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Pakistani PM hopes for independent Palestine, says global opinion turning against Israel

A screen grab taken from Pakistan premier Imran Khan's video message on the Israel-Palestine conflict, released on May 21, 2021 by Prime Minister's Office. (Photo courtesy: @PakPMO/Twitter)
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Updated 22 May 2021
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Pakistani PM hopes for independent Palestine, says global opinion turning against Israel

  • Khan recalls how the world's powerful states favored the apartheid regime in South Africa before changing stance due to world opinion against racism
  • The Pakistani PM says he found out about the Al-Aqsa attack and eviction of Palestinian families while visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah
Updated 22 May 2021
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a video message on Friday that global public opinion was gradually beginning to turn against Israel, hoping that the people of Palestine would soon have their own independent country. 

"I can see that the international public opinion on the [Palestinian] issue is changing," he said as the Pakistani nation observed Palestine Solidarity Day. "I have spent a lot of time in the West, but I never witnessed newspapers or politicians in those countries criticize Israel when it perpetrated similar brutalities in the past ... This is the first time the Western media and politicians have condemned Israel." 

Khan attributed the change to the rise of social media, saying that it played a vital role in keeping an eye on the mainstream media and allowing people to see what was actually happening in the occupied Palestinian territories. 

The prime minister recalled how the leading powers of the world favored South Africa's apartheid regime in the past, though they ultimately changed their stance when the global public opinion transformed against the apartheid regime. 

"I am quite certain that the changing international public opinion on Palestine will also force the countries supporting Israel to ultimately accept the rights of the Palestinians," he said. "There will come a day when the people of Palestine will get their own country and a just settlement." 

Reflecting on how Israel launched its recent attack on Gaza, Khan said he was visiting the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah on 27th Ramadan when he discovered that Israeli forces had tortured Muslim worshippers in Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque and evicted Palestinian families from their homes. 

This, he said, led to the fresh bout of violence in the region, adding that he took up the issue with the secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation the next day and urged him to raise it in the United Nations. 

The prime minister said he discussed the development with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz after returning home  

"I called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and assured him that we in Pakistan, along with the rest of the Muslim world and those people who believed in justice, firmly stood with him," he continued. "I also instructed [Foreign Minister] Shah Mahmood Qureshi to go to the United Nations General Assembly and raise the issue … I appreciate him for doing it forcefully." 

 

 

Earlier, Pakistan welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after 11 days of Israeli aerial bombardment that killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, with the information minister calling it a “leap forward.” 

The Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas took hold on Friday at 2:00 a.m. local time, after the worst violence in years.  

Since the crisis began on May 10, Palestinian health officials say 232 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes on the densely populated Palestinian territory that have worsened Gaza’s already dire humanitarian situation, damaged thousands of homes and disabled critical infrastructure. Rocket attacks fired by Hamas — which controls Gaza — killed 12 people in Israel.  

“Pakistan welcomes the announcement of a cease-fire. This is the power of collective, unified action; this is the effort of every person and every nation, together for a just cause. May this ceasefire be the 1st step toward peace in Palestine,” Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in a tweet on Friday morning. 




 Pakistan's Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi gives a joint press conference with his German counterpart on April 12, 2021 at the Foreign Office in Berlin. (AFP/File) 

Qureshi met António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, on Friday and “heard our deep concern for the people of #Palestine and Pakistan’s unwavering support for their right to self determination.”  

“While cease-fire is welcomed, Israel’s occupation of Palestine must end,” he added.  

Federal Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Friday termed the ceasefire a “leap forward” and vowed to continue diplomatic efforts for peace in the Middle East.  

“Prime Minister Imran Khan has been leading this diplomatic effort to expose Israeli onslaught against Palestinians,” he said in a briefing with a select group of foreign media reporters in Islamabad.  

The information minister said the prime minister was “liaising closely” with other OIC countries to put an end to Israeli atrocities against innocent Palestinians.  

“We reaffirm our political, moral and diplomatic support to Palestinians and will continue raising this issue at all international platforms,” the information minister added.  

A day earlier, Qureshi — who was on a Palestine peace mission at a United Nations General Assembly emergency meeting called by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League — called on the UN to hold Israel accountable for its “war crimes.”  

“Israel’s crimes against humanity should not escape accountability,” he said. “There should be no impunity for violation of international law.”  

Over 50,000 Palestinians have been rendered homeless by the recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip where they already have limited access to water, food and health services.  

The recent attacks were the deadliest outbreak of violence in the region since the seven-week Israeli war on Gaza in 2014, during which 2,300 Palestinians were killed as Israeli forces bombed residential buildings, hospitals and schools.  

On Friday, Palestinians who had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling poured into Gaza’s streets, embracing one another in celebration in front of bombed-out buildings on streets covered in wreckage.  

