Pakistan PM praises Saudi economic support, discusses security issues with kingdom’s defense minister

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Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, meets Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on March 23, 2024. (Photo courtesy: PMO)
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Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (4L), meets Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad on March 23, 2024. (Photo courtesy: PMO)
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Updated 23 March 2024
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Pakistan PM praises Saudi economic support, discusses security issues with kingdom’s defense minister

  • Prince Khalid bin Salman arrived in the country on Saturday to attend the Pakistan Day parade as guest of honor
  • PM Sharif tells the Saudi royal his government is waiting for the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Saudi Arabia had played a pivotal role in improving Pakistan’s economic situation during a meeting with the kingdom’s defense minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, wherein they also discussed the regional peace and security situation.
The Saudi royal arrived in the country earlier in the day to attend the Pakistan Day military parade as a guest of honor and was warmly received by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Army Chief General Asim Munir at the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi.
The parade was held on the 84th anniversary of Pakistan Day, marked each year to celebrate the adoption of the Lahore Resolution by the Muslim League, which called for the creation of an independent state for the Muslims of India on March 23, 1940.
The Saudi defense minister witnessed the performance of Pakistan’s military personnel at the Parade Avenue in the federal capital, Islamabad, along with a display of the country’s air defense system and nuclear-capable missiles.




Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif watch Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad on March 23, 2024. (Photo courtesy: President Office)

According to an official statement, he later met the prime minister to discuss a wide range of issues.
“The meeting exchanged views on regional peace and security,” said the statement. “Discussion also took place on increasing cooperation in the defense and security sectors between the two countries.”
The prime minister said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had deep-rooted relations that were growing stronger with a passage of time.
“Saudi Arabia has stood by Pakistan on every front,” he was quoted as saying in the statement. “During my previous term as prime minister, Saudi Arabia played a key role in improving Pakistan’s economic situation.”




Saudi Arabia’s minister of defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, meets Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir during his day-long visit to attend Pakistan Day parade in Islamabad on March 23, 2024. (Photo courtesy: ISPR)

Sharif told the Saudi defense minister his government was waiting for the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Pakistan.
Prince Khalid bin Salman thanked the prime minister for inviting him as the guest of honor to the Pakistan Day parade, saying he got to witness the excellent capabilities of the Pakistani armed forces at the event.
He also mentioned the recent visit of Pakistan’s army chief to the kingdom this month, saying it would further boost the defense relations between the two countries.
The Saudi minister later left for Saudi Arabia after his day-long visit to Pakistan.


Ancient winter festival in Pakistan’s Chitral concludes with rituals, traditional dance

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Ancient winter festival in Pakistan’s Chitral concludes with rituals, traditional dance

  • Chawmos festival is celebrated in December by the Kalash people, who are numbered around 4,000
  • Festival marks welcoming of new year, celebrated with dance, animal sacrifice, singing and feasting

PESHAWAR: A religious winter festival celebrated by the Kalash people in the northwestern Pakistani district of Chitral has concluded after featuring rituals, traditional dance and other festivities for two weeks, provincial tourism authority said on Monday.

The Kalash are a group of about 4,000 people, possibly Pakistan’s smallest minority, who live in the mountains of the Hindu Kush, where they practice an ancient polytheistic faith.

They come together each year in December to celebrate the two-week Chawmos festival after the community finishes fieldwork and stores cheese, fruit, vegetables and grains for the year.

The festival features various rituals, animal sacrifice, dance, songs and feasting, preserving the Kalash culture and attracting a number of tourists to Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The religious Chawmos festival of the ancient Kalash Valley has concluded,” Mohammad Saad, a spokesperson for the KP Tourism Authority, said in a statement.

“The festival continued from Dec. 8 in the three valleys of Bumburet, Birir and Rumbur.”

The Kalash community’s religion incorporates animiztic traditions of worshipping nature as well as a pantheon of gods, and its people live mainly in the three Kalash valleys of Bumburet, Birir and Rumbur.

