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Skipper Babar Azam reviews Pakistan’s cricket performance, recalls victory against India in 2022

In this file photo taken on October 24, 2021, Pakistan's captain Babar Azam plays a shot during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. (Photo courtesy: AFP/File)
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Updated 01 January 2023
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Skipper Babar Azam reviews Pakistan’s cricket performance, recalls victory against India in 2022

  • Azam says Pakistan’s performance in white-ball cricket upstaged the team’s achievements in red-ball cricket
  • Captain Bismah Maroof describes World Cup victory over West Indies as highpoint for women’s national team
Updated 01 January 2023
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan men’s cricket team captain Babar Azam praised the national squad for showing excellence in white-ball cricket while evaluating the highs and lows of 2022 in a podcast released on Sunday, saying his favorite match was against India which the team comfortably won by 10 wickets in Dubai.

Azam was also accompanied by Bismah Maroof, who leads Pakistan women’s national cricket team, in a special edition of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s podcast.

The last year remained busy for the two teams in the international arena. The men’s side played a total of 44 matches while the women’s squad featured in 32.

Azam, who appeared in all 44 internationals and finished as the most successful batter in the world with 2,598 runs, recalled the team’s achievements when asked to reflect over 2022.

“Our performances in white-ball cricket upstaged our achievements in red-ball cricket,” he maintained. “We reached the finals in the UAE and Australia, and though we didn’t perform the way we had expected in red-ball cricket, three sides that rank above Pakistan played in the country which provided us a huge learning opportunity helped us entertain our fans.”

“In T20 cricket, my favorite match was the win against India in the repeat fixture of the Asia Cup as it was a crucial game for us in terms of a place in the final,” he continued. “In Test cricket, victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle was outstanding as we chased down 342 for the loss of six wickets on a difficult track. Abdullah Shafique was magnificent in the second innings when he scored 160 not out.”

Maroof, on the other hand, described Pakistan’s World Cup victories as a highpoint for the women’s team.

“The highlight of our World Cup campaign was the victory over the West Indies, which was our first in 13 years at the pinnacle event,” she said. “We also won five of the six [One Day Internationals] against Sri Lanka and Ireland at home to move up to second in the ICC Women’s Championship. While we defeated India in Sylhet for the first time since 2014, we missed out on the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup final after losing to Sri Lanka by one-run in the semifinal.”

The women’s team performance was also reflected in the ICC Player of the Month awards when Tuba Hassan (May), Nida Dar (October) and Sidra Ameen (November) won international recognitions.

Topics: Babar Azam Pakistan v India

Four militants killed in northwest Pakistan operation — military

Updated 10 sec ago
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Four militants killed in northwest Pakistan operation — military

  • The development comes amid a surge in violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, mostly blamed on Pakistani Taliban
  • Last week, Taliban militants also abducted a district and sessions judge in the same province, who was freed two days later
Updated 10 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Four militants were killed during an intelligence-based operation in northwest Pakistan on Monday, the Pakistani military said, amid a spate of militant violence in the region.

The operation was conducted in the Khyber tribal district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

An intense exchange of fire during the operation killed four militants.

“Terrorists’ hideout was also busted during the operation and a large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was recovered,” the ISPR said in a statement.

A sanitization operation was being carried out to eliminate any other threats in the vicinity, the ISPR added.

The development came amid a surge in violence in Pakistan’s northwest, mostly blamed on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), since the group ended a ceasefire with the central government in November 2022.

Last week, TTP militants abducted a district and sessions judge, Shakirullah Marwat, in the same province. The judge was recovered after a joint operation by police and security forces, police said on Monday. 

Earlier this month, six people, including five customs department officials, were killed in an attack in Dera Ismail Khan. Two customs officers were also killed in the area in a separate attack earlier.

Militants have also targeted security officials in the province in recent weeks, killing a number of police and counterterrorism department officials.

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded blame in recent months over who is responsible for the recent spate of militant attacks in Pakistan.

Islamabad says the attacks are launched mostly by TTP members who operate from safe havens in Afghanistan. Kabul denies this and blames Islamabad for not being able to handle its own security challenges.

Topics: Pakistan Military

Pakistan confers military award on Turkish land forces commander

Updated 29 April 2024
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Pakistan confers military award on Turkish land forces commander

  • President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the award at a special investiture ceremony held in Islamabad
  • General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, who is currently visiting Pakistan, also met Army Chief Gen Asim Munir
Updated 29 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday conferred a military award, Nishan-i-Imtiaz, on Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, during his visit to Islamabad, Pakistani state media reported.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari bestowed the Turkish general with the award at a special investiture ceremony held at the Presidency in Islamabad, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

“The award was conferred upon him in recognition of his illustrious services and contribution toward strengthening Pakistan-Turkiye defense relations,” the report read.

The investiture ceremony was attended by foreign diplomats and high-ranking military officials.

Separately, General Bayraktaroglu called on Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, and General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the Pakistani military said.

During his meeting with Gen Munir, matters of mutual interest and measures to further enhance bilateral defense cooperation were discussed, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing. 

“Both sides expressed satisfaction over deep-rooted relations between the two countries, based on historic, cultural and religious affinity,” the ISPR said.

“COAS emphasized the need to further strengthen existing military to military cooperation between the two Armed Forces.”

