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CM: (Govt committed to resolve problems being faced by journalist community: Buzdar)

ISLAMABAD:Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that the government is committed to resolve the problems being faced by the journalist community.

 

Addressing a ceremony in Lahore on Monday, he said the Punjab government has decided to provide health coverage to all citizens and set a target to ensure the provision of medical facilities across the province by the end of next year.

 

He said the work on the second phase of Journalist colony will be started in the near future. He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government believes in serving the masses and not merely raising hollow slogans.

 

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CM: (Buzdar thanks people for remaining indifferent to PDM’s riotous politics)

ISLAMABAD:Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has thanked the people especially citizens of Lahore for remaining indifferent to Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) riotous politics.

In a statement issued in Lahore on Monday, he said the corrupt elements of PDM will be held accountable and they will have to return the looted wealth of the country.

He said PDM is engaged in hatching conspiracies against the process of national development.

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Pakistan women cricketers to tour South Africa next month

KARACHI:Pakistan women’s national cricket team will tour South Africa for three ODIs and three T20Is, which will be played in Durban and Pietermaritzburg from 20 January to 3 February, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Monday.

 

In consultation and discussions with Cricket South Africa, the series has been finalised to ensure women’s cricket continues to build on the momentum and successes following the trailblazing ICC Women’s Championship 2017-2020, ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cups 2018 and 2020.

 

This additional series has also been organised to help both Pakistan and South Africa prepare for the upcoming assignments, in particular Pakistan, who will feature in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in July 2021 for the event proper to be held in New Zealand in early 2022. South Africa, along with world champions England, Australia, India and hosts New Zealand, have already qualified for the World Cup after securing top positions in the ICC Women’s Championship 2017-20.

 

The series will start and finish in Durban with the first ODI on 20 January and the third T20I on 3 February. Both matches will be played under lights. Durban will also stage the second ODI on 23 January before action will move to Pietermaritzburg where the third ODI and opening two T20Is will be played on 26, 29 and 31 January, respectively.

 

To prepare and select the best available side and in continuation to the Women’s High Performance Camp and the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship, the women’s national selection committee has invited 27 women cricketers for a training and preparation camp, which will be held at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi from 20 December.

 

From the start of the training camp until the side’s departure for Durban on 11 January, the women cricketers will remain and train in a bio-secure environment, besides undergoing routine testing in line with the PCB Covid-19 Protocols. Prior to joining the camp, each cricketer will require a negative test and another negative test after reporting for the camp before being allowed to integrate with other members of the group.

 

The tour to South Africa will also be the first official assignment of head coach David Hemp and bowling coach Arshad Khan. While Hemp joined forces in October, Arshad was appointed in November. Mohammad Kamran Hussain will be the assistant coach at the training camp.

 

This will be Pakistan women’s side’s second tour to South Africa within 18 months. In May 2019, Pakistan and South Africa featured in one of the most thrilling, keenly contested and exciting women’s series to date.

 

The three ICC Women’s Championship ODIs ended in a 1-1 draw when the 12 May third ODI ended in a tie after Nashra Sandhu scored seven runs off the final two deliveries to help Pakistan reach 265 for nine in 50 overs. In the five-match T20I series, Pakistan took a 2-1 lead before South Africa bounced back to clinch the series 3-2.

 

Women’s chief selector and head of the women’s cricket, Urooj Mumtaz: “It is critical for women’s cricket that we continue to invest in the game in these difficult times, otherwise all the efforts and hard work that have gone recently in building the profile, enhancing the standard and generating fan interest and following will be wasted.

 

“I am delighted that Cricket South Africa have agreed to host us for a full tour despite having already qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022. This is yet another indicator and reflection of our relationship with the Member boards who are willing to help and support each other in any possible way.

 

“The PCB created activities and held a domestic event for the women cricketers to attract and inspire them to remain connected with the game during these challenging times, but nothing can replace international cricket. In this background, it is great that our women cricketers will reap the benefits of their loyalty and commitment to the game by getting an opportunity to play international cricket against a quality side.

 

“South Africa are ranked above us, both in the ODI and T20I formats and, as such, I am sure this series will go a long way in not only assisting us to further improve our standards but also prepare for June’s ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2021 as we aim to finish in the top three and progress to event proper in early 2022 in New Zealand.”

 

27 probables for the South Africa tour are (18-player squad expected to be announced on Thursday, 31 December 2020 at the National Stadium press conference room early afternoon):

 

Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Ayesha Zafar, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana Khan, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, Javeria Rauf, Kainat Imtiaz, Kaynat Hafeez, Maham Tariq, Muneeba Ali, Nahida Khan, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Pervaiz, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Saba Nazir, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz and Syeda Aroob Shah

 

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Babar Azam ruled out of New Zealand T20Is

KARACHI:Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of New Zealand T20Is after suffering a fracture in his right thumb during Sunday morning’s practice session.

World’s second-ranked T20I batsman suffered the injury during a throw-down session, following which he was taken to a local hospital where X-rays confirmed the fracture.

