Latest news with #TariqAhmad
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Former UK Middle East minister accused of breaching transparency rules in Bahrain advisory role
A former UK Middle East minister has been accused of breaching transparency rules over a paid advisory role with an influential Bahraini centre that has links to the Gulf state's government. The Conservative peer Lord Tariq Ahmad, who denies wrongdoing, was cleared by a watchdog to take up his role as a paid adviser to the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence (KHC). The centre is supervised by Bahrain's ministry of foreign affairs, but the UK's Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) said Ahmad was free to undertake the role – for which the salary has not been disclosed – because he said he 'did not have official dealings/contact with the KHC during [his] time in office.' Documents unearthed by human rights activists appear to show that Ahmad, who served between 2017 and 2025, had official contact with the centre while in office, visiting it at least twice and holding meetings on official trips in 2022 and 2023. The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (Bird) said that Acoba should now review its advice and it has submitted a formal complaint. It also criticised the former minister, who also held the human rights brief, for taking up the role with such a close association to a repressive government. According to the most recent reports from Human Rights Watch, the Bahraini government has in effect silenced political opposition, banned independent media and subjected internal opponents to brutal treatment including torture. In a letter to Ahmad from April, Acoba advised that the risk in Ahmad taking up the role was low. It said: 'You said that you had no involvement in policy development, contractual and/or commercial decisions specific to the KHC. You also said that you did not have official dealings/ contact with the KHC during your time in office. 'You did not have any involvement in decisions specific to the KHC during your time in office. The committee therefore considered the risk this appointment could reasonably be perceived as a reward for decisions made, or actions taken in office, is low.' However, in the complaint submitted to Acoba and seen by the Guardian, Ahmad was photographed at the centre in February 2022 alongside the British ambassador, in his role as the prime minister's special envoy for preventing sexual violence. Two days later, the Bahraini news agency filed a report saying that Ahmad 'praises the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence's programmes in combating hate speech and extremism' and was pictured receiving a trophy box from the deputy chair of the centre. Documents released under a Freedom of Information request confirm that the KHC was on Ahmad's itinerary for an official government visit. In February 2023, Bahraini media reported Ahmad meeting Betsy Mathieson, the vice-chair of the KHC, where he is quoted as saying: 'Our cooperation with the Kingdom of Bahrain and the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence will continue in every possible area.' Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Bird's advocacy director, who filed the complaint, said: 'It is impossible to conclude that the risk of benefiting from his former role is low, given that he concealed his involvement with the centre while occupying a ministerial position. This decision must be urgently reviewed in light of the ample evidence of those contacts.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Alwadaei said it was 'morally indefensible' to accept the role. 'Lord Ahmad must now step aside from this role and explain how he failed to declare his official visits to the centre, given the high-profile meetings he held with senior officials at the centre that dominated Bahrain's headlines less than two years ago,' he said. In a statement, Ahmad said: 'I have acted in accordance with the requirements and processes of the Acoba process, and my appointment as is declared in my register of interests.' Bird also called for Ahmad to disclose who paid for two further visits to Bahrain in January and May this year – saying it should be revealed under House of Lords rules if it was paid by the Bahraini government. Ahmad did not respond to the request by the Guardian to disclose this. It is understood Ahmad believes the Acoba process was thorough and that the Foreign Office was fully consulted about his role. He is also understood to have met Bird during his time as Middle East minister. An Acoba spokesperson said: 'Acoba does not endorse any role; its function is to provide independent advice under the government's business appointment rules to protect the integrity of government. The committee seeks information from the applicant and a former minister's department before formulating its advice. Acoba publishes its advice letters – including the information provided and consideration – on its website when a role is taken up. If there are allegations of non-compliance with the government's rules or Acoba's advice, these will be investigated. Findings of any breaches are published online and reported to government.'
