BEIJING: World No.1 Elena Rybakina could not regroup and fell to 118th-ranked Alina Charaeva in the second round of the China Open on Saturday in Beijing.

The 27-year-old from Kazakhstan was playing her first match since seizing the top ranking on her US Open win in New York, but Armenia’s Charaeva triumphed 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a clinical comeback.

“I don’t have words,” said Charaeva, who is making her Beijing debut. “This is incredible,” the 24-year-old said.

“She’s (an) amazing player, and for me it’s kind of just dream come true,” she said of Rybakina.

“I will be really happy to stay some more days in Beijing,” she added. “Never stop believing, I guess.”

Rybakina got off to a solid start, but seven double-faults ushered the momentum into the hands of her opponent.

Wind rattled the closed-roof stadium, with both players serving as thunderous claps echoed over the court.

A supportive crowd tried to rally Rybakina back into contention, but Charaeva held serve to win the match in two hours and 11 minutes.

Charaeva faces Briton Sonay Kartal in the third round.

ZVEREV CRUSHES SHANG

In the men’s draw on Saturday, big-serving Alexander Zverev trounced home hopeful Shang Juncheng 6-0, 6-3 to set up a quarter-final clash with Novak Djokovic.

The German top seed needed just 55 minutes to brush aside the Chinese wildcard, ranked 250th, firing nine aces along the way.

“Happy with the win,” the world’s second-ranked player said, adding that his 21-year-old opponent had been “dangerous” and had “nothing to lose”.

“Looking forward to the next couple of weeks,” he said ahead of his tie with Djokovic — who has never lost a match in Beijing — on Sunday.

Zverev’s cruise into the next round comes as he trains his sights on the number-one spot currently held by Jannik Sinner.

The Italian won in Beijing last year but is not there this time around, and said on Saturday that he would not play at next week’s Shanghai Masters either.

He did not give a reason for his latest withdrawal, but has not played since his Wimbledon title in July due to a right knee injury.

Also in the men’s draw, third seed Daniil Medvedev eased into the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.

Alex de Minaur, seeded fifth, and Andrey Rublev both needed three sets to advance and will play each other in the last eight.

‘STOP SHOUTING’

Earlier, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen rebuked rowdy fans at her home tournament before opponent Anna Kalinskaya retired with injury to give the Chinese player a 6-7(4/7), 6-4, 3-0 victory.

During a tight first-set tie-break, Zheng — a beloved figure in her home country — twice was heard telling spectators to “stop shouting” as she stepped up to serve.

Chants for Zheng rang through the wind-rattled stadium before most points, with fans occasionally yelling at each other to quieten down.

The umpire also stepped in to warn people to stop moving around in the stands during play.

After levelling in the second set, the world number 54 was handed a lifeline when Russia’s Kalinskaya retired three games down in the third due to injury.

Coco Gauff kept her composure to beat Camila Osorio 7-6(7/4), 4-6, 6-2, overcoming shaky serving to survive the second round.

The Colombian, ranked 66th, put up a formidable fight after double-fau­lting to lose a testy first-set tie-break, though she needed medicine to push through trouble with her back.

Osorio saved two match points but Gauff, the world number four, dug deep, rescuing long rallies with a solid backhand and cross-court saves.

She next faces Chinese teenager Sun Xinran, world number 582, who beat Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 6-4, 7-5.

Sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina and former champion Iga Swia­tek, seeded eighth, also went through on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Punjab Potohar took the lead in the 16th minute when Mehmood Ali found the net with a free-kick.

The goal, however, came against the run of play.

Sindh Indus’ quick movement repeatedly caused problems for Punjab Potohar, but they went into half-time trailing by a goal. The second half saw Sindh Indus take complete control as they equalised in the 62nd minute when Yaseen found the bottom corner.

Five minutes later, Indus completed the turnaround when Shahid put the ball into his own net, giving them a 2-1 lead. As Potohar struggled to regain composure, Indus produced a third goal in the 80th minute through Musa.

There was still a twist to come. Just a minute after Musa’s goal, Indus were reduced to ten men when Hanzala was shown a red card. Still, Indus defended their advantage to complete an impressive win.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Harappa and Islamabad Margalla shared the points as the game ended in a 2-2 stalemate.

