KARACHI: A Karachi-based champion Pakistani kickboxer, competing in the Senior Amateur 51-kilogram category, won at the IFMA World Muaythai Championships in Thailand on Friday, saying beforehand that his participation represented not only Pakistan but also his support for Palestine.
The World Muaythai Championships are an annual competition of Muaythai, or Thai boxing, organized by the International Federation of Muaythai Associations. Alongside the World Games, it is the highest level of world competition for Muaythai.
Speaking to Arab News, the Pakistani kickboxer, Agha Kaleem, said this year’s competition featured fighters from over 40 countries.
“I competed against the three-time World and two-time Asian Champion from Kazakhstan, and he was a very tough player,” he said. “Another participant in my weight category was from India. But he declined to fight. So, I directly qualified in the final and had a tough fight which I won.”
Prior to going into the competition, Kaleem said in a social media post he was representing both Pakistan and Palestine. The video accompanying the post showed him at the opening ceremony of the tournament waving the flags of both countries.
Kaleem, who hails from Quetta and lives in the Baldia Town area in Karachi, is a tea vendor by profession. He has been crowned the all-Karachi champion 10 times, Wushu champion thrice, Muaythai champion twice and national champion three times.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb attended the funeral ceremony of the late Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV on Saturday in Lisbon, Portugal, according to an official statement.
The ceremony at the Ismaili Center in Lisbon was attended by over 300 guests, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and former Spanish King Juan Carlos I.
The late Aga Khan, who led the global Ismaili community for nearly seven decades, passed away earlier this week at the age of 88. His death was announced by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and the Ismaili religious community.
Following his passing, his eldest son, Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini, 53, was named the Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary Imam of the community, in accordance with his father’s will.
“Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue, Muhammad Aurangzeb, attended the funeral of the late Prince Karim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan IV, the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, in Lisbon, Portugal,” said the statement from Pakistan’s foreign office.
“During the meeting with Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini Aga Khan V, the 50th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, the Minister conveyed condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan,” it added.
Aurangzeb lauded the late Aga Khan’s contributions to philanthropy and development, describing his passing as a monumental loss not only for his family and followers but also for underprivileged people worldwide. He also recalled Prince Karim Aga Khan’s special attachment to Pakistan and its people.
The AKDN, founded by the late Ismaili leader, has been instrumental in various development projects in Pakistan, particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral regions.
Initiatives such as the Aga Khan Rural Support Program have focused on poverty alleviation, health care, education and cultural preservation, significantly contributing to the socio-economic development of these areas.
The Ismaili community in Pakistan, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, has benefited from these initiatives, which have also had a positive impact on the national economy through improved infrastructure and human development.
Prince Karim Aga Khan IV will be laid to rest during a private burial ceremony in Aswan, Egypt, on Sunday.
Glenn Phillips ton lifts New Zealand to 330-6 against Pakistan in tri-series
Phillips was ably supported by Daryl Mitchell with 81 and Kane Williamson with 58 runs
Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi ended up with expensive figures of 3-88 from his 10 overs
Updated 08 February 2025
AFP
LAHORE: Glenn Phillips cracked a maiden century to lift New Zealand to 330-6 against Pakistan in the tri-series opener in Lahore on Saturday.
Phillips hit 106 not out from 74 balls, with seven sixes and six boundaries, after New Zealand won the toss and batted.
He was ably supported by Daryl Mitchell with 81 and Kane Williamson (58).
Phillips added a quickfire 54 off just 47 balls with Michael Bracewell for the sixth wicket. Bracewell scored 31 from 23 balls, with three sixes.
New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips (R) is congratulated by Mitchel Santner after scoring a century during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8, 2025. (AP)
New Zealand plundered 123 runs in the last 10 overs, including 84 from the final five.
Phillips smashed a boundary and two sixes off pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi to reach his hundred off 72 balls, taking 25 in the 50th over.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan walks off the field as New Zealand’s players celebrate after his dismissal during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8, 2025. (AP)
Shaheen ended up with expensive figures of 3-88 from his 10 overs, although he gave Pakistan an early breakthrough by removing opener Will Young for four with the fourth ball of the match.
