International cricketers Rassie van der Dussen, David Wiese arrive in Pakistan for PSL 2024

Namibia's David Wiese and South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen gesture for a photograph after arriving in Lahore on February 15, 2024, ahead of the 9th edition of Pakistan Super League. (Photo courtesy: Lahore Qalandars)
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Updated 15 February 2024
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International cricketers Rassie van der Dussen, David Wiese arrive in Pakistan for PSL 2024

  • Rassie van der Dussen, David Wiese both play for Lahore Qalandars franchise
  • Lahore Qalandars begin title defense against Islamabad United on Saturday

ISLAMABAD: International cricketers Rassie van der Dussen and David Wiese arrived in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Thursday to play in the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) tournament, which is set to kick off later this week.
Arguably Pakistan’s biggest sports event, PSL 2024 is expected to get underway at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday when the defending champions Lahore Qalandars square off against former champions Islamabad United. The PSL, Pakistan’s professional T20 cricket league, features six city-based teams that compete for the coveted trophy ever year. 
Dussen and Wiese both play for the Qalandars franchise. This year’s tournament will kick off from Feb. 17, with the final scheduled to be played on March 18. 
“Exciting news for Lahore Qalandars fans: Rassie van der Dussen and David Wiese are here,” the Qalandars wrote on social media platform X. 
“Are you ready to witness their impact on the pitch?“

Last year, the Qalandars claimed a historic feat when they became the first team in PSL history to successfully defend their title, securing their second trophy in two years with a thrilling victory over the Multan Sultans.
The Lahore-based team are one of the most prominent franchises of the league and have managed to cultivate a passionate fan base and a reputation for nurturing local talent over the years.
The Qalandars are scheduled to take part in a practice session at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground (LCCA) at 2:00 p.m. today, Thursday.
Lahore Qalandars matches
17 February v Islamabad United, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
19 February v Quetta Gladiators, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
21 February v Multan Sultans, Multan Cricket Stadium
24 February v Karachi Kings, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
25 February v Peshawar Zalmi, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
27 February v Multan Sultans, Qaddafi Stadium, Lahore
2 March v Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
6 March v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
9 March v Karachi Kings, National Bank Stadium, Karachi
10 March v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Stadium, Karachi


Pakistan test-fires surface-to-surface missile amid strained ties with India

Updated 6 sec ago
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Pakistan test-fires surface-to-surface missile amid strained ties with India

  • India-Pakistan tensions have soared after New Delhi blamed an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists on April 22, on Pakistan
  • Islamabad has denied involvement and said India was using the attack as a pretext to conduct strikes against Pakistan, vowing to defend its sovereignty

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has conducted a successful training launch of a surface-to-surface missile that has a range of 450 kilometers, the Pakistani military said on Saturday, amid heightened tensions with India.
India-Pakistan tensions have soared after New Delhi blamed an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists on April 22, on Pakistan. Islamabad has denied involvement and called for a credible international probe.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “full operational freedom” to respond to the attack, while Pakistan’s top military brass on Friday vowed to defend the country’s sovereignty after a minister said an Indian strike was “imminent.”
“Pakistan today conducted a successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System — a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometers, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features.”
India and Pakistan have exchanged diplomatic barbs, expelled each other’s citizens and shut border since the April 22 attack. India has suspended the 1960 World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty that ensures water for 80 percent of Pakistani farms, with Islamabad describing it as an “act of war.”
The two nuclear-armed countries have exchanged gunfire for nine consecutive nights along their de facto border in Kashmir, according to Indian defense officials. There has been no comment by the Pakistani military on the skirmishes.
There have been fears that the latest crisis between the nuclear-armed rivals who have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, could spiral into a military conflict.
Saturday’s missile launch was witnessed by the senior military officials as well as scientists and engineers from Pakistan’s strategic organizations, according to the ISPR.
“The president, prime minister of Pakistan, chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and services chiefs extended their congratulations to the participating troops, scientists and engineers,” it said.
“They expressed complete confidence in the operational preparedness and technical proficiency of Pakistan’s strategic forces to ensure credible minimum deterrence and safeguard national security against any aggression.”
Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. The region is divided between the two countries, though both claim it in full.
Since 1989, several Kashmiri groups have carried out attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of supporting these groups — a charge Islamabad denies, insisting it offers only diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris.
The United Nations (UN), United States, China, which shares its border with Indian and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and several other countries have urged restraint and asked both sides to resolve the latest crisis through dialogue.


