MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola said he knew the end was near when he felt the energy that had driven him for a decade slipping away, as the Manchester City manager delivered an emotional explanation for his departure ahead of Sunday’s Premier League finale.

The club confirmed on Friday that Guardiola would step down after Sunday’s Premier League match aga­inst Aston Villa, marking the end of a decade that transformed City into one of the dominant forces in the game.

“Absolutely,” Guardiola said, when asked if he was running out of energy. “What I have to have, I will not have.

“I feel I will not have the energy that is required, (games) every three days, the expectations to fight for tit­l­es, to be in front of the players. I know myself. I have that energy (now), but I feel I will not have it in the future.”

The 55-year-old Spaniard delivered the news to his players on Friday morning and admitted to being overwhelmed by the moment.

“The speech was a disaster. I was so nervous, more than ever,” he said.

“The question is (the job) requires that passion and energy I’ve always had since I was a little boy, but now I feel I won’t have it in the future,” he told them. “I have to be honest with myself, but especially with the club that gave me everything.”

Sunday’s game means little to either City or fourth-placed Villa, with both teams clinching Champions League qualification for next year, and City unable to beat Arsenal to the league title.

Instead, it will be an emotional farewell for fans after a decade that saw Guardiola and the team deliver sustained domestic dominance, including four consecutive league titles, and 20 trophies. Guardiola said his decision was driven not by a loss of ambition but by a recognition that the cycle had run its course.

“It is time. It’s 10 years,” he said. “It’s not because I’m not ambitious or I don’t want to try again. It’s not good in an organisation to have people for many years. It’s good to shake, new faces. It’s really good for everyone.”

He leaves with City still competing at the top, describing the current campaign as among the most satisfying.

“This season has been exceptional, fighting against Arsenal until the last moment, winning two titles (FA Cup and League Cup), fighting every game. It’s the perfect moment.”

Looking ahead, Guardiola made clear he plans to step away from football for the foreseeable future.

“Now rest. No plans for training for a while,” he said. “Otherwise I would stay here. I need to step back.

“This job, every few days, for many, many years, Selhurst Park, Anfield, Madrid, the FA Cup — now I have to live my life and see what happens.”

Guardiola spoke warmly about his time at City, describing it as “the experience of my life” and expressing gratitude for the support he received.

Sunday’s match at the Etihad will mark the end of an era, with tributes already pouring in, including messages from longtime Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and City’s former club captain Kevin De Bruyne.

Guardiola said he was also proud to have his 94-year-old father Valenti in attendance.

Asked about the club’s plans to rename the Etihad Stadium’s North Stand after him, Guardiola struggled to contain his emotions.

“Speechless,” he told reporters, who gave him a standing ovation to end his press conference. “I like to think my vibe and my energy will be there forever.”

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Riquelme, 37, the president of the water and energy group Cox, sent a letter to the club’s electoral committee, published by several local newspapers, in which he expressed his “willingness to stand as a candidate”.

If he formalises his candidacy on Saturday, Riquelme would be the first candidate to stand against the current president, Florentino Perez, who is in his second spell at the helm.

Perez has already announced he planned to run again.

Candidates have until May 23, to enter the race. They need to have been club members for at least 20 years and provide a guarantee of 187 million euros ($219m), equivalent to 15 per cent of the club’s annual budget, backed by personal assets.

If there is more than one candidate, the electoral board will arrange a vote.

Perez, 79, was first elected as Real president in 2000, overseeing the club’s Galactico era before resigning in 2006.

He returned in 2009, when he was the only candidate, and was re-elected unopposed in 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2025.

Since his return, Real have won five Spanish league titles and six European cups, among other silverware. But Los Blancos finish this campaign trophyless for the first time since the 2020-21 season.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Designed to promote hockey at the grassroots level and identify young talent from an early age, the programme will be launched in collaboration with federal and provincial governments as well as private sector partners.

Commenting on the plan, PHF president Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, said that it would focus particularly on boys and girls of 10-12 age group to build a strong foundation for the future of Pakistan hockey.

“We want to take hockey back to schools and reconnect the younger generation with our national game. Grassroots development is the key to rebuild Pakistan hockey,” Mohyuddin said, adding that PHFs vision goes beyond preparing national teams,

“Sustainable revival can only be achieved through structured youth development programmes which is not a short-term effort.”

Under the programme, schools will be encouraged to organise hockey competitions, training camps, and introductory coaching sessions.

The PHF also plans to coordinate with educational institutes to ensure regular student participation in hockey-related activities.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Bundesliga champions in 2009, Wolfsburg have been in the top flight since their first promotion in 1997. They will now need to win away at Paderborn on Monday to play in the Bundesliga next season.

Wolfsburg’s best chance came in the 67th minute, when visiting goalie Dennis Seimen leapt low to his left to keep out a free-kick from former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen.

With six minutes to go, Filip Bilbija’s clever lob was cleared off the line by Joakim Maehle.

The Bundesliga relegation play-offs bring together the third-last team in the top flight and the third-placed side in the second division.

If relegated, Wolfsburg will be relegated alongside Heidenheim and St Pauli.

Traditional giants Schalke and debutants Elversberg have already sealed promotion to next season’s Bundesliga.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

PAF won the match 27-25, 25-21, 25-22 as Wapda tried their best to prevent a defeat but to no avail. Fahad, Raza, Afaq Khan and Abdul Rauf performed well for the winners.

In Thursday’s late quarter-finals, Wapda outclassed Punjab 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-13) while Navy overwhelmed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 3-0 (25-11, 25-22, 25-19).

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

“Yes,” Arbeloa said at a press conference when asked to confirm that he would not be coaching the team next season, amid widespread reports that veteran manager Jose Mourinho is returning to the club.

Los Blancos host Athletic Bilbao on Satu­rday at the Santiago Bernabeu in their final La Liga match of a turbulent campaign.

Real president Florentino Perez appointed Arbeloa to replace Xabi Alonso in January and he is set to be replaced himself by Portuguese veteran Mourinho.

Spaniard Arbeloa said he would not work as a member of Mourinho’s staff if the Port­u­guese coach is appointed as his successor.

“Mou has a fantastic technical team, he’s got good people around him, if he comes to Madrid he will come with his team,” said Arbeloa. “There’s no chance that I would be with him. Then, my future... from Monday I’ll think about that.”

Arbeloa, who played at Real between 2009-2016 and later coached there at youth level said he hoped this match was a “see you later” rather than goodbye.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

According to the results shared by the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), five players advanced to the semi-finals in different categories after winning their respective quarter-finals.