Spinner Abrar Ahmed had opener Rachin Ravindra caught and bowled for 25 but Williamson and Mitchell then added 95 off 112 balls to rebuild the innings.
Pakistan’s Babar Azam (R) and Fakhar Zaman run between the wickets during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8, 2025. (AP)
Williamson hit seven boundaries in his 46th half century, his first one-day international since November 2023, before edging Shaheen to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.
Mitchell appeared well set for a hundred but miscued a shot off Abrar in the 38th over to be caught after hitting four sixes and two boundaries.
Pakistan was hit hard when pace bowler Haris Rauf walked off in the 37th over after suffering a side strain, having bowled 6.2 overs that included the wicket of Tom Latham for nought.
ISLAMABAD: United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohamed Yahya criticized the lack of global support for Pakistan in combating climate change this week, urging “stronger solidarity” with the South Asian nation to aid in the reconstruction of homes following the floods over two years ago.
In 2022, floods inundated one-third of Pakistan especially affecting the southeastern Sindh and southwestern Balochistan provinces, impacting 33 million people, causing 1,739 deaths and resulting in $14.9 billion (Rs4.1 trillion) in damage and $15.2 billion (Rs4.2 trillion) in economic losses, according to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority.
The Global Climate Risk Index says Pakistan is among the countries most at risk from climate change. Extreme weather events like floods, droughts, cyclones, torrential rainstorms and heatwaves have been occurring more frequently and with greater intensity across Pakistan in recent years.
“One other things we are concerned about is the lack of stronger solidarity for Pakistan around the reconstruction after the 2022 floods,” Yahya told Arab News on the sidelines of the Breathe Pakistan Climate Conference in Islamabad on Friday.
He noted this was despite the fact that “Pakistan contributes even less than one percent of global emission and is in the top five countries impacted by climate change.”
Yahya described it as “unjust” for Pakistan to be asked to take loans for rebuilding homes destroyed in floods and mitigating a crisis caused by other countries, noting that 20 countries were responsible for 80 percent of global emissions.
According to the UN, the 20 countries contributing to the global greenhouse gas emissions include China, the United States, India, Russia, Japan, Germany and Iran etc.
“We obviously welcome the loans Pakistan has received but Pakistan should not be using or taking loans to rebuild things that it had very little to do with and that we think is not just,” he added.
The UN official maintained the world body consistently urged polluting countries, which have contributed to the climate change disaster, to do more and show solidarity and support to the countries bearing the brunt of the climate change impact.
International donors in January 2023 committed over $9 billion (Rs2.5 trillion) to help Pakistan recover from ruinous floods a year earlier, exceeding its external financing goals.
Officials from some 40 countries as well as private donors and international financial institutions gathered at a meeting in Geneva as Islamabad sought funds to cover around half of a recovery bill amounting to $16.3 billion (Rs 4.5 trillion).
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also called for a grants-based and flexible financial assistance for climate resilience for developing nations like Pakistan this week.
He told the Breathe Pakistan Climate Conference that without global empathy and support, “the path to climate adaptation and green transformation will remain elusive.”
KARACHI: Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Saturday he has written another open letter to Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, complaining about the allegedly shrinking democratic space in the country since what he called “pre-poll rigging” in last year’s general elections, as his party marks a “Black Day” on the first anniversary of the electoral contest.
The letter is Khan’s second to the country’s powerful army chief this month. In the previous one, he had called for a reevaluation of current political policies while alleging that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was being targeted by the state.
Khan’s PTI and another opposition faction, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), decided to stage protests today on the first anniversary of the last general elections. The PTI initially planned to hold a rally in Lahore but, after being denied permission by the local administration, relocated it to Swabi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the party is in power.
As protests continued in different cities, Khan warned in his letter of a widening rift between the army and the people.
“Using agencies for pre-poll rigging and manipulating election results to establish an orderly government, forcing a constitutional amendment through parliament under duress to subjugate the judiciary, recruiting handpicked judges, enforcing draconian laws like PECA [Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act] to suppress dissent, and involving state institutions in political engineering rather than their constitutional duties is not only hurting public sentiment but also deepening the divide between the people and the army,” he wrote.
