ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) on Wednesday reviewed projects under accords signed with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait last month, with the aim to fast-track the commitments into “economic dividends.”
Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar signed multimillion dollar deals with the UAE and Kuwait during a week-long visit to the Middle East in December, ahead of attending the United Nations climate conference, or COP28, in Dubai. In the UAE, he signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in various fields, including energy, port operation projects, wastewater treatment, food security, logistics, mining, aviation and banking and financial services.
With Kuwait, Kakar signed deals in the sectors of manpower, IT, mineral exploration, food security, energy and defense.
“It [SIFC review committee] also reviewed progress regarding finalization of bankable projects under the auspices of MoUs and Framework Agreements concluded with the United Arab Emirates and the State of Kuwait respectively,” state-run APP reported after the conclusion of the SIFC meeting.
“The Committee directed ministries to fast-track the related work to convert these commitments into economic dividends.”
The new Special Investment Facilitation Council was set up in July last year to serve as a “one window operation” to address any concerns of foreign investors, with a special focus on attracting funds from Gulf nations.
Pakistan’s special investment council aims to fast-track projects under accords concluded with UAE, Kuwait
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Pakistan’s special investment council aims to fast-track projects under accords concluded with UAE, Kuwait
- PM Kakar signed multimillion dollar deals with UAE and Kuwait during week-long visit to Middle East in December
- Special Investment Facilitation Council was set up in July to serve as “one window operation” for foreign investors
India and Pakistan set for World Cup blockbuster as boycott averted
- With bilateral cricket a casualty of their relations, emotions run high whenever the neighbors meet in multi-team events
- For Pakistan, opener Sahibzada Farhan has looked in fine form but Babar Azam’s strike rate continues to polarize opinion
India and Pakistan will clash in the Twenty20 World Cup in Colombo on Sunday, still feeling the aftershocks of a tumultuous fortnight in which Pakistan’s boycott threat — later reversed — nearly blew a hole in the tournament’s marquee fixture.
With bilateral cricket a casualty of their fraught relations, emotions run high whenever the bitter neighbors lock horns in multi-team events at neutral venues.
India’s strained relations with another neighbor, Bangladesh, have further tangled the geopolitics around the World Cup.
When Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the 20-team field for refusing to tour India over safety concerns, the regional chessboard shifted.
Pakistan decided to boycott the Group A contest against India in solidarity with Bangladesh, jeopardizing a lucrative fixture that sits at the intersection of sport, commerce, and geopolitics.
Faced with the prospect of losing millions of dollars in evaporating advertising revenue, the broadcasters panicked. The governing International Cricket Council (ICC) held hectic behind-the-scenes parleys and eventually brokered a compromise to salvage the tournament’s most sought-after contest.
Strictly on cricketing merit, however, the rivalry has been one-sided.
Defending champions India have a 7-1 record against Pakistan in the tournament’s history and they underlined that dominance at last year’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
India beat Pakistan three times in that single event, including a stormy final marred by provocative gestures and snubbed handshakes.
Former India captain Rohit Sharma does not believe in the “favorites” tag, especially when the arch-rivals clash.
“It’s such a funny game,” Rohit, who led India to the title in the T20 World Cup two years ago, recently said.
“You can’t just go and think that it’s a two-point victory for us. You just have to play good cricket on that particular day to achieve those points.”
INDIA’S EDGE
Both teams have opened their World Cup campaigns with back-to-back wins, yet India still appear to hold a clear edge.
Opener Abhishek Sharma and spinner Varun Chakravarthy currently top the batting and bowling rankings respectively.
Abhishek is doubtful for the Pakistan match though as he continues to recover from a stomach infection that kept him out of their first two matches.
Ishan Kishan has reinvented himself as a top-order linchpin, skipper Suryakumar Yadav has regained form, while Rinku Singh has settled into the finisher’s role in India’s explosive lineup.
Mystery spinner Chakravarthy and the ever-crafty Jasprit Bumrah anchor the spin and pace units, while Hardik Pandya’s all-round spark is pivotal.
For Pakistan, opener Sahibzada Farhan has looked in fine form but Babar Azam’s strike rate continues to polarize opinion.
Captain Salman Agha will bank on spin-bowling all-rounder Saim Ayub, but the potential trump card is off-spinner Usman Tariq, whose slinging, side-arm action has intrigued opponents and fans alike.
