ISLAMABAD: In the opening match of the 9th HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 championship, Islamabad United, two-time champions, secured a notable 8-wicket win against the reigning champions Lahore Qalandars, with 10 balls to spare, following their decision to field first.
The choice to bowl first paid off for Islamabad, despite a strong start from their adversaries.
Sahibzada Farhan led the charge with a brisk 57 from 36 balls, while Rassie van der Dussen’s aggressive play yielded 71 runs off 41 balls, anchoring the innings.
Lahore’s innings also saw an early setback when opener Fakhar Zaman (13) was dismissed by captain Shadab Khan, failing to clear the field and caught by Faheem Ashraf, curtailing a promising start.
Despite losing 5 wickets, Lahore left a tough target of 196 by the end of their 20-over innings.
In response, Islamabad got off to a confident start, scoring 50 runs in the powerplay while only losing Colin Munro in the process.
An unbeaten knock of 74 by Shadab Khan, which included a 138-run partnership with Salman Ali Agha (64 not out) for the third wicket, led Islamabad to an impressive victory.
Lahore were able to give a competitive target to Islamabad due to van der Dussen’s unbeaten knock, which included four fours and three sixes.
The South African batter, who had featured for United in the last PSL edition, brought up his maiden half-century in the game off just 31 balls.
For Islamabad, Naseem Shah, who returned to competitive cricket after a gap of almost six months, took one wicket for 36 runs.
Leg-spinner Shadab, also came back from injury, giving away 24 runs while bagging a solitary wicket in his quota of four overs.
Tymal Mills was the most successful bowler for Islamabad, getting two wickets for 45 runs in four overs.
Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium would host two matches on Sunday. The first one will be between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi, while the second will bring Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings face to face with each other.
Islamabad United outplays Lahore Qalandars in PSL opener with convincing 8-wicket win
https://arab.news/pzvta
Islamabad United outplays Lahore Qalandars in PSL opener with convincing 8-wicket win
- The choice to bowl first paid off for Islamabad, despite a strong start from their adversaries who set a 196-run target
- Shadab Khan’s unbeaten knock of 74 powered Islamabad to an impressive victory against the defending champions
Pakistan Islamic banking assets at $40.7 billion by March end for first time — central bank
- On deposits, Islamic banks currently hold Rs. 8.4 trillion, about 25.4 percent of the total deposits in the banking industry
- Federal Shariat Court has ordered government to eliminate interest, align banking system with Islamic principles by 2027
ISLAMABAD: The governor of the Pakistani central bank said on Tuesday Islamic banking assets had for the first time reached Rs11.5 trillion ($40.7 billion) by the end of March this year, as the country actively moves toward implementing a fully Shariah-compliant financial system.
Pakistan’s Federal Shariat Court (FSC) directed the government in April 2022 to eliminate interest and align the country’s entire banking system with Islamic principles by 2027. Following the order, the government and the State Bank have taken several measures ranging from changing laws to issuing sukuk Islamic bonds to replace interest-based treasury bills and investment bonds.
“For the first time in the history of Islamic finance in Pakistan, by the end of March 2025, Islamic banking assets have reached Rs. 11.5 trillion, that’s 21.1 percent of the total banking sector assets,” central bank governor Jameel Ahmad said at a ceremony in Karachi.
“While there’s still a long way to go, this share is gradually increasing.”
On deposits, Islamic banks currently hold Rs. 8.4 trillion, about 25.4 percent of the total deposits in the banking industry.
“That means nearly one-fourth of all bank deposits are now mobilized under Islamic principles. So, the share of Islamic banking is steadily rising, and the number of Islamic banking branches has surpassed 8,000,” Ahmad added. “As a result of these achievements, we can see that access to Islamic banking services has significantly improved.”
He said to support the transformation of Islamic banking, the government of Pakistan had formed a steering committee in 2022 and launched a strategic five-year plan known as SBP Vision 2028.
Ahmad said the non-issuance of sukuk Islamic bonds was a “big hurdle” hindering the promotion of Islamic banking. He called on the banking industry, regulators and the government to play their “required role” to address underlying issues and issue more sukuk bonds and offer investors Shariah-compliant products.
“This would increase the share of Islamic banking investments in the overall industry. We all should play our respective role in this respect,” the governor added.
India to resume border ceremony with Pakistan
- For years, the ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border has been a popular tourist attraction on both sides
- Visitors from both nations come to cheer on soldiers goose-stepping in a chest-puffing theatrical show of pageantry
AMRITSAR: India said Tuesday it would resume a daily border ceremony with neighboring Pakistan which it briefly halted earlier this month following the most serious conflict between the nuclear armed arch-rivals for decades.
At least 60 people died in fighting triggered by an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing — a charge Pakistan denies.
India’s Border Security force said the sunset ceremony on its side would be open to the media on Tuesday and to the general public on Wednesday at the Attari-Wagah land border in the northern state of Punjab.
Pakistan said it never stopped the ceremony, with its troops marching on its side of the border alone.
The ceremony however is expected to be a low-key affair with diplomatic measures against Pakistan still in place, including the closure of the land border.
For years, the ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border has been a popular tourist attraction.
Visitors from both sides come to cheer on soldiers goose-stepping in a chest-puffing theatrical show of pageantry.
The frontier was a colonial creation at the violent end of British rule in 1947 which sliced the sub-continent into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
The daily border ritual has largely endured over the decades, surviving innumerable diplomatic flare-ups and military skirmishes.
Thousands protest as suspected drone strike kills 4 children in northwest Pakistan
- Militants also have been using quadcopters to target troops
- Still unclear who was responsible for the drone attack in Mir Ali
PESHAWAR: A suspected drone strike killed four children and wounded five others in northwest Pakistan, prompting thousands of residents to stage a protest by placing the children’s bodies on a main road to demand justice, local elders said on Tuesday.
