Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Japan shows interest in investing in Reko Diq mines

    Japan shows interest in investing in Reko Diq mines

    Japan has shown interest in joining Pakistan’s multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper and gold mining project, expanding its investment beyond the auto sector. The country is seeking collaboration with local and international investors in the mining venture, The Express Tribune reported.

    The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) was briefed about Japan’s interest in the project. The Finance Division assured the committee that foreign remittances would remain stable and no capital flight would occur.

    The proposal includes two types of guarantees: a sovereign guarantee from the government to ensure project completion, and an additional guarantee from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Balochistan Mineral Resource Limited (BMRL) equity.

    Saudi Arabia has already expressed interest in the project, with plans to acquire a 15 percent shareholding and contribute capital.

    According to the Petroleum Division, the project’s equity is valued at 900 million dollars, with half provided by sponsors and the rest by agencies. State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) will repatriate funds through Pakistan Minerals Private Limited (PMPL) over seven years to meet their 2.145 billion dollar commitment, either as equity or shareholder loans.

    The Petroleum Division said the project aims to raise 3.5 billion dollars in financing while giving priority to healthcare, safety, security, and community welfare. Lenders and creditors are directly handling the financing, and representatives stressed the importance of the project.

    The ECC noted the potential of the Reko Diq project to transform Balochistan’s economy and deliver significant benefits to Pakistan. The Petroleum Division sought approval for final terms and definitive agreements, including permission for PMPL to repatriate funds for the SOEs’ 2.145 billion dollar commitment.

    The foreign exchange needed for the investment will be arranged by Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) from their own resources. If required, the government will provide additional foreign exchange.

    The Petroleum Division also requested approval for BMRL’s repatriation of funds in line with the cabinet’s December 2022 decision. The ECC was asked to authorise the secretaries of the Petroleum and Finance Divisions to finalise and sign the required government guarantees under the Rules of Business, 1973.

  • PTI’s Falak Javed ‘missing’ after arrest for defaming govt, state institutions on social media

    PTI’s Falak Javed ‘missing’ after arrest for defaming govt, state institutions on social media

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javed’s sister and social media personality Falak Javed Khan has been arrested for defaming government officials and state institutions, it emerged Wednesday.

    “Social media activist Falak Javed Khan has been arrested. We strongly condemn this illegal arrest,” read a post on PTI’s X (formerly Twitter) account.

    Sanam, in a statement on X, also said that her sister was “abducted”, describing Falak as “a staunch supporter of former prime minister (PM) Imran Khan and a fearless voice for many in Pakistan”.

    She further said that shortly after Falak’s arrest, journalist Hassan Ayub shared a picture of her in custody, however, since then, she had been “missing” and no one knows what has happened to her or where she is being held.

    “We urge everyone to raise their voice for Falak Javed. Her life is in serious danger. We strongly condemn this unlawful abduction and demand justice and her immediate release,” Sanam added.

    Earlier, Ayub had in a post on X said that Falak used social media for “illegal activities” and made “false allegations against government personalities and state institutions” in violation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

    “Police investigation is ongoing so that the facts come to light. The law is equal for everyone and they will have to answer for their actions,” he said.

    Authorities concerned are yet to issue any statement regarding the arrest.

  • Shakeel Siddiqui reveals refusing massive Bigg Boss offer

    Shakeel Siddiqui reveals refusing massive Bigg Boss offer

    Veteran Pakistani comedian Shakeel Siddiqui has revealed that he turned down a major offer to participate in India’s hit reality show Bigg Boss, despite being promised big benefits and a non-exit, two-month guaranteed stay.

     

    In a candid conversation on Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast, Siddiqui shared that showrunners approached him with an attractive proposal, offering not just a hefty paycheck but also full creative freedom within the house. “Yes… a very big offer. I could do anything and eat anything there,” he admitted. But even with all the perks, Siddiqui declined.

     

    Explaining his decision, he said, “I told them, being the only Pakistani among all Indians would spark chaos and they admitted that’s exactly what they wanted. But I still said no.”

     

    Known for his strong moral stance, Shakeel also touched on the state of the entertainment industry in Pakistan, criticizing “unnecessary vulgarity” in dance performances and expressing his shock over what is passed off as “item numbers” in Pakistani films. Drawing comparisons, he remarked, “Even a boy can look good while dancing like Hrithik Roshan in India. Wearing short clothes is not a requirement.”

