In Peshawar’s storyteller’s bazaar, a hot cuppa survives the cold and coronavirus

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Updated 30 January 2021
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In Peshawar’s storyteller’s bazaar, a hot cuppa survives the cold and coronavirus

  • Despite virus fears, tea stalls stay packed with men, young and old, discussing personal business and politics
  • Tea stalls’ president says coronavirus lockdowns compelled business to close for first time in 35 years

PESHAWAR: In the narrow streets of Peshawar’s historic storyteller’s bazaar, the city’s famed tea stalls have survived the economic onslaught of the pandemic thanks to the coming of a harsh winter, which has sent groups of men thronging to get their hands on a hot cup of tea.

Dozens of tea stalls line Qissa Khwani (storyteller) bazaar in the northwestern city, with men lazing on carpets as they sip tea and talk. The narrow alleyways are the historic site of a 1930 clash between British troops and locals, where hundreds of people are estimated to have been killed on a spring day.

“I don’t have actual data about the tea cups I sell, but approximately, I sell up to 1,000 kettles per day,” Asmat Ullah, who has owned a tea stall in the bazaar for 25 years, told Arab News. Five tea runners and servers work with him from morning to night, serving customers without a break.




Asmat Ullah making tea at his Peshawar joint in the historic Qissa Khwani (storyteller) bazaar on January 25, 2021. (AN photo) 

Here, water boils in metal urns called samovars all day long, as people linger for warmth and a conversation, pushing aside coronavirus fears as cases have surged in the city this month. No business transaction is complete without tea on offer. The stalls stay packed with men, young and old, discussing personal business and politics. 

More than 500 tea stalls in Peshawar are registered with an organization called Anjuman Pukhta Chai Faroshan (Organization of Tea Stalls), according to the president of the group, Aman Ullah Khan.

“Hundreds of family economies are related to the business,” Khan said. 




A packed tea stall remain in Peshawar on January 25, 2021. (AN photo)

“We never shut our stalls, they are open year round,” he continued. “But coronavirus lockdowns compelled us to close for the very first time in my 35 years in this business.”

“We were in terrible financial crises, many were unable to pay rent and they lost their tea selling businesses,” he continued. 

Despite the winter surge in tea demand, not everybody made it that far into the year.

Tea stall owner Burhan Khan was forced to close down a profitable tea stall in Peshawar cantonment because of failure to pay rent. He now works as a daily wager at a small supermarket cafe.

“Coronavirus changed our fate from very good to very bad,” Khan told Arab News. 

“Our tea business was going smoothly, but during lockdown at home, I spent all my savings.”

Earlier this week, Peshawar recorded over half the total fatalities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the positivity rate at 11.2 percent, the highest in the country, according to a government report.

But the case figures aren’t discouraging people from going out and about.

Sitting with friends at the Mash Allah Karachi Cafe in Hashtnagri Gate, a few minutes down the road from Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Peshawar resident Azlan Khan said he couldn’t go a day without the city’s sweet black tea.

“It’s difficult to spend a day without chai,” Khan smiled.

“Three to four strong cups of Peshawar tea in a day is compulsory to remain fresh.”

The tea making technique is unique. After the water boils, it is put into a customary green kettle, tea and sugar is mixed in, and the kettle is put back on the boil for a few more minutes before it’s served. 

“Tea making is as ancient an art in Peshawar as the city is old,” Aman Ullah Khan said. “For centuries, the people of this region are in the tea business and they know how to make the best one.”

The average price of one cup of tea, is Rs20 or $0.12.




Azlan Khan is a regular tea customer at Peshawar’s many tea stalls on January 25, 2021. (AN photo)

“Peshawar water is perfect for tea making,” Said Shah, who has been making tea in the city for eight years, told Arab News.

“There are many varieties including Kashmiri and Coffee Chai, but we only offer Peshawar black tea because thats what the locals prefer,” he said.

