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  • PCB suspends top players’ NOCs after Asia Cup defeat

    PCB suspends top players’ NOCs after Asia Cup defeat

    Days after the country’s repeated losses to India in the Asia Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) of top national players, which allowed them to participate in foreign cricketing leagues.

    The decision, confirmed through an official notification issued by PCB Chief Operating Officer Sameer Ahmed, comes a day after Pakistan also lost to India in the final of the tournament.

    The board had earlier granted NOCs to several players for participation in Australia’s Big Bash League, but said approvals have now been put on hold.

    The move directly affects Pakistan’s leading cricketers, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf.

  • Trump says PM Shehbaz, COAS Munir fully back Gaza peace plan

    Trump says PM Shehbaz, COAS Munir fully back Gaza peace plan

    United States (US) President Donald Trump has said that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir have fully backed his Gaza peace plan that calls for an immediate ceasefire, a phased Israeli withdrawal and the release of hostages, including over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, within 48 hours.

    “PM and Field Marshal… they were right with us from the beginning. Incredible, in fact. They just put out a statement that they fully believe in this pact. They back this 100%,” Trump said while addressing a joint press conference along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    His remarks came hours after the premier welcomed Trump’s plan aimed at ending the war in Gaza, saying a durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel is essential for regional stability and economic growth.

    In a post on X, PM Shehbaz said he was “convinced that durable peace between the Palestinian people and Israel would be essential in bringing political stability and economic growth to the region”.

    “It is also my firm belief that President Trump is fully prepared to assist in whatever way necessary to make this extremely important and urgent understanding to become a reality,” he wrote and praised Trump’s leadership.

    The premier reiterated his support for a two-state solution and said he also strongly believed that the implementation of the two-state proposal was essential to ensure lasting peace in the region.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan pledged support for the plan at the United Nations (UN) as well. 

    Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad told the UN Security Council (UNSC) members that Islamabad, in coordination with eight OIC and Arab states, would actively participate in the consultative process to support a sustainable resolution.

    “We value the initiative of President Donald Trump, working with eight OIC and Arab countries to advance peace through concrete measures,” the envoy said while addressing a briefing on the Middle East.


    “As a participant in this consultative process, Pakistan will closely engage and play a constructive role in promoting consensus,” he added, stressing that the goal was to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians and achieve just, comprehensive and lasting peace consistent with UN resolutions.

    It may be noted that PM Shehbaz had on Sunday said that the recent meeting between President Trump and leaders of eight Arab-Islamic countries in New York was encouraging.

    He had said he was confident the talks would yield a positive outcome for a ceasefire in Gaza, following which President Trump had also said that “all were on board for something special, first time ever”.

  • Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan

    Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan

    After days of speculation, the White House on Monday released a 20-point plan for ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza, releasing hostages held by Hamas, and outlining the Palestinian enclave’s future.

    Speaking alongside President Donald Trump at the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave cautious backing to plan.

    Here is the plan, as released by the White House:

    1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.

    2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.

    3. If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.

    4. Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.

    5. Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.

    6. Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.

    7. Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025, agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure (water, electricity, sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.

    8. Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the January 19, 2025 agreement.

    9. Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of State to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.

    10. A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by well-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.

    11. A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.

    12. No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.

    13. Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors.

    14. A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas, and the factions, comply with their obligations and that New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people.

    15. The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to vetted Palestinian police forces in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent munitions from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.

    16. Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.

    17. In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.

    18. An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.

    19. While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.

    20. The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

  • Nepal beat West Indies to clinch historic T20I series win

    Nepal beat West Indies to clinch historic T20I series win

    Nepal made history in Sharjah on Monday by defeating West Indies by 90 runs in the second T20 International to seal the series 2-0. 

    This marked Nepal’s first bilateral series victory against a Test-playing nation.

    Batting first, Nepal posted 173 for 6 in their 20 overs. Aasif Sheikh anchored the innings with an unbeaten 68 runs off eight fours and two sixes. Sundeep Jora added a quickfire 63, hitting three fours and five sixes.

    For West Indies, Akeal Hosein and Kyle Mayers picked up two wickets each.

    In reply, West Indies faltered and were bowled out for just 83 runs in the 18th over. Jason Holder top-scored with 21 runs but found little support from the rest of the batting order.

    Under captain Rohit Paudel, Nepal had already secured their first T20I win against a full-member nation in the opening match of the series. Their only previous win against a future Test side came in 2014 when they beat Afghanistan, who were still an associate member at the time.

    The series win carries extra weight as it was Nepal’s first multi-match series against a Test-playing nation. Nepal had prepared for the challenge by participating in the Top End T20 Series in Australia, where they played against Bangladesh A, Pakistan Shaheens and several Australian club sides.

  • ‘Babar Azam is a rock’: Rabada names ex-Pakistan skipper among toughest batters

    ‘Babar Azam is a rock’: Rabada names ex-Pakistan skipper among toughest batters

    South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada has praised Pakistan captain Babar Azam, calling him one of the toughest batters he has faced in international cricket.

    Speaking on the Beard Before Cricket Podcast hosted by Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, Rabada described Babar as “a rock” at the crease, especially when playing in home conditions.

    “Babar Azam is a rock, especially in Pakistan. It’s like, ‘Man, how do you get this guy out?’” Rabada said while reflecting on his toughest opponents.

    The Proteas fast bowler also listed several batting greats he has struggled against over his career. He mentioned India’s Virat Kohli, England’s Joe Root, Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson as among the most challenging.

