KARACHI: Pakistani police have fired tear gas and wielded batons to disperse a rally by the extremists in the southern port city of Karachi against the acquittal of a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.
But despite the Karachi violence, nationwide rallies the extremists had called for on Friday against Aasia Bibi’s freedom mostly fizzled.
Bibi had spent eight years on death row on charges of insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik party, which petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse its Oct. 31 acquittal of Bibi, had called for new rallies after the top court this week threw out its petition.
It had also urged businesses and transport operators to strike but the call was ignored.
There were scatterings of small rallies against Bibi in northwestern Pakistan and the capital, Islamabad.
Protests over acquitted Christian woman fizzle out in Pakistan
Protests over acquitted Christian woman fizzle out in Pakistan
- Police have fired tear gas and wielded batons to disperse a rally
- Aasia Bibi had spent eight years on death row
Kabul caps overseas leagues, mandates Afghanistan Premier League availability in UAE
- Players allowed only three overseas leagues to manage workload and fitness
- Five-team Afghanistan Premier League planned for UAE in October 2026
KABUL, Afghanistan: Top Afghanistan players such as Rashid Khan can play a maximum of three franchise leagues abroad per year, alongside mandatory availability for a rebooted domestic competition, according to a new policy approved by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
The decision was taken at the board’s annual general meeting in Kabul on Wednesday “to protect player fitness and mental well-being,” the ACB said in a statement.
“This measure aims to manage workload and ensure peak performance for national duties,” it added.
All players should be available for the five-team Afghanistan Premier League slated to launch around October 2026 in the United Arab Emirates.
Star all-rounder Rashid plays franchise cricket in India, the UAE, the United States, South Africa and England.
His teammates Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and teenager AM Ghazanfar also play in multiple leagues across the world.
Similar caps exist elsewhere. Pakistan restricts centrally contracted players to two overseas leagues outside the Pakistan Super League, while India does not allow its contracted male players to participate in any league abroad.