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
49ers announce promotions in their personnel department
The 49ers announced a number of promotions in their personnel department on Thursday. Among the moves was the elevation of Tariq Ahmad to vice president of player personnel. Ahmad has been with the 49ers for 11 seasons and he was previously the director of player personnel. Advertisement RJ Gillen and Brian Hampton have been promoted to assistant General Manager. Gillen has spent 10 seasons with the team while Hampton has been with the organization for 21 years. Per the team, Gillen will manage the daily operations of the pro scouting department while Hampton will focus on contractual matters. Player personnel scout Jordan Fox, pro scout Jason Kwon, vice president of football research and development Matt Ploenzke, manager of football research and development Shravan Ramamurthy, executive vice president of communications Corry Rush, and area scout Ryan Schutta were also promoted. The team also announced the addition of research and development performance analyst Benjamin Klein.
Trade Arabia
28-05-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Franklin Templeton names co-heads for its new entity
Franklin Templeton, an US-based investment management holding, has announced two major executive appointments - Tariq Ahmad has been named the new chief of APAC, while Sandeep Singh will take over as the new head of CEEMEA & India. This strategic initiative underscores the firm's long-term commitment to serving central banks and sovereign wealth funds globally – a segment that currently represents a $30 trillion opportunity for Franklin Templeton. As co-Heads of the newly created Global Official Institutions Group, Tariq and Sandeep, in their expanded roles, will focus on building and strengthening relationships with Official Institutions around the world. In addition to their current responsibilities, their remit will include developing tailored investment solutions aligned with the specific mandates and objectives of each institution in this segment, as well as delivering bespoke thought leadership, knowledge transfer and customised training programmes, said the US investment group in its statement. Franklin Templeton has been serving official institutions for more than 30 years. The establishment of the Group reflects the firm's belief in the growing significance of official institutions as long-term investors set to diversify their reserve currencies and asset classes, it stated.
New York Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
49ers' Tariq Ahmad goes deep on Nick Martin, CJ West and the entire draft class
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — How do the San Francisco 49ers' 11 draft picks fit into their roster puzzle? I sat down Wednesday with Tariq Ahmad, the team's director of player personnel and college scouting guru, to discuss a class that was heavy on numbers, heavy on defense and just plain heavy. 'We definitely got bigger, stronger on the D-line,' he said. Advertisement Heading into the draft, Ahmad said the 49ers knew they'd stock up on defensive linemen and that they'd come away with at least one good running back considering the draft was teeming with talent at those positions. And it was deep overall. 'We were excited to have three picks in the seventh round,' he said. 'We wish we had a few more. There were some other guys that we liked.' Here's what he had to say about the team's selections: A year ago, the 49ers' scouting combine interview with safety Malik Mustapha was one of their most memorable of the draft process. 'Mature, extremely bright, confident,' Ahmad said last year of Mustapha, who'd go on to start 12 games. 'He left a very positive impression.' He said two interviews stood out in this year's cycle. The first was Williams'. 'It matched up with everything the school told us — the intensity, passion,' Ahmad said. 'He made a great initial impression.' Williams played virtually all of his final season at Georgia with a Grade 2 high ankle sprain, and John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan said on draft night that they were impressed by the 20-year-old's grit. It turns out Williams did more than play through the injury on Saturdays. When national scout Steve Rubio went to Georgia for a practice, he noted that Williams not only took every practice repetition on the bad ankle but practiced for another 20 minutes after the formal session ended. 'That was a story that stood out to us,' Ahmad said. The 49ers were sold on Williams early on and did their best to hide their affection for him. Because he was still recovering from the ankle injury during the offseason, Williams worked out for scouts late in the process — a week before the draft. 