In the boys U-17 quarter-finals, Pakistan’s Mohammad Umair Arif outplayed Tsz Long Yuen of Hong Kong 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-3) in 20 minutes while Umair’s compatriot Nauman Khan in the same category overcame Mohammad Raziq Putra Mohd Fakhrur Razi of Malaysia 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-9) in a battle lasting 40 minutes.

In the U-15 event, Pakistan’s Ahmad Rayyan Khalil downed Ethan Hao Wen Bai of Hong Kong 3-0 (11-7, 11-4, 11-7) in just 28 minutes. Mohammad Sohail Adnan, another Pakistan player, defeated Shresht Iyer of India 3-1 (11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6) in the same category in 49 minutes.

Mustafa Khan (U-13) of Pakistan lost to India’s Abhyuday Arora 3-2 (16-14, 9-11, 11-9, 3-11, 4-11) in their U-13 quarterfinal in 35 minutes while Mustafa’s compatriot Abdullah Nawaz lost to Jonghyeok Lee of Korea 3-0 (10-12, 11-13, 6-11) in their U-19 match in 44 minutes.

In the girls section, Pakistan’s Mahnoor Ali blanked Hau Ching Chiu of Hong Kong 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-7) in 27 minutes to reach the U-15 semi-finals.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

“We are delighted to announce Michael Carrick will continue as our head coach, having signed a new contract,” United said in a statement on Friday.

Carrick, the 44-year-old former United player, took charge on an interim basis aft­er Ruben Amorim was sacked in Janu­ary and led United to Champions League qualification with an impressive run of form.

“From the moment that I arrived here 20 years ago, I felt the magic of Manchester United. Carrying the responsibility of leading our special football club fills me with immense pride,” Carrick said.

“Throughout the past five months, this group of players have shown they can reach the standards of resilience, togetherness and determination that we demand here.

“Now it’s time to move forward together again, with ambition and a clear sense of purpose. Manchester United and our incredible supporters deserve to be challenging for the biggest honours again.”

United were in chaos when Amorim was sacked as the coach’s tactical de­c­­­i­sions had left the players disillusioned and his relationship with club officials in tatters.

Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox said Carrick had impressed the club with his work on and off the pitch.

Wilcox said: “Michael has thoroughly earned the opportunity to continue leading our men’s team. In the time he has been doing the role, we have seen positive results on the pitch, but more than that, an approach which aligns with the club’s values, traditions and history.”

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

The hearing before the Versailles appeals court, west of Paris, examined the case of the 27-year-old Morocco international who is due to stand trial charged with raping a woman.

A decision on his bid to have the case dismissed is expected on June 19, when Hakimi will be taking part in the 2026 World Cup, the same source added.

If his appeal is rejected and the charges are not reduced to a more minor offence, the footballer will be tried on a date to be arranged.

In February 2023, a woman then aged 24 told police in the Val-de-Marne area southeast of Paris that Hakimi had raped her.

Hakimi was formally cha­­rged, placed under jud­i­­cial supervision, and in Feb­­ruary the decision was tak­en to send the case to trial.

Hakimi, who played a pivotal role in Morocco becoming the first African and Arab side to reach the World Cup semi-finals when they made the last four in Qatar in 2022, denies any wrongdoing.

Contacted by AFP, the player’s lawyer, Fanny Col­in, declined to comment.

During the referral hearing, Colin had argued that “the accusation rests solely on the word of a woman who obstructed all investigations, refused all medical examinations and DNA tests (and) refused to give the name of key witnesses”.

The plaintiff said she met Hakimi in January 2023 through Instagram and went to his home in a taxi ordered by the player, a police source said at the time.

She claimed that the player kissed her, touched her without her consent and then raped her.

She said she managed to push him away and text a friend, who came to pick her up.

Hakimi joined PSG in 2021 from Inter Milan after stints at Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

He is expected to be in the PSG team when the defending champions play Arsenal in the Champions League final on May 30 in Budapest.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Otherwise, there were few surprises as Norway will be led by captain Martin Odegaard, fresh from a Premier League title victory with Arsenal, and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Tangvik was named in Stale Solbakken’s 26-man squad alongside veteran Orjan Haskjold Nyland and Egil Selvik after intense media speculation surrounding the group of shot-stoppers, following a unique squad announcement delivered by the Norwegian monarch via a pre-recorded video.

The 23-year-old’s inclusion caps off a chaotic goalkeeper selection process triggered by an injury to SK Brann’s Mathias Dyngeland and FIFA’s rejection of Bodo/Glimt keeper Nikita Haikins nationality switch, leaving Tangvik as the only uncapped player in the squad.

Midfield and attacking options were boosted by the inclusions of Jens Petter Hauge and Thelo Aasgaard.

Their selections came at the expense of high-profile omissions, including Toulouse winger Aron Donnum and Brann’s Felix Horn Myhre, both of whom missed out on the final tournament squad despite participating in the qualifying campaign.

Defensive depth was reinforced by the selections of Sondre Langas and Henrik Falchener, who join stalwarts Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, and Leo Skiri Ostigard.

“I didn’t trust it until the video was finished. I didn’t trust the King for a second,” Langas told national broadcaster NRK.

Norway are in World Cup Group ‘I’ along with France, Senegal and Iraq, in what has been labelled the tournament’s “group of death”.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Orjan Haskjold Nyland, Egil Selvik, Sander Tangvik; Defenders: Julian Ryerson, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, David Moller Wolfe, Fredrik Bjorkan, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, Leo Skiri Ostigard, Sondre Langas, Henrik Falchener; Midfielders: Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Fredrik Aursnes, Patrick Berg, Kristian Thorstvedt, Morten Thorsby, Thelo Aasgaard; Forwards: Erling Haaland, Alexander Sorloth, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Antonio Nusa, Oscar Bobb, Andreas Schjelderup, Jens Petter Hauge.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Al Nassr clinched the Saudi Pro League title with a 4-1 win over Damac on Thursday, ending his long wait for domestic silverware.

A trademark free-kick and a close-range finish, both in the final half-hour, sealed the win Al Nassr needed on the last night of the season, with Al Hilal finishing just two points behind.

Ronaldo, 41, who was without a major club trophy since winning Serie A with Juventus in 2020, arrived in the oil-rich desert kingdom to great acclaim in 2023, wept as he watched the final minutes from the bench.

He adds the Saudi championship to his English, Spanish and Italian titles and five Champions League medals.

Al Nassr took a 2-0 lead but were back to 2-1 before Ronaldo’s free-kick on 63 minutes evaded the goalkeeper and a forest of legs to find the far corner.

