ISLAMABAD: The UAE envoy to Pakistan was the first to cast his vote on Sunday at the UAE embassy, as balloting began for the country’s citizens residing or working abroad to elect a political candidate to represent them in the Federal National Council (FNC), a parliamentary body for the seven emirates that make up the UAE.
According to UAE officials, more than 200 of the country’s citizens live in Pakistan including over 60 residing in the capital, Islamabad.
“This is the fourth election for the Federal (National) Council in UAE, and we are really proud of this democracy process in UAE,” Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to Pakistan said while speaking to Arab News during the balloting session at the embassy in Islamabad.
The UAE has more than 118 diplomatic missions around the world which have set up polling booths for citizens to cast their votes, Al-Zaabi said.
“The (polling for the FNC) election in Pakistan will be held in Islamabad and at the consulate in Karachi on September 22 and 23. The big election in UAE will be held between October 2 to 4, followed by results... announced on October 5,” the UAE Ambassador said.
FNC, as per the provision of the UAE Constitution, was established in 1971 and comprises of 40 members representing the Arab peninsula’s seven Emirates; with Abu Dhabi and Dubai having the most number of seats followed by Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, and less populated Fujairah, Ajman, and Umm al Quwain with the least.
In the past, all members were appointed by the emirates’ respective rulers, but in 2006 the method was revised to introduce a partial form of democracy that allows the people of UAE to elect 20 FNC members through an electoral process.
“We started in 2006 and now we are in 2019 and this year it is totally different because half of this council will be women. UAE and its leadership support women empowerment and encourages females to be part of the country’s legislative decisions,” Al-Zaabi said.
The Ambassador, widely known for his philanthropic activities in Pakistan and his continued efforts to strengthen fraternal ties between the two countries said: “We have reached our goals to support democracy and encourage the people in UAE to be part of this democratic process.”
UAE citizens in Pakistan cast votes as balloting begins for Federal National Council
UAE citizens in Pakistan cast votes as balloting begins for Federal National Council
- More than 200 UAE citizens in Pakistan are expected to cast their vote
- Half of the council this year is expected to be women: UAE envoy
Pakistan invites Chinese companies to invest in renewable energy to cut reliance on fuel imports
- Pakistan’s envoy to China says country has natural advantage for renewable energy resources with over 1,000 km coastline
- Pakistan has suffered from an energy crisis stemming largely from gap in country’s energy supplies and electricity demand
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ambassador to China has invited Chinese companies to invest in the country’s renewable energy and offshore wind sectors, state-run media reported on Monday, as Islamabad seeks to cut its reliance on expensive fuel imports amid its prolonged energy crisis.
Pakistan has suffered from an energy crisis that stems largely from a gap in the country’s energy supplies and electricity demand, with the South Asian country’s reliance on expensive energy imports drains its resources and triggers inflation.
According to National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (NEPRA) 2022 yearly report, Pakistan’s total installed power generation capacity is 43,775 MW, of which 59 percent of energy comes from thermal (fossil fuels), 25 percent from hydro, 7 percent from renewable (wind, solar and biomass) and 9 percent from nuclear energy resources.
“Pakistan’s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi has said that Pakistan has a natural advantage for renewable resources of energy with its long coastline of over one thousand kilometers,” Radio Pakistan reported. “He invited Chinese investors to explore the opportunities available in Pakistani offshore wind industry.”
The Pakistani envoy was speaking at a seminar titled “High-Quality Development of Offshore Wind Power Supply Chain” at the Chinese city of Fuzhou, Radio Pakistan said.
He appreciated China’s rapid advancements in the offshore wind industry sector, underlining the need for enhanced bilateral cooperation by strengthening technology exchanges, infrastructure development and regulatory support, the state broadcaster said.
Pakistan’s power minister last month met his counterpart from Iran and Chinese energy officials to discuss enhanced cooperation in cross-border energy on the sidelines of the Third Belt & Road Ministerial Conference held in Qingdao, China in October.
The Pakistani minister also held separate meetings with Yao Huan, vice president of Power China and Ni Zhen, the general manager of Energy China, in Qingdao. During the meeting, Leghari conveyed Pakistan’s desire to modernize power dispatch and transmission systems, aimed at cutting lines and other losses, the power ministry had said.
Pakistan Cricket Board says Gillespie to remain head coach for South Africa series
- PCB rejects media reports of ex-cricketer Aaqib Javed replacing Gillespie
- Pakistan will play all-format away series against South Africa in December/January
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday strongly refuted speculation it was about to replace the national squad’s Head Coach Jason Gillespie with former world cup winner Aaqib Javed, saying Gillespie will continue in the role for Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa in December/January 2025.
Multiple media outlets reported last week that the PCB was set to appoint Javed, who is currently the convener of Pakistan’s national selection committee, as head coach of the men’s team across all formats. Gillespie is Pakistan’s Test coach and currently the interim coach of the white-ball side.
The former Australian pacer was appointed as interim white-ball coach after his predecessor, Gary Kirsten, resigned from the post in October. According to local media outlets, Kirsten resigned following disagreements with the cricket board over its decision to strip him of selection powers.
“As announced previously, Jason Gillespie will continue to coach the Pakistan side for the two red-ball matches against South Africa,” the PCB wrote on social media platform X.
Pakistan are scheduled to play three T20Is, three ODIs and two Test matches in an away series against South Africa in December/January 2025. The PCB have not confirmed if Gillespie will be the head coach for any series beyond those two Tests against South Africa, though he does have a contract with the board till 2026. Pakistan have a two-Test home series against West Indies immediately following the Tests in South Africa.
Citing a PCB official in its report on Sunday, ESPNcricinfo said the board decided to replace Gillespie on account of him not spending enough time in Pakistan.
