A Pakistani-origin woman in Toronto is representing her native country at an international pageant in Hangzhou, China, on July 2.
Naomi Zaman, who was Miss Canada Pakistan 2005′s Miss Talent, is participating in Miss Tourism Queen International 2005 (MTQI). The event will have contestants from countries including Australia, England, Peru, South Africa and Italy.
This is the first time Pakistan is represented in an international pageant, said Sonia Ahmed, president of the Canadian pageant.
“We are proud to see Pakistan finally with 70 other countries,” Ahmed said.
India is represented by 21-year-old Neha …

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest man of all?” Ali Haider of course! A name that needs no introduction… One of the biggest singers in the Pakistani music industry, he is what the youth of today grew up listening to. Tracks like ‘Purani Jeans’ – that every school and college-going person could identify with – made him a household name. Here we ask Ali about his Purani Jeans, his new album and make him clear out a few controversies. Here he is uncensored.
How many years have you …

The Rafi Peer Theatre’s 10-day world performing arts festival, 2004, is being held at the Alhamra Cultural Complex from Nov 27.
As many as 600 artistes of over 33 countries, including India, will perform in various disciplines of performing arts like dance, theatre, music and puppetry.
Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi will inaugurate the festival. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will attend its premier show on Nov 26, a day ahead of its formal launch.
Rafi Peer Theatre directors Faizan Peerzada and Usman Peerzada told newsmen here at the Lahore Press Club on Friday that …

With performances falling far short of their ambition, Bangladesh find themselves in a cricketing no man’s land as they approach their second consecutive World Cup.
Their dismal record of losing all but one of their 17 tests, many of them innings defeats inside three days, and three wins from 61 one-dayers means their superior opponents regard them as mere points in the bank.
A South African cricket official’s remarks at last year’s Champions Trophy perhaps reflects the attitude of big teams towards the 10th and newest entrant to the test club in …

An unconvincing net session by injured Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar increased speculation he will miss his side’s opening World Cup match against Australia at The Wanderers on Tuesday.
Anwar, who suffered a severely bruised left elbow when he was hit by a delivery from team mate Shoaib Akhtar last week, batted briefly against a bowling machine on Monday.
He was seen flexing his arm afterwards. Earlier he took part in a fielding drill but did not throw the ball over-arm.
Pakistan captain Waqar Younis rated the 34-year-old as “50-50″ to play, but with …

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (Reuters) – New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming says his team’s defeat by Sri Lanka might force a change of mind about boycotting their World Cup Group B match in Kenya.
Fleming said the New Zealand players were still confident their cricket board would make the right decision and would not try to influence them either way, even if it cost the team a place in the next stage of the tournament.
“The situation with Kenya is that the process is still underway,” Fleming said after his team’s 47-run loss …

The ICC have promised to give a written response tomorrow to the ECB over their request to move England’s World Cup opener from Zimbabwe.
ECB chief executive Tim Lamb said in a press conference that talks had been held with ICC officials on Monday evening.
The ECB and the England players want Thursday’s game in Harare moved from Zimbabwe following death threats made by a group called the Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe.
But research by Deputy National Commissioner of South African Police Andre Pruis into the death-threat letter concluded that the group …

KIMBERLEY – Having been beaten by Australia in the opening game, and to add insult to injury, being considered ‘a topsy turvy team, which is quite beatable on its off-day’ by Namibian coach Douglas Brown, Pakistan enter the De Beers Oval Sunday to put some points on the table and improve their net run rate.
In a press conference here, skipper Waqar Younis acknowledged that motivating the boys against the minnows was important. “This is a World Cup game; so there is no question of any complacency”.
To another question, he said …

HARARE (Reuters) – Opener Craig Wishart has hit a commanding 172 not out to set up Zimbabwe’s 86-run victory over Namibia in a rain-curtailed World Cup Group A match.
Although the match started on time after months of controversy about the six World Cup games scheduled to take place in strife-torn Zimbabwe, rain halted play for the second time at 2:10 p.m. British time and, with no chance of a resumption, the game was abandoned.
Facing a revised victory target of 325 in 46 overs, Namibia slipped from a flying start to …

New Zealand’s World Cup hopes were left in tatters as they went down by 47 runs in their opening Pool B game against Sri Lanka at Goodyear Park here today.
The Black Caps now face a major uphill battle to qualify for the Super Sixes, especially after refusing to honour their fixture against Kenya in Nairobi and will have to win their next two big games against the West Indies and South Africa respectively to be sure of a place in the next round of the tournament.
In the end the regular …