Meet Ghazi Karim from Pakistan, trainer to Dubai’s stars and royals 

In this October 10, 2017 photo, clients work out with trainers at Seven Gym where Pakistani Ghazi Karim is coaching, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Photo courtesy Ghazi Karim instagram).
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Updated 19 July 2020
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Meet Ghazi Karim from Pakistan, trainer to Dubai’s stars and royals 

  • Karim moved to the UAE from Islamabad in 2011 and set up Symmetry, which went on to become one of Dubai’s best fitness facilities
  • He now works independently at Seven Gym and among his clients are members of the UAE royal family and celebrities like Emirati skydiver Shaikha Atiq

DUBAI: When Ghazi Karim started offering fitness coaching sessions out of a garage in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad in 2007, he could never have imagined that he would one day be training members of the royal family of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 
Karim, who hails from Pakistan’s picturesque northwestern region of Hunza, moved to Dubai in 2011 after what he described as a “tough but exciting” journey of bringing the science of fitness to Islamabad. 
“Our work grew from there and then we decided to move to Dubai since we got to know that the fitness business was flourishing here,” Karim told Arab News at Seven Gym in Dubai’s Al Quoz area, where he is a personal trainer. 




Pakistani trainer Ghazi Karim, 39, works out at Seven Gym in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on July 11, 2020. (AN Photo by Asma Ali Zain)

With a partner, who also moved to Dubai from Islamabad, Karim set up a studio called Symmetry, which went on to become one of Dubai’s best fitness facilities. It wasn’t long, then, before word spread about Karim’s body transformation stories, following which he says he was approached by members of Dubai’s royal family.
“Though I cannot mention names of my clients, I can say that both male and female members of Dubai’s royal family are my clients and are very happy with my work,” Karim said, adding that his clients also include Shaikha Atiq, an Emirati skydiving expert, and many notable Pakistani expats. 
But seven years into Symmetry, life took a difficult turn for Karim and he had an ugly fallout with his partner and longtime friend. 
“It was a tough time for me because I was under financial burden, which I had to clear, but my reputation preceded me and I overcame the difficulties,” said the trainer who now works independently and says his clients are loyal to him and appreciate his “tough task master” attitude. 




In this October 17, 2017 photo, clients work out with trainers at Seven Gym where Pakistani Ghazi Karim is coaching, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Photo courtesy Ghazi Karim instagram).

According to Karim, he designs specific diets and workouts for different clients and says there is no one-size fits all routine when it comes to fitness. 
“I work on the metabolic aspect initially by asking people their daily diet and then work on building muscles,” he said, saying he assesses clients on their individual lifestyles and problems as well as gender, age and body type before coming up with a plan. “I have many Indian clients too who are vegetarians. So a special food chart has to be made for them.”
Karim says for clients who are consistent with exercise and diet, he guarantees 6-7 kilos in weight loss in the first four weeks: “The most difficult time for any coach is the first four weeks after which clients set into a routine.”
“One client of mine is 75-years-old and with my help, she dropped six dress sizes,” Karim said, smiling, adding that his clients have on average lost up to 17 kilos and four dress sizes. 
Karim’s three major tips for people hoping to stay fit are to keep moving (walk at least 30 minutes a day if you cannot afford a gym and run 20 minutes if you are young), avoid oily foods and control portion sizes. 
To keep fit himself, Karim works out three or four times a week but laments that his busy routine does not leave him much time for himself, including for family and marriage. 
“I’ve tried but I’ve not been able to give time to my relationships,” he said. “I’ll give this business another year and then hope to get married.”
Then, pointing to his heavily-tattooed arms, Karim grinned and said: “Hope she accepts this.”


