ISLAMABAD: Pakistan cueists Asjad Iqbal and Awais Munir have qualified for the Mongolia Snooker World Cup 2024 quarterfinals scheduled to be played today, Wednesday, at Ulaanbaatar where they go up against China and Iran, state-run media reported.
The Mongolia Snooker World Cup 2024 is taking place from Sep 15-22. The tournament is part of the International Billiards and Snooker Federation’s schedule which has been held annually in Mongolia’s capital since 2019.
“In the quarterfinals to be played on Wednesday, Asjad will face Gao Yang (China) while Awais will be up against Ali Gharahgozlou (Iran),” the Associated Press of Pakistan reported on Tuesday.
According to local media reports, the Pakistani snooker players did not face any defeat in their matches and qualified for the Round of 16.
On Sep 15, Munir beat Iran’s Siyavosh Mozayani 3-1 with frame scores of 9-63, 78-34, 59-50, and 73-13 while Iqbal defeated Qatar’s Ali Alobaidi 3-1 with frame scores of 59-36, 26-63, 58-19, and 70-58.
Snooker has gained substantial popularity in Pakistan over the years, becoming one of the country’s most followed cue sports. Its rise can be attributed to the availability of snooker clubs across the countries, offering affordable access to the game. Pakistani players have also achieved significant success in international snooker, further boosting its appeal.
The breakthrough moment for snooker in Pakistan came in 1994 when Mohammad Yousuf won the IBSF World Snooker Championship, putting the country on the global snooker map. His success inspired many young players to take up the sport.
Pakistani players to face Chinese, Iranian opponents in Snooker World Cup quarterfinals today
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Pakistani players to face Chinese, Iranian opponents in Snooker World Cup quarterfinals today
- Asjad Iqbal and Awais Munir have won all their matches during the tournament played in Mongolia
- Snooker has gained substantial popularity in Pakistan, becoming one of its most followed cue sports
New Zealand beat Pakistan 6-2 to clinch FIH Hockey Nations Cup trophy
- Kiwis stunned Pakistan with five goals in first half of one-sided FIH Hockey Nations Cup final
- New Zealand promoted to prestigious FIH Pro League after winning second consecutive trophy
ISLAMABAD: New Zealand ended Pakistan’s bid to clinch the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup title on Saturday, winning the trophy a second consecutive time in Kuala Lumpur after beating the green shirts 6-2.
It was a one-sided contest right from the beginning, with the Kiwis stunning Pakistan with five goals in the high-octane first half at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium.
Despite a fightback by Pakistan in the second half of the match, which saw the green shirts score two goals, New Zealand managed to score another and add 6-2 to the final tally.
“New Zealand’s triumph not only earned them the championship but also promotion to the prestigious FIH Pro League, reaffirming their growing stature in international hockey,” state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) wrote.
New Zealand signaled intent from the outset, with two early goals disallowed but persistent pressure finally paying off when Scott Cosslett converted a penalty corner. Jonty Elmes then set up Sam Hiha to double the lead, followed by goals from Dylan Thomas and Sean Findlay — the latter finishing from a difficult angle after receiving a precise aerial pass.
Before the halftime whistle, Scott Boyde capitalized on a rebound from the Pakistani goalkeeper to make it 5-0, giving New Zealand an unassailable lead.
Pakistan’s Moin Shakeel responded with a 33-minute goal, briefly shifting the momentum.
“Cosslett netted his second goal of the match via a penalty corner in the closing minutes, while Sufyan Khan grabbed a consolation for Pakistan to end the match 6-2,” APP reported.
France, which lost to Pakistan in the semifinal earlier this week, claimed the bronze medal by defeating South Korea in a shootout, while Wales beat hosts Malaysia for fifth place.
Japan finished seventh with a win over former champions South Africa.
The FIH Men’s Nations Cup was being played in Kuala Lumpur from June 15 to 21 that brought together eight top-ranked teams competing with each other.
Hockey is Pakistan’s national sport.
The national team boasts a proud legacy with three Olympic gold medals in 1960, 1968 and 1984 along with four World Cup titles in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994.