During the meeting, the ISPR added, the visiting dignitary appreciated the role of Pakistan Army in ensuring peace and stability in the region.

Topics: Pakistan Turkey Ties

Pakistan court hands life sentences to four in 2018 murder of lawmaker

Updated 29 April 2024
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Pakistan court hands life sentences to four in 2018 murder of lawmaker

  • The accused were convicted of aiding, abetting, reconnaissance, and facilitating murder of Syed Ali Raza Abidi
  • Court suspends proceedings against prime accused, citing Supreme Court ruling that prohibits judgments in absentia
Updated 29 April 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: A Pakistani court on Monday handed life sentences to four accused who were convicted of aiding, abetting, reconnaissance and facilitating the murder of a Pakistani lawmaker in the southern city of Karachi in 2018.

Ali Raza Abidi, a businessman and politician, who belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) party, was shot dead outside his residence in the Defense Housing Authority (DHA) area of Karachi.

Police had registered a case against the suspects in the Gizri police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

“The evidence shows that all the accused persons in furtherance of their common intention are involved in the commission of murder of Syed Ali Raza Abidi and they are equally responsible for the act,” Zeeshan Akhter Khan, the Anti-Terrorism Court judge, stated in his detailed judgment.

The convicts, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Ghazali, Abu Bakar and Abdul Haseeb, were also fined under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code. They can appeal the verdict within 15 days.

The court, citing a Supreme Court judgment, said since a case against absconding accused, Bilal, Hasnain, Ghulam Mustafa and Faizan, could not be proceeded in absentia, it was placed on dormant status until their arrest or appearance before the court.

Abidi was elected as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) on the ticket of the MQM-P in the 2013 general election. He, however, quit the MQM-P following the party’s formation of an alliance with the rival Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).

Despite briefly rejoining the MQM-P in December 2017, Abidi ultimately parted ways with the party in September 2018. He was killed months later on December 25, 2018.

Topics: Ali Raza Abidi

Pakistani PM meets Malaysia’s Ibrahim on WEF sidelines, invites on official Islamabad visit 

Updated 29 April 2024
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Pakistani PM meets Malaysia’s Ibrahim on WEF sidelines, invites on official Islamabad visit 

  • Shehbaz Sharif was in Riyadh to attend a WEF special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on April 28-29
  • The Pakistan PM invited Malaysian traders and businessmen to visit Pakistan to discuss expansion of bilateral trade, investment relations
Updated 29 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Riyadh and invited him to visit the South Asian country, Sharif’s office said. 
The two leaders met on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh, according to PM Sharif’s office.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to further develop relations.
“The two leaders also agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission in Islamabad soon,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. 
“The prime minister reiterated his invitation to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to pay an official visit to Pakistan.”
The two leaders discussed bilateral ties in the fields of education, science and technology, livestock and trade, and vowed to further enhance cooperation in the future, according to the statement.
PM Sharif also invited Malaysian traders and businessmen to visit Pakistan to discuss the expansion of bilateral trade and investment relations.
The Pakistan prime minister was in Riyadh to attend the WEF special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on April 28-29.
Sharif spoke about Gaza at the closing plenary of the two-day summit and held several bilateral meetings, particularly with Saudi officials, during the visit.

Topics: Pakistan Malaysia ties World Economic Forum

No peace in the world without ceasefire in Gaza, Pakistani PM says at WEF 

Updated 29 April 2024
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No peace in the world without ceasefire in Gaza, Pakistani PM says at WEF 

  • Pakistan does not recognize Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders
  • Sharif is in Riyadh for two-day World Economic Forum summit on growth, has met top Saudi leaders on sidelines 
Updated 29 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday there could be no peace in the world without a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as Israel’s attacks on the besieged Palestinians territory continue. 

The statement came during the prime minister’s address at the closing plenary of a special two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit held in Riyadh, with a focus on global collaboration, growth and energy for development.

Israel’s air and ground assault on Gaza has killed about 34,500 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities. The enclave is also in the grips of severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine since October 7 when the war started after attacks by Hamas on Israel.

“The world will not be in peace unless there is permanent peace in Gaza,” PM Sharif said.

Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Sharif said conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere had led to inflation globally, which was “breaking the back of developing countries.”

Sharif arrived in Riyadh on Saturday for the WEF special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on April 28-29.

The conference has convened more than 700 participants, including key stakeholders from governments and international organizations, business leaders from the World Economic Forum’s partner companies, as well as Young Global Leaders, experts and innovators.

During his address, the Pakistan prime minister also thanked Saudi Arabia and other friendly countries for supporting Pakistan through difficult times.

“I have to acknowledge from the core of my heart the support we have been given and received from the Saudi leadership,” he said. “I think, a friend in need is a friend in deed and we will never be able to repay back to them what they have done to Pakistan in difficult times.”

Sharif said his government was going for “deep-rooted structural reforms” to put the country on the path to economic recovery.

“It will hit me as prime minister, obviously,” he said. “But ladies and gentlemen, without that nothing will happen.”

Pakistan is facing a chronic balance of payments crisis, with nearly $24 billion to repay in debt and interest over the next fiscal year, three-time more than its central bank’s foreign currency reserves.

The country is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure a new loan program after its ongoing $3 billion program expires this month.

Topics: World Economic Forum

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