Can ‘win hearts, not medals’ given poor sports facilities in Pakistan — Arshad Nadeem

Supporters of Pakistan athlete Arshad Nadeem watch the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on a screen as he competes in the men's javelin throw final, in Lahore, Pakistan, on August 7, 2021. (AFP)
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Updated 08 August 2021
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Can ‘win hearts, not medals’ given poor sports facilities in Pakistan — Arshad Nadeem

  • Nadeem become first Pakistani ever to qualify for final of any Olympics track and field event, finished fifth at javelin final in Tokyo on Saturday
  • In Arab News interview, says “no dearth” of talent in Pakistan but “hardly any facilities,” urges government to improve funding and invest in wellbeing of players

LAHORE: Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem, who had his dreams of javelin gold dashed on Saturday, said he felt “ashamed” that he did not win a medal for Pakistan, but lamented that it was only possible to “win hearts, not medals” given the inadequate training facilities and government support currently available for sportspersons in the country. 
Nadeem, the first Pakistani in history to qualify for the final of any track and field event at the Olympics, was aiming to become the first to win an individual medal for his nation since 1988. On Wednesday, he made it through to the final with the third best throw of the day at 85.16 meters.
But on Saturday, he finished fifth while Neeraj Chopra bagged the best throw of 87.58 meters to claim a historic first Olympic athletics gold medal for India.
“I am ashamed of myself that despite prayers I didn’t live up to the nation’s expectations, I feel disheartened,” Nadeem, 24, told Arab News in a phone interview from Tokyo on Saturday evening, after his doping test. “My people and other national heroes are happy for me but I am very ashamed of myself.”
Nadeem, choking on tears, added: “With the given facilities, we can only win hearts, not medals.”

 

“Other sports are not on the priority list of the government. All governments have been obsessed with cricket,” he said. “We have enough talent, but hardly any facilities. It needs to be worked out. There’s no dearth of talent in Pakistan.”

Nadeem, 24, was born in Mian Channu, a small city in Khanewal District, and grew up in poverty as one of nine children of a daily wage laborer. His current and former coaches say he reached the top despite a lack of financial resources and government support.
The athlete urged the government to improve facilities, increase funding and invest in the wellbeing of players: “I came 5th this time in the Olympics. If facilities are improved, I can perform well in the 2024 Olympics.”




Arshad Nadeem, of Pakistan, competes in the men's javelin throw final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP)

Nadeem’s physiotherapist agreed, saying “those who end up at number four or five are the ones who need to be invested upon.”
“Arshad Nadeem was suffering from anxiety in the final and such things do happen when someone is from a very humble background,” Dr. Asad Abbas Shah, secretary of the Medical Commission of the Pakistan Olympic Association, told Arab News. 
“Did you see the Indian contingent? They had brought with them an osteopath, physiotherapist, sports psychologist, doctor, orthopedic surgeon and even neurologist. They have an orchestra. What do we have? Nothing,” Shah said. 
The doctor said the government had gotten “two awakenings” in the form of Nadeem and weightlifter Talha Tayyab, who finished fifth in the men’s 67 kg event.
“Both opportunities were near misses, we can say the medal slipped from our hands,” Shah said. “They can perform well and bring medals if they are facilitated with good coaches, planned nutritious diets and good training sessions.”
Nadeem’s coach Fayyaz Bukhari also complained about poor facilities.
“Very few of our players qualify, so there’s a need to promote sports,” he told Arab News. “Sports facilities are next to nothing in our country,” he added, stressing the need for better grounds, training centers, trainers and mentors. “If you want a healthy body and mind, and to improve your education, you need to upgrade your sports.”




Supporters and family members of Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem offer prayers while watching television as he competes in the men's javelin throw final in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at Mian Channu in Khanewal District on August 7, 2021. (AFP)

Before Tokyo, in May 2017, Nadeem won a bronze medal with a best throw of 76.33 meters at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku. In April 2018, he set a new personal best of 80.45 meters in the qualification round of the javelin throw event at the Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast, Australia. In August 2018, he won a bronze medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he set a new personal best and national record of 80.75 meters.
As the only Pakistani athlete at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Nadeem achieved a new personal best and national record of 81.52 meters. In November 2019, Nadeem set a national record when he recorded 83.65 meters throw to win gold for WAPDA at the 33rd National Games in Peshawar. In December 2019, he won a gold medal with an 86.29 meters games record throw at the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal.


