ISLAMABAD: A British man, who set out to cover 30,000 kilometers across the world on a tandem after being diagnosed with late-stage cancer at 24, found himself mesmerized by the exquisite landscapes in northern Pakistan.
Luke Grenfell-Shaw was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive sarcoma in June 2018 which had metastasized into his lungs. Yet, he decided to fight back by performing physically strenuous activities such as running a marathon in his hometown of Bristol in the United Kingdom.
In 2020, Grenfell-Shaw launched Bristol-2-Beijing, his plan to bike across the world not only to raise money for organizations fighting cancer but also to create awareness about what people with cancer were capable of. With a goal of raising GBP 300,000, he set off to introduce the world to “CanLivers.”
“Rather than the word ‘cancer survivor,’ which I think gives this false sense of certainty, I coined the word ‘CanLiver,’ or someone who is living with cancer,” he told Arab News on Monday while making a stopover in Islamabad. “Such people acknowledge their situation and the challenges and uncertainties associated with it, though they also demonstrate how people can live with cancer and still manage to fulfil their dreams and do much more.”
Grenfell-Shaw decided not to let his diagnosis stop him from living the life the way he wanted.
“There’s so many things that we can’t control, but it’s really important that we think about what we can control and do as much as possible with those things,” he continued. “I couldn’t control whether I had cancer or not, but I could control how I tried to live with it.”
“You only live once so you might as well make the best of it,” he added after a brief pause.
Before arriving in Islamabad, Grenfell-Shaw had already ridden across Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. In Pakistan, he spent two weeks in the country’s north, biking through the Khunjerab Pass and taking in the mountains and landscapes of Hunza.
“We cycled across Pakistan for about two and a half weeks, covered 900 kilometers and did 9,000 meters of climbing. That’s insane! That’s more than like going through Kyrgyzstan, which is known as the Switzerland of Central Asia. The amount of climbing we did was ridiculous, like more than K2,” he said.
Grenfell-Shaw will be heading to Lahore from Islamabad where he will visit Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center and make a donation.
He said his time in Pakistan had been a “really positive, warm experience.”
“I have been to many countries throughout the Middle East and Central Asia and I was really optimistic and expected a very warm welcome [in Pakistan],” he said. “That’s what so many Muslim countries actually give you. They are really, really hospitable. And that’s exactly what we’ve found here. It has been amazing that we had so many offers of chai. When the bike fell apart, people just came in and helped repair things. It’s been a really positive, warm experience.”
Grenfell-Shaw, who started his journey in January 2020, is doing so on a tandem bike, one that allows two people to cycle together. It was a decision he took to make his journey more inclusive by inviting people to join him from around the world.
Among the 150 people who joined him, 11 were CanLivers, “showing what’s possible with cancer.”
“I wanted to share this journey with different people because when you share an experience, it’s no longer a memory and becomes a conversation,” he said. “You develop friendships, much deeper friendships than you would with people otherwise, and you get to know people in a totally different way. So, for me, it’s a much richer way of traveling.”
One of the people who joined him on his bike was his university classmate and close friend, Edward Joseph Mitchell, who accompanied Grenfell-Shaw as he rode through northern Pakistan.
“When Luke got his diagnosis, as his close friend I was quite shocked, but we were all there for him immediately,” Mitchell told Arab News. “It’s crazy. Really. He is so fit and active and it’s incredibly encouraging for anyone. I don’t know anyone else who is as strong willed and as powerful and as positive as Luke is. It’s quite commendable on so many levels.”
Grenfell-Shaw, who is now in remission, will soon be heading toward India, Myanmar and China.
He has 13,000 kilometers left before he hits his final destination: Beijing.
Of his GBP 300,000 goal, he has already crossed GBP 100,000.
He also actively updates his followers about his location in the world by sharing latest news on his progress through his website, podcast and social media accounts.
Cycling around the world with cancer, Luke Grenfell-Shaw arrives in Pakistan
https://arab.news/8cpz6
Cycling around the world with cancer, Luke Grenfell-Shaw arrives in Pakistan
- Luke Grenfell-Shaw was diagnosed with late-stage cancer two years ago but continued with rigorous physical activities like running marathons
- Last year, he decided to bike across the world on a tandem to raise money for organizations fighting cancer
Pakistan PM performs groundbreaking of first private sector university in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Ramday University is being built by a trust with construction set to complete by donations from overseas Pakistanis
- Home to some of the world’s tallest mountains, semi-autonomous GB region is among Pakistan’s least developed areas
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif this week laid the foundation stone of first private sector university in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), promising a bright future for the youth of the remote mountainous region.
Home to some of the tallest mountains in the world, the semi-autonomous GB region is counted among the least developed areas administered by Pakistan.
