Pakistani microfinance pioneer wins Asia's 'Nobel Prize'

A microfinance pioneer from Pakistan — who developed an interest-free microfinance programme — was among Tuesday's winners of Asia's equivalent to the Nobel Prize.

Muhammad Amjad Saqib, 64, won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his “first-of-its-kind” interest- and collateral-free microfinance programme that catalysed scores of poor households.

Nearly two decades after its launch, Akhuwat — founded by Dr Saqib — has grown into the nation's largest microfinance institution, distributing the equivalent of $900 million and boasting an almost 100 per cent loan repayment rate, the award foundation said.

Saqib, who uses places of worship to hand out money, was cited for “his inspiring belief that human goodness and solidarity will find ways to eradicate poverty.”

The Ramon Magsaysay Award — named after a Filipino president killed in a plane crash — was established in 1957 to honour people and groups tackling development problems.

Meanwhile, Firdausi Qadri, 70, also won the award for her “life-long devotion to the scientific profession” and “untiring contributions to vaccine development”.

Working at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, Qadri had a “key role” in creating more affordable vaccines to combat cholera and typhoid, the Manila-based award foundation said in a statement.

Qadri was also cited for her leading role in a mass vaccination effort in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh's southeastern district of Cox's Bazar in recent years that prevented a cholera outbreak. The disease causes acute diarrhoea and spreads through contaminated food and water.

Qadri was also cited for her efforts to build up Bangladesh's scientific research capacity.

“I'm overwhelmed, extremely delighted but also humbled,” Qadri said in a video message shared by the foundation.

It was held virtually this year after the event was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Another winner was Filipino fisherman Roberto Ballon, 53, who was recognised for helping “revive a dying fishing industry” on the southern island of Mindanao where abandoned fishponds had destroyed mangrove forests.

With government backing, Ballon and other small-scale fishermen replanted 500 hectares (1,235 acres) of mangrove forests by 2015, boosting their fish catch and quality of life.

“What was once a desert of abandoned fishponds is now an expanse of healthy mangrove forests rich with marine and terrestrial life,” the award foundation noted.

American Steven Muncy, the founder of the Philippines-based NGO Community and Family Services International, was recognised for helping refugees, assisting victims of natural disasters and getting former child soldiers back to school in Asia.

Indonesian documentary maker Watchdoc, which focuses on human rights, social justice and the environment, also won recognition for its “highly principled crusade for an independent media organisation”.

Govt reduces petrol price by Rs1.5 per litre from Sept 1

The government on Tuesday decided to decrease the prices of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs1.5 per litre from Sept 1 to "provide maximum relief" to people.

It also decreased the price of kerosene by Rs1.5 and that of light diesel oil (LDO) by Rs1 per litre, respectively.

According to a notification issued by the Finance Division, the new price of petrol will be Rs118.3 per litre, HSD will be Rs115.03 per litre, kerosene will be Rs86.80 per litre and LDO will be Rs84.77 per litre.

The rates have been reduced despite fluctuations in the prices of petroleum products in the international market and anticipated increase in the future, the government said.

"The government is firmly committed to ensure stability in prices of essential commodities and has sustained the price pressure in line with its commitment to the common man," it added.

It noted that the petroleum levy was kept at a minimum which was a "clear reflection that the government is fully cognisant" of the impact of higher petrol prices on basic commodities.

According to Petroleum Division sources, the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) calculated Rs3.50 per litre reduction in the ex-depot price of petrol and about Rs5 per litre decrease in the ex-depot price of HSD.

Likewise, the ex-depot price of light diesel and kerosene oil was calculated to go down by Rs2 and Rs3 per unit, respectively.

The price cuts were worked out because of lower international oil prices even though the exchange rate had deteriorated over the past 15 days of August.

As of now, the government is charging 17 per cent general sales tax on HSD, followed by 10.54pc on petrol, 6.70pc on kerosene and 0.20pc on light diesel. The standard GST rate is 17pc, which means the government is foregoing significant revenue flow.

The government is also charging a negligible Rs2.05 per litre petroleum levy on HSD and 24 paisa per litre on light diesel and zero on petrol and kerosene. This means the government is also losing substantial revenue on a solely federal tax.

On August 15, the government had kept unchanged the price of petrol at Rs119.80 per litre and that of HSD at Rs116.53 per litre. On the other hand, it had increased the ex-depot price of kerosene by 81 paisa per litre to Rs88.30. Also, the ex-depot price of light diesel oil was increased by Rs1.10 per litre to Rs85.77.

Any legitimacy, support will have to be earned: US warns Taliban

The United States expects the Taliban to live up to their commitments now that US troops have pulled out of Afghanistan, but any legitimacy or support will need to be "earned," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday.

America's top diplomat, speaking just hours after the final US evacuation flights left Kabul, said Washington has suspended its diplomatic presence in Kabul as of Monday and shifted its operations to Qatar.

"Our troops have departed Afghanistan," Blinken said. "A new chapter of America's engagement with Afghanistan has begun.

"It's one in which we will lead with our diplomacy. The military mission is over; a new diplomatic mission has begun."

Blinken said the United States was committed to helping every American who wants to depart Afghanistan to leave the country.

He said a small number of US citizens remained in the country -- "under 200" but likely closer to just 100 -- and wanted to leave.

Blinken said the Taliban would need to live up to their commitments to provide freedom of travel, to respect the rights of women and minorities and to not allow the country to become a base for terrorism.

"Any legitimacy and any support will have to be earned," Blinken said.

Pakistan's role in Kabul evacuations acknowledged as US completes withdrawal

US Senator Van Hollen on Tuesday acknowledged and thanked Pakistan for supporting the US evacuation efforts from Afghanistan as Washington completed its withdrawal from the war-stricken country.

"Even as the last US troops leave Afghanistan I'll continue to do everything in my power to bring home all Americans & provide asylum to our Afghan partners endangered by their support to the US," Sen Hollen posted on Twitter

"Also thankful to Qatar, UAE, Pakistan, Kuwait & many others supporting evacuation efforts," he added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Dr Asad Majeed Khan also called the senator and shared the Islamabad's perspective on the urgency of securing an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan.

"Had a good call with Senator @ChrisVanHollen today. Briefed Sen. Van Hollen on Pakistan’s support for evacuations of US, Afghan and other nationals from Afghanistan," said Dr Asad said on the micro-blogging website.

"Shared Pakistan’s perspective on the urgency of securing an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan," he added.

On August 16, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi urged the Afghan leadership to ensure a broad-based and comprehensive political settlement of the Afghan issue.

The minister made these remarks as he met a delegation of Afghan leaders in Islamabad.

Qureshi called upon all stakeholders to work in a united manner for a better future for the war-stricken country and the region.

Taliban seized Kabul on August 15, two weeks before the deadline for the withdrawal of American forces from the country. The fall of the capital city triggered a wave of panic among foreigners as well some locals, who rushed to Kabul airport – the only escape route from the country.

South Africa pacer Dale Steyn retires from all forms of cricket

Dale Steyn has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, closing the curtain on a 20-year career in which he became South Africa's highest wicket-taker in Tests and arguably the country's greatest ever fast bowler.

Steyn retired from the five-day game in 2019 but had been available for limited-overs cricket and hoped to play at the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates later this year, though he had not featured in the team since February last year.

Steyn is a bowler with a reputation of being able to take wickets in all types of conditions, his raw pace, accuracy and ability to get movement both ways being his key weapons.

“It has been 20 years of training, matches, travel, wins, losses, strapped feet, jet lag, joy and brotherhood. Today I officially retire from the game I love the most. Bittersweet, but grateful,” Steyn said in a statement.

He took 699 international wickets, including a South African record 439 in Tests, and is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of his generation with extreme pace in his prime and the ability to swing the ball in both directions.

Steyn would have taken many more wickets but for injuries later in his career, especially a shoulder problem that restricted him to only 11 Tests after 2015. He featured in 93 in all, averaging 22.95 with the ball at a strike rate of 42.30.

