Pakistan condemns Israeli storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, urges global action

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Saturday unveiled its squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, as the country seeks to uplift its women’s football program and strengthen its profile in a sport where its men’s team has also struggled to gain traction.
Pakistan’s men’s national team, briefly competitive in regional tournaments in the decades following independence, has long languished near the bottom of Asian rankings amid administrative issues and lack of sustained investment.
In contrast, women’s football in Pakistan began to take shape in the early 2000s, with the formation of the country’s first women’s football clubs in 2002 and the launch of the National Women’s Football Championship in 2005.
“The Pakistan Football Federation has named a squad for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, set to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia from June 29 to July 5,” said the PFF in a statement.
Placed in Group E, the team will open its campaign on June 29 against Chinese Taipei, confront host Indonesia on July 2 and conclude the group stage against Kyrgyzstan on July 5.
A preparatory training camp, led by Coach Adeel Rizki, will be held at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium from June 19 to 26.
Football enjoys a considerable fan base in Pakistan despite the country’s cricket dominance.
Athletes have recently expanded into Olympic swimming and achieved international success in javelin, demonstrating a broader ambition to elevate sports beyond one stronghold.
PFF officials say the women’s squad aims to make a statement on the Asian stage and inspire broader development.
Pakistan will be seeking its first-ever Women’s Asian Cup appearance, while the men’s side continues to fight for relevance amid FIFA rankings that reached a historic low before recent suspensions were lifted.
Pakistan’s national women’s football team was officially formed in 2010 and has yet to qualify for a Women’s Asian Cup or World Cup, but played in multiple SAFF Championships and remained a bright spot in domestic football.

KARACHI: Pakistan on Saturday hosted the inaugural direct flight by Uzbekistan Airways between Islamabad and Tashkent, marking yet another step toward enhanced regional connectivity and deeper economic ties with Central Asia.

Pakistan has been pushing to forge stronger trade links with landlocked Central Asian nations by offering access to its Arabian Sea ports. While several regional states border Afghanistan, Uzbekistan is seen as a strategic gateway due to its central location in the region and its larger economy.

“The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) proudly hosted the inaugural flight ceremony of Uzbekistan Airlines’ direct service from Islamabad to Tashkent (Flight HY466), marking a significant milestone in enhancing regional air connectivity and people-to-people ties between Pakistan and Central Asia,” said a PAA statement.

The flight, carrying 126 passengers, departed Islamabad at 1:09 p.m. on Saturday, following a festive check-in at Zone 1 of the international airport adorned with balloons, the statement said.

It informed that ambassadors from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan attended the ceremony, joined by airport officials, tourism executives and Uzbekistan Airlines’ country manager.

Pakistan is also advancing plans for a railway link connecting Uzbekistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi and Uzbek officials about the proposed 573‑km Uzbekistan‑Afghanistan‑Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project.

The corridor aims to link Tashkent with Kabul and Peshawar, enhancing freight movement and reducing transit time by up to several days.

The overland route via Afghanistan connects Pakistan’s road and rail network through the mountainous frontier into Afghanistan and onward to Central Asia, offering an alternative to existing northbound trade routes.