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Author: News Desk

  • Sunil Gavaskar slammed for bigoted statement about Abrar Ahmed

    Sunil Gavaskar slammed for bigoted statement about Abrar Ahmed

    Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has sparked widespread criticism online after saying that Sunrisers Leeds’ signing of Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed “indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians,” in a column for the Indian newspaper Mid-Day. 

    Abrar was signed in last week’s The Hundred auction. 

    Sunrisers Leeds is owned by the Sun Group, which also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. IPL teams have not signed Pakistani players since 2009 as the two arch-rivals face off politically and militarily. 

    Gavaskar wrote, “Although belated, the realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons.”

    Abrar Ahmed was signed for £190,000, roughly 71.2 million Pakistani rupees, making him one of only two Pakistani players selected in the auction.

    Many users criticised Gavaskar for his comments, with posts quickly circulating on social media. 

    One user wrote, “Unfortunate statement from a cricketer of his calibre. I thought he would speak for keeping cricket away from politics.” 

    Another said, “How come this logic is not applied when India plays Pakistan in ICC tournaments? Does the appearance money there go to charity?” A different comment read, “I could never imagine that Sunil Gavaskar would turn out to be so narrow minded.”

    Some called his remarks offensive and harmful to his legacy. One post stated, “Old fool should keep his racism to himself. Good way to destroy his own legacy.” Another user commented, “Sick mentality of all, no need to discuss.”

    It is worth noting that a total of 13 Pakistani players were listed in the men’s auction after pace bowler Shaheen Afridi withdrew. Interest from the eight teams narrowed that number down to just five players who were actually put up for bidding. 

    Notably, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Saim Ayub did not receive any bids when they were made available for sale.

    Apart from Abrar, Birmingham Phoenix bought Usman Tariq for £140,000.

  • Senate panel told Pakistan’s LNG supply could run out after April 14

    Senate panel told Pakistan’s LNG supply could run out after April 14

    Pakistan could face a shortage of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) after April 14 as imports from Qatar remain suspended amid tensions in the Middle East, officials told the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum on Monday.

    The committee, chaired by Senator Manzoor Ahmed, was informed that LNG shipments from Qatar had been halted since March 2, raising concerns about gas availability for the power sector in the coming weeks.

    Officials told the panel that Pakistan has two LNG supply agreements with Qatar but deliveries have been disrupted due to the regional situation. Of the eight LNG cargoes scheduled to arrive in March, only two reached Pakistan, while six cargoes expected in April are unlikely to arrive.

    “LNG supply from Qatar had been completely stopped since March 2,” officials told the committee. They added that LNG would not be available in the country after April 14 and that gas demand from the power sector would not be fully met in April.

    The committee was informed that supply reductions had already begun in parts of the gas network. Officials said Sui Southern Gas Company had reduced gas supply to one fertiliser plant by 50 per cent, while supply to the power sector had dropped from 300 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) to 130 mmcfd.

    Officials told lawmakers that domestic consumers would continue to receive gas supplies despite the shortage. They said alternative arrangements were being considered to bridge the gap, including possible LNG purchases from Azerbaijan’s state oil company Socar.

    However, officials said spot purchases could be significantly higher than existing contracts. “Spot purchases could cost around $24 per unit compared with $9 under the Qatari contract,” they said, adding that this would raise electricity generation costs.

    During the briefing, Petroleum Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh told the committee that the Middle East situation had also affected petroleum shipments, noting that around 70 per cent of Pakistan’s petrol imports come from the region.

    He said shipping movement had been disrupted and two Pakistani ships were also stuck in the Strait of Hormuz.

    The secretary told the committee that global fuel prices had increased during the crisis. According to officials, the price of high-speed diesel rose from $88 per barrel to $187, while petrol increased from $74 per barrel to $130.

    Officials also briefed the committee on the country’s fuel reserves. They said Pakistan currently has petrol reserves for 27 days, diesel reserves for 21 days, crude oil reserves for 11 days, liquefied petroleum gas stocks for nine days and jet fuel reserves for 14 days.

    Separately, the petroleum secretary said the government was preparing a relief package for motorcycle and rickshaw users to offset the impact of rising fuel prices.

    “The government is working on a package to provide relief to owners of motorcycles and rickshaws,” Sheikh told the committee.

    Officials added that the government had allowed imports of oil below the Euro-5 standard to ease supply pressure while a ministerial committee reviews the petroleum supply situation on a daily basis.