Zia-ur-Rahman, a visitor to Peshawar from Batagram, said he had come to the market especially to have Qissa Khwani tea. 

“I had read about this story telling bazaar,” he said and smiled as he looked around him.

“I’m amazed to find people still narrate their stories and gossip over a cup of tea.” 


Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike

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Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike

  • There has been a spike in cases of mostly young men being arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022
  • Rights groups, police say many are brought to trial by private law firms, who use volunteers to scour Internet for offenders

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan court ordered a government probe on Tuesday into allegations that young people are being entrapped in online blasphemy cases, following appeals from hundreds of families.

There has been a spike in cases of mostly young men being arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022.

Rights groups and police have said that many are brought to trial by private law firms, who use volunteers to scour the Internet for offenders.

“The government will constitute a commission within a 30-day timeframe,” said Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan at Islamabad High Court, adding that the commission is required to submit its findings within four months.

Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan punishable by death, and even unsubstantiated accusations can incite public outrage, lead to lynchings and to families being shunned by society.

A report published by the government-run National Commission for Human Rights in October last year said there were 767 people, mostly young men, in jail awaiting trial over blasphemy allegations.

“This is a huge ray of hope and it’s the first time that the families have felt heard,” said lawyer Imaan Mazari, who represents the families of arrested men and women, of the court order.

“Youngsters have been falsely roped into cases of such a sensitive nature that the stigma will last forever even if they are acquitted,” she added.

A 2024 report by Punjab police into the sudden spike in cases, that was leaked to the media, found that “a suspicious gang was trapping youth in blasphemy cases” and may be motivated by financial gain.

The Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan (LCBP) is the most active of lawyers groups prosecuting young men in Pakistan.

Sheraz Ahmad Farooqi, one of the group’s leaders, told AFP in October that “God has chosen them for this noble cause.”

In recent years, several youngsters have been convicted and handed death sentences, although no execution has ever been carried out for blasphemy in Pakistan.

“We will fully support the probe commission and are confident that our voices will finally be listened to, our concerns will be heard, and the truth will come out,” the relative of one of the accused, who asked not to be named because of the backlash, told AFP.


‘World’s oldest marathon runner’ dies aged 114 in road accident

Updated 51 min 3 sec ago
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‘World’s oldest marathon runner’ dies aged 114 in road accident

  • Fauja Singh gained global fame after taking up long-distance running at 89, completing marathons past 100
  • Tributes pour in for Sikh athlete who inspired generations with message of resilience, fitness and faith

NEW DELHI: India’s Fauja Singh, believed to be the world’s oldest distance runner, has died in a road accident aged 114, his biographer said Tuesday.

Singh, an Indian-born British national, nicknamed the “Turbaned Tornado,” died after being hit by a vehicle in Punjab state’s Jalandhar district on Monday.

“My Turbaned Tornado is no more,” Fauja’s biographer Khushwant Singh wrote on X.

“He was struck by an unidentified vehicle... in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja.”

Singh did not have a birth certificate but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911.

He ran full marathons (42 kilometer) till the age of 100.

His last race was a 10-kilometer (six-mile) event at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon when 101, where he finished in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds.

He became an international sensation after taking up distance running at the ripe old age of 89, after the death of his wife and one of his sons, inspired by seeing marathons on television.

Although widely regarded as the world’s oldest marathon runner, he was not certified by Guinness World Records as he could not prove his age, saying that birth certificates did not exist when he was born under British colonial rule in 2011.

Singh was a torchbearer for the Olympics at Athens 2004 and London 2012, and appeared in advertisements with sports stars such as David Beckham and Muhammad Ali.

His strength and vitality were credited to a routine of farm walks and a diet including Indian sweet “laddu” packed with dry fruits and home-churned curd.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on social media.

“Fauja Singh was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness,” said Modi on X

“He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world.”


