ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to meet the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha today, Thursday, to discuss bilateral ties with a focus on trade and investment, according to an official statement released by his office in Islamabad.
Sharif’s visit to Qatar, which began a day earlier, aims to bolster economic cooperation between the two nations as Pakistan seeks to attract foreign investment to stabilize its cash-strapped economy.
In 2022, the Qatar Investment Authority pledged $3 billion in investments for Pakistan, with areas of interest including airport management, renewable energy and hospitality.
Qatar has also shown interest in partnering with Pakistan for the management of the Roosevelt Hotel in New York’s Manhattan, owned by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will spend a busy day in Doha today,” the PM Office said in its statement. “He is scheduled to meet with the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.”
“He will also lead the Pakistani delegation in delegation-level talks between Pakistan and Qatar,” it added.
Sharif will also meet with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and interact with a delegation from the local business community.
In these meetings, the prime minister will review the “entire gamut of bilateral relations and explore new of cooperation especially in trade and investment,” according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry.
Accompanied by senior federal ministers, the premier will also inaugurate an exhibition on art and architecture in Pakistan since 1940 at the Qatar Museum.
Sharif attended the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before embarking on his two-day visit to Qatar.
During the conference, he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in trade and investment.
The talks built on recent agreements worth $2.8 billion between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, including investments in sectors such as agriculture, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy, which aim to strengthen Pakistan’s economy and deepen ties between the two nations.
Pakistan PM to meet top Qatari leader in Doha for trade and investment talks today
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Pakistan PM to meet top Qatari leader in Doha for trade and investment talks today
- Sharif is scheduled to interact with Qatari business leaders amid investment talks between the two states
- He will also inaugurate an exhibition on art and architecture in Pakistan since 1940 at the Qatar Museum
Pakistan’s youngest taekwondo champion Ayesha Ayaz represents country at Qatar championship
- Ayaz, born in 2011 in Swat valley, started practicing martial arts at the age of 3 and made her international debut at 8
- Around 1,440 players from 40 countries are competing in the event across four categories: cadet, juniors, youth and adults
ISLAMABAD: The Qatar International Open Taekwondo Championship will begin today, Thursday, with Pakistan’s youngest taekwondo champion Ayesha Ayaz representing her country, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said.
Around 1,440 players from 40 countries are competing in the event across four categories: cadet, juniors, youth and adults. The tournament, featuring morning and evening sessions, will run through Saturday with daily awards for winners.
“The fourth Qatar International Taekwondo Championship will be held today at Lusail Hall,” Radio Pakistan reported. “Pakistan’s youngest Taekwondo champion Ayesha Ayaz will represent the country in this prestigious event.”
Ayaz, born in 2011 in the northwestern Swat valley, started practicing taekwondo at the age of 3 and made her international debut at 8. She is also the youngest national champion.
Ayaz’s father is the coach of Pakistan’s national taekwondo team while her mother is a double national champion. Her father also runs a martial arts training academy in Swat. She has two brothers, both of whom are taekwondo practitioners.
Ayaz was the youngest competitor to win a bronze medal for Pakistan in the 27 kg category at the Al-Fujairah Open Taekwondo Championship in Dubai in 2019. In Feb. 2020, the talented young athlete earned a gold medal in the 34 kg category at the 8th Al-Fujairah Open Taekwondo Championship in Dubai. She has also secured the title of district champion five times and been crowned a provincial champion twice.
Pakistani PM celebrates religious diversity, honors Hindu community’s contributions on Diwali
- Sharif statement comes as Pakistan occasionally grapples with violent incidents against minority communities
- His message echoes the vision of Pakistan’s founding father who championed a pluralistic state in August 1947
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed pride in Pakistan’s cultural and religious diversity while honoring the contributions of its Hindu community as he extended Diwali greetings on Thursday, with his government emphasizing an inclusive national identity amid recent violence targeting minorities.
Diwali, celebrated by millions of Hindus around the world, is the “Festival of Lights,” symbolizing the triumph of good over evil and hope over despair.
Sharif’s message comes as Pakistan grapples with violent incidents against its minority communities, such as last year’s attacks in Jaranwala, where mobs burned multiple Christian homes and churches following blasphemy allegations. The Hindu community in Pakistan has also complained of forced conversions, especially in the southeastern province of Sindh.
