Pakistan

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials are concerned over the continued decline in the performance of national sides across formats during the past two years, attributing it largely to frequent changes in the board’s leadership, selectors, coaches and captains. According to sources, the matter came under detailed discussion at the recent meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG), which lasted nearly three hours, Dawn has learnt. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi also attended the session for about 15 to 20 minutes. During the meeting, various departments of the PCB including International Cricket, High Performance Cen­tre, Legal Affairs and Women’s Cricket presented their reports to the BoG. The members, sources said, voiced dissatisfaction over the performance of the men’s senior team, women’s team and Pakistan Shaheens, questioning the International Cricket department over the ongoing slump. The department, in its response, pointed to the instability at the top level, noting that the board has worked under fo...

LAHORE: Residents and shop­keepers in upscale localities across Punjab will start receiving ‘cleanliness’ utility bills from Sept 1, and these neighbourhoods will subseq­ue­ntly be declared ‘zero-waste’ are­as with penalties for littering. Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) Chief Exec­utive Officer Babir Sahib Din told Dawn that all residential and commercial property owners in Lahore’s upscale localities, including Gulberg, Johar Town, Muslim Town, New Mus­lim Town, Shadman, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Upper Mall Scheme, and the localities facing the Canal Road, Mall Road, and Jail Road will receive their bills next month. Private housing schemes are exempt, however, because they have their own disposal system. “This was in the works for long and finally the government decided to impose a clea­n­liness fee in a bid to ensure excellent cleanliness in all area­s, starting from the posh ones in the first phase,” he revealed. Penalty The proposal to introduce a cleanliness fee regime had been approved by the P...

Heavy rain set off a landslide on a famed Hindu pilgrimage route in India-occupied Jammu region, killing at least 30 people, the ANI news agency said on Wednesday, while floods prompted official warnings for people to stay indoors at night. Weather officials forecast more rain and thunderstorms with gusty winds for the mountainous region of Ladakh, while heavy rain is set to lash the occupied Jammu and Kashmir territory. Authorities were battling to restore telecom services as communication was “almost nonexistent”, said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Tuesday’s landslide near the shrine of Vaishno Devi on the pilgrims’ route killed at least 30 people, said ANI, in which Reuters holds a minor stake. It was the latest havoc from downpours in the Himalayan region that killed 60 people, with 200 missing in Kishtwar in occupied Kashmir last week. Authorities also ordered the closure of educational institutions in held Jammu, which weather officials said was deluged with 368 millimetres of rain on Tuesday. The river...

Pakistan has termed deliberate targeting of transnational infrastructure including energy pipelines, telecommunication cables, and data networks as an illegal act that threatens global stability and disrupts international markets.

Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner showed their championship pedigree at the US Open on Tuesday with commanding displays at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, walloping their first-round opponents on the third day of first-round action at the newly expanded major. Wimbledon champion Swiatek arrived in pristine form after capturing the Cincinnati title and made quick work of Emiliana Arango 6-1 6-2 in just an hour, never facing a break point. The 2022 winner acknowledged the unique challenge of New York’s atmosphere afterwards. “Every year is tough, because New York is just so loud, and it’s hard to find that balance off the court,” she said. “But I’ve got to say I’m probably good at it compared to other players, so I’m really trying to be in my bubble.” She next plays the Netherlands’ Suzan Lamens. Top-ranked defending men’s champion Sinner followed suit with an equally dominant performance, swatting aside Czech Vit Kopriva 6-1 6-1 6-2. The Italian, who had entered last year’s tournament under the dark cloud of a doping con...

The holiest Sikh religious site, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, has been submerged in floodwaters after India released millions of cusecs of water into Pakistan’s River Ravi.

