Latest news with #Pakistan-hosted
Arabian Post
9 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
Asia Cup's Future in Flux as UAE Emerges as Neutral Host Amid India–Pakistan Strain
Asian Cricket Council officials are accelerating preparations to shift the 2025 Asia Cup to the United Arab Emirates, prompted by escalating diplomatic tensions and logistical barriers between India and Pakistan. Originally awarded to India, the tournament, scheduled for September, will adopt a neutral venue in a bid to preserve participation from all eight qualifying teams. Sources within ACC and Pakistan Cricket Board suggest that holding the entire tournament in UAE offers the only viable path forward, ensuring both cricketing integrity and commercial viability. Accruing nearly US$170 million in media rights, the Asia Cup commands considerable financial stakes. With India and Pakistan at the centre of its appeal, organisers are unwilling to jeopardise the competition. Forbes reports confirm that ACC officials have concluded that relocating the tournament is more feasible than attempting a hybrid model involving split venues. The UAE becomes the default choice, replicating approaches from previous tournaments when political dynamics between South Asian nations hindered full-fledged hosting arrangements. PCB figures confirm that Pakistan will participate in the UAE-hosted event, despite its reluctance to travel to India. Pakistan also plans a preparatory tri-series in August in Dubai involving Afghanistan and the UAE team—effectively replacing previously scheduled fixtures and maintaining match readiness should the Asia Cup shift occur. With the PCB's Mohsin Naqvi doubling as ACC president, such parallel initiatives underscore Pakistan's active role in preserving the tournament's continuity. ADVERTISEMENT Yet India has maintained a discreet stance. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has neither confirmed nor denied its capacity to host or participate, with internal caution dominating its external posture. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia recently refuted reports that India would withdraw from all ACC events. Still, precedent indicates India's avoidance of Pakistan-hosted events: The team did not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in February–March, instead participating in Dubai under a hybrid format. Recalling historical context affirms the ACC's decision. In 2018, the tournament was relocated from India to UAE amid similar political friction. Such precedent sets a framework for crisis management within the sport, suggesting that regional hostilities do not necessarily derail cricketing schedules. Observers also note that India has consistently leveraged a hybrid model since 2022, notably playing Asia Cup matches in UAE and Sri Lanka rather than Pakistan. Operationally, staging the Asia Cup in UAE will require careful planning, balancing weather conditions in September, broadcast scheduling for global audiences, and coordination with the tri-series. The PCB's tri-series proposal is advancing, reflecting a proactive stance. Meanwhile, ACC is likely to convene soon, under Naqvi's leadership, to finalise the tournament's relocation, format adjustments, and confirmation of venues in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. No official announcement has yet been made, but reports from ET and ProPakistani align in describing the move as imminent. Stakeholders are weighing broader implications. Indian broadcasters and advertisers depend heavily on premium fixtures, particularly India–Pakistan matches that attract unparalleled viewership. A full UAE tournament may retain this commercial allure while circumventing diplomatic entanglements. For smaller teams such as Hong Kong, Oman and UAE—each having qualified through ACC's Premier Cup—the neutral format ensures on-field exposure without political fallout. However, dissenting voices warn against complacency. Some Pakistani conspirators question whether a UAE relocation diminishes Pakistan's role as host, contrary to its status as 2025 Champions Trophy host and an ACC full member. Conversely, BCCI's insistence on a hybrid model has previously delayed Pakistan-based hosting, but this time the initial hosting rights belong to India. Any pivot could attract scrutiny over ACC governance and fairness, adding dimension to an already complex political backdrop. ADVERTISEMENT Supporters of the hybrid model note that India's hybrid strategy for the Champions Trophy earlier this year preserved integrity but exposed limitations. Attendance at Dubai was lukewarm; Australia–India clashes lacked the vibrancy typical of full-capacity Pakistan venues. UAE's smaller suburban stadiums and shorter pitches may limit spectator buzz, but logistical expediency and political neutrality weigh heavily. Athletes themselves face uncertainty. India and Pakistan players have not toured regularly since 2008 in bilateral series, and momentum often arises through ICC events. The Asia Cup in UAE represents another opportunity for competitive engagement before the T20 World Cup in 2026. With eight teams and nineteen matches planned, this Asia Cup holds relevance for Qatar 2026 preparations. Still, fragmented venues and political overtones could overshadow performance, causing players and fans to question cricket's autonomy from geopolitics. As the ACC readies its final call, timing remains critical. A decision made before July is necessary to confirm bilateral arrangements, tickets, broadcasting contracts, and tri-series scheduling. ACC's resolution will reverberate across regional cricket administration, testing confidence in neutral venues as a template for coping with diplomatic disruptions.