Ramday University is located in Thagos area of GB’s Ghanche district at an altitude of 11,000 feet. The university is being built on a 200-kanal area of land under a trust, with construction set to be completed through the donations of overseas Pakistanis, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.
GB-based news portal Pamir Times said the university will offer specialized programs in environmental studies, climate change, hydrology and mineral studies subjects.
“The establishment of an institution of higher learning in a remote area like Ghanche in Gilgit-Baltistan is highly encouraging,” Sharif was quoted as saying on by the APP during the groundbreaking ceremony in Islamabad on Thursday.
The prime minister congratulated former Supreme Cour judge Khalil ur Rehman Ramday on establishing the university.
“He expressed his confidence that this university, located at an altitude of 11,000 feet in Thagos, will reach the peak of modern knowledge and research standards,” the APP said.
Sharif stressed that GB’s development and the welfare of its people were among the government’s top priorities.
The development takes place a day after Sharif visited the mountainous northern region, where he inaugurated a model village for flood-affected families during a day-long visit to Ghizer.
There, Sharif pledged to provide residents with ownership documents to help them acquire new houses that were destroyed by the 2022 floods.
Father accused of murder of British-Pakistani girl blames stepmother
- Sara Sharif was found dead in her bed in southwest of London in Aug. 2023 with injuries including broken bones, burns
- Her father, Urfan Sharif, had fled to Pakistan a day before the body was found, along with his wife and the girl’s uncle
LONDON: The father of a 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl on Thursday denied her murder and instead blamed the girl’s stepmother, calling her “evil” and “psycho.”
Sara Sharif was found dead in her bed in Woking, southwest of London, on August 10, 2023 with injuries including broken bones, burns and bite marks.
Her father, Urfan Sharif, 42, had fled to Pakistan a day before the body was found, along with his wife Beinash Batool, 30, and the girl’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29.
Sharif then called police in the UK shortly after arriving in Islamabad and said he had “beat her up too much.” During the trial, Sharif said he made up this and another confession to “protect my family.”
All three adults were arrested upon their return to the UK a month later. They deny charges of murder and allowing the death of a child.
Details of the extent of Sara’s injuries have been detailed at London’s Old Bailey court, including claims from Batool that Sharif would beat his daughter badly.
Giving evidence for a third day, Sharif admitted slapping Sara “multiple times” but denied beating, burning, or biting her, insisting that he was “never at home” when she was injured.
Sharif broke down when his lawyer, Naeem Mian, questioned him about beating Sara, who was home schooled, with a cricket bat.
The taxi driver denied burning his daughter with an iron and instead said he was “made to” slap Sara by Batool, who constantly accused the girl of behaving badly.
Pointing to Batool sitting in the dock, Sharif shouted: “I should not have believed her... I didn’t realize I’m living with evil and a psycho.”
He also suggested that Batool was the one who bit her “like an animal.”
The jury was previously told that Sharif and Malik had provided their dental impressions but Batool had refused.
“I didn’t do it. Faisal didn’t do it. Who else was at home?” Sharif said.
He denied ever being aware of Sara being in pain. “She never told me that,” he said and indicated that he did not see injuries because Sara wore full-sleeve tops and long bottoms as well as a hijab head covering.
In the month leading up to Sara’s death, Mian said Sharif was out of the house at work from early in the morning to late at night while holing frequent telephone conversations with Batool, who would largely be at home.
Sharif wept as he recalled a time he came home and saw that Sara’s hands had been tied behind her back with brown packaging tape, accusing Batool of the act.
Asked why he did not call the police or ask Batool to leave, Sharif said that his wife was “manipulative” and that he believed her apology.
“I have been an idiot,” he added.
Forensic evidence shown to court included bundles of packaging tape and a white plastic carrier bag fashioned into a hood that could have been used on Sara’s head.
The bag had packaging tape stuck to it as well as long, brown hairs that matched Sara’s DNA, the court was told.
Both the bag and the non-sticky side of the tape had fingerprints that matched Sharif’s, who denied fashioning a hood out of the plastic bag or using it on Sara.
He said the fingerprints could be a result of him handling the items while sorting the garbage.
Sharif had previously accused Batool of being abusive toward him and preventing him from asking Sara about how she obtained her injuries.
In 2022, Batool texted her sister that Sharif had suggested using make-up to cover up bruises after beating Sara, to which the sister replied: “LOL it was going to happen you can tell.”
In the days before her death, Sharif said Sara, who did chores around the house, had asked him to “not go to work.”
Pakistan win toss, bowl in 2nd ODI against Australia
- The hosts lead 1-0 after a tense two-wicket win in Melbourne on Monday
- Pakistan named unchanged side with fast bowler Naseem Shah declared fit
ADELAIDE: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bowl in the second of a three-game one-day series against Australia in Adelaide on Friday.
