Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem gets Pakistan’s Hilal-i-Imtiaz award
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Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari (right) awards Hilal-e-Imtiaz award to Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem (left) in Islamabad, Pakistan on August 29, 2024. (President Office)
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Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem (second right) calls on President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad, Pakistan on August 29, 2024. (President Office)
ISLAMABAD: Arshad Nadeem on Thursday received the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the second-highest civilian award of Pakistan, for making history at the Paris Olympics by setting a new record for the longest javelin throw and winning a gold medal for his country.
Nadeem’s triumph is seen by Pakistanis, struggling with an economic crisis and rising militancy, as all the more impressive since he was born and raised in a mud brick house in an impoverished corner of rural Punjab and as a young man trained in wheat fields with homemade javelins.
Nadeem, who compared his Olympic clash with India’a Neeraj Chopra to the two nations’ legendary rivalry in cricket, has previously said it is challenging being a non-cricket athlete in Pakistan, where resources and facilities for his sport are scarce.
But now his record-breaking 92.97 meter javelin throw in Paris has earned Pakistan its first Olympic medal since the 1992 Barcelona Games and its first gold medal since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
“President Asif Ali Zardari has conferred Hilal-i-Imtiaz upon Olympic Gold Medalist Arshad Nadeem in recognition of his outstanding achievement in Paris Olympics-2024,” Radio Pakistan reported. “The award was given at a special investiture ceremony in Islamabad today [Thursday].”
Nadeem, 27, married with two children, comes from a poor family of eight children in the central Pakistani region of Khanewal, where he first began to dream of Olympic greatness.
His district barely had reliable water and electricity supplies, let alone proper sports facilities for him to train.
“I am thankful to God almighty. I thank my parents and Pakistani nation,” Nadeem said as he returned home from Paris to a water canon salute and chants from thousands of supporters. “There is lot of hard work by me and my coach Salman Butt behind this.”
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday emphasized at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) the need for a credible and peaceful political transition in Syria to ensure stability, while calling for the removal of sanctions on past leadership, saying their continuation was now hurting the Syrian people.
The statement came hours after Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani announced his country would have a new government “representing the Syrian people as much as possible,” set to be launched on March 1.
Shaibani shared the plan on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit in the United Arab Emirates while discussing the situation following the overthrow of former President Bashar Assad.
“We take note of the assurance from the caretaker Foreign Minister today in Dubai that a new government will be launched on March 1st and will represent the Syrian people as much as possible and take its diversity into account,” Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, told the UNSC briefing on Syria.
“The path to peace and stability in Syria requires a credible political transition, national unity and an inclusive governance framework,” he added. “The international community must remain engaged and constructive in supporting this process. Pakistan stands firmly with the brotherly and resilient people of Syria.”
Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram addresses UN Security Council briefing on Syria, at the United Nations Headquarter in New York on February 12, 2025. (Photo courtesy: X/@PakistanUN_NY)
Akram welcomed the Riyadh Meetings on Syria hosted by Saudi Arabia last month, calling them crucial in fostering dialogue, promoting an inclusive political transition and aiding Syria’s reconstruction within a Syrian-led framework.
The Saudi-hosted discussions focused on post-conflict reconstruction, refugee repatriation, counterterrorism and strengthening regional and international cooperation.
“Sanctions remain a major obstacle to Syria’s recovery,” Akram said. “Unilateral sanctions, originally imposed on past leadership, now primarily harm the Syrian people. These must be reassessed and reviewed to facilitate economic recovery and humanitarian relief.”
“UN sanctions should also be periodically reviewed to ensure they do not impede Syria’s reconstruction while maintaining vigilance against terrorist-affiliated entities,” he continued. “A balanced and pragmatic approach is needed to address economic hardships and the humanitarian crisis.”
The Pakistani diplomat also raised concerns about the reported presence of militant groups in Syria, warning against the Arab state becoming a safe haven for extremist groups.