'I really wanted to go back for Mykel's workout,' Ahmad said with a smile. 'I was itching to go back, but John thought it was a better idea to just watch the tape.' Texas was a frequent stop for 49ers' evaluators in recent years and because of that they ended up with a number of reports on Collins — 19 to be exact. All of them noted how fast someone his size — 6-6, 332 pounds — reached ball carriers. 'Alfred can get off blocks and cover a short area very quickly,' Ahmad said. Advertisement The 49ers also had some inside information. Ahmad spent seven seasons at Rutgers University with assistant coach Kyle Flood, who's now Texas' offensive line coach. 'One of the things he kept telling me about Alfred was that Alfred destroys practice,' Ahmad said. 'He's the hardest guy that they had to block on the interior of the defensive line — getting off blocks, creating knockbacks.' Texas often asked Collins to handle two gaps on their defensive line. The 49ers want their linemen attacking and playing aggressively. When he picks up their style, the 49ers think his modest college pass-rush numbers — just one sack last season — will increase. 'He doesn't attack like we attack,' Ahmad said. 'But because of his length and his power we feel we can get that out of him.' The other player who dazzled in his combine interview was Martin. Ahmad noted that both linebackers coach Johnny Holland and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, a former linebackers coach, fell in love with Martin during the draft process. 'He definitely was one of our consensus guys,' he said. 'We had him at that combine interview and everyone was extremely excited about him. He was a guy we were targeting.' Ahmad said the 49ers wanted someone with the communication skills to call defensive plays should Fred Warner ever have to come out of a game. Martin did that at Oklahoma State. And they were looking for a defender who could lead a group of rookie defenders the team might have to lean on — heavily — this season. Martin was a two-time team captain in college. 'It's important when we're considering how the rookies are going to mesh together,' Ahmad said. 'Who's going to be the leader of that group? Who's going to push guys to watch extra tape, to be on the field extra?' Advertisement The 49ers hope Martin can fill the weakside role Dre Greenlaw played so well in recent seasons. 'Body structure-wise, they're a little different,' Ahmad said. 'But the aggressiveness, physicality, play speed, the passion? There's a lot of ways to compare those two guys. Everyone's different, but we're hoping.' The 49ers hosted Stout on an official visit and noted that his personality mirrors the way he plays. 'The thing that stands out most when you watch Upton's tape is his demeanor and his aggressiveness,' Ahmad said. 'He plays like he loves football. He plays in run support like he loves — loves — getting to the ball. It's exactly the passion, the mentality we're looking for.' Ahmad said something similar about second-round cornerback Renardo Green a year ago — that tackling and run support were his favorite parts of the game. 'That's who we want to be on defense,' he said Wednesday. 'We want guys who play fast and process quickly and then have the mentality of being aggressive. We want people who strain to get to the ball. Similar to Malik, who constantly is straining to get to the ball.' At 5-8 1/2 inches, Stout was one of the shortest defenders in the draft. But Ahmad said he doesn't think of him as small. He noted that Stout's 74 1/2-inch wingspan is average for a nickel cornerback and that he's thickly built, moreso than former 49ers nickel back K'Waun Williams, to whom Stout's been compared. Stout also has an outsized personality, which the 49ers experienced during his visit. 'We absolutely loved his passion,' Ahmad said. 'Every time he walked into the room, he lit the room up. It's similar to the way he plays.' When the 49ers hired defensive line coach Kris Kocurek in 2019, Ahmad was the scout who cross-checked the draft's defensive linemen. Which meant the two worked together a lot, and they became close as a result. Advertisement It also means Ahmad knows that Kocurek pines for quick, powerful defensive linemen. That's West, whose 1.73-second 10-yard split at the combine — at 316 pounds — was one of the fastest at his position. Ahmad noted that West didn't use the get-off technique the 49ers prefer but that the raw ability is obvious. 'He's someone we think still has a lot of untapped upside,' he said. 'He's someone we're going to have to teach how to get off the ball the way we get off the ball. He is a powerful, heavy guy. He's got twitch, he's got short area movement, he's got instincts.' West also was one of the best defensive players at the East-West Shrine Bowl all-star game. 'We really felt his size and his quickness while he was there,' Ahmad said. 