in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, police officials said Friday.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province in terms of landmass, has been the site of an insurgency for the last two decades, with separatists frequently attacking police, security forces and civilians they see as “outsiders” in the resource-rich region.
In the latest incident, armed men attacked a police check-post in Shaban area, some 35 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Quetta, local police station in-charge Munir Khan told Arab News.
“Terrorists attacked a police post in Shaban, killing two policemen and injuring two others. The police force timely retaliated and killed four terrorists,” he said.
“Search and clearance operation continued till early hours of Friday as some terrorists fled to the nearby mountains.”
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion was likely to fall on armed separatist groups who have carried out a number of attacks in a similar fashion in the past.
It comes two days after the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) group killed seven passengers, who hailed from the Punjab province, after off-loading them from a bus in Balochistan’s Barkhan district, according to authorities.
Pakistan has been struggling to contain mounting attacks by separatists in Balochistan, which shares a porous border with Iran and Afghanistan.
At least, 25 policemen were killed and 61 others injured in Balochistan in nearly 40 attacks against police in 2024, according to provincial government figures. This is apart from losses incurred by security forces and civilians killed in targeted killings.
The separatists accuse the Pakistani government of exploiting the province’s natural resources for development elsewhere in the country, while neglecting the local population. The government denies the allegations and says it has prioritized Balochistan’s development through investments in health, education and infrastructure projects.
Separately, a man, who was allegedly carrying explosives, was killed in an explosion on Quetta’s Qambrani Road on Thursday night, according to police.
“It has been unclear whether he was a suicide bomber or delivering the explosives,” Qasim Rodeni, a police officer in Quetta, told Arab News.
“The man was carrying around 4-5 kilograms of explosive material which exploded on the road. We are investigating the incident.”
More than 50 people, including security forces, were killed in August last year in a string of assaults in Balochistan that were claimed by the BLA. Last month, dozens of fighters of the separatist outfit wrested control of a small town in Khuzdar from the Levies paramilitary forces. Pakistani authorities had regained the town after hours of efforts.