“The presence of foreign fighters and groups with known terrorist affiliations requires vigilance,” he said. “Any resurgence of Al-Qaeda, [Daesh], and their affiliated groups must be prevented. We are also concerned at reports of the inclusion of foreign terrorist groups in Syria’s governing structure. No foreign fighters or armed entities should operate outside the State’s control.”
ISLAMABAD: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s aircraft was escorted by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter jets as it entered national airspace and received a 21-gun salute upon arrival, the foreign office said on Thursday, hours after Pakistan’s finance minister met a Turkish business delegation to discuss economic opportunities in the country.
Erdoğan arrived in Islamabad late Wednesday for a two-day visit to co-chair a high-level strategic cooperation council aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, investment and other priority sectors. The visit is also expected to witness the signing of multiple agreements.
Erdoğan was received at Nur Khan Airbase by Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and is expected to have a packed schedule on Thursday.
“President Zardari @PresOfPakistan and PM Shehbaz Sharif @CMShehbaz warmly welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan @RTErdogan on his arrival in Islamabad,” the foreign office said in a social media post. “President Erdoğan’s aircraft was escorted by PAF jets, and he was given a 21-gun salute, followed by a performance by a military band and reception by children waving Pakistan and Türkiye flags.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan arrive in Islamabad on February 13, 2025, on a two-day official visit to Pakistan. (PID)
During the visit, Prime Minister Sharif and Erdoğan will co-chair the 7th session of the Pakistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC), a forum established in 2009 to enhance bilateral cooperation.
The council oversees joint standing committees covering key sectors such as trade, investment, banking, finance, culture, tourism, energy, defense and agriculture. Six sessions of the HLSCC have taken place since its inception, with the last one held in Islamabad in 2020.
Erdoğan is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Sharif and Zardari and address the Pakistan-Türkiye Business and Investment Forum, which will convene top investors, companies and business leaders from both nations, the foreign office said in a statement issued earlier.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (center) gestures as he received by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari (left) and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (right) at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi on February 13, 2025. (PID)
Ahead of Erdoğan’s visit, a Turkish business delegation met with Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to explore investment opportunities.
According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Aurangzeb assured the delegation of the government’s commitment to providing a stable policy framework and continuity to facilitate foreign businesses and investments.
Discussions covered potential areas for collaboration and measures to enhance ease of doing business in Pakistan. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral economic ties, recognizing the mutual benefits of sustained investment and trade partnerships.
Türkiye and Pakistan enjoy historically close relations and last year agreed to enhance bilateral trade to $5 billion during Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Islamabad.
Pakistan has been intensifying its outreach to international partners and allies in recent months as it navigates a fragile economic recovery, backed by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility granted in September.
ISLAMABAD: Among the many forgotten relics dotting the vast spread of the Potohar Plateau in northern Punjab is the Rawat Fort, which stands as a silent witness to centuries of history in what is this part of present-day Pakistan.
The fort lies about 18 kilometers east of the garrison city of Rawalpindi on the Grand Trunk Road highway and is believed to have been built in the 15th or 16th centuries during the Delhi Sultanate period.
There are many legends about the fort’s founding and its purpose. According to Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM), the fort, which derives is named from the Arabic word rabat meaning caravanserai, was built as an inn that provided lodging for travelers, merchants, and caravans passing through the strategic location of Rawat, at the crossroads of trade routes and a gateway to Kashmir and Central Asia.
Some historians, however, believe the fort was built in 1036 AD by Sultan Masood, the son of Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi, the head of the Ghaznavid Empire who ruled from 998 to 1030 AD and who had at the time of his death raised an extensive military empire that extended from northwestern Iran proper to the Punjab in the Indian subcontinent, Khwarazm in Transoxiana, and Makran. Other historical accounts say the fort was built by Sultan Sarang Khan Gakhar, the chief of the Gakhar tribes who was made ruler of the Pothohar Plateau by Mughal emperor Babar in 1520.
Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Lone, a director at DOAM which is restoring the monument, told Arab News Rawat Fort was one of many hidden relics near the Pakistani capital of Islamabad and its main attraction was a central courtyard that housed the ruined graves of Sultan Sarang and a number of his sons who died fighting Sher Shah Suri, the ruler of Bihar from 1530 to 1540 and Sultan of Hindustan from 1540 until his death in 1545. In fact, the area in which the fort is located is known as a key battleground between the Gakhar tribe and Suri.
“Tatar Khan had two sons, Sarang Khan and Adam Khan,” Lone explained. “Islam Shah, who was the son of [emperor] Sher Shah Suri, when he fought Sarang Khan, Sarang Khan was killed in battle. Sarang Khan and his 12-13 sons were also killed.”
This photo, taken on February 7, 2025, shows aerial view of the Pakistani archaeological site Rawat Fort in Potohar region, in northern Punjab, Pakistan. (AN Photo)
Adam Khan recovered the bodies, the archaeologist said, and built a tomb in their honor inside Rawat Fort.
Indeed, the structure has witnessed the rise and fall of many empires and military commanders. The building’s strategic importance led to its inclusion in the Mughal defensive line against invaders from the North-West. The fort’s location on the route used by Mughal emperors traveling to Kashmir for pleasure and strategic purposes also cemented its importance.
In the early 19th century, Sikh forces led by Sardar Milkha Singh captured Rawat Fort, and under Sikh rule, the fort underwent significant renovations and expansions. But the British annexation of Punjab in 1849 marked the beginning of the fort’s decline as the British no longer saw it as strategically essential. Over time, the once-imposing structure fell into disrepair.
This photo, taken on February 7, 2025, shows the Pakistani archaeological site Rawat Fort in Potohar region, in northern Punjab, Pakistan. (AN Photo)
“It has been used throughout the ages,” Dr. Tahir Saeed, an archaeologist and visiting professor at the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, told Arab News.
“During the Sher Shah Suri period, it was used as a port for the Mughals … The caravans passing through GT Road used it as a port. It was an important place from a strategic point of view … After the Mughal period, the Sikhs came here and used it as a stable or court.” RESTORATION
The management of Rawat Fort shifted from the federal government to the Punjab provincial government due to administrative changes in 2010 after a constitutional amendment devolved power to the provinces. The transition period from 2011 to 2017 saw significant encroachment, according to the DOAM, until the monument was returned to the department in 2017.
The fort, a quadrangular monument with three main gates, has several small cells that used to be rented out to merchants, and which are now undergoing restoration by authorities, as well as a mosque with three domes. The main attraction is the tomb of Sarang Khan, built by his brother Adam Khan who assumed leadership of the tribe and became the next Gakhar chief after 1546.
This photo, taken on February 7, 2025, shows entrance gate of the Pakistani archaeological site Rawat Fort in Potohar region, in northern Punjab, Pakistan. (AN Photo)
“We try our maximum effort to maintain the authenticity of our monuments and artifacts,” said Lone.
“You can do conservation, preservation and restoration. But we don’t reconstruct them. We try to restore the material that has been used for the original construction. Wherever it is available, we bring and use it or if it is lying there, we restore it.”
At the last stage of the restoration, he added, the ruined graves would be restored so “that people can understand that there is a grave of Sarang Khan in it and all his sons who were martyred are buried here.”
Pakistan has six UNESCO heritage sites and 25 which are on a tentative list, according to Lone. Rawat Fort is not on either list but when it achieves the status of a UNESCO heritage site, it would boost tourism in the area and also lead to better upkeep, he added.
This photo, taken on February 7, 2025, shows aerial view of the Pakistani archaeological site Rawat Fort in Potohar region, in northern Punjab, Pakistan. (AN Photo)
The archaeologist stressed the need for a sense of “shared ownership” of monuments and historical sites by the government and members of the public to help preserve them for generations to come.
“This is our heritage. We all have to take ownership of it,” Lone said. “Only if we take ownership of it can we protect it.”
Saeed, the archaeology professor, also called for more government funding.
