ISLAMABAD: The second phase of the Pakistan T20 Women's Cricket Tournament is scheduled to kick off from December 5, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Sunday.
The first phase of the tournament concluded earlier this week on Friday.
The second phase, which will begin from Monday, will be held at two venues in Lahore: The Lahore Gymkhana and the LCCA Ground, the PCB confirmed.
"Four teams namely Blasters, Challengers, Dynamites and Strikers will feature in the event where Pakistan's elite cricketers will take part," the country's cricket board said in a statement.
The second phase will be played on a single-league basis, where two matches will be held everyday on 5, 6 and 7 December.
The final of the tournament will take place at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on December 9 which will also be live-streamed for viewers on the PCB's YouTube channel.
“The tournament provides a great opportunity for players to kick-start their preparations for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa later next year and hone their skills in the format," it added.
The contest will feature a blend of Pakistani cricketers who have represented their country internationally along with the emerging talent in the game.
In order to incentivize domestic performers, the best player of every match will continue to receive Rs20,000 as they were getting in the first phase of the tournament. The player of the tournament will bag Rs50,000. The winning team will receive Rs1 million, while the runner-up will get Rs0.5 million.
Blasters squad:
Fatima Sana (Captain), Aima Saleem, Anam Amin, Ayesha Bilal, Ayesha Naseem, Bismah Maroof, Fareeha Mehmood, Gul Rukh, Huraina Sajjad, Maham Manzoor, Mahnoor Aftab, Masooma Zehra, Shawal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin and Amber Kainaat
Team management – Mauhtashim Rashid (head coach), Shahid Mehmood (assistant coach), Mahlika Mansoor (manager)
Challengers squad:
Omaima Sohail (Captain), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anoosha Nasir, Ayesha Zafar, Dua Majid, Ghulam Fatima, Hamna Bilal, Javeria Wadood, Khadija Chishti, Lubna Behram, Najiha Alvi, Noreen Yaqoob, Rameen Shamim and Rida Aslam
Team management – Azam Khan (head coach), Nazim Khan (assistant coach), Asiya Khan (manager)
Dynamites squad:
Umm-e-Hani (Captain), Aleena Shah, Gull-e-Uswa, Gull Feroza, Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan, Nida Dar, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Saima Malik, Saira Jabeen, Sidra Nawaz, Tuba Hassan, Waheeda Akhtar and Yusra Amir
Team management – Taufiq Umar (head coach), Jawad Hamid (assistant coach), Hina Azam (manager)
Strikers squad:
Muneeba Ali (Captain), Aroob Shah, Ayesha Irfan, Eymaan Fatima, Fatima Khan, Iram Javed, Javeria Rauf, Kaynat Hafeez, Maham Tariq, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Neha Sharmeen, Saba Nazir, Soha Fatima and Zunera Shah
Team management – Waqar Orakzai (head coach), Rehmat Gull (assistant coach), Aisha Jalil (manager)
Second phase of Pakistan T20 Women's Cricket Tournament to kick off from Monday
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Second phase of Pakistan T20 Women's Cricket Tournament to kick off from Monday
- Tournament matches will be played at two Lahore venues, final to take place on December 9
- PCB says tournament winners will bag Rs1 million, runners-up team to receive Rs0.5 million
Pakistan province orders comprehensive probe into alleged police harassment of Chinese nationals
- Group of Chinese nationals filed petition in high court accusing Sindh Police of extorting, imposing unlawful restrictions on them
- Sindh official says it si necessary for police to take measures to address potential security gaps to ensure Chinese nationals’ security
KARACHI: The home minister of Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Saturday took notice of police harassment and extortion allegations leveled by Chinese nationals, directing authorities to launch a “comprehensive investigation” into the matter.
