YEAR-ENDER - MOMENTS OF JOY AND HEARTBREAK IN 2022

Events that had world on edge in 2022

By Abdullah Bin Shehzad 

LAHORE - 2022 was a year filled with a mix of good and bad memories. On the positive side, many people were able to reunite with their loved ones after a difficult year of social distancing and quarantine. In addition, there were several significant achievements and milestones in various fields such as scientific research and technological advancement. However, the year also brought its share of challenges and hardships.Natural disasters, political tensions and ongoing health crises continue to affect communities around the world. Overall, 2022 was a year of both triumph and tragedy, with moments of joy and sorrow interwoven throughout the year.

Murree Hills Incident

The year started with the horrendous news that at least 23 tourists, mostly families, tragically froze to death after being stuck in their cars for hours due to snowstorm and no serious rescue efforts in Murree Hills on Jan 7. 

They were reported to have died because help couldn’t reach them in time. It seemed as if nobody even knew they were trapped under many feet of thick snow. Media, eyewitnesses and survivors blamed the administration’s ulterior motives and the greed of the local businessmen for the tragedy.  

The tragedy befell the hill station after record-heavy snowfall. Secondly, the unregulated and obviously enormous influx of snowfall enthusiasts’ vehicles led to severe traffic jams, trapping travellers in idle cars. The victims mostly died either of cold or carbon monoxide poisoning, while waiting for the rescue that reached them when it was too late.

Russia-Ukraine War

Another big news that made the headlines across the world was the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

During the period, Pakistan’s then prime minister Imran Khan visited Russia and he was slammed by the media and political leaders. 

Russian forces invaded the neighbouring country by land, air and sea on Feb 24, which was dubbed as the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War II.

Lahore Qalandars win maiden PSL Trophy

Lahore Qalandars’ long drought ends with PSL 2022 as Shaheen Shah Afridi led team to win the final match of the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium back in February this year.

Multan Sultan gave them a tough time but Qalandars finished in style. With last win, all six franchises of country’s top cricket league become champions at least one time.

Noor Mukadam case verdict

The heart-wrenching murder of 27-year-old Noor Mukadam by Zahir Jaffer in Islamabad’s upscale neighbourhood on July 20, 2021, sent shockwaves across the country. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and calls for justice for Noor, resulting in a successful trial and eventual conviction of her murderer.

The trial of the high-profile case continued for four months and eight days after which the court finally reached a decision on Feb 24. It was a sigh of relief for millions of Pakistanis who had their eyes fixed on their TV screens to see Jaffer and his facilitators convicted and penalised.

Imran Khan’s ouster as PM

In a historic first for Pakistan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was ousted as the prime minister through a no-confidence motion on April 10. 

The day was extremely thrilling due to the uncertainty about the result of the political move against Khan as the process saw multiple delays spanning over 12 hours.

However, it wasn’t just about the day of the no-confidence motion as the entire campaign to overthrow Khan kept the people glued to their TVs and gadgets.

Punjab Assembly ruckus and CM’s election

Following the change of government in Centre, the Punjab Assembly saw violence and ruckus, marring the session before Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz was elected as the chief minister on April 16. During the session, the PTI and PML-Q lawmakers threw "lotas" at then deputy speaker Dost Mazari and attacked him. 

The brawl in the Punjab Assembly was seen live by people on their TV sets for hours. 

PTI long march

Following his ouster, Imran Khan led his party’s first long march of the year on May 25, calling for the dissolution of assemblies and a date for a fresh election. The day, the long march kicked off, saw a lot of political drama and violence across the country as many PTI workers were killed, several injured and hundreds arrested in the government’s bid to restrain the marchers from entering Islamabad. 

Despite all restraining measures, the long march participants reached the capital and entered the Red Zone. They, however, were left behind by Khan, who called off the long march on May 26, giving the government a six-day ultimatum to dissolve the assemblies and announce an election.

