ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani religious party on Saturday announced its decision to stage a sit-in at a major traffic junction connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad to express solidarity with the people of Palestine and pressure the government to meet its demands regarding the ongoing war in Gaza.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), known for its hard-line stance on blasphemy laws, has previously staged sit-ins at the Faizabad Interchange.
The presence of large numbers of protesters in the area significantly disrupts traffic, forcing drivers to take longer, alternative routes between the two cities.
The TLP workers, led by their young leader Saad Rizvi, took out a protest rally from Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi to Faizabad before deciding to set up a protest camp at the interchange.
“We will stay here until our demands are met,” Rizvi was quoted as saying in a TLP statement.
“Our first demand is to send food and medical aid to the oppressed Palestinians,” he continued. “Our second demand is for the Pakistani government to announce a boycott of Israeli products on an official level. Our third demand is to declare Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a terrorist.”
The war in Israel began last October and has so far claimed the lives of about 39,000 people, mostly women and children.
While Pakistan’s civil society and political factions have consistently brought out pro-Palestinian rallies, it is not clear what prompted the TLP to initiate the sit-in nearly nine months into the war.
Pakistani religious party stages pro-Palestine sit-in at key Rawalpindi-Islamabad traffic junction
https://arab.news/zs73f
Pakistani religious party stages pro-Palestine sit-in at key Rawalpindi-Islamabad traffic junction
- Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan says it will stay at Faizabad Interchange until the governments meets its demands
- The party wants official boycott of Israeli products along with a proclamation declaring Netanyahu a terrorist
Pakistan extends bid submission for new PSL teams citing interest from Middle East, Europe
- Pakistan has invited bids for two new PSL teams for upcoming edition of the tournament
- Pakistan Cricket Board extends bid submission deadline by a week to Dec. 22, says chairman
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to extend the deadline to submit bids for two new Pakistan Super League (PSL) teams due to “growing interest” from investors in the Middle East, US and Europe, chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday.
The PSL is Pakistan’s flagship Twenty20 league held every year featuring six teams, each representing a different city of Pakistan. It includes national as well as international cricketers.
PSL 11 is expected to begin in April and May next year, and will see two new teams added to the current roster of six PSL teams. Pakistan kicked off the process to invite bids from investors for two new PSL teams for the upcoming edition of the league last month.
“Witnessing growing interest from the Europe, USA, the Middle East and beyond in acquiring new HBL PSL teams, we have decided to extend the bid submission deadline by one week to 22 December 2025,” Naqvi wrote on social media platform X.
https://x.com/mohsinnaqvic42/status/1999510948311347476?s=46&t=_sd6Jiyhge2j48w9Ld4HwA
“Good luck to everyone excited to welcome our new franchise owners to the HBL PSL family.”
The PCB organized a roadshow this week in London to attract international investors. The roadshow featured former cricket stars Ramiz Raja, Wasim Akram and the PCB’s top hierarchy, including Naqvi.
The roadshow also featured star cricketers Babar Azam, Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf, who spoke about their journey so far and how the league has transformed their lives.
In an earlier statement, the PCB released a list of cities that potential owners could name their new teams after.
Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad, Gilgit, and Rawalpindi are the new potential cities, from which two will be chosen for the upcoming edition of the tournament.
The list of teams that are already part of the PSL are Multan Sultans, Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars.
