DUBAI: Junoon’s music keeps getting better with age, said Salman Ahmed, the Sufi rock band’s lead guitarist and songwriter, ahead of their second and last Dubai concert this year.
After the success of The International Premiere Concert in Dubai in January, witnessed by more than 7,000 Junoonis – as their fans are fondly called – the show, dubbed Junoon Reloaded – The Middle East Exclusive, will go on at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on Nov. 29.
“Junoon has performed sold-out shows across the planet,” Salman told Arab News. “From Pakistan to UAE, from UK to USA, and from Canada to Bangladesh, the response from our Junoonis has been incredible,” he said, adding that particularly loyal are their audiences in the Gulf.
The January concert marked Junoon’s reunion and was its first international gig after a split in 2005.
One of the most popular Pakistani bands of all times, Junoon dominated the South Asian music industry in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Singles such as “Jazba-e-Junoon,” “Sayonee,” “Saeein,” “Bulleya” and “Khudi” conquered the charts and hearts of the Subcontinent, earning Junoon raging popularity and recognition for its unique “Sufi rock” sound, which blends Western rock music with Pakistani folk songs and classical poetry.
With Ahmed as lead guitarist and songwriter, Ali Azmat as lead vocalist and Brian O’Connel on bass, the band produced critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums “Inquilab,” “Azadi” and “Parvaaz.”
Ahmed shared with Arab News that during the Nov. 29 concert the group will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of “Parveez.”
Junoon has over 100 million albums sold worldwide, with “Sayonee” being one of the most covered songs in India. An upcoming Bollywood film will have it as the theme song.
The group performed at prestigious music events such as the Millennium Peace Concert in Paris and the Roskilde Music Festival in Denmark. In 2001, Junoon became the first rock band to perform at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Called “the U2 of Pakistan” by the New York Times, the band has released seven studio albums, one soundtrack, two live albums, four video albums and five compilations.
They won the Best International Group Award at the Channel (V) Awards in Delhi, and the Nigar Award for the “Jinnah” biopic soundtrack song “Azadi.”
The group’s “Jazba-e-Junoon” became the theme song of the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
The band split up in 2005, when O’Connel returned to the US and Azmet started a solo career.
The group’s name stayed with Ahmed who kept on producing music under the label. He also became involved in social activism and has served as a goodwill ambassador for the UN HIV/AIDS Program in South Asia. He also became Rotary International’s goodwill ambassador for the eradication of polio in Pakistan.
For 13 years, as Junoon members were engaged in solo careers, fans kept the band and its music alive, never losing hope for their reunion. According to Naresh Oberoi, founder and chairman of Oberoi Middle East Events, which organizes the Dubai concert, “Junoon is not just a band, it’s a phenomenon with a cult-like following that cuts across geographical boundaries and age groups.”
“The band’s split was heartbreaking for everyone. Thousands of Junoonis have been waiting for years to see Salman, Ali and Brian get back together. ‘Junoon Reloaded Concert’ will see everyone’s dream finally coming true once again. It promises to be a highly emotional and memorable event that no fan will want to miss,” he said.
Junoon plans special celebration at next week’s Dubai concert
Junoon plans special celebration at next week’s Dubai concert
- Junoon will perform at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on Nov. 29
- The group will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of its sixth album “Parveez”
Pakistan to fly injured Ayub to London for treatment as Champions Trophy looms
- Saim Ayub has been ruled out of cricket for six weeks after he sustained ankle injury on Friday
- Pakistan are scheduled to play Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand on Feb. 19
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has decided to send injured left-handed opening batter Saim Ayub to London for immediate medical treatment, the board said on Sunday, with the important Champions Trophy tournament just weeks away.
Ayub has been ruled out of competitive cricket for up to six weeks due to a right ankle fracture that he sustained while fielding against South Africa at Newlands on Friday.
Ayub, one of Pakistan’s in-form batters who has performed well in white-ball matches against Australia and South Africa in recent weeks, is in danger of missing Pakistan’s Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand at Karachi on Feb. 19.
“Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has decided to send Saim Ayub to London for immediate treatment and the decision was made after consulting the doctors,” the board said in a statement.
The PCB said that Ayub, who was supposed to return to Pakistan with the squad, will now head to England. It said Naqvi spoke to Ayub over the phone and inquired about his well-being.
Naqvi said the Pakistani batter will be checked by sports ortho specialist doctors in England, adding that an immediate appointment has been made by the PCB.
“The medical team is looking into the entire case and Dr. Mumraiz has shared Saim’s medical reports with specialists in England,” Naqvi said.
