ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s star athlete Arshad Nadeem on Wednesday urged fans to pray for his success at the final round of the men’s javelin throw competition at the Paris Olympics 2024, as he gears up to win the first Olympic medal for the South Asian country in decades.
Nadeem qualified for the final round of the competition on Tuesday with an 86.59-meter throw in the qualifying round. Athletes had to throw the light spear at a minimum distance of 84 meters to make it to the final round scheduled to be held on Thursday.
“I have qualified for the final of the Paris Olympics 2024 as a result of your prayers,” Nadeem said in a video message uploaded on his Instagram account.
“Please keep praying for me, the final is on August 8 at 11:25pm. So please keep praying for me so I perform well and win a medal for Pakistan.”
Nadeem, a nine-time international medalist and four-time gold medalist who came fifth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is Pakistan’s best shot at a medal in the ongoing competition. The Pakistani star athlete won silver at the World Championships last year and gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 with a massive 90.18m distance throw.
The last time Pakistan won a medal at the Olympics was in 1992 in Barcelona when it secured bronze in field hockey.
India’s Neeraj Chopra secured the top spot from Group B in the qualifying round, throwing the javelin a distance of 89.34 meters. He was followed by Grenadian athlete Anderson Peters, who scored a throw of 88.63 meters.
Meanwhile, Germany’s Julian Weber topped Group A with a throw of 87.76 meters, followed by Kenya’s Julius Yego from the same group who threw the javelin at a distance of 85.97 meters. Czech athlete Jakub Vadlejch recorded an impressive throw at 85.63 meters while Finland’s Toni Keranin threw the light spear at 85.27 meters.
Nadeem, who comes from humble beginnings from Khanewal city in Pakistan, is one of nine children of a daily wage laborer who showed great versatility as an athlete from a young age while dabbling in all kinds of sports at school.
Though the family lacked the financial means to encourage Nadeem’s enthusiasm for sports, his spirit earned him the support he needed, with his elder brothers working to help him build a career in sports, the family told Arab News in an interview in 2021.
Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem seeks fans’ prayers ahead of Olympic javelin final
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Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem seeks fans’ prayers ahead of Olympic javelin final
- Nadeem qualified for Olympic javelin throw final with an 86.59-meter throw
- Athlete to compete in final round of javelin throw competition on Thursday
Customs seize narcotics, smuggled goods, vehicles worth $4.9 million in southwest Pakistan
- Customs seize 22.14 kg narcotics, consignments of smuggled betel nuts, Hino trucks, auto parts, says FBR
- Smuggled goods enter Pakistan’s Balochistan province from neighboring countries Iran and Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs seized narcotics, smuggled goods and vehicles worth a total of Rs1.38 billion [$4.92 million] in the southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said in a statement.
Customs Enforcement Quetta seized and recovered 22.14 kilograms of narcotics and consignments of smuggled goods comprising betel nuts, Indian medicines, Chinese salt, auto parts, a ROCO vehicle and three Hino trucks in two separate operations, the FBR said. All items cost an estimated Rs1.38 billion, it added.
Smuggled items make their way into Pakistan through southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.
“These operations are part of the collectorate’s intensified enforcement drive aimed at curbing smuggling and dismantling illegal trade networks,” the FBR said.
“All the seized narcotics, goods and vehicles have been taken into custody, and legal proceedings under the Customs Act 1969 have been formally initiated.”
In the first operation, customs officials intercepted three containers during routine checking at FEU Zariat Cross (ZC) area. The containers were being transported from Quetta to Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, the FBR said.
The vehicles intercepted included three Hino trucks. Their detailed examination led to the recovery of the smuggled goods which were concealed in the containers.
In the second operation, the staff of the Collectorate of Enforcement Customs, Quetta, intercepted a ROCO vehicle at Zariat Cross area with the local police’s assistance.
The driver was interrogated while the vehicle was searched, the FBR said.
“During interrogation, it was disclosed that drugs were concealed inside the spare wheel at the bottom side of the vehicle,” it said.
“Upon thorough checking, suspected narcotics believed to be heroin was recovered which was packed in 41 packets, each weighing 0.54 kilograms.”
The narcotics weighed a total of 22.14 kilograms, with an estimated value of Rs1.23 billion in the international market, the FBR concluded.
“The Federal Board of Revenue has commended the Customs Enforcement Quetta team for their effective action and reiterated its firm resolve to combat smuggling, illicit trade and illegal economic activities across the country,” it said.