'And he was a great interview.' Ahmad said he thought Watkins looked as good as any receiver at the combine, especially in the gauntlet drill. That's the one in which the player is asked to run in a straight line from one sideline to the next while quarterbacks fire them passes from both directions. The 49ers look for receivers who do it smoothly, who don't stray from their line and who can complete it quickly. 'We think it's one of the best measures of natural hands,' Ahmad said. 'Can they stay in a straight line and naturally pluck the ball and react and do it again?' Watkins reached 19.78 mph during the drill, the second fastest speed among the receivers. And his Pro Football Focus numbers support the good-hands assessment. He had six drops over his college career, according to the site. For comparison, the first receiver taken in the draft, Tetairoa McMillan, had seven drops last season. Perfect Gauntlet #FTTB #49ers WR Jordan Watkins after running a 4.37 💨 — WayneBreezie (@thewaynebreezie) April 29, 2025 Ahmad said the scouting staff left the combine impressed with Watkins and that the more the coaching staff became involved, the higher he climbed on the team's draft board. Watkins also has many of the traits — loose in his lower body, strong change-of-direction skills, fluidity — Shanahan, who is hard to impress when it comes to receivers, covets. Advertisement 'Kyle was a big fan,' Ahmad said. 'He was a very big fan of his.' The 49ers had a big contingent — including Lynch and Ahmad — at Oregon's pro day where James stood out. 'We were standing right behind him and we thought he had an excellent workout,' Ahmad said. Whereas the tailback they drafted last year, Isaac Guerendo, was prominent for his speed, James' top traits are his strength and acceleration. More than half of his 2,215 rushing yards in college came after contact. Ahmad said the 49ers drafted James thinking he'd be a nice complement to Guerendo. 'We spent a lot of time on running backs this year,' he said. 'It was a very deep group and there was definitely an opportunity for us to get someone anywhere, from the first round through the seventh round. And I think we walked away with two (including undrafted Corey Kiner) that can help us.' Ahmad said the 49ers had a draftable grade on Kiner (but would not reveal what that grade was). Sigle, who ran his 40 in 4.37 seconds, is the fastest safety the 49ers have drafted since they took Tarvarius Moore (4.32 seconds) in the third round in 2018. Whereas Moore had trouble with tackling angles as a safety, that hasn't been a problem for Sigle. 'I love the way he closes and is able to erase mistakes because of that speed,' Ahmad said. 'And I loved the physicality with which he played. He got to the ball consistently at a very high rate.' Sigle started out as a cornerback at North Dakota State and played a lot in the slot after transferring to Kansas State. Ahmad noted that some of Sigle's deep safety skills might have to be 'developed' by the 49ers but that the raw ability is in place. Moore was a dime defender at times for the 49ers and Sigle could play there, too. Advertisement 'That would be natural for him,' Ahmad said. 'But I'm not sure we've gotten to that yet.' Rourke attempted 1,283 passes at Ohio and Indiana, which was almost as many as Brock Purdy (1,467) had in college and, of course, far more than Trey Lance (318) had when entering the NFL. 'It's something we value,' Ahmad said. 'We value meaningful reps, game reps at all positions and especially at that position. And (Rourke) not only had the reps, he played the position at a high level.' Ahmad said Rourke stood out in processing speed, decision-making (29-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio last season at Indiana) and accuracy. He also was a favorite of new quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi. 'He just attacks the tape,' Ahmad said of Lombardi. 'He had his list done a month before we were gonna review quarterbacks. So we were talking about all these guys for a month and Kurtis was someone that he really, really liked — toward the top of his stack.' Offensive line coach Chris Foerster might be even harder to please when it comes to his position group than Shanahan is with receivers. 'Chris is an extremely realistic grader,' Ahmad said. 'He's excellent at the evaluation of not only the talent and the product they put on the film but also the mentality. And (Colby) was one of the guys he believes in.' Colby largely played right guard at Iowa, which made for an easier elevation than most linemen because the Hawkeyes' and 49ers' run games are so similar. Ahmad noted that because Iowa players run such a comparable system, the 49ers have to guard against over-rating them. 'It's a little tricky,' he said. 