Known world over as ‘disappointed fan,’ Sarim Akhtar turns viral meme into NFT business 

Sarim Akhtar watching Pakistan drop a catch against Australia in an ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 match on June 12, 2019 in Taunton, England. (Photo courtesy: Social Media)
Short Url
Updated 31 October 2021
Follow

Known world over as ‘disappointed fan,’ Sarim Akhtar turns viral meme into NFT business 

  • Akhtar’s photo when Pakistan dropped a catch against Australia in Cricket World Cup 2019 became viral meme 
  • DFans, made in collaboration with NFT auction site Alter, will feature original avatars bearing Akhtar’s iconic pose

RAWALPINDI: Sarim Akhtar, the face of arguably Pakistan’s most famous meme, is taking his celebrity into the digital realm with a new non-fungible token (NFT) project called DFans, or Disappointed Fans.
London-based Akhtar’s disappointed face when Pakistan dropped a catch against Australia in an ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 match became a viral meme widely known as“the disappointed fan.” 

The announcement for Akhtar’s new venture, DFans, or Disappointed Fan, comes when all eyes are on cricket during the Twenty20 World Cup currently being played in the United Arab Emirates.
DFans, made in collaboration with Pakistan’s leading NFT auction site Alter, will launch next month and feature a number of original avatars bearing Akhtar’s iconic pose. The aim is to build “a community of disappointed fans” that people can collect, buy and sell.
“I was looking for opportunities to do something productive with my meme and celebrity status,” Akhtar told Arab News. “NFTs are popular but I did not know much about them until I was approached by team Alter. They took the time to educate me and were very transparent about the whole process.”
“DFans is inspired by my iconic pose from the original meme as my fans recognize me through that,” Akhtar added. “There will be a lot of relatable iterations of my iconic pose as you can see in the initial artwork.”


Saudi Arabia condemns separatist attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan

Updated 8 sec ago
Follow

Saudi Arabia condemns separatist attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan

  • Kingdom says it stands with Pakistan as security forces kill 92 militants in counteroffensive
  • Attacks hit multiple districts including Quetta and Gwadar, killing civilians and security personnel

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia on Saturday condemned separatist attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, expressing solidarity with Islamabad after a wave of coordinated violence killed civilians and security personnel across multiple districts.

In a statement cited by the Saudi ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, the Kingdom said it rejected violence in all its forms and stood with Pakistan as its security forces responded to the attacks.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strongly condemns the attacks carried out by separatist elements in various areas of Pakistan’s Balochistan province,” he said in a social media message. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia renews its firm position rejecting all acts of terrorism and extremism.”

Pakistan’s military said on Saturday its forces killed 92 militants, including three suicide bombers, while repelling coordinated attacks across the southwestern province, following assaults that targeted civilians and law enforcement personnel in several towns, including Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung and Kharan.

The military said 18 civilians, including women and children, were killed in attacks on laborer families in Gwadar and Kharan, while 15 security personnel died during clearance operations and armed standoffs.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry also conveyed condolences to the families of those killed and wished a speedy recovery to the injured, reaffirming its support for Pakistan’s efforts to safeguard stability and security.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has faced a decades-long separatist insurgency marked by attacks on security forces, infrastructure projects and civilians, as Pakistan steps up counter-militancy operations in the region.