The hosts lead 1-0 after a tense two-wicket win in Melbourne on Monday.
Pakistan named an unchanged side with fast bowler Naseem Shah declared fit after leaving the field during the first match, apparently with cramp.
Australia made one change with veteran Josh Hazlewood returning in place of Sean Abbott to join his long-time pace partners Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short again open the batting in the absence of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head and will be keen to make their mark after falling cheaply in the opening match.
Teams
Australia: Matt Short, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (capt), Kamran Ghulam, Agha Salman, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain
Pakistani firms bank on clinching ‘significant deals’ after debuting at Gulfood Manufacturing 2024
- Around 29 Pakistani firms participated in Gulfood Exhibition 2024 from Nov. 5-7 in Dubai
- Pakistani exhibitors say visitors from Middle East showed keen interest in their products
ISLAMABAD: After participating for the first time at the renowned Gulfood Manufacturing 2024 event in Dubai this week, Pakistani exhibitors on Thursday hoped the experience would help them clinch “significant deals” to penetrate markets in the Middle East.
Since 2014, Gulfood Manufacturing has been advancing the global food processing sector through innovation. This year, more than 1,200 suppliers from over 60 countries participated in the event held in Dubai from Nov. 5-7.
In a first, 21 Pakistani exhibitors took part in the tenth edition of the food and beverages trade fair under the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan’s (TDAP) umbrella.
Eight other Pakistani companies participated independently to showcase food ingredients, processing, packaging, printing, labeling, and supply chain solutions for the food and beverage industry.
Abdul Wahab, director of the Faisalabad-based food packaging machine manufacturer Nadeem Engineering Company, said businesses from across the Middle East showed keen interest in his organization’s machinery and other products.
“Our competitive prices and high quality helped initiate many business deals, which we hope to finalize in the coming weeks,” Wahab told Arab News.
Wahab thanked the Pakistani mission in the UAE and TDAP for their support, saying it enabled them to create more business opportunities.
“We are optimistic about securing a few significant deals that will help us enter the vast Gulf market,” he added.
A dedicated Pakistan Pavilion at the trade fair helped Pakistani firms showcase their products to visitors from across the globe.
Sheikh Abdul Qayyum, the chief executive officer of the Karachi-based company Lunwa Biz Packaging, praised the Pakistan Pavilion Initiative by saying that it helped generate a “good response” from visitors.
“Some good deals and memorandums of understanding have been signed, and we are working to bring them to final maturity,” Qayyum told Arab News. He said his company hoped to achieve positive results and generate substantial revenue from these agreements.
“We received support from the TDAP, which made the booth valued at Rs2.5 million available to us for Rs0.7 million, allowing us to make efforts to utilize this opportunity,” Qayyum said.
Faraz Tayyab, the project manager of Dubai-based company Menras who designed and managed the Pakistan Pavilion, said over 100,000 people visited Pakistani stalls while exhibitors reported an excellent response for their products.
“One machine manufacturer even sold his display unit and signed a deal to send additional machines to the Dubai-based buyer from Pakistan,” Tayyab told Arab News.
Although it was their first time participating, Tayyab said Pakistani companies have made an impressive impact and will benefit greatly from this experience.
“It has opened the gateway for a bigger participation next year,” he said.
Four soldiers, five militants killed in northwest Pakistan operation — military
- Security forces, militants traded fire in Karama area in South Waziristan, says military’s media wing
- Pakistani has suffered surge in militant attacks since November 2022 in areas bordering Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Four Pakistani soldiers and five militants were killed during a gunbattle in the country’s restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the army’s media wing said on Thursday, as Islamabad grapples with surging militancy.
The exchange of fire between security forces and militants took place in South Waziristan’s Karama area on Wednesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations, the army’s media wing, said in a statement.
The army said four Pakistani soldiers were killed during the exchange of fire. These included Naib Subedar Taib Shah, 38, Lance Naik Gulab Zaman, 30, Lance Naik Muzammil Mehmood, 30 and Lance Naik Habibullah, 28.
“Resultantly, five Khwarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops,” the ISPR said, referring to the term the military uses for the Pakistani Taliban militants.
The army said it was conducting a sanitization operation in the area to eliminate any other militants.
“Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” it concluded.
Pakistan has been witnessing a spike in militant violence in its northwestern and southwestern regions that border Afghanistan, particularly after the Pakistan Taliban or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) called off its fragile truce with the government in Islamabad in November 2022.
The militant group, which is said to have sanctuaries in neighboring Afghanistan, is separate from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban.
Ties between Islamabad and Kabul have been strained as the former accuses the latter of sheltering TTP militants. Afghanistan denies the allegations and has urged Pakistan to resolve its security challenges internally.