Hockey in Pakistan has faced a sharp decline in recent decades due to administrative challenges, underinvestment and inadequate infrastructure.
Renewed efforts are underway to revive the game with increased government support, youth development initiatives and greater international engagement aimed at restoring Pakistan’s former glory in the sport.
Pakistan tells OIC conference Israeli military actions driving Middle East instability
- Ishaq Dar tells Istanbul conference Israeli strike on Iran ‘not an isolated event,’ reflects ‘continued impunity’
- He calls on the OIC to play its role in shaping a more just and stable global order for the Muslim world
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday voiced alarm over escalating tensions in the Middle East, blaming Israel’s military actions in Gaza and recent strikes in Iran for deepening instability and humanitarian crisis in the region.
Addressing the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated his country’s condemnation of Israel’s attack on Iran.
The high-level conference comes at a moment of crisis for several OIC member states. Two of the bloc’s key countries — Pakistan and Iran — have recently experienced military escalations with regional rivals.
While Pakistan’s brief but intense standoff with India ended in a ceasefire last month, Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, launched more than a week ago, have shown no signs of de-escalation.
“Israeli aggression against Iran is not an isolated event,” Dar said in his address to the forum. “It is part of a dangerous and consistent pattern of militarism that Israel has demonstrated across the Middle East.”
“Pakistan remains deeply concerned at the escalating tensions, deepening instability and humanitarian crises across the Middle East,” he added. “What underpins many of these situations is the continued impunity with which Israel is undermining peace and stability of the broader region.”
The Pakistani deputy PM condemned Israel’s “unprovoked aggression” against Iran as a violation of international law and the UN Charter, warning that such actions posed a grave threat to both regional and global peace.
“We can all feel the reverberations of this instability,” he said.
Turning to Gaza, Dar said Israel was waging a “genocidal campaign” against Palestinians, pointing out that over 55,000 people, mostly women and children, had been killed since the start of the conflict in October 2023.
He noted Israel was deliberately blocking life-saving humanitarian aid and targeting relief workers, leaving millions displaced and entire neighborhoods in ruins.
Calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, Dar said that lasting peace in the region was impossible without a viable, sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital.
He also referenced last month’s military standoff between Pakistan and India, telling the conference participants that Pakistan had shot down six Indian fighter jets in the confrontation.
He said that his country was committed to regional stability and warned that India’s unilateral actions — including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — were further escalating tensions.
“Pakistan will not allow India to stop water for our people,” he said. “It will be treated as an act of war.”
Dar also urged the OIC to assert itself as a collective voice for the Muslim world.
“The OIC has a crucial role to play in streamlining the rapidly evolving and deteriorating global order to the benefit of the Muslim world,” he added.
Pakistan highlights India’s ‘brazen disregard’ for international law over Indus treaty stance
- Pakistan says India’s treaty suspension shows it cannot be trusted to honor legal obligations
- The statement follows Indian home minister’s threat to divert river waters, ‘starve’ Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday accused India of showing a “brazen disregard” for international agreements after New Delhi said it would not restore the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty and divert river waters for internal use.
India put into “abeyance” its participation in the 1960 treaty, which governs the distribution of the Indus river system between the two countries, after 26 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir were killed in an April gun attack.
India blamed Pakistan for the incident, though it denied any involvement. The accord remains dormant since then despite a ceasefire agreed upon by the two nuclear-armed neighbors last month following their worst fighting in decades.
Islamabad’s statement over the issue came after Indian Home Minister Amit Shah gave an interview to the media, saying New Delhi would not reinstate the treaty that guarantees water access for 80 percent of Pakistan’s farms through rivers originating in India.
“The statement reflects a brazen disregard for the sanctity of international agreements,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement. “The Indus Waters Treaty is not a political arrangement, but an international treaty with no provision for unilateral action.”
“India’s illegal announcement to hold the Treaty in abeyance constitutes a clear violation of international law, the provisions of the Treaty itself, and the fundamental principles governing inter-state relations,” he continued. “Such conduct sets a reckless and dangerous precedent — one that undermines the credibility of international agreements and raises serious questions about the reliability and trustworthiness of a state that openly refuses to fulfill its legal obligations.”