He struck again nine minutes from time, receiving a cut-back on the edge of the six-yard box and smashing high into the net.

Next up for the all-time leading men’s international goalscorer, with 143 goals, is a sixth crack at the World Cup after he was named in Portugal’s squad this week.

Ronaldo opened the door to a series of big-money Saudi signings when he joined Al Nassr in January 2023 following an unhappy second spell at Manchester United.

Neymar and Karim Benzema were among those to follow after Ronaldo inked a two-and-a-half-year deal estimated at 200 million euros, extended for two years in June 2025.

The stated aim was to turn the Pro League into one of the world’s top five football competitions measured by the quality of players, stadium attendances and commercial success. International interest has been muted, however.

In December 2024, Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host of the 2034 World Cup, a coup as it pushes to decouple its economy from oil and attract business and tourists, partly via the buzz of sports.

With a record 664 million Instagram followers, Ronaldo has been a highly-visible ambassador as Saudi Arabia tries to turn the page on the ultra-conservative image that has defined it for decades.Expensive football signings have also waned with the stream of big-money transfers slowing to a trickle.

Ronaldo was the Pro League’s top scorer in his first two seasons, with his career tally now at 973 — tantalisingly close to the 1,000-goals milestone.

His Saudi stint has not always been smooth. In 2024, he was left in floods of tears when Al Nassr lost the King’s Cup final to Al Hilal on penalties, denying him his first Saudi title.

This season, he disappeared from Al Nassr’s line-up for three games in an apparent protest at Benzema’s transfer to rival team Al Hilal.

Al Hilal and Al Nassr were among the stable of Saudi teams owned by the Public Investment Fund, the country’s $900 billion sovereign wealth fund.

Before Thursday, Ronaldo’s only silverware with Al Nassr was the 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup. He was also disappointed on Saturday, when Al Nassr lost to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League Two final.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

LONDON: Thomas Tuchel admits the squad he will take to next month’s World Cup might lack the wow factor of previous England selections but for the German it is all about chemistry.

Since taking charge in January 2025, Tuchel has shown no compulsion to select on the basis of reputations and that was evident as he unveiled his 26 names at Wembley on Friday.

The likes of Manchester City’s Phil Foden, who started England’s Euro 2024 final, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who scored in that game, defensive stalwart Harry Maguire and Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold all miss out.

There is still A-list talent in the shape of captain Harry Kane, Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and Arsenal’s Premier League title winners Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.

But the inclusion of Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, Tottenham Hotspur’s Djed Spence, Brentford veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson, Arsenal’s Noni Madueke and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah will raise eyebrows.

Nine of the squad have no previous tournament experience.

Tuchel’s squad was announced live on the official England app to the soundtrack of The Beatles’ hit Come Together and the 52-year-old said the key to ending England’s 60-year wait to repeat their only World Cup triumph would be unity.

“From day one we were clear that we are trying to select and build the best possible team, which is not necessarily to select and collect the 26 most talented players,” Tuchel told reporters. “Teams win championships. It’s as simple as that.

“Everything I know and hear about international football is that it is about the team and the chemistry.”

While Foden and Palmer have endured disappointing seasons, both have the kind of maverick quality that England fans demand and their omissions could come back to bite him.

‘Specialists for all kinds of scenarios’

Tuchel projected confidence in his decisions though, insisting it was a squad for all purposes.

“We have specialists for all kinds of different scenarios,” he said.

“When we’re leading, when we’re chasing a game. We want to be a strong set-piece team, so we have specialists for that. We want to be a strong penalty team. We have specialists for that. Last and not least, we have a leadership group that created a culture, they set the tone.”

Tuchel’s side will be heavily reliant on captain Kane, who has scored an England-record 78 goals in 112 appearances.

Asked why Toney will go as one of his support strikers, Tuchel said he received “fantastic feedback” about the former Brentford player who scored 32 goals in the Saudi Pro League this season.

“We could see he still collects the numbers,” Tuchel said. “I think he can be a very valuable addition to Harry Kane.”

Tuchel admitted there had been some “painful conversations” with play­ers he left out. Maguire, whose form has been instrumental in Man­c­hester United’s resurgence, took to social media on Thursday to say he was “shocked and gutted” to miss out on his fourth major tournament.

“I can see the reason behind the disappointment,” Tuchel said. “I was a bit surprised (about his comments) because we had a private conversation and he had the chance to express his feelings, which he did.”

Asked why he believed he is the man to finally end England’s interminable wait, Tuchel referenced a quote from Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal.

“I arrive with hunger, I arrive with excitement, and I arrive as a competitor and as a challenger. When I see the 26 reactions in the last three days to my phone call, then I know the spirit is there. That just shows me that we chose the right group.”

England kick off their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17, before playing Ghana on June 23 and Panama four days later.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford; Defenders: Reece James, Tino Livramento, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Nico O’Reilly, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence; Midfielders: Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze; Forwards: Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

“Unlike the case of the Olympic Games, where the carbon footprints have been reducing over the last several editions, this is totally opposite in the case of FIFA men’s World Cup,” David Gogishvili, a geographer at the University of Lausanne (Unil), told AFP.

The summer’s World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams for the first time. It will be played in three countries — Mexico, Canada and the United States — also for the first time.

It will generate unprecedented revenue but, Unil’s research shows, “produce the largest carbon footprint in the history of international sport”.

Unil’s calculations for CO2-generated emissions range from five to nine million tonnes compared to “around 1.75 million tonnes” for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Gogishvili continued.

That figure far surpasses the estimated 2.17 million tonnes of CO2 generated by Russia in 2018, in a far-flung World Cup that involved 40 fewer matches, and the 3.17m tonnes from Qatar in 2022, in a highly compact event criticised for its hastily constructed, oversized and air-conditioned stadiums.

All 16 venues for this summer, from the “smallest” in Toronto with 45,000 seats, to the largest in Arlin­gton, Texas, which holds 94,000 sea­ts, already existed when the Gam­es were awarded, a point highlighted in 2018 by the “United 2026” bid.

The main issue is the vast span between stadiums.

The distance between Miami and Vancouver is more than 4,500 kilometres.

That will increase the biggest source of CO2 emissions for international events: air travel for teams, officials, media, and especially the “more than five million fans” targeted by FIFA.

Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example, will travel 5,040 kilometres to play group games in Toronto, Los Angeles and finally Seattle.

‘FIFA’s environment deanial’

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who proclaimed his “determination” to combat climate change at COP26 in Glasgow, has pledged to “measure, reduce and offset” emissions related to its World Cups.