Margalla took lead through Rameez in the seventh minute but Harappa responded five minutes later when Husnain equalised. Margalla restored their advantage in the 23rd minute through Shahzaib, before Harappa fought back once again, with Irfan Ali scoring in the 83rd minute.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

SEPANG: Four-time world cham­pion Max Verstappen continued his dominant form for Red Bull by claiming his first pole of the season on Saturday when he topped the times in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

The 29-year-old Dutchman, currently sixth in the world championship standings, clocked a best lap time of 1min 35.130sec in the final minute of a close session run in high temperatures at the Sepang International Circuit.

He outpaced seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari by 0.298 seconds.

Isack Hadjar was third for Red Bull, but will drop five places on the starting grid due to a penalty imposed for fitting new engine components beyond the permitted quota.

Next came standings leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari and world champion Lando Norris of McLaren.

Oscar Piastri was seventh in the second McLaren, ahead of George Russell of Mercedes, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi.

It will be the first time Verstappen has started at the front of the grid since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last season.

“It’s fantastic,” said a delighted Verstappen. “We’ve been trying for many Grands Prix to get a pole position and so to finally get it is pretty incredible. I’m happy with today and will try to win tomorrow.”

FIRST POLE OF SEASON

The Bahrain Grand Prix is being raced in Malaysia due to disruption in the Gulf linked to the US-led war with Iran.

The session began in sizzling humidity with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman leading out for Haas. Verstappen set the first run pace in 1:36.447 ahead of the two Ferraris, both running mediums while all their rivals used softs.

With track temperatures in the mid-50s on a low-grip, high-degradation circuit, drivers were trying to keep their tyres cool and by taking things slower on their Q2 preparatory laps.

The move earned Verstappen a black-and-white warning flag for driving “unnecessarily slowly”. All that changed once he put his foot down and clocked 1:35.696 to go top.

Antonelli exceeded track limits and had his first lap deleted, costing him a set of softs and requiring him to go out again for a timed lap.

Taking greater care, he was fast enough to go P2, two-tenths down.

Q3 began with Russell out first, but Verstappen scorched to the top again in 1:35.250 on his first run ahead of team-mate Hadjar and Hamilton.

Antonelli’s sole lap — on his single remaining set of softs — then lifted him to P3.

That left the rest with their final runs as Verstappen trimmed his time and Hamilton progressed to take P2 and join him on the front row in a dramatic final minute.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

The championship, carrying cash prizes worth Rs150,000, received more than 150 entries in various categories. Qualifying matches of different categories were held on the opening day.

Results (qualifying round):

Juniors U-18 singles: Rayyan Zubair bt Malik Sohail 8-1; Mohammad Umer bt Mohammad Hamza Essa Jee 8-0

Boys U-14: Mohammad Yasir bt Mohammad Aadam Shafi 4-0, 4-0; Mohammad Ayan Essa Jee bt Suleman Jan 4-1, 5-4; Mikael Asad bt Mohammad Musab Yameen 4-0, 4-0

Under 12: Aadam Shafi bt Musa Ghanchi 5-3, 4-1

Men’s singles: Saif Ali bt Fawaz Baig 8-2; Mustafa Abbasi bt Ahmer Ahsan 8-1

U-10 singles (qualifying): Ibrahim Godil bt Mahad Naveed 4-0, 4-1

U-10 singles (first round): Rayyan Jahangir bt Sara Sultan 4-1, 4-1; Ibrahim Zaman bt Mussa Ghanchi 4-1, 4-1.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

The two matches in Islamabad and Peshawar com­p­leted the fourth round, with Ghani Glass having beaten Markhor IT Solutions by an innings and 140 runs on Thursday and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) overcoming Oil and Gas Development Comp­any Limited (OGDCL) by four wickets on Friday.

SBP lead the eight-team standings with 72 points, followed by Ghani Glass on 66 and Kingsmen Academy on 56. OGDCL have 45 points, KRL 42 and PTV 36, while SNGPL and MIT Solutions are on 35 and 34, respectively.

KRL, PTV, SNGPL and MIT are yet to win a match in the tournament.

The fifth round begins on Tuesday, with matches scheduled in Abbottabad, Peshawar, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Matches originally scheduled at National Ground, Islamabad, have been shifted to Shoaib Akhtar Stadium in Rawalpindi for the final three rounds.

At Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar, PTV declared their second innings at 400 for seven after Mohammad Taha’s 166 helped them erase a 194-run deficit and establish a 206-run lead.

SNGPL, set 207 in the final two hours, finished on 86 for three as PTV were unable to force a victory despite taking three wickets.

Taha, who resumed on 142, faced 292 balls and hit 18 fours and a six. Sharoon Siraj added 67, while Haris Rauf’s unbeaten 35 off 16 balls gave the innings late impetus.

Earlier, SNGPL had posted 347 in their first innings, with Azan Awais making 167 and Omair Bin Yousuf scoring 82. PTV were dismissed for 153, with Abdul Subhan and Athar Mehmood claiming four wickets apiece.

At National Ground, Kingsmen Academy declared their second innings at 167 for three to set KRL 467 to win. KRL reached 236 for four in 76 overs before the match was drawn.

KRL captain Iftikhar Ahmed completed his 18th first-class century, remaining unbeaten on 104 from 109 balls with 11 fours and five sixes. Opener Shahzaib Khan provided support with a patient 74 from 206 balls. Kingsmen had earlier amassed 643 for eight declared, with Mohammad Suleman scoring 182 and Salman Ali Agha making 145. Mohammad Faiq had replied with 159 for KRL in their first innings.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Napoli midfielder De Bruyne, in his 127th match for the Belgians, scored the opening goal, playing a nice one-two with Dodi Lukebakio before a cool finish from the edge of the box.

While Belgium looked threatening without creating many clear-cut chances, Turkiye posed the greater attacking danger after De Bruyne’s opener.

But they had no reward for their efforts in the Belgian city of Liege.

Instead, De Bruyne claimed a second, curling a ball from the edge of the box past Turkiye goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir into the top corner.

“I try to lead by example for the younger players, and they follow easily,” said De Bruyne. “I feel I can still contribute. I am enjoying myself, and that is the main thing.”

A third came from Romelu Lukaku, Belgium’s record goalscorer, who had replaced Lukebakio.

A low cross from Charles De Ketelaere fell to Lukaku, who managed to skew the ball past Cakir from close range.

“Kevin De Bruyne always wants to play,” Belgium coach Mark van Bommel said.

“Italy, France, today. He is in a really good groove. He is radiating joy, and you can see that in the goals he is scoring.

“I am very pleased with the 3-0 win. We were sloppy in possession now and then and gave the opposition the feeling they could create chances.

“It went back and forth, and we were not controlled enough in those phases. We kept them in the match for a long time, though I never felt we were in danger of losing.”

It was a third defeat in as ma­ny games for Turkiye, while the result left Belgium one point adrift of Group A1 leaders France.

Zinedine Zidane’s French team took the lead through Mic­h­ael Olise in the 55th minute.

But Alessandro Bastoni equalised to deny Zidane victory in his first home game in the dugout for France.

A two-match winning run comes to an end, too, after Les Bleus conceded for the first time under the World Cup winner.

“It was tight, but I’m happy with the performance of my side and what I’ve seen,” insisted Zidane.

“Of course, it’s a slightly frustrating result because we perhaps deserved a little more, but still very happy with what we’ve put in place.”

Veteran striker Robert Lewa­n­dowski scored a hat-trick as Pol­and thrashed Romania 6-0 in Group 4 of League B, which also saw Bosnia-Herzegovina, with Ed­in Dzeko making his 152nd and final appearance for his cou­n­try, and Sweden battle to a 1-1 draw.

Ciaron Brown scored twice as Northern Ireland beat Ukraine 3-0 on neutral territory in Trnava, Slovakia, while Hungary beat Georgia 1-0 in the other Group 2 match.

Earlier in League C, Cyprus beat Armenia 2-0 at home in Group 2, while Montenegro managed a 2-1 win over Latvia in Riga.

In Group 3 action, Moldova pipped Kazakhstan 2-1 in Astana, while the Faroe Islands snagged a 1-1 home draw with Slovakia.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Marquez, on Ducati, overtook his rival at the first corner and finished 2.466 seconds faster than Martin, who was demoted one position to third due to a penalty for exceeding track limits in the final lap.

