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Pakistan draws five potential buyers for national air carrier

Pakistan draws five potential buyers for national air carrier
Ground staff stand next to the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) aircraft ahead of its takeoff for Paris at the Islamabad International Airport on January 10, 2025. (AFP/file)
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Updated 19 June 2025
Reuters
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Pakistan draws five potential buyers for national air carrier

Pakistan draws five potential buyers for national air carrier
  • The interested parties include business groups and a military-backed firm
  • The sale is seen as a test of Pakistan’s ability to shed loss-making state firms
Updated 19 June 2025
Reuters
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ISLAMABAD: In its efforts to sell its struggling national airline, Pakistan has received expressions of interest from five parties, including business groups and a military-backed firm, the Privatization Ministry said on Thursday.
The bids were submitted ahead of a June 19 deadline to acquire up to 100 percent of Pakistan International Airlines, which has accumulated over $2.5 billion in losses in roughly a decade.
Still, following a major restructuring, it posted its first operating profit in 21 years in the year through June 2024.
The sale is seen as a test of Pakistan’s ability to shed loss-making state firms and meet conditions of a $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout. It would be the country’s first major privatization in nearly two decades.
Eight parties submitted their expressions of interest, but only five of them provided documents of qualification, the ministry said in a statement.

Topics: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)

Two constables shot dead in northwestern Pakistan amid surge in militant attacks

Two constables shot dead in northwestern Pakistan amid surge in militant attacks
Updated 7 sec ago
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Two constables shot dead in northwestern Pakistan amid surge in militant attacks

Two constables shot dead in northwestern Pakistan amid surge in militant attacks
  • Police say one “terrorist” shot dead, two others injured during exchange of fire
  • Pakistan blames Afghanistan-based groups for attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Updated 7 sec ago
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: Unidentified gunmen shot dead two constables in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Wednesday, police said amid a surge in militant attacks in the restive area. 

The attack took place in Dera Ismail Khan district’s Kulachi area near the Afghan border, district police spokesperson Yaqoob Bukhari confirmed.

Bukhari identified the slain cops as constables Ghulam Muhammad and Shehzad, saying they were ambushed by the unknown attackers while they left their police station to buy groceries.

“A heavy police contingent responded immediately,” Bukhari told Arab News. “During the ensuing search operation, one terrorist was killed and two others injured in an exchange of fire.”

Kalashnikov rifles and other ammunition were recovered from the slain militant, Bukhari said, adding that a search operation was underway to track down the remaining assailants.

KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the attack, paying tribute to the slain constables and directing authorities to arrest the suspects involved in the killing.

The latest attack takes place amid surging violence in KP, where earlier this month an explosion claimed by Daesh killed at least four local government officials and policemen.

A woman was killed last week while three others were injured in two quadcopter attacks in the province that police said were conducted by militants.

Last week also saw the killing of two people, including a senior leader of the Awami National Party, who were shot dead by unidentified assailants in the Bajaur district.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the constables. However, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group has previously claimed responsibility for similar attacks in KP, which borders Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s government has also blamed the TTP for some of the deadliest attacks against law enforcers and civilians in recent years. Islamabad has accused Afghanistan of sheltering TTP militants, urging Kabul to take decisive action against militants it says operate from Afghan soil.

Kabul has rejected the allegations and urged Islamabad to resolve its security matters internally.

Topics: Dera Ismail Khan

Pakistan cricket team leaves for Dhaka for upcoming Bangladesh T20I series 

Pakistan cricket team leaves for Dhaka for upcoming Bangladesh T20I series 
Updated 16 July 2025
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Pakistan cricket team leaves for Dhaka for upcoming Bangladesh T20I series 

Pakistan cricket team leaves for Dhaka for upcoming Bangladesh T20I series 
  • Three-match T20I series will be played in Dhaka from July 20 to 24 
  • Series follows Pakistan’s 3–0 home sweep over Bangladesh in May
Updated 16 July 2025
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national men’s cricket team has departed for Dhaka via Dubai to play a three-match T20 series against Bangladesh starting July 20, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Wednesday. 

The series will be played from July 20 to 24 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka and will take place just two months after Bangladesh toured Pakistan in May, where they were whitewashed 3–0.

The team traveled to Bangladesh in two separate groups on July 15 and July 16, the board said. The first group comprised captain Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf and members of the support staff. 

“The second group of the national squad has also departed from Karachi to Dhaka via Dubai,” the PCB said in a statement.

This group comprised Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasaan Nawaz, Sufyan Moqim, Hussain Talat, Ahmad Daniyal, Salman Mirza and members of the support staff. 

The series in Dhaka also offers an opportunity for newer players like Hassan Nawaz and spinner Moqim to gain international experience, while selectors continue testing bench strength ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.

The Sher-e-Bangla stadium is known for its spin-friendly conditions, which could suit bowlers like Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz.

The tour comes after Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed to mend bilateral ties last year, paving the way for renewed engagements between the two sides.

Pakistan last toured Bangladesh in November 2021 when they also won a T20I series 3–0.

Pakistan squad for Bangladesh T20Is:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufyan Moqim.

Team Management:

Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Muhammad Hanif Malik (batting coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Irtaza Komail (security manager), Dr. Wajid Ali Rafai (doctor), and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur).
 

Topics: Pakistan cricket team

Pakistan and China sign agreement to deepen media cooperation at regional broadcast festival

Pakistan and China sign agreement to deepen media cooperation at regional broadcast festival
Updated 16 July 2025
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Pakistan and China sign agreement to deepen media cooperation at regional broadcast festival

Pakistan and China sign agreement to deepen media cooperation at regional broadcast festival
  • Pact coincides with second television festival of SCO countries currently underway in China
  • Forum brought together over 300 media officials, journalists, industry executives from across the region
Updated 16 July 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have formalized a new agreement to strengthen media collaboration, cultural exchanges and journalist training, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.

