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Amir, Imad heroics in vain as Zalmi beat Kings in HBL PSL 8
RAWALPINDI
Staff RepoRt
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Peshawar Zalmi’s batters put on a collective effort to power their side to a massive total of 197/5 before the bowlers steered them to a 24-run victory over Karachi Kings in the 17th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight. Set to chase a mammoth 198, the Kings fell 24 runs short as the side could raise 173/8 in their set of 20 overs despite magnificent half-centuries by Imad Wasim and Matthew Wade.
Earlier in the run chase, the Kings were off to a decent start as the new opening pair of Wade and debutant Adam Rossington added 40 runs for the first wicket.
Azmatullah Omarzai then struck in his first over to dent Kings’ solid start as he dismissed Rossington, who scored a brisk 15 off just eight deliveries.
Rossington’s dismissal sparked a frustrating collapse that resulted in the Kings slipping to 95/5 in the 12th over with Wade, who was hanging on with a gritty half-century, also getting out. Wade scored 53 off 41 deliveries with the help of nine boundaries.
Kings’ skipper Imad Wasim and Cutting then attempted to anchor the run
Govt Graduate College for Women Gulberg hosts 9th convocation
LAHORE Staff RepoRt
Secretary Higher Education Mr.Javed Akhtar Mehmood was the Chief Guest. DPI Colleges Punjab Dr.Ashiq Hussain, Deputy Director Colleges Lahore Division Miss Noureen Akhtar and Controller chase with a brief 17-run partnership but Omarzai removed the latter to put Zalmi in command. Cutting could score 15 off 13 balls. Put into bat first, Zalmi got off to a horrible start as the side lost three crucial wickets of Mohammad Haris (0), Babar Azam (0) and Saim Ayub (1) inside three overs; courtesy of a fiery opening spell from Amir. With their side in heaps of trouble, young wicketkeeper batter Haseebullah and Tom Kohler-Cadmore stitched a gritty fourth wicket partnership and scripted an astounding recovery as the pair raised 82 runs. Haseebullah was the
Examination GCU Mr.Shehzad Ahmed was the guests of honour. Chief Guest Mr javed Akhtar Mehmood planted a shadow tree . Forest Department arranged the plants. In Convocation 424 students from 11 Humanities and Science Disciplines received their degrees. The outstanding students and position holders were awarded medals, roll of honour and merit certificates. Worthy Secretary Higher Education Mr. Javed Akhtar Mehmood addressed the students. In his speech he appreciated the efforts of Principal Dr Nighat Naheed zafar and her team . Principal Dr. Nighat Naheed Zafar, Vice Principal Dr. Shagufta Gulraiz and Controller of BS Examinations Ms. Aneela Altaf presented shields and bouquets to the Chief Guest and Guests of honour. Principals of other colleges include Professor Shahnaz Kausar participated as special guests. Participation of faculty members,retired professors students and parents of award winners. Announcement by Dr. Saman Imtiaz and Mrs. Zarqa Bashir 3 Gold Medals, 3 Silver Medals and 4 Merit Certificates were awarded to the overall position holders in the university. 49 Roll of Honors were awarded to the graduates who scored 3.70 and above CGPA.
nepra conducts public hearing on K-electric's investment plan 2023-2030
KARACHI Staff RepoRt glimmer of hope that rate hikes are biting and are perhaps within striking distance of peaking.
Two-year Treasury yields , a guide to short-term U.S. rate expectations, are close to four-month highs, but at 4.8347%, are below a November peak of 4.8830%. Benchmark 10-year yields stood at 3.9396% in Asia.
Commodities rallied with China demand hopes and Brent crude futures were last 0.6% higher at $83.94 a barrel.
Gains steadied after rains in parts of the U.S. winter wheat belt and optimism over a Russia-Ukraine export deal drove investors to liquidate some long positions.
Geopolitics also kept nerves elevated in the background. U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s abandonment of the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the U.S. signalled a hardening of positions.
China, which signalled support for Russia by sending its top diplomat to Moscow last week, has issued a call for peace, though it has been met with scepticism and Washington has said in recent days it worries that China could send arms to Russia.
“Should Beijing send Russia arms, it risks a rapid geopolitical breaking of the world economy,” said Rabobank’s research head, Jan Lambregts. “Markets have not even begun to contemplate what this might mean.” core aggressor of the crucial partnership and brought up his half-century in just 27 balls but Tabraiz Shamsi cut his celebrations short as he struck out the former in his second over to hand a much-needed breakthrough to the Kings. The young left-handed batter scored 50 off 29 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and three sixes.
Following his dismissal, Powell wasted no time in settling down and carried on the recovery for his side with clean hitting and bolstered Zalmi for a big total with a 29-ball fifty.