He was a key part of the South African side that rose to number one in the Test rankings in 2012.

New Zealand all set for Pakistan tour after 18 years

New Zealand's tour to Pakistan after 18 years has officially been approved by the country's cricket board following a pre-tour security check by its independent security consultant, Reg Dickason.

According to Kiwi media reports, New Zealand Cricket has expressed satisfaction with the report of its security expert and captain Tom Latham in a statement from Dhaka on Zoom said that he believes in Rig Dickason's report.

“Someone like Reg, he's been around a long time, and he's worked with New Zealand Cricket for a long time. We here have full trust in what he does for New Zealand Cricket and the processes and regulations that they put in place," Latham was quoted as saying by the Stuff.

Our focus at this stage is on Bangladesh, but our focus will turn to Pakistan once this series is done,” the publication reported him as saying.

New Zealand are set to fly into Pakistan on a chartered flight on September 11, the day after they complete their T20 series in Bangladesh.

They will play three ODIs in Rawalpindi and five T20s in Lahore with the tour wrapping up on October 3.

The Black Caps’ tour of Pakistan in 2002 was cut short after a bomb exploded outside their hotel in Karachi on the first morning of the second test. They returned to play ODIs the following year, without incident, but have not been back since.

Afghanistan to form Govt in few days: FM Qureshi

Afghanistan is set to form its own government in a few days, said Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Tuesday, hours after the last US soldier left Afghanistan.

"We expect that a consensus government will be formed in the coming days in Afghanistan," Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a news conference in Islamabad with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas by his side.

Qureshi said Pakistan was already hosting three million Afghan refugees, adding that they were being provided all facilities including health, education etc.

"Pakistan has kept its borders open. People are travelling between the two countries and trade is also going on," he said.

Qureshi called on the international community to provide Afghanistan with every possible help. "Pakistan wishes to see a stable, prosperous and progressive Afghanistan," he added.

The German foreign minister, on the other hand, welcomed the Afghan Taliban's recent statements in which they have promised no retribution and assured to uphold human rights in the country.

Haas said it would be better if a broad-based, inclusive government was formed in Afghanistan.

He said that the situation in Afghanistan had changed "dramatically", adding that Pakistan had helped in the evacuation of the citizens of Afghanistan, Germany and other countries.

"I have spoken to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on the Afghanistan issue," he said. "We would like to thank Pakistan for evacuating German citizens from the country."

Corona claims 118 more lives, positivity rate rises to 7.36 percent

Pakistan has reported 118 more deaths in the last 24 hours by COVID-19. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,788.

According to the latest figures issued by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), 3,838 persons tested positive for COVID-19, lifting the overall number of infections in the country to 1,160,119.
Pakistan has conducted 52,112 tests in the past 24 hours out of which 3,838 persons tested positive for the disease. The COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 7.36 per cent as compared to yesterday’s 6.75 percent.

The NCOC said 5,542 people are in critical condition.

So far, a total of 53,314,628 vaccine doses have been administered to the masses across the country.

Out of 53,314,628, the number of fully vaccinated people against the coronavirus is 16,171,867, while 41,477,587 partial doses have been administered to date.
On Monday, the Sindh government decided to start COVID-19 vaccination in educational institutions from September.

The important decision was taken in a high-level session jointly chaired by the provincial health and education ministers today. The session was also attended by the parliamentary health secretary, education secretary and other senior officials via video link.

PDM's Karachi rally may have been more effective if women were allowed to participate: Bilawal

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday took a jibe at the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) rally in Karachi a day earlier, saying "maybe the rally would have been more effective if they (PDM) gave women permission to participate."

Addressing a press conference in Sukkur, he said he could not comment on whether the PDM rally — the alliance's first power show after a months-long lull — was "successful", adding that the PPP believed all democratic parties should play their role.

However, it would have been "more effective" if the PDM allowed women to participate in the rally, he said.

"This is not Afghanistan. This is Karachi, capital of Sindh," he remarked.

He questioned how a country and a city could be run when "even a home cannot be run without a woman", recalling that Pakistan was the first Muslim country to appoint a female prime minister.

No society can progress until men and women are equal participants in economy and politics, the PPP chairperson said. "Maybe this was a reason that Karachi rejected them (PDM) and that [an] impression could not be built as in the past."

However, there was "more time" and the PDM would hold more events, he said. "Our best wishes are with them — that the government is harmed from their movement instead of benefitted because till now, we think the government is benefitting from the PDM's way of [doing] politics."

He shared that he had asked Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to talk to PDM president and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and inform them that "we are present if they need anything."

Bilawal said the PPP had "showed a way to the whole country to get rid of Prime Minister Imran Khan" when it managed to make former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani win in the Senate polls in March instead of PTI's Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

He said that if the other opposition parties agreed to "first attack Punjab and then go the national level, then this government will go home".

If the opposition was serious, then it could pull off "such a big feat, the example of which you won't find in the democratic system" similar to how it had "defeated the prime minister from his own electoral college" during the Senate polls, he added.

Talking about mass resignations — the issue which led to PPP's separation from the alliance — the PPP chairperson said the PDM parliamentarians should resign "on principle since we are not together [and] that was their problem".

The votes of PDM members who were a part of the National Assembly were being "wasted", he claimed.

Bilawal invited the opposition to support the PPP, stressing that it could "not only give a tough time to the government but also remove it".

Responding to a question, the PPP chairperson said it was a "misunderstanding" that the Sindh government did not want to hold local government elections.

He claimed that a "fake census was conducted to snatch the rights and resources from the province and people", citing it as the reason for the delay in holding elections for local bodies.

He noted that the Sindh government had written twice, asking for a joint sitting of parliament to be held on the issue of the 2017 census, but the demand was not accepted.

"As soon as this issue concludes, we will be first in carrying out local bodies elections and also win them."

The PPP "respected democracy and national mandate" which is why local bodies were able to complete their five-year term unlike in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added.

Microsoft warns thousands of cloud customers of exposed databases

Microsoft has warned thousands of its cloud computing customers, including some of the world's largest companies, that intruders could have the ability to read, change or even delete their main databases, according to a copy of the email and a cyber security researcher.

The vulnerability is in Microsoft Azure's flagship Cosmos DB database. A research team at security company Wiz discovered it was able to access keys that control access to databases held by thousands of companies. Wiz Chief Technology Officer Ami Luttwak is a former chief technology officer at Microsoft's Cloud Security Group.

Because Microsoft cannot change those keys by itself, it emailed the customers on Thursday telling them to create new ones. Microsoft agreed to pay Wiz $40,000 for finding the flaw and reporting it, according to an email it sent to Wiz.

"We fixed this issue immediately to keep our customers safe and protected. We thank the security researchers for working under coordinated vulnerability disclosure," Microsoft told Reuters.

Microsoft's email to customers said there was no evidence the flaw had been exploited. "We have no indication that external entities outside the researcher (Wiz) had access to the primary read-write key," the email said.

“This is the worst cloud vulnerability you can imagine. It is a long-lasting secret,” Luttwak told Reuters. “This is the central database of Azure, and we were able to get access to any customer database that we wanted.”

Luttwak's team found the problem, dubbed ChaosDB, on August 9 and notified Microsoft August 12, Luttwak said.

The flaw was in a visualisation tool called Jupyter Notebook, which has been available for years but was enabled by default in Cosmos beginning in February. After Reuters reported on the flaw, Wiz detailed the issue in a blog post.

Luttwak said even customers who have not been notified by Microsoft could have had their keys swiped by attackers, giving them access until those keys are changed. Microsoft only told customers whose keys were visible this month, when Wiz was working on the issue.

Microsoft told Reuters that "customers who may have been impacted received a notification from us," without elaborating.

The disclosure comes after months of bad security news for Microsoft. The company was breached by the same suspected Russian government hackers that infiltrated SolarWinds, who stole Microsoft source code. Then a wide number of hackers broke into Exchange email servers while a patch was being developed.

