ISLAMABAD: History is in the making as Pakistan take on Saudi Arabia in the FIFA World Cup qualifier in the kingdom on Thursday after getting into the group stage for Asian teams for the first time in over two decades.
Last month, Pakistan men’s football team beat Cambodia 1-0 to win their first ever World Cup qualifier at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad after midfielder Harun Hamid scored a stellar goal against the rival squad.
The victory propelled Pakistan to the next level where they would face impressive football teams like Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Jordan in Group G of the second round of the World Cup qualifiers. A total of 36 football squads have been split into nine groups with four teams each. The winners and runners-up from each group would progressing through to the third round of the World Cup qualifiers.
“The national football team has been practicing in Al Ahsa,” the Pakistan Football Federation said in a brief statement on Sunday. “They will play their first match of the second round on November 16 against Saudi Arabia.”
Thursday’s World Cup qualifier is expected to be tough for Pakistan since the Saudi Arabia have already played in the last World Cup organized in Qatar.
They also secured a stunning victory against Argentina that ultimately won the tournament, following an impressive goal by Salem Mohammed Shafi Al-Dawsari.
Bus carrying wedding guests falls into river in northern Pakistan, killing 18
Accident took place on Gilgit Baltistan region as bus was heading to Chakwal in Punjab
So far only one woman had been found alive and was being treated at hospital, officials say
Updated 5 sec ago
AP
MANSEHRA, Pakistan: A bus carrying about two dozen wedding guests fell into the Indus River in northern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least 18 people, officials said.
It happened in the Gilgit Baltistan region as the bus was heading to Chakwal, a city in Punjab province, government spokesman Faizullah Farqan said.
He said a search for bodies continued, and so far only one woman had been found alive and was being treated at a hospital.
Police said it was unclear what caused the crash, and officers were yet to record the lone survivor’s statement.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari offered condolences and asked rescuers to expedite efforts to find missing passengers.
Road accidents are common in Pakistan due to poor infrastructure and disregard for traffic laws and safety standards. In August, 36 people were killed and dozens of others were injured in two separate bus crashes.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday developing countries would need an estimated $6.8 trillion by 2030 to implement less than half of their current nationally determined contributions (NDCs), or national action plans for reducing emissions and adapting to climate impacts defined by the Paris Agreement.
Nearly 200 nations have gathered in Baku, Azerbaijan, for COP29 climate talks this week to thrash out the details of a deal known as the New Collective Quantified Goal, designed to deliver billions of dollars of climate finance to the regions that need it the most. But the United States, Europe and others say they will only commit to the fund if the list of countries contributing to it is widened to include the likes of China, South Korea and Singapore, and the resulting deadlock could block progress during the talks.
Meanwhile, COP29 follows a year of weather disasters that have emboldened developing countries in their demands for climate cash.
Pakistan is ranked the 5th most vulnerable country to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. In 2022, devastating floods killed over 1,700 people and affected over 33 million, with economic losses exceeding $30 billion. International donors pledged over $9 billion last January to aid Pakistan’s flood recovery but officials say little of the promised funds have been received so far.
“Developing countries will need an estimated $6.8 trillion by 2030 to implement less than half their current NDCs,” Sharif said in an address on the sidelines of the World Leaders’ Climate Action Summit.
“Donor countries should fulfill their commitment to provide 0.7 percent of their gross national income [as development assistance] and capitalize existing climate funds.”
One such commitment, the $100 billion Annual Climate Finance pledge established over a decade ago at COP15, is now reported by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to have reached only $160 billion, Sharif said.
“Despite this number remaining a tiny proportion of the defined need, a significant part of this financing is dispersed in the form of loans, further enhancing the debt burden on developing nations and potentially pushing them toward mounting debt traps, I call them death traps,” Sharif added.
“Pakistan alongside many other developing countries calls for stronger, more equitable climate finance mechanisms. Debt cannot become the acceptable new normal in climate financing which is why we must resume focus on non-debt financing solutions, enabling countries to fund climate initiatives.”
Sharif also called on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to set up a committee to review NDCs “periodically.”
“We need to double adaptation financing from present level and loss and damage funds must be enhanced and directed toward resilient infrastructure and other pressing needs,” Sharif added.
Governments last year pledged $800 million toward a new ‘loss and damage’ fund to help poorer nations being hit by climate-fueled disasters. The fund, which has a director and a host nation, will now be deciding how the funds should be dispersed and calling for more contributions at COP29.
On Tuesday, the world’s top multilateral banks, including the World Bank, European Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank, pledged to ramp up climate finance to low and middle income countries to $120 billion a year by 2030 as part of efforts at COP29 to agree to an ambitious annual target.
Reaffirming a goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average by 2050, the new figure is a more than 60 percent increase on what the group of 10 multilateral development banks (MDBs) had funneled to poorer nations last year, according to a statement released during the UN climate summit.
The new figure includes $42 billion to help adapt to the impacts of extreme weather, a 70 percent increase over the 2023 number.
KARACHI: Abhi Private Limited, an emerging fintech operator in the Middle East and Pakistan, and leading tech conglomerate TPL Corp. Limited, are all set to jointly acquire FINCA Microfinance Bank Limited, a statement from Abhi said on Tuesday.
