Pakistan repatriates 268 nationals from Iraq amid ongoing Iran-Israel conflict

Pakistan repatriates 268 nationals from Iraq amid ongoing Iran-Israel conflict
People gather to receive arriving passengers at the international arrival area of the Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad, Pakistan on February 3, 2020. (AFP/File)
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Updated 16 June 2025
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Pakistan repatriates 268 nationals from Iraq amid ongoing Iran-Israel conflict

Pakistan repatriates 268 nationals from Iraq amid ongoing Iran-Israel conflict
  • Pakistani nationals repatriated through two flights, from Basra to Karachi and Islamabad, says FO
  • Thousands of Pakistani zaireen (pilgrims) travel annually to Iran and Iraq to visit the holy sites there

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office said it repatriated 268 nationals from Iraq on Monday, as the Iran-Israel military confrontation enters its fourth day with no signs of either side letting up amid fears of a wider war breaking out in the region. 

Thousands of Pakistani zaireen (pilgrims) travel annually to Iran and Iraq to visit holy sites there. Many have been stranded since Friday when Israel launched a massive wave of attacks targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities but also hitting residential areas, sparking retaliation and fears of a broader regional conflict. 

Pakistan last week advised its nationals to avoid traveling to Iran and Iraq amid surging tensions. Pakistan said it facilitated the evacuation of 450 nationals from Iran on Sunday. 

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close coordination with Iraqi Airways, successfully facilitated the repatriation of 268 Pakistani nationals earlier today through two special flights from Basra to Karachi and Islamabad,” the foreign office said. 

“Both flights have safely reached Pakistan.”

The foreign ministry said it remains engaged with Iraqi Airways and other Iraqi authorities to ensure the safe and timely return of the remaining Pakistani pilgrims in the country. 

It advised Pakistani pilgrims in Iraq to remain in contact with the Pakistan Embassy in Baghdad and respective airlines for timely updates regarding their travel arrangements.

“All zaireen are further advised to remain prepared for travel at short notice,” the ministry said. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to monitor the situation closely and remains fully committed to facilitating the safe and orderly return of all Pakistani zaireen.”

Pakistan has condemned the Israeli strikes, calling them an unjustified violation of Iranian sovereignty, and has urged the international community to help de-escalate tensions through dialogue.

Iran has said over 200 people have been killed in Israel’s onslaught since Friday, while Israel says Iranian strikes have killed at least 18 people.


Asia Cup 2025 cricket tournament moved to UAE amid India-Pakistan tensions

Asia Cup 2025 cricket tournament moved to UAE amid India-Pakistan tensions
Updated 23 sec ago
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Asia Cup 2025 cricket tournament moved to UAE amid India-Pakistan tensions

Asia Cup 2025 cricket tournament moved to UAE amid India-Pakistan tensions
  • India was due to host the T20 tournament that will now be played between September 9 and 28
  • The event will feature eight teams and is seen as a key warm-up for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup

ISLAMABAD: Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi confirmed on Saturday the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup will be staged in the United Arab Emirates in September following a contentious venue dispute that threatened to derail the event.

India was due to host the T20 tournament, but rising tensions with Pakistan, exacerbated by a military standoff in May, and disagreements over the ACC’s Annual General Meeting in Dhaka led to weeks of uncertainty.

New Delhi initially refused to attend the meeting and questioned the neutrality of Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board and serves as the country’s interior minister. However, Indian authorities later joined the gathering via video link.

“I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 in UAE,” Naqvi announced in a social media post on X. “The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th.”

“We look forward to a spectacular display of cricket,” he added. “Detailed schedule will be out soon.”

https://x.com/mohsinnaqvic42/status/1949064032809337266?s=46&t=x28vcP-XUuQ0CWAu-biScA 

India and Pakistan have not hosted each other for a bilateral series in over a decade, with political and security concerns consistently spilling over into cricketing ties.

Last year’s Asia Cup in 2023 was marred by similar discord, as Pakistan was the official host and India refused to travel.

The ACC then implemented a hybrid model, splitting matches between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

All India fixtures— including the final— were held in Sri Lanka, while Pakistan hosted only non-India group games.