A recent fix for a printer flaw that allowed computer takeovers had to be redone repeatedly. Another Exchange flaw last week prompted an urgent US government warning that customers need to install patches issued months ago because ransomware gangs are now exploiting it.

Problems with Azure are especially troubling, because Microsoft and outside security experts have been pushing companies to abandon most of their own infrastructure and rely on the cloud for more security.

But though cloud attacks are more rare, they can be more devastating when they occur. What's more, some are never publicized.

A federally contracted research lab tracks all known security flaws in software and rates them by severity. But there is no equivalent system for holes in cloud architecture, so many critical vulnerabilities remain undisclosed to users, Luttwak said.

EU should financially assist Afghanistan's neighbours: Josep Borrell

The European Union’s foreign policy chief has said that the bloc should provide financial assistance to the countries neighbouring Afghanistan to help them manage refugees fleeing the Taliban.

The EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell expressed these views in an interview published by Italy's Corriere Della Sera newspaper on Monday.

The return of the group to power in Kabul on August 15 has plunged the future of many Afghans into uncertainty and sparked concern that millions may seek refuge in neighbouring countries and Europe.

"We will have to increase cooperation with the neighbouring countries to resolve issues related to Afghanistan. We must help them with the first refugee wave," Borrell told the newspaper.

"Afghans fleeing the country are not going to reach Rome in the first place, but maybe in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent. We need to help those countries that will be on the front line."

Asked if they would receive European financial assistance to hosting Afghan refugees, he said: "The absorption capacity of Europe has its limits and nothing can be done without strong cooperation."

"Neighbouring countries will be affected more and earlier than Europe. So yes, that also means giving those countries financial support as we have done with Turkey."

In 2016, Turkey inked a deal with the EU to stem the flow of migrants to Europe in return for some incentives including financial assistance.

Turkey currently hosts some 3.7 million refugees from the conflict in Syria.

Borrell said the crisis in Afghanistan, sparked by the withdrawal of US troops, had highlighted the need for the EU to have its own military capacity.

"The EU must be able to intervene to protect our interests when the Americans don´t want to be involved," Borrell said.

"Our first entry force should be made of 5,000 soldiers that we are able to mobilise at short notice. We have EU Battlegroups but these have never been mobilised. We need to be able to act quickly."

 

Petrol price in Pakistan expected to fall from Sept 1

The price of petroleum products in the country is expected to fall from September 1, as the Oil and Gas Regulatory (OGRA) has sent a bi-monthly rate list to the government, sources said Monday.

The OGRA has suggested the Petroleum Division reduces the price of petrol by Rs3.5, diesel Rs5, light diesel oil Rs2, and kerosene oil by Rs3, sources said.

However, the Ministry of Finance will take a final decision in this regard after consultations with Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The Government of Pakistan on August 15 had announced that it would not increase the price of petrol for the remaining month of August, a notification issued in this regard confirmed.

On the other hand, the price of kerosene oil had been increased by Rs0.81 per litre, while the price of light diesel had been increased by Rs1.10 per litre.

The new price of kerosene oil was set at Rs88.30 per litre and light diesel is being sold for Rs85.77 per litre, the notification had said.

Meanwhile, petrol prices remained unchanged at Rs119.80 per litre and the price of high-speed diesel also remained unchanged at Rs116.53 per litre, the notification confirmed.

Parliamentary committees' delegation receive briefing from military amid evolving Afghanistan situation

Three parliamentary committees' delegations on Monday were briefed on the country's security environment, including the situation at the borders and the army efforts for peace and stability.

The delegation — which visited the GHQ — comprised members from the Senate and National Assembly's Kashmir committee and defence committees, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The development comes amid the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan, with several people who had fled the war-torn country being allowed transit stay in Pakistan for a month.

US anti-missile defences earlier in the day had intercepted rockets fired at Kabul's airport, as the United States flew its core diplomats out of Afghanistan in the final hours of its chaotic withdrawal.

US troops are due to pull out of Kabul by Tuesday, after they and their allies mounted the biggest air evacuation in history, bringing 114,000 of their own citizens and Afghans who helped them over 20 years of war.

Meanwhile, in the meeting at the GHQ, the parliamentarians had an exhaustive interactive session with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the military's media wing said.

COAS said the Pakistan Armed Forces, with the support of the nation, have achieved unprecedented success in the fight against terrorism and bringing normalcy to the country.

The army chief said due to "our timely steps for Western zone border management, despite challenges, Pakistan’s borders are secure and we are prepared to meet any situation."

Alluding to the benefits of regional connectivity, the COAS highlighted the importance of the restoration of peace in Afghanistan for the sustainable development of the region.

The COAS reiterated the Pakistan army’s support and commitment to the Kashmir cause and the people of Kashmir.

"The world must know that without peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, peace and stability will remain elusive," the army chief reiterated.

The session concluded with the resolve to continue the struggle against violent extremism through a synergetic, whole-of-the-nation approach, the military's media wing added.

In July, an in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, which took place at the Parliament House, had ended with the parliamentarians expressing satisfaction over the briefing provided by the country's security apparatus.

The meeting was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and involved a briefing by Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed.

Schools reopen in sindh with 50% attendance

Schools in Sindh on Monday (today) reopened with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs).As per the notification issued by the School Education and Literacy Department, last week, the schools have been allowed in-person classes for six days a week.

The schools have been allowed to remain open six days a week with 50% attendance of students on alternative days and all heads of educational institutions have been directed to ensure 100% vaccination of their teaching and non-teaching staff.

The notification further said all educational institutions will ensure 100% compliance with COVID-19 SOPs and random PCR tests will be conducted by the health department as and when required.

The parents and the students have expressed their happiness over the reopening of the schools.

On August 23, the government of Sindh and All Pakistan Private Schools’ Federation (APPSF) agreed on reopening schools after a protest was announced by teachers and parents against a delay in allowing in-person classes from August 23.

Corona calaims 66 more lives in Pakistan within 24 hrs

Pakistan has reported 66 more deaths in the last 24 hours by COVID-19. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,670 on Monday. According to the latest figures issued by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), 3,800 persons tested positive for COVID-19, lifting the overall number of infections in the country to 1,156,281Pakistan has conducted 56,279 tests in the past 24 hours out of which 3,800 persons were tested positive for the disease. The COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 6.75 percent. So far, a total of 50,985,184…

President Arif Alvi to address joint sitting of parliament on September 13

President Dr. Arif Alvi will address a joint sitting of both upper and lower houses of Parliament to be convened on September 13, said Adviser to the PM on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan on Monday.

The president’s address to the joint sitting of the Senate and National Assembly will mark the start of the new parliamentary year.

Mr Awan today met NA Speaker Asad Qaiser and discussed with him the president’s address, legislation and the new parliamentary calendar. He said the new parliamentary year will begin with President Alvi’s address.

The PM’s aide was of the view that effective legislation could help overcome the challenges and issues facing the country. He said the fourth parliamentary year would see Parliament passing all pending laws with those concerning public welfare and well-being to be given priority.

Speaker Qaiser said Parliament’s performance during its past three years was laudable, giving its credit to both government and opposition.

NCOC has allowed 25pc crowd occupancy at stadiums for PAK-NZ series: PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday confirmed it had received permission from the government to allow spectators up to 25 per cent of the stadium's capacity in the upcoming ODI and T20i series between Pakistan and New Zealand starting Sep 17, 2021.

The permission for a limited crowd was given by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) — the implementation arm of the National Coordination Committee on Covid-19.

This is New Zealand’s first tour to Pakistan in 18 years wherein the guests will play three One-day Internationals and five Twenty20 Internationals from Sep 17 to Oct 3 at two venues — Rawalpindi and Lahore.

The decision to allow a limited crowd means around 4,500 spectators will be able to attend the ODIs scheduled from Sep 17 to Sep 21, while approximately 5,500 spectators will be able to watch five T20s from Sep 25 to Oct 3.

