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Tag: Pakistan

  • NZ to play Test match in Karachi after 22 years

    NZ to play Test match in Karachi after 22 years

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday released the match schedule of New Zealand men’s cricket team’s upcoming dual tours of Pakistan. NZ will play two Tests as part of their ICC World Test Championship title defence and three ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League fixtures from 27 December to 15 January, before returning for five T20Is and five ODIs from 13 April to 7 May.
    The Karachi Test will be New Zealand’s first in the city since October 1990.

    “We had promised our passionate fans that we will deliver high-quality home international cricket in 2022. Today’s announcement of New Zealand’s double visit to Pakistan is part of that commitment,” said PCB Director, Zakir Khan.

    He also stated that, “New Zealand is one of the high-performing sides and the more we will play against the top teams in our backyard, the better we will get as a unit, which is crucial to our objective of featuring inside the top-three across all formats. The New Zealand matches will also provide opportunities to our youngsters to continue to watch and follow their favourite players in action, something they have missed when we were forced to play our international cricket offshore.”

    Here is the schedule:


    Pakistan vs New Zealand:
    27-31 Dec – 1st Test, Karachi (ICC World Test Championship)
    4-8 Jan – 2nd Test, Multan (ICC World Test Championship)
    11 Jan – 1st ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)
    13 Jan – 2nd ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)
    15 Jan – 3rd ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)
    13 Apr – 1st T20I, Karachi

    15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Karachi
    16 Apr – 3rd T20I, Karachi
    19 Apr – 4th T20I, Karachi
    23 Apr – 5th T20I, Lahore
    26 Apr – 1st ODI, Lahore
    28 Apr – 2nd ODI, Lahore
    1 May – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi

    4 May – 4th ODI, Rawalpindi
    7 May – 5th ODI, Rawalpindi

  • ‘Inshallah,’ says Nawaz Sharif when asked about becoming PM for the fourth time

    ‘Inshallah,’ says Nawaz Sharif when asked about becoming PM for the fourth time

    Former Prime Minister (PM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s pre-recorded press conference with his daughter PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz was released on Sunday.

    During the interview, when Sharif was asked about the possibility of becoming PM of Pakistan for the fourth time, he smilingly said, “Inshallah” (Hopefully).

    The former premier began the interview by narrating the whole incident of his wife’s [Kalsoom Nawaz] illness and then her death. He said that he and Maryam were both in jail when they got to know about his wife’s death in London.

    He said when his wife was on her deathbed, people made fun of it. He said that one time when he was in court, he was informed that his wife’s health had worsened.

    “I went back to the jail and asked the jail superintendent to give me the phone so I can contact my family but he didn’t allow it.”

    He revealed that after three hours, he was informed about his wife’s death. He then said the bearers of the news were on their way to inform his daughter [who was also in Kot Lakhpat]. “At that point, I said no, I will do it and when I told her, she was in shock,” Nawaz said.

    He added that such events “are never forgotten and this loss can never be repaired or forgotten”.

    ‘We were the ones to say absolutely not’: Nawaz Sharif

    Addressing Imran’s stance of “absolutely not” to US airbases, Nawaz said, “We were the ones to say absolutely not. They offered us $5 billion but we said absolutely not. We don’t want it,” he was referring to the nuclear tests conducted during his tenure.

    According to Nawaz, when he was in power, his government had brought economic prosperity, finished loadshedding, increased employment, and eliminated terrorism but Imran Khan ruined it all. He said that now there is inflation everywhere.

    “He [Imran Khan] has taken a U-turn with regard to everything. He claimed that he would prefer dying by suicide instead of striking a deal with the IMF,” Nawaz said.

    Taking a jibe at Khan, Nawaz said that during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) tenure foreign relations had also been affected.

    ‘Revenge, not a court’s decision’: Nawaz Sharif

    Moreover, he alleged that he was punished and disqualified for life by the Supreme Court (SC) but now lifetime disqualification is being criticised as “draconian” by SC judges.

    Nawaz questioned whether there was a “valid reason” for the decision. “Disqualified for life and removed from the PML-N presidency. This is revenge, not a court’s decision,” he added.

    Regarding the recent alleged audio leaks of Khan, Nawaz said that “the one who plotted has turned out to be the biggest conspirer”.