But, reprimanded in June 2023 by the Swiss Fairness Commission (CSL) for misleadingly promoting the “climate neutrality” of the 2022 World Cup, FIFA has refrained from any guarantees on 2026.

Environmental analysts agree that the best way to reduce the impact of mega-competitions is to limit their scale, as the International Olympic Committee has done with its quota of 10,500 athletes for the Summer Games, said Gogishvili.

By increasing its flagship tournament from 32 to 48 teams, a year after increasing its World Club Cup from seven to 32 teams, FIFA is doing the exact opposite.

The climate cost of any international match, is “26 to 42 times greater than an elite match” at the national level, said a 2025 report published by the New Weather Institute think-tank.

“A single match during the final stages of the men’s World Cup is responsible for 44,000 to 72,000 tonnes of CO2,” said the report’s writers from the British-based Scientists for Global Responsibility.

That, they calculated, was the equivalent to the emissions of 31,500 to 51,500 British cars over an entire year.

FIFA’s “insatiable appetite for growth”, said Gogishvili, leads to more matches and, inevitably, “more athletes, more fans, more hotel infrastructure, more flights, it’s kind of a never-ending cycle.”

The 2030 World Cup will be spread across six countries and three continents. It kicks off with a trio of matches in Argentina, Urug­uay, and Paraguay before switching to hosts Morocco, Spain and Portugal for the remaining 101 matches.

The 2034 World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, in a climate comparable to that of Qatar but with 40 more matches in a much larger country. Saudi giant Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, became a major sponsor of FIFA in 2024.

“It would seem that FIFA’s environmental denial will continue,” Gilles Pache, a professor at Aix-Marseille University, wrote in the Journal of Management Research in 2024.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

The discounted tickets come with free round-trip bus transportation to the stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey and will be split across five group-stage and two knockout games, with 150 tickets available per match.

“We are making sure that working people will not be priced out of the game that they helped to create,” Mamdani told a press conference in the city’s Harlem neighbourhood, quipping that the $50 price tag was the equivalent of five coffees in New York City.

Starting on May 25, residents will be able to enter a lottery for a chance to purchase the tickets, which will be non-transferable and distributed to winners at the bus boarding location in an effort to prevent scalping.

Ticket affordability has been a key issue for the tournament being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

According to TicketData, a ticket price tracking platform, the average “get-in” cost for a group-stage match in New York as of Wednesday was $864. Some resale tickets are listed for thousands of dollars across various platforms, including FIFA’s official resale and exchange marketplace.

The best seats for the final on July 19 in New Jersey were put on sale for nearly $33,000. FIFA President Gianni Infantino def­ended high World Cup ticket prices.

“This is the moment to make sure that everybody is included, that everybody is lifted up,” said New York City Councilman Yusef Salaam.

Winners of the lottery will be able to purchase up to two tickets each.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

“They fell ill while descending at high altitude. We are working out how to retrieve the bodies,” Nivesh Karki, dire­ctor at Pioneer Adventures, told AFP.

He named them as Sandeep Are, who he said summited on May 20, and Arun Kumar Tiwari, who reached the peak on May 21.

At least five climbers have died during this Everest season, including the two Indians and three Nepalis. A US and a Czech climber died on Mount Makalu earlier this month.

Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa, who scaled Everest for a record 32nd time this month, returned to Kathmandu on Friday, where he expressed concern about the experience of some climbers.

Pictures posted by climbers show a long line of people climbing up fixed ropes, queueing in the icy, low-oxygen high-altitude zones.

“The expedition this time felt a bit crowded,” said Kami Rita Sherpa, dubbed the “Everest Man”. “The government should regulate this a bit… They should let in only climbers of quality, there should be a limit,” he told AFP.

On Thursday, a record number of climbers reached the 8,849-metre peak from the Nepali side, according to tourism officials, who gave a preliminary total of 275 pending final confirmation.

The peak can be tackled from both Nepal and the northern face in Tibet, but Chinese authorities have closed the latter route this year.

The Guinness Book of World Records lists the highest number to climb Everest in a single day as 354, in May 2019.

Nepali tourism officials said the final number will be tallied after the climbs are verified, which require photographs and statements from the climber’s expedition company and guides.

Among the successful climbers on Friday was British guide Kenton Cool, who reached the top for the 20th time, extending own record for the most ascents of the Everest by a non-Nepali.

The high number of climbers has rekindled concerns about overcrowding on the mountain — especially if poor weather shortens the climbing window.

The country has issued a record 492 Everest permits for foreigners this season.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

The three-match series starts in Rawalpindi on May 30, which will be followed by two matches in Lahore on June 2 and 4.

Seven players have been inducted into the squad, who were not part of the last away series against Bangla­desh held in March this year, which Pakistan lost 2-1.

In a major change, frontline batter Babar Azam returned to ODI duty.

Right-handed Babar, a veteran of 140 ODIs, missed the series in Bangladesh with a fitness issue but scored 588 runs in this year’s Pakistan Super League to lead Pesha­war Zalmi to their second PSL title to stage a comeback.

The squad also sees the return of pacer Naseem Shah, who played his last ODI in November, and leg-spinner Shadab Khan who will be looking to take the field in an ODI after playing the 2023 World Cup.

Young left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem also makes a comeback in the ODI squad after finishing as the highest wicket taker in the PSL with 22 scalps.

Fast bowler Ahmed Daniyal, spinning all-rounder Arafat Minhas and wicket-keeper/batter Rohail Nazir were selected in the ODI squad for the first time.

The players who retained their places in the squad include Abdul Samad, Ghazi Ghori, Sahibzada Farhan, Sha­myl Hussain, Maaz Sada­qat, Abrar Ahmad and Haris Rauf.

“Ghazi Ghori and Rohail Nazir have been named as the two wicket-keeper/batters in the squad after Usman Khan was not considered for selection due to illness,” the PCB said in a statement.

It added that aggressive openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub will miss the Australia series as both the southpaws recover from injuries under the PCB medical supervision.

Whereas the campaigners who could not retain their places in the ODI team incl­ude veteran wicket-keeper/batter Mohammad Rizwan, all-rounder Hussain Talat, leg-spinner Saad Masood, wrist spinner Faisal Akram, fast bowler Mohammad Wasim and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf.

Faisal did not play any ODI in Bangladesh this year but in his brief career spanning four matches — against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka — he showed his talent by taking seven wickets.

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the ODI side with Salman Ali Agha as his deputy.

Pakistan, whose batting as well as bowling flopped in the Bangladesh series, will need to lift their game significantly if they are to challenge Australia.