Twelve Chinese nationals filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) December 2024 alleging they are being forced to pay bribes to police officers ranging from Rs20,000 ($71) to Rs50,000 ($179) for permission to leave their homes. It demanded a high-level inquiry into the involvement of police officers in their mistreatment. The SHC issued notices to the Sindh government, Pakistani foreign ministry and China’s missions in Pakistan on Friday, seeking their response within four weeks.
A significant number of private Chinese investors have arrived and established businesses with local partners in Pakistan since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure network of roads, energy and railways projects, was launched in 2013.
In Sindh, the provincial government has established a Special Protection Unit (SPU) within the provincial police force to ensure the security of Chinese nationals, who have been under threat from separatist groups operating in neighboring Balochistan province. These groups have also carried out attacks on Chinese interests and citizens in Karachi, the capital of Sindh and commercial hub of the country.
“Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar has taken notice of the Chinese investors’ decision to approach the Sindh High Court, issuing instructions to the IGP Sindh to immediately appoint a senior inquiry officer for a comprehensive investigation into the matter,” the Sindh home ministry said in a statement.
As per the statement, Lanjar said the provincial government is committed to ensuring the security of Chinese nationals according to the set standard operating procedures.
“Therefore, it must be ensured that at the provincial level, the “foolproof security” of Chinese nationals involved in both CPEC and non-CPEC projects is a joint responsibility of the Sindh government, Sindh Police and local sponsors or hosts,” the statement said.
This is aimed at further strengthening the unwavering trust of Chinese investors in the Sindh government and Sindh Police.
Lanjar stressed that it is the Sindh government and provincial police’s goal to facilitate and provide security to Chinese investors through mutual cooperation. He admitted, however, that it is also important that sponsors and SPU officers take steps to monitor security measures.
“Additionally, it is necessary to address any potential gaps, shortcomings, or deficiencies in the security measures for Chinese nationals,” the statement said. “Implementing the measures outlined by law and SOPs is critical to eliminating any security gaps.”
Lanjar said that if Chinese nationals face security-related complaints, senior officers must not only review the situation but also ensure “a prompt resolution, as Chinese citizens turn to the Sindh Police for assistance regarding security concerns.”
Amid the surge in attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan, Beijing has repeatedly urged Islamabad to ensure protection for its citizens living and working in the South Asian country.
A suicide blast claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) killed two Chinese nationals in Karachi in October, while five Chinese workers were killed in a suicide bombing in March 2024 in northwest Pakistan.
Pakistan says attacks on Chinese nationals are an international conspiracy to harm friendly ties between Pakistan and China.
‘Between Sacred Cities’: Pakistan’s Imran Qureshi unveils largest installation at Islamic Arts Biennale
- Installation reimagines historic route that stretched from Kufa in Iraq to holy city of Makkah
- Qureshi, a Pakistani visual artist, has featured artworks in local and international exhibitions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi on Saturday unveiled “Between Sacred Cities,” the largest installation at the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 in Jeddah, his art reimagining a historic route that once stretched from Kufa in Iraq to the holy city of Makkah.
The Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 provides a platform for new discourse about Islamic arts, featuring contemporary and newly commissioned artworks with historical objects from Islamic cultures. It offers artists a platform to explore themes of spirituality, identity, and the intersection of past and present. This year’s biennale will run from Jan. 25-May 25.
According to Lotus, a public relations agency, the installation is situated between the iconic Makkah and Madina pavilions at the Western Hajj Terminal.
“The installation reimagines a historic route that once stretched from Kufa, Iraq, to Makkah,” Lotus said.
“Designed to aid pilgrims on their Hajj journey, this route served as a network of resting stations and water sources, inspiring Qureshi’s interpretation of an oasis as a sanctuary of rest, reflection, and unity.”
The statement said that the concept of an oasis in the installation is transformed into an interactive and contemplative garden-like structure, central to which is an octagonal design.
“Drawing on the spiritual essence of the journey between Makkah and Madina, the installation incorporates the holy water of Zamzam and lush greenery reminiscent of Madina’s tranquillity,” it added.