Gulf Today
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
UN calls on Taliban to lift ban on girls' education as new school year begins in Afghanistan
The UN children's agency on Saturday urged Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to immediately lift a lingering ban on girls' education to save the future of millions who have been deprived of their right to education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The appeal by Unicef comes as a new school year began in Afghanistan without girls beyond sixth grade. The ban, said the agency, has deprived 400,000 more girls of their right to education, bringing the total to 2.2 million. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans female secondary and higher education, with the Taliban justifying the ban saying it doesn't comply with their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. A teacher leads a class of girls on the first day of the school year in Kabul on Saturday. AP "For over three years, the rights of girls in Afghanistan have been violated," Catherine Russell, Unicef executive director, said in a statement. "All girls must be allowed to return to school now. If these capable, bright young girls continue to be denied an education, then the repercussions will last for generations.' A ban on the education of girls will harm the future of millions of Afghan girls, she said, adding that if the ban persists until 2030, "more than four million girls will have been deprived of their right to education beyond primary school.' The consequences, she added, will be "catastrophic.' Russell warned that the decline in female doctors and midwives will leave women and girls without crucial medical care. This situation is projected to result in an estimated 1,600 additional maternal deaths and over 3,500 infant deaths. "These are not just numbers, they represent lives lost and families shattered,' she said. Afghan boys attend a class at the start of new academic year at Habibia High School in Kabul. AFP The Afghan Taliban government earlier this year skipped a Pakistan-hosted global conference where Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai condemned the state of women's and girl's rights in Afghanistan as gender apartheid. Associated Press
Saudi Gazette
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
UNICEF urges Taliban to lift ban on girls' education as Afghan school year begins
ISLAMABAD — UNICEF on Saturday renewed its call for the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to immediately lift their ban on girls' education beyond sixth grade, warning of lasting consequences for the country's future. The appeal comes as the new academic year begins in Afghanistan — without the return of an estimated 2.2 million girls to secondary school and higher education. Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban has barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, citing their interpretation of Sharia law. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world with such a restriction in place. 'For over three years, the rights of girls in Afghanistan have been violated,' said Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF. 'If these capable, bright young girls continue to be denied an education, then the repercussions will last for generations.' According to UNICEF, an additional 400,000 girls were newly affected by the ban this year alone. If the prohibition continues through 2030, the agency estimates that more than 4 million girls will have been denied their right to education beyond primary level — a scenario Russell described as 'catastrophic.' Beyond education, the ban is also expected to take a serious toll on healthcare, as declines in the number of female doctors and midwives will leave Afghan women and girls without essential medical services. UNICEF projects an increase of 1,600 maternal deaths and over 3,500 infant deaths as a result. 'These are not just numbers — they represent lives lost and families shattered,' Russell said. Earlier this year, the Taliban-led government refused to attend a Pakistan-hosted global conference, where Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai condemned the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan as gender apartheid. — Agencies
Arab News
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
UNICEF calls on the Taliban to lift ban on girls' education as new school year begins in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: The UN children's agency on Saturday urged Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to immediately lift a lingering ban on girls' education to save the future of millions who have been deprived of their right to education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The appeal by UNICEF comes as a new school year began in Afghanistan without girls beyond sixth grade. The ban, said the agency, has deprived 400,000 more girls of their right to education, bringing the total to 2.2 million. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans female secondary and higher education, with the Taliban justifying the ban saying it doesn't comply with their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. 'For over three years, the rights of girls in Afghanistan have been violated,' Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director, said in a statement. 'All girls must be allowed to return to school now. If these capable, bright young girls continue to be denied an education, then the repercussions will last for generations.' A ban on the education of girls will harm the future of millions of Afghan girls, she said, adding that if the ban persists until 2030, 'more than four million girls will have been deprived of their right to education beyond primary school.' The consequences, she added, will be 'catastrophic.' Russell warned that the decline in female doctors and midwives will leave women and girls without crucial medical care. This situation is projected to result in an estimated 1,600 additional maternal deaths and over 3,500 infant deaths. 'These are not just numbers, they represent lives lost and families shattered,' she said. The Afghan Taliban government earlier this year skipped a Pakistan-hosted global conference where Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai condemned the state of women's and girl's rights in Afghanistan as gender apartheid.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UNICEF calls on the Taliban to lift ban on girls' education as new school year begins in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The U.N. children's agency on Saturday urged Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to immediately lift a lingering ban on girls' education to save the future of millions who have been deprived of their right to education since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The appeal by UNICEF comes as a new school year began in Afghanistan without girls beyond sixth grade. The ban, said the agency, has deprived 400,000 more girls of their right to education, bringing the total to 2.2 million. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that bans female secondary and higher education, with the Taliban justifying the ban saying it doesn't comply with their interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. 'For over three years, the rights of girls in Afghanistan have been violated," Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director, said in a statement. 'All girls must be allowed to return to school now. If these capable, bright young girls continue to be denied an education, then the repercussions will last for generations.' A ban on the education of girls will harm the future of millions of Afghan girls, she said, adding that if the ban persists until 2030, "more than four million girls will have been deprived of their right to education beyond primary school.' The consequences, she added, will be 'catastrophic.' Russell warned that the decline in female doctors and midwives will leave women and girls without crucial medical care. This situation is projected to result in an estimated 1,600 additional maternal deaths and over 3,500 infant deaths. 'These are not just numbers, they represent lives lost and families shattered,' she said. The Afghan Taliban government earlier this year skipped a Pakistan-hosted global conference where Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai condemned the state of women's and girl's rights in Afghanistan as gender apartheid.