The Chawmos festival is celebrated to welcome the new year, with the Kalash people indulging in religious practices and distributing vegetables and fruit among each other, according to the official.

The festival was attended by a large number of domestic and foreign tourists who were fully facilitated by the provincial tourism authority.


Pakistan defense minister blames judiciary for delayed verdicts in May 9 cases

Updated 23 December 2024
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Pakistan defense minister blames judiciary for delayed verdicts in May 9 cases

  • National problems require decisions at the earliest, says Khawaja Asif while talking to media in London
  • Protests erupted in several Pakistani cities on May 9, 2023, over ex-PM Imran Khan’s arrest in a graft case

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday blamed the judiciary for delaying verdicts in the May 9, 2023, cases, which have so far led to the conviction of 25 supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for attacking government buildings and military properties last year.

On Dec. 21, the Pakistan Army sentenced 25 people for participating in the violent protests that erupted in several Pakistani cities following Khan’s brief detention on corruption charges, resulting in damage to major military facilities and martyrs’ monuments in the country.

However, several suspects are also facing legal charges in anti-terrorism courts, with the military hoping for early verdicts in their cases, according to a statement announcing the sentencing of the 25 individuals, which described the rioting as “politically provoked violence.”

The PTI has denied any involvement in the violence, describing the May 9 incident as a “false flag” operation aimed at crushing the party.

“The judiciary created the biggest hurdle in this [the conviction of May 9 suspects] while this thing was allowed to linger for one and a half years,” Asif said while speaking to the media in London, the city he is currently visiting.

Describing the May 9 protests as a national problem, he said all the cases related to it required verdicts at the earliest.

The conviction of the 25 individuals followed a ruling by a seven-member Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Dec. 13, allowing military courts to share their verdicts. Prior to that, the court had unanimously declared last year that prosecuting civilians in military courts violated the Constitution.

Khan’s PTI party rejected the military’s announcement, with opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan saying they were “against the principles of justice.”

The sentencing of the 25 individuals also raises concerns about Khan, who faces charges of inciting attacks against the armed forces and may potentially be tried in a military court.

Earlier, Asif had regretted the delay in announcing the verdicts, saying that it “raised the morale of the accused and their facilitators.”

“Right now, only the workers, who were used [to generate violence], have been punished under the law,” he had said. “This will not end until the ones, who planned this terrible day, are not brought before the law.”


Pakistan PM reviews security situation amid rising militancy, sectarian clashes

Updated 23 December 2024
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Pakistan PM reviews security situation amid rising militancy, sectarian clashes

  • PM Sharif was briefed by Mohsin Naqvi who recently attended a security meeting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Security remained a concern for Pakistan this year, which witnessed renewed attacks on Chinese nationals

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif evaluated the security situation during a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday, focusing on measures taken by the authorities to ensure peace across the country.

The talks come days after Naqvi attended a high-level security meeting in the volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan and has seen a surge in cross-border militant attacks.

The region’s Kurram district has been gripped by sectarian clashes since last month, leaving well over 100 people dead, according to local reports.

During the meeting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Naqvi and other stakeholders decided to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies with the federal government’s full cooperation to combat mounting security challenges.

Pakistan has also faced unrest in its southwestern province of Balochistan, where separatist attacks intensified throughout the year.

“Federal Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi provided a detailed briefing to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on the overall security situation in the country,” the statement from the PM Office said. “The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the measures taken to ensure law and order in the country.”

The meeting also included discussions on the country’s political situation, the statement added.

Security remained a major concern for the government this year, which witnessed renewed attacks on Chinese workers, including five fatalities when their convoy was targeted by an explosive-laden vehicle near Besham city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Later in October, two Chinese engineers lost their lives in a blast near Karachi airport.

On Sunday, Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, vowed to hunt down militants and their facilitators, following a deadly attack on a military outpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that left 16 soldiers dead.


