ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cricket body said on Saturday its team of medical experts was examining a shoulder injury sustained by pacer Naseem Shah during a recent Asia Cup match, as a media report claimed he might miss the upcoming World Cup in India.
Shah was bruised and left the ground during Pakistan’s second 50-over match against India that was played in Colombo last week.
Apart from losing the fast bowler in the field, the green shirts also suffered a massive defeat by 228 runs at the hands of their traditional cricket rivals.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board’s medical team has been monitoring the status of Naseem Shah’s shoulder injury sustained during the Asia Cup 2023,” the PCB said in its official statement. “Medical consultations with the experts are underway to provide the best possible care to him.”
“The PCB medical panel will decide on the fast bowler’s return to cricket based on further assessments,” it added.
According to a report that appeared on ESPN Cricinfo, the Pakistani quick could miss the ODI World Cup since the scans had revealed the injury to his right shoulder was much worse than initially suspected.
“The PCB is understood to be seeking a second opinion, but scans from tests in Dubai appear to show the injury could rule him out for the rest of year,” it said. “Should secondary results back up the initial ones, Naseem could be looking at a long layoff. His participation in the Test series in Australia at the turn of the year is in doubt, and he could also miss the next Pakistan Super League in 2024.”
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said a day earlier Shah was central to his team’s World Cup plans.
“Naseem Shah has missed a couple of [Asia Cup] matches [and] I don’t know about his recovery,” he said. “But in my opinion he will be in the World Cup.”
If Shah is ruled out from the upcoming tournament in India, it would be a major setback to Pakistan.
Pakistan Cricket Board’s concerns grow over Naseem Shah’s injury ahead of World Cup
https://arab.news/mj952
Pakistan Cricket Board’s concerns grow over Naseem Shah’s injury ahead of World Cup
- Shah bruised his right shoulder during an Asia Cup match against India in Colombo last week
- His injury is said to be worse than previously suspected and may rule him out of the World Cup
Pakistan launches first ferry terminal as it opens passenger maritime transport
- Ferry services expected to begin later this month from Karachi Port
- Move signals policy push to develop tourism, Pakistan’s blue economy
KARACHI: Pakistan has issued its first-ever ferry service license and inaugurated a passenger ferry terminal at Karachi Port, the maritime affairs ministry said on Thursday, formally opening the country’s coastal passenger transport sector as part of a broader effort to expand maritime tourism and attract private investment.
The terminal was inaugurated by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, who said ferry services are expected to commence later this month. Officials described the move as a milestone for a country that, despite a coastline of more than 1,000 kilometers along key regional shipping routes, has never operated a licensed passenger ferry system.
Pakistan has traditionally focused its maritime activity on cargo handling and port operations, while coastal passenger transport remained absent due to regulatory gaps and limited private-sector participation. The new license framework is intended to change that by allowing private operators to enter the sector under government oversight.
“This ferry service is not just a transport initiative but a gateway to economic opportunities, tourism promotion and regional connectivity,” Chaudhry said at the inauguration ceremony.
Pakistan issued its first ferry service license in August 2025, opening the regulatory door for passenger ferry routes to Iran and Gulf nations, and is now moving to operationalize services with the newly inaugurated Karachi terminal.
The government has increasingly promoted the concept of the “blue economy,” a term used internationally to describe sustainable economic activity linked to oceans, ports and coastal resources. Officials say ferry services could stimulate coastal tourism, improve regional connectivity and generate employment across transport, hospitality and related industries.
Chaudhry said the issuance of the first ferry license had already drawn interest from additional investors seeking to operate passenger services, signaling growing private-sector confidence in Pakistan’s maritime reforms. He added that the maritime affairs ministry was working with port authorities to expand infrastructure and encourage public-private partnerships.
The minister also said Port Qasim Authority would soon unveil plans for a new industrial zone, part of a wider strategy to link ports with industrial growth and exports.
