KARACHI: Four Pakistan police officers have been charged with corruption hours after one of the country’s top cricketers complained of having been shaken down for bribes during a recent road trip, officials said Tuesday.
Sohaib Maqsood, who played 29 one-day internationals and 26 Twenty20 matches for Pakistan until 2021, wrote on X that he had been stopped while driving from Karachi to Multan.
“Sindh police is so corrupt that they stop you after 50 km and ask for money or they threat you to go to the police station...,” he posted.
He said he paid 8,000 rupees (around $28) on his way to take part in a T20 match.
Later Tuesday, a statement from Sindh police said four police officers had been found to have been involved in the incident.
“Legal action has been initiated,” the statement said, adding that two police officials had been suspended for “negligence.”
Police officers in Pakistan have long been accused of corruption, and those in rural areas of the Sindh province have a particularly bad reputation.
International cricketers are usually treated as celebrities in Pakistan, but often conceal their identities in public.
Howzat! Pakistan cops arrested after shaking down star cricketer
https://arab.news/43pz3
Howzat! Pakistan cops arrested after shaking down star cricketer
- Sohaib Maqsood said he paid Rs8,000, or around $28, on his way to participate in a T20 match
- Cricketers are usually treated as celebrities in Pakistan, but usually conceal their identities in public
Pakistani health tech platform raises $6 million to expand across GCC
- Founded in 2020, MedIQ says it provides convenient on-demand and cashless walk-in services to its customers
- MedIQ says will use funding to strengthen technology stack, scale operations in Kingdom’s health tech market
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan-based health tech platform MedIQ recently announced it has raised $6 million in a series A funding round led by Saudi Arabia’s venture capital Rasmal Ventures and the Kingdom’s investment company, Joa Capital.
MedIQ was founded by Dr. Saira Siddiqui, a doctor who holds a PhD in Health Economics from the University of Yorkshire, in 2020 in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.
The startup aims to redefine health care through a digitally enabled hybrid ecosystem and is currently operating in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Canada.
“This over-subscribed round signals strong investor confidence in our accelerated market traction, validates our excellence in engineering to support in becoming the leading health tech player in MENA, and reinforces the great experience our customers have with MedIQ Solutions,” the platform said in a LinkedIn post on May 4.
“With fresh capital, a focused team, and a purpose-driven founder, MedIQ is now primed to scale across the GCC to become a regional leader,” it added.
The company, which expanded into Saudi Arabia in 2023, said it will use the funding to strengthen its technology stack, scale operations in the Kingdom’s health tech market and support entry into Qatar and neighboring Gulf markets.
In an interview with Arab News in 2023, Dr. Siddiqui expressed her desire to see the platform expand across GCC countries.
Siddiqui had said women were the bulk users of MedIQ’s products as it is usually hard for them to visit hospitals without male companions in Pakistan and the Middle East.
“According to the figures which we have, about 74 percent of our users are women and [the] women having children or dependents such as older parents,” she had said.
IPL chiefs in talks about restart following India-Pakistan ceasefire— reports
- Indian Premier League was suspended for a week on Friday after tensions spiked between India, Pakistan
- There are 12 regular season games remaining to be played followed by three playoff matches and the final
NEW DELHI: India cricket board officials were reported to be meeting Sunday to discuss a quick resumption of the IPL, following India and Pakistan agreeing a ceasefire in their deadly border conflict.
Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan called a halt to hostilities on Saturday and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia told website cricbuzz they were “closely monitoring the evolving situation.”
Saikia added they will “take a call on IPL resumption after consulting all stakeholders of IPL and the concerned government authorities.”
Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the BCCI, told Indian media that officials would meet on Sunday to decide the future course of action.
The Indian Premier League was on Friday suspended for a week, a day after a match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capital was abandoned in Dharamsala, less than 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the northern city of Jammu, where explosions were reported hours earlier.
A special train was arranged for players to return to Delhi on Friday as airspace was closed, while overseas stars began to head home on Saturday.
Teams on Sunday were reported to be contacting their overseas players and coaching staff about returning, with website ESPNcricinfo saying the IPL could restart around May 15 if given the go-ahead by the government.
There are 12 regular season games remaining to be played followed by three playoff matches and the final, originally scheduled for May 25.
India and Pakistan have fought two of their three full-scale wars over Kashmir, a disputed territory that both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.
New Delhi launched missile strikes on Wednesday morning in retaliation for a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-run Kashmir two weeks ago that India blames on Pakistan.
Islamabad has denied any involvement.
At least 60 people have been killed on both sides of the border since Wednesday, in the worst violence in decades between the South Asian neighbors.
