
What We Are Reading Today: ‘India' by Audrey Truschke
In this magisterial history, Audrey Truschke tells the fascinating story of the region historically known as India—which includes today's India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of Afghanistan—and the people who have lived there. A sweeping account of five millennia, from the dawn of the Indus Valley Civilization to the 21st century.
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Arab News
15 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan to continue receiving Hajj applications for remaining 3,500 official scheme seats
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will continue receiving Hajj applications for the remaining 3,500 seats under the government scheme, the religious affairs ministry said on Monday, hours after the expiry of a deadline. The country announced earlier this month it has been allocated a quota of 179,210 pilgrims, of which around 118,000 seats have been allocated under the government scheme and the rest to private tour operators. The religious affairs ministry said it has received 114,500 applications under the government scheme since Aug. 4 and will continue to accept applications for the remaining 3,500 seats. 'Aspiring applicants should submit their Hajj applications to the nearest bank as soon as possible,' the ministry said on Monday night. 'The receiving of applications will be stopped as soon as the remaining 3,500 seats are filled.' The South Asian country, which extended the deadline for receiving Hajj applications under the government scheme on Saturday, has designated 14 banks to receive Hajj applications. Intending pilgrims can also apply through the online Hajj portal of the ministry. Under the government scheme, pilgrims can choose between a long package (38-42 days) and a short package (20-25 days), with costs ranging between Rs1,150,000 and Rs1,250,000 ($4,050–4,236). Applicants are required to deposit a first installment of Rs500,000 [$1764] or Rs550,000 [$1941] depending on the package, while the remaining dues will be collected in November. Saudi Arabia had approved the same quota for Pakistan in 2025, though private tour operators last year struggled to utilize their share, saying they faced technical and financial delays, even as the government filled its quota of over 88,000 pilgrims.


Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Pakistan will not restrict mountaineering expeditions despite recent deaths of climbers
PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Pakistan has issued no warnings or restrictions for mountaineering expeditions in the north, an official said Sunday, despite the recent deaths of climbers. Climbers were well aware of the harsh weather and all the other risks and challenges, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, the northern region home to some of the world's highest mountains. 'Despite that, they willingly accept these challenges and come here to attempt these summits.' Chinese climber Guan Jing, 37, was the latest person to perish on one of Pakistan's mountains. She died last Tuesday after being hit by falling rocks on K2, the world's second-highest peak known for its treacherous slopes and extreme weather conditions. Rescue teams recovered her body on Saturday. Her body was still in the mortuary of the Combined Military Hospital in Skardu on Sunday. Contact has been made with Chinese authorities in Islamabad, and 'now it is up to them to make further decisions in this regard,' said Faraq. Jing's death occurred several weeks after German mountaineer and Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier died while attempting Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range. Bodies of foreign climbers who die attempting to summit mountains in Pakistan are typically recovered at the request of their families. But if the family declines a rescue, the remains are left at the spot where the climber died. Faraq said authorities were trying to provide climbers with better infrastructure, rescue facilities, security and a friendly environment. Mountaineering expeditions are the backbone of the local economy, bringing in millions of dollars in direct revenue. A large number of people work on these expeditions from May to September, feeding their families for the whole year with these earnings, he added. Hundreds of climbers try to scale mountains in northern Pakistan every year. Accidents are common because of avalanches and sudden weather changes. Last August, two Russians spent six days stranded on a remote peak before they were rescued. Gilgit-Baltistan, in Kashmir, has been battered by higher-than-normal monsoon rains this year, triggering flash floods and landslides.


Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Pakistan will not restrict mountaineering expeditions despite the recent deaths of climbers
PESHAWAR: Pakistan has issued no warnings or restrictions for mountaineering expeditions in the north, an official said Sunday, despite the recent deaths of climbers. Climbers were well aware of the harsh weather and all the other risks and challenges, said Faizullah Faraq, a spokesman for the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, the northern region home to some of the world's highest mountains. 'Despite that, they willingly accept these challenges and come here to attempt these summits.' Chinese climber Guan Jing, 37, was the latest person to perish on one of Pakistan's mountains. She died last Tuesday after being hit by falling rocks on K2, the world's second-highest peak known for its treacherous slopes and extreme weather conditions. Rescue teams recovered her body on Saturday. Her body was still in the mortuary of the Combined Military Hospital in Skardu on Sunday. Contact has been made with Chinese authorities in Islamabad, and 'now it is up to them to make further decisions in this regard,' said Faraq. Jing's death occurred several weeks after German mountaineer and Olympic gold medalist Laura Dahlmeier died while attempting Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range. Bodies of foreign climbers who die attempting to summit mountains in Pakistan are typically recovered at the request of their families. But if the family declines a rescue, the remains are left at the spot where the climber died. Faraq said authorities were trying to provide climbers with better infrastructure, rescue facilities, security and a friendly environment. Mountaineering expeditions are the backbone of the local economy, bringing in millions of dollars in direct revenue. A large number of people work on these expeditions from May to September, feeding their families for the whole year with these earnings, he added. Hundreds of climbers try to scale mountains in northern Pakistan every year. Accidents are common because of avalanches and sudden weather changes. Last August, two Russians spent six days stranded on a remote peak before they were rescued. Gilgit-Baltistan, in Kashmir, has been battered by higher-than-normal monsoon rains this year, triggering flash floods and landslides.