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PCB appoints mentors for domestic cricket season

PCB appoints mentors for domestic cricket season
Pakistan's Yasir Shah (L) bowls as former team head coach Misbah ul-Haq (R) and former bowling coach Waqar Younis (C) look on during a practice session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on February 6, 2020. (AFP)
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Updated 26 August 2024
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PCB appoints mentors for domestic cricket season

PCB appoints mentors for domestic cricket season
  • Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbal-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed named mentors
  • Pakistan Cricket Board says initiative will help spot new cricketing talent in the South Asian country
Updated 26 August 2024
Hasaan Ali Khan
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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Monday it had appointed five former cricketers mentors for the domestic cricket season 2024-25, following a “robust and transparent” recruitment process.
These former cricketers include Waqar Younis, Saqlain Mushtaq, Misbal-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed who have cumulatively played 1,621 international matches, with a total score of 32,780 runs and 1,503 wickets.
The development comes a day Pakistan’s loss to Bangladesh in the first of a two-match Test series. It followed Pakistan’s humiliating exit from the World Cup this year.
The decision to appoint mentors was aimed at precisely spotting the new cricketing talent in the South Asian country, according to the PCB.
“Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik and Waqar Younis were today confirmed as mentors of the five Champions Cup sides on three-year contracts following a transparent and robust recruitment process,” the PCB said in a statement on Monday. “Names of their sides and squads will be confirmed in due course.”
It said the first assignment to be undertaken by the mentors would be the Champions Cup being held in the eastern Punjab province on Sep 12-29 after two years.
Of the five mentors, Sarfaraz and Shoaib are two-time ICC event winners, Misbah is the 2012 Asia Cup winning captain, while Saqlain and Waqar were part of the team that played the 1999 World Cup final that Pakistan lost to Australia.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said he was pleased to welcome five “exceptional champions” as mentors of the Champions Cup teams.
“These individuals bring a wealth of cricketing experience, knowledge and expertise, which, combined with their passion for the game we all love, will help the Pakistan Cricket Board identify, develop and nurture the next generation of cricketers across all formats,” he said, highlighting that the initiative will bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.
Naqvi said the five mentors would play a role in the progression of emerging cricketers that would aid in “strategic planning and team-building processes,” apart from providing leadership and personal development support.
“The PCB is committed to strengthening Pakistan’s cricket through a robust domestic structure that offers a clear and competitive pathway for all cricketers,” he said. “The most talented and skilled players will advance through the ranks to represent Pakistan at the highest level.”

Topics: Pakistan Cricket Board

‘Particularly worried’ about penetration of militants from Afghanistan into Pakistan — UN chief 

‘Particularly worried’ about penetration of militants from Afghanistan into Pakistan — UN chief 
Updated 30 sec ago
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‘Particularly worried’ about penetration of militants from Afghanistan into Pakistan — UN chief 

‘Particularly worried’ about penetration of militants from Afghanistan into Pakistan — UN chief 
  • Pakistan has seen rise in attacks in recent weeks which it blames on militants operating from Afghanistan
  • Afghan Taliban say they do not allow Afghanistan’s territory to be used by militants against other nations 
Updated 30 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday the international body was “particularly worried” about the penetration of militants from Afghanistan into Pakistan, calling on Kabul not to allow its soil to be used by terror groups.
Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent weeks, with many of them taking place in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan where Islamabad says groups like the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, are hiding and from where they daily target security forces convoys and check posts, and carry out targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials. 
Militants, particularly from separatist groups, have also repeatedly struck in the southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.
“We are particularly worried… when we look into the neighboring countries, we are particularly worried with the fact that there is a penetration of terrorists from Afghanistan into Pakistan and that that is creating, of course, many innocent victims and being a threat to Pakistani security,” Guterres told reporters in response to a question about what the UN planned to do about militants using safe havens in Afghanistan to launch attacks in Pakistan. 
“So, one of the things that is absolutely essential is that Afghanistan controls its territory and doesn’t allow terrorist groups from any other country to operate from Afghanistan.”
Islamabad says militants mainly associated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) frequently launch attacks from Afghanistan and has even blamed Kabul’s Afghan Taliban rulers of facilitating anti-Pakistan militants. Kabul denies the charges.
Over 80 policemen have been killed in ambushes and target killings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2024, according to police figures.

