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
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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 PM pledges innovation to boost agricultural yield on World Food Day
- An agricultural nation, Pakistan has faced significant challenges in the field of agriculture due to climate change
- PM says his government wants to empower rural women entrepreneurs, ensure their participation in the sector
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday the government is working to increase innovation, sustainability and modernization in the agriculture sector to support farmers, according to an official statement issued to mark World Food Day.
The day, celebrated annually on October 16, marks the establishment of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and promotes global food security by raising awareness of hunger and encouraging action for a sustainable future.
As an agricultural nation, Pakistan faces significant challenges from climate change, with erratic weather patterns, heatwaves and droughts affecting agricultural yields.
In response, Pakistan has sought collaboration with nations like China, focusing on technology and innovation to modernize its agriculture sector and address climate-related issues.
“Our farmers are the backbone of the food system, who with their dedication and hard work, ensure that we have enough to eat,” the prime minister said. “We are committed in supporting them with policies that focus on innovation, sustainability, and modernization in the agricultural sector. Our government is facilitating farmers to equip themselves with the technology they need to thrive in today’s world, including access to modern agricultural machines, improved infrastructure, and better market access.”
He noted that his administration was promoting and facilitating support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food processing sector.
“Our focus is the empowering the rural women entrepreneurs, who form a key component of our rural economy, to ensure that they also actively participate in this sector,” he added. “Our vision is to integrate Pakistan into the global food value chain by fostering public-private partnerships, encouraging foreign investment, and promoting export-oriented growth in agriculture and food processing.”
The prime minister expressed confidence that Pakistan would be able to overcome the challenges of hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity by implementing efficient policies in the area.
“Let us work together to build a society where farmers are supported and facilitated to adopt sustainable agricultural practices so that everyone has access to nutritious food, and we are also able to ensure food security for our future generations,” he said.
China, Pakistan to fast-track Gwadar Port development, boost security for bilateral cooperation
- China seeks ‘targeted security measures’ from Pakistan after deadly attacks against its nationals
- Both sides agree to turn Gwadar into a key regional connectivity hub, develop its industrial zone
ISLAMABAD: China and Pakistan have decided to accelerate development on the Gwadar Port in southwestern Balochistan, aiming to operationalize it as a hub for regional connectivity, according to a joint statement issued on Tuesday, with Beijing seeking “targeted security measures” to ensure a safer environment for bilateral cooperation.
The joint statement was released during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit.
The two countries have enjoyed a longstanding relationship, marked by strategic cooperation in trade, defense and infrastructure development. They have been collaborating on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multibillion-dollar infrastructure and regional connectivity initiative, with plans to expand it by focusing on industrialization and socio-economic development.
However, China has stressed the need for heightened security for its workers in Pakistan following recent deadly suicide bombings against them.
“Recognizing the significance of the Gwadar Port as a key hub for cross-regional connectivity, the two sides reaffirmed their readiness to speed up the development of the auxiliary infrastructure of the Gwadar Port, to steadily attract more cargo shipments to the port, to find a solution to inadequate water and power supply at an early date, to accelerate the development of the port’s industrial zone, and to solidly enhance connectivity between the port and other parts of Pakistan,” the statement proclaimed.
Pakistan has offered the landlocked Central Asian states access to its ports in Gwadar and Karachi, enabling them to trade with the rest of the world via sea routes.
The Chinese premier also inaugurated the Chinese-funded airport in Gwadar virtually during his ongoing visit to Pakistan.
The joint statement also mentioned the recent conversations between China and Pakistan over the security issues, highlighting the concerns raised by Beijing.
“Acknowledging the efforts made by the Pakistani side to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, the Chinese side underscored the need and urgency to take targeted security measures in Pakistan, to jointly create a safe environment for cooperation between the two countries,” it said.
Militant groups targeting Pakistani civilians and security forces have also launched deadly attacks on Chinese workers in the past, killing a significant number of them in high-profile attacks.
Earlier this month, two Chinese engineers were killed in a massive explosion in Karachi only a few days before the arrival of China’s PM. This was the attack on Chinese workers in Pakistan since the beginning of the year.
The two countries also agreed to increase high-level official visit to discuss the progress on CPEC.
The Chinese side also reiterated its support for Chinese companies to invest in Pakistan’s Special Economic Zones.
Regional leaders meet in Islamabad today for key summit to discuss trade, security and other issues
- Top officials from China, Russia, India, Iran and several Central Asian states are attending the two-day summit in Islamabad
- On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif warmly greeted the visiting dignitaries, including Indian FM, at a dinner he hosted in their honor
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hosting the main session of a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Islamabad today, Wednesday, wherein leaders from SCO member states are expected to discuss trade, security and other issues of mutual interest.
The prime ministers of China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as well as Iran’s first vice president and the Indian external affairs minister are in Islamabad to attend the regional summit.
The Pakistani government has declared a three-day holiday in the federal capital of Islamabad since Monday, with schools and businesses closed to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the high-profile regional summit.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted a dinner in honor of the visiting foreign dignitaries, wherein he was seen greeting and shaking hands with the attendees, including Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
“On October 16, Prime Minister Sharif will chair the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of SCO member states and deliver the opening remarks, followed by statements from the leaders of participating countries,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.