Devastating floods

From mid-June and into October, Pakistan is hit by its worst floods in history, caused by a heavier than normal monsoon downfall, coupled with the melting of glaciers. The floods, which at one point are said to submerge as much a third of the country under water, leave more than 1,700 people dead and at least 2 million homeless.

The floods come on the heels of a scorching heatwave that scientists say can be linked to global climate change. Local deforestation also contributes to the vast destruction of the floods, which affects 33 million people in total, and leaves farm fields devastated and hundreds of thousands of livestock dead.

Government officials estimate the reconstruction and economic costs of the disaster to account for as much as 10 percent of Pakistan’s gross domestic product.

View more - Pakistan’s stars that fade away in 2022

The death of Queen Elizabeth II

On Sept 8, Queen Elizabeth passes away of old age at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. At 96, and after 70 years on the throne, she is Britain’s longest reigning monarch, and her death triggers the start of a 10-day national mourning period.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also joined international leadership and royal family members at the State funeral of Queen Elizabeth II held at Westminster Abbey.

The Brits pour into the streets to mourn the death of their beloved queen, and on September 19, she is given a state funeral and is buried at the King George VI Memorial Chapel alongside her husband Philip after services in Westminster Abbey and the St George Chapel at Windsor Castle. Charles III, Elizabeth’s eldest son and the country’s longest serving heir apparent, accedes the throne upon her death, at the age of 73. A coronation ceremony for Charles III and his wife Camilla is set to take place in Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023.

PTI long march 2.0

Pakistan saw almost a month-long political activity that kept the people glued to their TV screens as Khan announced a new long march in another bid to pressure the government for snap polls. The much-touted anti-government march on the capital kicked off on October 28.

Khan claimed that the march will continue until the date for elections is announced. However, following multiple changes in plans for reaching Islamabad, the PTI chairman once again took a U-turn, calling off the long march on Nov 27 and announcing that his party and allies would quit the assemblies.

Imran Khan survives assassination bid

Chaotic scenes broke out during PTI’s long march on Nov 3 after gunshots were fired at Imran Khan in Wazirabad where his convoy stopped over on its way to Islamabad. The attack left Khan injured in both his legs as he sustained bullet wounds.

Pakistan’s hopes of reliving 1992 WC glory wasted

The T20 World Cup 2022 was a nerve-wracking journey for Pakistani fans as they started the campaign with disappointing performances. At one point, the Men in Green were on the verge of being eliminated from the tournament in the group stage.

Despite some challenges, Pakistan was fortunate to advance to the semifinals and eventually the final of the T20 World Cup, giving fans hope for a repeat of their 1992 World Cup victory due to some similarities between the two events. The fans remained glued to their screens until the end, when England ultimately defeated Pakistan and denied them a Cinderella ending to the tournament

Change of army’s command

General Asim Munir taking over the military’s command after former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa hung boots on November 29 was one of the major news of the year.

The appointment of the new army chief involved months of anticipation as things were uncertain until Bajwa announced in October that he wouldn’t take a further extension.

Later, the deliberations to decide who would replace Bajwa remained a hot news topic.

Argentina and Messi lift FIFA WC Trophy

Lionel Messi crowned his glittering career with victory in the World Cup on Dec 18 as Argentina beat France on penalties in a final for the ages, triumphing 4-2 after Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick ensured the game ended level following extra time.

Football fans in Karachi’s Lyari were ecstatic after Argentina defeated France win the maiden trophy of the FIFA World Cup.

The win allows Messi, at 35, to complete his glorious career by emulating Diego Maradona, and this will be remembered as his tournament despite the best efforts of Mbappe, who finished as the tournament s top scorer on eight goals, one more than his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Messi.

The death of Brazilian legend Pele

Pele, the magical Brazilian soccer star who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the greatest and best-known athletes in modern history, died at the age of 82 on Dec 29, his daughter said on Instagram.

He had been in and out of hospital in recent months after a tumor was found on his colon.

Pele, whose given name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, scored a world record 1,281 goals, and is the only player ever to win the World Cup three times.