Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem returns home to hero’s welcome after Olympic glory

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem returns home to hero’s welcome after Olympic glory
Pakistan's javelin gold medallist at the Paris Olympics 2024 Arshad Nadeem waves to his fans from a bus upon his arrival at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore on August 11, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 11 August 2024
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Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem returns home to hero’s welcome after Olympic glory

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem returns home to hero’s welcome after Olympic glory
  • Top government officials, among hundreds, arrive at Lahore airport to receive star javelin thrower
  • Nadeem shattered Olympic record with 92.97-meter throw this week to win gold medal for Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s star athlete Arshad Nadeem arrived in the eastern city of Lahore late Saturday night to a hero’s welcome, with senior government officials among hundreds showing up to the airport to pay tribute to the javelin thrower after he won a historic Olympic gold medal for the country earlier this week in Paris. 

Nadeem won gold at the Paris Olympics 2024 in the men’s javelin throw competition on Thursday when he threw the light spear at an impressive distance of 92.97 meters, a new Olympic record. It was the first time Pakistan won gold at the Olympics since 1984 and the first time since 1992 when the South Asian country won any medal at the international competition. 

Hundreds thronged the airport to catch a glimpse of Nadeem as he arrived at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore on Saturday night. The Turkish Airlines flight carrying Nadeem was welcomed with a water cannon salute upon its arrival. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Prime Minister Youth Program Chairman Rana Mashhood and Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima welcomed Nadeem at the airport. 

Speaking to reporters, Nadeem thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for supporting his achievements, recalling how he had first made a mark as a javelin thrower in a sports festival organized by Sharif when he was Punjab’s chief minister years ago. 




Security officials escort Pakistan's javelin gold medallist at the Paris Olympics 2024 Arshad Nadeem (C) upon his arrival at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore on August 11, 2024. (AFP)

“From there I started playing this game and I thank Allah that I have reached this stage now,” Nadeem said. 

When asked whether he would ever become a politician, Nadeem responded:

“I don’t think it is my cup of tea. If I continue to do what is my job, I think that’s better.”

The javelin superstar left the airport for his hometown of Mian Channu in Khanewal district via a double-decker bus escorted by Punjab Police. 

The federal government on Saturday issued a special postage stamp themed ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ or Resolve for Stability in connection with Pakistan’s Independence Day, which will be celebrated on August 14. 
The postage stamp features an image of Nadeem with a javelin in his hand, paying tribute to his Olympic heroics.
Separately, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday issued instructions to award one of the country’s highest civilian honors, the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, to Nadeem. 
As per a statement from the president, he would award the Pakistani athlete in a special ceremony to recognize his Olympic feat. 
Nadeem, who comes from humble beginnings, is one of nine children of a daily wage laborer who showed great versatility as an athlete from a young age while dabbling in all kinds of sports at school.

Though the family lacked the financial means to encourage Nadeem’s enthusiasm for sports, his spirit earned him the support he needed, with his elder brothers working to help him build a career in sports, the family told Arab News in an interview in 2021.


Thousands rally in Karachi to protest one year of Israeli invasion of Gaza

Thousands rally in Karachi to protest one year of Israeli invasion of Gaza
Updated 15 min 52 sec ago
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Thousands rally in Karachi to protest one year of Israeli invasion of Gaza

Thousands rally in Karachi to protest one year of Israeli invasion of Gaza
  • The rally, organized by Jamaat-e-Islami religious party, was attended by a significant number of women and children
  • Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed over 41,800 Palestinians since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israeli

