ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Karate fighter Shahzeb Rind successfully defended his lightweight title against former three-time world champion Edgars Skrivers, defeating him 7-0 at the Karate Combat (KC) 52 event in Miami, the Pakistan Mixed Martial Arts Federation (PMMAF) announced on Sunday.

The KC52, a professional full-contact karate league, is part of a global karate MMA series featuring skilled fighters in action-packed competitions. 

Rind, who hails from the impoverished southwestern Balochistan province, won his first martial arts title in 2011 after claiming victory in a provincial-level competition. His first national title came in 2019 when he triumphed at the National Games in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

During the two and half years of an undefeated Karate Combat career, Rind has fought fighters from North America, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, France and India.

“In a stunning display of skill and determination, Rind has claimed his second championship title after a hard-fought victory against Edgars Skrivers,” the PMMAF said. 

“The intense showdown unfolded on Friday in Miami, captivating audiences with its electrifying energy and showcasing the best of competitive spirit.”

The statement said Rind delivered an “extraordinary” performance that kept his fans excited throughout the match, adding that his “dedication, relentless training, and remarkable skill” had solidified his position as one of the top contenders.

“Rind’s triumph is a testament to the power of perseverance and hard work,” the sports body said. “As fans celebrate this incredible achievement, they eagerly await what the future holds for this rising star.”

The Pakistan Embassy in New York congratulated Rind on defending his title.

“Heartfelt congratulations to MMA fighter Shahzaib Rind, the brave son of Pakistan who hails from Balochistan, on defending his lightweight title in Miami, Florida, USA and becoming the world champion for the second time,” the embassy said on X. “Shahzaib Rind dedicated his victory to the people of Pakistan.”

Rind boasts a combined Wushu and Kickboxing record of 75-4, the majority of which was attained while training himself by watching YouTube videos. He is currently training under Asim Zaidi at the renowned Goat Shed gym in Miami.

Zaidi is the president of Karate Combat, a brand that promotes the first professional full-contact karate league, hosting worldwide events since April 2018.

ISLAMABAD: China’s political secretary to Islamabad, Wang Shengjie, has criticized Pakistan’s “false rhetoric” around projects that are part of a joint multi-billion-dollar economic corridor, expressing “serious concerns” over the scheme’s future due to security challenges, a recent report in the Guardian newspaper said.

Beijing has pledged to build energy, infrastructure and other projects as part of the over $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) scheme launched in 2015 as a flagship of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative to grant China access to trade routes in Asia and Africa. 

Recent attacks, including one in October 2024 in which two Chinese workers were killed in a suicide bombing in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, have forced Beijing to publicly criticize Pakistan over security lapses and media has widely reported in recent months that China wants its own security forces on the ground to protect its nationals and projects, a demand Islamabad has long resisted.

Progress on the economic corridor has been slow, particularly in the restive southwestern Balochistan province where China is building a deep-sea port and last week opened Pakistan’s largest airport in the coastal town of Gwadar, among other mega projects. Ethnic separatist groups target Chinese interests in the area, blaming both the governments in Pakistan and China of exploiting the province’s natural resources and neglecting the local population, allegations both Beijing and Islamabad deny. Gwadar residents have held intermittent protests for months, saying Chinese projects in the area have not improved the lives of the local population. 

In a report published in the Guardian on Sunday, Shengjie spoke about enduring security challenges in Pakistan. 

“Shengjie accused the Pakistani government of using ‘false rhetoric’ around CPEC projects, which had given unrealistic expectations to locals,” the Guardian reported on Sunday, 

 “We don’t work in rhetoric like Pakistan – we just focus on development,” he was quoted as saying. “If this kind of security situation persists, it will hamper development.”

The report said the Chinese official expressed “serious concerns” over the future of CPEC due to security challenges. 

“If the security is not improved, who would come and work in this environment? There is hatred against the Chinese in Gwadar and Balochistan,” Shengjie was quoted as saying . “Some evil forces are against the CPEC, and they want to sabotage it.”

Pakistan has repeatedly assured China it would protect its nationals in the country from militant outfits and has tightened security protocols for Chinese investors and nationals. Islamabad says attacks on Chinese nationals are an “international conspiracy” to sour ties between the two longtime allies.