  • ‘Ranbir, Ahad became successful on merit’: Aashir Wajahat opens up about nepotism in showbiz

    ‘Ranbir, Ahad became successful on merit’: Aashir Wajahat opens up about nepotism in showbiz

    Actor and singer Aashir Wajahat has opened up about nepotism in a recent interview. Director Wajahat Rauf and Producer Shazia Wajahat’s son is currently starring in ARY Digital’s Pinjra.

    Aashir said: “It definitely exists around us, not just in show business but everywhere. But in the end, you’re judged on the work you do.”

    He added: “Ranbir Kapoor comes from a family of performers and actors, which obviously helped him get work initially. But he ended up being the star and he is by giving good performances. In Pakistan, we have Ahad Raza Mir, who has a huge fan following which he has earned by producing good work. Every person should be judged on an individual level based on their talent and work irrespective of the family they’re born in because you don’t get to choose the household you’re born in and every parent would want to help their child in any way they can.” 

    The Karachi Se Lahore star also discussed his experience of working in Hadiqa Kiana and Omair Rana starrer, Pinjra, “My first reaction to the script and story was that it’s a breath of fresh air. It’s very rare that you see the story of a family or more specifically the problem that arises between parents and their children due to a generational gap. “

    He added: “Asma jee, God bless her soul was one of the sweetest people I ever met. She was an exceptional writer and an even better person. Obviously, I felt honoured when she told me she sees me as Azaan.” 

    Talking about his character Aashir revealed, “I don’t know if a perfect child exists but in his parents’ eyes he is definitely one. Good at sports, academically strong, and well-behaved. Obviously, this leads to his younger siblings constantly being compared to him and he knows this is wrong and will only complicate his relationship with them.”

    He said he had a great time while shooting for the drama. “Najaf Bilgrami, our director, and I had our visions aligned in terms of what the character of Azaan needed. Najaf Bhai really gave me the freedom and margin I needed to play Azaan.”

    Aashir revealed that he was shooting for his first main lead film ‘John’ at that time and had no plans to do television. However, he knew if he didn’t play Azaan he would regret missing out on a great scrip. He further added: “Asma jee told me she had written this character keeping me in mind, I just knew I had to do it.”

  • ‘Germany has role and responsibility with regard to situation in Kashmir’: German Foreign Minister

    German Foreign Minister (FM), Annalena Baerbock, has said in Berlin that the country has a role and responsibility with regard to the situation in Kashmir.

    Speaking at the joint press conference on Friday with her Pakistani counterpart, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, she said, “Germany has a role and responsibility with regard to the situation in Kashmir. Therefore, we support intensively the engagement of the United Nations (UN), to find peaceful solutions in the region.”

    Talking about the tensions between India and Pakistan, the minister said, “We support all the engagement with regard to the ceasefire, however, there is a tension which minister [Bilawal] has described so we encourage both Pakistan and India to follow the track of the ceasefire, to follow the track of UN and intensify the political dialogue and also the political and practical cooperation in the region.”

    Moreover, Baerbock showed support for the county by saying that “Pakistan could rely on the support of the German people and government”.

    Bilawal, on the occasion, thanked Germany, and said that the total amount of aid from Germany had reached €60 million for that “we are incredibly grateful to the German people and the government”.

    He also highlighted grave human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and said that the alarming situation posed risks to regional peace and stability.

    The Pakistani foreign minister described his meeting with Baerbock as a “pleasure” and invited her to visit Pakistan.

    In a tweet, he said, “Pleasure meeting for the second time this year with Annalena Baerbock at the German foreign office. Invited her to visit Pakistan to witness firsthand devastation caused by floods in.”

    Bilawal reached Berlin on Friday on his first visit.

  • Malala expected to visit flood relief areas next week

    Malala expected to visit flood relief areas next week

    Nobel laureate and social activist Malala Yousafzai is expected to visit flood affected areas of Pakistan in the second week of October. She is expected to reach the country on October 12 on a three day visit.


    According to sources of Geo News, the Sindh Home Department has issued directives to make strict security arrangements for Malala. A specialised police unit is making arrangements.

    As per media reports, she will first land in Karachi. She will then travel to Dadu under strict security.

    She is expected to offer flood relief funding from the Malala Fund.


    As many as 33 million people of the 220 million South Asian nation have been affected in some way by the floods that swept away houses, roads, railways and bridges and submerged around 4 million acres of farmland.


    Yousafzai recently announced the launch of her production company, Extracurricular.