     

    Shakeel further disclosed that he was approached multiple times for Pakistan’s reality show Tamasha as well but rejected it too, citing concerns over the quality of participants. “If I ever join, I want other contestants to be senior artists with a proper body of work — not TikTokers,” he asserted.

     

    Addressing criticism over his work in India, Siddiqui reminded audiences that several renowned Pakistani comedians, including Umar Sharif, Babu Baral, and Rauf Lala, also performed there. “I didn’t go to just any show, I worked with celebrities on Sony TV’s Comedy Circus, and also with Kapil Sharma,” he said, emphasizing the prestige of his projects.

     

     In a moment of reflection, the seasoned comedian noted, “I’ve worked in this industry for 35 years… but no one remembers that.”

    It should be mentioned here that Pakistani actress Veena Malik made headlines when she participated in the fourth season of India’s popular reality show Bigg Boss in 2010. Known for her bold personality and controversial statements, Veena quickly became one of the most talked-about contestants of the season. Her on-screen chemistry with Indian actor Ashmit Patel drew significant media attention in both India and Pakistan.

  • Waqar Younis just joked about his missing finger, but do you know what happened to it?

    Waqar Younis just joked about his missing finger, but do you know what happened to it?

    Abrar Ahmed and Wanindu Hasaranga turned the Asia Cup clash into a spectacle of fun when both copied each other’s celebration styles, while Waqar Younis, watching from the commentary box, ended up joking about his missing finger.

    Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed dismissed Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga in the 13th over, and in a cheeky gesture, celebrated in Hasaranga’s trademark style. Later in the game, when Sri Lanka came out to the field to defend, Hasaranga returned the favour. He celebrated in Abrar’s style after picking up a wicket, leaving commentators and fans in stitches.

    The camera caught the exchanges in close detail, and soon everyone from the crowd to the commentary box was enjoying the fun. Former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis, while commentating, joked that he wished he could join the fun too: “If I had all 10 fingers, I would also celebrate like Hasaranga after taking a wicket.”

    Waqar’s light remark led fans to recall why the legendary fast bowler is missing a finger. A very young Waqar had a tragic accident while swimming with cousins in a canal in Multan. To jump off a bridge into the water, he tried climbing through iron grills that were already slippery from water, making the future fast bowling legend lose his balance. As his body weight dragged him down, one of his fingers got stuck in the metal bars and was severed.

    The fall also broke three of his ribs. Waqar later shared that, at first, he didn’t even realize his finger was gone. The pain in his ribs and the blood on his body made him think he was hurt elsewhere. Only after looking at his hand did he discover the truth. He was in his mid-teens at the time, close to 15 years of age. 

    Despite that early accident, Waqar went on to become one of Pakistan’s greatest fast bowlers, leading the famous “Two Ws” era with Wasim Akram and inspiring generations of cricketers.

    Pakistan on Tuesday night defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in a crucial Super Fours match of the Asia Cup.

     Pakistan will now face Bangladesh in a must-win clash on September 25. The Asia Cup final is scheduled to be played on September 28.

  • Several passengers injured as blast derails three Jaffar Express carriages in Balochistan

    Several passengers injured as blast derails three Jaffar Express carriages in Balochistan

    Several passengers were wounded when three catriages of Jaffar Express derailed in Mastung’s Dasht area in Balochistan on Tuesday following an explosion on the railway track, officials have confirmed. 

    Railway authorities have said that one carriage overturned while two others came off the track. The incident occurred when the train was en route from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s capital Peshawar to Quetta.

    The explosion damaged the railway line, disrupting train services in the area. However, no casualties were reported, said a media report citing sources.

    A leading English daily quoted Pakistan Railways’ Quetta division public relations officer Muhammad Kashif as saying that an inquiry into the incident has been launched. “The train was coming from Peshawar to Quetta and there were 270 passengers on board,” Kashif stated. 

    This is not the first time the train service has been attacked. In June, five bogies of the Express derailed after a blast took place on a railway track near Jacobabad. That train was also en route from Peshawar to Quetta.

    On March 11, the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants blew up train tracks, attacking Jaffar Express, and taking more than 440 passengers hostage in a day-long standoff with security services in a remote mountain pass in the Bolan district.

    After clearing the train and rescuing hostages, the military neutralised 33 terrorists. Before the operation commenced, the attackers had already martyred 26 passengers, while four security personnel were also martyred in the operation.