The same was true for Italian KTM rider Enea Bastianini, allowing Brazilian Honda rider Diogo Moreira to take second place for the segment.

“We did more modification for the spring race, and I feel much better on the bike,” Marquez said. “I was comfortable riding on the first position. A job done, now for tomorrow.”

In qualifying earlier in the day, Martin stormed to pole position for the Grand Prix on Sunday, joined by Marquez and Pedro Acosta for an all-Spanish front row at Motegi.

Martin, riding an Aprilia, made it back-to-back poles after going fastest in Austria two weeks ago in qualifying.

He ended up finishing second in the grand prix behind KTM’s Acosta.

Martin set a blistering lap record of 1:42.371 at the Motegi circuit.

After lukewarm performance in practice sessions, Martin said his team was finding form and getting used to the track.

“I didn’t expect to fight for the pole position... Maybe for the first row, but I was able to do a great lap, honestly,” he said. “I feel we have great potential. The pace is really good.”

Italian Marco Bezzecchi on Aprilia will start fourth, ahead of Ducati riders Alex Marquez of Spain and Fabio Di Giannantonio of Italy.

The third row will feature Bastianini, Raul Fernandez on Aprilia and Moreira.

Local hero Ai Ogura on Aprilia will start from the fourth row.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Carse, 31, is alleged to have breached Regulation 3.2, which states that no participant may behave in a manner that brings the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer into disrepute.

“The matter will now be referred to the independent Cricket Discipline Panel for adjudication,” the Cricket Regulator said in a statement. “As the process is ongoing, no further comment will be made.”

Carse was dropped from England’s test squad during the series against Pakistan in August after videos circulated on social media appearing to show the seamer in handcuffs while speaking with police officers outside a Derby nightclub.

He was briefly arrested and subsequently de-arrested, with no charges brought against him. The ECB said at the time that the Cricket Regulator would investigate whether Carse had breached its code of conduct.

Carse has not featured for England since the incident, although he has continued to play county cricket for Durham. He was also left out of England’s squad for the one-day tri-series in Pakistan later this month.

“We are aware of the Cricket Regulator’s decision to charge Brydon Carse,” an ECB spokesperson said.

“Brydon now has the opportunity to respond through the established process. As we do not wish to prejudge the outcome, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”

The latest development comes amid a period of heightened scrutiny around discipline and conduct in English cricket.

This summer, former captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were dropped for the second Test against New Zealand after breaching a team curfew, while Harry Brook was fined 30,000 pounds ($39,675) last winter following an altercation with a bouncer in Wellington.

Media reports also highlighted player drinking during a mid-Ashes break in Noosa.

Carse has also previously faced disciplinary issues. In 2024, the South African-born seamer received a three-month suspension for historic betting offences.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

The 24-year-old all-rounder will be available for the Scorchers’ first eight matches of WBBL 12, which begins on Oct 29.

Her stay could be extended if she receives permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board to miss a training camp ahead of the national side’s expected tour of the West Indies in December.

Fatima becomes only the second Pakistan player to feature in the WBBL, following former captain Nida Dar, who represented Sydney Thunder in 11 matches in the 2019 edition.

The signing marks Fatima’s WBBL debut and her second overseas T20 league appearance this year, having played for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred.

“I’ve watched the WBBL from Pakistan and always wondered what it would feel like to be part of this great competition,” Fatima said in a statement issued by the Scorchers.

“To now wear the Scorchers colours, represent such a great club and walk out at the WACA Ground in front of members and fans, while being cheered on by people back home, is incredibly special. This really is a dream come true.”

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

NAGOYA: India beat fierce rivals Pakistan by 19 runs on Saturday to win Asian Games cricket gold after a pulsating final in front of a small but raucous crowd in Nagoya, Japan.

World T20 champions India posted 211-6 in their 20 overs with Abhishek Sharma scoring 61 and Tilak Varma 51 not out, before Hasan Nawaz’s brilliant 96 saw Pakistan come up just short at 192-6.

The neighbouring countries only meet in international tournaments and on neutral ground because of political tensions.

The captains refused the normal handshakes before the match.

Afterwards, the jubilant India players paraded their national flag around the ground, which was originally for baseball.