FINCA Pakistan, part of a global FINCA network, operates in 108 cities across Pakistan, providing state-of-the-art deposit and payment solutions, including micro-credit facilities aimed at improving livelihoods.
ABHI established its global headquarters in Abu Dhabi in January 2024 and has also expanded its business through partnerships in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
“The strategic alliance between Abhi and TPL Corp. aims to reshape financial inclusion efforts across Pakistan by combining FINCA’s extensive microfinance network and expertise with Abhi’s innovative digital solutions and TPL Corp’s presence in retail, insurance and technology sectors,” Abhi said in a statement.
“By bringing together these complementary strengths, the partnership is set to diversify and expand access to financial products and services that cater to underserved communities, including rural populations, small businesses, and lower-income individuals.”
The acquisition will combine TPL’s diverse business portfolio and FINCA Pakistan’s established presence and deep knowledge of the market, with the combined entity being “well-positioned to introduce customer-focused solutions that can make a tangible difference in underserved regions.”
“At Abhi, we’ve always believed in creating accessible financial solutions for everyone,” said Omair Ansari, CEO & Co-founder of Abhi.
“By joining forces with TPL, we’re making a stride toward expanding our reach and delivering impactful financial products to millions of Pakistanis who have previously lacked access to essential services.”
Looking ahead, Abhi, TPL and FINCA plan to focus on delivering a new range of financial products “tailored to underserved communities, driving financial inclusion and contributing to the nation’s economic growth.”
“FINCA Pakistan delivered on its promise to develop a nationwide microfinance network that is creating economic opportunity throughout Pakistan, especially for women,” said Jeff Smith, chair of the FINCA Pakistan Board of Directors.
“Abhi and TPL share FINCA’s commitment to expanding access to financial services for small entrepreneurs. The infusion of new capital and more comprehensive digital services have the potential to significantly accelerate financial inclusion in Pakistan.”
ISLAMABAD: Top aides of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan were briefly detained before being released in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi as they arrived to meet their leader at a local prison, his party said on Tuesday, with police saying they were arrested for breaking a law against public gatherings.
Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, and several other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had arrived at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail to meet Khan when they were arrested for what Punjab Police has described as violating Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code, a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit the assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period.
“PTI workers were detained for violating Section 144 but were released after being issued a warning,” Punjab Police Spokesperson Sajjadul Hassan told media.
The PTI says the leaders were detained to block them from meeting Khan who has been imprisoned since August last year and faces a slew of legal cases, from corruption to terrorism, which he says are politically motivated.
“PTI leadership has been set free, after being kept in custody till the time for scheduled meeting with Imran Khan was over,” the party said in a text message to reporters.
In a post on X, the PTI said the arrests showed the “blatant misuse of power” of the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s PML-N party, which it said was “aimed at silencing PTI leaders and anyone standing with Imran Khan.”
“This assault on political freedoms is a grave warning for all citizens. The nation must stand up for itself, get organized, and peacefully protest,” the PTI said. “This is not an issue of any one person or party; it is a matter of Pakistan’s survival and integrity.”
Since his ouster from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary no-trust vote, Khan has been embroiled in over 150 cases and has been sentenced in several, including to three years, 10 years, 14 years and seven years to be served concurrently under Pakistani law. Khan’s convictions were later overturned in appeals but he cannot be freed due to other, pending cases against him.
He has maintained his innocence and has argued that the cases are an attempt to sideline him politically by keeping him out of the public area. The government denies it is persecuting Khan or his party.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani spinner Noman Ali bagged the International Cricket Council’s ‘Men’s Player of the Month’ award for October, cricket’s global governing body said on Tuesday, for his stellar 20 wickets in last month’s Test series against England that helped his team secure a 2-1 series victory.
Ali took 11 wickets in the second Test match against England in Multan while he grabbed nine wickets in the second Test to ensure Pakistan beat England. In the first Test, Pakistan beat England by 152 runs while in the second, they completed a nine-wicket rout of the former ODI world champions.
Ali and spinner Sajid Khan were both picked up for the second and third Test matches in Multan and Rawalpindi, respectively, after Pakistan dropped cricket stars Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and pacer Naseem Shah. The gamble paid off, as Khan and Ali spun Pakistan to a series victory on pitches that were made spin-friendly by curators via large fans and heaters.
“I am delighted to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month and deeply grateful to all my teammates who helped me put my best performances forward to help Pakistan win a historic home Test series against England,” Ali said in a statement shared by the ICC. “It is always exciting to be a part of such memorable wins for your country.”
The award win comes after Noman entered the top ten of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings for the first time last month, bowling expertly in tandem with Khan. This was the career-best figures for the left-arm Pakistani spinner.
Ali also contributed with the bat in the first innings of the third Test match in Rawalpindi, playing an impressive 45-run knock at number nine to help his side gain an impressive 77-run lead.
Ali, a Test specialist, could next feature in Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa. The green shirts are scheduled to play two Test matches in the African country, three ODIs and three T20Is in December and January 2025.
West Indies will also tour Pakistan for a two-match Test series in January 2025.
