ISLAMABAD: The first semifinal of the Paris Olympics Hockey Qualifiers will be played between Pakistan and Germany in Oman on Saturday, Radio Pakistan reported, with Pakistan one win away from making it through to the Paris Olympics.
Pakistan secured a spot in the semifinals of the qualifiers after their last group match against Malaysia concluded in a 3-3 draw on Thursday.
“Pakistan are now just one victory away from securing qualification for the Paris Olympics, as the top three teams from the qualifiers will secure the spot,” Radio Pakistan reported.
Paris will host the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games from July 26 to August 11 this year.
Pakistan cruised into the final four of the qualifiers on the basis of a better goal average than China. In an earlier group match, Great Britain emerged victorious with a 6-0 score against China, creating an opportunity for Pakistan to reach the final four even if their upcoming game against Malaysia concluded in a draw.
Pakistan will now play Germany in the semifinal on January 20 while Great Britain will face New Zealand in the other semifinal.
Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan secured their first win in the Paris Olympics Qualifiers by defeating China 2-0.
Pakistan had lost their first match against England on Monday by 6-1. Abdul Hanan Shahid managed to score the lone goal for Pakistan, while England demonstrated with superior strategy and execution.
Last year, the International Hockey Federation stripped Pakistan of hosting rights for the Olympic Qualifier tournament due to “non-cooperation and interference in the PHF’s affairs” by the government, marking a setback for the South Asian country which was once counted among the global powerhouses of the sport.
According to the FIH, China, Spain and Pakistan were supposed to host the qualifiers from January 13 to 21. The matches in Pakistan were scheduled to be held in Lahore.
Field hockey, Pakistan’s national sport, once propelled the country to Olympic gold and global glory, but the game has waned in popularity and participation over the past two decades.
According to the latest rankings released by the IHF last August, Pakistan is ranked at number 15 in the world in field hockey.
Hope alive as Pakistan hockey team one win away from qualifying for Paris Olympics
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Hope alive as Pakistan hockey team one win away from qualifying for Paris Olympics
- Pakistan secured semifinal spot against Germany with 3-3 draw in last group match against Malaysia
- Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan secured their first win in the Paris Olympics Qualifiers by defeating China 2-0
Pakistan launches privatization process for five power distributors under IMF reforms
- Power-sector losses have pushed circular debt above $9 billion, official documents show
- Move is tied to IMF and World Bank conditions aimed at cutting subsidies and fiscal risk
KARACHI: Pakistan has appointed financial advisers and launched sell-side due diligence for the privatization of five electricity distribution companies, marking a long-awaited step in power-sector reforms tied to International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank programs, according to official documents shared with media on Monday.
The five companies, namely Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO), Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO), supply electricity to tens of millions of customers and have long been a major source of financial losses for the state.
Pakistan’s power sector has accumulated more than Rs2.6 trillion (about $9.3 billion) in circular debt as of mid-2025, driven largely by distribution losses, electricity theft and weak bill recovery, according to official government data cited in the documents. The shortfall has repeatedly forced the government to provide subsidies, adding pressure to public finances in an economy under IMF supervision.
“The objective is to reduce losses, improve efficiency and limit the government’s fiscal exposure by transferring electricity distribution operations to the private sector,” the documents said, adding that sell-side due diligence for five distribution companies is under way as a prerequisite for investor engagement.
Two utilities, the Quetta Electric Supply Company and Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company, are excluded from the current privatization phase due to security and structural constraints, the documents said.
Power-sector reform is a central pillar of Pakistan’s IMF bailout program, under which Islamabad has committed to restructuring state-owned enterprises, improving governance and reducing budgetary support. The World Bank has also linked future energy-sector financing to progress on structural reforms.
Electricity distribution companies in Pakistan routinely report losses exceeding 20 percent of supplied power, far above international benchmarks, according to official figures. These inefficiencies have been a persistent obstacle to economic growth, investment and reliable power supply.
Previous attempts to privatize power distributors have stalled amid political resistance, labor union opposition and concerns over tariff increases. While officials have not announced a timeline for completing transactions, the launch of due diligence marks the most concrete step taken in years. International lenders and investors will now be closely watching whether Pakistan can translate this phase into completed sales, a key test of its ability to deliver on IMF-backed reforms.
In a related development in Pakistan’s privatization agenda, the government last month concluded the long-delayed sale of a 75 percent stake in national flag carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in a publicly televised auction. A consortium led by the Arif Habib Group emerged as the highest bidder with a Rs135 billion ($482 million) offer for the controlling stake, in a transaction officials have said will end decades of state-funded bailouts and inject fresh capital into the loss-making airline.