“Obviously it was a lovely game of cricket,” said India’s Washington Sundar after helping his country retain their crown.

“It was very competitive throughout the game and we have ended up on the right side, which makes us happy, especially as it was a gold-medal game. It’s fabulous to actually win gold.”

The clash in Japan was new ground for these bitter enemies and their hundreds of millions of fans watching back home on TV.

India’s Sanju Samson said he had enjoyed playing in a country where cricket is a novelty to most.

“Overall it was a very good experience,” said the batsman. “It’s my first time in this part of Japan. It’s a very good country, the people are very nice.”

After India chose to bat, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi announced his intention with back-to-back sixes in a second over from Saad Masood that cost 24 runs.

But the 15-year-old batting sensation fell four balls later for 15.

His opening partner Abhishek reached his fifty off 20 balls to a massive ovation from fans that had brought a touch of South Asia cricket fever to the Far East and Korogi Park Athletic Stadium.

India were aided by some sloppy Pakistan fielding that saw Abhishek dropped twice.

He should also have been run out on 46 when bowler Ahmed Daniyal’s throw missed both stumps and wicket-keeper with Abhishek stranded.

After he went for 61, Ishan Kishan fell for 20 as the Pakistan bowlers began to regain control.

When captain Shreyas Iyer also departed soon after for 21, India had been pegged back to 133-5 in the 15th over.

But Tilak Varma hit four sixes and Shivam Dube (27) two more as the pair unleashed a late onslaught, putting on 62 in five overs for the sixth wicket as India soared past 200.

VALIANT HASAN

Pakistan’s previous best score in T20 Internationals batting second was 208-3 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele and they made a good start in search of their record chase.

Sahibzada Farhan (10) and Maaz Sadaqat put on 33 for the first wicket in 3.4 overs.

When Sadaqat went for 23 it seemed that they might fold easily.

Hasan had other ideas, and he began to pick up the pace and bounce of the pitch as he raced to a fifty off 28 balls with five sixes.

He was supported by Saim Ayub and their partnership grew to 87 before Dube struck.

He induced Saim into a false shot with Sundar gratefully grasping the chance running in from square leg to leave Pakistan 126-4 at the start of the 15th over.

Hasan ploughed on and Pakistan needed 52 off the last three overs when Sundar got Abdul Samad to hit to long-on.

At 168-5 with two overs left, India brought back Jasprit Bumrah and his over cost only 11 runs, leaving an improbable 33 off the final over, bowled by Dube.

Hasan reached 96 and fell off the last ball attempting one last big shot.

His brilliant knock came off 51 deliveries, with seven sixes and five fours.

Sri Lanka took the bronze medal after beating Bangladesh by 63 runs in the third-place playoff.

SCOREBOARD

Tabulated under (rank, country, gold, silver, bronze, total)

1 China 169 89 83 341

2 Japan 83 95 91 269

3 South Korea 39 43 68 150

4 India 21 27 37 85

5 Uzbekistan 21 25 24 70

6 Iran 19 18 15 52

7 Thailand 18 13 21 52

8 Kazakhstan 12 24 48 84 9 Hong Kong 11 19 24 54

10 Bahrain 11 5 6 22

11 Malaysia 9 7 16 32

12 North Korea 7 13 9 29

13 UAE 7 4 1 12

14 Chinese Taipei 5 17 33 55

15 Indonesia 5 11 23 39

16 Qatar 5 6 5 16

17 Philippines 4 9 16 29

18 Kuwait 4 1 4 9

19 Vietnam 3 3 19 25

20 Saudi Arabia 3 2 9 14

21 Singapore 2 9 7 18

22 Tajikistan 2 5 9 16

23 Jordan 2 3 6 11

24 Myanmar 2 1 2 5

25 Macao 1 4 1 6

26 Kyrgyzstan 1 3 10 14

27 Mongolia 1 1 13 15

28 Sri Lanka 1 1 1 3

29 Pakistan 0 2 8 10

30 Iraq 0 2 3 5

31 Turkmenistan 0 2 0 2

32 Afghanistan 0 1 2 3

32 Lebanon 0 1 2 3

34 Oman 0 1 1 2

35 Cambodia 0 0 4 4

36 Nepal 0 0 2 2

37 Bangladesh 0 0 1 1

37 Brunei 0 0 1 1

37 Laos 0 0 1 1

37 Syria 0 0 1 1

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Playing for the Titans against the Knights in the South African CSA Challenge, the 20-year-old left hander opened the batting and hit 13 sixes and 14 fours in his innings to surpass Gayle’s 175 for Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League in 2013.

