Tag: Sharjah

  • Why have PIA flights to UAE been suspended?

    Why have PIA flights to UAE been suspended?

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has issued travel guidelines for passengers planning to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as air operations to Dubai and Sharjah have been severely affected by heavy rains.

    In response to the adverse weather conditions in the UAE, a PIA spokesperson told Samaa News that air operations of various airlines, including PIA, will remain suspended until further notice. Some flights of the national airline are experiencing delays and cancellations due to the inclement weather, he added.
    Passengers booked on affected flights are advised to contact the PIA call centre for updates and information regarding their travel arrangements. PIA remains dedicated to providing timely assistance and support to its passengers during this challenging period, the spokesman said.

    Two-day holiday in Dubai

    In view of the forecast of rain on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the United Arab Emirates, Thursday and Friday have been declared holidays in the educational institutions of Dubai.

  • PIA’s new flight plans for tourist destinations

    PIA’s new flight plans for tourist destinations

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has finalised the plan to start direct flights from Balochistan’s Kech district to Turbat city , ARY News reported on Friday.

    This move will enable Pakistanis to travel to the popular tourist destination directly.

    The airline will also operate flights from Quetta to Turbat from February 26.

    It may be noted here that PIA had decided to operate flights between Turbat and Sharjah in January last year. ATR planes will be used for flight operations between Turbat and Sharjah.

    The decision was taken to facilitate citizens to travel to the mountainous areas.

    Moreover, PIA will resume flight operations from Lahore and Karachi to Gilgit and Skardu to promote tourism in the northern areas.

    The national carrier will resume the flight operations on March 13. PIA will operate flights from Lahore to Gilgit and from Karachi to Skardu.

  • PM Khan calls back Sheikh Rasheed to deal with security situation in the country

    PM Khan calls back Sheikh Rasheed to deal with security situation in the country

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed returned to Pakistan Saturday morning after he was called back by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to deal with the ongoing security situation in the country.

    The minister had gone to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to watch the Pakistan-India T20 World Cup match to be held on Sunday. Rasheed had said that PM Khan had approved his request for a two-day holiday to watch the game live in the UAE.

    However, the premier urged the interior minister to return to the country to tackle the law and order situation in Pakistan. The minister arrived in Islamabad via the Airblue flight PA-213 from Sharjah today.

  • Meet Nora Al-Matrooshi, first Arab woman astronaut in training

    Meet Nora Al-Matrooshi, first Arab woman astronaut in training

    The UAE’s Nora al-Matrooshi is the first Arab woman to start training to be an astronaut, one of two Emiratis picked from thousands of applicants as the Gulf nation looks to the stars.

    According to details, the 28-year-old mechanical engineer from Sharjah has dreamt about space since she was a little girl, learning about planets and stars at school.

    She hoped since childhood to go into space one day. Her sailor ancestors explored the oceans that encouraged her to explore space one day.

    “My mum’s side of the family are sailors. I’d say they explored the ocean. The term ‘astronaut’ means ‘star sailor’ in Greek,” said the softly-spoken Matrooshi.

    Matrooshi and her 33-year-old fellow countryman, Mohammad al-Mulla will later this year go to the United States for the training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

    They now join Sultan al-Neyadi and Hazza al-Mansoori in the Emirati fellowship of astronauts.

    Read More: Meet Manu Bebo, first transgender makeup artist in occupied Kashmir

    The two Emiratis are currently training in-house in the emirate of Dubai, from learning to speak Russian to flying lessons.

    The UAE is a newcomer to the world of space exploration but is rapidly making its mark.

    In September 2019, the oil-rich country sent the first Emirati into space as part of a three-member crew that blasted off on a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan for an eight-day mission.

    Then in February, its “Hope” probe successfully entered Mars’ orbit on a journey to reveal the secrets of Martian weather, making history as the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.

    More recently in September 2020, Abu Dhabi said it planned to launch an unmanned rover to the moon by 2024 which would be the first trip to Earth’s satellite by an Arab country.

    “If I can do it, then you can do it. If no one has done it before you, then just go ahead and be the first,” said Matrooshi.

    “If you’re really passionate about what you’re doing, then you should just work hard for it and look for opportunities.”

  • On This Day: Javed Miandad breaks Indian hearts with last-ball sixer

    On This Day: Javed Miandad breaks Indian hearts with last-ball sixer

    It was on April 18, 1986, when former Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad struck a final-ball six to defeat India in the finals of the Austral-Asia Cup.

    This match still sends shivers down the spine of ardent cricket fans in both Pakistan and India. Miandad had smashed a six off the final ball of the match bowled by Chetan Sharma, reports said.

    The feat is remarkable as Pakistan needed four runs off the final ball to win the Austral-Asia Cup. Miandad did not succumb to pressure, giving the cricket fans a memory to cherish forever.

    Pakistan needed 246 runs to win the match, and the side found itself at 61/3. It was then that Miandad walked out to the middle and played a match-winning knock of 116 runs.

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    In his innings, Miandad struck three fours and as many sixes.

    Batting first, India had got to a score of 245 as Kris Srikkanth made 75 runs while Sunil Gavaskar went on to register 94 runs from 134 balls.

    For Pakistan, Wasim Akram scalped three wickets.

    Miandad has often been involved in fierce battles with India. During the 1992 World Cup group stage game, Miandad ended up mocking the style of India’s wicket-keeper Kiran More.

    The Austral-Asia Cup has been played thrice, with Pakistan winning the tournament on all three occasions.