According to the PCB, only fully vaccinated spectators carrying proof of the vaccination will be allowed entry into the stadium.

The PCB will shortly announce ticket prices and other details of the tour.

PCB chief executive Wasim Khan expressed the belief that spectators were the essence of any sporting event as they created an ambience and atmosphere for the players to excel, perform and enjoy.

In a statement, he said: “We are grateful to the NCOC for allowing the PCB to invite 25pc crowds for the eight matches.”

He said he was hopeful that unvaccinated cricket fans would soon get their jabs in their urge to witness live cricket at stadiums on their home soil.

New Zealand is the first side to visit Pakistan in what will be a bumper 2021-22 season for local cricket fans. Following the tour by the Black Caps, England’s men and women sides will play T20 International fixtures in Karachi before the West Indies are expected to arrive in the port city in December for three ODIs and three T20 Internationals.

Australia is then scheduled to undertake a full tour in February/March in what would be their first trip to Pakistan since 1998.

A bomb blast outside the New Zealand team’s hotel in Karachi in 2002 had cut short the Black Caps’ last Test tour of Pakistan, but they visited again for an ODI series the following year.

Since the 2003 ODI series, Pakistan has thrice hosted New Zealand for ODIs in the United Arab Emirates with the Black Caps winning the 2009-10 and 2014-15 series and drawing the 2018-19 one.

Schedule

Sept 11: Arrive in Islamabad.

Sept 12-14: Room isolation.

Sept 15-16: Training/practice/intra-squad match

Sept 17: 1st ODI (Rawalpindi).

Sept 19: 2nd ODI (Rawalpindi).

Sept 21: 3rd ODI (Rawalpindi).

Sept 25: 1st T20 International (Lahore).

Sept 26: 2nd T20 International (Lahore).

Sept 29: 3rd T20 International (Lahore).

Oct 1: 4th T20 International (Lahore).

Oct 3: 5th T20 International (Lahore).

First PIA flight with medical supplies lands in Mazar-i-Sharif

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight carrying medical essentials from the World Health Organization (WHO) landed in Mazar-i-Sharif Monday.

The PK-234 flew from Dubai and landed at the Mazar-i-Sharif Airport – the first international flight to the country’s fourth-largest city after the Taliban swept Afghanistan, according to state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

The national flag carrier is providing air transport for the operation while WHO will be arranging logistics on the ground as part of the humanitarian bridge in the war-torn country.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Mansoor Ahmed Khan, confirmed that the PIA cargo flight took essential supplies of WHO to Mazar-i-Sharif in line with Pakistan’s role of making a "humanitarian air bridge" in coordination with international agencies.

“First PIA Cargo flight with WHO medical supplies from Islamabad to Mazar Sharif today,” the envoy tweeted and thanked PIA for its efforts in ensuring the supplies to Afghanistan.

 “A humanitarian air bridge for essential supplies to Afghanistan in coordination with international agencies. Thanx PIA,” he wrote.

In view of the medical supplies running out within days in Afghanistan, the global health watchdog had announced last week to establish an air bridge in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif with help from Pakistani authorities.

Trauma kits and emergency supplies for hospitals and medicines for treating chronic malnutrition in children are among priority items required for Afghanistan where 18 million people depend on aid, the WHO’s regional emergency director had said.

“What remains certain is that humanitarian needs are enormous and growing,” Rick Brennan told a UN briefing.

“Right now because of security concerns and several other operational considerations, Kabul airport is not going to be an option for the next week at least,” he had said.

“One of the problems we have in Afghanistan right now is that there is no civil aviation authority functioning, but we are working with Pakistan particularly in the context of the Mazar-i-Sharif airport. Because they can work with contacts on the ground so that all the necessary steps to land an aircraft, to land a cargo aircraft, can be put in place,” Brennan had said.

Insurance rates for flying into Afghanistan had “skyrocketed at prices we have never seen before” in the 12 hours since the blast, the official had said.

“So we are trying to jump through that hoop at the moment and once we have addressed that we will hopefully be airborne in the next 48 to 72 hours.”

Pakistan has so far not taken in a single refugee: Sheikh Rasheed

Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said Monday that Pakistan has so far not given the status of refugee to a single person from Afghanistan.

"I can confirm as your [the] interior minister that we have not given the status of a refugee to even a single person," he shared during a news conference, a day before the US and other foreign troops complete their pullout from the war-ravaged country.

The interior minister's comments came as thousands of Afghans have sought to leave the country since the Taliban took control of the country last month. The US had also requested Pakistan to provide transit facilities after which Islamabad made arrangements at the city's hotels.

Rasheed clarified that people from Afghanistan arrive in Pakistan via the Chaman border on a daily basis and then go back to their country, adding that this was "a normal activity."

Regarding any possible influx of people from Afghanistan, he said that Pakistan has "made arrangements to accommodate 3,000 people in Islamabad only," adding that "any person from any nationality, who comes to Pakistan from Afghanistan, will be granted a transit visa of 21 days."

He added that as of now, 1,627 people have entered Pakistan via the air route, while over 2,100 people arrived through the land route at Torkham.

"We had been expecting a huge refugee influx from Afghanistan, but not a single person came to Pakistan as a refugee."

He said Pakistan Army is "the world's greatest army", adding that they had fenced the border and were keeping a close watch over the movement of people.

Speaking further about developments in Afghanistan, the minister said that Pakistan had evacuated all but 30-40 citizens from the country.

"Those 30-40 people want to remain in Afghanistan. They got married there and now have families. They told us they are happy in Afghanistan," he added.

‘Threat of terrorism from India’

The minister lashed out at India, saying that New Delhi can use militant groups to carry out subversive activities in Pakistan. He said Islamabad hoped Afghanistan would not allow its territory to be used against Pakistan.

Rasheed said Pakistan was the only country in the world that had sacrificed 80,000-plus lives to establish peace in Afghanistan and the region. He censured India, saying that the "country's news channels are attempting to malign Pakistan through propaganda."

While speaking about the presence of Daesh in Afghanistan, he said that Pakistan is hopeful that the Taliban would not let their soil be used against its neighbouring country.

"Daesh fighters are present in Nuristan and in the mountains of Kunar," he admitted.

Rasheed lashes out at PDM

During the press conference, the interior minister took shots at the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), saying that the Opposition's "timing and tuning" were both messed up.

"Opposition should prepare for the next elections," he advised. "Their narrative will not get acceptance among the masses."

Rasheed said that the Opposition was not aware of Pakistani politics, adding that they were focused on petty issues while Pakistan's politics was headed towards international matters.

"Last December, you were coming for our resignations. You will be trapped [if you try again]," he said in response to PDM’s announcement of a march towards Islamabad.

The minister said that the people of Pakistan were now aware of political issues, adding that by the time the next general elections are held, all pending NAB cases will be resolved.

In response to another question, Rasheed urged UK authorities to take Pakistan off the red list. He declined to comment on a question relating to a ban on social media.

PDM only put up a 'show' without any power, says information minister

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has just exhibited a "show" in Karachi as it was "devoid of any power", says Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry. Commenting on PDM’s public rally held Sunday, the information minister said the country had not found a more "incompetent and frivolous" opposition than the PDM. “They [PDM] will continue spending even the next seven years carrying protest banners,” he said, adding that the rally was actually against the PPP.In his comments on the rally, the minister severely criticised the PDM leadership for holding…

Schools reopen in sindh with 50% attendance

Schools in Sindh on Monday (today) reopened with strict standard operating procedures (SOPs).As per the notification issued by the School Education and Literacy Department, last week, the schools have been allowed in-person classes for six days a week.

The schools have been allowed to remain open six days a week with 50% attendance of students on alternative days and all heads of educational institutions have been directed to ensure 100% vaccination of their teaching and non-teaching staff.

The notification further said all educational institutions will ensure 100% compliance with COVID-19 SOPs and random PCR tests will be conducted by the health department as and when required.

The parents and the students have expressed their happiness over the reopening of the schools.

