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Pakistan stay alive in T20 World Cup as India thrash USA 

Update Pakistan stay alive in T20 World Cup as India thrash USA 
India's Suryakumar Yadav, center, waves towards the stands as he leaves the field after their win in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup cricket match between United States and India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York, on June 12, 2024. (AP)
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Updated 12 June 2024
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Pakistan stay alive in T20 World Cup as India thrash USA 

Pakistan stay alive in T20 World Cup as India thrash USA 
  • India beat United States by seven wickets after impressive performances from Yadav, Singh
  • Pakistan will next face Ireland in Sunday in yet another do-or-die World Cup clash for them
Updated 12 June 2024
Shahjahan Khurram
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ISLAMABAD: India beat the United States by seven wickets on Wednesday to qualify for the second round of the T20 World Cup 2024, with their victory meaning Pakistan remain alive in the mega event. 

According to the points table, India are at the top with six points from three matches while the USA is at number two with four points. Pakistan is placed at number three with two points while Canada is at four with two points while bottom-placed Ireland are yet to open their account in the tournament. 

Pakistan, who notched their first win of the T20 World Cup 2024 against Canada on Tuesday night in New York, need the US to lose their remaining match against Ireland. Skipper Babar Azam’s side, who lost to the US and India in their opening two matches of the World Cup, also need India to beat Canada on June 15 to stand a chance in the tournament.

If the US wins even one more point, Pakistan’s journey in the World Cup will come to an abrupt end in the first stage. Even one match affected by rain would spell the end for Pakistan, as the US requires only one point to move to the second round.

“Being in the Super Eight is a big relief,” Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said at the post-match conference. “Playing here wasn’t easy, could’ve been anyone’s game. Had to stick till the end and take the game as deep as possible.”

Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav scored an unbeaten half-century as Arshdeep Singh took a career best 4-9 to steer India to a win. 

Pakistan face Ireland on Sunday, June 16, in a do-or-die World Cup clash. The green shirts have been subjected to immense criticism following their poor performance in the mega tournament. 

Pakistan’s new white-ball coach Gary Kirsten last week bluntly said the green shirts needed to evolve if they wanted to live up to the standards of international cricket.

“I think for me the most important thing for every international player is that you continue growing and developing as a player, and understanding what the demands of international competition are,” Kirsten said at the post-match conference after Pakistan lost to India on Sunday.

“The game is changing pretty much every year. So, if you’re not up to it and you’re not improving, you’re going to get found out somewhere.”

Topics: t20 world cup 2024

Pakistani exploration firm discovers new oil and gas reserves in country’s northwest

Pakistani exploration firm discovers new oil and gas reserves in country’s northwest
Updated 9 sec ago
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Pakistani exploration firm discovers new oil and gas reserves in country’s northwest

Pakistani exploration firm discovers new oil and gas reserves in country’s northwest
  • Pakistan heavily relies on oil and gas imports and has faced gas outages in recent years due to a decline in domestic reserves
  • Mari Energies, which made the discovery, says testing shows a flow of 12.96 MMSCFD of gas, 20 barrels per day of condensate
Updated 9 sec ago
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Mari Energies, a Pakistani hydrocarbon exploration firm, has discovered new oil and gas reserves in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, it said on Tuesday, with initial tests suggesting a flow of 12.96 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas and around 20 barrel per day (bbl/d) of condensate.

The discovery has been made in KP’s Waziristan district at the Spinwam-1 exploratory well, which was drilled on May 28 last year, according to the exploration firm.

Mari Energies holds a 55% stake in the Waziristan block together with the state-owned Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Orient Petroleum Inc. (OPI).

“Initial pre-acid testing of the Samanasuk Formation has shown a flow of 12.96 MMSCFD of gas and approx. 20 bbl/day of condensate at 32/64” choke, and a Wellhead Flowing Pressure of 2,127 psig (pounds per square inch gauge),”

Mari Energies said in a letter to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).

“Further testing is underway, including post-acid job and assessments in the existing formation and additional targeted formations, to fully evaluate the well potential.”

The Spinwam-1 well in the Waziristan block has total depth of 4,400 meters, according to the exploration firm.

“This discovery has opened a new play within the block,” Mari Energies said.

The development comes a week after Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik said Pakistan was offering foreign investors 40 offshore and 31 onshore blocks for oil and gas exploration.

The South Asian country, which imports most of its energy needs and is currently looking for ways to lessen the costs, is currently pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to advance the energy sector, focusing on indigenization, electrification and liberalization.

Malik, who invited international investors to capitalize on opportunities in these newly opened blocks, said a significant portion of Pakistan’s natural resources was unexplored, the state-run APP news agency reported.

“Pakistan is open for business and we will provide all necessary facilitation to investors,” the petroleum minister was quoted as saying.

