At Pakistan army facility, breeding Arabian horses is a passion and a science

Arabian horses are seen at Remount Depot Mona in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan on May 27, 2023. (AN photo)
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Arabian horses are seen at Remount Depot Mona in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan on May 27, 2023. (AN photo)
Arabian horses are seen at Remount Depot Mona in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan on May 27, 2023. (AN photo)
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Arabian horses are seen at Remount Depot Mona in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan on May 27, 2023. (AN photo)
Arabian horses are seen at Remount Depot Mona in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan on May 27, 2023. (AN photo)
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Arabian horses are seen at Remount Depot Mona in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan on May 27, 2023. (AN photo)
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Updated 31 May 2023
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At Pakistan army facility, breeding Arabian horses is a passion and a science

Arabian horses are seen at Remount Depot Mona in Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan on May 27, 2023. (AN photo)
  • Over 600 Arabians at Remount Depot Mona are trained for equestrian games and dressage events
  • Archeological evidence suggests the Arabian horse dates back over 4,500 years in the Middle East

MONA: With its long, arched neck, refined wedge-shaped head and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. 

It is also one of the most ancient, with archaeological evidence available of horses in the Middle East that resemble modern Arabians dating back over 4,500 years. 

In Pakistan, over 600 Arabians can be found at the Remount Depot Mona military facility located in Mandi Bahauddin, with the animals specially trained for equestrian games and dressage events. 

Founded in 1902, the depot is spread over 10,000 hectares of land, complete with roads, buildings, a canal and a train line, and serves as a hub for breeding and nurturing horses, donkeys and mules. 

Pakistan started importing Arabian horses almost 70 years ago, often placing them in competitions as prized show animals and keeping a pool as gifts for foreign dignitaries. 

“Pakistan has 808 Arab horses, which are registered with the World Arabian Horse Organization,  of which 627 animals are from the Remount Depot Mona while only 181 are from all over the country,” Brig. Mohammed Naeem, the commandant of the depot, told Arab News during a visit to the facility last week.

WAHO, founded in 1970, is a UK-based charity with 82 affiliated countries that works to preserve pure Arabian bloodlines, promote breeding knowledge globally, coordinate member clubs, establish uniformity in breed terminology, and consult on other Arabian horse-related matters. 

But what makes the Arabian horse so special?

“Among known breeds of horses, the most ancient breed is the Arabian horse, which originated around 2,500 B.C. from the Arab Peninsula,” Naeem said, adding that the animals were renowned for their “exceptional beauty,” particularly when they ran and raised their tails, showing off their “elegant form.” 

Even though the precise origins of the Arabian are unknown, the breed is thought to have originated on the northern edge of the Syrian desert.
“They are widely recognized as one of the most famous horse breeds in the world,” Naeem added.

Pakistan became a member of WAHO in 1997, with Mona Remount Depot its sole representative in the country. While horse breeding at the depot began as a passion in 1956, the depot successfully turned to science in 2021 when it launched a test tube program. 

“At our facility, we have successfully witnessed the birth of 15 test tube babies thus far, with an additional 12 pregnancies currently ongoing,” Naeem said. 

The first Arab horse at the depot was imported in 1955 from the US and 31 others after that from different countries. 

“The price of an imported Arabian horse varies from $5,000 to $50,000, depending on the quality and pedigree of the animal,” Naeem said. 

“The expenses for importing also vary depending on the country of origin and whether the animal is transported in a single cage or a group cage. From Gulf states, it costs around $10,000, while from Western countries and the US, it can cost up to $20,000.” 

At the depot, the brigadier said, the cost of breeding, raising, and training an Arabian was “significantly lower due to locally produced fodder and other factors.” 

Naeem explained: “The budget of the depot is provided by the Ministry of Defense.” 

A pool of Arab horses, the brigadier said, was also kept to be presented as gifts by the Pakistani government and army to visiting dignitaries. 

“Thirty-six animals have been presented to different heads of state, including of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and other countries,” Naeem said.  

The rulers of Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia had gifted horses to Pakistani rulers also at different points over the last decades. 