On August 23, the government of Sindh and All Pakistan Private Schools’ Federation (APPSF) agreed on reopening schools after a protest was announced by teachers and parents against a delay in allowing in-person classes from August 23.

Corona claims 66 more live in Pakistan within 24 hrs

Pakistan has reported 66 more deaths in the last 24 hours by COVID-19. The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,670 on Monday. According to the latest figures issued by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), 3,800 persons tested positive for COVID-19, lifting the overall number of infections in the country to 1,156,281Pakistan has conducted 56,279 tests in the past 24 hours out of which 3,800 persons were tested positive for the disease. The COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 6.75 percent. So far, a total of 50,985,184…

No one can snatch away jobs granted by parliament: Bilawal

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday said that "no one can snatch away jobs given by the parliament", vowing to appeal a Supreme Court verdict that declared a PPP-era law unconstitutional and illegal.

Under the PPP-era Sacked Employees (Reinstatement) Ordinance Act (SERA) 2010 law, a number of people had been employed or given promotions who had been forcibly sacked from various institutions and departments by successive governments during 1996 and 2007.

The SC, however, found that the SERA extended undue advantage to a certain class of citizens, thereby violating fundamental rights under Articles 4, 9 and 25 and being void under Article 8 of the Constitution.

Earlier this month, PPP had appealed to the Supreme Court to review its verdict that declared SERA 2010 illegal and unconstitutional.

In his address today to a worker's convention in the city, Bilawal said that PPP will provide relief to all those people from whom jobs have been snatched.

Speaking of the three-year performance of the PTI government, he said: "Prime Minister Imran Khan is celebrating three years of destruction in Islamabad."

Bilawal said that in these last three years, unemployment and poverty "reached their peak".

"When one province suffers, it is painful for all other provinces," he added, referring to Sindh being sidelined by the Centre.

He recalled how Benazir Bhutto "aimed to create employment opportunities for the people of Pakistan".

"Benazir Bhutto provided jobs to 16,000 households and Imran Khan took away jobs from all those people," he said.

"The selected prime minister promised to create one million job opportunities, however, instead of providing jobs he took away jobs from the people who were already employed," he added

Bilawal said that because of PM Imran Khan, 10,000 employees of Pakistan Steel Mills were abandoned and their households had to suffer.

"We ask Imran Khan what he is doing to employ the people of Pakistan, as millions of youngsters have lost their jobs during these last three years," the PPP chairman said.

Shedding further light on Imran Khan's "unfulfilled" promises, he said: "The prime minister promised to construct five million houses. I ask him is Khairpur not a part of Pakistan? How many houses have been constructed in Khairpur so far?"

He claimed that in Sindh, five million people lost their jobs.

"People of all provinces have lost their jobs," he added.

"As youngsters suffer because of unemployment under the rule of all other political parties, Pakistan Peoples' Party will make sure it creates jobs for the youngsters," he promised.

"We will not tolerate any injustice. The water crisis (in Sindh) should be resolved fairly, or else we will conduct protests across the country as announced in Hyderabad earlier," the PPP chairman said.

Concluding his speech, Bilawal said: "We need the support of all jiyalas (loyalists) across Pakistan. Because when jiyalas come out they fight for their rights no matter what era they are in."

"We trusted many friends but all of them cheated us," he said.

"Now PPP's jiyalas are enough. We will stand on our own feet and do our own politics," the PPP chairman added.

Surge in inflation: Prices of essential food items skyrocket

The weekly inflation, based on the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), for the week ended August 26 registered a meagre gain of 0.22% for the combined income group going up from 151.80 points during the week ended August 19, 2021 to 152.14 points in the week under review.

According to the provisional figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the average prices of 22 essential items, including chicken, onions, garlic, eggs, cooking oil, mustard oil, vegetable ghee, pulse mash, fresh milk, sugar refined and wheat flour rose were selected in a basket of goods. Prices of five items, including tomatoes, potatoes and LPG 11.67 kg cylinder declined. Meanwhile, the rates of 24 essential goods recorded no change.

During the week under review, prices of chicken went up by 9.52%, pulse masoor 9.32%, onions 7.55%, garlic 5.21%, eggs 2.86%, vegetable 1kg ghee 1.8% and cooking oil 0.86%. However, prices of tomatoes declined by 29.88%, followed by LPG 2.63% and potatoes 2.11%.

On a year-on-year basis, the inflation based on the SPI increased 12.67%. The SPI for the lowest income group increased 0.20% compared to the previous week. The index for the group stood at 163.94 points against 163.62 points in the previous week.

Lionel Messi to play with PSG squad in Reims Ligue 1 trip

Argentine forward Lionel Messi has been included in Paris St Germain's squad for Sunday's Ligue 1 trip to Reims, the club reported on Sunday.

The 34-year-old, who signed a two-year deal with PSG with an option for a third year after his contract with Barcelona expired, had yet to feature in the squad since joining on August 10.

Messi has not played since winning the Copa America with Argentina against Brazil on July 10.

Also in the squad are France striker Kylian Mbappe and Brazil forward Neymar.

PSG have a maximum nine points in the Ligue 1 table.

2 Pakistan Army sepoys martyred in exchange of fire with militants from across Afghan border: ISPR

Two Pakistan Army sepoys were martyred in an exchange of fire with terrorists from across the Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bajaur district, the military's media wing said in a statement on Sunday.

"Terrorists from inside Afghanistan across the international border opened fire on a military post in Bajaur district," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, adding that Pakistani troops had responded in a befitting manner.

"As per intelligence reports, due to [the] fire of Pakistan Army troops, two to three terrorists got killed and three to four terrorists got injured," read the statement.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Sepoy Jamal, 28, from Mardan, and Sepoy Ayaz, 21, from Chitral.

The ISPR said Pakistan "strongly condemns the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for activities against Pakistan and expects that [the] existing and future setup in Afghanistan will not allow such activities".

In a similar incident, a paramilitary soldier was martyred on Thursday when terrorists attacked a check-post in the Three Baman Sector from across the Afghan border.

On Friday, ISPR Director General Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar had emphasised that the situation on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was "normal and under control", while Pakistan's side was "secure".

UAE to resume visas for tourists vaccinated against Covid-19

The United Arab Emirates has announced it will resume issuing visas to all tourists fully vaccinated against Covid-19 from Monday, a month before Dubai hosts the delayed Expo 2020 trade fair.

The move comes amid a drop in coronavirus infections in the oil-rich Gulf country after it reported less than 1,000 cases per day last week for the first time in months.

The UAE's decision to reopen its doors to tourists from all countries was taken in order “to achieve sustainable recovery and economic growth”, the official WAM news agency reported on Saturday.

Those eligible would have to be fully inoculated with one of the Covid-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation, which include AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, Sinopharm and Sinovac.

“The decision applies to citizens of all countries, including those arriving from previously banned countries,” WAM said.

“Passengers arriving on tourist visas must [undergo] a mandatory PCR test at the airport,” it added.

While life in the country has largely returned to normal amid the Covid pandemic, UAE continues to enforce strict rules on wearing masks and social distancing.

Dubai was last year counting on the six-month Dubai Expo 2020 — delayed a year by the health crisis and now set to open in October — to attract millions of visitors and boost the economy.

Heavily reliant on tourism, the emirate was one of the first destinations to open its doors to travellers, accepting tourists in July last year, just a few months after the pandemic took hold.

Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, has been more cautious, opening up to some visitors only in December.

The UAE has so far recorded more than 715,000 cases of Covid-19 infection, including 2,036 deaths.

Federal govt prohibits employees from using social media platforms

In an attempt to prevent leaks of government information and documents, the federal government has decided to restrict its employees from using social media platforms.

A notification issued by the Establishment Division states that no government employee will be allowed to use any social media application — including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Twitter — without seeking permission from the government.

The reasoning behind the step is to "prevent the disclosure of government information and documents".

The statement further directed the government employees to abide by Government Servants Rules 1964 under which government employees are barred from expressing their opinions or making any statements.