    Pakistan has recently seen a spike in terrorist attacks carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij militants, who are reportedly hiding in Afghanistan and allegedly backed by India’s intelligence agency. This rise in cross-border incidents has occurred since Taliban rulers returned to Afghanistan in August 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan.

    Pakistan had repeatedly asked the Afghan Taliban government to cut ties with the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and meet its commitment to eliminate the terror group from Afghan soil, cautioning that failure to act would be treated as “hostile” activity.

  • PM Shehbaz, other Muslim leaders discuss end to Gaza war in meeting with Trump at UNGA

    PM Shehbaz, other Muslim leaders discuss end to Gaza war in meeting with Trump at UNGA

    A meeting held between United States (US) President Donald Trump and leaders of Muslim-majority nations, including Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, focused on the situation in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

    Leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye and Indonesia also attended the 50-minute meeting.

    The meeting saw Trump call it an honour to meet Islamic leaders, and praised their efforts, saying, “You all have done an excellent job, which is commendable”.

    Later, Trump declared the meeting extremely important. Speaking to the media, he said that the war in Gaza could possibly be concluded soon, adding, “We are going to end something that we did not start”.

    He also outlined US plans for an Israeli withdrawal and post-war governance in Gaza without Hamas involvement, US media has reported. 

    Axios reported that the US wants Arab and Muslim countries to agree to send military forces to Gaza to enable Israel’s withdrawal and to secure funding for transition and rebuilding programs.

    Israel faces global condemnation and isolation over its genocide in Gaza, where local health authorities say more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed. Other estimates have placed the number as high as 400,000. 

    North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) member Turkiye castigated Israel’s attacks on Gaza and said they amount to genocide. Turkiye has halted all trade with Israel, urged international measures against it, and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

    Erdogan spoke to reporters after the meeting, saying a joint declaration from the meeting would be published and that he was “pleased” with the outcomes of the meeting, but did not elaborate. None of the other Muslim leaders spoke to the media after the meeting.

    Speaking to reporters earlier at the UN, PM Shehbaz commended President Trump and his team for playing a significant role in the ceasefire between Pakistan and India during the May conflict, describing the US president as a strong advocate for peace and stability across the globe.

    “President Donald Trump is a man of peace. He, along with his team, played a key role in bringing about the ceasefire between Pakistan and India,” said Sharif.

  • ‘Cricket is beautiful without India’: Social media hails Pak-Sri Lanka spirit, asks neighbours to learn

    ‘Cricket is beautiful without India’: Social media hails Pak-Sri Lanka spirit, asks neighbours to learn

    Pakistan and Sri Lanka gave fans a true example of cricketing spirit on Tuesday during their Asia Cup Super Fours clash in Abu Dhabi.

    The fun started in the 13th over when Abrar Ahmed clean bowled Hasaranga and immediately copied the Sri Lankan star’s trademark celebration.

    Later in the innings, Hasaranga returned the favor by celebrating in Abrar’s style after dismissing Saim Ayub.

    Both players laughed off the light-hearted exchanges and at the end of the match, they hugged each other, showing pure sportsmanship.

    Abrar Ahmed later shared a picture with Hasaranga on his Instagram story, calling him a “great bowler and great man.”

    The moment won the internet over. Former Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne praised the spirit and wrote, “Yesterday’s PAK vs SL game proved it again, cricket is bigger than runs & wickets. Wanindu & Abrar showed pure sportsmanship, pure respect. ❤️ ”

    Fans quickly joined in with strong reactions. One user wrote: “Well said. Cricket is so beautiful when India is not playing.” Another wrote this, “This is how a cricket match should end.” A fan said, “We are brothers. This is lovely to see ♥️ Indian players cannot relate to this. BJP has messed up their brains.” Another user added, “Cricket without India truly feels like the gentleman’s game .”

    One fan shared, “Look at them explaining themselves man I love this game sometimes.” Another commented, “Hasaranga and Abrar Ahmad copied each other’s celebration style, and now they are hugging and happily greeting each other. This is what we call cricket.”

    It merits mention that in both group and Super Four matches against Pakistan, the Indian team displayed unsportsmanlike attitude. At the toss, Indian captain did not shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha. After defeating Pakistan, Indian players closed their dressing room door to avoid meeting the Pakistani squad. They repeated the same in the Super Four clash, skipping handshakes at the toss and avoiding interaction after the win.

    Pakistan on Tuesday night defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in a crucial Super Fours match of the Asia Cup.