The statement further said India’s attempt to “weaponize water for political ends” was irresponsible and in violation of established norms of state behavior.
It called on India to “immediately rescind its unilateral and unlawful stance” and restore the “full and unhindered implementation” of the treaty.
“Pakistan remains firmly committed to the Treaty and will take all necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights and entitlements under it,” the spokesperson added.
Earlier in the day, the Indian minister said in his interview New Delhi would divert water by constructing a canal, and that Pakistan would be “starved” of water it had been receiving “unjustifiably.”
While Islamabad has pursued diplomatic channels to raise awareness of the issue globally, it has also warned that any Indian attempt to block river flows will be treated as “an act of war.”
With input from Reuters
Pakistan, Turkiye leaders vow diplomatic push to halt Israel’s military campaigns in Mideast
- The Middle East situation came up during a meeting between Ishaq Dar, Asim Munir and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
- Both sides stressed the urgency of halting ‘Israeli aggression’ in Gaza, ensuring unhindered humanitarian aid
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday and agreed to step up diplomatic efforts to halt Israel’s military campaigns in the Middle East, as regional tensions threaten to escalate further.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 51st session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, where Muslim-majority nations are grappling with regional crises.
Two of the bloc’s key members — Pakistan and Iran — have recently faced military escalations with regional adversaries. While Pakistan’s brief but intense standoff with India last month ended in a ceasefire, Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, launched over a week ago, have shown no signs of letting up.
“The leaders [of Pakistan and Turkiye] expressed strong condemnation of the continued Israeli attacks in blatant violation of fundamental principles of international law, reiterated support for Iran’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and its right to self-defense under the UN Charter, agreed to continue diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation and urged the international community to play its part in restoring peace and stability in the region,” the Foreign Office in Islamabad said in a statement.
“Both sides emphasized the urgency of galvanizing efforts to bring an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression in Gaza and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the besieged people of Gaza,” the statement added.
As Iran and Israel continue to trade fire, European and regional powers are racing to contain the conflict and bring Iran back to the negotiating table to resume nuclear negotiations that broke down when Israel launched its strike on Tehran and other cities.
During Saturday’s meeting, Dar underscored Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Turkiye.
The two sides reaffirmed their desire to deepen cooperation, particularly in light of Turkiye’s diplomatic support for Pakistan during last month’s flare-up with India, which saw both nuclear-armed neighbors exchange missiles, drone fire and airstrikes before tensions subsided under international pressure.
Dar also congratulated Erdoğan on receiving an award from the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum in recognition of his leadership and the successful organization of the ongoing OIC ministerial session.
PM Sharif orders early Hajj planning, calls for private scheme reform
- A major portion of the quota for private Hajj operators remained unutilized this year
- Shehbaz Sharif says no negligence in serving Hajj pilgrims next year will be tolerated
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed the religious affairs ministry to begin preparations for the 2026 Hajj immediately, while calling for urgent reforms to the country’s private Hajj scheme following a situation that left thousands of pilgrimage slots unused this year.
Pakistan received a quota of 179,210 pilgrims from Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2025, which was evenly divided between the government and private Hajj operators.
While the government filled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims, a major portion of the private quota remained unutilized due to delays by companies in meeting payment and registration deadlines.
Private operators, however, blamed the situation on technical glitches such as payment issues and communication breakdowns.
“Preparations for next year’s Hajj operation must begin immediately,” the prime minister said, according to a statement released by his office.
“The operational plan should be developed in accordance with the Hajj policy issued by Saudi Arabia,” he continued. “No negligence in serving pilgrims next year will be tolerated.”
Sharif also emphasized the need to “regularize” the private Hajj scheme.
Previously, Pakistan’s religious affairs minister, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, had confirmed that over 67,000 private-sector slots went unused, despite a last-minute effort to reclaim some of the allocation.
The shortfall prompted criticism and concerns over regulation and the capacity of private Hajj companies.
The prime minister has also asked the religious affairs ministry to submit a detailed Hajj action plan with clear deadlines and start preparing for next year’s Islamic pilgrimage.