KARACHI: Thousands rallied on Sunday in Pakistan’s commercial capital of Karachi to protest one year of Israeli invasion of Gaza, calling for an end to the Palestinian “genocide.”
The rally, organized by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) religious party and supported by the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and other organizations in the Sindh province, called on the international community to immediately stop Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people.
The war in Gaza broke out after Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7 last year, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 people, according to official Israeli figures. Israel launched a blistering military campaign in Gaza that has since killed 41,825 people, the Palestinian health ministry says.
“A genocide of Palestinians is ongoing at the hands of Israel, with thousands killed in Israeli strikes that have persisted for the past year,” JI chief Naeem-ur-Rehman said, while addressing the rally that was also attended by a significant number of women and children.
“We condemn Israel for its inhumane behavior, brutalities and plans for expansion. The Israeli leadership has once again revealed its expansionist agenda, presenting a new map that challenges the sovereignty of various countries, while the United Nations has failed to intervene.”
Rehman paid a tribute to the people of Gaza for their steadfastness in the face of Israeli brutality and “crimes against humanity,” asserting: “This is a legitimate struggle according to the United Nations charter.”
PPP’s Nisar Khuhro condemned Israeli strikes on Gaza and called on the global community and the UN to “act responsibly.”
“This gathering sends a powerful message to the Muslim world as well, warning that if a joint strategy is not developed, Muslim countries may face attacks one after another,” he said.
Bushra Abdul Ghafoor, a student at the rally, expressed her solidarity with the Palestinians, saying that the gathering in Karachi would not go unnoticed.
“As a Muslim nation, we must support each other,” she said.
Iqra Khan, another participant, emphasized the need for unity among the Muslim world.
“Our aim is to achieve the liberation of Palestine as they face significant oppression,” she told Arab News. “God willing, this struggle will continue until Palestine is free.”
Speaking to Arab News, PPP leader Waqar Mehdi called on the Muslim world and all nations to oppose the atrocities committed by Israel in Palestine.
“Jamaat-e-Islami is holding a significant rally and we stand in solidarity with them,” he said.
Aamir Nawaz Warraich, president of the Karachi Bar Association, said the Pakistani legal community’s position on the Palestine issue was clear and the attacks and atrocities against the Palestinians must be stopped.
“All international stakeholders — whether from England, America, Germany, or elsewhere — should play their roles in ending this situation,” he said.
Warraich lamented the “inadequate response” from the global legal forums on the Palestinian “genocide.”
“If they do not take action, they will be complicit in this oppression, as everything is occurring under their watch,” he added.
 


Indian women notch cautious 6-wicket win over archrival Pakistan at T20 World Cup

Indian women notch cautious 6-wicket win over archrival Pakistan at T20 World Cup
Updated 06 October 2024
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Indian women notch cautious 6-wicket win over archrival Pakistan at T20 World Cup

Indian women notch cautious 6-wicket win over archrival Pakistan at T20 World Cup
  • Pakistan was stifled by fast bowler Arundhati Reddy (3-19) and off-spinner Shreyanka Patil (2-12) to score a modest 105-8
  • India reached 108-4 in 18.5 overs as captain Harmanpreet Kaur made a calm 29 off 24 balls before retiring hurt late in the chase

DUBAI: India notched a cautious six-wicket win over its sub-continent archrival Pakistan for its first points at the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday.
Pakistan was stifled by fast bowler Arundhati Reddy (3-19) and off-spinner Shreyanka Patil (2-12) to score a modest 105-8 on a slow wicket at the Dubai International Stadium with seasoned Nida Dar top-scoring with 28 off 34 balls.
India, which lost its first group A game against New Zealand by 58 runs, reached 108-4 in 18.5 overs as captain Harmanpreet Kaur made a calm 29 off 24 balls before retiring hurt late in the chase.
With only two needed for victory Kaur briefly lost her balance but regained her ground as wicketkeeper Muneeba Ali missed a stumping opportunity. Kaur clutched the back of her neck as she walked back to the dug out before Sajeevan Sajana reached the target with a boundary.
Despite the win, India is still fourth in the group with a poor net run-rate of -1.217 behind third place Pakistan, which beat Sri Lanka in its opening game and has a net run-rate of 0.555. New Zealand and Australia occupy the first two spots after winning their respective opening group games.
India had squeezed Pakistan to 7-71 in the 15th over despite Asha Sobhana dropping two easy catches off Muneeba Ali (17) and captain Fatima Sana (13). Muneeba’s struggling knock of 26 balls finally ended when she got stumped off Patil’s wide ball.
Sana smashed two boundaries but was brilliantly snapped by wicketkeeper Richa Gosh, who plucked a one-handed catch over her head behind the wicket to give some consolation to leg-spinner Sobhana (1-24) for her early lapse in the field.
Dar held the innings together in the death overs with a 28-run partnership with Syeda Aroob Shah, who scored 14, before Reddy had Dar clean bowled in the final over.
India’s batting powerhouse was over-cautious against Pakistan’s spin heavy bowling attack in their run-chase. Shafali Verma, who top-scored with 32 off 35 balls, successfully overturned a leg before wicket decision against her through television referral early in her knock but India’s top-order batters struck only five boundaries in their entire run-chase.
Sana (2-23) picked up two late wickets off successive balls when Jemimah Rodrigues (23) and Gosh both were caught behind. Sana came close to have Deepti Sharma lbw in her final over but the onfield decision was overturned by the third umpire when TV replays suggested the batter had got a thick inside edge.
In the second game of the day, Scotland won the toss and elected to bat against West Indies in a group B game with both teams looking for their first win in the tournament after losing their opening games of the tournament.