“King Faisal gifted an Arabian horse to Gen. Mohammed Zia ul Haq,” he said, referring to the Pakistani military officer, who was the sixth president of Pakistan, “and the Saudi king also gifted a horse to Gen. Pervez Musharraf,” he said. Musharraf was the 10th president of Pakistan. 

Horses given as gifts to Pakistani rulers were always kept at the depot, Naeem said.

According to experts, the Arabian is classified as a “hot-blooded” breed, with its sensitivity and intelligence enabling quick learning and greater communication with riders. This is why the breed is trained for equestrian games such as riding, dressage, polo, and tent pegging. 

“We have horses specifically trained for show jumping and vaulting, which are used for various functions,” Naeem said. 

One of the depot’s Arabian horses won the best polo pony prize in Pakistan six times, the brigadier added. 

“These horses are highly responsive animals,” said Mohammed Rasaldar, a trainer at the facility who runs daily training sessions with the animals that start at 6 a.m. and continue through the day. “The more love and attention they receive, the more attached and responsive they become. 

“We have a 39-week-long training course for them, during which we expose them to various environments to eliminate their fears…They also receive training for different games throughout this course.” 

Mohammed Akhtar, who trains the horses for polo, said the animals respond to every command. 

“A horse is a very powerful animal,” he said, “and man can control it only by training it with a lot of love and compassion.” 


First US Abrams tanks to reach Ukraine ‘next week:’ Biden

First US Abrams tanks to reach Ukraine ‘next week:’ Biden
Updated 9 sec ago
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First US Abrams tanks to reach Ukraine ‘next week:’ Biden

First US Abrams tanks to reach Ukraine ‘next week:’ Biden
  • Biden also said he had “approved the next tranche of security assistance for Ukraine,” which the Pentagon later valued at $325 million

WASHINGTON: The first US M1 Abrams tanks will arrive in Ukraine “next week,” US President Joe Biden said Thursday, boosting Kyiv’s forces as they battle Russian troops in a slow-moving counteroffensive.

“Next week, the first US Abrams tanks will be delivered in Ukraine,” Biden said at the White House, alongside his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, who is on his second visit to the United States since Russia invaded his country in February 2022.

Biden also said he had “approved the next tranche of security assistance for Ukraine,” which the Pentagon later valued at $325 million.

It includes air defense missiles, ammunition for HIMARS precision rocket launchers, anti-tank weapons, and artillery rounds.

But the package does not feature the long-range ATACMS missiles that Kyiv has repeatedly requested.

It does include 155mm rounds that contain cluster munitions, which Washington first agreed to provide to Ukraine in July despite concerns over the long-term risk posed to civilians by bomblets that fail to explode.

The United States said it has received assurances from Kyiv that it would minimize the risk the weapons pose to civilians, including by not using the munitions in populated areas.

Washington had promised the 31 Abrams tanks to Kyiv at the start of the year, part of more than $43 billion in security assistance pledged by the United States over the past 18 months.

The tanks will be paired with 120mm armor-piercing depleted uranium rounds.

Such munitions are controversial due to their association with health problems, such as cancer and birth defects, in areas where they were used in past conflicts, although they have not been definitively proven to have caused them.

The decision to provide Abrams tanks to Ukraine represented a U-turn as American defense officials had repeatedly said they were ill-suited for Kyiv’s forces due to their complexity.


‘Sclerotic’ UN needs reform, Security Council system flawed, European Commission chief tells UNGA

‘Sclerotic’ UN needs reform, Security Council system flawed, European Commission chief tells UNGA
Updated 14 min 27 sec ago
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‘Sclerotic’ UN needs reform, Security Council system flawed, European Commission chief tells UNGA

‘Sclerotic’ UN needs reform, Security Council system flawed, European Commission chief tells UNGA
  • Charles Michel said lack of global representation on the council reflects outdated power structures that ‘hobbled’ its ability to act in best interests of the world
  • During the General Debate at the UN General Assembly, he also reiterated his previous call for a global treaty on pandemic prevention and preparedness

LONDON: The UN system has become “sclerotic” and is in need of reform, the president of the European Commission said on Thursday.