It wasn’t immediately clear who was behind Monday’s attack in Mir Ali, which has been a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, and there was no comment from the army.
“We are not blaming anyone, but we want justice, and the government should tell us who killed our children,” local tribal elder Mufti Baitullah said.
He warned that the protest, currently staged at one regional roadblock, could expand if authorities fail to answer.
“We will not bury the bodies until we are told who is responsible for killing our innocent children,” he said, as people chanted “we want justice.”
There have been civilian casualties in military strikes in some parts of the country in recent years. In March, 11 people, including women and children, were killed when a drone attack targeted a house in the northwestern city of Mardan.
A statement by the provincial government at the time had only said that there was “collateral damage” in an operation that was conducted to target militants in a remote village. Residents in March also rallied until the government agreed to compensate the victims’ families.
Abdullah Khan, the managing director of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies think tank, said Tuesday that militants also have been using quadcopters to target troops, but it still was unclear who was responsible for the drone attack in Mir Ali.
The latest civilian casualties came amid ongoing military operations against the Pakistani Taliban, which have a strong presence in Mir Ali, a city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, are a separate insurgent group from the Afghan Taliban, and they often target troops in the region.
Nayak Muhammad Dawar, a provincial minister, condemned the attack in a statement Tuesday. He said that investigations were ongoing.
Mir Ali and nearby districts located near Afghanistan were long a base for the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups. The TTP have stepped up attacks in the region in recent months.
Pakistan’s Punjab orders heatwave precautions at livestock markets ahead of Eid
- Temporary sheds, animal health centers, water sprinklers and mist fans to be installed
- Despite heatwave, people are thronging to livestock markets ahead of Eid Al-Adha
ISLAMABAD: The disaster management authority in Pakistan’s largest province of Punjab on Tuesday ordered that temporary sheds and health centers be set up and water supply ensured at livestock markets as part of precautionary measures during an ongoing heatwave ahead of the Eid Al-Adha festival.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued a warning that most plain areas of the country will remain under the influence of a severe heatwave from May 20-24, with maximum daytime temperatures in the Sindh, southern Punjab, and Balochistan provinces expected to remain 4°C to 6°C above normal.
Despite the heatwave, people are thronging to livestock markets to buy sacrificial animals, with Eid Al-Adha less than three weeks away.
Muslims observe Eid Al-Adha, expected to fall in the first week of June this year, by slaughtering animals such as sheep, cows and goats, with the meat shared among family and friends, and a portion donated to the poor.
“Water supply should be ensured for animals in the markets,” the Provincial Disaster Management Authority Punjab said in a statement, highlighting that the heatwave was likely to continue into June.
“Establishment of temporary sheds and veterinary health centers should also be ensured at the markets.”
The government also ordered installing water sprinklers and mist fans, and said mobile medical teams and the Rescue 1122 service would also be deployed to provide medical assistance to traders and staff at markets.
Banners with information about heatwaves and safety tips should be displayed at the entrances and exits of livestock markets while loudspeakers should be used to inform visitors to stay hydrated, use shaded areas and report any emergencies immediately, the government handout said.
Pakistan ranks among the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change and has grappled in recent years with increasingly frequent extreme weather events like deadly heat waves and floods.
In June 2024, almost 700 people died in a heat wave in less than a week, with most deaths recorded in the port city of Karachi, according to the Edhi Foundation charity. A 2015 heatwave claimed over 2,000 lives in Karachi alone while floods in 2022 left more than 1,700 dead and over 33 million displaced nationwide.
Pakistan textiles body says over 900 mills shut due to exports scheme
- Under Export Facilitation Scheme, exporters can import raw materials and inputs at 0 percent sales tax
- However, an 18 percent tax on the same inputs has to be paid if they are produced locally in Pakistan
KARACHI: Pakistan’s textiles body said this week over 900 factories, including ginning and spinning mills, had been shut down due to a government export scheme that had disrupted operations and strained finances.
The Export Facilitation Scheme was launched in 2021, with the aim of simplifying the import of raw materials, machinery and input goods for exporters by offering minimal duties and taxes. Under the scheme, exporters can import raw materials and inputs at 0 percent sales tax. However, an 18 percent tax on the same inputs has to be paid if they are produced locally in Pakistan.
The textile industry is a major player in the country’s economy, contributing significantly to exports and employment. It’s one of the largest manufacturing sectors, employing about 45 percent of the industrial workforce and accounting for a substantial portion of Pakistan’s total exports.
The industry is known for its cotton production, spinning capacity, and exports of various textile products.
“Over 800 ginning factories and 120 spinning mills have shut down and millions of livelihoods lost,” All Pakistan Textile Mills Association Chairman Kamran Arshad said on Monday in a statement, urging the government to amend the Export Facilitation Scheme.
“The crisis has reached the weaving sector, with looms shutting down and workers protesting on the streets.”
He urged the government to remove yarn and fabric from the exports scheme to halt the textile industry’s downfall.
“It’s an irrational, self-destructive policy that punishes domestic production and rewards imports,” the statement said.
Pakistani cotton was taxed at 18 percent while imported cotton enjoyed sales tax exemption through the export scheme, the statement said, adding that sales tax refunds could only be filed after a six to 10 months cycle after the product was manufactured and exported.
“Only partial refunds of 60-70 percent are issued once a month,” it added. “The remaining amount is deferred for manual processing where there is already a backlog of over $392 million and no progress on clearing it over the last four to five years.”
As the eighth largest exporter of textile commodities in Asia, the textile industry contributes 8.5 percent to Pakistan’s gross domestic product.
