ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan men’s football team on Sunday arrived in Jordan to play their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round 2 Qualifier away fixture against the Middle Eastern side, which is scheduled to be held on Mar. 26.
Jordan thrashed Pakistan 3-0 at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad during the first qualifying match between the two sides last Thursday. The match marked the first time in 18 years that Jordan’s football team arrived in Pakistan to play a football match.
To play their second qualifying match, the Pakistan team departed for Jordan in the wee hours of Sunday.
“The national team arrived in Amman through a private airline flight via Doha,” the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said in a statement.
The Pakistan vs Jordan away match will start at 12pm Pakistan time on March 26.
In a setback for Pakistan, the PFF earlier announced that Pakistani defender Abdullah Iqbal had been suspended for the crucial game as a result of accumulated yellow cards during recent matches.
Iqbal was issued the first yellow card during the initial round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match against Cambodia in Islamabad on Oct. 17, 2023.
“Subsequently, he acquired another yellow card during a home match against Jordan in the second round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on the 21st of March, 2024,” the PFF said.
Last October, Pakistan beat Cambodia 1-0 to win their first ever FIFA World Cup qualifier in Islamabad. Pakistan subsequently lost 4-0 to Saudi Arabia in the second round.
Pakistan football team arrives in Jordan to play World Cup qualifying away fixture
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Pakistan football team arrives in Jordan to play World Cup qualifying away fixture
- Jordan thrashed Pakistan last Thursday 3-0 in first FIFA World Cup qualifying match between two sides
- Pakistani defender Abdullah Iqbal suspended for crucial away match due to accumulated yellow cards
Veon Group invests $20 million in Pakistan’s Mobilink Bank to accelerate digital Islamic banking
- The investment builds on $15 million capital deployed by Veon in January 2025
- The capital will be used to scale the bank’s micro, small and medium enterprises
KARACHI: Global digital operator Veon Group has announced an investment of $20 million in Pakistan’s Mobilink Bank to support its growth and digital Islamic banking expansion in Pakistan, it said on Friday.
Mobilink Bank is a part of Veon Group, a global digital operator that provides services to over 150 million connectivity customers and over 140 million monthly active digital users. The Nasdaq-listed company operates across five countries that are home to more than 6 percent of the world’s population.
The investment builds on $15 million capital deployed by Veon in January 2025 and underscores its confidence in Mobilink Bank’s growth momentum and its integrated digital financial ecosystem with JazzCash, amid the rapid expansion of Pakistan’s digital banking and microfinance sector, according to Veon Group.
The capital will be used to scale Mobilink Bank’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) financing portfolio, advance its Islamic banking offerings, and strengthen its evolution into a technology-driven, digitally native bank, with a continued focus on expanding regulated financial access for underserved communities.
“This investment will accelerate the expansion of our shariah-compliant Islamic banking offerings, helping small businesses formalize cash flows, access regulated credit, and build long-term financial resilience,” said Haaris Mahmood Chaudhary, president and chief executive officer of Mobilink Bank.
“As a future-ready digital bank, our focus remains on delivering practical, technology-enabled financial solutions that empower entrepreneurs — particularly women and underserved communities — across Pakistan.”
Mobilink Bank’s expanding deposit base and MSME-oriented lending portfolio are enabling small businesses to transition from informal cash usage to regulated banking, while targeted women-centric financial products and green financing initiatives support inclusive growth and resilience in the face of Pakistan’s climate and economic challenges, according to a statement issued by Veon Group.
Mobilink Bank, together with JazzCash, which serves over 57 million customers and is supported by a nationwide network of more than one million merchants and agents, anchors one of Pakistan’s largest digital financial ecosystems. During the year, JazzCash processed gross transaction value exceeding Rs15 trillion ($53 billion), underscoring the scale, resilience, and impact of fintech in advancing financial inclusion, social mobility, and responsible digital innovation across Pakistan.
The investment reflects Veon Group’s broader digital strategy of strengthening high-impact financial ecosystems through technology-led solutions and disciplined capital deployment, positioning Mobilink Bank as a key contributor to Pakistan’s evolving financial sector, according to the global digital operator.
“This continued stream of investment from VEON underscores our long-term commitment to Pakistan and confidence in the structural shift underway in the country’s digital financial services ecosystem,” Veon Group Executive Committee Member and Chairman Mobilink Bank, Aamir Ibrahim, was quoted as saying.
“It strengthens Mobilink Bank and JazzCash’s ability to execute on our strategic priorities, invest in resilient technology infrastructure, and contribute to the development of inclusive and sustainable digital banking.”