Mosque loudspeakers feted “the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel).” Cars driving around East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah at dawn flew Palestinian flags and honked horns, echoing the scenes in Gaza.  

In the countdown to the 2 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday) cease-fire, Palestinian rocket salvoes continued and Israel carried out at least one air strike.  

Each side said it was ready to retaliate for any truce violations by the other. Egypt said it would send two delegations to monitor the cease-fire it had mediated. 

Topics: Pakistan Gaza Palestine Israel Ceasefire

Sindh Wildlife Department reports nearly 15% drop in migratory birds amid drying wetlands

Updated 4 sec ago
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Sindh Wildlife Department reports nearly 15% drop in migratory birds amid drying wetlands

  • The annual waterfowl survey counts 545,258 birds this season, down from 639,122 last year
  • Experts warn that continued habitat loss is likely to cause further decline in bird numbers
Updated 4 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: The number of migratory birds arriving in the wetlands of Pakistan’s Sindh province has declined by nearly 15% compared to last year, according to the Sindh Wildlife Department on Saturday, raising alarm among conservationists about the impact of water scarcity and climate change on critical habitats.
A recently completed “Annual Waterfowl Survey” for the 2024–25 season recorded 545,258 migratory waterbirds at 30 major wetland sites across the province. The data show a 14.68% drop from the previous year’s count of 639,122 birds, with both surveys covering around 40% of Sindh’s total wetland area.
“The apparent reason for the decline in migratory bird numbers is the decrease in water bodies, as these migratory waterfowl are associated with wetlands and the availability of natural food therein,” Javed Ahmed Mehar, Conservator at the Sindh Wildlife Department, told Arab News.
“We plan to conduct a detailed study with relevant stakeholders to determine the causes of this decline [with greater certainty],” he added.
Wildlife photographer Shahbaz Alam, who has documented Sindh’s lakes and marshlands extensively, also attributed the drop to drying wetlands.
“These birds spend their day in the water, searching for food, and then move toward greener areas,” he said. “With Sindh facing severe water shortages and the drying of wetlands due to climate change, the habitat is simply vanishing.”
Describing the situation as “very alarming,” Alam said he had also noticed the decline over the years.
“Where we once saw thousands [of birds], we now see only hundreds,” he told Arab News.
Pakistan has 19 wetlands designated as Ramsar sites under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty named after the Iranian city where it was adopted in 1971. The convention aims to conserve globally important wetlands and promote their sustainable use.
Together, these Pakistani sites span 1.34 million hectares. More than half are located in Sindh, including Keenjhar Lake, Haleji Lake, the Indus Delta, Jubho Lagoon and the Rann of Kutch. These wetlands have long served as critical stopovers for migratory birds traveling along the Indus Flyway, an avian route from Siberia and Central Asia.
Among the worst-hit areas this season was the Rann of Kutch Wildlife Sanctuary, which witnessed drought-like conditions, while Nareri Lagoon in Badin hosted the largest number— 155,068 birds.
According to Rasheed Ahmed Khan, who led the survey, the decline is directly related to the decrease in rainfall and the reduction of water bodies and wetlands.
“Due to a severe lack of rainfall last year, almost all dams in Tharparkar remained dry. If reduced rainfall continues due to climate change, there could be a significant decrease in the future,” he warned.
The survey team, comprising experts from the Sindh Wildlife Department and Zoological Survey of Pakistan, recorded over 57 species of migratory waterfowl. These included prominent sightings of Common Teal, Northern Shoveler, Indian Spot-Billed Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose and Lesser Flamingo.
Endangered species like the Great White Pelican were also documented, highlighting the region’s ecological significance.

Topics: Migratory Birds Sindh Wildlife Department

Pakistan says exports to Europe grew by 9.4% during FY25

Updated 12 April 2025
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Pakistan says exports to Europe grew by 9.4% during FY25

  • Growth driven largely due to GSP Plus status, rising demand for Pakistani textiles and garments, says state media
  • European Union is Pakistan’s second-most important trading partner, accounting for over 14 percent of its total trade
Updated 12 April 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports to Europe grew by 9.41 percent during the first eight months of the current fiscal year, state-run media reported on Saturday, attributing the surge to rising demand for the country’s textile, garments and its GSP Plus status. 

The European Union (EU) is Pakistan’s second most important trading partner, accounting for over 14 percent of the country’s total trade and absorbing 28 percent of Pakistan’s total exports as per official data. Pakistani exports to the EU are dominated mostly by textiles and clothes. 

Pakistan avails the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP)+ status, a special trade arrangement offered by the EU to developing economies in return for their commitment to implement 27 international conventions on human rights, environmental protection and governance.

“The demand for Pakistani products in Europe has seen a significant rise, leading to a 9.4 percent increase in exports due to the efforts of the Special Investment Facilitation Council,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said in a report. 