The workaround preserved Pakistan’s hosting rights while accommodating India’s participation.

The ACC has reached a similar compromise this year, with the UAE, an established neutral venue, stepping in to host all matches.

The tournament in September will feature eight teams, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman and Hong Kong.

A group-stage clash between India and Pakistan is likely, with the event also serving as a key warm-up for the ICC T20 World Cup in early 2026.


PM approves modern digital ecosystem for Pakistan revenue watchdog to increase collection

PM approves modern digital ecosystem for Pakistan revenue watchdog to increase collection
Updated 26 July 2025
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PM approves modern digital ecosystem for Pakistan revenue watchdog to increase collection

PM approves modern digital ecosystem for Pakistan revenue watchdog to increase collection
  • The move is tied to the government’s economic stabilization agenda, structural benchmarks under a $7 billion IMF program
  • Pakistan has set a record-high tax collection target of $47 billion for 2025–26, marking a 9% increase from the previous year

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the development of a modern, world-class digital ecosystem in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and directed hiring of world-renowned experts, his office said, in a bid to increase revenue collection.

The prime minister issued the directives at a meeting he presided over to review ongoing reforms in the FBR, during which officials briefed participants about linking FBR data to a single hub for real-time monitoring.

The reforms are tied to the government’s economic stabilization agenda and structural benchmarks under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. Pakistan has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the region, despite a population of more than 240 million.

Speaking at the meeting, Sharif said the country's economy was moving in the right direction, thanks to the ongoing FBR reforms, and the government could only reduce tax on common people by increasing the tax base and eliminating informal economy.

"An entire digital ecosystem should be created to strengthen the new [FBR] system," he said. "All data from raw material production and import, product manufacturing to consumer purchases should be linked to a single system."

In June, Sharif's government set a record-high tax collection target of Rs14.13 trillion ($47.4 billion) for the fiscal year 2025–26, marking a 9 percent increase from the previous year. Officials say meeting this goal is essential to reducing reliance on external debt and ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability.

The prime minister said this consolidated data, collected under the new FBR system, should be used for economic, strategic decision-making.

"The system should be made so effective that the entire value chain can be directly monitored digitally," the prime minister added.

Earlier this month, the FBR launched simplified digital tax returns for salaried individuals, aimed at increasing tax compliance and widening the narrow tax base.


Pakistan’s Sindh reports first dengue-related death of this year

Pakistan’s Sindh reports first dengue-related death of this year
Updated 26 July 2025
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Pakistan’s Sindh reports first dengue-related death of this year

Pakistan’s Sindh reports first dengue-related death of this year
  • Dengue is an illness that spreads through vectors, carried by the bite of an infected mosquito
  • 2024 recorded highest dengue levels with 14,305,764 cases and 10,576 deaths in 112 countries

KARACHI: The health department in Pakistan’s Sindh on Saturday reported first dengue-related death of this year in the southern province.

Dengue is an illness that spreads through vectors, carried by the bite of an infected mosquito. There is currently no cure or vaccine for dengue fever and in its most severe form, it can lead to fatalities.

People affected by dengue go through intense flu-like symptoms including high fever, intense headache, muscle and joint pain, and nausea and vomiting, typically persisting for approximately a week.

The Sindh health department on Saturday confirmed that a 48-year-old woman resident Karachi’s East district died of the virus during treatment at a private hospital.

“The patient was admitted on July 23, 2025, and tested positive for dengue the same day,” it said.

“She also had underlying health conditions, including diabetes and a urinary tract infection (UTI), which contributed to complications in her case.”

The virus has been surging worldwide, aided by climate change.

The year 2024 recorded the highest levels of dengue with 14,305,764 cases and 10,576 deaths reported from 112 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

Pakistan reported nearly 16,000 dengue case from Jan. till Oct. 2024, according to the National Institute of Health.