Government employees have been warned of "strict action" for violating any of the instructions.

 

NCOC expands COVID-19 restrictions to 27 cities

In a bid to control the spread of COVID-19 infection across the country, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Sunday announced that it has decided to expand the current coronavirus restrictions to 27 cities of the country, that too beyond the earlier deadline of 31 August.

The body will review the restrictions on September 13.

According to the body, the decision was taken in view of the growing number of COVID-19 positive cases and the ensuing pressure on the country's healthcare system.

The NCOC said that considering the situation, the scope of the implementation of the SOPs has been extended to 27 cities of the country. Previously, these SOPs were only applicable to 13 cities.

As per the rules, all commercial activities — with the exception of essential services — will be closed by 8pm. Similarly, there will be two safe days each week, which means that markets will remain closed twice a week. However, it will be up to the provinces to decide which days would be considered safe days.

Indoor dining will remain banned across the country, while outdoor dining will only be allowed until 10pm each day. Meanwhile, restaurant takeaway and delivery services will continue to operate 24/7.

As for wedding functions, indoor weddings will be completely banned, while outdoor wedding events will be allowed with a maximum limit of 300 guests. Outdoor events will have to be wound up by 10pm.

Shrines and cinema halls will remain closed, while games such as boxing, martial arts, rugby, water polo, kabaddi, and wrestling will also be banned.

Indoor gyms will remain open to only fully vaccinated individuals, the NCOC said.

As per the previous SOPs, all public and private offices will continue to operate at a 50% capacity. Similarly, public transport will also function at a 50% capacity.

On the other hand, railway services will be allowed to operate at a 70% capacity.

Recreational parks and swimming pools will remain closed, while public parks will remain open but people entering those parks will have to follow the SOPs strictly.

The NCOC said educational institutions will operate at a 50% capacity thrice a week.

The body said that it will review the SOPs on September 13.

At the beginning of August, the NCOC had announced revised restrictions for a limited number of cities in the country where the positivity ratio of coronavirus was higher as compared to others.

Addressing a press conference to announce the revised SOPs, NCOC chief Asad Umar had said that the "targeted and staggered" decisions were taken by the government to contain the spread of the virus amid the fourth wave.

Another 69 people lost their lives to COVID-19 in Pakistan, taking the total death toll in the country above 25,600, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) revealed Sunday.

Per statistics released by the NCOC, the country recorded 3,909 new cases in the last 24 hours.

The country's official coronavirus statistics website (covid.gov.pk) reveals that in the last 24 hours, 62,918 coronavirus tests were conducted across the country out of which 3,909 turned out to be positive.

Meanwhile, the rate of coronavirus positive cases in the country was reported to be 6.21% in the 24 hours.

According to the official portal, the number of deaths from the disease in the country has reached 25,604, while the total number of cases since the outbreak has reached 1,152,481. As of now, there are 93,504 active COVID-19 cases in the country, while a total of 1,033,373 people have recovered from the virus.

Over 20,000 Afghanistan nationals and other foreigners landed at Islamabad airport

Over 20,000 Afghanistan nationals and other foreigners have landed at Islamabad airport after their evacuation from the neighbouring country in the wake of a Taliban takeover. According to details, as many as 332 flights from military planes and private airlines had landed at the Islamabad airport after the beginning of a special flight operation from Afghanistan to evacuate stranded people on August 16. The military planes and foreign airlines had later also left with the passengers to other countries. The flight operation for evacuation of people stranded in Afghanistan in…

NA, Senate Members to get briefing on afghanistan issue at GHQ

Members of the Senate and National Assembly standing committees will visit General Headquarters (GHQ) on Monday, where they would be taken into confidence on Afghanistan situation by top military leadership. According to the details of the meeting, the top military leadership would take members of the Parliament into confidence over the Afghanistan situation at the GHQ. The committees that would be attending the meeting include Senate standing committee on Defence headed by Mushahid Hussain Syed, National Assembly standing committee on defence headed by Amjad Ali Khan and the parliamentary body…

Police arrested factory workers for unfortunate fire incident claimed lives of 16 people

Police on Sunday arrested the gatekeeper, supervisor and manager of a factory where an unfortunate fire incident claimed the lives of at least 16 people. The police have begun an investigation into the case where the factory owner is among six others who have been blamed for the entire tragic incident. The police said besides making arrests of the factory manager, supervisor, and gatekeeper, they have also carried out raids in parts of the interior Sindh to nab suspects who are currently in hiding. “We are investigating the suspects who…

People will not be allowed to use public transport from Sep 15 without COVID vaccination

Sindh government on Sunday announced that the travelers will not be allowed to use public transport from September 15 without COVID vaccination. Sharing the decision, the provincial transport Minister Syed Awais Shah said that people would not be allowed to travel on public transport without receiving the first dose of a Covid jab from September 15. “The passengers willing to travel through public transport should get the first dose of the vaccine before September 15,” Syed Awais Shah said adding the vehicles carrying government and private employees will also face…

Covid19 claimed 3,909 new cases and 69 deaths in country in last 24 hours

The global pandemic, Covid, has further claimed 69 more lives in the country in the past 24-hour period on Sunday while the number of new daily cases remained at 3,909. The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) statistics showed 62,918 Covid tests were conducted since the last cut-off period that resulted in 6.21 per cent positivity as 3,909 new cases emerged. With new daily deaths today, the death toll since the outbreak of the virus has jumped to 25,604, NCOC said. Separately, Pakistan has administered 50 million doses of different…

PPP stabbed PDM in the back: Fazlur Rehman

PPP "stabbed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in the back", the Opposition alliance's chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said Friday, as he announced an expansion of protests by the movement across the country.

Fazl, speaking at a press conference in Karachi alongside Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif and other political party leaders, told reporters to not discuss PPP as it was "a thing of the past".

A meeting of the leaders of various Opposition political parties in the PDM was held prior to the media briefing, ahead of the alliance's rally at the Quaid's mausoleum on Sunday.

"PDM will also raise the issues in Sindh," he said, hitting out once more at the PPP, which is the ruling provincial party.

 The PDM chief said women would also come to the anti-government protests, and they would be treated with the utmost respect — in reference to the recent harassment incidents with women in Lahore.

The PDM chief said the Opposition alliance rejects the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA). "We do not accept this black law."

Fazl said PDM stands in solidarity with the journalist community and announced a protest outside the parliament, as PMDA was an "unannounced", "dictatorial" law.

The meeting participants expressed sorrow over the fire at a chemical factory that killed 16 labourers in Karachi, the blast in Quetta which left several injured, and other incidents, he said.

Fazl said leaders of all the political parties associated with the anti-government movement had attended the meeting, and they expressed grief over the ongoing "instability" in the country.

He further said that the PDM also rejected the government's electoral reforms, which he claimed that the "entire world" had disapproved of, but the incumbent government was persistent in introducing.

"Electronic voting is a plan to steal elections," he said.

The PDM chief said the government had "taken away the jobs of thousands" of people, as it aims to bring reforms to make state institutions profitable. "The meeting expressed deep concerns over the unemployment and inflation in the country," he added.

Bilawal welcomes PDM in Karachi

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, a couple of days ago, termed the news of the PDM holding a jalsa in Karachi as welcome news, adding that his party had informed PDM leaders of doing things the constitutional way. He said it was the right of every political party to hold rallies.

He said that the PPP also desires to give a tough time to the PTI-led coalition government, adding that it has been opposing the regime since it came to power in 2018.

India collapse again as England seal crushing win in third Test

England thrashed India by an innings and 76 runs to win the third Test at Headingley on Saturday with more than a day to spare.

Victory saw England level the five-match series at 1-1 after India's 151-run win in the second Test at Lord's.

India, 215-2 overnight in their second innings, collapsed against the new ball, losing eight wickets for 63 runs in 19.3 overs on Saturday with Ollie Robinson taking 5-65.

India's 278 all out, however, was 200 runs more than their woeful first innings of 78 — made after captain Virat Kohli won the toss — which saw England great James Anderson rip through the top order with 3-6.