Topics: Pakistan Afghanistan

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Shan Foods, Pakistan’s top spice mix maker, eyes Middle East expansion

Shan Foods, Pakistan’s top spice mix maker, eyes Middle East expansion
Updated 19 min 35 sec ago
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Shan Foods, Pakistan’s top spice mix maker, eyes Middle East expansion

Shan Foods, Pakistan’s top spice mix maker, eyes Middle East expansion
  • Co-chairperson of one of Pakistan’s largest producers of packaged spices speaks to Arab News in exclusive interview
  • Says Middle East “key focus area” for company, claims business in the region has grown exponentially in 20 years
Updated 19 min 35 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Shan Foods (Private) Limited, one of Pakistan’s largest producers of packaged spice mixes, says Saudi Arabia and the Middle East are a “key focus area” for expansion, a top official at the company said this week, adding that it had already captured 65 percent of the market in the United Arab Emirates.
Shan Foods has a presence in more than 75 countries currently. It was founded in 1981 by Sikander Sultan who along with his wife started making spice mixes at home. The spices became popular and formed a loyal fan-base both at home and with Pakistanis who had moved to Arab countries, Europe, US and Canada.
“So, it [Middle East] is one of our key focus areas, it’s a key focus market for us because there is a huge South Asian population that lives in Saudi Arabia and then the Arab consumers are also familiar with our food and the kind of food that we eat,” Sammer Sultan, the co-chairperson of Shan Foods, said in an interview to Arab News. 
“They’re very exposed to it. So, it’s definitely one of the core areas of focus for us, and we want to grow our business there. UAE specifically is one of our biggest regions already in terms of our sales values.”
When asked about the size of Shan Foods in the Middle Eastern market, she replied:
“It would be difficult for me to give you a number like that, but we’ve had exponential growth. If I were to compare from 20 years ago, it’s probably 100x by now. So, what we were selling maybe 20 years ago, we’re selling 100 times that now. So it’s been phenomenal.”
PARTNERSHIP WITH SYMRISE
Shan Foods last year partnered with Symrise AG, a German manufacturer of food flavorings, to establish Symrise’s first-ever production facility in Pakistan, aiming to localize Shan’s supply chain and strengthen its position within the local and global food industries. 
Since 2005, Symrise has seen double-digit growth year on year with its partners across the Middle East and Pakistan region.
Sultan said the joint venture would not only facilitate Shan Foods and Symrise but also benefit businesses and consumers within the larger framework.
“The whole objective of import substitution is that you are trying to bring in something that is locally available instead of trying to import it to the country,” she said, pointing out that many of Shan Foods’ raw materials were currently sourced from abroad.
“We are not fully local in the sense that a lot of our inputs are coming in from abroad and that’s the process that we are working collaboratively with Symrise to figure out, how do we localize all our supply to Pakistan,” Sultan added. 
“That is something that ties in with Shaan’s sustainability goals as well because we also want to localize the top 10 raw materials that we’re using in our spices because, you see, logistics, wars, there’s so many factors that come into play when the global supply chain gets affected.”
Also, with rising inflation and cost pressures on businesses, localizing key raw materials decreased prices and benefited consumers, Sultan said.
“They get to pay a lower price,” she explained, “or at least every year the price doesn’t go up as much because we are localizing the raw materials and input.”

Topics: Shan Foods

Pakistan condemns Israel’s use of communications devices to commit ‘terrorism’ in Lebanon

Pakistan condemns Israel’s use of communications devices to commit ‘terrorism’ in Lebanon
Updated 30 min 13 sec ago
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Pakistan condemns Israel’s use of communications devices to commit ‘terrorism’ in Lebanon

Pakistan condemns Israel’s use of communications devices to commit ‘terrorism’ in Lebanon
  • On Wednesday, hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated across Lebanon’s south, with 20 people killed
  • Wednesday’s blasts came a day after pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded simultaneously, killing 12
Updated 30 min 13 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday “strongly” condemned and called “reprehensible” the use of electronic devices by Israel to attack Lebanon amid spiraling tensions following mass assaults on Hezbollah communications devices this week.
On Wednesday, hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated across Lebanon’s south, with 20 killed, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Wednesday’s blasts came just a day after pagers exploded simultaneously, killing least 12 and leaving nearly 3,000 others injured on Tuesday. 
Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate against Israel, which has declined to comment on the explosions, believed to have been carried out by its spy agency Mossad.
“Pakistan strongly condemns this week’s attacks in Lebanon carried through detonation of electronic equipments,” Foreign Office Spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters.
“Use of cyber and electronic means to commit terrorism in foreign countries is reprehensible.”
She said the attacks showed “Israel’s alarming adventurism in the region,” which was endangering regional peace and security.
“Pakistan reaffirms its support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and calls upon the international community to take urgent steps to hold Israel to account on its act of international terrorism and violations of international law,” Baloch added.
This week’s operations, which have appeared to throw Hezbollah into disarray, played out alongside Israel’s 11-month-old war in Gaza and heightened fears of an escalation on its Lebanese border and the risk of a full-blown regional war. 
“We are opening a new phase in the war. It requires courage, determination and perseverance from us,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in remarks at an air force base.
The US, which has denied any involvement in the blasts, says it is pursuing intensive diplomacy to avert an escalation of the conflict. 
The United Nations Security Council will meet on Friday about the pager blasts after a request by Arab states.

