RAWALPINDI: Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz delivered a stellar performance on Saturday, claiming five wickets to help Bangladesh dismiss Pakistan for 274 on the second day of the second and final Test at Pindi Cricket Stadium. Miraz, who had a notable impact in the first Test with a key role in Bangladesh’s 10-wicket victory, took 5-61, marking his 10th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. He was supported by fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, who added 3-57, exploiting a greenish pitch with more bounce than the one used in the series opener. Despite a good effort from Pakistan’s batsmen, including half-centuries from Saim…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
Pace bowler Khurram Shahzad delivered a stunning performance on Sunday, claiming four wickets to leave Bangladesh fighting to avoid the follow-on at 75-6 by lunch on the third day of the second Test in Rawalpindi. Shahzad dismantled the top order with figures of 4-15, supported by Mir Hamza, who took 2-29. Bangladesh collapsed to 26-6 in response to Pakistan’s first innings total of 274 in a rain-affected match, with the first day’s play washed out. At the break, Mehidy Hasan Miraz was batting on 33, and Litton Das was on 13, as the duo fought to stabilize the innings with…
KARACHI: Security concerns and delays in the IMF executive board’s approval for the first tranche of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility contributed to a bearish sentiment in the market, leading the KSE 100 index to close the week lower. Despite these challenges, the market saw some relief from a Moody’s credit rating upgrade and a projection by the Ministry of Finance that Consumer Price Index-based inflation might fall to between 9.5% and 10.5% in August. This raised expectations for a potential third consecutive cut in the State Bank of Pakistan’s policy rate at the upcoming September 12 monetary policy…
ISLAMABAD: China’s Hexing Electrical Group has announced plans to establish a new industry in Pakistan’s renewable energy sector. The company aims to invest significantly in manufacturing inverters and batteries, marking the introduction of such a facility in Pakistan. Chairman Liangzhang Zhou, who led a delegation, met with Minister for Privatisation Abdul Aleem Khan on Saturday to discuss the proposed investment. Zhou highlighted that Hexing Electrical Group, which operates in 90 countries with over 7,000 employees and has factories in 20 states, plans to set up operations in Pakistan following a similar model. Minister Aleem Khan expressed his support for the…
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) fell short of its revenue target by Rs99 billion in the first two months of FY25, prompting concerns about its ability to close the gap in the coming months. The FBR collected Rs1.455 trillion during July and August, compared to a projected target of Rs1.554 trillion, according to provisional figures released by the board on Saturday. Despite a 20 percent increase from Rs1.212 trillion in the same months last year, this growth is significantly below the 40 percent needed to meet the annual target. For FY25, the government has set a revenue target…
KARACHI: Despite ongoing political instability, soaring energy and interest rates, and high inflation, foreign food item manufacturers have reported strong sales for the first half of 2024. Although there were consumer boycotts of certain multinational soft drinks and milk products in response to the Gaza conflict, locally produced food items from joint ventures with foreign MNCs have largely escaped significant consumer backlash. Exact sales volumes were not disclosed, as manufacturers generally do not report quantities in their financial statements. However, market insiders attribute the robust sales figures to higher prices. Friesland Campina Engro Pakistan Limited (FCEPL) saw its revenue increase…
LAHORE: Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal announced that four countries have committed $27 billion for investment in Pakistan through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). In a press conference in Lahore on Saturday, Iqbal detailed the investments: Saudi Arabia has allocated $5 billion, while the UAE and Kuwait have each committed $10 billion, and Azerbaijan has pledged $2 billion. He attributed this investment framework to the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who aims to attract investments from friendly nations rather than relying on loans. Iqbal indicated that the investments are expected to materialize over…
LAHORE: Facing intense criticism for its inability to hold a widely anticipated mass public gathering, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has rescheduled its Lahore public meeting from September 15 to September 22. On Saturday, PTI Punjab General Secretary Hammad Azhar announced that the party had submitted a new application to hold a public meeting at the Minar-i-Pakistan ground (Iqbal Park) on September 22. Previously, PTI Secretary-General Omar Ayub Khan had written a three-page application to the Lahore Deputy Commissioner, seeking a no-objection certificate (NOC) to organize a ‘mass political gathering’ at the same venue on September 15. The decision to change…
LAHORE: Amid efforts by the coalition government to win back a former key ally, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has called for an all-inclusive dialogue involving all political parties, including the PTI, as well as state institutions, to address Pakistan’s ongoing crises. This proposal for a comprehensive dialogue comes amid attempts by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to reconcile with their former ally, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who had recently announced plans to oppose the government independently. During a meeting at the PML-N headquarters in Model Town on Saturday, party leaders discussed various issues, including recent relief for…
QUETTA: Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, the MPA from Gwadar and leader of the Haq Do Tehreek (HDT), has threatened to stage a sit-in on the coastal highway starting September 5 if the alleged interference of military officers in government affairs does not cease. Speaking at a press conference in Quetta on Saturday, Mr. Rehman accused military officers of running various government departments, including education, health, public health engineering, and water management, within his constituency. He specifically alleged that officers of colonel and brigadier ranks were interfering in the education department by appointing their preferred candidates as headmistress at a girls’ school…