The Australian squad, who won their last ODI series against India 2-1 at home in October last year, is scheduled to arrive in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

The members of the Paki­stan squad will start training under the coaching staff from Saturday.

Squad:

Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir (wicket-keeper), Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufiyan Muqeem

Team management: Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Hanif Malik (batting coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Iftikhar (physio), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Col. Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Mohammad Ehsan (masseur).

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Several players were expected to limit their appearances at Friday’s traditional pre-tournament media day to 15 minutes and without conducting any additional multi-media interviews.

The tensions have been building for weeks but the rhetoric sharpened in Paris, where players such as Taylor Fritz insisted that their grievances were not just about “wanting more money”.

“It’s about just wanting what’s fair,” the American added. “As the tournaments make more money, we obviously want to see the revenue shared back to the players reflect that.”

Players have pointed to pensions, tournament expansion, scheduling and late-night finishes among the issues fuelling frustration, alongside what several described as a persistent lack of dialogue from organisers.

Russian Andrey Rublev painted a picture of widening disconnect between players and the sport’s leadership.

“When you try to communicate for so many years... they don’t hear you. They don’t answer,” Rublev said. “When you send the mail in, no one responds to official mail for months.”

Rublev said the issue was not simply financial but structural.

“It’s more about are we together, and we try to do something together to grow the sport,” he said.

Aryna Sabalenka cast the debate as a struggle on behalf of the sports lesser lights rather than leading stars.

“It’s not about me. It’s about the players who’s lower in the ranking, who is suffering, But as the world number one, I feel like I have to stand up and to fight for those players.”

‘B’ WORD

Even so, players adopted a more cautious tone over the prospect of a boycott after Sabalenka raised the possibility earlier this month in Rome.

“I don’t know if I want to start throwing around the ‘B’ word,” Fritz said. “It’s a really big deal, and I don’t think we as players should really make big threats like that unless we’re fully ready to do it.”

Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek also stopped short of endorsing drastic action.

“I don’t think doing something that is not constructive will make sense,” the four-time French Open winner said. “But we want to push a bit more to get what we need.”

Djokovic said he was not personally involved in the planned 15-minute media action but aligned himself with many of the players’ broader concerns while warning against further division in the sport.

“I have always been on the players’ side and tried to advocate for players’ rights and better future for players, but not only top players,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion said. “We tend to forget how little is the number of people that live from this sport.”

Djokovic said the lower tiers of professional tennis were essential to the game’s long-term health and called for greater unity between governing bodies, tournaments and players.

“Grand Slams, governing bodies, the governing tours, everyone. We are very fragmented,” he said. “So the further fragmentation is really hurting me personally. I really don’t like to see that.”

The Serbian also pointed to golf and the divisions caused by the emergence of LIV Golf as a warning for tennis.

“Let’s learn from that. Let’s try to be a bit more united and have a unifying voice into finding better structure and better future for our sport,” he said.

While top ATP and WTA events redistribute around 22% of revenues to players, the Grand Slams are estimated to return closer to 15%, a gap that has become a central source of tension.

French Open organisers have been arguing that tournament profits fund entire national tennis ecosystems, not just prize money. They are expected to meet player agents on Friday as discussions continue over revenue sharing and player representation.

Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said she regretted the prospect of reduced media access at the start of the claycourt Grand Slam.

“It’s always regrettable because media day is an important moment for the tournament, for journalists who come from all over the world and also for the fans through the media coverage,” Mauresmo told reporters on Thursday. “We understand that there are discussions and concerns from the players, but dialogue is always preferable.”

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

VERBANIA: Alberto Bettiol won the 13th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Friday while Afonso Eulalio retained theoverall lead as the contenders kept their powder dry ahead of a big weekend for the general classification.

Italian Bettiol took charge of the stage, 189 kilometres from Alessandria to Verbania, in the last few metres of the final Ungiasca climb when he surged past Andreas Leknessund and went all in for the finish line to claim his first Grand Tour stage since the 2021 Giro.

Portuguese Eulalio, 33 seconds ahead of pre-race favourite Jonas Vingegaard in the general classification, had little to do on a day in which the main peloton decided to leave a 15-man breakaway to have its day and rolled in over 13 minutes later.

It was the third win for an Italian in this year’s Giro after Davide Ballerini and Filippo Ganna in stages six and 10, and a special one for Bettiol whose girlfriend is from Verbania.

“It’s a second home to me… I knew at the beginning that all of my family, all of her family and my closest friends would be at the finish,” said Bettiol to RAI.

“The most difficult thing today was getting and staying in the break. Once I was in it I fought hard to lose as little time as possible on the climbs before getting some time back on the descent… it all went better than expected.”

The fiendish structure of the stage — a long flat run before two categorised climbs in the final 30km — led to a series of attacks and splits in the peloton in the opening stages.

Eventually a break settled into place and was left to charge off into the distance by the peloton, which contained all the main jersey contenders.

By the time the break got to the start of the Bieno climb the peloton was over 11 minutes behind, and the attacks started in the leading group near the summit of the final Ungiasca climb.

Leknessund pulled away in a bid to take the stage before Bettiol, who was in hot pursuit, shot into the lead just before the crest of the climb and began to fly down the descent towards Verbania.

Bettiol, who rides for Astana, basked in the applause of the local fans in the town on the banks of Lake Maggiore before the main group crossed the line, with all eyes on what will be a brutal 14th stage on Saturday.

There will be more movement among the general classification contenders over 133 kilometres from Aosta which feature two category one climbs, including an Alpine summit finish in Pila.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a 30 per cent shift to electric vehicles within five years, a target his government says would reduce the fuel import bill by $4.5 billion annually. But questions about how that target is to be achieved, and at whose expense, are still to be answered in their entirety.

Stakeholders across the automotive and energy sectors hold differing views on which technologies to prioritise, how to protect the domestic industry, and what role the state should play in building charging infrastructure.

For electric vehicle manufacturers already operating in Pakistan, the most frequently cited concern is not physical infrastructure but policy continuity.

From battery-only cars to petrol-assisted hybrids, a debate over technology, tax policy and local manufacturing is complicating the country's push toward electrification

Danish Khaliq, Vice President of Sales and Strategy at BYD Pakistan-Mega Motor Company, says the government's EV ambitions require a stable, long-term regulatory environment to translate into investment.

“Consumer interest in modern vehicles, particularly NEVs, is clearly growing, which is encouraging and aligns well with the government's direction. However, unlocking this vision at scale requires a stable and predictable policy environment,” he says.