Hong Kong conglomerate plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistan to upgrade port infrastructure

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Hong Kong conglomerate plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistan to upgrade port infrastructure

  • The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to boost trade and seek international partnerships to expand its maritime activities
  • Hutchison Ports investment is expected to generate at least $4 billion in revenue over the next 25 years through royalty, rent and taxes

KARACHI: Hutchison Ports, a subsidiary of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, plans to invest $1 billion in Pakistan to improve its port infrastructure, the Pakistani finance ministry said on Thursday.
The statement came after a delegation of Hutchison Ports, led by its Middle East & Africa Managing Director Andy Tsoi, met Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and briefed him about the firm’s 25-year presence in Pakistan.
Hutchison Ports has been operating two terminals, HPKICT and HPSAPT, in Pakistan and has contributed more than Rs225 billion ($804 million) in government revenues and provided employment to a workforce of 5,000 individuals, according to the port operator.
During the meeting with Aurangzeb, Hutchison Ports delegates presented their upcoming investment plan, aimed at upgrading their existing terminals to enhance operational efficiency, logistics connectivity, and automation.
“The investment includes infrastructure development, road improvements to facilitate efficient cargo movement, modernization of HPKICT into a cutting-edge automated terminal, and the development of a 52-hectare logistics park to enhance trade connectivity,” the Pakistani finance ministry said.
“The delegation highlighted that their investment is expected to generate at least USD 4 billion in revenue over the next 25 years through royalty, rent, and tax contributions.”
The automation upgrades will include remote quay cranes, electric trucks and digitalized gate operations, alongside training programs for maritime professionals in port operations, management and artificial intelligence (AI) applications, according to the statement.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb appreciated Hutchison Ports’ commitment to Pakistan’s maritime sector and acknowledged their significant role in boosting trade and economic activity.
“He reaffirmed the government’s support for strategic investments that contribute to Pakistan’s economic growth and infrastructure development,” the finance ministry said.
The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to boost trade and seek international partnerships to expand its maritime activities.
On January 22, South Korean shipping company, HMM, launched the India North Europe Express (INX) weekly shipping service in Pakistan, providing the South Asian country direct access to Europe.
The service, launched in collaboration with Ocean Network Express (ONE) container liner and Pakistan’s United Marine Agencies (UMA), will ensure timely and efficient delivery of Pakistani goods to the destined European ports and beyond, according to HMM.
Prior to that, Dubai-based logistics giant DP World, in collaboration with Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation, launched in Jan. a feeder service to transport shipping containers from Dubai to Karachi, Pakistani state media reported. Pakistani officials and DP World have also finalized terms for a freight corridor project from Karachi Port to the Pipri Marshalling yard in southern Pakistan.
Pakistan is currently on a tricky path to economic recovery since avoiding a default in June 2023. The South Asian country last year secured a new $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and has been actively pursuing trade and investment opportunities to put the economy back on track.


Thousands attend funeral for senior Taliban-linked cleric slain in Pakistan’s northwest

Updated 01 March 2025
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Thousands attend funeral for senior Taliban-linked cleric slain in Pakistan’s northwest

  • Hamidul Haq, the head of Jamia Haqqania seminary, was one of seven people killed in a suicide bombing a day earlier
  • Haq was the son of the late Maulana Samiul Haq, who is considered a founding figure for the Afghan Taliban movement

AKORA KHATTAK: Thousands of mourners attended a funeral Saturday for a Taliban-linked cleric slain in Pakistan’s northwest.
Hamidul Haq, the head of Jamia Haqqania seminary, was one of seven people killed in a suicide bombing a day earlier at a mosque inside a seminary compound. Police said Haq was the target of the attack.
He was the son of the late Maulana Samiul Haq, who is considered a founding figure for the Afghan Taliban movement. Many Afghan Taliban have studied at Jamia Haqqania in the past few decades.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack.
Authorities issued a photo of the alleged suicide bomber and urged the public to identify him, offering a reward of 500,000 rupees, or $1,787, for information on his name, parentage and place of residence.
Mourners packed into the main hall of the seminary for Haq’s funeral, with more praying on the street. The prayers passed without incident due to a heavy police deployment and seminary students guarding the venue.
The bombing at Jamia Haqqania seminary was one of four attacks in Pakistan on Friday, two of them at mosques, which were unusual both in their number and timing, just before the holy month of Ramadan.


