Tendulkar meets Jammu and Kashmir para cricket team captain, calls him a 'real hero, an inspiration'
Srinagar, Feb 24: Jammu and Kashmir Para cricket team captain Amir Hussain Lone is a 'real hero and an inspiration', legendary Sachin Tendulkar said on Saturday after he met the differently-abled sportsman during his trip to the valley.
Tendulkar posted a video of his interaction with Lone on his social media accounts and wrote, "to Amir, the real hero. Keep inspiring! It was a pleasure meeting you".
Tendulkar invited Lone to his hotel where he greeted him with a hug and also gifted him his autographed bat.
Tendulkar told Lone that after he watched his video, which had gone viral last month, he wanted to meet the para cricketer.
"I never lost hope in my life. I always thought and kept in mind that I have to fulfil my dream," Lone told Tendulkar.
Lone narrated his journey to Tendulkar, calling the former international cricketer his inspiration. "Where I am today is all because of you sir. You have been my biggest inspiration," he said.
Tendulkar told Lone, "What you have achieved cannot be achieved by anyone else".
"When an eight-year old child suffers from such a trauma, overcoming that and then later in life becoming an inspiration for others, is a huge achievement," Tendulkar said, adding "perhaps, you do not know what you have done".
Tendulkar gifted him an autographed bat, saying "you may perhaps like it".
The bat had a message which said "Amir, the real hero. Keep inspiring".
He then asked Lone to show his batting stance which the differently-abled obliged.
Later, Tendulkar met Lone's family and told them he was very happy to have met the J&K para cricket team captain.
He also posed for a photograph with Lone's family and friends.
Last month, after his video went viral, Tendulkar said on X that he wanted to meet Lone.
"And Amir has made the impossible possible. I am so touched watching this! Shows how much love and dedication he has for the game. Hope I get to meet him one day and get a jersey with his name. Well done for inspiring millions who are passionate about playing the sport," he posted on X.
To Amir, the real hero. Keep inspiring!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 24, 2024
It was a pleasure meeting you. pic.twitter.com/oouk55lDkw
And Amir has made the impossible possible. I am so touched watching this! Shows how much love and dedication he has for the game.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 12, 2024
Hope I get to meet him one day and get a jersey with his name. Well done for inspiring millions who are passionate about playing the sport. https://t.co/s5avOPXwYT
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No clarity on US-Iran talks as Islamabad stays under lockdown
Islamabad (PTI): Large parts of Pakistan's capital remain under a tight security lockdown for over a week on Saturday, even as uncertainty persisted over the proposed second round of talks between the US and Iran.
Arterial roads leading into Islamabad are sealed, while the Red Zone, housing key government buildings and diplomatic missions, remains under a strict security cordon.
In the adjacent commercial 'Blue Area', markets are deserted, cafes are running short of supplies, and public transport disruptions with no service at bus terminals have left commuters stranded.
For residents, uncertainty has become the hardest part. Islamabad is a city of transients, where many residents work during the week and return to family homes at the weekend.
This is the second lockdown in recent weeks. Islamabad was earlier sealed on April 11 for talks between the US and Iranian delegations that ended without a deal. The city briefly reopened before restrictions were reimposed as Pakistan prepared to host another round of engagements, which has yet to materialise.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived here late Friday for engagements with the Pakistani leadership. He was received by senior officials, including Army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.
However, there is no clarity on whether direct talks between Washington and Tehran will take place during the visit.
"No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a social media post on Saturday.
He said the Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad "for an official visit" and Araghchi will be "meeting with Pakistani high-level officials in concert with their ongoing mediation and good offices for ending American-imposed war of aggression and the restitution of peace in our region".
As the Iranian team landed in Islamabad, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US Special Envoy on the Middle East Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner would be leaving for Pakistan on Saturday "to engage in direct talks" with representatives of the Iranian delegation.
“Everyone will be on standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary, but first, Steve and Jared will be going over there to report back to the president, the vice president and the rest of the team,” she said.
However, the US team has not yet arrived.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, in a social media post, expressed hope for "meaningful engagements" between the two warring parties to promote regional peace and stability.
The Foreign Office here said Iranian foreign minister Araghchi will hold meetings with Pakistan’s senior leadership to discuss the latest regional developments as well as ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability.
"Following key discussions with the Pakistani mediation team, a second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected to be held in Islamabad on Saturday and Sunday," a government official said.
He said a US logistics and security team is already present in Islamabad to facilitate the negotiation process.
Araghchi, before leaving for Islamabad, said that he was embarking on a timely tour of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow, and the purpose of his visits is to "closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments".
"Our neighbours are our priority," he said.
The first round of US-Iran talks held on April 11 and 12 failed to produce a breakthrough, prompting a flurry of diplomatic efforts by host Pakistan to cool tensions and revive hopes for another round of dialogue.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The Iran war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes.