The current AIDEP 2021–2026 policy, nearing completion, enabled companies including BYD Pakistan to commit to local manufacturing facilities. Khaliq cautions that changes without a clear transition framework could force investors to revisit financial assumptions.

"What the industry requires is a long-term policy horizon of around eight to ten years, which allows OEMs to scale production, introduce advanced technologies, and enable the broader ecosystem," he says.

Mr Khaliq also called for clarity on used-car import policy, which he argues creates market distortions and discourages localisation. He cited Indonesia and Thailand as markets where policy consistency drove scale, lower prices, and stronger domestic industries.

Lucky Motor Corporation's Director of Business Planning and Regulatory Affairs Babar Saleem Khan agrees that the transition must remain "practical, market-driven, and technology-neutral."

BEV, HEV, or PHEV?

Which vehicle technology should lead the transition is the sharpest point of disagreement.

Babar Saleem Khan argues that hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are the most viable near-term option: they offer up to 50 per cent fuel savings, need no charging infrastructure, and carry a price premium of around 15 per cent over conventional vehicles, with models available from Rs 6.6 million.

Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and range-extended EVs (REEVs) start around Rs 10 million with premiums up to 35 per cent, while pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) face consumer hesitancy over charging access, battery costs, and resale value.

Aamir Allawala, former Chairman of Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM), counters that only BEVs deliver genuine zero-emission outcomes. PHEVs and REEVs, he says, still carry petrol engines and exhaust systems and should not receive the same tax treatment as clean vehicles.

"The real benefit from moving towards zero emission and green environment can only be realized through promotion of pure BEVs. PHEVs and REEVs are equipped with batteries but also carry a 1300–1500cc petrol engine, fuel tank and exhaust system. They are not 'zero emission' vehicles," he notes.

Mr Allawala warns that extending concessions to them would allow near-zero-localisation assembly to undercut HEV and ICE manufacturers, which are built with 50 to 70 per cent locally made components and sustain a vendor industry employing 300,000 people directly.

"Safeguarding domestic manufacturing and ensuring competitiveness of made-in-Pakistan auto parts should be the spirit behind the upcoming auto policy 2026–31," says Allawala.

Asif Ahmed, Director of Marketing at Chery Master Motor, takes a different view. “ICE manufacturers will not be able to hold back technological shifts this time. Pakistan has not witnessed any transfer of technology in the past 30 years. Localisation has benefitted the industry, not the consumer,” he says.

He proposes cutting import duties on EVs with sub-50kWh batteries to between 5 and 10 per cent, saying that infrastructure will follow as EV numbers grow.

Charging network

The absence of a widespread charging network is widely cited as a constraint on EV uptake, particularly for pure battery vehicles. A combination of public mandates, private investment, and cross-border partnerships is now directing resources toward the problem, though the pace and scale remain subjects of debate.

BYD Pakistan's Danish Khaliq says the company is developing what it describes as Pakistan's first interconnected EV charging corridor along the Karachi–Peshawar motorway network, with stations planned every 200 to 250 kilometres. The initiative, he says, is intended to address range anxiety and make long-distance EV travel viable.

According to BYD’s Mr Khaliq, "Such developments are critical in shifting EV perception from a city-only solution to a viable nationwide mobility option. However, the next phase will require scaling urban charging infrastructure across residential, commercial, and public spaces."

Malik Khuda Bux, Chairman of the Malik Group of Companies and Senior Advisor to the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA), says more than 3,000 EV stations are expected to come up in the next three years. Thirteen investors have been issued licences and five stations are already operational in various parts of the country.

The Sindh government has approved a public-private partnership involving China's ADM Group and the Malik Group to build a provincial EV charging network. Under the arrangement, the Sindh government will provide Rs 750 million for 300 charging stations in the first phase, while ADM Group is investing $90 million toward 3,000 stations across Pakistan.

On the regulatory side, the federal government has reduced the power tariff for EV charging stations to Rs 39 per unit from Rs 71. Oil marketing companies have been directed to ensure that at least 10 per cent of their fuel dispensing outlets carry Level-3 EV charging capability, and the Explosive Department will not issue new licences to investors who do not include a plan for EV charging. The Punjab government has separately announced that future vehicle purchases for provincial government use will be electric.

Pakistan State Oil (PSO) reported nine EV charging stations deployed along the Karachi-to-Peshawar corridor in its 9MFY26 financial report. Attock Petroleum (APL) is developing DC fast-charging infrastructure in collaboration with HUBCO Green and Huawei, alongside solar installations at selected retail outlets.

Localisation stakes

How the EV transition intersects with Pakistan's domestic manufacturing base is also a point of contention. Positions vary on whether new investment represents an extension of local industry or a risk to it.

Mega Motor Company (MMC), BYD's official partner in Pakistan, is investing $150 million in a purpose-built NEV manufacturing facility. With an annual production capacity of 25,000 units, the plant is targeted for completion in Q4 2026, with the first locally assembled BYD vehicles expected to reach the market before year-end.

The project is projected to create over 1,100 jobs and, according to the company, avoid an estimated 165,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2034.

Aamir Allawala of PAAPAM argues that manufacturing investment alone is insufficient without binding localisation targets — a standard he says markets like Thailand and Indonesia have applied — to ensure that assembly operations translate into meaningful domestic industrial development.

"Safeguarding domestic manufacturing and ensuring competitiveness of made-in-Pakistan auto parts should be the spirit behind the upcoming auto policy 2026–31. This is essential to provide employment to 65 per cent of Pakistanis who are below the age of 35 years," he reasons.

Allawala also highlights the electric two-wheeler segment as an area of high potential. With an estimated 25 to 30 million two-wheelers currently on the road, he says the Prime Minister's PAVE initiative to promote electric bikes could deliver rapid fuel savings at comparatively low foreign exchange cost, with a consumer payback period of under 18 months.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

KARACHI: After a three-session recovery drive, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) came under intense selling pressure as investors took profits on Friday, pushing the KSE 100 index into the red as volatility persisted ahead of the long Eidul Azha holidays next week.

Ali Najib, Deputy Head of Trading at Arif Habib Ltd, said the PSX, after a mixed trading session, closed at 167,844.25, down 670.20 points or 0.40 per cent.

The market opened on a positive note as investor sentiment improved amid reports of ongoing US-Iran negotiations and easing international oil prices.

However, profit-taking in the latter half of the session erased early gains, pushing the benchmark into negative territory.

On the geopolitical front, the UAE, alongside Saudi Arabia and Qatar, urged US President Donald Trump to allow more time for diplomacy with Iran. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted “slight progress” in negotiations, although uncertainty over a lasting agreement persists.