As such, Babar will be unable to attend nets for, at least, 12 days, meaning he will not be available for the 18, 20 and 22 December T20Is to be played in Auckland, Hamilton and Napier, respectively.

During this period, the doctors will continue to monitor Babar’s injury before confirming his participation in the first Test, which starts at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on 26 December.

Babar suffered the injury a day after Imam-ul-Haq had fractured his left thumb also during a throw-down session. Imam had also been advised a 12-day rest, which confirmed his non-availability for the Pakistan Shaheens’ four-day match against New Zealand ‘A’, which starts in Whangarei on Thursday, December 17.

As with Babar, the doctors will continue to monitor Imam’s injury before confirming his participation in the first Test.

Meanwhile, Pakistan T20I vice-captain Shadab Khan is also carrying a groin niggle, which limited his participation in Sunday’s net sessions to batting only. He had missed the Zimbabwe T20Is due to a similar injury and decision on his participation in the Auckland T20I will be made closer to the match.

Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said: “Injuries are part and parcel of professional sport and while it is hugely disappointing to lose a player of Babar Azam’s calibre for the T20Is, this opens up opportunities for the other highly talented and exciting players to step-up, understand their responsibilities and try to prove that the Pakistan side is a complete package.

“I have spoken with Babar and he is sad to miss the T20I series as he was fully focused and keenly looking forward to the T20Is. We have a long season of cricket ahead and we now hope that he regains complete fitness as early as possible so that he can return to competitive cricket.

“The medical team is monitoring Shadab Khan’s groin niggle and we remain optimistic that he will be available for the T20Is, but we will neither risk him nor the team’s chances if we think he needs a few more days to be back to his complete fitness.”

Pakistan squad for New Zealand T20Is:

Shadab Khan (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Musa Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir and Wahab Riaz. Babar Azam (withdrawn due to injury)

Pakistan Shaheens for New Zealand ‘A’ four-day match:

Rohail Nazir (captain), Abid Ali, Amad Butt, Azhar Ali, Danish Aziz, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah, Zafar Gohar and Zeeshan Malik. Imam-ul-Haq (withdrawn due to injury)

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Politics: (Pakistanis can no more be fooled by gimmicks of corrupt politicians: Shehryar Afridi)

ISLAMABAD:Chairman Kashmir Committee Shehryar Khan Afridi on Sunday said Pakistani nation could no more be fooled by a bunch of corrupt politicians who had time and again looted the national exchequer since 1980s.

Talking to media here after the ground breaking ceremony of a project, Shehryar Afridi said the people of Pakistan were aware of the true agenda of the rejected politicians who had formed an alliance in a bid for their political existence.

He said after being rejected by the voters in successive elections since 2018, the rejected politicians now have formed an alliance under Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to help save each other.

He said People rejected them in 2018 general elections, in FATA polls and again in Gilgit Baltistan polls. He said but these failed and corrupt politicians are making their last ditch efforts to fool the people again with political gimmicks.

He said our forces are fighting the enemy on Line of Control (LOC) but under such circumstances, some corrupt politicians are hiding in the guise of PDM and planning riots in the country in the name of long march.

“While the government and the people are united in fighting the monster of Coronavirus, a bunch of politicians with vested interests want to use people to save their plundered wealth”, Afridi added.

He said the Pakistani nation cannot allow these politicians to play with the national interest.

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Politics: (Negative politics of PDM rejected by people of Lahore: Dr Firdous)

ISLAMABAD:Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said the opposition has failed to realize the alarming situation of Covid-19.

Addressing a news conference in Lahore on Sunday, she said the negative politics of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has been rejected by the people of Lahore.

Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said citizens of the provincial metropolis are conscious and believe in the rule of law. She said the government has not created any hurdle in the public meeting of opposition at the Greater Iqbal Park.

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PDM holds big show in Lahore, announces long march

LAHORE:Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the 11-party anti-government alliance, on Sunday held its sixth power show in Lahore’s Minar-i-Pakistan. The alliance announced long march to Islamabad by late January or early February.

PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif addressed the crowd via video link. The show was attended by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-(F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other alliance leaders. Thousands of people attended the gathering amid heavy slogans against the PTI government and it PM Imran Khan.

Speaking to the PDM show, Nawaz Sharif said that he was fighting for the people. The PML-N supremo said that he made the country the 7th atomic power and resolved chronic energy crisis besides stamping out terrorism. Nawaz said Imran Khan came to power through massive rigging in 2018 elections while Khan’s cronies were minting money through wheat and sugar crises.

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said that PM Khan will have to go because he had destroyed the country’s economy and lied to the people every day. She said Lahore had welcomed Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan as a real brother and we all are all equal.

Maulana Fazalur Rehman announced a long march in late January or early February and said that opposition will take the resignations in hand during long march. He said that people’s emotions are now turning to anger and the opposition’s movement was aimed at resolving their woes. He said that power will be in the hands of people in the future while the system of rigging will not work.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan’s Awais Noorani urged Imran Khan to submit his resignation forthwith as PTI government had lost its credibility among masses.

Awami National Party Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Balochistan National Party-Mengal’s Sardar Akhtar Mengal also addressed the public gathering.