Death toll from oil tanker explosion in Pakistan’s southwest rises to 10

Updated 55 min 4 sec ago
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Death toll from oil tanker explosion in Pakistan’s southwest rises to 10

  • The incident took place in Balochistan’s Nushki district on Monday afternoon when a tanker filled with fuel caught fire at an oil depot
  • Social media footage showed dozens of people fleeing the scene after the tanker exploded, with thick, black smoke rising into the sky

KARACHI: Eight injured of this week’s oil tanker explosion in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province have succumbed to their wounds, a spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation rescue service said on Saturday, bringing the death toll to 10.
The incident took place in Balochistan’s Nushki district on Monday afternoon when a tanker filled with fuel caught fire at an oil depot, leaving one man dead and injuring over 40 others.
In the footage widely shared on social media platforms, dozens of people could be seen fleeing the scene as the oil tanker exploded, sending plumes of thick black smoke and flames into the sky.
Twenty-four of the critically injured persons were airlifted to the southern port city of Karachi on Tuesday. Of them, one died mid-flight, while another eight people succumbed to wounds during treatment.
“Of the remaining 23 injured, 17 were admitted to Liaquat National Hospital and six to Patel Hospital [in Karachi],” Muhammad Amin, an Edhi Foundation official, told Arab News.
“Five patients died at Liaquat National Hospital and three others passed away during treatment at Patel Hospital.”
Nushki police said this week the tanker filled with fuel caught fire due to welding work nearby, and the driver drove away the burning vehicle from the oil depot and parked it in an open field where it exploded.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had expressed grief over the incident and directed authorities to provide immediate medical care to the injured.
“A complete and transparent investigation into the Nushki incident has been ordered,” he was quoted as saying by local media.
Oil tanker explosions can be caused by several factors such as collisions, overheating of the engine or overfilling which can build unnecessary pressure on the tank.
In 2017, 212 people were killed in Pakistan when a tanker carrying 40,000 liters of fuel overturned after trying to make a sharp turn while traveling from Pakistan’s Karachi city to Lahore on a highway.


Empress Market: a Karachi commerce icon built to bury ashes of a rebellion

Updated 03 May 2025
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Empress Market: a Karachi commerce icon built to bury ashes of a rebellion

  • It was at this site where the British executed participants of the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny in the Indian Sub-continent
  • Unaware of its grim past, people visit the place for grocery shopping and to see its magnificent Gothic architecture