He described Ayub as a “brilliant stylish batsman and asset of Pakistan cricket.”
“Saim’s treatment will be done in the best hospital in the world and in this regard all resources will be used for his treatment,” Naqvi said. “We hope that the left-handed batter will make a full recovery before the ICC Champions Trophy.”
Saim will travel to London from Cape Town on the first available flight, with assistant coach Azhar Mahmood accompanying him.
Over 4,000 participate in second World Athletics-certified marathon in Karachi
- Athletes from Poland, Germany, Japan and other countries take part in marathon event
- Featured five types of marathons, with longest covering distance of 42.195 kilometers
KARACHI: At least 4,000 people from all walks of life took part in an annual marathon event, accredited by the World Athletics and held in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Sunday, its organizer said.
The event kicked off on Sunday morning from the city’s Nishan-e-Pakistan monument at Sea View. It featured five types of marathons, such as the Full Marathon (42.195km) the Half-Marathon (21.1 km), the Relay Marathon, a team of four participants for 42.2km (10.5km run, 10.5km run, 10.5km run, 10.5km run and the Fun Run, a 5 km run.
Athletes hailing from Poland, Germany, Japan and many others participated in the event, Sports in Pakistan, one of the organizers of the event, said in a press release. The marathon’s certification by the World Rankings Competition ensured a world-class experience for all participants, it added.
“We are delighted with the overwhelming success of the Karachi Marathon 2025,” Shoaib Nizami, CEO of Sports in Pakistan, said.
“The event has emerged as a testament to Karachi’s unwavering resilience and warm hospitality and we extend our sincerest gratitude to our participants, sponsors, and partners for their invaluable support.”
The top performers in each category were:
Marathon Category:
- Male Winner (1st Prize): Israr Muhammad (Pakistan) – Time: 2:30:13 won Rs. 500,000/
- Male Winner (2nd Prize): Muhammad Riaz (Pakistan) – 2:32:13 won Rs. 250,000/
- Female Winner (1st Prize): Enub Khan (Pakistan) – 3:47:49 won Rs. 500,000/
- Female Winner (2nd Prize): Zeba Shah Abbasi (Pakistan) – 4:01:13 won Rs. 250,000/
Half Marathon Category:
- Male Winner (1st Prize): Muhammad Ajhtar (Pakistan) – Time: 1:12:08 won Rs. 50,000/
- Second Runner-up Male (2nd Prize): Qasim Bajwa (Pakistan) – 1:12:52 won Rs. 40,000/
- Female Winner (1st Prize): Mumtaz Naimat – 1:43:26 won Rs. 50,000/
- Second Runner-up Female (2nd Prize): Dua Nazakat (Pakistan) – 1:51:45 won Rs. 40,000/
The city saw its first-ever World Athletics-certified marathon last year in January 2024 where hundreds of people from all walks of life participated.
OIC body, Pakistani university launch fellowship program for Bangladeshi students and scholars
- Program open for Bangladeshi nationals aged 22-45 residing anywhere, says state media
- Covers tuition fee waiver, airfare, honorarium and free accommodation for students, scholars
ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and Pakistan’s University of Lahore have joined hands to launch a fellowship program for Bangladeshi students and scholars, state-run media reported on Sunday.
The program is open for Bangladeshi nationals aged 22 to 45, residing in any country of the world, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. It said Bangladeshi nationals must have outstanding academic achievements and a demonstrated commitment to contributing to their communities for the fellowship.
The program covers tuition fee waiver, round-trip airfare, honorarium and free accommodation, it added.
“This fellowship program is a testament to our commitment to bridging gaps in education and research across the Muslim world,” Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, COMSTECH’s coordinator general said.
“By investing in Bangladeshi scholars and students, we aim to cultivate a generation of innovators and leaders who will address the challenges of our time.”
Eligible candidates can apply through the official websites of COMSTECH and the University of Lahore, APP said, adding that applications are open until Mar. 1, 2025.
The development takes place amid a renewed push from both Bangladesh and Pakistan to improve their ties after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from office in August last year.
Established together as one independent nation in 1947, Bangladesh won liberation from then-West Pakistan in 1971. Relations between the two countries continued to deteriorate during Hasina’s administration, which prosecuted several members of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party for war crimes relating to the 1971 conflict.
However, Islamabad’s ties with Dhaka have improved as Bangladesh’s relations with India, where Hasina has sought refuge, have deteriorated.