During a speech on Thursday during the General Debate at the 78th UN General Assembly in New York, Charles Michel also backed growing calls for the veto powers granted to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the US, Russia, France, the UK and China — to be limited under emergency conditions, and to broaden the body’s global representation.

“We must assume our responsibility and that means being engaged in order to put multilateralism back on solid ground,” he said. “To that end, we need to restore trust, solve the most urgent problems and repair the United Nations system.

“For the last 19 months, a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia, without any shame, has been undertaking a war to conquer its neighboring country.

“It can even abuse its veto rights to prevent sanctions against itself, and even use the Security Council to disseminate propaganda, disinformation and lies — let’s be honest.”

Michel reaffirmed the “unwavering” support of the EU for Ukraine in the war with Russia and the country’s “right to legitimate defense.”

He criticized the lack of proper global representation within the Security Council, which he said continues to reflect outdated power structures and this “hobbled” its ability to act in the best interests of the world as a whole, especially given some countries were “still colonial powers.”

He added: “The planet is falling. The world is being torn asunder by poverty and injustice, entire swaths of the world — Africa, South America, the Caribbean, Asia — are under- or non-represented (on the council). We support the comprehensive, massive reform of the Security Council to amplify the voice of these regions.”

Michel also reiterated his previous call for a global treaty on pandemic prevention and preparedness. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he and the head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, have led the push for negotiations on a treaty of this kind within the UN framework, urging the international community to reach a consensus on the topic by May next year.


Beijing committed to territorial reunification: VP

Beijing committed to territorial reunification: VP
Updated 42 min 57 sec ago
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Beijing committed to territorial reunification: VP

Beijing committed to territorial reunification: VP
  • ‘Taiwan has been China since ancient times,’ Han Zheng tells UN General Assembly
  • Vice president expresses support for ‘lawful national rights’ of the Palestinian people

NEW YORK: Beijing aims to reunify all Chinese territory, including Taiwan, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng told the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

“China stays committed to safeguarding sovereignty. There’s only one China, and the government is the sole legal government representing China,” he said.

“Taiwan has been China since ancient times, and no force should ever underestimate the strong will of the Chinese people to safeguard their sovereignty.”

Han said the international community must uphold equity and justice, safeguard peace and security, strive for mutual benefits and development for all, and pursue multilateralism in a balanced manner. “Major countries should lead by example and deliver on their commitment to multilateralism,” he added.

Han stressed the need for nonproliferation of all types of arms, saying China is the only permanent member of the UN Security Council that has pledged no first use of nuclear weapons, and it will soon ratify the UN Firearms Protocol.

He added that global development is a priority for China, which will host the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation next month.         

China is also committed to prioritizing ecology, which includes ceasing the construction of coal-fired power projects abroad, and supporting developing countries in order to produce green and low-carbon energy, Han said.

He called for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the “restoration of lawful national rights” of Palestinians.


Turkiye says it played no direct role in Karabakh operation

Turkiye says it played no direct role in Karabakh operation
Updated 21 September 2023
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Turkiye says it played no direct role in Karabakh operation

Turkiye says it played no direct role in Karabakh operation
  • Azerbaijan launched a lightning offensive to take back control of its breakaway Karabakh region on Tuesday

ANKARA: Turkiye is using “all means,” including military training and modernization, to support its close ally Azerbaijan but it did not play a direct role in Baku’s military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a Turkish Defense Ministry official said on Thursday.

Azerbaijan launched a lightning offensive to take back control of its breakaway Karabakh region on Tuesday. It later announced a ceasefire that would disarm the ethnic Armenian separatists who had held much of the region — regarded internationally as part of Azerbaijan — since the 1990s.

NATO ally Turkiye publicly threw its support behind Azerbaijan’s “steps to preserve its territorial integrity” but it had been unclear whether Ankara played any active role in the 24-hour military operation.

“It was Azerbaijan army’s own operation, there was no direct involvement of Turkiye,” a Turkish Defense Ministry official said on Thursday.

“Turkiye’s cooperation with Azerbaijan in military training and army modernization has been underway for a long time. The Azerbaijani army’s success in the latest operation clearly shows the level they achieved,” the official said.