Powell top-scored for the Zalmi with a brisk 34-ball 64 before falling to Amir in the 19th over. He smashed six boundaries and four sixes amid his brilliant knock. Meanwhile, amid Powell and Haseebullah’s aggressive knocks, Kohler-Cadmore held his end firm and went on to score an anchoring 56-run knock in 45 deliveries, laced up with five boundaries and three sixes.
Bismah Maroof steps down as Pakistan women’s captain
ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt
Bismah Maroof has stepped down as the Pakistan women’s national team captain but will remain available for selection as a player, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Wednesday.
Bismah was named Pakistan’s all-format captain in September 2017 and has had the best win/loss ratio amongst all the regular players to lead the country in One-Day Internationals (1.000) and T20 Internationals (0.843).
Under her captainship, Pakistan’s ODI team played 34 matches and won 16, while the T20I side won 27 out of 62 matches, the PCB said in a statement released today.
“There has been no bigger honour for me than leading the Pakistan team,” Bismah said on Twitter.
“Now, I feel that it is the right time for a transition and a chance to groom a young captain. I will always be there to assist, guide and support the team and the young captain in every way,” she added.
Separately, the PCB statement quoted her as saying that captaincy of the Pakistan women’s cricket team was an “exciting ride” for her, which included both highs and lows.
“But at the end of the day, I will always be thankful to Almighty for providing me with this opportunity.
“With the new ICC Women’s Championship cycle in its initial stages and the 2024 T20 World Cup more than a year away, I think this is the right time for me to step down and help so we have a smooth transition,” she said.
Bismah added that she was looking forward to continuing “playing my role for the team”.
Commenting on the development, PCB Management Committee Chairperson Najam Sethi congratulated Bismah and thanked her for her services as the captain of the national women’s side.
“Bismah has been an inspiration for millions of girls and has been a catalyst for a positive change. With her immense dedication and hard work, she has shown that women can continue to follow their passions and dreams,” he said.
Sethi went on to say that Bismah’s presence in Pakistan’s dressing room would continue to be a source of inspiration to young cricketers.
“She will continue to serve Pakistan with honour and pride as she has been doing since she was a teenager,” he added. The PCB has said that Bismah’s replacement will be announced in due course.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) conducted a public hearing today on KE’s 7year investment plan in transmission and distribution. The hearing was held in Islamabad with many attendees joining virtually as well. KE management shared details of the plan and projects being undertaken over the next control period from FY2024 to FY2030, valued at approximately PKR 484 billion. While responding comments from the audience, KE leadership stated that the investment plan has been conceived with a vision to balance affordability, availability and sustainability of power supply. It aligns with the developments in the power sector including the implementation of the competitive markets framework and the culmination of exclusivity for power distribution companies. In this regard, KE has filed for a non-exclusive license with the regulator late in December 2022. The hearing was attended by a wide range of stakeholders representing industries and community leaders alike. Key themes discussed were the projects being undertaken to drive growth and reliability in KE’s transmission and distribution network, the projected growth in demand within the utility’s operational territory, and planned technological interventions to further improve the quality and reliability of the service. Participants also shared their comments on KE’s performance since privatization. Queries included the Karachi based electric utility’s future investments including making power affordable for all, incentivizing foreign and local stakeholders to further invest in the power sector, while others shared that the company’s services have improved since the company’s privatization. Participants also suggested keeping ground realities in mind when setting the future T&D losses and recoveries targets to ensure a sustainable power supply to the city. While expressing gratitude to the NEPRA Authority and the participants for sharing their valued thoughts, K-Electric spokesperson further stated, “Our investment plan has been developed to meet the future needs of our growing customer base. We anticipate that in 2030, our customers base will grow from 3.4million today to approximately 5 million, and consumption forecast will be around 5000 MW of electricity. This requires meticulous planning and targeted investment. Based on its over 113 years experience of serving the city, K-Electric remains committed to providing reliable and affordable electricity to its customers.”
sri lanka to keep rates high to combat inflation; awaits IMf deal
COLOMBO ReuteRS
Sri Lanka’s central bank is expected to keep interest rates unchanged for a fourth straight meeting this week as the crisis-hit country strives to keep a cap on inflation while waiting for an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout. The island’s economy is estimated to have shrunk 9.2% last year as it struggled with the worst financial crisis to befall the country in over seven decades triggered by a severe shortage of foreign exchange reserves. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka raised rates by a record 950 basis points last year. But, at its last policy meeting in January, the central bank held the standing deposit facility rate and standing lending facility rate unchanged at 14.50% and 15.50%, respectively. All sixteen analysts and economists polled by Reuters expected rates to be held for a fourth straight meeting on Friday as Sri Lanka holds out hope for IMF board level approval by March end. The meeting was initially scheduled for Thursday but was pushed back to the next day by the central bank without citing a reason. Sri Lanka signed a preliminary agreement with the global lender last September for a $2.9 billion program but has to put its debt on a sustainable track before disbursements can begin. The government is waiting for financing assurances from China, its largest bilateral lender, after receiving support from India and Paris Club members earlier this year. “The IMF program is necessary for market confidence and to manage risk premiums. Without it, we may see secondary market rates edge up,” said Arumainyagam Visaahan, research analyst at Asha Securities.