KARACHI: In the heart of Karachi’s Saddar neighborhood, the Empress Market stands as a towering relic of British colonial ambition, where the scent of fresh produce mingles with the sharp tang of spices, and shopkeepers hawk everything from live poultry to antique coins.
But few realize that underneath its ornate clocktower and gothic arches lies a darker, forgotten history that is stained by rebellion and retribution for those who took part in the 1857 uprising against British rule in the Indian Sub-continent.
It was at this site where the British executed scores of mutineers and their local sympathizers after they got to know of their plans and later constructed this magnificent market between 1884 and 1889 to prevent the place from becoming a commemorative site.
“The Empress Market building has a very unique architectural design, but apart from its design, its history is very interesting, which actually reveals why it was built in the first place,” Tania Ali Soomro, a Karachi-based architect, told Arab News this week, elaborating on the site’s grim past.
“The rebels of the freedom struggle would be punished here. The method of punishment was such that they would be tied in front of cannons and then fired upon.”
The 1857 mutiny, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny, was a major uprising in India against the rule of the British East India Company, which began with a revolt by Indian soldiers of the Company in Meerut on May 10 that year and later spread to Delhi, Kanpur, Agra and Lucknow.
Though the uprising ultimately unsuccessful, it demonstrated the widespread discontent with British rule and paved the way for the rise of the Indian nationalist movement.
Historian Gul Hassan Kalmati notes in his book, ‘Karachi — Glory of the East,’ that following the failed rebellion, four mutineers, including Sooraj Bali Tivari and Ram Din Panday, were tied to the cannons and executed at the site of Empress Market.
Citing a confidential British document, titled ‘Secret document number D/223/1857, dated 14th September 1857, Secret Branch,’ Kalmati writes Tivari and Panday had led soldiers of the 21st Native Infantry Regiment, but two informants, Ram Bane and Lakhshman Gadari, alerted the British and thus failed the rebellion.
“The local people had started celebrating this place as a commemorative site. They would light oil lamps there and began to renovate it like a shrine,” Soomro said, adding this burgeoning memorial prompted the British to act.
“To erase this memory, the British decided to create something which is public and holds strong social value. As a result, the market was established at this location.”
In her book ‘The Dual City: Karachi During the Raj,’ Yasmeen Lari, a celebrated Pakistani architect, agrees with the notion.
“Although the imperialists were particular in commemorating significant events, it is not surprising that a plaque was not placed at the site of the Empress Market to mark the spot where native sepoys had been executed,” she writes.
The market was named in honor of Queen Victoria, the then Empress of India, with its Gothic architecture reflecting British authority with local adaptations.
“If we talk about the design, the architectural style of this building is Gothic, but it has been built in a somewhat localized and contextualized way,” Soomro said, adding the building was designed by James Strachan, who was an engineer.
“His distinct style, including linearity, pointed arch windows and the clock tower, can be seen across several buildings he designed, including DJ Science College and Sindh Madrasatul Islam [in Karachi].”
Lari describes the market as a “very handsome building designed in what is known as the ‘Domestic Gothic Style’.”
“While the use of the alien Gothic form was understandable, the presence of an atrium was highly unusual for the time,” she writes in her book.
“With a frontage of 231 feet on Preedy Street, its four galleries, each 46 feet wide, surround the generous size courtyard, 130 feet by 100 feet. The single-story building is not pretentious except for the tall central tower that rises to a height of 140 feet.”
The market was so beautiful that while praising it, Commissioner Pritchard had said that the “only one other market [that] surpassed it in the whole Presidency was the ‘Crawford Markets’ of Bombay,” according to Lari.
The most monumental feature of the building is its clock tower, which is positioned right at the center of the front wing. It was designed in a very symmetrical manner, with the front and back being exactly the same.
It has two levels. The first level features an arched entrance at the very bottom and then there is a balcony above it. The balcony is adorned with beautiful wrought iron grills. The second level has the clock installed and above that, the canopy of the tower serves as the cover for the structure.
Each wing of the market was originally dedicated to a separate function, a different type of shopping, according to Soomro. In some areas, there were wet groceries, and in others, dry groceries.
While this zoning has blurred, the market remains a vibrant hub.
“It’s a very historic and old market, and the best thing about it is that you can find everything in bulk — it’s called a one-stop shop,” said Zia Shahid, a regular at Empress Market.
“From vegetables to dry fruits, from groceries to various other items, you can get everything here at very good rates.”
But it isn’t just the wide variety of items that attract shoppers to the market. Many visit the place due to its magnificent structure and to take photos.
“We had heard a lot about how the art of photography stands out here in this market, in its own unique way,” said Afaan Adnan, a 21-year-old student, unaware of the site’s bleak past.
“We needed to take some pictures in which we could tell stories. Empress Market is a key part of Karachi, where countless stories unfold. We are here to capture them.”
But for shopkeepers like Y.B. Sethna, Empress Market is deeply personal as his family has been here since 1938.
“In 1938, my grandfather came to the market... After 1946, there was Partition, so the person he was working with at the time left and he said to my grandfather, ‘you’ve worked hard with us, so why don’t you take over this shop?’,” he said, adding that his grandfather, father and uncle used to run the grocery shop before him.
Sethna’s long association with the market has kept him from moving elsewhere.
“When I was seven years old, they [Sethna’s grandfather and other elders] would hold my hand and bring me here,” he said, adding people often ask him why he didn’t open a shop at a less crowded place with relative calm.
“The attachment I had with this place was so strong that I couldn’t leave it.”


On World Press Freedom Day, Pakistan honors journalists killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza

Updated 03 May 2025
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On World Press Freedom Day, Pakistan honors journalists killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza

  • Israel’s war on Gaza has killed over 200 journalists, making it the deadliest conflict ever for media workers across the world
  • PM Sharif commends responsible role of Pakistani media in confronting India’s recent unfounded accusations with ‘facts, truth’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday hailed journalists who lost their lives while reporting in conflict zones like Gaza, saying their dedication continues to inspire many across the world.
The statement came on the World Press Freedom Day on May 3 that aims to raise awareness about the importance of press freedom and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The period from October 7, 2023, when Israel launched its war on Gaza, to May 3, 2025 has proven to be the bloodiest period of the 21st century for journalists. According to the Palestinian government, 202 journalists were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza during this period.
The Committee to Protect Journalists says such a deadly and bloody war has never been seen before in which such a large number of journalists lost their lives, while Reporters Without Borders says the Israeli army deliberately targeted Palestinian and Lebanese journalists and media workers.
“[We] honor the sacrifices made by those who have lost their lives in pursuit of truth, especially reporting in conflict zones like Gaza and Palestine,” President Zardari said in his statement on the day.
“Their courage and dedication continue to inspire us.”
The media is indispensable in promoting dialogue, highlighting issues of social, economic and environmental significance, uncovering corruption and advocating for the marginalized communities, according to the Pakistan president.
Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the right to freedom of speech and a free press, subject to “certain restrictions.”
“I commend the responsible role of the Pakistani media in national interests, which confronted the recent Indian water aggression and the use of the media for unfounded accusations with facts and truth and destroyed India’s nefarious objectives of creating an atmosphere of war in the region,” Sharif said in his message on the World Press Freedom Day.
“I hope that our responsible media will continue to support and guide our efforts to protect national and public interests in the same manner.”
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people on April 22. Islamabad has rejected the charge and called for a credible, neutral international probe into it.
Sharif promised that his government would wholeheartedly work with journalists for their betterment.
“As a responsible democratic society, our collective responsibility is to ensure that journalism continues to serve the public good based on facts, ethics and freedom,” he said.
Pakistan ranks 152nd out of 180 countries on the RSF press freedom index, and journalists in the country have long complained of increasing state pressure on traditional media. Social media platform X is officially banned, but accessible using VPNs, while YouTube and TikTok have faced bans in the past.
“We have taken a number of steps for the protection and welfare of journalists, but more needs to be done by providing them a safe, secure, and enabling environment,” President Zardari said.
“A culture where journalists feel secure to perform their duties without fear and harassment is the need of the time. I urge the media to uphold the highest standards of journalism, accuracy, and professionalism.”


Pakistan will strike any Indian structure built to divert its water, minister says

Updated 03 May 2025
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Pakistan will strike any Indian structure built to divert its water, minister says

  • India suspended a key water-sharing treaty with Pakistan after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi has blamed on Pakistan
  • Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack that killed 26 tourists and described India’s suspension of the treaty as an ‘act of war’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will destroy any structure built by India to divert its share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on Friday, amid heightened tensions between the two countries over an attack in the Kashmir region.
India suspended on April 23 the World Bank-mediated Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 that ensures water for 80 percent of Pakistani farms, saying it would last until “Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.”
The development came a day after an attack killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam tourist town. India said two of the three militants who attacked tourists were from Pakistan. Islamabad denied the allegation and said any attempt to stop or divert the flow of Pakistan’s water will be considered an “act of war.”
Speaking to a private news channel on Friday night, Asif said diverting Pakistan’s water was also a “face of aggression” against the country and entire nations could die of thirst and hunger because of it.
“That will be aggression against Pakistan,” he said. “So, even if they made an architectural attempt of this kind, then Pakistan will destroy that structure.”
Pakistan has rights to the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — for irrigation, drinking, and non-consumptive uses like hydropower, according to the Indus Waters Treaty. India controls the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — for unrestricted use but must not significantly alter their flow. India can use the western rivers for limited purposes such as power generation and irrigation, without storing or diverting large volumes.
Asif’s comments came hours after Pakistan’s top generals blamed the April 22 attack on New Delhi’s “governance failures” and its strategy of using such incidents for political gains, warning Pakistani security forces were ready to respond to any attack on the country’s sovereignty.
Pakistan Army’s top brass gathered at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Friday to review the geo-strategic environment, with a particular focus on the Pakistan-India standoff and the broader regional security situation, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said.
“The Forum noted, with serious concern, India’s consistent pattern of exploitation of crises to achieve political and military objectives. They have been following a predictable template — whereby internal governance failures are externalized,” the ISPR said.
“These incidents have often coincided with unilateral moves by India to alter the status quo, as seen in 2019 when India similarly exploited the Pulwama incident to unilaterally alter the status quo of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir, through revocation of Article 370,” it added.
The 2019 Pulwama attack killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel and was also blamed on Pakistan before New Delhi revoked the region’s special constitutional status to integrate it in the Indian union, a move repeatedly condemned by Islamabad.
Tensions have been high in the South Asian region since last week’s attack in Kashmir, a situation exacerbated by retaliatory actions between the two nuclear-armed rivals, including the expulsion of diplomats and citizens, border closures and airspace shutdowns.
Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations. They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a region split between them, since gaining independence from the former British colonial rule in 1947.
On Friday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with envoys from Gulf allies and briefed them on Islamabad’s stance regarding the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, seeking to defuse tensions.
The international community has encouraged both sides to exercise restraint and resolve the crisis through dialogue.