ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved tax exemptions for the International Cricket Council (ICC) in connection with the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy tournament, the government announced on Thursday.
The South Asian nation is hosting the tournament, a major ICC event in Pakistan in nearly three decades, from Feb. 18 to March 9, with India’s matches scheduled to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Cricket teams had abandoned Pakistan after an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team outside Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Mar. 3, 2009, forcing the cricket-mad South Asian nation into wilderness for several years.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presided over the ECC meeting to discuss key economic matters, including tax exemptions for the ICC, in line with international best practices.
“Under the standardized hosting rights agreement between ICC and Pakistan, no taxes or deductions will be applied to ICC revenues, its subsidiaries, associates, officials and non-resident delegates,” the Press Information Department (PID) of the Pakistani information ministry said.
“The tax exemption is not expected to result in a revenue loss as it was a prerequisite for securing the tournament’s hosting rights.”
The PID clarified that Pakistani nationals as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would be taxed on tournament earnings.
Pakistan entered the eight-team ICC tournament as the defending champions, having beaten India in the final of the 2017 edition. The participating teams have been divided into two groups with hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and New Zealand pooled in Group A, while Group B comprises Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa.
Pakistan suffered a 60-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening match of the tournament in Karachi. The team will be looking to make a comeback in their next match against arch-rivals India in Dubai on Feb. 23.
Pakistan approves tax exemptions for ICC in Champions Trophy tournament
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Pakistan approves tax exemptions for ICC in Champions Trophy tournament
- Government says the exemption for the ICC is not expected to result in revenue loss
- Pakistan’s cricket board, residents will be taxed on earnings during the tournament
Pakistan military says 12 militants killed in counter-terror operations in southwest
- Pakistan military says “Indian-sponsored terrorists” were killed in southwestern Kalat district on Dec. 6
- Development takes place day after military said it gunned down five militants in Balochistan’s Dera Bugti area
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces killed 12 “Indian-sponsored terrorists” in the southwestern Balochistan province, the military’s media wing said on Sunday, vowing to purge “terrorism” from the country.
The security operation was carried out in Balochistan’s Kalat district on Dec. 6, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said in a statement. It said the militants belonged to Indian proxy “Fitna al Hindustan.”
The military uses this term to describe ethnic Baloch militant groups who demand independence from Pakistan. Islamabad accuses New Delhi of arming and funding these separatist groups, charges India has always denied.
“Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area,” the ISPR said.
The military said that it was carrying out sanitization operations in the area to eliminate other “terrorists,” vowing it will continue with its relentless counter-terror campaign to purge militancy.
The development took place a day after the Pakistan military said it had gunned down 14 militants in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan provinces.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by since yet its most backward by almost all social and economic indicators, has suffered from a bloody separatist insurgency for decades.
The most ethnic Baloch militant group that has mounted attacks against law enforcement and civilians in the area is the Balochistan Liberation Army.
These militant outfits accuse the military and federal government of denying the local Baloch population a share in the province’s mineral wealth, charges Islamabad denies.