AI Umrah assistant to cut costs, enhance experience for Pakistan’s 2 million annual pilgrims

Updated 15 July 2025
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AI Umrah assistant to cut costs, enhance experience for Pakistan’s 2 million annual pilgrims

  • Launched by Umrah Companions last week, “Ibraheem” offers personalized guidance in multiple languages, including Urdu
  • Pilgrims from Pakistan face confusing logistics, language barriers and high costs due to inefficient travel agency practices

ISLAMABAD: A Saudi-backed consortium has launched what it says is the world’s first artificial intelligence-powered Umrah advisor, “Ibraheem,” aimed at simplifying pilgrimage planning and reducing costs for millions of Muslims, including more than two million Pakistanis who travel to the Kingdom each year.

Ibraheem has been developed by Pakistani company Umrah Companions and is powered by Funadiq, a Saudi-based Destination Management Company specializing in Hajj and Umrah services.

The tool was launched last week and is designed to offer pilgrims personalized guidance in multiple languages, including Urdu and Roman Urdu, with the goal of cutting Umrah-related expenses by as much as 20 percent.

Pakistan is among the world’s largest pilgrimage markets, with over $5 billion spent annually by citizens traveling for Umrah and Hajj.

“Today, 93% of global Muslims cannot afford Hajj and Umrah. It is too expensive,” said Mohammad Salman Arain, CEO of Umrah Companions, in an interview with Arab News. “It is becoming expensive because we are not removing the inefficiencies in the processes — and that is what our mission is.”

Mohammad Salman Arain, CEO of Umrah Companions, speaks to Arab News during an interview in Islamabad on July 14, 2025, about his newly launched AI-powered Umrah advisor, “Ibraheem.” The tool is designed to simplify pilgrimage planning and reduce costs for millions of Muslims. (AN Photo)

Pakistanis often face language barriers, lack of personalized travel information, and high costs when arranging Umrah trips through human agents, many of whom offer fixed packages with little customization. Arain said the AI assistant overcomes these issues by adapting to each user’s needs, whether they are traveling with elderly parents, young children, or have budget constraints.

The platform currently supports ten languages, including Urdu, Roman Urdu, Arabic and English, and provides real-time recommendations on flights, hotels, food, weather, medical facilities and even services such as wheelchair availability near the Haram in Makkah.

“You can start with a very simple question: ‘I want to travel in August. Give me an estimated budget for four people,’” Arain said. “Ibraheem will then suggest premium or budget options, tell you whether hotels are suitable for elderly companions, and help build your itinerary.”

The tool’s language offerings and its flexibility for use on smartphones and low-bandwidth environments make it particularly suitable for Pakistani blue- and white-collar workers living in the Gulf, a group that often lacks access to transparent and user-friendly tech tools for pilgrimage planning.

Mohammad Salman Arain, CEO of Umrah Companions, briefs Arab News on his newly launched AI-powered Umrah advisor, “Ibraheem,” during an interview in Islamabad on July 14, 2025. The tool aims to simplify pilgrimage planning and reduce costs for millions of Muslims. (AN Photo)

“We are building to make everybody's life easier. It is not for us only,” Arain added. “This is available for everyone and every single Muslim in the world.”

Umrah Companions is also working on outreach to Pakistani freelancers and overseas workers through diplomatic missions, Pakistani banks, and diaspora associations, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where a majority of Pakistani pilgrims are based.

While the service is focused on Umrah for now, Arain said it was already learning and being trained for Hajj season.

Once a pilgrim arrives in the Kingdom, the AI agent continues to provide support, from locating wheelchairs at Haram gates to suggesting restaurants and responding to emergencies, the chief executive explained.

The tool has already contributed to a 25% increase in website traffic, according to Arain, and is currently being built as an open platform available for use by all Muslims, regardless of which company they book their pilgrimage through.

The launch of the AI platform also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goal to improve the pilgrimage experience through digital transformation and accessibility.