“The government will have to set priorities,” he said.
“They will have to provide maximum funding and continuous funding so that conservation work on sites, archaeological sites, monuments and heritage sites can continue.”
KARACHI: Pakistani health authorities this week confirmed the country’s second polio case of 2025 in the country’s southern Sindh province, days after concluding a national immunization campaign against the infection.
Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure and to ensure immunity, health experts say it is crucial that all children under five complete the oral polio vaccine series. The South Asian country last year reported 74 polio cases in 2024, a sharp increase from just six in 2023.
The second polio case of the year was reported from district Badin in Sindh, Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Program said in a statement on Wednesday. The first case of the infection was reported in the Dera Ismail Khan district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province last month.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of the second wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2025,” Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Program said.
Of Pakistan’s 74 polio cases reported last year, 27 were from Balochistan, 22 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 23 from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
The Pakistan polio program runs several mass vaccination drives annually. This year’s first anti-polio drive was conducted from Feb. 3 to 9 during which over 45 million children were vaccinated.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries where polio remains endemic. In the early 1990s, Pakistan reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases.
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994, but efforts to eradicate the virus have been hampered by vaccine misinformation, opposition from some religious hard-liners who view immunization as a foreign plot, and frequent attacks on polio vaccination teams by militant groups.
Rizwan and Salman smash tons as Pakistan defeat South Africa in record chase
Pakistan will face New Zealand on Feb. 14 in final of tri-series, a warm-up for Champions Trophy tournament
Rizwan and Salman built a match-changing stand of 260, a new record for the fourth wicket for the green shirts
Updated 12 February 2025
AFP
KARACHI: Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha cracked centuries to guide Pakistan into the tri-series final with a thumping six-wicket win over South Africa in Karachi on Wednesday.
Rizwan led Pakistan’s highest successful chase in all one-day internationals of 353 in 49 overs with a magnificent 122 not out while Salman slammed 134 for his maiden century at the National Stadium.
Pakistan will now face New Zealand at the same venue on Friday in the final of the event which is a key warm-up for the Champions Trophy which starts next week.
The hundreds made by Rizwan and Salman overshadowed Matthew Breetzke’s record of scoring most runs by a batsman in his first two one-day internationals of 150 and 83.
Breetzke’s innings had set up an imposing South Africa total of 352-5.
Rizwan and Salman built a match-changing stand of 260, a new record for the fourth wicket for Pakistan, improving on the 206 scored by Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan against India at Centurion in 2009.
Their blistering innings should also erase doubts over the team’s vulnerable batting as they improved on Pakistan’s previous highest successful chase of 349 against Australia in Lahore in 2022.
Rizwan hit nine boundaries and three sixes off 128 balls while Salman’s 103-ball knock had 16 boundaries and two sixes.
Earlier, Breetzke followed his highest-ever debut score against New Zealand in Lahore on Monday with an attractive 84-ball 83, spiced with a six and 10 boundaries, after South Africa won the toss.
Breetzke bettered West Indian Desmond Haynes’s aggregate of 195 runs in his first two matches in 1978 before he fell to a brilliant catch off spinner Khushdil Shah.
Pakistan’s vaunted bowling attack failed to stop the tourists from scoring a big total, with skipper Temba Bavuma (82) and Heinrich Klaasen (87) also chipping in.
With wickets not falling, frustrated Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi angrily clashed with Breetzke as the batsman attempted to complete a run.
Shaheen made physical contact and exchanged words with his rival before umpire Asif Yaqoob separated the pair.
Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi (22), one of four changes in the South African team, put on 51 for the opening stand. The captain then built a second-wicket stand of 119 with Breetzke.
Bavuma was run out after cracking 13 boundaries in his 96-ball knock.
Klaasen lifted the tempo with a rapid 56-ball knock, smashing three sixes and 11 boundaries as the South Africans added 110 runs in the last 10 overs.
Kyle Verreynne and Corbin Bosch remained not out with 44 and 15 respectively to take South Africa past 350.