Pakistan seeks greater collaboration with US in blockchain, artificial intelligence

Updated 8 sec ago
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Pakistan seeks greater collaboration with US in blockchain, artificial intelligence

  • Pakistan Crypto Council CEO Bilal bin Saqib meets Acting US Ambassador Natalie Baker in Islamabad, says finance ministry
  • Pakistan says it plans to initiate joint programs, talent exchanges and MoUs between American companies and its startups

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Crypto Council (PCC) CEO Bilal bin Saqib met Acting US Ambassador Natalie Baker on Thursday to seek deeper collaboration with Washington in blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI), the finance ministry said.

Pakistan has increasingly sought to formalize its crypto economy amid rising interest in blockchain technologies worldwide. The country is already among the world’s fastest-growing crypto markets, ranking near the top in global adoption rates, with an estimated $300 billion in annual crypto transactions and around 25 million active users.

As part of these efforts, the PCC last month partnered with World Liberty Financial (WLF), a decentralized finance platform backed by US President Donald Trump, to advance blockchain innovation, stablecoin adoption and decentralized finance (DeFi) integration across Pakistan.

“Pakistan Crypto Council CEO meets US ambassador to advance youth collaboration in blockchain & AI,” the finance ministry’s statement said.

It added that Saqib met Baker to discuss creating bridges between US institutions and Pakistan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The PCC emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to becoming a globally competitive innovation hub, with blockchain and AI at the core of its future economy, the council said.

“Pakistan is home to one of the world’s youngest populations — eager, ambitious, and ready to lead the future of Web3 and AI,” Saqib said. “This is the time to invest in them, to connect them with global leaders, and to create real pipelines of opportunity between the US and Pakistan.”

The ministry said that Pakistan plans to initiate joint programs, talent exchange and strategic memoranda of understanding between American tech companies and Pakistani startups to build long-term partnerships that benefit both nations.

“The Pakistan Crypto Council remains committed to using blockchain as a tool of diplomacy, education, and empowerment — ensuring that Pakistan’s youth are not left behind but stand at the forefront of the global digital revolution,” the statement concluded.

Pakistan’s proactive stance to formalize its crypto economy follows its broader push to position itself as a hub for digital finance innovation, with 64 percent of its population under the age of 30.

Rising mobile broadband access, a booming freelance economy and increasing government interest in blockchain have accelerated the country’s Web3 adoption.


Pakistanis constituted largest group of UK asylum seekers in 2024

Updated 25 min 27 sec ago
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Pakistanis constituted largest group of UK asylum seekers in 2024

  • Number of asylum seekers in UK has tripled in recent years, with 84,200 applications in 2024
  • In previous years, asylum seekers came to the UK mainly from Syria and Iran, official data says

LONDON: The number of asylum seekers has risen sharply in recent years in the United Kingdom, with tens of thousands of applications still waiting to be decided, according to official figures.

Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Thursday that he had begun formal talks with unspecified countries to create “return centers” outside the UK for those who have exhausted all legal avenues to remain in the country.

The number of asylum seekers in the UK has tripled in recent years, with 84,200 applications in 2024, compared with an average of 27,500 between 2011 and 2020, according to official figures.

In 2022, there were approximately 13 asylum applications per 10,000 people in the UK, compared with 25 asylum applications per 10,000 people in the EU at the same time.

Some 11 percent of migrants in the UK were asylum seekers or refugees in 2023 — almost twice as high as the 2019 figure of six percent.

The proportion of initial asylum applications rejected in 2024 was 53 percent, compared with 88 percent in 2004 and 24 percent in 2022.

Between 2004 and 2021, approximately three-quarters of applicants whose initial request was rejected appealed the decision, with a third being succesful.

More than 9,000 failed asylum seekers were deported in 2024 — 36 percent more than in 2023.