Investor participation weakened sharply, with traded volume plunging 34.08pc to 480.81 million shares and turnover value falling 35.06pc to Rs22.7bn. Sitara Petro­luem led the volume chart with 80 million shares.

Topline Securities Ltd said the index opened on a positive note and gained to an intraday high of 169,624.78, thanks to news flow suggesting that peace negotiations have entered a final stage, which led to a decline in oil prices. However, later in the day, investors came in to sell ahead of the weekend.

The top negative contributions to the index came from United Bank, Habib Bank, Lucky Cement, Engro Holdings, and Systems Ltd, which cumulatively contributed 354 points to the index.

Analysts see Middle East developments as a continuing key catalyst for the market, with investors carefully monitoring diplomatic progress and geopolitical news. Recent advances in negotiations have imp­roved sentiment, alth­ough doubts about reaching a lasting deal remain.

Any further de-escalation could bolster investor confidence, while adverse developments may trigger renewed volatility across regional markets.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

In an advisory issued for consumers, the Power Division spokesperson said certain elements were attempting to steal users’ personal information through fake QR codes and suspicious online links related to electricity bill subsidies.

The spokesperson said consumers were being asked to click on a specific link and share personal information through a four-step process. After entering the details, users were further asked to provide a six-digit verification code on the same link.

The spokesperson cautioned that such methods were illegal and fraudulent, adding that some elements were using QR codes to achieve malicious objectives.

The Power Division urged consumers not to enter their personal information either digitally or on paper for obtaining electricity subsidies.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Brent crude futures were up 82 cents, or 0.8 per cent, at $103.40 a barrel by 11:53am CDT (1653 GMT). US West Texas Inter­mediate futures were 54 cents, or 0.56pc, higher at $96.89. Both had risen over 3pc earlier in the session. On a weekly basis, Brent was more than 5pc lower and WTI was down by more than 8pc, with prices fluctuating sharply as expectations for a peace deal between Iran and the US shifted.

A diplomatic source in Islamabad told Iran’s state news agency IRNA that Pakistan’s army chief had left for Iran. A senior Iranian source told Reuters earlier that gaps with the US have narrowed, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke of “some good signs” in talks.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Trump has exerted unprecedented pressure on the central bank to reduce interest rates, attempting to fire a Fed governor and pursuing a criminal probe against Warsh’s predecessor Jerome Powell.

“I will lead a reform-oriented Federal Reserve, learning from past successes and mistakes, both escaping static frameworks and models, and upholding clear standards of integrity and performance,” Warsh said.

He called for central bankers to pursue their goals “with wisdom and clarity, independence and resolve,” adding that “inflation can be lower, growth stronger, real take-home pay higher, and America can be more prosperous” if they did so.

Trump, who frequently criticised and insulted Powell, praised Warsh and said he wanted him to be fully independent, before urging the Fed chair to let the economy “boom.” “Kevin understands that when the economy is booming, that’s a good thing. We want to stop inflation, but we don’t want to stop greatness,” Trump said.

Warsh has backed rate cuts in the past, even as the world’s largest economy faces inflation at a three-year high.

Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh were among those in attendance on Friday, with the former administering the oath of office to Warsh. The court is due to rule on Trump’s attempt to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook.

It is unusual for the chief of the Fed — an independent non-partisan body that sets monetary policy according to a dual mandate on inflation and employment — to be sworn in at the White House. The last central bank chief to do so was Alan Greenspan in 1987, under President Ronald Reagan, whom Warsh cited as a role model in his speech.

At his Senate confirmation hearing, Warsh insisted that he would “absolutely not” be a puppet for Trump.

Balancing mandates

Warsh will take over a divided Fed facing high inflation — fueled by the energy price surge that resulted from Trump’s war on Iran —and a labour market showing signs of weakness.

The US central bank has a dual mandate to keep inflation to its long-term target of two per cent while also maintaining maximum employment.

US consumer inflation in April came in at 3.8pc, a three-year high, with American households battered by years of above-expected price increases since the pandemic.

At a Fed meeting last month, a majority of policymakers indicated that rate hikes may be necessary if inflation remains above the Fed’s long-term target. Warsh has argued that productivity gains from artificial intelligence-led innovation will allow the US economy to grow rapidly without adding to inflation.

“Kevin Warsh will not be able to deliver the rate cuts that the president wants,” said David Wessel, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “At some point, the president may grow impatient and will begin attacking Mr Warsh as he did Jerome Powell.”

Warsh takes over at “a time of disruption and rebalancing in the overall authority of the president,” said Columbia Law professor Kathryn Judge, whose research focuses on central banking.

Potentially adding to Warsh’s challenges will be the fact that Powell has chosen to remain on the board as a member — an unusual but not unprecedented move for an outgoing chair.

Powell cited threats to the Fed’s independence as the reason for his decision.

On Friday, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said he hoped Powell would soon “step aside” so Warsh could “have complete and easy control of the Fed”.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

The SPI showed a broad-based rise, indicating continued pressure on the cost of living. The increase was largely driven by sharp gains in key items, including petrol (62.24pc), diesel (60.90pc), electricity charges (43.30pc), wheat flour (59.45pc), and liquefied petroleum gas (50.73pc).

Food inflation remained elevated, with notable increases in the prices of onions, tomatoes, potatoes, mutton, beef and powdered milk. However, some relief was observed in pulses, sugar and eggs, which recorded relatively lower prices.

Energy-related costs continued to weigh on household budgets and push up transport expenses across the economy. The SPI recorded an increase for the 41st consecutive week. Although the pace of growth has slowed, it reflects sustained pressure on consumers.

Week-on-week, the index declined by 0.33pc, according to the PBS.

The items, whose prices increased the most over the previous week incl­uded tomatoes (7.17pc), onions (6.08pc), wheat flour (1.84pc), long cloth (0.97pc), georgette (0.95pc), potatoes (0.87pc), cooked daal (0.72pc), tea prepared (0.42pc), cooking oil 5-litre and curd (0.34pc) each, shirting (0.14pc) and lawn printed (0.06pc).

The items whose prices saw a decline week-on-week included chicken (8.58pc), electricity charges for Q1 (6.08pc), garlic (3.53pc), pulse moong (1.45pc), petrol and diesel (1.21pc) each, LPG (0.87pc), pulse gram (0.26pc), bananas (0.18pc), eggs (0.10pc) and pulse mash (0.01pc).

