ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday said it was moving remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League to the United Arab Emirates while the Indian Premier League was separately suspended for one week in the wake of the ongoing conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Tensions between the rivals have escalated since Wednesday when India conducted strikes on multiple locations in Pakistan in response to a deadly attack targeting tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 that New Delhi blames on its neighbor. Islamabad has denied any complicity in the attack.
Pakistan said it had shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliation to strikes by India and downed 77 drones launched from India. One of the drones was shot down in the city of Rawalpindi, near a cricket stadium where PSL matches were being held.
Officials have confirmed the killing of nearly 50 people on both sides since Wednesday in the worst violence in decades between the neighbors.
“The PCB has always stood by the position that politics and sports need to be kept apart,” PCB Chair Mohsin Naqvi said as he announced that the remaining eight fixtures of this year’s PSL, previously scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi, Multan and Lahore, would now be staged in the UAE.
“I regret that our domestic audience and cricket lovers will not be able to watch these matches in Pakistan’s stadiums,” Naqvi added.
Separately, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it had decided to suspend the remainder of the ongoing IPL 2025 with immediate effect for one week.
The IPL governing council consulted the franchises and players and “considered it prudent to act in the collective interest of all stakeholders,” secretary Devajit Saikia said in a statement on Friday.
“While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country … The BCCI remains firmly committed to support all efforts that safeguard India and will always align its decisions in the best interest of the nation.”
Friday’s IPL match in Dharamsala was abandoned midway through, with organizers citing a power outage, while Sunday’s game at the same north Indian city was shifted to Ahmedabad because of the border tensions.
With inputs from Reuters
India suspends IPL for a week, Pakistan moves T20 league to UAE amid conflict
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India suspends IPL for a week, Pakistan moves T20 league to UAE amid conflict
- Remaining eight fixtures of PSL, scheduled for Rawalpindi, Multan and Lahore, would now be staged in UAE
- BCCI says it had decided to suspend remainder of the ongoing IPL 2025 with immediate effect for one week
Customs seize narcotics, smuggled goods, vehicles worth $4.9 million in southwest Pakistan
- Customs seize 22.14 kg narcotics, consignments of smuggled betel nuts, Hino trucks, auto parts, says FBR
- Smuggled goods enter Pakistan’s Balochistan province from neighboring countries Iran and Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs seized narcotics, smuggled goods and vehicles worth a total of Rs1.38 billion [$4.92 million] in the southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said in a statement.
Customs Enforcement Quetta seized and recovered 22.14 kilograms of narcotics and consignments of smuggled goods comprising betel nuts, Indian medicines, Chinese salt, auto parts, a ROCO vehicle and three Hino trucks in two separate operations, the FBR said. All items cost an estimated Rs1.38 billion, it added.
Smuggled items make their way into Pakistan through southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.
“These operations are part of the collectorate’s intensified enforcement drive aimed at curbing smuggling and dismantling illegal trade networks,” the FBR said.
“All the seized narcotics, goods and vehicles have been taken into custody, and legal proceedings under the Customs Act 1969 have been formally initiated.”
In the first operation, customs officials intercepted three containers during routine checking at FEU Zariat Cross (ZC) area. The containers were being transported from Quetta to Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, the FBR said.
The vehicles intercepted included three Hino trucks. Their detailed examination led to the recovery of the smuggled goods which were concealed in the containers.
In the second operation, the staff of the Collectorate of Enforcement Customs, Quetta, intercepted a ROCO vehicle at Zariat Cross area with the local police’s assistance.
The driver was interrogated while the vehicle was searched, the FBR said.
“During interrogation, it was disclosed that drugs were concealed inside the spare wheel at the bottom side of the vehicle,” it said.
“Upon thorough checking, suspected narcotics believed to be heroin was recovered which was packed in 41 packets, each weighing 0.54 kilograms.”
The narcotics weighed a total of 22.14 kilograms, with an estimated value of Rs1.23 billion in the international market, the FBR concluded.
“The Federal Board of Revenue has commended the Customs Enforcement Quetta team for their effective action and reiterated its firm resolve to combat smuggling, illicit trade and illegal economic activities across the country,” it said.
