Laura Wolvaardt to lead South African on upcoming Pakistan, New Zealand tours

Thu, 24 Aug 2023, 5:32 PM

ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): Cricket South Africa named opening batter as the interim captain of their women’s team for the upcoming tours of Pakistan and New Zealand.

Laura Wolvaardt has been appointed as South Africa’s captain for the upcoming assignments.

This decision comes after Suné Luus stepped down from her role as the team’s interim captain and due to the unavailability of the vice-captain, Chloe Tryon, for the Pakistan series, International Cricket Council reported on Thursday on its website.

Cricket South Africa stated that in agreement with Wolvaardt, her position will be reviewed following the conclusion of the New Zealand series.

The 24-year-old made her international debut in 2016. In her seven years as an international cricketer, she has scored 3193 ODI runs at an average of 45.61.

She has three centuries and 29 fifties in the 50-over format. In the T20I format, Wolvaardt has scored 1079 runs at an average of 30.82.

Her career-best score of 66* came against Bangladesh in this year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. This knock helped the Proteas book a place in the semi-finals.

Wolvaardt stated that she was honoured to be appointed as South Africa’s skipper for the upcoming international tours.

“It’s a massive honour to be offered this position as captain for the next two tours. It’s something that I have always aspired to do, having played in this team for a couple of years,” Wolvaardt said.

“Having more of a leadership role is something I’ve wanted to take on. It’ll help me as a cricketer and learning to think as a captain on the field will hopefully help my batting as well.
“I’m very excited to be able to contribute in another way too, and not just in batting. It still feels surreal at the moment but it will all become more real when I meet up with the team in Pakistan.
“What I can bring to the role is the experience that I have in the side. I’ve been playing international cricket since I was 16 years old, I know quite a lot of players in the circuit and I’ve been playing in the leagues as well, so I’ve played a lot of cricket in recent years and hopefully, I’m able to use that experience and the knowledge to my advantage when I captain the team.
“I’d like to also think of myself as quite calm and level-headed and that’s probably more of the approach that I try to take on the field as a captain. It is very new to me but I am keen to learn and do everything that I can to do well in the position. I am lucky that I have a couple of senior players within the squad around me as well, who would be able to help me and guide me if I do need help along the way.”
“Congratulations to Laura on her appointment as the captain of the Proteas Women’s team for the upcoming tours,” Nkwe added. “Laura’s dedication, leadership acumen, and cricketing prowess have been evident throughout her career. Her ability to stay composed under pressure and her deep understanding of the game make her an ideal candidate to lead the team.
“The captaincy holds a vital role in shaping the team’s strategy and morale, especially during tours as important as these to Pakistan and at home against New Zealand. Laura’s influence as captain will extend beyond her individual performances as she guides the team toward their goals.
“As the Proteas Women embark on these critical tours, CSA wishes Laura and the entire team the very best. The challenges ahead are immense, but with Laura’s leadership and the team’s collective efforts, they are well-poised to deliver outstanding performances on the field.”
South Africa women will tour Pakistan for the first time. The tour, set to take place between 1-14 September, will feature a three-match T20I series followed by as many ODIs, which will be a part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 cycle.

Saudi envoy calls on Jalil Abbas Jilani

Najam ul Hassan

Thu, 24 Aug 2023, 5:23 PM

ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP):Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malkiy called on Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani here on Thursday and discussed matters relating to mutual interests.

The Ambassador congratulated the foreign minister on assuming office and conveyed best wishes on behalf of the Saudi leadership.

During the meeting, bilateral ties, with special emphasis on trade and investment were discussed.

PHF spotlights INGOs’ significance in national development, humanitarian response

NNPS Desk

Thu, 24 Aug 2023, 5:13 PM

KARACHI, Aug 24 (APP): Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF) Chair Executive Committee Adil Sheraz on Thursday highlighted the role of International Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs) in national development and humanitarian response in Pakistan.

The devastating floods of 2022 have left an enduring impact across various regions of the country, necessitating extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction, said Sheraz during a press conference.

He stated that the journey to reconstruct and rehabilitate flood-affected areas demands collective efforts and resilience.

Although strides have been made, the path to complete recovery of flood-affected communities remains a complex endeavour, necessitating not only immediate actions but also a sustained commitment to long-term solutions,” he further added.

Adil shared that in 2022 PHF member organizations (INGOs) implemented 400 projects throughout the country, including AJ&K and Gilgit Baltistan.

These projects included 296 dedicated to providing humanitarian assistance, particularly in response to the 2022 floods, and 104 focused on development interventions. These initiatives, worth over $330 million, benefited more than 21.2 million people across the country.

While uploading the government support and collaboration, he stated that the partnership between government and civil society emerges as the bridge to success, uniting communities for a resilient and prosperous Pakistan.

The government of Pakistan was fully committed to strengthening collaboration with all stakeholders, including INGOs, in disaster risk reduction, implementation of the resilient, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction (4RF) model, and a strategic framework for reconstructing and rehabilitating flood-affected areas.

This model, coupled with localization and adaptation action plans, provides a roadmap for achieving sustainable recovery. Sheraz highlighted the indispensable role of collective efforts, urging cooperation between government institutions, local communities, district administrations, civil society organizations, and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs).

Fortifying these partnerships is vital to ensure efficient resource allocation and effective implementation of strategies. During the interaction with the media representatives, Syed Shahid Kazmi, PHF Country Coordinator, shared that PHF is a representative forum of 44 Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) duly registered with the Government of Pakistan.