The tourists resumed on Saturday on 215-2 but, with 80 overs bowled, England took the new ball straight from the start of Saturday's play.

From the moment Cheteshwar Pujara was lbw to Robinson without adding to his overnight 91, lbw playing no shot to Robinson, England were in complete command on Saturday, with Kohli falling soon afterwards for 55 — his first fifty of the series.

The match was a personal triumph for England captain Joe Root, who top-scored with 121 out of a total on 432 on his Headingley home ground.

It was Root's third century of the series and sixth of the calendar year.

Meanwhile, the rest of England's often fallible top order all posted fifties, with Dawid Malan compiling 70 on his Test recall after Dom Sibley was dropped from the team.

The fourth Test at the Oval starts on Thursday.

Those who banned PIA are now seeking its help for Afghanistan evacuations: Fawad

Recounting international recognition for Pakistan on evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday said "those who banned the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are now seeking assistance from the same airline for evacuation of their people" from the neighbouring country.

Chaudhry made these remarks in reference to the ban imposed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency on the PIA in July 2020 over safety deficiencies and issues surrounding authorisation processes of pilot licencing.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, the minister said the international powers must take decisions with rationale and not by force.

He said Pakistan had so far evacuated more than 4,400 people from Afghanistan, and of them, “PIA alone brought over 2,000 people to the country.”

“Apart from that, as many as 27,000 people arrived into Pakistan from the Chaman border and some from the Torkham border,” he said.

The minister said Afghan nationals possessing valid documents could come into Pakistan. “We will give our complete support to Afghanistan and it can only become stable if their institutions are intact.”

Chaudhry said the administrative vacuum in Afghanistan would further aggravate if the international community kept ignoring the war-ravaged country.

He remarked that the situation in Afghanistan could change if Pakistan’s advice was implemented and considered by the world. “We hold credit for prudent analysis on the Afghan situation and what was earlier said by our prime minister is now a reality,” he added.

The minister insisted that the world must not wait for Afghanistan to collapse. “We need to engage with authorities in Afghanistan and the world has the responsibility to help Afghans in governance along with maintaining social and political stability in the country.”

He highlighted that statements given by the Taliban to form an inclusive government were encouraging.

‘Valima at our expense’
The minister also took exception to the wedding ceremony of Maryam Nawaz’s son, Junaid Safdar, in London a few days ago, saying “They should first get back here, face courts and return our money.”

Chaudhry claimed that the “Valima ceremony” of [Safdar] had a total cost of more than $1 million. “We don’t have objections to such weddings, but they should not be at our expense,” he added.

The information minister also said the PML-N must decide about its leadership as “some people are chasing Maryam Nawaz while others are following Shehbaz Sharif.”

‘Sindh needs to be held accountable’
Chaudhry, while turning his guns on the Sindh government, said the federal government transferred Rs1.9 trillion to the province in the last three years and asked the media to question the provincial administration about its spending.

“They can only think of ways to transfer money [given by the federal government] to Dubai,” he alleged.

The minister said Sindh was the only province where the administration was indifferent to the basic health needs of its citizens. “Sindh is even not willing to give health cards to its people,” he pointed out.

“If we ask the Sindh government about proper spending of money, they blame us for interfering in provincial affairs,” he said, adding that every department in Karachi sought bribes from people to serve them.

He said the federal government couldn’t undertake even basic development works until it had the power to govern a provincial government.

“The Supreme Court should implement Article 140-A of Constitution in this regard,” he appealed.

He said local government elections being planned by the Sindh government were a farce. “If the control of administration, funds and planning is kept by the chief minister then what will the local administration do?” he questioned.

Afghanistan's neighbours 'realistic' on Kabul situation: Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who recently concluded a four-nation tour of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran, has said that Afghanistan's neighbours were "fully aware" of the situation in Kabul and their approach towards the issue "was realistic".

In a statement issued on Saturday, the foreign minister detailed his findings after holding dialogues with regional leadership surrounding Afghanistan. "I had the opportunity to learn about their views on Afghanistan during my four-nation tour," he said.

"The entire region will benefit if there is peace and stability in Afghanistan," Qureshi said, adding that the Taliban leadership was also in contact with all the countries.

"The people of Afghanistan have been dealing with wars for decades and want peace. They are suffering for the mistakes made in the past. We need to learn from the mistakes made in the past so that they are not repeated."

If there is a positive message coming from Afghanistan, it should be encouraged, Qureshi said, adding that isolating Afghanistan would be detrimental to all.

The minister said the world was "expressing confidence" in Pakistan, adding that the country's role as a mediator in Afghanistan had also been praised.

"Pakistan is helping evacuate the diplomatic staff of several countries from Afghanistan," he said. "Pakistan International Airlines has played an important role in this regard."

Commenting on neighbouring India, he said that it was at the top of the list of "spoilers" in the region. He said India was carrying out "negative activities" to harm Pakistan and was bent upon destroying peace in the region.

The minister denied that the border with Afghanistan had been closed, adding that only "border management measures" have been taken.

Punjab reports 7.8 percent positivity ratio in 24 hrs

Punjab has reported 1718 COVID-19 cases as the overall positivity rate in the province has soared to 7.8 percent, the provincial secretary health said on Saturday.

As per details, the province has reported 1718 fresh cases of COVID-19 and the positivity ratio has reached 7.8 percent, Punjab’s Secretary Health Sara Aslam said.

In Lahore, the positivity rate of the coronavirus tests was recorded at 10.4% during the last 24 hours, 7.6 percent in Rawalpindi, 8.4 percent in Faisalabad, 11 pct in Multan and 4.2 pct in Gujranwala.
Overall 54 persons died by Covid-19 in Punjab in last 24 hours, including 16 in provincial capital city Lahore.

Total number of deaths by the pandemic in the province has reached to 11,757, top health official of the province said.

Pakistan has recorded 120 more deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,535.

The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has reached to 1,148,532 after 4,191 new infections.

The positivity rate of infections was recorded at 6.83% as compared to yesterday’s 6.42 per cent.

Pakistan has administered 50 million doses of different Covid-19 vaccines since the country’s vaccination drive began this year in Feb, said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Friday.

US strikes back in Afghanistan after deadly Kabul attack

The United States (US) launched a drone strike against a “planner” of the Kabul airport attack in eastern Afghanistan, the military said on Friday.President Joe Biden vowed on Thursday that the United States would hunt down those responsible for the attack, saying he had ordered the Pentagon to come up with plans to strike at the perpetrators. US Central Command said the strike took place in Nangarhar province. “Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties,” a US military statement said. It did not…

Corona claims 120 new deaths, 4,191 infections in a day

Pakistan has recorded 120 more deaths in the last 24 hours by novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The nationwide tally of fatalities has jumped to 25,535. The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said that the country’s number of overall confirmed cases has risen to 1,148,532 after the emergence of 4,191 new infections.Overall 1,026,082 have recovered their health back from the pandemic, adding that the positivity rate of infections was recorded at 6.83% as compared to yesterday’s 6.42 per cent. The NCOC said 5,515 people are in critical condition. Overall 17,581,591 tests…

Privatisation Commission auctions Lahore hotel for Rs1.951bn

The Privatisation Commission on Thursday auctioned the Services International Hotel in Lahore at the highest bid of Rs1.951 billion against the reserved price of Rs1.949bn with the small difference between the two prices raising some eyebrows.

Only two bidders participated in the auction and a renowned real estate developer of Lahore, Faisal Town Pvt Ltd, emerged successful, according to an official announcement.

Federal Minister for Privatisation Mohammadmian Soomro, who chaired the process, termed the auction a success of the Privatisation Commission and said the government believed in merit and transparency in the auction of state-owned properties. He said that the auction had fetched more than the base price, adding that main purpose of the auction was to reduce the burden of debt retirement on the country.

Sources in the Privatisation Commission explained that the reserved price was fixed following market valuation as the Services International Hotel was not functional.