Topics: pager explosions lebanon blasts Israeli war on Gaza

Pakistan PM seeks enhanced trade, climate change cooperation with United Kingdom

Pakistan PM seeks enhanced trade, climate change cooperation with United Kingdom
Updated 37 min 52 sec ago
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Pakistan PM seeks enhanced trade, climate change cooperation with United Kingdom

Pakistan PM seeks enhanced trade, climate change cooperation with United Kingdom
  • Shehbaz Sharif highlights Pakistan’s economic challenges in a meeting with British High Commissioner
  • The Pakistan PM will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa next month
Updated 37 min 52 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged cooperation on trade and climate change between Pakistan and the United Kingdom during a meeting with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott on Wednesday, reiterating his administration’s commitment to working closely with the British leadership.
Pakistan and the UK have a long and multifaceted relationship, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora community. Earlier this month, Pakistan’s deputy premier Ishaq Dar embarked on a five-day official visit to London where he held wide-ranging discussions with the new British administration.
The Pakistani premier also accepted an invitation by King Charles III over a telephone call on Wednesday to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa next month.
“The PM emphasized the need to promote coordination and cooperation on trade and investment, climate change, social connectivity as well as regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest,” the PM Office said in a statement after the meeting.
The prime minister said Pakistan and the UK shared “long and historic” relations that could be expanded through cooperation in various fields. He also highlighted the economic challenges faced by the country and hoped the overseas Pakistanis in Britain would play a key role in strengthening relations between the two sides.
Sharif will attend the Commonwealth meeting from October 21-26.
This will also be the first time King Charles will head the meeting of the global association since his coronation.
Pakistan is a member of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 countries out of which the vast majority are former British territories.

Topics: Pakistan UK Ties

Pakistani lawyers to convene in Lahore today to protest government’s proposed constitutional amendments

Pakistani lawyers to convene in Lahore today to protest government’s proposed constitutional amendments
Updated 19 September 2024
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Pakistani lawyers to convene in Lahore today to protest government’s proposed constitutional amendments

Pakistani lawyers to convene in Lahore today to protest government’s proposed constitutional amendments
  • Government plans to increase the retirement age of superior judges, change chief justice’s appointment process
  • An organizer of the convention says Pakistani lawyers are gathering in Lahore to uphold judiciary’s independence
Updated 19 September 2024
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: A section of Pakistani lawyers has arranged a convention today, Thursday, in the eastern city of Lahore to protest the government’s proposed constitutional amendments that aim to establish a separate federal constitutional court and increase the parliamentary role in the appointment of judges.
The package of reforms, widely believed to include as many as 22 amendments, is also expected to increase the retirement age of superior judges by three years and change the process by which the Supreme Court chief justice is appointed.
The amendments have raised widespread concerns among opposition parties and legal experts who believe they aim to increase the government’s power in making key judicial appointments and deal with defection of lawmakers during house votes.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan has criticized the constitutional package, saying it is meant to grant an extension to incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, who is widely viewed to be aligned with the ruling coalition and in opposition to its chief rival, the PTI.
“In today’s convention, lawyers from across Pakistan are participating to voice their concerns about the proposed amendments that are clearly an assault on the independence of the judiciary,” advocate Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, President of the Insaf Lawyers Forum, told Arab News.
The forum is PTI’s wing among the legal fraternity and one of the organizers of the convention along with the Lahore High Court Bar Association.
“We want to let the government know through this convention that they should back out from the constitutional amendments, otherwise the lawyers will hit the streets to lodge their protest,” he added.
While most political parties have their own lawyers’ wings, the legal community’s politics in Pakistan is mainly divided into two major camps: professional and independent groups. The professional lawyers, led by senior advocate Hamid Khan, is aligned with ex-PM Khan, while the independent faction mainly supports the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“This convention is not party-specific,” the Insaf Lawyers Forum’s president added. “Instead, the lawyers are gathering in Lahore for a cause, and the cause is to protect the independence of the judiciary and uphold the rule of law.”
The ruling coalition, comprising the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), is short of at least 13 lawmakers in the National Assembly and four in the Senate to complete the required two-thirds majority for the amendments to pass.
Both parties have since engaged various political players, including the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to garner support for the amendments.

Topics: Pakistan judiciary

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