ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captain and renowned cricket commentator Ramiz Raja is all set to become the new chairman of the country’s cricket board.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his role as patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board, nominated Raja to the governing board on Friday after Ehsan Mani declined to accept a short-term extension when his three-year term expired this week.
Khan had met with both Mani and Raja before nominating the former test opener. The patron's nominee traditionally gets elected chairman, as Mani was three years ago.
Khan and Raja were teammates on the 1992 World Cup squad that beat England in the final.
The 59-year-old Raja had told reporters that during his meeting with Kahn he highlighted the inconsistent performances of the team in international matches.
Raja scored 2,833 runs in 57 test matches and 5,841 runs in 198 ODIs before quitting in 1997. He also served as chief executive of the PCB but established his name more when he took up commentary and became the “voice of Pakistan.” He also has a YouTube channel with over 1.5 million subscribers.
Ramiz Raja set to become Pakistan Cricket Board chairman
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Ramiz Raja set to become Pakistan Cricket Board chairman
- Prime Minister Imran Khan nominated Raja to the governing board on Friday
- Ehsan Mani declined to accept a short-term extension when his three-year term expires this week
Pakistan urges concessional finance for developing nations to boost clean energy security
- Pakistan has emerged as one of world’s fastest growing solar markets, with 12GWs of off-grid and 6GWs of net-metered capacity in 2025
- PM’s aide says Islamabad remains committed to Paris Agreement, looks for continued support in building a resilient and low-carbon future
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged international partners to scale up concessional financing for developing countries, the country’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Sunday, citing an aide to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The call was made by Sharif’s coordinator on climate change, Romina Khurshid Alam, while delivering Pakistan’s national statement at the 16th International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi.
Pakistan has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing solar markets, with 12 gigawatts (GWs) of off-grid and over 6GWs of net-metered solar capacity by the end of 2025. Last fiscal year, renewables accounted for a historic 53 percent of total electricity generation, according to Alam.
The prime minister’s aide stressed that affordable funding for developing nations is critical to accelerating their transition to clean energy and strengthening energy security amid rising climate and economic challenges.
“Alam reaffirmed Pakistan’s target of achieving 60 percent renewables in the power mix by 2030,” the PID said in a statement.
“In her call to action, she urged IRENA and Member States to increase concessional finance for developing nations, treat technologies such as energy storage and green hydrogen as global public goods, and strengthen regional cooperation for shared energy security.”
IRENA is a global intergovernmental agency for energy transformation that serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, supports countries in their energy transition, and provides state of the art data and analyzes on technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment. Its membership comprises 170 countries and the European Union (EU).
The 16th session of the IRENA Assembly is taking place on Jan. 10-12 in Abu Dhabi and focuses on the theme of “Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity.” The session has gathered global leaders and energy decision-makers to discuss strategies and underline necessary actions for the acceleration of renewable energy across countries, regions, and the world, driving economic inclusion, equity, and human well-being.
Alam shared that Pakistan is taking action against energy poverty through initiatives like the Punjab Solar Panel Scheme 2026, which provides free or subsidized systems to low-income households.
She highlighted how distributed solar kits have restored power and livelihoods in flood-affected communities and offer a replicable model for climate-resilient recovery.
“Pakistan remains fully committed to the Paris Agreement and looks to IRENA for continued technical and financial support in building a resilient, inclusive, and low-carbon future,” Alam said.
Adopted in 2015 to combat climate change, the Paris Agreement binds nations to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