On the other hand, the meagre difference between the final bidding price and the reserved price has raised eyebrows of independent observers in view of the prime location of the property, which is spread over 15 kanals on Upper Mall and surrounded by some of the prime traffic arteries of Lahore. The property is easily accessible from multiple routes.

Commercial status has been approved for the property by the Lahore Development Authority allowing construction for all asset classes on the land.

As per the rule, the successful bidder will now have to pay 30 per cent of the accepted bid price within 20 working days of issuance of the letter of acceptance. The remaining 70 per cent of the accepted bid price will have to be paid within 60 working days of issuance of the letter of acceptance.

The privatisation minister said on the directive of Prime Minister Imran Khan the auction process of state-owned properties was being carried out in a transparent manner in the country.

He said the government had a plan to privatise all public sector departments which were running in loss, adding that under the plan, Pakistan Steel Mills, Mari Petroleum, Jinnah Convention Centre, Islamabad, SME Bank, First Women Bank, PPL, Guddu Power Plant, Heavy Electrical Complex and other power plants were being privatised.

He said the government had to face some financial problems due to Covid-19, but now the country was on the road to progress and exports were increasing.

He said the process of privatisation of Balloki and Bahadur Shah power plants was delayed due to Covid-19 because the international investors wanted to visit the plants physically, which was not possible owing the travel advisory restrictions, but now the matter was on track again and transaction would be completed within prescribed time.

About privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills, Mr Soomro said that the expression of interest from investors would be invited soon.

Turkey, Taliban hold first official talks in Kabul: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Ankara held first official talks with the Taliban in Kabul, as the situation rapidly changes in Afghanistan after the group's take over.

Turkey has not made a final decision on a Taliban request for support to run the Kabul airport after foreign forces withdraw over security concerns and uncertainty in Afghanistan, Erdogan said, adding talks were still underway.

Turkey — which is part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mission — has been responsible for security at the airport for the last six years.

Erdogan, speaking to reporters, said discussions were held at a military facility at the Kabul airport where Turkey’s embassy is temporarily stationed, according to Al Jazeera.

“We have held our first talks with the Taliban, which lasted three and a half hours,” the Turkish leader said, adding: “If necessary, we will have the opportunity to hold such talks again.”

Meanwhile, two officials told Reuters Turkey will not help run Kabul airport after NATO's withdrawal unless the Taliban agree to a Turkish security presence after deadly attacks outside the airport highlighted the perils of any such mission.

The Taliban have asked Turkey for technical help to run the airport after next Tuesday's deadline for all foreign military forces to pull out of Afghanistan, an ultimatum they say applies equally to Turkish troops.

Keeping the airport open after foreign forces hand over control is vital not just for Afghanistan to stay connected to the world but also to maintain aid supplies and operations.

On Thursday, just days before the military withdrawal deadline and as countries were still racing to evacuate civilians, at least one Daesh suicide bomber killed 85 people, including 13 US soldiers, outside the airport gates.

One senior Turkish official said the attack raised doubts about the Taliban's ability to secure the airport or to keep any Turkish operational staff safe.

"The operation can be done by Turkey technically [...] but our demand is that security should be ensured by Turkey too, through an extensive security team made up of former soldiers, former police, or a fully private firm," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"We have not been keen on Turkey operating the airport in an atmosphere where security is provided by the Taliban, and the attacks yesterday showed this was correct."

High risks
President Erdogan told reporters that Turkey was "not in a rush to start (commercial) flights or any such things" and that Ankara would decide "when there is finally calm there (in Kabul)".

The senior official said talks with the Taliban had been "negatively impacted" by the airport attacks and that future international flights from Kabul were at risk of being closed off. He did not say when the next contacts would take place.

Another Turkish official said security measures announced by the Taliban, including manning watchtowers around the airport, were not enough to ensure the safety of a potential Turkish mission.

"It's a very serious job and we need to think of security and operation together," the official said. "Our approach is that even if security is not provided by the Turkish Armed Forces, it should be done by Turkey."

At least 350 Turkish soldiers and some 1,400 other people have been evacuated by Turkey from Afghanistan since the Taliban captured Kabul on August 15.

Turkey has praised what it described as moderate statements by the Taliban since their takeover but said their actions will determine Ankara's position.

 

PM Imran launches 'game changer' Roshan Apna Ghar scheme for overseas Pakistanis

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday launched the 'Roshan Apna Ghar' scheme for overseas Pakistanis, terming the new initiative a “game-changer”.

Under the scheme, non-resident Pakistanis can now purchase or obtain financing for a house in Pakistan through Roshan Digital Account, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

“I think this [initiative] will help us attract a lot of money because Pakistan needs dollars and overseas Pakistanis are the only source to decrease the gap between the country’s exports and imports,” the premier said at the launching ceremony of the programme.

He noted that Pakistan faced problems of current account deficit because of the high volume of imports, saying he hoped the new scheme would help narrow the import-export gap.

The premier said the initiative would help the government draw potential investment from nine million overseas Pakistanis.

The country will also witness sustainable growth by ensuring facilitation to overseas Pakistanis in the housing sector under the project. "Pakistanis based abroad need to be given confidence so they invest back home without any fear of fraud," he said.

Prime Minister Imran highlighted that one of the major hurdles to investment from overseas Pakistanis was corruption in the country, saying “a segment of people habitual of working in a corruption-free society will not prefer to work in corrupt societies.”

He recalled that he had met several Pakistanis based overseas who wanted to invest in the country but were forced not to. “A lot of [overseas] people informed me about a plot they purchased in Pakistan which later got occupied illegally,” he said.

He noted that there was a huge racket of land grabbers against whom the government was waging “jihad”.

Detailing what sets Roshan Apna Ghar apart, the premier said banks were involved in the scheme which will add to the confidence of overseas Pakistanis.

He added that his government had made improvements in ease of doing business.

Earlier while addressing the ceremony, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said the scheme would help retain money coming through Roshan Digital Account. He said a huge investment was expected in the real estate sector under the initiative.

State Bank Governor Reza Baqir said all impediments that overseas Pakistanis previously faced in housing investment had been removed through effective utilisation of digital technology.

PM Imran nominates Ramiz Raja, Asad Ali Khan as members of PCB Board of Governors

Cricketer-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja and Asad Ali Khan have been nominated as members of the Board of Governors of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination.

The notification, issued on Friday, stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the capacity of PCB patron-in-chief, had nominated Raja and Khan as members of the PCB's Board of Governors for a period of three years.

The development follows days of speculation over the appointment of the PCB chief, with Raja being one of the hopefuls and reports of the likelihood of outgoing PCB chairperson Ehsan Mani being asked to serve another term as his current one ended on Wednesday. Raja's nomination lends some validity to the latter.

Earlier this week, the prime minister had held separate meetings with Mani and Raja.

On Thursday, said that he had "been informed by the Prime Minister's Office" that he was Prime Minister Imran Khan's choice to take over the PCB from Mani.

Raja had said an official notification of his nomination by the prime minister would be issued soon, following which he would contest PCB elections and become the new chairperson of the board.

Meanwhile, Mani not continuing as the PCB chief was confirmed when a statement issued by the PCB quoted him as saying that he would not be serving another term in the position.

“I am thankful to PCB Patron, Prime Minister Imran Khan and grateful to my colleagues on the PCB Board of Governors for their support during the past three year[s]. We made significant progress in becoming a credible, transparent and professional organisation," he said in the parting note.

Mani further stated: "I want to thank the PCB team, all the PSL franchise owners and other stakeholders for their support during my three years in the office. It has been an honour to lead this great organisation and I hope I have made positive contribution in taking Pakistan cricket forward."

“I would like to wish my successor the very best in taking the PCB and Pakistan cricket to the next level with the support of the excellent executive team at the PCB led by Wasim Khan,” he added.

According to the statement, Justice (Retd) Azmat Saeed, as the election commissioner, will announce the schedule for the election of the 36th PCB chairperson.