  • ‘Want a guy who worries about my ketchup’, Twitter reacts to viral drama clip from Feroze-Ushna’s ‘Habs’

    ‘Want a guy who worries about my ketchup’, Twitter reacts to viral drama clip from Feroze-Ushna’s ‘Habs’

    A video clip from the popular drama series “Habs,” starring Feroze Khan and Ushna Shah, has gone viral on social media, sparking memes.

    In the humorous video, the girl can be seen leaving the dining room with two slices of pizza but no ketchup, which worries her husband, as if eating pizza without ketchup was a big deal.

    Here are some memes:

    https://twitter.com/7kayhan/status/1578310565952622599
    https://twitter.com/prg4949/status/1578355765223440384
  • Women’s Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan beats India by 13 runs

    Women’s Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan beats India by 13 runs

    On Friday, Pakistani women defeated Indian women in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 match in Sylhet.

    Following a shocking loss to Thailand on Thursday, Pakistan came back with a 13-run victory to stay in the competition. Pakistan and India each have six points after four games in the competition.

    India’s winning streak of five straight T20I matches dating back to 2016 was broken against Pakistan. During the Women’s T20 World Cup in Delhi on March 19, 2016, India suffered its most recent loss to Pakistan. In T20Is, India still has an advantage over Pakistan because of 10 victories in 13 games.

    India has two games left in the group stage, taking on Bangladesh on Saturday and Thailand on Monday. Pakistan’s last group matches will pit it against Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.

    The semifinals will thereafter be attended by the top four teams from the group round. The final will take place on October 15 at the same location.

  • Inflation may drop to 5-7% by the next fiscal year: SBP deputy governor

    Inflation may drop to 5-7% by the next fiscal year: SBP deputy governor

    According to Dr Murtaza Syed, deputy governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Pakistan would probably reach its 5-7 per cent inflation target by the start of the following fiscal year because of a positive base effect and ‘tighter’ macroeconomic regulations.

    According to Dawn, the SBP deputy head said that inflation in Pakistan quadrupled from 13–14 per cent to around 25–27 per cent since June as a result of an increase in POL costs during a Zoom session hosted by the World Bank.

    Although Pakistan does have an issue with inflation, it has lately started to decline and showed a “greater than expected” decline in the past month, he noted.

    Dr Syed claims that inflation has “kind of crested” and will begin to drop for the remainder of the year.

    The SBP deputy chief also referred to worries over Pakistan’s economic outlook as “exaggerated” and claimed that Pakistan was at least $10 billion over-financed as a result of inflows from friendly nations and pledges made by development partners in the wake of floods.

    According to a central bank official, Pakistan needed about $31 billion in external financing, but had $37 billion in accessible funding, which was $6 billion more than it needed. The recent floods, he said, “may have some effects on the current account deficit, but this is before taking into account the floods.”

  • ‘Imran Niazi lies day and night, he is a fraud’: PM Shehbaz

    ‘Imran Niazi lies day and night, he is a fraud’: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif Thursday called out Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, terming him the “biggest fraudster”.

    “I can swear to God he [Khan] is a fraudster and has tried to create rifts in important institutions of Pakistan,” he said while addressing a press conference.

    “I’m finally saying this today that the entire Opposition has been vindicated by God. And Imran Khan — who lies day and night — is a fraudster […] he had isolated the nation and played with it. He attacked the army and tried to create divisions,” the Premier said, mincing no words.

    Shehbaz stated that the government wanted to show Imran’s “true face” to the nation. “The decision will be taken by you through the vote,” he reminded the public.

    Recalling the no-confidence motion

    Narrating the incidents that happened during the time of the no-confidence motion back in April, the premier said, “Let’s go back to April 3 when voting was to be held on the no-confidence motion and everybody knows the incidents that took place on that day. But I just want to narrate what exactly happened on that day.”

    “I just want to tell you what happened that day. Before the voting [of the no-trust vote], the information minister at that time (Fawad Chaudhry) stood up and read a statement saying that a conspiracy was devised against the government […] its links were with a foreign power and the Opposition has brought about this motion.”

    “On this, Suri sahab refused to allow the voting process to take place without even taking the Opposition into confidence,” PM Shehbaz went on to say, adding that the “hues and cries of the Opposition were ignored.”

    Within no time, Imran came on television and announced the dissolution of National Assembly (NA). “Twenty minutes later, the president approved the summary.”