“The army is a crucial institution of the country, but a few black sheep within it are harming the entire institution,” he added.
Khan also criticized state policies, saying that “Internet censorship and social media restrictions” was creating problems for the country.
He blamed “a handful of individuals” for undermining the public mandate, leading to economic instability that has pushed investors and skilled professionals to leave Pakistan.
“Economic instability is at its peak,” he said. “The growth rate is at zero, and investment in Pakistan is nearly nonexistent. Poverty and unemployment are soaring.”
Pakistan police stand guard near a red zone in Karachi on February 8, 2025, as opposition parties protest to mark anniversary of Pakistan national polls, which they say were rigged to benefit their opponents. (AN Photo)
Khan also accused the authorities of damaging the military’s reputation among the public, arguing that national security depended on a strong bond between the people and the armed forces.
“Our soldiers are sacrificing their lives for Pakistan,” he continued. “To succeed in the fight against terrorism, the nation must stand behind the army. But the establishment’s policies and illegal actions have only worsened the army’s reputation among the people.”
There has been no official response from the army or the government to Khan’s letter yet.
Meanwhile, in Karachi, a PTI protest at the Press Club failed to draw large crowds, with party leaders blaming heavy security restrictions.
“How can anyone come to the protest?” asked Khair-un-Nisa, PTI’s Women District Manager in Karachi. “All the roads leading to [the protest venue] have been blocked. Troops have been deployed. They have started the arrests. What kind of law is this?“
Another PTI office bearer described the situation as “very unfortunate.”
“Freedom of association is a basic and fundamental right ensured by the Constitution of Pakistan,” said Advocate Maqsood Alam, Vice President of PTI’s Karachi Division. “But look here. You can see that the people of Pakistan, the citizens of Pakistan, cannot raise their voice independently. They cannot protest according to the constitution.” Arrests of Opposition Workers
Earlier, police arrested multiple opposition members ahead of planned protests by PTI and JI to observe February 8 as a “Black Day” to highlight alleged election irregularities.
Pakistan’s general election was marred by a mobile Internet shutdown and unusually delayed results. The elections resulted in a hung National Assembly, followed by weeks of opposition protests alleging vote fraud. The caretaker government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have denied the charges, but the US House of Representatives and several European countries have called for an independent probe— an initiative Pakistan has so far rejected.
PTI candidates contested the elections as independents after the party was barred from running under its symbol. While they won the most seats, they fell short of a majority, allowing a coalition of rival parties, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to form the government.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan expressed hope on Saturday the investment of Saudi fast-food chain Al Baik in Pakistan would help generate employment opportunities, as he met Saudi businessmen in Jeddah to explore ways to enhance bilateral trade.
Al Baik, a popular Saudi brand specializing in fried chicken, has a strong following among Pakistani travelers to the Kingdom. The company signed a memorandum of understanding last year to enter the Pakistani market, capitalizing on its existing popularity.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have witnessed a 22% increase in bilateral trade volume that currently stands at $700 million. Saudi Arabia also remains Pakistan’s largest source of remittances, with $7.4 billion sent by expatriate workers last year.
During the visit, the commerce minister met Al Baik’s owner, Rami Abu Ghazaleh, who confirmed the company’s decision to open outlets in Pakistan, indicating that the agreement had reached its final stages.
“Al Baik’s arrival in Pakistan will create employment opportunities,” Khan said, according to an official statement. “Pakistan offers a favorable business environment and invites Saudi investors to explore opportunities.”
Khan also highlighted the significant role played by Pakistani workers in Saudi Arabia’s economy and discussed his country’s new policy of granting visa-free entry with a 90-day stay for the nationals of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, facilitating greater business and labor mobility between the two states.
Beyond Al Baik, the minister engaged with other Saudi business leaders as well who showed interest in investing in Pakistan’s energy, information technology, agriculture and construction sectors.
He also invited them to attend upcoming trade events in his country.
Pakistan has been working to strengthen business-to-business (B2B) ties with Saudi Arabia.
During Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Riyadh last October, both sides signed 34 agreements worth $2.8 billion to enhance private sector collaboration and commercial partnerships. Pakistani officials have since been following up on the commitments made between the two sides.