    Rabada, however, singled out Australia’s David Warner as the hardest of them all due to his aggressive and unorthodox style.

    “I actually found David Warner quite tough to bowl to. I think he’s the hardest because he was so unorthodox. He used to cut a lot of balls, and whenever I dropped my length short, he would just latch onto it and cut,” Rabada said.

    “He was the only guy who could do that against me. He was very hard. As much as I had a lot of success against him, I thought he was very tough to bowl to,” he added.

    Rabada has represented South Africa in 71 Tests, 106 ODIs and 70 T20Is, taking more than 500 international wickets across formats.

  • Chris Woakes bids farewell to international cricket

    Chris Woakes bids farewell to international cricket

    England all-rounder Chris Woakes has announced his retirement from international cricket.

    Woakes, 36, represented England in 217 matches across all formats since his 2011 debut, scoring 3,705 runs and taking 396 wickets. He was also part of England’s 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup winning squads.

    His final appearance came earlier this summer in the World Test Championship series against India, where he bravely batted with one arm in a sling after dislocating his shoulder.

  • Father shot dead in front of children during robbery attempt in Karachi

    Father shot dead in front of children during robbery attempt in Karachi

    A horrifying incident unfolded in Orangi Town’s Nishan-e-Haider area where armed men shot and killed a 25-year-old father in front of his children at the doorstep of his home.

    The victim, Muhammad Sajjad, had traveled from Faisalabad to Karachi three days ago to visit his in-laws. He was the father of two young children.

    According to the FIR filed by the victim’s father-in-law at Iqbal Market Police Station, the robbers attempted to snatch Sajjad’s mobile phone at gunpoint. When he resisted, one of the attackers opened fire, hitting him in the chest and killing him on the spot.

    CCTV footage of the killing shows Sajjad standing at the door with his children. One child was in his arms while the other stood beside him when two men on a motorcycle arrived. The gunmen stepped off the bike, pushed Sajjad and fired at point-blank range. Sajjad collapsed instantly as one of his children ran inside in fear.

    Police said the footage clearly showed the attacker’s face, and teams were working to trace and arrest the suspects.

    Relatives have taken Sajjad’s body to Faisalabad for burial.

    According to reports, more than 65 citizens have lost their lives in Karachi this year for resisting robberies.

  • Iranian supreme leader’s senior advisor suggests joining Pak-Saudi defence pact

    Iranian supreme leader’s senior advisor suggests joining Pak-Saudi defence pact

    Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s senior advisor Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi has said that Tehran should also join the mutual defence agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

    “Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iraq can reach a collective defence pact,” Iran International quoted Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) General Safavi as saying.

    Terming the pact a positive development, Gen Safavi claimed that the United States’ influence in the region was diminishing as it was now shifting its focus to the Asia-Pacific region.

    He also said that in this situation, countries could establish a regional Islamic alliance.

    Safavi’s remarks refer to the “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” signed between Islamabad and Riyadh on Sept 17, as per which an attack on either country would be treated as an act of aggression against both.

    The agreement was inked days after Israel struck in Qatar’s capital Doha, which raised security concerns among Gulf countries.

    The word “strategic” in the agreement prompted several international media outlets to speculate that Pakistan’s nuclear programme had been made part of the pact, a claim that quickly drew attention and fuelled debate. 

    Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has, however, rejected the claim that Pakistan would sell nuclear weapons to the Kingdom under said agreement.

  • Karachi cop suspended for alleged rape of polio worker

    Karachi cop suspended for alleged rape of polio worker

    A police constable in Karachi has been suspended over accusations of sexually assaulting a female polio worker, which resulted in a pregnancy.  


    South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Asad Raza has ordered an inquiry of the case after the victim came forward. 


    DIG Raza told the media that the suspended police officer was on the polio team with the victim. She says that the constable took her phone number from the group WhatsApp chat and started sending her messages, courting her for marriage. 


    She added that he took her to a guest house where he raped her and consequentially she became pregnant with child. According to the victim, the constable is aware of the pregnancy but has refused to marry the victim.


    The victim, who is a divorcee with two children, later filed a complaint with the police, which is now being investigated.

  • ACC rules Indian team will not receive Asia Cup trophy: Reports

    ACC rules Indian team will not receive Asia Cup trophy: Reports

    The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has ruled that the Indian cricket team will not receive the Asia Cup 2025 trophy, keeping it instead at the council’s office in Dubai, local news channels have reported. 

    Officials said the decision came in response to the Indian team’s refusal to accept the trophy from ACC President Mohsin Naqvi after the final.

    India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the title clash but refused to take the trophy from Naqvi, delaying the post-match ceremony. Naqvi stood his ground and refused to compromise. Organisers eventually carried the trophy away as Indian players remained on the ground, expecting it to be handed over later.

    Samaa, citing ACC sources, confirmed that India’s behavior cost them the trophy and that the decision will stand.

    The trophy controversy spilled onto social media when Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill shared edited pictures showing themselves with a trophy, even though the team never received the original.

    Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav faced tough questions from reporters after the final. When asked about the missing trophy, he dodged the matter and instead argued that his team had played good cricket. He admitted he had “never seen a winning team denied a trophy” but claimed his side had “felt the trophy” regardless.

    The incident capped a tournament marked by India’s confrontational stance. Earlier in the event, Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts, while their captain avoided a pre-final photo with Pakistan’s skipper.