Pakistan to host India’s Champions Trophy matches in UAE under hybrid model

Updated 23 December 2024
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Pakistan to host India’s Champions Trophy matches in UAE under hybrid model

  • The decision comes after India showed reluctance to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns
  • A PCB official says Pakistan has formally informed the ICC about its choice of the neutral venue

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will serve as the neutral venue for matches between India and Pakistan during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy scheduled in February.

The decision was finalized after discussions between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, currently visiting Pakistan.

The move resolves a contentious issue stemming from India’s reluctance to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns. Pakistan, the official host of the tournament, initially refused to opt for a hybrid model, allowing the tournament to proceed with matches involving India being played at a neutral venue. However, its cricket board later accepted the arrangement.

PCB spokesperson Amir Mir confirmed the ICC has been formally informed about the decision.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board has chosen the United Arab Emirates as the neutral venue,” he was quoted in a statement. “Now, India and Pakistan’s Champions Trophy matches will be held in the UAE.”

The statement said Pakistan had the authority to determine the neutral venue as tournament host, and chose the UAE after careful deliberation.

The hybrid model was also employed during the Asia Cup last year, with Pakistan co-hosting the tournament with Sri Lanka.

Unlike the Asia Cup, however, the Pakistan national team traveled to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup later in the same year. Meanwhile, the Champions Trophy preparations in Pakistan are in full swing, with venues being readied for the event.

The hybrid model for the Champions Trophy will ensure the tournament remains on track while maintaining Pakistan’s position as the host.


Run machine Saim Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa

Updated 23 December 2024
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Run machine Saim Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa

  • Left-handed opening batsman made a sparkling 101 off 94 balls in a Pakistan total of 308 for nine
  • Hosts were beaten by 36 runs as match was reduced to 47 overs due to rain with adjusted target

Johannesburg: Rising star Saim Ayub hit his second century of the series — and his third in five innings — as Pakistan completed a series cleansweep over South Africa in the third one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.

Left-handed opening batsman Ayub made a sparkling 101 off 94 balls in a Pakistan total of 308 for nine.

Heinrich Klaasen thrashed 81 off 43 balls for South Africa — but the hosts were beaten by 36 runs chasing an adjusted target of 308. The match was reduced to 47 overs a side because of rain.

Ayub, 22, hit 113 not out in the second one-day game against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo last month and 109 in the series opener against South Africa in Paarl last week.

In between his one-day appearances he made an unbeaten 98 in the second Twenty20 international against South Africa in Centurion.

Ayub was named player of the match and player of the series.

“It’s important because we won but it is for all the team, not just me,” he said. “The senior players helped me a lot.”

In contrast to Ayub’s form, his opening partner Abdullah Shafique was out for his third successive duck after Pakistan were sent in to bat.

Pakistan's Mohammad Hasnain attempts a catch off his own bowling during the third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 22, 2024. (AP)

But Ayub was seldom troubled as he played shots all around the wicket in partnerships of 114 with Babar Azam (52) and 93 with captain Mohammad Rizwan (53).

Ayub fell to debutant Corbin Bosch, caught behind attempting an audacious flick to leg, after hitting 13 fours and two sixes.

Bosch, the son of the late Test and one-day international player Tertius Bosch, received a call-up after injuries hit South Africa’s fast bowling resources.

For the third successive match, Klaasen was the only South African to make a half-century. He kept South Africa ahead of the required run rate until he was sixth man out, caught on the square leg boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi with the total on 194 in the 29th over.

Pakistan's captain Mohammad Rizwan, right, plays a shot as South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen watches on during the third International cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan, at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 22, 2024. (AP)

Ayub followed up his century by taking one for 34 in 10 overs with his mixture of off-spin and carrom balls, claiming the key wicket of David Miller and producing the most economical figures by any bowler in the match.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 308-9 in 47 overs (Saim Ayub 101, Mohammad Rizwan 53, Babar Azam 52, Salman Agha 48; K. Rabada 3-56) v South Africa 271 in 42 overs (H. Klaasen 81, C. Bosch 40 not out)

Result: Pakistan won by 36 runs (DLS method)

Series: Pakistan won the three-match series 3-0

Toss: South Africa