The documents reflecting outcomes of the meeting will also be signed during the session that will conclude with Sharif’s closing remarks, according to the statement.
Pakistan’s Minister for Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan (right) welcomes Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov at Islamabad International Airport in Islamabad, Pakistan on October 15, 2024. (Government of Pakistan)
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming will share a communiqué after the concluding session.
Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit. The government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.
Sharif met with Central Asian leaders and discussed trade, investment and regional connectivity as part of his engagements on the first day of the summit on Tuesday,
Pakistan, faced with tough economic conditions, wants to position itself as a regional trade hub and to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting China and Central Asia with the rest of the world.
Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit, while the government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.
Jemima Goldsmith says concerned about welfare of ex-husband Imran Khan
- Khan has been embroiled in more than 200 legal cases since he was ousted in a no-trust vote in 2022
- The former prime minister has been detained since August last year and barred from standing for office
LONDON: The ex-wife of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday called for his immediate release, citing “serious and concerning” reports about his treatment in prison.
Jemima Goldsmith said the Pakistani authorities had stopped all visits to him by his family and lawyers, postponed court hearings, and prevented him from calling his two sons since early September.
Electricity had been cut to his cell and he was no longer allowed out at any time, while the jail cook had been sent on leave, she wrote in a lengthy post on social media platform X.
“He is now completely isolated, in solitary confinement, literally in the dark, with no contact with the outside world,” said Goldsmith, who was married to the former Pakistan cricket team captain from 1995 to 2004.
The couple have two sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, who live in London.
A panel of UN experts in July criticized Pakistan for arbitrarily detaining Khan in breach of international law to apparently prevent him for running for political office.
Khan, 72, was prime minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022, and has been embroiled in more than 200 legal cases since he was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote he claims was orchestrated by the country’s powerful generals.
He has been detained since August last year and barred from standing for office. He has since applied to become the next chancellor of Britain’s Oxford University.
Goldsmith said Khan’s family had also been targeted, and his sisters and nephew arrested and jailed unlawfully, while she had faced rape and death threats from her ex-husband’s political opponents.
The release of Khan, his nephew and sisters, plus the re-establishment of contact with his sons will provide “assurance first-hand that he is well and not being mistreated,” she added.
“I disagree with IK on many political issues,” she wrote. “But this is not about politics — it’s about my children’s father, his human rights & international law.”
Pakistan PM discusses trade, investment and connectivity with Central Asian leaders on SCO summit margins
- Top officials from China, Russia, India, Iran and several Central Asian states are attending the two-day summit in Islamabad
- On Tuesday, PM Shehbaz Sharif warmly greeted the visiting dignitaries, including Indian FM, at a dinner he hosted in their honor
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met with Central Asian leaders and discussed trade, investment and regional connectivity on the sidelines of a two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, Sharif’s office said.
The prime ministers of China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as well as Iran’s first vice president and the Indian external affairs minister are in Islamabad to attend the summit on October 15-16.
The Pakistani government has declared a three-day holiday in the federal capital of Islamabad since Monday, with schools and businesses closed to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the high-profile regional summit.
In a meeting with Kazakhstan PM Olzhas Bektenov on Tuesday, Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to work with all member states in advancing the SCO’s principles and purposes, according to the Pakistan PM’s office.
“Noting the warm and excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Sharif emphasized the need to enhance trade and investment, while also focusing on regional connectivity and security,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
To achieve this shared objective, he stressed the need to maintain regular and high-level contacts, including through institutional mechanisms of bilateral engagement.
In his meeting with Tajikistan PM Qohir Rasulzoda, the Pakistan premier said both countries should further cement cooperation across all spheres of shared interest, according to Sharif’s office.
He conveyed Pakistan’s strong desire to strengthen ties with Kyrgyzstan in trade and investment during a meeting with Akylbek Japarov, chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic. In his meeting with Turkmen Foreign Affairs Minister Rashid Meredov, Sharif welcomed the participation of Turkmenistan in the summit as a “special guest.”
During the meetings, Central Asian leaders congratulated the Pakistani premier on the successful organization of the SCO summit and lauded Pakistan’s positive role as the SCO chair, Sharif’s office said.
Pakistan wants to position itself as a regional trade hub and to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting China and Central Asia with the rest of the world. In recent months, there has been a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity between Pakistan, China and Central Asian states, including Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
In a bilateral meeting with Belarusian PM Roman Golovchenko, Sharif noted that regular high-level exchanges had added positive momentum to the cordial ties between the two countries.
“This momentum needed to be sustained so as to realize the full potential of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, agricultural machinery and joint production of tractors and connectivity,” he was quoted as saying.
On Tuesday, Sharif also hosted a dinner in honor of the visiting foreign dignitaries, wherein he was seen greeting and shaking hands with the attendees, including Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Sharif is due to preside over a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government and deliver the opening remarks on Wednesday, followed by statements from leaders of participating countries during the session, according to the Pakistani foreign office. The documents reflecting outcomes of the meeting will also be signed during the session, which will conclude with Sharif’s closing remarks.
Foreign office said Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and SCO Secretary General Zhang Ming will interact with media to share a communiqué after the concluding session on Wednesday.
Pakistani authorities have locked down the capital to ensure security of foreign leaders attending the SCO summit. The government has deployed troops and blocked key roads, announcing alternate routes for the residents.
