PM Sharif congratulates England for winning first Test against Pakistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shakes hands with England's cricket squad during a dinner reception at Prime Minister's House in Islamabad on December 5, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Twitter/PakPMO)
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Updated 06 December 2022
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PM Sharif congratulates England for winning first Test against Pakistan

  • England are on their first Test tour of Pakistan since 2005
  • Sharif says the tour will ‘go a long way in building bridges’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated England for winning the first of three Test matches against Pakistan on Monday as he hosted a reception for the two teams at his official residence in Islamabad.

England pulled off an exciting 74-run win over Pakistan Monday in the first Test in Rawalpindi. Anderson took 4-36 and Robinson 4-50 on a placid Rawalpindi Stadium pitch to dismiss Pakistan for 268, with the stadium floodlights glowing as daylight faded.

The win — giving England a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series — embellished England’s newly adopted “Bazball” cricket, an aggressive style taken from the nickname of head coach Brendon McCullum.

Sharif said it was great to host England and Pakistan cricket teams at the PM House Monday evening.

“Cricket is a shared passion that binds our two countries in a close relationship,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Congratulations to England for winning the first Test, but the true winner was the glorious game itself.”

Sharif said the ongoing England tour would go a long way in building bridges between the two countries, Pakistan’s state-run APP news agency reported.

“Pakistan enjoys wonderful relations with Britain and cricket is one of the factors… and this is one common area of passion between Pakistan and Britain,” the prime minister said at the reception he hosted.

“I think your visit would go a long way in building bridges.”

England are on their first Test tour of Pakistan since 2005, having declined to visit in the interim years on security grounds.

The second Test is in Multan from December 9 to 13, and the third in Karachi from December 17 to 21.


Saudi company eyes multi-sector projects in Pakistan worth $200 million each — ministry

Updated 58 min 56 sec ago
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Saudi company eyes multi-sector projects in Pakistan worth $200 million each — ministry

  • Delegation from Saudi firm Kyan explores investment in energy, mining, IT and agriculture
  • Talks come amid Pakistan’s push to attract Gulf capital and boost foreign investment inflows

ISLAMABAD: A Saudi company is exploring potential multi-sector investment projects in Pakistan with an estimated minimum value of $200 million per scheme, Pakistan’s ministry of information said on Wednesday.

The development comes as Pakistan seeks to attract increased foreign direct investment from Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, as part of efforts to stabilize its economy, improve investor confidence and expand industrial capacity. Saudi Arabia has in recent years pledged billions of dollars in potential investments across Pakistan’s mining, energy and infrastructure sectors, though several projects remain at exploratory or negotiation stages.

According to the ministry of Information, a delegation from Saudi firm Kyan visited Islamabad and expressed interest in investing in sectors including energy, mining, information technology, agriculture and livestock. The delegation participated in the “Indus AI Week” organized by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and held meetings with Federal Minister for Board of Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh.

“The delegation shared proposals for various potential projects with an estimated minimum investment of USD 200 million for each project and also conveyed their interest in bringing additional Saudi investors to Pakistan,” the information ministry said. 

Welcoming the delegation, Sheikh highlighted Pakistan’s market size and geographic position.

“With a population of over 250 million, Pakistan represents a large and dynamic market,” the minister said, adding that the country’s location provides access to landlocked Central Asian states, making it an attractive hub for regional trade and investment.

The ministry statement said the Board of Investment offered facilitation through its Business Facilitation Center, which provides a single-window mechanism for investor approvals and coordination. Sheikh also assured the delegation of support in arranging meetings with the business community and visits to Special Economic Zones, where incentives include income tax and import duty exemptions.

The minister referred to recent engagements between Pakistani and Saudi officials and reiterated that both countries could work to unlock new avenues of bilateral investment and economic cooperation, according to the statement.

Saudi Arabia is among Pakistan’s largest sources of worker remittances and has emerged as a key partner in Islamabad’s efforts to secure external financing and long-term investment commitments in recent years.