ISLAMABAD: More than 1,400 Pakistanis have registered to participate in Qur’an recitation and Adhan competitions announced by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority on May 22, making the South Asian nation the third biggest contestant in the race after the Saudis and Egyptians.
In all, 30,000 Muslims from around the world have registered to participate in the competitions, 17,050 for the Qur’an recitation contest and 12,950 for the Adhan competition. The top five countries in terms of highest registration rates include Saudi Arabia (6,169), Egypt (3,335), Pakistan (1,421), Indonesia (1,184) and India (828).
Saudi authorities announced the unique religious race last month, aiming to highlight “the diversity of the cultures of the Islamic world, which is reflected in the different methods of reciting the Qur’an and raising the Adhan.”
The organizers of the two contests told the media they were hoping to encourage a better understanding of the Qur’an and its recitation among young Muslims and sought to promote moderate Islam that rejected “extremism and intolerance in all its forms.”
The Kingdom’s General Authority for Entertainment on Thursday extended the registration deadline from June 22 to August 18 due to the overwhelming response.
The extension is expected to benefit thousands of aspiring participants who have not managed to register as yet, guaranteeing a large turnout from across the world.
Saudi authorities have also promised to distribute prizes of 12,000,000 riyals among the participants with “the most beautiful and influential voices.”
Pakistan third biggest contestant in Saudi Qur’an, Adhan competitions
Pakistan third biggest contestant in Saudi Qur’an, Adhan competitions
- Around 30,000 Muslims from across the world registered to participate in the twin contests
- Saudi authorities says contests aim to highlight Islam that rejects ‘extremism and intolerance in all its forms’
ADB, Pakistan sign over $300 million agreements to undertake climate resilience initiatives
- Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in weather patterns
- The projects in Sindh and Punjab will restore nature-based coastal defenses and enhance agricultural productivity
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed more than $300 million agreements to undertake two major climate resilience initiatives, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Tuesday.
The projects include the Sindh Coastal Resilience Sector Project (SCRP), valued at Rs50.5 billion ($180.5 million), and the Punjab Climate-Resilient and Low-Carbon Agriculture Mechanization Project (PCRLCAMP), totaling Rs34.7 billion ($124 million).
Pakistan ranks among nations most vulnerable to climate change and has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns. In 2022, monsoon floods killed over 1,700 people, displaced another 33 million and caused over $30 billion losses, while another 1,037 people were killed in floods this year.
The South Asian country is ramping up climate resilience efforts, with support from the ADB and World Bank, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable areas.
“Both sides expressed their commitment to effectively utilize the financing for successful and timely completion of the two initiatives,” the PID said in a statement.
The Sindh Coastal Resilience Project (SCRP) will promote integrated water resources and flood risk management, restore nature-based coastal defenses, and strengthen institutional and community capacity for strategic action planning, directly benefiting over 3.8 million people in Thatta, Sujawal, and Badin districts, according to ADB.
The Punjab project will enhance agricultural productivity and climate resilience across 30 districts, improving small farmers’ access to climate-smart machinery, introducing circular agriculture practices to reduce residue burning, establishing testing and training facilities, and empowering 15,000 women through skills development and livelihood diversification.
Earlier this month, the ADB also approved $381 million in financing for Pakistan’s Punjab province to modernize agriculture and strengthen education and health services, including concessional loans and grants for farm mechanization, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, and nursing sector reforms.