Pakistani province orders arrest of suspects involved in shooting at Kurram aid convoy
- Unidentified men on Saturday fired at aid convoy traveling toward Kurram district rocked by sectarian and tribal clashes
- Participants of high-level meeting chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister vow not to show militants any mercy
PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has ordered the immediate arrest of suspects involved in the recent shooting at an aid convoy en route to the northwestern Kurram district, which has been rocked by sectarian and tribal clashes in recent weeks, a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said on Sunday.
Saturday’s gun attack was carried out by unidentified men near Bagan, a tense locality in the district’s center, as Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud and other officials led an aid convoy to Kurram, leaving the top officials and four security men injured.
Kurram, a northwestern district of around 600,000 people in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has been rocked by tribal and sectarian clashes since Nov. 21 when gunmen attacked a convoy of Shia passengers, killing 52.
The attack sparked further violence and blockade of a main road connecting Kurram’s main town of Parachinar with the provincial capital of Peshawar, causing medicine, food and fuel shortages in the area, as casualties surged to 136.
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur held a meeting with senior provincial officials on Saturday night to take stock of the situation in Kurram after the incident, the CM Office said in a statement.
“People involved in the firing should be handed over to the law,” the statement said. “A first information report against all suspects involved in the shooting should be registered after which they should be immediately arrested.”
The statement said that after a peace agreement between the warring factions in Kurram, the responsibility for its violation falls on the people of the area. Participants of the meeting also decided to fix bounties on militants’ heads to eliminate them.
“No mercy will be shown to any terrorist nor will those who aid them be spared,” it added.
KP government spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif said on Saturday that Mehsud’s condition was out of danger. The official was leading a convoy of 17 trucks, which were carrying tents, blankets, medical kits, tarpaulins, solar lamps and sleeping bags when the attack occurred.
Kurram police spokesman Riaz Khan told Arab News that the attack injured DC Mehsud, his police guard and three members of the Frontier Corps (FC) paramilitary force.
Saturday’s gun attack came days after a grand jirga, or council of political and tribal elders formed by the KP provincial government, brokered a peace agreement between the warring Shia and Sunni tribes, following weeks of efforts.
Under the peace agreement signed on Wednesday, both sides had agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons to the authorities within two weeks, but the attack on the aid convoy has once again cast a cloud on peace in the restive district.
According to the peace agreement, any party that launches an attack after the signing of the deal will be considered a “terrorist” and action will be taken against it. Another point of the agreement says that a fine of Rs10 million ($35,933) will be imposed on those who violate the terms of the deal by using weapons against each other.
Land disputes in the volatile district will be settled on a priority basis with the cooperation of local tribes and the district administration, according to the peace agreement. Opening of banned outfits’ offices will be prohibited in the district, while social media accounts spreading hate will be discouraged via collective efforts backed by the government.
India issues visas to 100 Pakistani pilgrims for Sufi saint’s death anniversary
- Pakistani pilgrims to depart for Ajmer in India today to partake in religious festivities
- India issued visas “significantly below” allowed quota of 500 pilgrims, says state media
ISLAMABAD: India has issued visas to 100 Pakistani pilgrims to attend events related to the annual death anniversary of revered Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, state media reported this week, saying that the number was “significantly below” the allowed quota of 500 pilgrims.
Pakistan and India regularly issue visas to residents of each other’s countries to attend birth and death anniversaries of religious personalities. The 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines agreement allows devotees from both countries to visit sacred sites, including Hindu temples in Pakistan and Islamic shrines in India.
However, political tensions between the two nations have at times disrupted these exchanges, with instances where visas were denied to religious pilgrims.
“The Indian authorities have issued visas to only 100 Pakistani pilgrims for the annual Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer Sharif, India, significantly below the allotted quota of 500,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said on Saturday.
Pakistan’s religion ministry spokesperson Umer Butt said India has denied visas to a potential 400 Pakistani pilgrims this year to attend Chishti’s death anniversary.
“Despite the restrictions, he said 100 Pakistani pilgrims are set to leave for Ajmer Sharif on Sunday via the Wagah border,” APP reported.
He said these pilgrims will participate in various religious ceremonies at Chishti’s shrine, widely known as Gharib Nawaz, at Ajmer in India’s Rajasthan.
Despite the tensions between the two countries, Pakistan has actively promoted religious tourism in recent years, welcoming Buddhist monks as well as Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India and across the globe.
The inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019, which allows visa-free travel for Indian Sikhs to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, is a significant milestone in these efforts.
Each year, a large number of Indian Sikhs also travel to Pakistan to pay homage at sacred sites, including Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Samadhi in Lahore, the last resting place of the founder of the Sikh Empire, and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, revered for its connection to Guru Nanak.