Qureshi has used vibrant woven strips to symbolize flowing water while the surrounding greenery evokes a sense of life, Lotus said.
The installation has been commissioned by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation and curated by acclaimed artist Muhannad Shono.
“Between Sacred Cities will be on display from January 25, 2025, to May 25, 2025, offering visitors an unparalleled opportunity to explore the universal themes of travel, spirituality, and interconnectedness,” Lotus said.
Qureshi is a visual artist from Pakistan’s southern Sindh province. With a career spanning twenty-nine years, encompassing local and international exhibitions, he has emerged as a prominent Pakistani artist.
In 2013, he created a large-scale, site-specific work for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Roof Garden Commission in New York. The same year he was awarded the Deutsche Bank’s Artist of the Year and exhibited solo for the first time in Europe at the Deutsche Bank Kunsthalle in Berlin.
Qureshi’s work has since been shown in numerous solo exhibitions, including the Barbican Center, London (2016), Kunsten Museum of Modern Art, Aalborg, Denmark (2016), along with executing site-specific projects at the Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C. (2018) and Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2018), to name a few.
In 2021 he was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) by Pakistan’s government.
Imran Khan’s party moves top court against Pakistan constitutional amendment on judicial reforms
- Urges top court to declare amendment null and void as votes to pass it were obtained via “harassment”
- Pakistan’s ruling coalition government says only parliament has power to roll back constitutional amendments
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party announced on Saturday it has challenged a contentious constitutional amendment on judicial reforms in the Supreme Court, urging the top court to declare it null and void as the government allegedly harassed opposition lawmakers to have it passed in parliament.
The ruling coalition government passed the contentious 26th constitutional amendment bill from both houses of parliament in October 2024, amid stiff resistance from opposition parties and the legal fraternity. Both argued the government’s move was an attempt to curtail the independence of the judiciary, a charge it denies.
The amendments empower a parliamentary committee to appoint the Supreme Court’s chief justice for a fixed term of three years. It also called for the creation of new group of senior judges to weigh exclusively on constitutional issues.
The government secured 225 votes of the required 224 in the National Assembly, or the lower house of parliament, with the help of a handful of rebel lawmakers from the PTI. The party has claimed that the government harassed and intimidated opposition lawmakers and their families to secure the votes. The government denies the allegations vehemently.
“Legal team representing Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf has challenged the 26th amendment in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, requesting to declare its status null & void along with constitutional benches formation & decisions by the judicial bench,” a statement from the party said.
The PTI alleged that lawmakers were harassed and abducted to ensure the amendments were passed.
“The 26th amendment was opposed by the party at many levels that publicly criticized the process of pushing through the 26th amendment, with individuals being coerced into voting and genuine consent was not involved,” the PTI added.
As per a summary of the petition filed in the Supreme Court, the party has maintained that the 26th amendment introduces “unprecedented and substantial” changes to the fundamental structure and salient features of the constitution.
The development takes place a day after Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairman of the government’s key coalition partner Pakistan Peoples Party, said only parliament has the power to roll back the 26th constitutional amendment.
“As far as rolling back the 26th [constitutional] amendment is concerned, that power only rests with this institution,” Bhutto Zardari told reporters at the National Assembly, referring to the lower house of parliament.
“Neither will we accept nor will the nation nor anyone else if the constitution is rolled back or undermined by another institution.”
TENSIONS WITH THE TOP COURT
The amendment fixing the top justice’s retirement age was passed days before Qazi Faez Isa, the then chief justice, was due to retire.
Khan’s PTI frequently accused Isa of being aligned with the government, its chief rival, an allegation the government has always rejected. Khan’s party repeatedly said the amendments were aimed at granting an extension in tenure to Isa.
Under the previous law, Isa would have been automatically replaced by the most senior judge behind him, currently Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, who consistently issued verdicts deemed favorable to Khan and the PTI.
Sharif’s government has said the bill ensures parliament will not remain “a rubber stamp” one in the wake of its tensions with the judiciary, which were on the rise since the February national election of last year.