However, on an annual basis, the items whose prices increased the most onions (68.33pc), petrol (62.24pc), diesel (60.90pc), wheat flour (59.45pc), LPG (50.73pc), electricity charges for Q1 (43.30pc), tomatoes (34.58pc), mutton (15.86pc), chillies powder (15.20pc), garlic (13.39pc), beef (12.92pc) and bananas (10.55pc).

In contrast, the prices of potatoes dropped 42.08pc, followed by eggs (24.47pc), pulse gram (21.84pc), chicken (21.79pc), sugar (14.95pc), salt powder (13.26pc), pulse masoor (11.83pc) and pulse moong (4.21pc).

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

A PBF delegation led by Chief Organiser Ahmad Jawad met the minister to discuss budgetary proposals aimed at providing a level playing field for Pakistan’s cotton and agriculture sectors.

The minister was quoted as saying that the government considered agriculture and cotton as key pillars of the national economy and was fully aware of the challenges confronting growers and ginners. He assured the delegation that all practical and farmer-friendly proposals aimed at reviving domestic cotton production and reducing dependence on imports would receive serious consideration.

Mr Tanveer said sustainable agricultural growth remained one of the government’s top priorities and pledged continued facilitation for the revival of the cotton sector through effective policy measures.

Pakistan faces a $1.2bn bill as domestic output hits a four-decade low

Mr Jawad said the PBF had strongly recommended the abolition of General Sales Tax (GST) on locally produced cottonseed and oilcake in its budget proposals, describing it as a long-standing demand of growers and ginners.

He said the existing taxation disparity was increasing production costs at the farmer level and discouraging cotton cultivation.

He warned that Pakistan’s cotton economy faced an alarming crisis and required urgent policy intervention to restore farmers’ confidence and revive cultivation.

PBF Punjab Chairman Malik Talat Suhail said removing GST on cottonseed and oilcake could provide farmers with an additional benefit of at least Rs600 per maund while also boosting economic activity and enhancing revenue collection for the Federal Board of Revenue.

He said nearly half of cotton ginning factories across the country had already shut down due to declining domestic production, adding that cotton cultivation had dropped to its lowest level in four decades.

He warned that the country might need to import between 7 and 7.5 million bales of cotton this year as domestic production was expected to remain between 5 and 5.5m bales.

He estimated that the cotton import bill could reach $1-$1.2bn, putting further pressure on foreign exchange reserves.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

A spokesman for the Pakistan Airports Authority said on Friday that a total of 284 Haj flights were operated, through which 45,160 pilgrims departed for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This marks the highest number of Haj pilgrims facilitated through Islamabad International Airport to date.

Under the Government Haj Scheme and the Route-to-Makkah initiative, 142 flights transported 37,072 pilgrims, while another 142 flights under the Private Haj Scheme facilitated the departure of 8,088 pilgrims.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

The protests were organised on the call of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and under the directives of the party’s provincial leadership. Thousands of party workers, religious scholars, tribal elders, traders, youth, and people from different walks of life participated in rallies and public gatherings held in almost all districts of the province.

Speakers at the demonstrations strongly criticised the government over soaring inflation, worsening security conditions, unemployment, and administrative failures. They said people were struggling to secure basic necessities, jobs, and peace, while the rulers remained engaged in lavish spending and failed policies.

The JUI-F leaders stated that the movement was not merely political but aimed at protecting the rights of the public. They warned that the protests would continue until public grievances were addressed.

In Muslim Bagh, district Qila Saifullah, a massive rally led by JUI-F Balochistan chief Maulana Abdul Wasey drew thousands of participants and later turned into a large public gathering.

In Quetta, thousands also joined a major protest rally, chanting slogans against the government and demanding relief for the public.

In Sanjavi, district Ziarat, a large rally was led by JUI-F provincial spokesman Haji Dilawar Khan Kakar, while traders fully supported the protest movement.

Similar demonstrations were held in Qila Abdullah, Khuzdar, Kalat, Musa Khel, Chaman, Harnai, Zhob, and Sherani under the leadership of local and provincial party leaders. Large rallies and gatherings were also organised in Mastung, Noshki, Chagai, Dalbandin, Panjgur, Awaran, Lasbela, Hub, Dukki, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Sibi, Kohlu, Turbat, and Gwadar, where participants voiced serious concerns over inflation, insecurity, and governance issues.

Senior religious scholars actively led the protests, while participants pledged to continue the movement. JUI-F leaders also announced preparations for a major gathering in Pishin on June 4 during the visit of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, urging workers from across Balochistan to participate in large numbers.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

According to prison department officials, Balochistan chief minister had delegated disciplinary powers to Inspector General of Prisons retired Captain Abdul Saeed Naveed four months ago, enabling the department to initiate action against employees involved in misconduct and negligence.

The IG of Prisons subsequently heard more than 100 disciplinary cases involving jail employees across the province.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

He made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Qatar’s Taameer Group, led by its founder Mohammad Al Ali, the PMO said in a statement.

“Qatar is a longstanding friend of Pakistan that has always stood by the country in difficult times,” PM Shehbaz was quoted as saying.

“We are taking measures on a priority basis to increase foreign investment. Obstacles hindering investment have been removed under the Special Investment Faci­litation Council (SIFC),” he said.

The premier further said that Pakistan had vast potential for investment in tourism and hospitality, as well as the real estate and construction sectors.

He directed the authorities concerned to “provide facilitation and support to the group” on investment in the country.

The statement went on to say that the company’s founder briefed the meeting about its investments in Pakistan and ongoing projects.

“The group is interested in investing in Pakistan’s hospitality and hotel industry, as well as the real estate and construction sectors, and work on several projects in this regard has already begun,” the statement quoted him as saying.

It stated that he also expressed keen interest in further expanding the group’s investment in Pakistan.

“He lauded the steps being taken under the leadership of PM Shehbaz for the country’s development and for boosting business activity and foreign investment,” it said.

He said that under the prime minister’s leadership, “the government is taking positive measures” through the SIFC to facilitate investors in Pakistan, the statement concluded.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026

Expressing his satisfaction over the development, the chief minister reacted to a post shared on X by Adviser to the Women Development Department Dr Rubaba Khan Buledi.

Mr Bugti said that although the inauguration of the province’s first AI lab for women entrepreneurs may appear to be a small initiative, in reality it is a major step towards making women economically strong, independent and aligned with modern technology.

He said that in the first phase, training of 20 women entrepreneurs has already been launched and this programme would gradually be expanded to all districts of Balochistan so that more women could benefit from modern technology.

He said that terrorist elements were attempting to mislead women and turn them into suicide bombers, but the Balochistan government was committed to providing women and youth with opportunities for development, education, skills and employment to ensure a positive and secure future for them.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026