    This was the basis of the conspiracy that Imran has been playing along with for the past five months and wasting the nation’s time, PM Shehbaz said. “Due to this game, Pakistan’s relations with the biggest powers of the world have been compromised,” he insisted.

    He recalled that “baseless allegations” were levelled at several government leaders during this time. “You can say whatever you want, but calling someone a traitor […] there is no bigger conspiracy than it.

    “On the floor of the NA, I said that if God forbid this conspiracy was proved against me or the coalition, then the nation has the right to hang me.”

    Taking a jibe at President Dr Arif Alvi, the premier said that the president who takes days and weeks to approve summaries, including the one regarding the appointment of governor Punjab, passed the summary regarding the dissolution of assemblies within 20 minutes.

    ‘Cipher can’t be decoded’

    The premier said that the cipher — which Imran claims contains details of a foreign conspiracy to oust him from power — can’t be decoded by the government.

    “If it is, then all the cables from all embassies can be leaked or stolen,” he reasoned.

    “Imran himself doesn’t know where it is.But his audio leaks have proven that there were four people behind the so-called conspiracy. What other evidence do you need,” he demanded.

    The PM also revealed that the cabinet had decided to probe the audio leaks, adding that an investigation into the matter had already begun. “We will tell the nation [the findings] with complete transparency.”

    Audio leaks have revealed Khan’s truth

    Referring to the recent audio leaks, the premier said, “He can be heard saying that this is a game […] they can be heard saying that minutes of the meeting should be made up according to their wish.

    “The country’s honour was sabotaged in such a manner that no such example is found in history […] this is nothing less than treason,” Shehbaz said, claiming that Imran played a “serious game with the country”.

    “Tell me, is there any doubt after this that who was behind the conspiracy,” he asked.

    Shehbaz said that two days after the PMO audio leaks, an ambassador from a friendly country came to meet him at the Prime Minister’s Office. “I had a discussion with him after which he highlighted that now no one would feel safe talking at the PMO.”

    This, he continued, was not just a huge loss for the government but a loss that the nation would have to bear for decades to come.

    Khan tried to divide the armed forces of Pakistan

    PM Shehbaz also alleged that Khan tried to divide the armed forces of Pakistan.

    “The army has rendered great and unparalleled sacrifices,” he said.

    Indirectly referring to a business deal worth £190 million, the premier termed it the “biggest robbery in the history of the country”.

    “A million pounds means around Rs5 billion have been robbed,” he added.

    ‘Army chief’s appointment as per Constitution’

    The prime minister asserted that the appointment of the next army chief in November,will be done as per the Constitution.

    “It [the appointment] has a process in the law and Constitution and the decision will be taken according to that.”

    Country will be destroyed if Khan comes to power again

    PM Shehbaz warned that if Khan once again comes into power, the “country will be destroyed”. The premier further added that the PTI chief has time and again defamed Pakistan.

    “Is telling lies, committing frauds, and hatching conspiracies his [Khan’s] patriotism and leadership?” he asked, adding that a person who says he is perfect dies his own death.

    “I am a sinner but I will never lie to the nation,” he said, adding that if he lies, the nation can hold him accountable.

    ‘Mian he will bring prosperity along with him’

    Shedding light on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s return, he said: “When Mian will come, he will bring prosperity along with him.”

  • Nobel Peace Prize 2022: Muslim Indian journalist listed as unofficial favourite

    Nobel Peace Prize 2022: Muslim Indian journalist listed as unofficial favourite

    Co-founders of Indian fact-checking website Alt News, Pratik Sinha and Mohammed Zubair have been listed as an unofficial favourite for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, ahead of the announcement of the winner on October 7.


    TIME magazine, in a report, compiled a list of “some of the favourites to win, based on nominations that were made public via Norwegian lawmakers, predictions from bookmakers, and picks from the Peace Research Institute Oslo.”


    The list includes journalists Mr. Sinha and Mr. Zubair, who “have relentlessly been battling misinformation in India.” The Time report said that the duo has “methodologically debunked rumors and fake news circulating on social media and called out hate speech.


    Mohammed Zubair is a co-founder of fact-checking website Alt News. He is a critic of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, and regularly tracks and highlights anti-Muslim hate speech by Hindu right-wing activists and politicians.


    He was detained earlier this year because of a tweet from 2018 that included a screenshot from a well-known Hindi film, which authorities claim was insulting to Hindu religious beliefs.