Pakistan’s national airline suspends 5 crew members for allegedly smuggling cell phones
- Customs seized “expensive” mobile phones from crew members after arrival of Dubai-Multan flight on Jan. 22, says PIA
- The national airline earlier this week dismissed two crew members for smuggling mobile phones in October last year
KARACHI: Pakistan’s national airline this week suspended five crew members for allegedly smuggling cell phones into the country, a spokesperson of the flag carrier confirmed on Saturday, vowing to enforce a “zero tolerance” policy for those found guilty of wrongdoings.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Jan. 23 issued a show cause notice to five crew members, two of them air hostesses and two stewards, saying that customs authorities had seized “expensive” mobile phones from them on Jan. 22 after the arrival of the PIA flight PK-222 to Multan from Dubai. .
“PIA has already started the process of probing the incident and if found guilty, the crew will be subjected to the strict most administrative action,” PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan told Arab News.
“The spokesperson reiterates PIA’s position of zero tolerance in case any of its staff members are found involved in nefarious activities,” he added.
The airline did not disclose how many smuggled mobile phones were allegedly recovered from the five crew members.
The development took place a day after the airline fired two crew members, an air hostess and a steward, after finding them guilty of smuggling mobile phones in October from Toronto. Customs authorities seized the mobile phones from the two crew members after the arrival of flight PK-798 from Toronto to Lahore on Oct. 5, 2024, as per a copy of the dismissal notice seen by Arab News
The loss-making PIA has proven to be a headache for successive Pakistani governments over the years, needing frequent financial bailouts to function.
PIA posted losses of $270 million in 2023, according to local media. Its liabilities were nearly $3 billion, about five times the total worth of its assets.
PIA, which employs 7,000 people, has long been accused of being bloated and poorly run — hobbled by unpaid bills, a poor safety record and regulatory issues.
Pakistan’s government has said it is committed to privatizing the debt-ridden airline and has been scrambling to find a buyer. Late last year, a deal fell through after a potential buyer reportedly offered a fraction of the asking price.
Pakistan minister criticizes opposition for ‘unilaterally’ ending talks with government
- Information Minister Ataullah Tarar says Imran Khan’s party ended talks “in a hurry with ill intention”
- Khan’s PTI has ruled out further talks unless government forms judicial commissions to probe protests
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar this week criticized former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for ending negotiations “unilaterally” with the government, saying it should have waited for the other side’s response.
PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan announced the party’s decision to end further talks with the government on Thursday, saying that it would only resume negotiations to break political tensions if authorities established judicial commissions to investigate violence at anti-government protests organized by the PTI.
Negotiations between the two sides kicked off in December 2024 after Khan threatened a civil disobedience movement. Both sides held three rounds of talks, and the government was expected to submit a formal response to the PTI’s demands on Jan. 28.
“Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar says Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf unilaterally terminated the dialogue process without any reason,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Friday.
The minister said the PTI should have waited for the government’s response to their demands, lamenting that it took the decision to end talks in a “hurry with ill intention.”
Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-trust vote in 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis, particularly since he was jailed in August 2023 on corruption and other charges. His PTI party has regularly held protests to demand his release, with many of the demonstrations turning violent.
But despite the government-opposition stalemate, Junaid Akbar Khan, a lawmaker from the PTI, was elected on Friday unopposed as the head of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), according to a statement issued by the National Assembly Secretariat. The post of the PAC chairman had been vacant since the general election in February last year.
The PTI’s demands to the government revolve around the release of all political prisoners including Khan, and the formation of two judicial commissions to probe into violent protest rallies, including one on May 9, 2023, when PTI supporters rampaged through military offices and installations, and a second one on Nov. 26, 2024 to demand Khan’s release, in which the government says four troops were killed.
So far, the government has remained tight-lipped on whether or not it would form the judicial commissions as per the PTI’s demands.