KARACHI: As dense clouds continue to dominate the city’s skies following recent monsoon devastation, health experts and senior environmentalists have urged the authorities to speed up the process of clearing standing water and lifting solid waste before the next spell to minimise the threat of disease outbreaks. They also stressed the need to prioritise regular cleaning of storm water drains and rainwater harvesting in ways that help replenish depleting groundwater resources and minimise the threat of urban flooding. “There is a high risk for the spread of vector and water-borne diseases this year, given the high intensity of rains we have just experienced. We must try to utilise the brief time available right now before the next spell hits as pools of standing water will soon turn into breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” shared Dr Imran Sarwar, who heads the emergency department of the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. He added that generally cases of gastroenteritis, malaria and dengue see a sharp increase...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday formally launched Pakistan’s New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Policy 2025-30, calling it a landmark initiative for clean transport, climate resilience, industrial transformation, and youth empowerment. Addressing the launch ce­­remony, the prime minister said the new policy repres­e­nts a national commitment to reducing emissions, promoting clean technology, and shifting to sustainable transport solutions. He appl­auded the efforts of his ind­ustries aide Haroon Akhtar Khan and Federal Minister Rana Tanvir Hussain for crafting what he termed “a comprehensive and forward-looking framework”. “I was personally involved in the meetings and I sincerely appreciate the dedication shown by Haroon Akh­tar, the secretary for industries, and all the relevant institutions, both at the federal and provincial levels,” the PM said. He also ack­no­wledged the technical support extended by the British government and the UK High Commissioner in shaping the policy framework. PM Shehba...

ISLAMABAD, LAHORE - Over 150,000 people from flood-affected districts of Punjab have so far been relocated to safer places as the province braces for heavy rains and floods, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Tuesday.

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday formally launched the New Energy Vehicle Policy 2025-2030, aimed at promoting environment and cost-effective transportation in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD - Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan on Tuesday instructed his party to immediately re-sign as a protest from all the standing and other parliamentary committees of the National Assembly.

Train operations from Balochistan resumed on Wednesday after a two-day suspension caused by heavy rainfall.

Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab, Irfan Ali Kathia, has said that the water level in major rivers of the province is continuously rising.

ISLAMABAD: The Pu­­blic Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday expr­es­sed shock over reports that the chairman of the Secu­rities and Exchange Com­mission of Pakistan (SECP) was drawing an annual salary of Rs41 million. PAC Chairman Junaid Akbar Khan questioned how a country facing economic hardships could afford such packages. “Is the board free to fix salaries at its own discret­i­­on without seeking appro­­v­­al from anyone?” he asked. The chairman directed the finance division to provide details of the matter in the next meeting, to be held today (Wednesday), along with a list of how many other chairmen in various institutions were drawing salaries in the hundreds of millions. The PAC also reviewed an audit objection regarding the non-recovery of Rs1.66 billion from the Karachi Country Club. Members recalled officials had assured the committee that the case had been decided in government’s favour, the land taken over, and payments cleared, but fresh claims contradicted those statements, with officials admit...

• ECC greenlights Multan-Rawalpindi oil pipeline, Rs3bn flood relief package for Gilgit-Baltistan • Gas levy funds to reduce power tariffs for all consumers ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Tuesday approved a financial bailout for Pakistan Television (PTV), a recovery plan for Rs47 billion in outstanding petroleum levy from Cynergico Refinery, and the use of funds collected under the captive levy on gas to reduce electricity rates for all consumers. The committee also gave the green light to the construction of the Multan to Rawalpindi oil pipeline in partnership with Azerbaijan and sanctioned Rs3 billion in relief for flood-affected families in Gilgit-Baltistan. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the meeting. The captive levy, imposed as part of the government’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), applies to gas and RLNG supplies to captive power plants of industrial units. Introduced on July 1 it began at 5pc above the notified tariff, with sc...

• Calls on lawmakers to quit parliamentary bodies, including PAC; party’s political committee also endorses his opinion • Jailed founder refuses to accept Salman Akram Raja’s resignation; throws his weight behind Achakzai as potential replacement for NA opposition leader ISLAMABAD: Changing its mind once again, the PTI has decided to boycott the upcoming by-elections for national and provincial assemblies, in line with the opinion of its incarcerated leader, Imran Khan. The decision was taken by the party’s political committee, which met to consider Mr Khan’s input following a meeting with his legal team at Adiala Jail on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Mr Khan’s message was relayed to the media by his sister, Aleema Khan, who also met Mr Khan in prison. She was flanked by PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja — whose resignation was reportedly turned down by the incarcerated former PM. Denying reports of a bitter exchange with Mr Raja, she said the lawyer was “like family” to them. She said her brother had as...

ISLAMABAD - The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed all registered political parties to submit their consolidated and audited financial statements for the fiscal year 2024–25, by August 29.

ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Tuesday directed that all Motorways be made barrier-free in line with international standards while further E-Tag system should be more strengthened.

ISLAMABAD - The three Afghan nationals who married to Pakistani citizens Tuesday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against their repatriation.

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday rejected the agreement between the heirs and the accused through the video link in a murder case.