It was referring to the SIFC, a hybrid civil-military government body formed in 2023 to fast-track decisions related to international investment in Pakistan’s vital economic sectors. 

The SIFC aims to attract investment from Gulf countries, Central Asian states and regional allies in tourism, agriculture, mining and minerals, livestock and other priority sectors. 

The state media said Pakistan’s exports to Western Europe grew by 11.6 percent and while those to Northern Europe saw a “remarkable” 17.7 percent increase during the first eight months of the current fiscal year. 

“The primary reasons behind this growth are Pakistan’s GSP+ Status and the rising demand for Pakistani textiles and garments,” it added. 

The current GSP framework came to an end in December 2023 but Members of EU Parliament (MEPs) voted in October to extend the current rules on the scheme for another four years for developing countries, including Pakistan. 

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has repeatedly stressed the importance of shifting Pakistan’s economy from an import-dependent one toward an export-led one, saying that without it sustainable economic growth is difficult to achieve.

In recent months, Pakistan has vigorously pursued economic and investment deals with Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and bilateral trade cooperation with Central Asian states, Russia and others. 

Topics: Pakistan EU Ties Pakistan trade Pakistan exports

Chasing goals: Women in Karachi take the reins alongside men in polo

Updated 12 April 2025
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Chasing goals: Women in Karachi take the reins alongside men in polo

  • Traditionally considered a men’s sport, polo was seen as a proving ground for valor and strategy
  • Female players say skill and mental sharpness often outweigh brute strength while playing polo
Updated 12 April 2025
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: With the Arabian Sea breeze sweeping across the field and the clip-clop of hooves pounding on turf, Naziha Hassan leans low off her saddle, eyes fixed on the white ball, her hammer slicing through the air. In one motion, she sends the ball flying between the goalposts of Karachi’s Clifton Polo Ground, a makeshift arena bordered by high-rises on one side and the beach on the other.
In a city known more for its craze for traditional sports like cricket and football, this unlikely seaside field is home to a rare sight: women competing alongside men in polo.
Once a royal pastime in South and Central Asia, polo was seen as a proving ground for valor and strategy. Traditionally considered a men’s sport, it served not only as recreation but also as a means of training cavalry, developing horsemanship and preparing warriors and noblemen for combat.
“I haven’t felt that they’re going easy on me,” Hassan said of being treated differently by male players.
“I don’t think I was ever treated like a girl in the game... if they have to hit me, ride off, to make me fall, they will make me fall and that is perfectly fine,” she told Arab News.
A doctor by profession, Hassan became passionate about polo when she would go to school in Islamabad and stop by the polo club on her way back home, looking at horses.
After relocating to Karachi, she joined the Gallop Club five years ago to take riding lessons before making her way into polo, a high-speed sport where riders clash mid-play, horses collide and players often fall.
For Hassan and her fellow female players, polo’s appeal goes beyond gender. It’s about the skills, the connection with horses and the strategy. Skill and mental sharpness, they say, often outweigh brute strength.
“I don’t think gender makes a difference in the sport, to be fair,” she said. “Yes, there are some things [like] the physical strength and stuff that sometimes is important, but at the same time, like, polo is a bit different because in polo it depends on the horse a lot also. It also depends on your strategy as well.”
That view is shared by a long-time male player at the club who identified himself as Siavash.
“We absolutely don’t care for them [as female players] here,” he said.
“When you’re playing the game, you only see the other person as a player. And if you start thinking that she’s a female, then basically, they won’t let you play,” he said with a smile.
On the field, players engage fiercely and focus purely on the game. Any suggestion of treating female players differently is brushed aside.
“In polo, we say 70 percent of the game is the horse,” Siavash added. “If a girl plays well and rides a good horse, then she’s a proper player. Some girls even play better than men. It’s about your riding, your swing and your strategy, not just strength.”
Alishba Ahsan, another regular on the field, admits it’s a tough space for women, but she embraces the challenge.
“There are barely three or four girls playing here, including me,” she said. “It’s tough, but it’s also a very good experience. You don’t get any leverage for being a girl. You ride and play just like the boys.”
Ahsan, a law student, said she had fallen five or six times, but instead of backing out, she became more determined.
Off the field, the sport is also inspiring a new generation.
Ayesha Naveed, a stay-at-home mother of a first-grade student, said her journey onto the polo field began with her daughter’s interest in horse riding. She initially accompanied her to practice, but later decided to join in herself.
“I want her to become a good polo player someday,” she said of her daughter. “It makes me really happy to see that this is a sport where everyone plays together … There is no segregation like ‘this is the women’s team’ or ‘this is the men’s team.’ And the women are actually doing even better than the men.”
Her daughter, Alaya Naveed, takes riding lessons twice a week after school. She has already mastered the basics — walk, trot and even how to fall properly.
“I only come here on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Alaya said, her eyes gleaming. “I would like to play polo because I see the other girls and it looks fun.”
“I think it’ll take me ten more months to be a polo player,” she said after a brief pause, with childlike innocence.