Topics: Pakistan gas reserves

Buttler chases ‘perfect game’ against Afghanistan in Champions Trophy

Buttler chases ‘perfect game’ against Afghanistan in Champions Trophy
Updated 25 February 2025
AFP
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Buttler chases ‘perfect game’ against Afghanistan in Champions Trophy

Buttler chases ‘perfect game’ against Afghanistan in Champions Trophy
  • The clash on Wednesday has become a virtual knockout after Tuesday’s match between Australia, South Africa was washed out
  • Jos Buttler hasn’t had the best of results as captain of the white-ball team since he led the team to a T20 World Cup title in 2022
Updated 25 February 2025
AFP

LAHORE: England captain Jos Buttler on Tuesday said his team is confident despite their opening defeat in the Champions Trophy as they chase a “perfect game” against Afghanistan.
The clash in Lahore on Wednesday has become a virtual knockout after Tuesday’s Group B match between Australia and South Africa was washed out with the two teams sharing one point each.
England lost their opener to Ashes rivals Australia in the eight-nation tournament after they failed to defend their total of 351-8 at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium.
South Africa hammered Afghanistan in their first match.
“Pretty much from the start of the tournament every game is a ‘must win’,” Buttler told reporters.
“We’ve got two games left to progress further. We have to win those games so that’s a very clear situation for us to be in.”
Buttler also said he had faith in his pace bowling attack in spite of the pasting they received at the hands of Australia.
“We’ve got great confidence in those guys,” said Buttler.
“Level of performance was good and as always there’s little areas we want to improve and chase that perfect game.
Jofra Archer went for 82 off his 10 overs as Josh Inglis hammered an unbeaten 120. Mark Wood conceded 75 and Brydon Carse, who will miss the rest of the tournament because of a toe injury, went for 69 off seven.
“The debrief (to the quicks) was pretty easy, to be honest. We all felt that we did good things in places and probably just weren’t quite consistent enough in a couple of areas.
“And also sometimes you’ve got to give credit to someone who plays an outstanding innings.”
Buttler said his team has put the defeat aside to focus on the Afghanistan game.
“We’ve parked that now,” he said. “We’re looking forward to the game tomorrow. The guys have all prepared really well, we’ve turned up with a lot of positivity and trying to impart our style of playing.
Buttler hasn’t had the best of results as captain of the white-ball team since he led the team to a T20 World Cup title in 2022.
Buttler’s England won only three of their nine matches as defending champions at the 50-over World Cup in India in 2023.
The team faltered in the semifinal of last year’s T20 World Cup and recently suffered a 3-0 ODI whitewash in India ahead of the Champions Trophy.
“At any time as a captain you want to perform and you want to perform well and you want to lead your team to winning games in cricket. We haven’t been doing that enough in the recent past,” said Buttler.
England suffered a shock loss to Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup in New Delhi and Buttler said he “respects” the opposition and their top-class spinners, including Rashid Khan.
But he insisted England would be eliminating the negative and accentuating the positive.
“As soon as you catch yourself thinking about any negative things, you just try and completely forget that and focus on all of the positive things that could go right and where you can take the team,” he said.
England will be forced to make at least one change for Wednesday’s match after Carse was ruled out of the tournament and replaced in the squad by leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed.

Topics: Jos buttler ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Pakistan mulls ‘national crypto council’ for safe digital asset ecosystem

Pakistan mulls ‘national crypto council’ for safe digital asset ecosystem
Updated 25 February 2025
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Pakistan mulls ‘national crypto council’ for safe digital asset ecosystem

Pakistan mulls ‘national crypto council’ for safe digital asset ecosystem
  • Pakistan currently has over 20 million active users in the digital asset market
  • These users face significant challenges, including high fees for transactions
Updated 25 February 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan is mulling a “national crypto council” to establish a financial ecosystem in the country that would allow safe investments in digital assets, the Finance Division said on Tuesday.
The statement came after Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presided over a high-level meeting to discuss global evolution of cryptocurrency and potential impact of digital assets on Pakistan’s economy.
Pakistan’s central bank has declared virtual currencies, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, Pakcoin, OneCoin, DasCoin and Pay Diamond, illegal and prohibited their sale, purchase and exchange in trading.

Aurangzeb directed stakeholders to formulate a comprehensive framework for a digital asset ecosystem that ensures security, transparency, regulatory compliance and economic viability.
“To enhance this initiative, the government will consider establishing a National Crypto Council, which will serve as a dedicated advisory body comprising key government representatives, regulatory authorities, and industry experts,” the Finance Division said in a statement.
“This Crypto Council will oversee policy development, address regulatory challenges, and ensure that Pakistan’s digital asset ecosystem evolves in a secure, compliant, and sustainable manner. The Council will also collaborate with friendly countries to develop standardized frameworks for international digital economic engagement.”
Pakistan currently has over 20 million active users in the digital asset market who face significant challenges, including high transaction fees, according to the Finance Division.
The finance minister reaffirmed his commitment to regulating and encouraging this industry by adopting appropriate frameworks, laws and incentives to ensure transparency and facilitate digital business growth.
“Discussions also included the tokenization of key infrastructure and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) assets, allowing for increased liquidity, broader investor participation, and greater efficiency in capital markets,” it said.
“It was noted that various stakeholders, including foreign and domestic investors, have already developed product-ready digital asset solutions that could be explored within a regulatory sandbox.”
Aurangzeb stressed the importance of a well-regulated digital asset framework that aligns Pakistan with international best practices and complies with guidelines of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global dirty money watchdog, according to the statement.
He highlighted the government’s commitment to exploring digital assets and integrating blockchain technology as part of its broader strategy to modernize the financial sector.
“The meeting concluded with a consensus on adopting a cautious yet forward-looking approach, ensuring that future developments in the digital asset space align with national interests, FATF guidelines and global financial standards,” the Finance Division said.