Center sets up panel to probe use of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial resources for Islamabad protest

Center sets up panel to probe use of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial resources for Islamabad protest
Updated 06 October 2024
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Center sets up panel to probe use of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial resources for Islamabad protest

Center sets up panel to probe use of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial resources for Islamabad protest
  • Ex-PM Khan supporters this week marched toward Islamabad from different parts of the country, mainly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where his party rules
  • Clashes erupted between Khan supporters and police when they were prevented from entering capital, with one cop killed and dozens of others injured

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal government has constituted an inquiry committee to probe the use of resources of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial government for this week’s protest by former prime minister Imran Khan’s party in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, the Pakistani interior ministry said on Sunday.
Supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Friday marched toward Islamabad from different parts of the country, mainly the neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, to protest the government’s proposed constitutional amendments that it claims are aimed at curtailing the independence of the judiciary, the government denies this. They also aimed to mount pressure for the release of their leader who is in jail since August last year.
Clashes erupted as police tried to prevent the protesters from entering the Pakistani capital, with federal officials accusing KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of firing tear gas at police while leading caravans of protesters from the neighboring province ruled by the PTI. They said Gandapur was accompanied by serving police officers as well as heavy machinery to remove road blockades.
“An inquiry committee is hereby constituted to probe the use of government resources and manpower by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in the rally, for sit-in at Islamabad, by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on 4th and 5th October 2024,” the Pakistani interior ministry said in a notification.

A supporter of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), throws back a tear gas shell during an anti-government rally in Islamabad, Pakistan, October 5, 2024. (REUTERS)

The three-member committee comprises Additional Interior Secretary Riffat Mukhtar, Additional Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Munir Masood Marath, and a representative of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), according to the notification.
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday evening and praised him, the Islamabad administration, and police for maintaining law and order in the capital, despite two days of clashes that killed at least one policeman and injured dozens of others, and prompted authorities to seal almost all roads and suspend mobile phone services.
Federal authorities said on Sunday they had rounded up nearly 900 protesters, while there had been no clue of the whereabouts of CM Gandapur, who led thousands to Islamabad, since arriving in the capital on Saturday. The PTI said Gandapur had been “kidnapped,” and that police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at its supporters in “excessive” use of force.
Khan’s party says it is facing an over-year-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the PTI attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023, after the former premier’s brief arrest the same day in a land graft case.
Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested following the riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military, which says Khan and his party were behind the attacks, has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.
Khan, who has been in jail since last August, was ousted from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary vote of no confidence after what is widely believed to be a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military, which denies being involved in politics.


Over 50 Pakistanis imprisoned in Sri Lanka due to return home today

Over 50 Pakistanis imprisoned in Sri Lanka due to return home today
Updated 06 October 2024
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Over 50 Pakistanis imprisoned in Sri Lanka due to return home today

Over 50 Pakistanis imprisoned in Sri Lanka due to return home today
  • The return of these Pakistani prisoners follows months of diplomatic negotiations between Pakistani and Sri Lankan authorities
  • Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi spearheaded the effort, while Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan announced bearing all expenses

ISLAMABAD: More than 50 Pakistanis, who had been imprisoned in Sri Lanka, were due to return home on Sunday, Pakistani state media reported.

The return of these Pakistani prisoners follows months of diplomatic negotiations between Pakistani and Sri Lankan authorities.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi spearheaded the efforts to secure their release, while Privatization Minister Abdul Aleem Khan announced bearing all expenses in this regard.

“A chartered flight has left for Sri Lanka to bring the Pakistani prisoners back,” the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

Naqvi expressed his gratitude to the Sri Lankan government and the high commissioner for their support in this regard, according to the report.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Ravindra Chandra Srivijay Gunaratne met Naqvi in July and discussed with him matters of mutual interest, including the release of Pakistani nationals imprisoned in Sri Lanka.

A total of 23,456 Pakistani citizens are imprisoned in various countries, local media reported, citing the Pakistani Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights.

