Third batch of 26 Palestinian students arrives in Pakistan to resume medical studies

Officials from Pakistan’s Health Ministry gesture for a group photograph with Palestinian students arrived from Gaza, in Islamabad on October 18, 2024. (Photo courtesy: Health Ministry)
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Updated 18 October 2024
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Third batch of 26 Palestinian students arrives in Pakistan to resume medical studies

  • Islamabad announced in July that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) will provide scholarships to more than 100 Palestinian students
  • These Palestinian students will return after completing their medical education in Pakistan to serve people at home, a Pakistani health official says

ISLAMABAD: A third batch of 26 Palestinian students has arrived in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad to continue their studies in the fields of medicine and dentistry, the Pakistani health ministry said on Friday.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced in July that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) will provide scholarships to over 100 Palestinian students so that they can continue their studies in Pakistan.
The initiative, which came amid Israel’s war on Palestine, is a collaboration between Doctors of Rehman, Global Relief Trust and a leading Pakistani non-governmental organization, Al-Khidmat Foundation.
Pakistan prime minister’s coordinator on health, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, warmly welcomed the Palestinian students upon arrival at the Islamabad airport, according to the Pakistani health ministry.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had offered Palestinian medical students to continue their studies in Pakistan in view of the current situation in Gaza,” Dr. Bharath was quoted as saying by the ministry.
“[They] will continue their medical and dental education in various medical institutions of Pakistan.”
More than 42,000 Palestinians have so far been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, according to the Palestinian health authorities. The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing nearly 1,200 and capturing around 200 others.
“All necessary steps will be taken to provide medical facilities to Palestinian students,” Dr. Bharath said. “[Pakistan] stands with the Palestinian students in this difficult time.”
These Palestinian students would return after completing their medical education in Pakistan to serve people at home, he added.
More than 90 Palestinian students arrived in Pakistan earlier this week via two separate flights to continue their medical studies in the country.
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other multilateral platforms and demanded international powers and bodies stop Israeli military actions in Gaza.
The South Asian country has also dispatched several aid consignments for the Palestinians.


’Ugly’ England aim to spin their way to World Cup semis ahead of Pakistan clash 

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’Ugly’ England aim to spin their way to World Cup semis ahead of Pakistan clash 

  • England stuttered with the bat, finishing at 146-9 in their Super Eight clash against Sri Lanka last week
  •  A win over Pakistan today will be enough to see the 2010 and 2022 T20 World Cup champions into semis

SRI LANKA: England are yet to catch fire at the T20 World Cup, but they won’t mind one bit if another “ugly” win secures Harry Brook’s side a semifinal berth with a game to spare.

England bowled out Sri Lanka for 95 on Sunday to open their Super Eights campaign with a 51-run win.

With the Pakistan-New Zealand clash on Saturday being washed out, a win against Pakistan on Tuesday at the same stadium will be enough to see the 2010 and 2022 T20 World Cup champions into the last four.

England again stuttered with the bat and were restricted to 146-9 by Sri Lanka on Sunday.

“We know that we can play a lot better,” all-rounder Liam Dawson told reporters after the win, in comments only made public on Monday.

“But at the end of the day in tournament cricket, you just need to get the win, however ugly.”

England’s bowlers came to the rescue for the third time in the tournament, after also defending below-par totals against Nepal and Italy.

“The fight we’ve shown with the ball shows that this team is in a very good place,” said Dawson.

Pakistan possess a dangerous spin attack, featuring a unique weapon in Usman Tariq and his pronounced pause before he releases the ball.

But Dawson said England would fight fire with fire with their own potent slow-bowling arsenal.

England captain Brook also has speedster Jofra Archer, the hit-the-deck-hard Jamie Overton and left-arm swing bowler Sam Curran as the seam options.

England’s flexibility enabled Will Jacks to open the bowling with his off-spin on Sunday and destroy Sri Lanka’s top order.

He returned figures of 3-22 in tandem with Archer, who removed both opening batsmen, to leave Sri Lanka in tatters at 34-5 at the end of the six-over power play.

England’s variety offers Brook endless options, said Dawson who bowls left-arm spin, as does Jacob Bethell.

“We’re all very different types of spinners. Jacksy gets very good over-spin, very good bounce.

“Dilly (wrist spinner Adil Rashid) has all these variations and me, I’m probably more of a defensive spinner and that’s my role. I’m just trying to be consistent for the captain.

“Adil can use all of his tricks and he comes on to get wickets and get us back in games or put us ahead in games.

“Obviously, Jacks, he’s been brilliant. He’s exploited conditions here very well.

“And I think the way Brookie captained today was phenomenal, how he used us all differently.”

But Dawson cautioned that the wicket on Tuesday night could play very differently to the tacky slow track they encountered on Sunday, which had sweated under covers after days of rain in Kandy.

“Obviously, a different challenge on Tuesday at a night game. It could be a better wicket. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.”