Islamabad, Feb 10: Fakhar Zaman made a stunning return to international cricket, smashing 84 off 69 balls against New Zealand in the first ODI of the Tri-Series in Lahore. His aggressive knock reaffirmed his status as Pakistan’s most reliable opener, particularly against top-tier cricketing nations. A recent stat from PakPassion highlights that Fakhar has scored the most runs by any opener against South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia, and India since 2020. His 1,225 runs in 21 innings, averaging 64.5 with a strike rate of 96.6, put him ahead of elite openers like David Warner, Travis Head, Quinton de Kock,…
Author: Iqra Khan
Islamabad, Feb 10: FIFA has extended the mandate of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalisation Committee (NC) until July 31, 2025. Additionally, Saud Azim Hashimi, a current member of the FIFA-appointed committee, has been named the new chairman, effective February 16, 2025.
Islamabad, Feb 9: By December 2024, banks’ investments in government securities reached a staggering Rs26 trillion, making up 57.6% of Pakistan’s central government’s domestic debt. According to the latest data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), this massive infusion of capital highlights the growing reliance on banks to finance the government and the record profits these banks earn from taxpayer money. The government borrowing from banks is not new, but the scale of the investments has been increasing, with domestic debt from banks reaching new heights. The data reveals that banks have been earning substantial returns from these investments,…
Islamabad, Feb 9: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Task Force, working alongside the regional team, recently carried out a raid at Kot Adil in District Bannu to dismantle illegal gas connections. During the operation, the team came under gunfire, but fortunately, no casualties were reported. In response to the incident, a First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against those involved in the gas theft. This attack on the SNGPL team is part of a troubling pattern of violence that has been directed at SNGPL personnel in Bannu during similar operations. Previous incidents have been reported in areas…
Islamabad, Feb 9: Pakistan’s information technology (IT) companies are strategically planning to expand their presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s growing IT and IT-enabled services market, with a focus on consortiums that will enable them to secure lucrative projects from both the government and private sectors. This collaborative approach will allow companies to leverage their expertise in handling large-scale, multi-dimensional projects, which they previously avoided due to their complexity. A recent meeting chaired by Muhammad Zohaib Khan, Convenor of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Information Technology, discussed these strategies ahead of LEAP 2025,…
Islamabad, Feb 9: Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, met with Hamish Falconer, the British Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, in Lisbon, Portugal, to discuss matters of bilateral interest. The meeting highlighted the longstanding close and cordial relations between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, built on mutual trust and engagement. During the discussions, Aurangzeb emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between the two nations and expressed a keen desire to work toward enhancing these relations further. The two sides explored various avenues for deepening bilateral cooperation, with a particular focus…
Islamabad, Feb 9: Global food commodity prices experienced a decline in January, primarily driven by significant drops in sugar and vegetable oils, as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a UN agency based in Rome. The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly fluctuations in a range of internationally traded food commodities, averaged 124.9 points in January, down from 127.0 in December. While the monthly decrease marked a slight dip, the index remained 6.2% higher compared to the same period last year, although it was still 22% below its peak in March 2022. Sugar prices saw a notable…
Islamabad, Feb 9: The Punjab government has introduced a comprehensive set of initiatives aimed at fostering environmental sustainability and tackling the province’s climate change challenges. At the first Joint CPA Conference on “Climate Change and Sustainable Cities: Legislative Action for Clean Air and Resilient Urban Living” held in Lahore, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb underscored the government’s commitment to promoting sustainable practices under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Aurangzeb highlighted key initiatives that have been rolled out to improve environmental conditions in the province. Among these is the expansion of solid waste management plans, which have already seen success…
Islamabad, Feb 9: French Ambassador to Pakistan, Nicolas Galey, recently led a high-level delegation to the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) headquarters, marking a significant step towards strengthening collaboration between France and Pakistan in aviation infrastructure and technology. Ambassador Galey, accompanied by Consul General Alexis Chahtahtinsky, met with PAA Director General, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Zeeshan Saeed, to discuss potential areas of cooperation within Pakistan’s rapidly developing aviation sector. During the meeting, the delegation was briefed on the PAA’s strategic vision following its recent separation from the Civil Aviation Authority. Key topics explored included the introduction of advanced e-gate systems for…
Islamabad, Feb 9: Barkat Frisian Agro Limited, a joint venture between the Netherlands-based Frisian Egg Group and Pakistan’s Buksh Group, is preparing for its initial public offering (IPO) on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), aiming to raise up to Rs1.23 billion. The IPO’s book-building process is scheduled for February 17-18, with public subscription to follow on February 24-25. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and PSX have both approved the company’s prospectus, clearing the way for the listing. Arif Habib Limited has been appointed as the lead manager and book runner for the IPO. The company intends to…