'They're also doing what we want them to do, so there could be a tendency for us to like them more.' That said, the team thinks Colby will be a good fit. 'I thought he was really strong in the run game,' Ahmad said. 'I really like his lower body — his bend, his lower-body power.' The 49ers couldn't say no to Bergen when it came to their final pick. Or rather, they couldn't say no to their special teams coaches. The son of coordinator Brant Boyer is the kicker at Montana while Boyer's top assistant, Colt Anderson, played safety for the Grizzlies from 2004 to 2008. That is, the duo had inside connections and did a lot of research on Bergen, who scored eight punt-return touchdowns in college and averaged nearly 17 yards per return. Advertisement 'When he was there with our last pick and the special teams coaches are standing on the table emphatically for him, it makes it easier to draft him,' Ahmad said. Bergen's return skills are more impressive than his receiving skills, and if he makes the 2025 roster it will likely be as the primary punt returner. 'It's a combination of instincts and fearlessness,' Ahmad said. 'I think these great punt returners can see it and react to it and run through it all full speed. They have the vision to set things up and then they can get downhill.' (Top photo of Nick Martin: D. Ross Cameron / Imagn Images)
Arab News
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
India's worst-hit border town sees people return after ceasefire
POONCH: Residents of the town in Indian-administered Kashmir worst hit by the deadliest fighting in decades with Pakistan trickled back on Sunday, a day after a surprise truce. Over 60 people died in days of days of missile, drone and artillery attacks that came close to all-out war until the ceasefire, which was holding on Sunday despite early alleged violations. Most of the dead were civilians and the majority Pakistanis. On the Indian side, Poonch on the Indian-run part of divided Kashmir bore the brunt, with at least 12 people killed at 49 injured, according to officials. They included 12-year-old Zian Khan and his twin sister Urwa Fatima, hit by an artillery shell on Wednesday as their parents tried to leave the town. The majority of the 60,000-strong population fled in cars, on buses and even on foot, leaving only a few thousand to brave it out. Tariq Ahmad arrived back on Sunday bringing back 20 people in his bus as signs of life and activity returned to Poonch's streets. 'Most who fled are still afraid and will wait and watch to see if this agreement holds,' the 26-year-old driver told AFP at the main bus terminal. 'Luckily, I managed to pick up 20 people from nearby villages who wanted to check if their homes and belongings survived the intense Pakistani shelling.' Poonch lies about 145 miles (230 kilometers) from Jammu, the second largest city in Indian-administered Kashmir. Hazoor Sheikh, 46, who runs a store in the main market, was one of the first few people to reopen his shop. 'Finally, after days, we could sleep peacefully,' he said. 'It is not just me or my family but everyone around finally had a smile yesterday,' he added. 'I nervously returned a short while back to check on my shop,' 40-year-old Mushtaq Qureshi said. 'Our families and neighbors were all separated as people fled to villages or relatives' homes for safety. But we are happy to be back today and to see each other again,' he said. Qureshi had left his home with about 20 relatives. 'Buildings around our neighborhood were hit but luckily nothing has happened to my home,' he said. Rita Sharma, 51, said she was really looking forward to seeing five children from her extended whom she had sent away for safety. 'They were the first to call yesterday after the (ceasefire) announcement and declared that they'd be back home by Sunday evening,' she said. 'We hope it stays peaceful.' Hotel manager Subhash Chandar Raina also stayed put despite 'the worst shelling in years.' 'I feel sorry for those who've lost lives and belongings but thank God for allowing us to return to our normal lives after the worst phase in the region for years,' the 53-year-old said. Raina was one of only two hotel staff who stayed back as they felt traveling 'was risky.' Abdul Razzak, 50, remembers fleeing with four children and two other relatives on two motorbikes with nothing but their clothes. 'It was our worst nightmare... We've seen our people die around us, so none of us want a war,' Razzak said. Hafiz Mohammad Shah Bukhari was skeptical. 'We are not entirely confident that this ceasefire agreement will hold, based on our experience over the years,' the 49-year-old said. 'Every time India has agreed to such an agreement, Pakistan has ended up violating it... It's people like us, the frontier people, who end up suffering and losing everything.'
