ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s prime minister said Saturday he will chair an emergency meeting of a national task force for polio eradication after authorities detected the country’s first case of the debilitating neurodegenerative disease in 15 months.
Health officials announced the discovery of the wild polio case on Friday, saying a 15-month-old boy had been paralyzed by the virus in the northwestern district of North Waziristan.
“Deeply saddened to share that a 15-month-old boy has been paralyzed in North Waziristan,” tweeted Shahzad Baig, a coordinator with the National Emergency Operations Center for Pakistan’s polio eradication program.
“Pakistan confirms a wild #poliovirus case after nearly 15 months,” he added.
The country’s last case was detected in January 2021, and earlier this year authorities celebrated going 12 months without a single case — the first time that had occurred since eradication efforts began.
Pakistan is one of two countries, alongside neighboring Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic, although case numbers have dropped drastically in recent years.
The case in North Waziristan takes the global number of polio cases in 2022 to three, with a case also confirmed in Malawi and another in Afghanistan, according to data from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
The case in Malawi was confirmed in February although the onset of paralysis came in November 2021, according to the GPEI.
Pakistani authorities said they were working on ensuring the virus does not spread further in the South Asian country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said he would preside over the emergency meeting of the polio eradication task force on Monday.
Nigeria officially eradicated wild polio in 2020. Pakistani officials said in February that they were hoping to achieve the same goal in the coming years.
To officially eradicate the disease a country must be polio-free for three consecutive years.
Pakistan reports first polio case in 15 months
https://arab.news/rmu59
Pakistan reports first polio case in 15 months
- 15-month-old boy had been paralyzed by the virus in the northwestern district of North Waziristan
- Pakistan is one of two countries, alongside neighboring Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic
PCB sets Feb. 11 as date for player auction for Pakistan Super League 11th edition
- The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and a maximum of 20
- The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced that the player auction for the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held on Feb. 11, setting the stage for franchises to begin assembling squads for the country’s premier Twenty20 tournament.
The development came after a workshop regarding PSL player auction at the Qaddafi Stadium, which was presided over by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and PSL CEO Salman Naseer.
The workshop was attended by PSL officials, all eight franchise representatives, members of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad, PCB officials and other capped players.
“The HBL PSL management shared a detailed presentation on the mechanics of the retention and the auction process and consulted with all the participants,” the PCB said.
“It was agreed that the HBL PSL player auction will take place on Wednesday, 11 February.”
The squad composition would be a minimum of 16 players and maximum of 20 players per franchise. The number of foreign players would be five to seven depending on the squad size, according to the PCB.
It would be mandatory for the franchises to play minimum of three and maximum of four foreign players in the playing XI. The teams are also required to have minimum of two uncapped Under 23 players in the squad and one in the playing XI.
Players either retained or picked in the auction will be engaged for two-year contracts with their respective franchise teams, the board said, adding that franchise teams will be able to retain a maximum of seven players for the 12th edition of the tournament.
“I’m delighted that a consultative and productive session was held between the franchises, players and management today resulting in informed and strategic decisions which will pave the way for bright future for the HBL PSL,” Naqvi said.
“The Player Auction model is a landmark step for the HBL PSL, offering players better financial opportunities through an increased salary purse and a transparent acquisition process, while making the league more competitive and attractive.”
PSL CEO Naseer said the player auction system modernizes player recruitment by promoting fairness, transparency, and market-driven value, strengthening the PSL’s appeal for both players and franchises.
“Today’s workshop saw all views being taken into consideration and this rich feedback will be reflected in our execution of a successful player auction scheduled next month,” he said.
PSL has become a key pillar of the country’s cricket economy, providing financial stability to the PCB and serving as a talent pipeline for the national team. The 11th edition of the league is set to begin from Mar. 26 while the final is expected to be played on May 3, as per the PCB’s schedule.