Arain said the initiative complements the Kingdom’s efforts to modernize religious tourism and ensure cost-effective pilgrimage options for lower-income Muslims.

“We believe this is going to revolutionize [pilgrimage],” Arain said, “and it is very much in line with what the Saudi Vision 2030 is doing to enhance the pilgrimage experience.”


China’s Xi, Pakistan’s Dar pledge unity as SCO faces regional strains

Updated 15 July 2025
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China’s Xi, Pakistan’s Dar pledge unity as SCO faces regional strains

  • President Xi Jinping emphasizes importance of the regional cooperation under the SCO framework
  • India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is also attending the regional event

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday highlighted his country’s commitment to strengthening ties with China and reaffirmed a shared vision for regional peace and development during an interaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the joint call of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers in Beijing.

The interaction took place on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting, a key diplomatic gathering aimed at preparing the groundwork for the upcoming SCO Leaders’ Summit later this year. The CFM convened to review progress on multilateral cooperation and set the agenda for endorsement by heads of state.

“Delighted to meet earlier today with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing,” Dar said in a post on social media platform X. “Conveyed the warm greetings of the leadership, government and people of Pakistan. As iron-clad brothers and All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partners, we remain committed to deepening Pak-China enduring friendship and advancing shared regional goals.”

Islamabad and Beijing are long-time allies and have been jointly working on multibillion-dollar infrastructure, energy and connectivity initiatives under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The corridor provides China direct access to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan’s Gwadar port, while enabling Pakistan to modernize its infrastructure and strengthen regional trade links.

The foreign office of Pakistan said in a statement released earlier today that President Xi emphasized the importance of regional cooperation under the SCO framework, an organization spanning the Eurasian landmass and representing a significant portion of the global population.
Also present at the conference was India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The CFM conference comes nearly two months after a tense four-day military standoff between Pakistan and India, during which both sides exchanged missiles, drones and artillery fire before agreeing to a US-brokered ceasefire.


Pakistan reviews carbon market plans with UNEP-backed SPAR6C initiative

Updated 15 July 2025
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Pakistan reviews carbon market plans with UNEP-backed SPAR6C initiative

  • Islamabad is advancing carbon policy launched at COP last year with focus on student training and new trading projects
  • Pakistan has pledged to cut projected emissions by 50 percent by 2030, conditional on international financing and support

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s climate change minister has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to rolling out its first national carbon market, following a meeting on Tuesday with a United Nations-backed initiative helping the country build on carbon market policy guidelines launched last year.

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Malik hosted a delegation from SPAR6C, the Supporting Preparedness for Article 6 Cooperation program, which is overseen by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The five-year project is helping Pakistan, Colombia, Thailand and Zambia develop the capacity to trade carbon credits under Article 6 of the Paris climate accord.

“Pakistan is committed to building a robust, transparent, and inclusive carbon market,” Malik said, according to a statement released by his office, adding that deeper cooperation with international partners and the domestic private sector will be key to delivering on the country’s climate goals.

The ministry noted that the meeting reviewed support for Pakistani students who have been trained or conducted research on emissions trading under SPAR6C. Both sides also discussed “ongoing and upcoming carbon trading opportunities in Pakistan and potential projects under evaluation,” though no new agreements were announced.

Pakistan presented its draft carbon market policy guidelines at COP28 in Dubai last year and has been preparing to formally roll them out at COP29 in Baku later this year. Under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, countries can cooperate on cutting emissions by trading carbon credits, potentially unlocking new revenue streams for developing economies.

The South Asian nation does not yet have an operational carbon trading platform but has launched policy guidelines and is developing systems to implement its first market. It ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, facing frequent floods and heatwaves, while contributing only a fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions.

It has pledged to cut projected emissions by 50 percent by 2030, conditional on international financing and support. SPAR6C’s work in Pakistan includes technical assistance, student training and pilot activities to help the country develop robust standards for carbon trading.