Pakistan arrests five suspects involved in human smuggling, defrauding citizens

Pakistan arrests five suspects involved in human smuggling, defrauding citizens
Updated 26 July 2025
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Pakistan arrests five suspects involved in human smuggling, defrauding citizens

Pakistan arrests five suspects involved in human smuggling, defrauding citizens
  • The development comes amid a crackdown against agents involved in sending impoverished Pakistanis abroad through dangerous routes
  • A record 10,457 migrants died trying to reach Spain in 2024, mostly attempting to cross the Atlantic route from West African countries

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested five suspects involved in human smuggling and defrauding citizens, it said on Saturday.

The development comes amid a crackdown against agents involved in sending impoverished Pakistanis abroad through dangerous routes, luring them with a chance at a better life in Europe.

The latest arrests were made by the FIA in different areas of Gujranwala and Gujrat districts for swindling citizens out of millions of rupees by offering fake visas and jobs abroad.

“The suspects were found involved in illegally sending innocent citizens abroad,” the FIA said in a statement, identifying the suspects as Rifaqat, Shabraiz, Muhammad Siddique, Muhammad Yasin and Qasim Shaheen.

Rafaqat and Shabraiz took Rs2.4 million from a citizen for employment in Italy, but sent him to Kyrgyzstan from where he was deported, according to the agency.

Siddique took over Rs2 million from a citizen for employment in Spain, while Yasin received more than Rs645,000 promising to find overseas employment to a citizen. Shaheen duped another man into paying Rs4 million for a job in the United Kingdom (UK).

“The accused had gone into hiding after receiving huge sums of money,” the FIA said, adding that an investigation has been launched against them.

Earlier this month, the FIA said it had arrested an agent involved in the Morocco boat tragedy, in which dozens of Pakistanis attempting to travel illegally to Europe had drowned near the African country’s coast.

The boat had set off from Mauritania in January with 86 migrants on board, among them 66 Pakistanis, for the Canary Islands administered by Spain, international rights group Walking Borders had said. Moroccan authorities said on January 16 that 36 people were rescued from the vessel, while Pakistan confirmed survivors of the tragedy included 22 of its nationals.

A record 10,457 migrants, or 30 people a day, died trying to reach Spain in 2024. Most of them died while attempting to cross the Atlantic route from West African countries such as Mauritania and Senegal to the Canary Islands, according to Walking Borders.

In 2023, hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, drowned when an overcrowded vessel sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos, marking one of the deadliest boat disasters ever recorded in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Pakistani government has ramped up efforts in recent months to combat human smugglers facilitating dangerous journeys for illegal immigrants to Europe, resulting in several arrests.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also urged increased collaboration with international agencies like Interpol to ensure swift action against human trafficking networks.


Fast bowler Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US

Fast bowler Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US
Updated 26 July 2025
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Fast bowler Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US

Fast bowler Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US
  • Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who suffered a hamstring injury, has recovered and was named in the T20 squad
  • Pakistan’s pace attack was further strengthened Friday with the return of Hasan Ali for both T20s, ODIs

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan recalled fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi for the white-ball cricket series against West Indies, starting at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

The three Twenty20 matches in the US — on July 31, Aug. 2 and 3 — will be followed by three ODI games in Trinidad and Tobago.

Afridi, who is also in the ODI squad, was surprisingly excluded from Pakistan’s last two T20 series against Bangladesh despite leading Lahore Qalandars to its third Pakistan Super League title in the last four years with a rich haul of 19 wickets this year.

In Afridi’s absence, Pakistan routed Bangladesh 3-0 at home but lost 2-1 to Bangladesh at Dhaka in a series which ended Thursday.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was forced to miss the series against Bangladesh because of a hamstring injury he sustained during Major League Cricket (MLC) in the US, has recovered and was named in the T20 squad.

Pakistan’s pace attack was further strengthened Friday with the return of Hasan Ali for both T20s and ODIs against West Indies.

The selectors dropped pace bowlers Abbas Afridi and Salman Mirza, who both participated in the T20 series in Bangladesh, and retained all-rounders Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz.

Middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz is the only uncapped player named in the ODI squad. Nawaz scored Pakistan’s fastest-ever T20 century against New Zealand in March this year.

Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the T20 side while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was named skipper for the ODI series.

Twenty20 squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.