Some 224,700 cases were a “work in progress” in 2024, with 87,200 awaiting an initial decision and 137,500 awaiting follow-up after an initial refusal, according to official documents.

This total has been declining since 2022 but remains four times higher than in 2014 due to longer waiting times for an initial decision and a larger number of people facing deportation.

The number of people crossing the Channel in makeshift boats, a route that virtually did not exist before 2018, has increased sharply in recent years.

Between 2018 and December 2024, 148,000 migrants risked their lives and reached UK shores by this route, according to official figures.

Of those, 95 percent applied for asylum, representing 29 percent of all asylum seekers over that period.

Nearly 13,000 migrants have already crossed the Channel in 2025, more than in the same period in 2024.

In 2024, the largest group of asylum seekers hailed from Pakistan, followed by Afghanistan. In previous years, they came mainly from Syria and Iran.


Pakistan stocks soar to record high amid budget buzz, IMF tranche

Updated 15 May 2025
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Pakistan stocks soar to record high amid budget buzz, IMF tranche

  • Pakistan this week received second tranche of special drawing rights worth $1,023 million from IMF under EFF program
  • Pakistan’s federal budget for next fiscal year to be finalized within next four weeks, budget talks with IMF from May 14-23

ISLAMABAD: Bulls took charge of the local bourse today, Thursday, as the Pakistan Stock Exchange surged to new heights, fueled by optimism surrounding upcoming budget announcements and the release of a $1 billion tranche by the IMF, analysts said.

Pakistan on Wednesday received the second tranche of special drawing rights worth 760 million ($1,023 million) from the IMF under an extended fund facility (EFF) program. The IMF last week approved a fresh $1.4 billion loan to Pakistan under its climate resilience fund and also approved the first review of its $7 billion program, freeing about $1 billion in cash.

Pakistan’s federal budget for the next fiscal year, starting July, will be finalized within the next four weeks, with scheduled budget talks with the IMF to take place from May 14-23, according to the finance ministry.

The benchmark index witnessed a remarkable intraday rally, climbing as much as 1,453 points before closing with an impressive gain of 1,425 points at 119,961, marking a 1.20% increase and setting a new all-time high.

“Refinery stocks ended the day in the green amid sector-specific developments,” brokerage house Topline Securities said in a daily market review. 

“The government is working to finalize a binding legal framework between oil marketing companies and refineries, with key clauses like take-or-pay aimed at resolving ongoing disputes over product upliftment and HSD imports — a move expected to bring greater clarity and stability to the supply chain.” 

Market participation also picked up, with total traded volume reaching 695 million shares and a traded value of Rs39.01 billion. Pakistan Refinery Limited topped the volume chart with 50.8 million shares traded.

Samiullah Tariq, head of research and development at Pak Kuwait Investment Company Ltd, said the market was positive due to recent inflows from the IMF, noting the “expectations of further inflows on the back of the IMF Board approval.”

Thursday’s bullish momentum also comes as the market continues to recover from upheaval brought by the most intense military row between Pakistan and India in years last week. The two nuclear-armed nations agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire on Saturday. 


Imran Khan spokesman rejects Pakistan media report party accepted PM’s offer for talks

Updated 15 May 2025
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Imran Khan spokesman rejects Pakistan media report party accepted PM’s offer for talks

  • News report claims Khan instructed party’s chairman to hold talks with government in private for “meaningful outcomes”
  • Khan aide Sayed Zulfikar Bokhari describes report as “fake news,” says government did not make any offer for talks

KARACHI: Former premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party spokesperson on Thursday rejected a news report that claimed he had given the green signal for fresh negotiations with the government, describing it as “fake news.”

Pakistani English language newspaper “The News” reported on Thursday that Khan had accepted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer to hold negotiations and instructed the party’s chairman, Gohar Ali Khan, to proceed with talks. The report said Khan had expressed “a strong preference” that the talks be conducted away from the TV cameras to ensure “meaningful outcomes.”