  • Tabish Hashmi responds to Ahmed Ali Butt for criticising Malala

    Tabish Hashmi responds to Ahmed Ali Butt for criticising Malala

    TV host Tabish Hashmi has responded to actor Ahmed Ali Butt after he criticised Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai for not speaking about Iranian girls killed in a US-Israeli attack on a school last month.

    Ahmed Ali Butt took to Instagram and questioned Malala’s silence following reports of an attack on a school in Iran. He wrote, “More than 160 girls were killed by US on the first day of W** [War], still waiting for this pupit [Malala] to say anything.”

    His remarks quickly drew attention online.

    Tabish then shared a response on his Instagram story. He posted a screenshot of Malala’s earlier statement in which she condemned the attack on the school.

    Referring to Ahmed Ali Butt’s criticism, Tabish wrote, “She actually was the 1st one to speak about it Butt sb.”

    Malala took to X on March 1, condemning the attack on the school and expressing concern over the loss of young lives.

    She wrote, “They were girls who went to school to learn, with hopes and dreams for their future.”

    “Today, their lives were brutally cut short. I am heartbroken and appalled by the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, including reports that a girls’ school in southern Iran was hit, resulting in the injury and death of many girls. The killing of civilians, especially children, is unconscionable, and I condemn it unequivocall,” she added.

    She further added, “My heart is with the children, families and communities affected by escalation across the region. I stand firmly against violence and the targeting of schools and civilians. I call for the escalation of violence across the region to end. Justice and accountability must follow. All states and parties must uphold their obligations under international law to protect civilians and safeguard schools. Every child deserves to live and learn in peace”

    On February 28, a missile struck a girls’ school in southern Iran, killing more than 170 people, most of them schoolgirls.

    Since then, Israel and the US have tried to distance themselves from the attack, even evidence mounted up pointing towards the US being responsible for the killings.

    An investigation by Amnesty International into the strike has blamed the US for the deliberate, deadly attack and urged the authorities to ensure a transparent and thorough investigation to ensure accountability.

  • Nine Shalimar Express coaches lacked brakes before crash

    Nine Shalimar Express coaches lacked brakes before crash

    An initial inspection by Pakistan Railways has found that 10 of the 18 passenger coaches of the 27-Up Shalimar Express were operating as “dummy” units, including nine that were running without functional brakes.

    The train was involved in an accident on Sunday afternoon after it hit a stationary freight train at the loop line of Lakha Road Railway Station in Naushahro Feroze district.

    According to the examination report, nearly 60 percent of the coaches had brake-related faults and required maintenance. The report noted that the brake cylinders of nine coaches were not working during checking at Rohri station.

    In contrast, an initial inquiry report, referred to as the Joint Certificate, held the driver and assistant driver responsible for the accident, stating that they failed to control the train and overshot.

    “It is really surprising to see both reports — the train’s rake examination [inspection of coaches] and the initial probe report called the ‘Joint Certificate’ in railway terminology. The examination of the rake has revealed that nine of the total 18 coaches [nearly 60pc] had no brakes and other issues.

    “On the other hand, the initial investigation surprisingly holds the driver and assistant driver responsible for the accident,” an official source in Pakistan Railways stated.

    “When the brake system is not working, why are the driver and assistant driver being declared guilty? Even if the driver knew it, why was a faulty train handed over to him to operate?” he questioned, urging authorities to take action against those responsible for maintenance and safety.


    The rake examination report, jointly signed by a team led by the train examiner in Sukkur, identified faults in multiple coaches, including ZBH (15028), ZBXH (11264), ZBXH (11288), ZRGH (11496), ZRGH (11499), ZRHG (11421), ZRGH (11561), ZRGH (11507), ZRGH (11461) and ZRGH (11475).

    Meanwhile, the Joint Certificate, signed by five officers, stated that the points for the train’s passage were not set for the main line. It added that the pointsman and station master had shown a red signal, but the driver could not stop the train, leading to a collision with the QSSCTR goods train at around 1:43pm.

    “The collision resulted in the derailment and capsizing of the engine and the derailment of two coaches next to it. Three wagons loaded with containers of the goods train were also derailed, leading to the blocking of both the up and down main lines as well as the loop line,” the report stated.

    “After checking all aspects, we came to the conclusion that the accident took place due to the negligence of the crew of the 27-Up (Shalimar Express). Hence, the driver and assistant driver are held responsible for this accident,” the initial investigation concluded.