FACTBOX: The Himalayan region of Kashmir, at the heart of India-Pakistan enmity
- Kashmir has been site of several wars and diplomatic standoffs between India and Pakistan
- India accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants, an allegation Islamabad has denied
NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan agreed to stop firing along their border on Saturday, bringing an end to the escalated tensions between the two arch-rivals after multiple
strikes were launched against military bases.
The Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, has been the site of several wars and diplomatic standoffs.
Here is a look at the region, its history, and why it continues to be a source of tension between the two countries:
PARTITION AND ACCESSION
After partition of the subcontinent in 1947 following independence from British rule, Kashmir was expected to become part of Pakistan, as with other Muslim-majority regions.
Its Hindu ruler wanted it to stay independent but, faced with an invasion by Muslim tribesmen from Pakistan, acceded to India in October 1947 in return for help against the invaders.
GEOGRAPHY AND DEMOGRAPHICS
Kashmir ended up divided among Hindu-majority India, which governs the Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Ladakh; Islamic Pakistan, which controls Azad Kashmir (“Free Kashmir“) and the Northern Areas; and China, which holds the Aksai Chin region. Indian-administered Kashmir has a population of around 7 million, of whom nearly 70 percent are Muslim.
ARTICLE 370
A provision of the Indian constitution, Article 370, provided for partial autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir. It was drafted in 1947 by the then-prime minister of the state, Sheikh Abdullah, and accepted by India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Although intended as temporary, it was included in India’s Constitution in 1949 by the constituent assembly.
WARS AND MILITARY STANDOFFS
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence, two of them over Kashmir in 1947 and 1965. A third in 1971 led to the creation of Bangladesh. In 1999, they clashed again in the Kargil region in what was described as an undeclared war. A UN-brokered ceasefire line, the Line of Control, now divides the region.
THE INSURGENCY
Many Muslims in Indian Kashmir have long resented what they see as heavy-handed rule by India. In 1989, that bubbled over into an insurgency by Muslim separatists. India poured troops into the region and tens of thousands of people have been killed.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training militants, which Islamabad denies, saying it offers only moral and diplomatic support.
REVOKING OF SPECIAL STATUS
In August 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Indian government revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status in a move it said would better integrate the region with the rest of India. The state was reorganized into two federally administered union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Pakistan strongly objected, downgrading diplomatic ties.
RECENT YEARS
Modi says his 2019 decision brought normality to Kashmir after decades of bloodshed. Violence has tapered off in recent years, according to Indian officials, with fewer large-scale attacks and rising tourist arrivals. Targeted killings of civilians and security forces are still reported, however.
2024 ELECTIONS
In 2024, Jammu and Kashmir held its first local elections since the 2019 revocation of autonomy. Several newly elected lawmakers urged a partial restoration of Article 370. Key regional parties boycotted or criticized the vote, saying the winners would not get any real political power.
2025
Tensions escalated after an attack on April 22 in the resort town of Pahalgam in Indian Kashmir in which 26 men, mostly Hindus, were killed. India identified two of the three suspected militants as Pakistanis, although Islamabad denied any role.
Among a slew of tit-for-tat reprisals, India suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty regulating the sharing of water from the river and its tributaries.
India launched attacks on May 7 on what it said were “terrorist camps” in Pakistan, including in Pakistani Kashmir.
Strikes and counterstrikes against each side’s military installations followed. On Saturday, May 10, after concerted US diplomacy and pressure, the two nations said they had agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire.”
Trump says will work with India, Pakistan to seek resolution of Kashmir dispute
- In social media post, Trump vows to increase trade “substantially” with both India and Pakistan
- Pakistan appreciates Trump, says Kashmir dispute has 'serious implications' for South Asia peace
ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he would try to work with both India and Pakistan to see if they can resolve their dispute over the Kashmir territory, vowing to increase trade “substantially” with both nuclear-armed neighbors following their armed conflict this week.
Trump’s message on his social media platform, Truth Social, comes a day after India and Pakistan exchanged missiles and drone attacks, raising widespread fears of a nuclear confrontation between the two. Relations between India and Pakistan deteriorated after Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26.
Islamabad denied involvement, with tensions reaching a boiling point after India fired missiles at what it said were “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan on Wednesday, killing several. Pakistan said India had killed only civilians, vowing retribution.
India and Pakistan both claim the Himalayan region of Kashmir in full but govern only parts of it. They have fought two out of three wars since 1947 over Kashmir. India accuses Pakistan of arming separatist militants in the part of Kashmir it administers. Pakistan rejects the allegations and says it extends only moral and diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir.
“While not even discussed, I am going to increase trade, substantially, with both of these great Nations,” Trump wrote, referring to India and Pakistan.