    Pakistan will now face Bangladesh in a must-win clash on September 25. The Asia Cup final is scheduled to be played on September 28.

  • Asia Cup: Final hopes still alive as Pakistan defeat Sri Lanka by 5 wickets

    Asia Cup: Final hopes still alive as Pakistan defeat Sri Lanka by 5 wickets

    Pakistan on Tuesday night defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in a crucial Super Fours match of the Asia Cup.

    After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to field first. Bowlers immediately took charge as Sri Lanka struggled to keep wickets from falling.

    Kamindu Mendis fought back with a solid 50 while Chamika Karunaratne stayed unbeaten on 17, helping Sri Lanka post 133 for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs.

    Shaheen Shah Afridi led Pakistan’s attack with three wickets while Haris Rauf and Hussain Talat grabbed two each. Abrar Ahmed claimed one wicket. 

    Chasing a target of 134, Pakistan stumbled when the top order collapsed at 57 for the loss of four wickets. Sahibzada Farhan scored 24, Fakhar Zaman scored 17, captain Salman Ali Agha five and Saim Ayub scored just two runs. Mohammad Haris added 13 before returning to the pavilion.

    Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz then rescued the innings with a crucial 58-run partnership. Nawaz smashed 38 off 24 balls with three sixes and three fours while Talat anchored the chase with 32 off 30 balls, including four boundaries. Pakistan achieved the target with two overs to spare, sealing an important win to stay alive in the tournament.

    Earlier, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka lost their opening Super Fours matches against India and Bangladesh, respectively.

    Pakistan will play their must-win match against Bangladesh for a place in the final on Sept 25.

    The final is scheduled forSept 28.

  • Legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird passes away at 92

    Legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird passes away at 92

    Harold “Dickie” Bird, one of cricket’s most beloved umpires, has died at the age of 92.

    Bird officiated in 66 Test matches and 69 ODIs, including three World Cup finals, and became a global icon of umpiring with his distinctive style and deep love for the game. Before making his mark as an official, he began his cricketing journey as a top-order batter for Yorkshire in 1956 and later served as president of the county club.

    In recognition of his contributions to cricket, Bird was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1986 and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2012.

    Yorkshire County Cricket Club confirmed that he passed away peacefully at home. “He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, joy and a legion of admirers across generations,” the club said in a statement.

    “The thoughts of everyone at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club are with Dickie’s family and friends during this time. He will be truly missed by all at the Club having spent an incredible amount of time in support of everyone here and will be remembered as one of the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history,” the statement concluded.

  • Apple faces backlash over iPhone 17 Pro as ‘Scratchgate’ trend grows

    Apple faces backlash over iPhone 17 Pro as ‘Scratchgate’ trend grows

    Just weeks after Apple launched the iPhone 17 series, customers and tech experts are raising concerns that the new Pro models scratch too easily. The issue has sparked the online trend ‘Scratchgate’ with frustrated buyers sharing photos and reviews.

    The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max use a new anodised aluminium unibody frame instead of the titanium used in last year’s models. Apple introduced the change to make the phones lighter, but users say the darker finishes, especially Deep Blue, show scratches within hours of use.

    Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman highlighted the problem, noting on X: “It looks like the iPhone 17 Pro in Deep Blue is scratch prone due to its anodized aluminum frame. Not entirely surprising. The dark aluminum iPhone models in prior years had a similar issue. This is actually probably why there’s no black version.”

    Visitors to Apple Stores also reported seeing scratches on display units. 

    One user wrote, “Barely a day in the showroom, and the iPhone 17 Pro and Max backplates have a bunch of visible scratches. Is this the beginning of a #Scratchgate?” Another added, “I guess they weren’t lying when they said the iPhone 17 Pro phones scratch easily.”

    Durability reviewer JerryRigEverything tested both models and confirmed they passed bend tests. However, he found what he called a Scratchgate problem around the camera area, with the Deep Blue finish showing the most damage. He noted stains on the rear glass could be wiped away but warned that scratches on the frame were permanent.

    Other buyers echoed the frustration. “Demo unit iPhone 17 Pro scratches on day one. Use a case immediately if you don’t want to experience this issue,” wrote one user. Another said, “Scratchgate issue with the iPhone 17 Pro is very real. The quality of this top-of-the-line phone is absolutely unacceptable.”

    Apple has not commented on the complaints. In the meantime, users are advising new buyers to protect their devices with cases to avoid visible damage.