Topics: female polo players Polo in Pakistan Women in Sport

Minerals to be ‘real game changer’ for Pakistan’s economy— finance minister

Updated 12 April 2025
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Minerals to be ‘real game changer’ for Pakistan’s economy— finance minister

  • Pakistan hosted minerals investment forum on Apr.8-9 to attract international investment in the sector 
  • Muhammad Aurangzeb urges all economic sectors to export to earn Pakistan valuable foreign exchange
Updated 12 April 2025
Usama Iqbal Khawaja

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Saturday that the country’s minerals sector would prove to be the “real game changer” for the national economy in the years to come, reiterating the government’s ambitions to ensure export-led growth.

His comments came following the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 hosted by the government in Islamabad in collaboration with its partners from Apr. 8-9. The summit was aimed at attracting foreign investment in the country’s mining sector and saw participation from major international companies including Canada-based Barrick Gold and government officials from the United States, Saudi Arabia, China, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and others.

Pakistan is home to one of the world’s largest porphyry copper-gold mineral zones, while the Reko Diq mine in southwestern Balochistan province has an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore. Barrick Gold, which owns a 50 percent stake in the Reko Diq mines, considers them one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas, and their development is expected to have a significant impact on Pakistan’s struggling economy.

But despite rich reserves of salt, copper, gold and coal, Pakistan’s mineral sector contributes only 3.2 percent to GDP and 0.1 percent to global exports. The country is now aiming to tap into this underutilized potential.

“So, 2028 onwards when we talk about whether we have an exportable surplus or not, from traditional sectors textile is going to remain absolutely critical for us as we go forward,” Aurangzeb said while speaking to members of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce. 

“IT services [also] as we go forward and minerals, as we go forward,” he added. “This [minerals sector] is going to be the game changer, the real game changer.”

Aurangzeb said the minerals summit hosted by Pakistan was reflective of the country’s economy heading in the right direction. 

He said around 300-400 delegates from several countries attended the conference with a keen interest in investing in Pakistan’s minerals. 

“These are all manifestations that we have to take this forward,” the minister said. 

Reiterating the government’s resolve to ensure export-led growth in the economy, Aurangzeb called upon all economic sectors to export their products to earn Pakistan valuable foreign exchange. 

“Every single sector has to export,” he said. “No one has taken the responsibility that only textile has to export or any other has to.”

The finance minister noted that Pakistan’s auto manufacturers have started exporting their products, saying there were markets for Pakistani exporters in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and African countries.

Topics: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 Pakistan economy

Pakistan skipper Rizwan says ‘not ashamed’ he can’t speak English fluently

Updated 12 April 2025
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Pakistan skipper Rizwan says ‘not ashamed’ he can’t speak English fluently

  • Fans frequently poke fun at Mohammad Rizwan for his inability to speak English fluently during post-match conferences
  • Pakistani captain says nation demands cricketing achievements from him rather than ability to speak English fluently
Updated 12 April 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ODI skipper Mohammad Rizwan said this week that he was “not ashamed” of his inability to speak English fluently, adding that only his ability to perform as a cricketer mattered at the end of the day. 

Rizwan, like several other Pakistani professional cricketers, had to choose the sport over education to pursue it as a full-time career. Fans have poked fun in the past at iconic Pakistani cricketers such as Javed Miandad, Inzamam ul Haq, Saeed Ajmal and others for their inability to speak English fluently. 

Since being appointed captain last year, Rizwan’s interactions with the media have increased. This has put his inability to speak English fluently with reporters from around the world in the spotlight. Cricket fans have poked fun at Rizwan with memes on the Internet while others have criticized him for not opting for a translator when speaking to the press in English. 

“I am proud that whatever I say, I say it from the heart and I tell the truth,” Rizwan said while speaking to reporters at a press conference in Karachi on Friday.

“But I am not even one percent ashamed that I am a Pakistani and I can’t speak English,” he added. 

The Pakistan captain said he regretted not completing his education, admitting that he could not express himself properly due to it. Rizwan said he advises young cricketers to pursue education so that they can express themselves properly unlike him. 

“My Pakistan at this time is demanding cricket from me,” Rizwan said. “It is not demanding English. If it wants English, I will leave cricket to become a professor, learn it and then return. But I don’t have time for that.”

Rizwan, who leads the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans, will be seen in action on Saturday against the Karachi Kings. 

The third match of the PSL 2025 is scheduled to kick off at 8:00 p.m. in the southern port city of Karachi. 

Defending champions Islamabad United cruised to an eight-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars in Rawalpindi in the PSL opener on Friday night.

Topics: Mohammad Rizwan Pakistan cricket Multan Sultan Pakistan Super League (PSL)

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