“Additionally, I will work with you both to see if, after a ‘thousand years,’ a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir,” he added.
The US president said he was proud of the “strong and unwaveringly powerful leadership” of India and Pakistan for having the strength, wisdom, and fortitude to understand that it was time to stop the military aggression.
He said the armed conflict between the two states could have led “to the death and destruction of so many, and so much.”
’LONGSTANDING ISSUE’
Pakistan’s foreign office welcomed Trump’s statement, appreciating the American president’s “constructive role” in supporting the ceasefire understanding between Islamabad and New Delhi and bringing about de-escalation in the region.
In a statement, the foreign office appreciated Trump for expressing his willingness to find a solution to the Kashmir dispute.
“We also appreciate President Trump’s expressed willingness to support efforts aimed at the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute — a longstanding issue that has serious implications for peace and security in South Asia and beyond,” the foreign office said.
The statement said that Islamabad reaffirms any just and lasting settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute must be in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions.
“Pakistan remains committed to engaging with the United States and the international community in efforts to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the region,” the foreign office said.
“We also look forward to deepening our multifaceted partnership with the United States, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, and economic cooperation.”
’FAITHFUL’ CEASEFIRE IMPLEMENTATION’
The ceasefire announcement came after the Pakistan military said early on Saturday it had launched retaliatory strikes against India, accusing it of attacking three bases in Pakistan with missiles.
Pakistan’s military said it had targeted multiple bases in India in response, including a missile storage site in India’s north, as part of a military operation it named “Bunyan-um-Marsoos.”
Within hours of the ceasefire announcement on Saturday afternoon, however, India accused Islamabad of violating it by targeting Srinagar city in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Ata Tarar denied the allegation, saying people in his country were celebrating the end of the conflict and the government remained committed to the agreement.
The foreign office of Pakistan also maintained the country remained committed to the “faithful implementation” of the ceasefire.
Pakistan observes ‘Day of Gratitude’ today to celebrate ‘befitting response’ to Indian military
- Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire with India on Saturday after both sides exchanged missile, drone attacks
- Shehbaz Sharif urges nation, particularly religious scholars, to offer special prayers for those killed in conflict
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the nation would mark today, Sunday, as a “Day of Gratitude” to recognize the “befitting response” it had delivered to the Indian military following a shaky ceasefire agreement between Islamabad and New Delhi that took after days of conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
United States President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that Washington had brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following intense missile and drone exchanges, which began after a gun attack in Pahalgam, a tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir, that killed 26 people, in April.
India blamed Pakistan for the incident despite Islamabad’s rejection of the allegation, and launched retaliatory strikes on what it called “terrorist infrastructure.” It also took other retaliatory actions, including the suspension of a decades-old river water sharing treaty with lower riparian Pakistan.
The ceasefire announcement came after the Pakistan military said early on Saturday it had launched retaliatory strikes against India, accusing it of attacking three bases in Pakistan with missiles. Pakistan’s military said it had targeted multiple bases in India in response, including a missile storage site in India’s north.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced to observe ‘Youm-e-Tashakkur’ across the country today [Sunday] for giving a befitting response to Indian aggression and the success of ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos,’” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
The state media said the day would be observed to offer gratitude to god, pay tribute to the Pakistani armed forces for their “unmatched bravery” and appreciate the nation’s resilience.
Sharif appealed to the nation, particularly religious scholars, to offer voluntary prayers for the people who had been martyred in the attacks.
“Shehbaz Sharif expressed the resolve that the sacrifices of the Pakistan Armed Forces will never be forgotten, as the nation stands shoulder to shoulder with them,” Radio Pakistan said.
SHARIF HOPES TO RESOLVE OUTSTANDING ISSUES
In his address to the nation on Saturday night, the Pakistani prime minister hoped Islamabad’s ceasefire with New Delhi would pave the way for both countries to resolve longstanding issues.
“We firmly believe that all outstanding issues, including the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir and the distribution of water resources, should be resolved through peaceful dialogue in accordance with the principles of justice,” he said.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had announced that the two countries’ military operations chiefs had spoken to each other and agreed that all fighting would stop at 5 p.m. Indian time (1130 GMT) on Saturday, without using the word “ceasefire.” The MO chiefs would next speak on May 12, he added.
Within hours, however, India accused Islamabad of violating the ceasefire by targeting Srinagar city in Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Ata Tarar denied the allegation, saying people in his country were celebrating the end of the conflict and the government remained committed to the agreement.
The foreign office of Pakistan also maintained the country remained committed to the “faithful implementation” of the ceasefire.
“Notwithstanding the violations being committed by India in some areas, our forces are handling the situation with responsibility and restraint,” it said in a statement.