The PTI and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government have been at loggerheads ever since Khan was ousted from the prime minister’s office via a parliamentary vote in April 2022. The former premier has been in jail since August 2023 on a slew of charges he says are politically motivated. His party has led anti-government protests and marches that have led to clashes with law enforcement personnel.

“There is no such statement made by Imran Khan,” Sayed Zulfikar Bokhari, Khan’s adviser on international affairs and a former federal minister, told Arab News. “It is fake news. Neither has any offer been made to sit with Shehbaz Sharif or vice versa.”

Meanwhile, Gohar declined to comment on the development. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and the government’s legal spokesperson, Aqeel Malik, did not respond to Arab News’ request for a comment.

Attempts to break the political deadlock in the country via a dialogue between the PTI and the government began in December 2024. However, talks collapsed after the PTI in January presented its demands, which included the formation of judicial commissions to probe the party’s anti-government protests in May 2023 and November 2024.

The violent protest rallies, including the one on May 9, 2023, saw people carrying PTI flags rampage through military offices and installations. A second anti-government protest in November 2024 was held by the party to demand Khan’s release from prison. The government says four troops were killed in clashes with Khan supporters. The PTI denies the charges and claimed its supporters were shot by law enforcers.

The PTI gave the government seven days to form the judicial commissions, after the expiry of which the party unilaterally withdrew from talks in January.


Pakistan says ceasefire with India extended till May 18, Trump says both ‘very happy’

Updated 15 May 2025
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Pakistan says ceasefire with India extended till May 18, Trump says both ‘very happy’

  • Deputy PM Ishaq Dar says Pakistan seeks “composite dialogue” with India to resolve outstanding issues
  • Speaking to troops during Gulf tour, Trump said on Thursday hostilities between Pakistan and India were “settled”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday the militaries of India and Pakistan had agreed to extend last week’s ceasefire till Sunday, May 18, while President Donald Trump said both nations were “very happy” with the truce brokered by his administration last week.

Pakistan and India agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after four days of the worst fighting since 1999 between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, who attacked each other with missiles, drones, fighter jets, and artillery fire. Tensions began when India alleged Pakistan was involved in an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists last month. Islamabad denied involvement and called for an international probe into the incident. 

Tensions came to a head last Wednesday when India fired missiles into Pakistan, claiming it had struck “terrorist camps.” Pakistan said civilians had been killed and vowed retribution, saying it had downed five Indian jets. The worst of the fighting happened on Saturday when India attacked Pakistani air bases and Pakistan launched retaliatory strikes on military facilities and storage units. As the conflict spiraled alarmingly, US President Trump announced Washington had brokered a ceasefire on Saturday. 

The fragile ceasefire has been holding so far with only reports of a few violations on the first day. 

“Now it [ceasefire] has been extended till [May] 18, so obviously, now ultimately, things will go to the dialogue,” Dar said in televised comments to parliament. “For now, these are military-to-military communications, so obviously, then political dialogue will take place. The resolution of all issues lies there.”

Dar said the two nations needed to re-engage in a composite dialogue, which was a structured process initiated in 1997 to address a wide range of bilateral concerns, including peace and security, Kashmir, water, and economic cooperation. 

As tensions surged between India and Pakistan last month, both announced a raft of punitive measures against each other, including New Delhi unilaterally suspending the 1960 Indus Waters treaty, which governs the sharing of river waters.

India’s foreign minister said on Thursday the treaty with Pakistan would remain suspended until Islamabad ends “cross-border terrorism.”

“For us, this is a no-go area,” Dar told lawmakers. “We had announced it on April 24 as well that it [treaty suspension] will be treated as an act of war.”

India and Pakistan, both bitter rivals who possess nuclear weapons, have fought three wars since 1947 after gaining independence from British colonial India. The root cause of their conflict is the disputed Himalayan Kashmir region, which they both claim in full but administer only parts of. 

Speaking to troops at a base in Qatar during a Middle East tour, Trump said on Thursday hostilities between Pakistan and India were settled.

“And Pakistan was very happy with that [ceasefire] and India was very happy with that and I think they’re on the way,” Trump said. 

“We got that settled where everybody was very happy. I’ll tell you that it looked like it was really going to be escalating out of control.”