KABUL: Afghans are pushing back against calls to ban their national cricket team from participating in international competitions, saying that such a move would not reverse the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on women in the country. 
Regarded as the most popular sport in Afghanistan, cricket has represented a rare bright spot for many Afghans as they struggle amid a devastating economic and humanitarian crisis sparked by sanctions slapped on the Taliban administration following their takeover in 2021. 
Since last month, foreign campaigns calling for Afghanistan’s men’s team to be barred from international matches have been gaining traction, as a protest of the Taliban restricting women’s access to education, the workplace, public spaces, as well as sports. 
This includes British lawmakers urging the England Cricket Board to boycott the country’s upcoming match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 26. 
“There are problems in the country – we can’t deny that – but cricket is certainly not one of them,” Ahmad Nadim, a 23-year-old cricket fan in Kabul, told Arab News. 
“The national players were among the first ones to criticize the restrictions on girls’ education and they have continuously voiced their support for Afghan women’s rights. Cricket has been a great source of happiness for Afghans and still continues to be one.” 
Despite record-setting performances – including high-profile victories against England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia – over the last few years, Afghanistan’s place on the world cricket stage has become increasingly controversial. 
After the Taliban disbanded the country’s women’s team following their takeover, most of the squad members fled to Australia, where they reunited for a match just last week. 
Though the International Cricket Council requires member nations to have both a men’s and a women’s team, as Afghanistan kept its status as a full member in the ICC it triggered boycotts from countries like Australia and England, which have refused to play them in bilateral matches. 
Human Rights Watch have also called on the ICC to suspend Afghanistan’s membership “until women and girls can once again participate in education and sport” in the country. 
In their home country, Afghans are openly opposing the boycotts and called for sports to be separated from politics. 
“Afghanistan’s cricket team is all supportive of women’s right to education because education is the foundation of a strong society and development in the country,” Hasti Gul Abid, Afghan cricketer who has played for the national team, told Arab News. 
“Afghanistan’s cricket reached the current stage with a lot of difficulties,” he said. “The people of Afghanistan have been supporting their national team since day one. Our people contributed to the advancement of cricket as much as the players did.”
As the men’s team’s popularity and victories have brought joy across the country on many occasions, some argue that the squad should not be seen as representatives of the Taliban government. 
“The cricket team belongs to the whole country and all Afghans. It represents us all, not a specific political or ethnic group,” said 21-year-old Khanzada Shaheen, who plays in a local cricket team in Kabul. 
Banning Afghanistan’s cricket team will not change the Taliban’s policies against women, said Lal Pacha, a fruit vendor in Kabul. 
“We all want Afghan girls to return to schools and universities but why punish our cricket team for that?” he told Arab News. 
“Let’s say the cricket team is banned from playing internationally, will this change the Islamic Emirate’s policy? There’s no logic in the demand for banning the cricket team.”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday called on the world to take “urgent action” to safeguard wetlands, emphasizing their significant role in environmental preservation, biodiversity, and combating impacts of climate change.
The statement by Romina Khurshid Alam, the Pakistan prime minister’s coordinator on climate change, came on the World Wetlands Day being observed under the theme “Wetlands and Water.” Alam called for strengthened global and national efforts to safeguard these vital ecosystems.
The United Nations (UN) has designated Feb. 2 as World Wetlands Day to commemorate the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1971. As part of Pakistan’s commitment to the Ramsar Convention, the country has designated 19 wetlands of international importance, including the famous Keenjhar Lake, Rann of Kutch, and the Haleji Lake, which support a wide variety of wildlife, especially for around 2 million migratory birds from countries in Central Asia, Siberia and northern parts of Europe.
The Pakistan PM’s aide stated that climate change has exacerbated the challenges faced by wetlands in Pakistan, with rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increasing sea levels causing wetlands to shrink disrupting the delicate balance of these ecosystems.
“As we observe World Wetland Day, it is essential that we commit taking action not just today but every day to safeguard the wetlands and the countless species that depend on them,” Alam said. “By collaborating, we can preserve these precious resources and build a sustainable future of environment.”
Wetlands are defined as both freshwater and coastal and marine ecosystems, and include all lakes and rivers, swamps, marshes, peatlands, estuaries, deltas, tidal flats, mangroves, coral reefs, and underground aquifers.
These areas are vital to human well-being and sustainable development but despite their critical role, wetlands are among the ecosystems with the highest rates of decline, loss and degradation, according to environmental experts.
Alam noted that although Pakistan contributes only 1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, it has been ranked among top ten climate-vulnerable nations.
“This stark disparity highlights the country’s heightened risk to the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events, floods, droughts, and rising temperatures, which pose significant threats to its population, economy, and place additional pressure on its wetland resources,” she said, emphasizing that wetlands act as natural buffers against floods and function as carbon sinks, which helps mitigate the effects of global warming.
Pakistan last year recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters of rainfall while some areas of the country faced a heat wave in May and June. In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered flash floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people.
Scientists have attributed Pakistan’s erratic weather patterns to climate change effects and called on countries around the world to take urgent steps to tackle the crisis.
Alam reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to protecting these vital ecosystems by strengthening environmental policies, promoting sustainable water management, and working closely with local communities to ensure that wetlands are preserved for future generations.
“Pakistan has shown resilience in the face of climate change, and our government is continuously taking steps to address environmental degradation,” she said. “Wetlands, especially in regions like the Indus Delta, play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance and supporting livelihoods.”