“ESPNcricinfo understands Gillespie’s view is that he has spent every day his contract demanded he be in Pakistan within the country, in addition to which he also did the Shaheens tour of Darwin without pay as a gesture of goodwill,” the website reported.
Pakistan have a busy cricket schedule ahead, with the green shirts set to play a three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe starting Sunday after which they play the all-format series in South Africa. Their next home series is a two-match Test series against the West Indies at the end of January, and their only white-ball games before the Champions Trophy come in a short tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand in February.
The PCB has come under increasing criticism for the high rate of turnover at the board. In November 2023, then team director Mickey Arthur was told by then PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf he would not be going with the team for the Test series in Australia in January 2024. Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez was appointed team director for that tour.
Arthur and Grant Bradburn, then head coach, parted ways with the PCB soon after. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi assumed the PCB chair weeks later, beginning the hunt for Pakistan’s white and red-ball coaches, with the posts ultimately going to Gillespie and Kirsten.
Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur today to mark birth anniversary of religion’s founder
- Sikh pilgrims from India cross over into Pakistan every year via visa-free Kartarpur Corridor
- Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Narowal, is Sikhism founder’s final resting place
ISLAMABAD: Indian Sikh pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the eastern Kartarpur town today, Monday, to mark the 555th birth anniversary of their religion’s founder Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji, state media reported.
Every year Indian Sikh pilgrims cross over from India to Pakistan via a visa-free border crossing known as the Kartarpur Corridor. The corridor connects Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, near Narowal in Pakistan’s Punjab, to Gurudwara Dera Baba Nanak in Indian Punjab’s Gurdaspur district.
Inaugurated in 2019, the corridor is seen as a rare example of cooperation and diplomacy between the two South Asian neighbors.
“Sikh pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on Monday to celebrate the 555th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
It said that the pilgrims would visit Gurdwara Rohri Sahib in Eminabad on Wednesday before concluding their journey in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore.
Much of Sikh heritage is located in Pakistan. When Pakistan was carved out of India at the end of British rule in 1947, Kartarpur ended up on the Pakistani side of the border, while most of the region’s Sikhs remained on the other side.
For over seven decades, the Sikh community had lobbied for easier access to their holiest temple.
Pakistan’s initiative to open the corridor earned widespread appreciation from the international community, including the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who had described it as a “Corridor of Hope.”
Fly Jinnah celebrates inaugural Lahore-Dammam flight amid Saudi expansion
- Pakistan’s low-cost airline began domestic operations in 2022 and is now focusing on the Middle East
- Fly Jinnah has also been connecting Pakistani cities to Sharjah, Riyadh and Jeddah, as PIA struggles
KARACHI: Fly Jinnah, Pakistan’s low-cost airline, celebrated its inaugural flight from Lahore to Dammam on Sunday, further enhancing air connectivity between the South Asian nation and Saudi Arabia amid growing demand for international travel.
Established in 2021 as a joint venture between Pakistan’s Lakson Group and the United Arab Emirates’ Air Arabia Group, Fly Jinnah began domestic operations in October 2022, connecting major Pakistani cities such as Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta.
In February 2024, the airline launched its first international route, connecting Islamabad to Sharjah, before expanding to Saudi Arabia— home to an estimated 2.7 million Pakistanis— with flights to Riyadh and Jeddah.
“We are happy to celebrate our inaugural flight from Lahore to Dammam, further enhancing connectivity between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for our passengers,” the airline said in a social media post.
The first flight to Dammam in the kingdom’s Eastern Province was operated a day earlier. A substantial number of Pakistani families reside in and around the Saudi city, drawn by job opportunities in the oil-rich region.
The addition of Dammam to its network highlights Fly Jinnah’s aim to capture the lucrative Middle Eastern travel market as Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the struggling national carrier, faces financial challenges.
The Pakistani government has been exploring privatization options for PIA, leaving a gap that private airlines such as Fly Jinnah aim to fill.
Saudi Arabia is a key destination for Pakistani travelers, driven by religious pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah and by a thriving expatriate workforce.
Fly Jinnah’s direct connections offer affordable travel options, positioning the airline as a viable competitor in this high-demand sector.
Pakistan dispatches 19th relief consignment to Syria amid conflicts in Middle East
- Pakistan says it will continue to support people affected by Israel’s military campaign in the region
- Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Pakistan has called for a ceasefire at the UN, other forums
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) dispatched its 19th relief consignment on Sunday to help war-affected people in Syria and refugees from Lebanon, according to an official statement, reaffirming the country’s commitment to supporting those impacted by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The aid shipment, sent in collaboration with the Pakistani charity Al-Khidmat Foundation, consisted of 17 tons of humanitarian supplies, including buckets, powdered milk, tinned food, family packs, sleeping bags and medical kits.
The consignment departed via a chartered flight from Jinnah International Airport in Karachi to Damascus in Syria.
“This 19th consignment has been dispatched for the people of Syria and refugees from Lebanon,” the NDMA said in its statement. “Prior to this, the Government of Pakistan has sent 12 aid consignments to Palestine and six shipments to Lebanon, with a total volume of 1,722 tons.”
The statement reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting the people of Palestine and Lebanon who are in distress due to Israel’s military campaigns in the region.
It also emphasized the importance of collaboration by welfare organizations and the Pakistani public in strengthening the government’s efforts to assist those in need.
Pakistan has already established a special fund titled the “Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon,” inviting public donations.
Since the beginning of the war in October last year, Pakistan has called for a ceasefire in Gaza and has raised the issue at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other international forums, urging an end to Israeli military actions and a resolution to the humanitarian crisis.