    In August last year, train drivers had protested against being held responsible for accidents and warned of a countrywide strike over the continued use of faulty coaches and wagons.

  • PSL franchise ‘Pindiz’ finally changes its name

    PSL franchise ‘Pindiz’ finally changes its name

    Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise “Pindiz” has updated its name on social media, changing it to “Rawalpindiz” ahead of the upcoming season.

    According to media reports, the change took place after league authorities asked teams to include the full name of their respective cities in their identities. The change aligns the franchise name with Rawalpindi, the city it represents.

    The update appeared online without a formal announcement from the franchise. A press release issued the same night still referred to the team as “Pindiz,” while the league’s official platforms used “Rawalpindiz” for the same update.

    The franchise later revised its social media handles to reflect the new name.

    The team had earlier adopted “Pindiz” as a shortened and stylised version, which gained attention among fans. The latest change restores a clearer link to the city while maintaining the original branding style.

    The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League will begin on March 26 and run until May 3, 2026. The tournament will feature two new teams and expand to more cities across the country.

    For the first time in the league’s history, matches will take place at Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar and Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, bringing top-level cricket back to both venues.

  • Nawazuddin Siddiqui calls Bollywood out

    Nawazuddin Siddiqui calls Bollywood out

    Indian actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has sparked a discussion about truth in Bollywood after criticising what he described as “fake” films being produced in the Hindi film industry.

    The 51-year-old shared his views during a session at NDTV Creators’ Manch Season 2, where he spoke about storytelling, honesty in filmmaking and the influence cinema can have on society.

    Siddiqui said that filmmakers should avoid spreading misleading narratives and instead focus on presenting stories with honesty.

    “There is no need to take society in the wrong direction. Truth is very important, and today people understand the truth. People know what kind of films are being made and what reality lies behind them, even if no one openly talks about it,” he said.

    The actor also noted that audiences today stay informed about global developments and can easily recognise how certain narratives are shaped.

    According to Siddiqui, many films in the industry rely on constructed narratives rather than authentic storytelling.

    “False films are being made here. Fake films are being made. Everyone knows what is happening in the world and what the real truth is. People also understand what kind of narratives are being created,” he added.

    Siddiqui continues to remain one of the most respected performers in Indian cinema. He gained international recognition for his performances in films such as Gangs of Wasseypur, The Lunchbox and Mom.

    Most recently, he appeared in the Netflix crime thriller Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders. Looking ahead, the actor has joined the cast of the upcoming sequel to the critically acclaimed horror fantasy film Tumbbad.

  • Tehran claims US, Israel copied Shahed-136 drones to attack friendly neighbours

    Tehran claims US, Israel copied Shahed-136 drones to attack friendly neighbours

    Iran has accused the United States (US) and Israel of using a modified drone design to frame Tehran for regional attacks, escalating tensions in the Middle East. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has claimed that US and Israel had copied the Shahed-136 drone and repurposed it as a “Lucas” drone.

    He described the operation as a “diabolical plot,” asserting that it was intended to falsely attribute drone attacks across the region to Iran.

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has expressed gratitude to Pakistan for extending “strong solidarity and support” amid the ongoing US-Israeli military actions. In a post written in Urdu, Araghchi said on X: “On this blessed, divine, and spiritual day and hour, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for their full-throated expression of solidarity and support with the people and government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the face of the aggression by America and the Zionist regime.”


    Zolfaghari also warned that logistics and service centres supporting the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier in the Red Sea were considered potential targets. “Aircraft carrier Gerald Ford in the Red Sea is a threat to Iran. Accordingly, the logistics and service centres for USS Ford strike group are considered to be targets,” he said in a video shared by Fars news agency.

    Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar said that Israel should prepare for an intensification of hostilities. “We know that in the coming days there could be an escalation. All of the State of Israel, all of us, need to be more prepared in the coming days. It is very likely that the war will take several more long weeks,” he told Israel’s Radio 103FM.

    Iran’s internet has remained largely offline for 17 days, NetBlocks reported, while US-led strikes and Iranian counterattacks have continued. Mohammad Esmaeil Tavakoli, head of Tehran province’s Emergency Medical Services, said that at least 503 people have died in the province since the conflict began, with 5,700 injured.

    Recent attacks have also affected the UAE. A missile strike killed one Palestinian civilian on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, authorities said. “Authorities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi responded to an incident in the Al Bahia area involving a missile strike on a civilian vehicle, which resulted in the death of one Palestinian national,” the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a post on X. A separate drone strike in Fujairah triggered a fire at an industrial zone, which civil defence teams were attempting to control, with no injuries reported.