Kazmi underscored PHF’s role as a forum, acting as a bridge for INGOs in their interactions with the Government, UN agencies, humanitarian stakeholders, civil society organizations, and the media.

He commended the pivotal role played by national and international media when dealing with natural disasters or emergencies in the country.

He further stated that the media’s unwavering response has served as a beacon of information, unity, and support during the country’s most challenging times.

The media’s rapid coverage, effective information dissemination, and awareness-raising efforts have gone beyond its traditional role, emerging as a crucial catalyst in galvanizing the nation to respond to crises collectively.

By expediting relief operations and fostering a spirit of resilience, the media’s influence has extended far and wide, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries.

PHF’s Country Coordinator also shared that the Chairman of the Senate has nominated three distinguished members from PHF’s executive committee for the Education Parliamentarian Caucus, specifically focusing on climate change and disaster risk reduction.

This recognition at the government level further highlights PHF’s member organizations’ role in national development and humanitarian response,” he added.

PM commends heroes who rescued trapped chairlift passengers in daring operation

Najam ul Hassan

Thu, 24 Aug 2023, 5:10 PM

ISLAMABAD, Aug 24 (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Thursday awarded commendation certificates to the valiant commandos, armed forces personnel and local residents who rescued eight trapped passengers of a dangling cable car in Battagram.

The prime minister, addressing the commemoration ceremony held at the PM Office, said the recognition was well-deserved by every individual involved, who exhibited remarkable prowess in orchestrating the mission to a triumphant conclusion.

He emphasized that the entire nation shared the concerns for the safety of the trapped children, who remained stranded on the chairlift for hours.

He remarked that the successful endeavor was a collaborative achievement, acknowledging that recognition was also due to those who, from the confines of their homes, prayed for the safe and successful rescue operation.

He said being a father, he could feel the pain of stranded children’s parents but the teamwork based on prudent efficient planning ensured their safety.

“Hats off to all of you who did an immaculate job. The biggest credit goes to those who were carrying out the planning,” he remarked.

Sharing their emotions with the prime minister, the children said they were extremely worried but had a sense of satisfaction after coming to know that the Pakistan Army had launched the rescue operation.

The prime minister said that the paramount duty of the state encompassed providing quality healthcare and education and an atmosphere for a dignified life.

Referring to the martyrdom of security personnel in South Waziristan, the prime minister said that those trying to obstruct the state’s functioning through their ill intentions must remove their misunderstanding.

He reiterated that the nation would never forget the sacrifices of the martyrs of the war against terrorism including politicians, police services, Pakistan Army, journalists, PAF, and common citizens.

“This is our home. We know how to run it,” he remarked.

The prime minister said the pains of the terror victims’ families could not be expressed in words.

He said the salaries being given to the security forces personnel were just meant to suffice their needs as their sacrifices could only be recognized through respect.

“We rever them. We respect them,” he commented.

Prime Minister Kakar reassured that the state affairs were in the hands of highly capable individuals. The caretaker setup had limited time and mandate to facilitate the forthcoming general elections, he added.

Earlier, the prime minister also distributed commendation certificates among the security forces personnel as well as the local experts who took part in the rescue operation. The rescued children, who also attended the event, were also given souvenirs.

In his address, Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt. General Inam Haider Malik said the effective coordination among all relevant departments led to the success of the difficult operation.

He said the safety audit of all the cable cars in the region had been ordered and a report would be presented to the prime minister.

He, however, emphasised the capacity building of the local rescue departments to deal with such emergency situations, which he said was also being worked out.

Caretaker federal ministers Murtaza Solangi, Jalil Abbas Jilani, Jamal Shah, Sarfaraz Bugti, Anwar Ali Hyder, Ijaz Gohar and Madad Ali Sindhi also attended the ceremony.

Fear of wire, car breakage

Talking to APP, Ali Swati the local expert, who rescued the trapped passenger through the zipline, said that while carrying out the mission, he had concerns about the strength of the wire the cable car was dangling on.

He said the car was hanging merely on nut bolts which was also at the risk of splitting for supporting a heavy weight of eight people.

However, he took up the challenge with a passion for saving human lives.

He was hurriedly flown by the Pakistan Army who carried out the daring task after the helicopter operation was called off when it got dark.

Swati, who himself runs the “world’s highest” zipline in Kaghan and said prior to launching the operation, they instructed the trapped passenger about the safety gear.

He said behind them there was a protective rope tied was being pulled by the army men as well as the civilians.

Talking about the victims, Swati said he found them in extreme distress and they had to convince them about their strategy which they had been exercising in the past too.

During the operation, Ali Swati also got his hand injured after it was trapped in the rope while pulling the victims.

Amidst huge applause from the gathering, Prime Minister Kakar warmly embraced Swati and his team members as they received a commendation certificate.

Also chatted to allay fears: Survivor

Gulfaraz, one of the eight stranded passengers, talking to APP, was much happy over the rescue, though the memories of the tragic day still haunted him.

“Before the operation by the Pakistan Army, we remained hung in the air for around three hours with no help in sight. The cable operator had also poor eyesight and could not see us trapped in midair,” he said wearing a smile on his face.

Asked what they had been doing for 16 hours in the car, he said “We were crying. We were calling for help. Sometimes we also chatted with one another just to allay the stress.