“Even with an IMF program the central bank will likely wait till debt restructuring is underway and inflation is lower before adjusting rates downwards.” Reducing rates could also spur imports and put more pressure on Sri Lanka’s meager reserves which were at $2.1 billion at the end of January, analysts said. Sri Lanka will keep a close eye on public expenditure, prioritising essential expenses such as salary, pension and welfare payments as it awaits IMF support. “It is very crucial for Sri Lanka to get IMF support,” State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe told Reuters this week.
“As of now, since we have done our reforms, it is very much required for us … people have been told we are doing these reforms to better the economy and give relief in the future, so they are expecting that process to start.”Sri Lanka raised electricity tariffs by 66% this month, the second adjustment in six months, as part of implementing cost reflective pricing needed to secure the IMF program. Inflation eased to 50.6% in February from 51.7% last month, official statistics showed on Tuesday, and forecasts by the central bank and analysts indicate inflation will hit single digits towards the end of this year.
Corporate Corner
bank alfalah partners with Karachi Relief Trust for sustainable housing for flood-hit communities
KarachI: Bank Alfalah, the biggest corporate donor for the flood-affected communities, has partnered with Karachi Relief Trust (KRT) to fund the construction of low-cost sustainable housing for PKR 50 million. Bank Alfalah came to the forefront with a strategic plan for redeveloping communities in a viable, equitable and financially inclusive way.
The collaboration with KRT is focused on providing costeffective housing solutions in the regions affected by floods. Through this association with Bank Alfalah, KRT intends to reconstruct two clusters of villages that were ravaged by the floods. The two clusters will consist of 70 homes each, with an estimated cost of PKR 350,000 per house. pr
Pak-Qatar Family Takaful partners with Takaful bazaar to promote takaful products to wider audiences
KarachI: Pak-Qatar Family Takaful has partnered with Takaful Bazaar as this partnership aims to promote and offer Shariah Compliant products as well as to smooth the customer handling journey via technology enablement. The partnership with Takaful Bazaar will enable Pak-Qatar Family Takaful to expand its range of Shariah-compliant products and reach a wider audience. Takaful Bazaar is a digital platform that provides customers with access to a variety of Takaful products and services from multiple providers. By partnering with Takaful Bazaar, Pak-Qatar Family Takaful can leverage its technology and reach customers who may not have been aware of its offerings previously.
Furthermore, the use of technology will enable Pak-Qatar Family Takaful to streamline its customer handling journey, making it easier and more convenient for customers to access its products and services. This includes features such as online applications, real-time customer support, and digital claims processing. pr
aCCa and aGP join forces to professionalise public sector finance
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marking a landmark agreement between the two organisations. The key focus areas under the MOU include joint initiatives to strengthen the capacity building of public sector finance professionals and to support the Public Financial Management (PFM) transformation in Pakistan. AGP and ACCA will also collaborate on specialised training opportunities, including cyber security, data analytics and ERP, which will be delivered through ACCA’s global accountancy partnerships and international academic network. pr
iMC’s impactful CSR initiatives recognized at NFEH awards 2023
Indus Motor Company (IMC) added another win to its growing number of accolades, with the Corporate Social Responsibility Award for Community Development & Services, at the 15th Annual Corporate Social Responsibility Awards 2023, hosted by the National Forum of Environment & Health (NFEH), in Islamabad. Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Planning & Development Minister, presented the award to IMC's Syed Saqib Abbas, Regional Manager-North. For the seventh year running, IMC has been winning this award which is a recognition of the company's vision and significant contributions towards creating an inclusive society that targets education, adult and child health, nutrition, the welfare of the differently-abled, promotion of sports, environmental conservation, and road safety. pr
The uK’s university of Essex will hold first graduation in Pakistan this weekend
UK-based University of Essex will be holding its first-ever graduation celebration in Pakistan on Saturday 4 March 2023. The event will celebrate links between the internationally-renowned University of Essex and Pakistan with Vice-Chancellor Professor Anthony Forster travelling from the UK to take part in the special ceremony at the prestigious Serena Hotel in Islamabad.
This is believed to be the first Graduation ceremony organised by a leading UK university in Pakistan and attended by its Vice-Chancellor. High-profile guests will include the Education Minister and Minister of Planning and Development plus representatives from the British High Commission and the British Council.
The Graduation ceremony will be attended by many Essex alumni with Vice-Chancellor Awards presented to two outstanding graduates. Education and environment campaigner Nasira Habib and heritage and human rights champion Nasiruddin Mirza will both receive awards during the historic event. Professor Forster said: pr
