Aqeel Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday said that the special emphasis would be laid on the character-building of country’s youth through the religious festivals. He said that the state of Madina was a practical example of principles and ethics and the Madina Charter was the defender of human rights, adding that the Islamic society was the most innovative society of its time. “The Sufis, in the light of the Seeratun Nabi (PBUH), imparted the religious teachings to the local people in their language,” the PM noted. He said that the special emphasis would be placed on making religious festivals as means of character building of youth, while the research and reflection in the universities would highlight the important aspects of Seeratun Nabi (PBUH). “Every citizen of Pakistan is a lover of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The greatest proof of the love for the Prophet is following the biography of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him),” he said. He said this while presidin...

  Australia captain Aaron Finch predicted a “great contest” against New Zealand in Sunday's final when the trans-Tasman rivals clash in their bid to win a maiden Twenty20 World Cup title. Finch said his team must stay focused throughout the match because he expects Kane Williamson’s men to fight till the end in Dubai. “Anytime you play New Zealand you know how great a contest it’s gonna be, you know that they’re so disciplined in all three facets of the game,” Finch told reporters on Saturday. “They’re a team that you have to be on for all 40 overs if you’re gonna get over the line. They’re a great side. They’re really well led by Kane and he’s done it brilliantly. “They seem to just hang around for long enough in any kind of contest and wear you down. That’s what we’ve learned over the years about New Zealand. They fight and scrap in every situation.” It will be a rematch of the 50-overs World Cup title match in 2015 which Australia won, but Finch felt there was little to choose b...

  Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan's recovery from a lung infection to make a valiant innings in the Twenty20 World Cup   semi-final   was termed “miraculous” on Saturday by the Indian doctor who treated him. Rizwan, 29, came out of the intensive care unit of a Dubai hospital to top-score with 67 in Pakistan's 176-4 on Thursday, but his efforts were in vain as Australia overhauled that total to set up a title clash with New Zealand. Rizwan's courage was  lauded  by Pakistan's batting coach Matthew Hayden and by fans, while pictures of the batsman lying in a hospital bed went viral on social media. Saheer Sainalabdeen, a pulmonologist who hails from the south Indian state of Kerala, told  AFP  it was Rizwan's “faith in God” and desire to play for Pakistan that got the batsman through a severe chest infection. Rizwan was so grateful that he sent the doctor an autographed Pakistan shirt. “I must admit that we did not expect his recovery to be so fast as it...

The orbital outpost is currently operating with just one NASA astronaut in the US segment to welcome the incoming crew WASHINGTON: After a series of delays, Elon Musk's private company SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station on Wednesday night on the "Crew-3" mission. The orbital outpost is currently operating with just one NASA astronaut in the US segment to welcome the incoming crew, after the astronauts of the earlier Crew-2 mission splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday night. Crew-3's Raja Chari, Kayla Barron and Tom Marshburn of the United States and Matthias Maurer of Germany blasted off aboard a Crew Dragon capsule fixed to a Falcon 9 rocket at 9:03 pm local time (0203 GMT Thursday) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was greeted by applause in the SpaceX control room. The spaceship, called Endurance, will dock with the ISS at 7:10 pm Thursday (0010 GMT Friday). The flight was initially postponed from October ...

Relations between the world's two largest economies have deteriorated in recent weeks, in particular over Taiwan WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden is expected to hold a hotly awaited virtual summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday, US media reported, as tensions mount over Taiwan, human rights and trade. Both CNN and Politico, citing unnamed sources, said the meeting was tentatively scheduled for Monday. Relations between the world's two largest economies have deteriorated in recent weeks, in particular over Taiwan, a self-ruling democracy claimed by China, which last month made a record number of air incursions near the island. Washington has repeatedly signaled its support for Taiwan in the face of Chinese aggression, but the United States and China reached a surprise agreement on climate at a summit in Glasgow. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that the two presidents, who have not met in person since Biden took office in January, will hol...

Sources within Punjab Home Department say Saad Rizvi's release was not possible at the moment LAHORE: Punjab government Wednesday announced  to have removed  Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Saad Rizvi's name from the Fourth Schedule, under a clandestine agreement signed between the government and the group last month. The official notification, issued by Punjab Home Department, said that the names of Rizvi, along with 487 other TLP members,  are being removed from the list of names under the 4th Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 with immediate effect. Rizvi's name had been placed in the list on April 16, 2021 following his arrest that incited nationwide protests by the group. 'Release not possible' However, releasing the TLP chief was not possible  at the moment since he was behind bars on the Federal Review Board's directives, sources  within the Punjab Home Department said. Sources said that Saad Rizvi's release would be possible after a hearing o...

PM Imran Khan announces free COVID-19 vaccines for all Afghans travelling across border into Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the international community to fulfill its collective responsibility and lend support to Afghanistan the same way Pakistan has always stood by the Afghan people in their hardships. The premier's comment came during acting Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit to Islamabad to attend the Troika Plus meeting, on the invitation extended by FM Shah Mahmood Qureshi. "We have assured [Muttaqi] and his delegation we will provide all possible humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. We are sending essential food items, emergency medical supplies and winter shelters to provide immediate relief to Afghan people," PM Imran Khan wrote on Twitter. The premier went on to say that Pakistan will administer free COVID-19 vaccines to all Afghans travelling across the border into Pakistan. "Again I urge the international community to fulfil it...