    Dubai International Airport partially resumed flights after a fire near its fuel tanks, city authorities said. “Authorities are currently responding to a fire resulting from a drone-related incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport,” the Dubai Media Office posted. Emirates Airlines said it would operate a limited schedule following the incident.

    Economic and commercial activity in the UAE has been affected by regional tensions. Citibank said most of its branches and offices in the country will remain closed until further notice due to security concerns. The Mall of the Emirates branch in central Dubai is the only exception, operating on reduced hours, the bank said in a message to customers.


    The Israeli military has begun what it described as “limited and targeted ground operations” against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon. “In recent days, IDF troops from the 91st division have begun limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, aimed at enhancing the forward defence area,” the Israeli army said in a statement.


    Oil prices hovered near $100 per barrel, and stock markets showed mixed movements as the conflict entered its third week. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Israeli strikes on Tehran fuel depots as “ecocide,” citing potential long-term risks to public health and environmental contamination.

    Donald Trump has said that Iran is using artificial intelligence as a tool for disinformation. “Iran has long been known as a Master of Media Manipulation and Public Relations. They are militarily ineffective and weak, but are really good at ‘feeding’ the very appreciative Fake News Media false information,” Trump said on Truth Social. He added that reports of destroyed US aircraft and burning buildings were “FAKE NEWS, generated by AI.”

    Regional powers have largely avoided direct involvement. Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan said the country would not be drawn into the conflict, while Japan and Australia declined US requests to send naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz. Trump warned that NATO could face a “very bad” future if allies fail to assist in reopening the strategic waterway.

    Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, called for rapid verdicts against those linked to the US and Israel. “We must not delay or show leniency in executing final verdicts against those who, during wartime and unrest, committed crimes and were affiliated with the aggressor enemy,” he said, according to Tasnim news agency.

    US forces have also conducted airstrikes near Iran’s Chabahar Free Trade Zone, with reports of “intense explosions” from the area. 
    Earlier, reports indicated that the US State Department had announced a $10 million reward for information on Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and nine other top officials. 

    US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed Khamenei was wounded and “likely disfigured,” questioning his ability to govern. The conflict had already claimed at least 2,000 lives across the region, with casualties reported in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, and other countries. Trump stated that Iran had been “totally defeated” but remained in talks, while Iran’s IRGC continued attacks, and the US prepared to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

    The humanitarian impact continues to rise across the region. AFP and Al Jazeera reports indicate that at least 2,000 people have died since February 28, including 1,332 in Iran, 687 in Lebanon, 30 in Iraq, 12 in Israel, and 13 US service members, six of whom were killed in a recent aircraft crash in Iraq. Other fatalities were recorded in the UAE, Kuwait, Syria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

  • ‘Saudi crown prince urged Trump to keep hitting Iranians hard,’ New York Times quotes White House officials as saying

    ‘Saudi crown prince urged Trump to keep hitting Iranians hard,’ New York Times quotes White House officials as saying

    Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been advising United States (US) President Donald Trump to “keep hitting Iranians hard”, a New York Times report has quoted White House officials as saying.

    The report, published Sunday, said that Trump has been speaking to Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu “almost every day” and is also regularly having conversations with Arab leaders, particularly Mohammed bin Salman.

    “According to several officials, the advice Mr Trump is getting from the prince is to keep hitting the Iranians hard — essentially repeating the advice that King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who died in 2015, repeatedly gave to Washington: ‘Cut off the head of the snake’,” the report read.

    While the Kingdom has not yet reacted to the claim, it comes just days after Riyadh reacted to reports that President Trump had ordered sweeping attacks on Iran after weeks of lobbying by two key allies in the Middle East — Israel and Saudi Arabia.

    It was reported by The Washington Post that strikes on Iran had come despite US intelligence assessments maintaining Tehran was unlikely to pose a direct threat to the US mainland within the next decade.

    Citing four people familiar with the matter, the report claimed that Netanyahu continued his longstanding push for US strikes against Iran, while Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made multiple private calls to Trump over the past month advocating military action, despite publicly supporting diplomacy.

    “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been consistent in supporting diplomatic efforts to reach a credible deal with Iran,” Fahad Nazer, the spokesperson for the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington DC, had said while reacting to the claim in a statement on X.