Pakistani authorities, striving to improve the country’s image regarding religious tolerance, have repeatedly asserted the state’s commitment to diversity and equal rights for all citizens.
“As Pakistanis, we take pride in the diversity of our society, which strengthens our national fabric and enriches our shared culture,” Sharif said in a message to mark Diwali. “I pay tribute to the valuable contributions of Pakistan’s vibrant Hindu community, whose roles in our social, economic, and political sectors continue to strengthen our nation.”
Sharif underscored the government’s commitment to upholding equality for all communities and ensuring that Pakistan offers equal opportunities for growth, regardless of faith.
He pointed to the Hindu community’s collaborative efforts with Muslim Pakistanis in advancing national development, which he described as “a source of resilience and unity among our people.”
Sharif’s statement echoes the vision of Pakistan’s founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who championed a pluralistic state in a landmark August 11, 1947, address to the Constituent Assembly, assuring religious minorities they would be free to practice their faith and affirmed the state’s commitment to equal citizenship for all.
“May this Festival of Lights bring peace and prosperity to your lives and foster strong bonds of unity and brotherhood among people of all religions in our country,” the prime minister said.
Electric vehicles, air quality sensors proposed to curb severe winter pollution in Lahore
- The eastern Pakistani city has witnessed unprecedented rise in Air Quality Index during this week
- WWF-Pakistan calls for removal of industrial zones from urban centers, reliance on renewables
KARACHI: A leading environmental conservation organization in Pakistan on Wednesday recommended adopting electric vehicles and installing air quality sensors to combat rising pollution in Lahore, one of the world’s most polluted cities during the winter smog season, according to a statement it circulated.
WWF-Pakistan pointed to several key contributors identified by policymakers, including emissions from vehicles, industrial processes, crop residue burning and coal combustion as the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached unprecedented levels this week.
The call for reform came on the same day when Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif advocated for diplomatic efforts with neighboring India to address cross-border pollution, as both nations contend with extreme air quality issues.
“Worsening air quality and persistent smog is a serious issue not only for the people but also for biodiversity, especially birds and other animals,” said Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General WWF-Pakistan.
“The adoption of electric vehicles can help reduce vehicular emissions that lead to poor air quality,” he added. “However, financial subsidies and establishing EV charging infrastructure are essential for the transition to electric vehicles.”
WWF-Pakistan’s policy recommendations, drawn from air quality data collected between 2013 and 2024, lay out a comprehensive strategy to improve Lahore’s air quality. Key proposals also include establishing industrial zones away from urban centers, expanding the mass transit network and transitioning industries to renewable energy sources.
Additionally, the report advocates for integrated traffic management, which, when combined with the installation of sensor-based monitoring systems, could help reduce localized pollution in heavily trafficked areas.
“These low-cost air quality monitoring systems can be used to identify air pollution hotspots and can also be synchronized with traffic management,” Khan noted, explaining that measures such as designating alternate routes or restricting heavy transport in certain areas can help reduce emissions in high-risk zones.
The report also recommended building the capacity of farmers to manage crop residue through sustainable practices and alternative uses.
Additionally, it called for mandatory vehicular emission testing, dust control in the construction sector, and promoting solar energy to replace diesel- and coal-based power in industrial sectors like leather, textile and steel.
“Industries emitting high levels of pollutants must install relevant pollution control devices,” said Nazifa Butt, Director Climate and Energy at WWF-Pakistan, highlighting the role of industrial compliance in achieving cleaner air.
Pakistani authorities have enforced new measures to combat hazardous smog, including making mask-wearing mandatory across the city of Lahore.
New, shorter school timings have also been announced in the city while student assemblies will be conducted in classrooms rather than outdoor spaces.
All outdoor activities at schools have also been temporarily suspended, and a ban has also been imposed on fireworks in Lahore until Jan. 31, 2025.
Pakistan urges US to end Cuba restrictions as UN condemns longstanding embargo
- UN voted 187-2 in favor of lifting the embargo, with only the US and Israel opposing the resolution
- Pakistani diplomat says during the debate an end to embargo will improve quality of life in Cuba
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani diplomat at the United Nations called for an end to the longstanding American economic restrictions on Cuba, emphasizing that the step would enhance quality of life in the Caribbean nation as the global body condemned the embargo for the 32nd consecutive year.