KSrelief, WHO sign $300 million deal to fight polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan

Updated 01 March 2025
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KSrelief, WHO sign $300 million deal to fight polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan

  • The deal was agreed on the sidelines of Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum
  • It includes a series of preventive activities to eradicate polio in settlement areas

RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief recently signed a $300 million cooperation agreement with the World Health Organization to develop a strategy for eradicating polio around the world.

The deal, agreed on the sidelines of the 4th Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, was signed by Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the agency’s supervisor general and adviser to the Royal Court, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

It includes a series of preventive activities that will help eradicate polio in settlement areas in target countries, notably Pakistan and Afghanistan.


Pakistan reports sixth case of polio virus this year

Updated 01 March 2025
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Pakistan reports sixth case of polio virus this year

  • The latest polio case was reported in the Thatta district, which is the fourth case in Sindh this year
  • Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio remains an endemic

KARACHI: Health authorities have confirmed another case of polio virus in Pakistan, the country’s polio program said on Saturday, taking this year’s nationwide tally to six.
Polio is a paralyzing disease that has no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of 5 is essential to provide children high immunity against the disease.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed the polio virus in a child in Thatta district of the southern Sindh province, according to the Pakistan polio program.
“This is the fourth polio case from Sindh and the sixth case from Pakistan at large this year,” it said in a statement.
“The polio program urges all parents to get their children vaccinated against polio at every opportunity to keep them protected from this devastating disease.”
Pakistan witnessed an intense resurgence of polio virus last year, with a total of 74 cases reported nationwide. Of these, 27 were from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 23 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
The South Asian country last month concluded its first nationwide anti-polio campaign of 2025, with 99 percent of the targets achieved, according to the polio program. The campaign, conducted on Feb. 3-9, vaccinated more than 45 million children.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries in the world where polio remains an endemic.
Immunization campaigns have succeeded in most countries and have come close in Pakistan, but persistent problems remain. In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994 but efforts to eradicate the virus have since been undermined by vaccine misinformation and opposition from some religious hard-liners who say immunization is a foreign ploy to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western spies. Militant groups also frequently attack and kill members of polio vaccine teams.


Pakistan launches Rs20 billion Ramadan relief package for needy families

Updated 57 min 50 sec ago
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Pakistan launches Rs20 billion Ramadan relief package for needy families

  • Development comes amid a decline in consumer inflation in the South Asian country
  • But many Pakistanis say they are still feeling the pinch ahead of the start of Ramadan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday launched a Rs20 billion ($71.4 million) relief package for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Pakistan, which aims to benefit 4 million families across the South Asian country.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, wherein Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise till sunset for a month. The holy month begins in Pakistan on Sunday.
While consumer inflation in Pakistan declined to 2.4 percent in Jan., compared to 24 percent in the same period last year, many Pakistanis say they are still feeling the pinch.
The Pakistani government has decided to provide Rs5,000 ($17.87) each to around 4 million families across the country to support them during the month of Ramadan, according to officials.
“It is a great blessing of Almighty Allah that inflation has dropped down in this Ramadan as compared to the last year. This year, around Rs20 billion have been allocated for this package, which would benefit 40 lakh families,” Sharif said at the launching ceremony.
“This would cover the whole of Pakistan, all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. This amount will be distributed among deserving people in all these areas through the digital [wallet] system.”
The development comes as Pakistan treads a long path to economic recovery after being stabilized under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program secured last year. An IMF mission is due to arrive in Islamabad next week for the first review of the facility.
Pakistan’s consumer inflation is expected to remain stable and maintain a downward trajectory compared to the previous year, the finance ministry said in its monthly economic outlook report on Feb. 27.
Sharif thanked all government institutions, international partners and tech companies for their efforts in distributing the funds among deserving families under the Ramadan relief package.
“All those tech companies, which provided their technical support in implementing this system, I thank them all,” Sharif said.
“I believe there are our foreign partners, also international partners, also sitting here. I would like to also thank them for their cooperation and partnership in this very noble cause.”