    He had added that at no point in all of the Kingdom’s communication with the Trump administration had they lobbied the president to adopt a different policy.

    Saudi political researcher and foreign affairs expert Salman Al-Ansari had also said that the report by The Washington Post was “categorically false”.

    “Some Western journalists have been asking me about this as if it were factual, so here is my response: This Washington Post report is categorically false. Riyadh did not lobby Trump to declare war on Iran in any way,” he had written on X.

    Ansari had gone on to state that Saudi Arabia, on the contrary, had been working to prevent escalation.

    “Reporting like this appears designed to divert attention from those who actually advocated for conflict, as scrutiny of their role intensifies. The goal seems twofold: to drag Saudi Arabia into the war politically and to redistribute blame as public opinion turns against those who pushed for it,” he added.

  • ADB grants final one-month extension for $360m Carec Tranche-III loan

    ADB grants final one-month extension for $360m Carec Tranche-III loan

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted a final one-month extension for the disbursement of a $360 million loan for the Central Asia Regional Economic Corridor (Carec) Tranche-III project, which has already been delayed by nearly a year due to issues with the National Highway Authority (NHA).

    In a recent letter, the ADB stated: “The ADB approves an extension of bid validity from March 6, 2026, to April 5, 2026 (for a period of 30 days). This shall be the last and final extension of bid validity. The NHA is requested to ensure that the contract award is completed within this extended period, as no further extension is envisaged by the ADB.”

    The bank added: “Within the same period, the NHA is also requested to provide any new and material information justifying the delay for ADB’s review. In the absence of such information, or if the contract is not awarded within the extended bid validity period, the matter may need to be assessed as a potential non-compliance case, which could affect the financing of the contract and any subsequent procurement actions related to this package.”

    Meanwhile, the Supreme Court (SC) dismissed a petition by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) challenging the bidding process under which a joint venture of NXCC (Ningxia Communications Construction Group), Dynamic Constructor, and Rustam Associates was declared the successful bidder. The court endorsed the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) findings regarding the procurement conducted by the NHA for the N-55 project.

    The SC held that the verification of bids submitted by the three-firm joint venture and its credentials had been properly undertaken by the NHA and that no further verification was required. 

    Earlier, the IHC had rejected PPRA’s petition against the Rs172 billion Carec Tranche-III award and warned that the regulator’s actions “may also lead to the refusal of the finance facility agreed by the ADB.”

    Some five parliamentary standing committees had raised objections over the bidding process. The NHA maintained that all shortcomings had been addressed and the evaluation conducted according to prescribed criteria. 

    Officials said average construction turnover, tax returns, and bank statements were adequately verified during the evaluation and no additional verification was required.

    In earlier communications, the ADB had expressed concern that the $360 million (Rs108 billion) loan allocated for the Carec Development Investment Programme’s Tranche-III could lapse next year without project completion. 

    A government source said there was growing recognition within official circles that amid the global oil and economic crisis, Pakistan should not miss the loan. The source added that a lapse could undermine the bank’s trust and confidence in Pakistan’s institutions.

    The delay in utilising the loan has been attributed largely to the failure to start the Tranche-III road project, which was stalled due to disputes over the bidding process. Although bids were opened in February 2025 and approved by the ADB soon afterward, the process faced scrutiny from parliamentary panels and the PPRA.

    The total project cost is estimated at Rs170 billion, including land acquisition, consultancy, and taxes, while the lowest bid by the joint venture stood at Rs147 billion. ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) has already approved the bids submitted by the joint venture. The ADB has confirmed it has no objection to awarding the contracts to the lowest bidder across the four lots.

  • Intellectually disabled Pakistani man shot dead by India forces

    Intellectually disabled Pakistani man shot dead by India forces

    A 35-year-old cognitively impaired Pakistani man was shot dead by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) after allegedly crossing the border by mistake.

    According to police, Mustafa Ahmed, 35, had on March 9 traveled with his family to Gadoki, located on the Zero Line in the limits of Mustafabad Police Station, to visit relatives.

    Ahmed went out at night without informing anyone and accidentally crossed the border, family members said.

    They added that BSF personnel tried to stop him, but he ignored their warnings, prompting the guards to open fire, killing him on the spot.

    Pakistani authorities demanded the return of Ahmed’s body, which was handed over and subsequently laid to rest on Saturday night in his ancestral village, Shamkot Jhugian, in the jurisdiction of Chunian Police Station.