The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted 187-2 in favor of lifting the sanctions, with only the US and Israel opposing the resolution, alongside one abstention in the 193-member body.
Tensions between the US and Cuba escalated in the 1960s, following Fidel Castro’s revolutionary government’s decision to nationalize American-owned assets without compensation.
This led to US embargo as Washington aimed to isolate Cuba economically and politically, pressuring its government to carry out democratic reforms and curtail alignment with the former Soviet Union.
“Pakistan maintains that the imposition of unilateral economic measures is counterproductive and inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law,” an official statement quoted the deputy permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, as saying during the debate.
The statement said the Pakistani diplomat highlighted the rights of the people of Cuba to their own means of subsistence, especially food and medicine, adding that “ending the embargo would be a significant step toward improving the quality of life for the Cuban people, and will help Cuba advance on the path toward sustainable development.”
Ambassador Jadoon also expressed a deep concern on the impact that the economic, financial and commercial embargo has had on Cuba and its people.
He reiterated Pakistan’s “unwavering commitment to multilateralism,” saying his country believed in the fundamental principles of sovereign equality, non-interference and non-intervention, as enshrined in the UN Charter.
On Pakistan’s southern coast, a group of surfers chases waves and their dreams
- Access to surfing equipment is limited in Pakistan, with the group sharing about 25 surfboards
- Many group member learned surfing by watching videos available on social media platforms
KARACHI: Attiq Ur Rehman is determined to follow his dream to become Pakistan’s first professional surfer despite his father’s concern for his future, a lack of equipment and the messy waves near Karachi.
“I don’t care about the money right now. I just want to compete,” the 21-year-old says, shrugging off his father’s plea to take up fishing so he can get married and support his family. “It’s my surfer attitude.”
Rehman’s family are part of a poor coastal community in southern Pakistan that usually make a living from fishing or as lifeguards watching over more affluent residents of Karachi when they come for a day at the beach.
His father makes the equivalent of $100 a month to feed a family of 10 through fishing.
“I told him a thousand times (to stop surfing) but he still doesn’t listen,” said Rehman’s father, Muhammad Rafiq.
Rehman was a lifeguard but gave it up to concentrate on his surfing, which he started aged nine, and founded a new community that calls itself “Surfers of Bulleji.”
The group has grown to around 50 and have gone viral on social media in a country where cricket and hockey are the main sports.
The group consists of surfing enthusiasts from surrounding coastal villages, some aged as young as eight.
On a sunny day, their passion for surfing is on display with the right window for waves to surf along a near-empty beach close to the metropolis of 20 million.
One of cohort, Mujahid Baloch, a 24-year-old fisherman, first saw surfing on social media and instantly took a shine to it.
“Slowly, through watching, we learned. No one taught us,” he said.
Though Sri Lanka and the Maldives to the south are on global surfers’ hit lists, Pakistan’s arid 1,000km (620 miles) of coastline is usually poorly suited for surfing, relying on local winds to generate waves that are often small and messy, or rare cyclone swells.
“When all of Karachi was being given an advisory to stay away from the sea, and a cyclone was approaching, me and the boys were getting ready to go to the beach,” said Rehman. “The waves were ideal for us.”
While an occasional visiting surfer might join them for a paddle and some other villages along the coast have small surfing groups, competition with global peers is a challenge. The International Surfing Association has 116 member countries, including places such as Ukraine and land-locked Switzerland, but Pakistan is not on the list.
Still, members of “Surfers of Bulleji” idolize American professional surfer Kelly Slater, whose videos they often watch awe-struck, and wish to emulate his skill.
But access to surfing equipment is limited in Pakistan, with the group sharing about 25 surfboards and pitching in for repairs when they are needed.
They sometimes find discarded boards in large containers of junk brought to Pakistan from around the world. They buy these junked boards for as little as $35 and repair them using basic materials like glue and resin.
“If it breaks, we repair it. Because we don’t have surfboards here,” Baloch said. Pointing to a piece of foam, he said it was found at sea and shaped into a make-shift board. “If we find more such foam, we can make our own boards here,” he said.
“Our community is getting bigger and stronger, so the shopkeepers know we will come and keep such finds safe for us,” Rehman says.