He also said a joint Turkish-Russian monitoring center was still operating and was reporting on any ceasefire violations.

Turkiye, which has close linguistic, cultural and economic ties with Azerbaijan, supports efforts by Baku and Yerevan to build peaceful relations, the official added.

In a phone call late on Wednesday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed Ankara’s support to his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev.

“President Erdogan reiterated Turkiye’s heartfelt support for Azerbaijan,” the presidency said in a statement.

President Aliyev trumpeted victory in a televised address to the nation, saying his country’s military had restored its sovereignty in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Representatives from Nagorno-Karabakh and the Azerbaijan government met for talks on Thursday to discuss the future of the breakaway region that Azerbaijan claims to fully control following this week’s military offensive. Azerbaijan’s state news agency said the talks had ended but provided no details on whether an agreement was reached. 

Nagorno-Karabakh authorities and the news agency earlier said the talks between regional leaders and Azerbaijan’s government would focus on Nagorno-Karabakh’s “reintegration” into Azerbaijan.

Nagorno-Karabakh human rights ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said at least 200 people, including 10 civilians, were killed and more than 400 others were wounded in the fighting. 

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Aliyev and “condemned Azerbaijan’s decision to use force ... at the risk of worsening the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and compromising ongoing efforts to achieve a fair and lasting peace,” the French presidential office said.

Macron “stressed the need to respect” the ceasefire and “to provide guarantees on the rights and security of the people of Karabakh, in line with international law.”

Azerbaijan presidential aide Hikmet Hajjiyev said the government was “ready to listen to the Armenian population of Karabakh regarding their humanitarian needs.”


Italian PM urges UN to wage ‘war without mercy’ on migrant trafficking

Italian PM urges UN to wage ‘war without mercy’ on migrant trafficking
Updated 21 September 2023
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Italian PM urges UN to wage ‘war without mercy’ on migrant trafficking

Italian PM urges UN to wage ‘war without mercy’ on migrant trafficking
  • Meloni said Italy is ready to lead efforts against the ‘slave traders of the third millennium’

NEW YORK: Italy’s prime minister has urged the UN to launch a “global war without mercy” against migrant smugglers, after a surge of arrivals on the island of Lampedusa.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Italy, which next year heads the Group of Seven wealthy democracies, was ready to lead efforts against the “slave traders of the third millennium.”

“Can an organization like this which reaffirms in its founding document the faith in the dignity and worth of human beings turn a blind eye to this tragedy?” she asked.

“I believe it is the duty of this organization to reject any hypocritical approach to this issue and wage a global war without mercy against the traffickers of human beings,” she said.

“To do so we need to work together at every level. Italy plans to be on the frontline on this issue.”

Meloni, who heads the post-fascist Brothers of Italy party, took office in part on pledges to crack down on migration.

Some 8,500 people landed on Italy’s southern island of Lampedusa from 199 boats between Monday and Wednesday last week, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration.

The group is largely made up of people from sub-Saharan Africa who have gone to Tunisia, which is suffering from economic tumult and where President Kais Saied has railed against dark-skinned people.

Meloni put the blame on human traffickers, calling them a “mafia” who earn as much as drug smugglers, but said Italy would also work to address root causes and help African nations “grow and prosper.”

“Africa is not a poor continent. To the contrary, it is rich with strategic resources,” she said.

Her remarks came as German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Sicily, calling for a fair distribution of migrants who arrive in Europe.

Steinmeier, who is being accompanied by Italian President Sergio Mattarella during the two-day visit, said both Germany and Italy were “at their limits.”

“We need a fair distribution in Europe and stronger controls and surveillance at our external borders,” he told Italy’s Corriere della Sera daily in an interview ahead of his trip.

The focus of the trip was the awarding of a joint prize by the two presidents aimed at enhancing bilateral ties, but will also include a private visit to a migrant charity.

Germany is also dealing with “heavy immigration,” Steinmeier said, calling for “humane and sustainable European solutions.”

“We have to make every effort to make the loads sustainable and lower the number of arrivals,” he added.