The pact was signed by Pakistan Television Managing Director Ambreen Jan and China’s National Radio and Television Administration Vice Minister Dong Xin and coincides with the second television festival of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries, currently underway in China. 

The 2025 Media Cooperation Forum in Urumqi, Xinjiang, brought together over 300 media officials, journalists, and industry executives from across the region. 

“Under the agreement, Pakistan and China will exchange information and content, undertake joint media projects, and promote cultural understanding through shared narratives,” Radio Pakistan reported. 

“The collaboration will also include training programs, workshops, and journalist exchange initiatives aimed at strengthening professional skills and fostering mutual learning between media personnel of both countries.”

The accord aligns with the broader emphasis on media cooperation demonstrated at the 2025 SCO forum, which aims to institutionalize collaboration through initiatives like an SCO Media Agency.

Pakistan and China have long maintained strong ties, from economic projects like the China Pakistan Economic Forum to military alliances. Media cooperation adds another layer to the partnership, reinforcing shared messaging and countering disinformation 

The agreement builds on earlier Pakistan–China joint media efforts, including MoUs for film co-productions and shared outlets. In December, Pakistan’s information secretary highlighted that twelve Pakistani films had aired in China since 1957, and a new co-production premiered in Beijing.

Observers say Beijing’s hosting of SCO events like the television and film festival, along with broader media initiatives, reflects China’s intention to use soft power and regional platforms to solidify cultural influence. Pakistan, for its part, often frames such cooperation within a shared vision of regional stability and development.

Topics: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Media Collaboration Pakistan China Cultural exchange

Audit finds $21 million financial irregularities in Pakistan Cricket Board

Audit finds $21 million financial irregularities in Pakistan Cricket Board
Updated 16 July 2025
AP
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Audit finds $21 million financial irregularities in Pakistan Cricket Board

Audit finds $21 million financial irregularities in Pakistan Cricket Board
  • Auditors flag $18.6 million in unpaid sponsorships, question spending on police meals during foreign tours
  • Report also cites improper hiring, unauthorized perks for PCB chairman, governance lapses over two years
Updated 16 July 2025
AP

ISLAMABAD: An audit report has found financial irregularities to the tune of more than rupees 6 billion ($21 million) and governance issues within the Pakistan Cricket Board dating back two years.

The Auditor General of Pakistan’s report for the 2023-24 financial year was published in The News and highlighted the non-recovery of outstanding sponsorship worth rupees 5.3 billion ($18.6 million) as the major discrepancy identified.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is the third person in four years to lead the sport’s national administration, following Ramiz Raja and Zaka Ashraf. He is also a government minister.

The report also questioned the rupees 63.39 million ($220,000) the PCB spent on meals for police and law enforcement personnel assigned for the security of foreign teams during international matches in Pakistan.

The auditors said providing security was the responsibility of governments, and disagreed with the PCB’s explanation that visiting international teams were given extra safety guarantees that required heavy police deployment.

The audit report also flagged the hiring of three junior regional coaches who didn’t meet the eligibility criteria and the appointment of a media director outside the proper procedure.

Compensation paid to cover utility charges, fuel and accommodation for the PCB chairman between February and June of last year was also highlighted as unauthorized because Navqi received that as part of his government benefits.

The auditors rejected the cricket board’s response that the PCB chairman “is authorized for utility expense as per bylaws.”

The PCB is yet to comment on the audit report.

Topics: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) corruption Financial Irregularities

Nearly 150 killed as Pakistan’s deadly monsoon season intensifies

Nearly 150 killed as Pakistan’s deadly monsoon season intensifies
Updated 16 July 2025
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Nearly 150 killed as Pakistan’s deadly monsoon season intensifies

Nearly 150 killed as Pakistan’s deadly monsoon season intensifies
  • At least 77 dead in Punjab as roof collapses drive surge in monsoon fatalities 
  • Officials urge precautions after 27 people killed in 24 hours in Punjab province 
Updated 16 July 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Nearly 150 people in Pakistan have died and hundreds have been injured since late June due to heavy monsoon rains this season, disaster management authorities said on Wednesday.

The monsoon season brings South Asia up to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, arriving in early June in India and late June in Pakistan, and lasting through until September.

The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. But they also bring with them flooding and landslides and cause buildings to collapse.

“Due to this year’s monsoon rains, 77 citizens have died and 214 have been injured,” a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, said in a statement. 

In the past 24 hours alone, 27 people had died and 46 more injured across the province, the statement added.

On Monday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had warned of another wet spell in the country from July 15 till July 17 and said the death toll from monsoon rains and floods had reached 111 since June 26. With the fresh deaths in Punjab over the last 24 hours, that figure is nearing 150.

“Most deaths have been recorded due to roofs collapsing in dilapidated buildings and old houses,” DG PDMA said, urging citizens to avoid staying in old mud homes and to take extra precautions.

“Citizens are requested to take precautionary measures in view of the rainy season … Citizens are urged not to stay in old mud houses under any circumstances.”

On the instructions of Punjab’s chief minister, the injured are being provided “the best possible medical aid” and families of those killed will receive financial assistance under the provincial government’s policy, the agency added.

Children should be kept away from electric wires, poles, and low-lying flooded areas to prevent further casualties, the PDMA said. 

“By adopting precautionary measures, loss of life and property can be avoided.”

Pakistan, despite contributing less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, is among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

In 2022, unprecedented monsoon flooding submerged a third of the country, affecting over 33 million people and inflicting more than $30 billion in losses, according to government estimates.

Topics: Pakistan monsoon rains

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