Of them, 15,587 have been convicted of different offenses and 7,869 are under-trial.


Top official of ex-PM Khan’s party ‘missing’ as nearly 900 arrested in Islamabad protests

Top official of ex-PM Khan’s party ‘missing’ as nearly 900 arrested in Islamabad protests
Updated 06 October 2024
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Top official of ex-PM Khan’s party ‘missing’ as nearly 900 arrested in Islamabad protests

Top official of ex-PM Khan’s party ‘missing’ as nearly 900 arrested in Islamabad protests
  • Hundreds of Khan supporters set out for Islamabad from various parts of the country on Friday to take part in a protest at D-Chowk square
  • Clashes erupted after the police tried to prevent caravans of Khan supporters from entering the capital, resulting in the killing of one cop

ISLAMABAD: Mystery continued to surround the whereabouts of a key official of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) opposition party as its protest entered a third day on Sunday, with at least one policeman killed in clashes and almost 900 demonstrators arrested.

Hundreds of Khan supporters set out for Islamabad from various parts of the country on Friday to take part in a protest at D-Chowk. Police tried to prevent the protesters from entering Islamabad, which led to violent clashes between the two sides over the course of two days. Authorities said at least one policeman was killed in the clashes and dozens of other law enforcers sustained injuries, whereas Khan’s party said the police heavily shelled its supporters with tear gas.

Khan’s party announced this week it was protesting the government’s proposed constitutional amendments that it claims are aimed at curtailing the independence of the judiciary, with the government repudiating the charge. The party has also been trying to mobilize supporters through protests and public gatherings to pressure the government for the release of Khan, who has been in prison since August last year on a slew of charges.

Tensions between the government and the PTI escalated on Saturday after the paramilitary Rangers force stormed KP’s administration office in Islamabad, with the party saying Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who led caravans of Khan supporters to Islamabad from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, had been “kidnapped.”

“Chief Minister KP Ali Amin Gandapur is neither in our [Islamabad Police] custody nor is he in the custody of any other Pakistani institution,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Islamabad after attending deceased police constable Abdul Hameed Shah’s funeral prayers, denying the PTI claims that Gandapur had been abducted by police or intelligence agencies. 

“He himself is on the run. Islamabad police will deal with him as per law as they are definitely searching for him.”

Naqvi said the capital police conducted three raids at various locations on Saturday night where they suspected Gandapur was present, adding that he was not found there.

“We still have blockades at certain points in the city and are actively searching for him,” Naqvi said. 

Speaking at a presser, Islamabad police chief Ali Nasir Rizvi said they had rounded up 878 suspects during the days-long violent protests, of whom “120 were Afghan nationals.”

“Tear gas were fired on us, [we were] pelted with stones, with protesters using slingshots to attack us,” he said, without offering any evidence to support his statement.

Shah, the deceased police constable, was posted at Chungi no. 26 from where he was abducted by protesters, according to Islamabad police spokesman Muhammad Taqi Jawad. A resident of the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, Shah joined Islamabad Police in 1988 and was serving in its investigation wing.

“Miscreants kept torturing police constable Shah after abducting him,” Jawad said, adding that Shah was set to retire in three months upon completing his service.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Shah’s killing, blaming the PTI for the violent protests.

“PTI always adopted the path of violence under the guise of protest,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office. “The prime minister has directed to bring all people involved in the incident to justice.”

CURRENT SITUATION IN ISLAMABAD
Normalcy started returning to the Pakistani capital on Sunday afternoon after a majority of roads and thoroughfares in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, which had been sealed with shipping containers on Friday, were reopened for traffic, and mobile phone services were largely restored, bringing a sigh of relief to residents of the twin cities.

Speaking of the present situation in the capital, the Islamabad police spokesperson said the protesters who had entered Islamabad with CM Gandapur had left and there was no sit-in protest going on in the city.

“No protesters are in Islamabad right now and the roads are partially opened,” he said.
An Arab News survey, however, revealed that few roads leading toward the capital’s Red Zone, home to key diplomatic and government offices, were still blocked off with shipping containers.

Khan’s party says it is facing an over-year-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the PTI attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023, after the former premier’s brief arrest the same day in a land graft case.

Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested following the riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military, which says Khan and his party were behind the attacks, has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.

Khan, who has been in jail since last August, was ousted from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary vote of no confidence after what is widely believed to be a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military, which denies being involved in politics.