Topics: crypto currencies

Pakistan aims to increase bank account coverage to 75 percent in next three years

Pakistan aims to increase bank account coverage to 75 percent in next three years
Updated 25 February 2025
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Pakistan aims to increase bank account coverage to 75 percent in next three years

Pakistan aims to increase bank account coverage to 75 percent in next three years
  • Only 64 percent of adult population in Pakistan currently have bank accounts
  • Pakistan has been making efforts to document its economy to broaden tax base
Updated 25 February 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank has set a target to increase bank account coverage in the country to 75 percent of the adult population in next three years, its governor said on Tuesday, aiming to reduce the gender gap to 25 percent by 2028.
Pakistan, with a population of 240 million, is home to one of the world’s largest unbanked populations, with around 64 percent of its adult population having a bank account, according to central bank figures.
This has increased from only 47 percent in 2018, while the gender gap has also been narrowed from 47 percent to 34 percent in recent years.
Speaking at the Pakistan Banking Summit 2025, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor Jameel Ahmad said financial inclusion was one of the core functions of the central bank.
“To achieve these ambitious targets, we want to enhance the depth, breadth, and quality of financial services, particularly for low-income individuals, the microfinance sector, SMEs (small, medium enterprises) and agriculture,” he said.
The development comes as part of the SBP’s Strategic Vision 2028, which focuses on promoting inclusive and sustainable access to financial services, building an innovative digital financial ecosystem, and enhancing efficiency, fairness and stability of the financial system.
Ahmad called on the banking industry to reassess its business strategy to “focus on mobilizing deposits and increasing credit to the private sector particularly the SMEs and agriculture sectors.”
“Our banks need to rethink their current business model, reassess their priorities, and play a more active role in financial intermediation,” he said.
Pakistan, which has faced an economic meltdown in recent years, is currently undertaking reforms to document and digitize economy and broaden its tax base.
The central bank chief urged the banking industry to increase their usage of artificial intelligence, based on cellular and satellite data, to provide cost-effective alternative delivery channels to enhance access, usage and quality of financial services.
He reiterated the need to “work on a war footing” to help businesses digitize their payments by providing digital transactional access, preferably via secure portals.

Topics: State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)

Pakistan, Russia activate anti-terrorism dialogue to counter security concerns

Pakistan, Russia activate anti-terrorism dialogue to counter security concerns
Updated 25 February 2025
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Pakistan, Russia activate anti-terrorism dialogue to counter security concerns

Pakistan, Russia activate anti-terrorism dialogue to counter security concerns
  • Both nations have been targeted by armed militant networks and tried to deal with the threat
  • Russia has also invited Pakistani officials to participate in its anti-narcotics training programs
Updated 25 February 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia agreed to activate their bilateral anti-terrorism dialogue during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev on Tuesday, according to an official statement from the interior ministry.

Both nations have been grappling with threats from armed militant groups. Pakistan has complained of “cross-border” attacks by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) originating from Afghanistan, allegations denied by Kabul’s interim Taliban administration.

The country has also been targeted by ethnic Baloch separatists, who accuse the state of exploiting Balochistan’s rich mineral resources without benefiting local communities. The Pakistani government, however, says it has launched several development projects in the region to improve the quality of life for its residents.

Russia has also faced terrorism on its soil. On March 22, 2024, a deadly attack occurred at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, killing over 140 people and injuring many others. The attack, claimed by Daesh militants, was one of the deadliest in Russia in recent years.

“Terrorism is an international challenge, and only through multifaceted joint efforts can this menace be controlled,” Naqvi said, according to his ministry’s statement.

During the meeting, both sides discussed enhancing cooperation in counter-terrorism and anti-narcotics efforts.

They agreed to increase mutual exchanges of delegations to strengthen collaboration further.

Russian Ambassador Khorev also extended an invitation for Pakistani officers to participate in anti-narcotics training programs in Moscow and Siberia.

“We will promote mutual contacts to further strengthen relations with Russia,” Naqvi said, emphasizing the broad opportunities for bilateral cooperation across various sectors.

Topics: Pakistan Russia Ties

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