Pretorius reached 50 in 24 balls, needed 16 more to get to his century and took another 18 to hit 150.

Gayle scored his 175 off 66 balls striking 17 sixes and 13 fours.

The 20-year-old has represented South Africa in all three international formats. He was making his first Titans appearance of the season after scoring 226 total runs, tied for most with Dewald Brevis, in a three-nation series in Namibia in September.

On Friday, he dominated the strike, facing the equivalent of more than 13 overs to tie Australians Aaron Finch and Marcus Stoinis for the most balls faced in a T20 innings.

The second-highest scorer was Sinethemba Qeshile with 14 as the Titans finished on 267-3.

They then bowled out the Knights for 143 to win by 124 runs. The Titans total was the second-highest in the competition’s history, behind their 271 against the Kings in 2022. In that match, Brevis hit 162, until Friday a competition record. This time he made seven.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

TOYOTA CITY: South Korea won men’s football gold at the Asian Games on Saturday beating hosts Japan 1-0 in the final to lift the gloom after a disastrous World Cup and series of damaging controversies.

Tom Kim added another gold to South Korea’s tally as he clinched the men’s golf crown — and will avoid military service.

In the Toyota Stadium, Swansea City’s Eom Ji-sung rifled in on the hour to give the Koreans their fourth straight title in front of 30,000 fans.

Japan were looking to win gold for the first time since 2010 and were coached by Go Oiwa, who will take over the senior national team after next year’s Asian Cup.

The Asian Games are contested between U-23 squads with three overage players.

“This goal was in all our hearts,” the 24-year-old match-winner Eom said of the players’ determination to win the title again.

“We had to do a lot of defending tonight, but we always knew there would be one chance for us, and with the right timing and right service, it was me.”

South Korea endured a miserable World Cup in Nor­th America this year, going out in the group stage after a shock loss to South Africa.

Coach Hong Myung-bo quit but his departure did little to quell public outrage over the disappointing campaign and added fuel to pre-existing questions about how he was hired.

Police raided Korean FA headquarters in August as part of an investigation into Hong’s 2024 appointment.

The KFA also apologised for allegations that it provided sexual entertainment for foreign referees.

MORE THAN GOLD FOR KIM

Kim shot a sparkling final-round six-under 64 to win golf gold.

He let out a roar of “Come on!” as he tapped in for par at the last and celebrated a three-stroke victory after a superb round containing five birdies and an eagle.

He was mobbed by his team-mates as they draped him in the South Korean flag and doused him in water.

“It’s a crazy feeling,” said the world number 32, who dashed across 14 time zones to play in the Asian Games after the Presidents Cup. “I’m just glad it’s over. This day was the longest day I thi­nk I’ve ever had in my life.”

Kim knew there was more at stake than just a gold medal.

Able-bodied South Kor­ean men are usually requi­r­ed to perform between 18 months and two years of military service before the age of 28.

But the Seoul government rewards Asian Games gold medals and Olympic medals of any colour with an exemption, meaning they will carry out just four weeks of light basic training instead.

It enables the 24-year-old Kim to keep his blossoming career on track, having already claimed an Asian Tour order of merit crown and four PGA Tour titles.

‘GLAD TO BE ALIVE’

Coleman Wong was eage­rly checking his phone for a message from Rafael Nadal after the Hong Kong player won tennis gold, and with it a place at the Olympics.

Wong beat China’s Wu Yibing 6-2, 6-4 in the men’s singles final.

Now 22, Wong trained as a youngster at the Rafa Nadal Academy, and the Spanish great keeps abreast of how Wong is progressing.

Asked whether he had he­a­rd from Nadal following his golden triumph, Wong said: “I haven’t checked my messages. I don’t know. Let’s see.”

Hong Kong’s men’s rugby sevens team romped to a third consecutive gold with a dominant display in a 26-0 victory over China.

Japan cycling queen Yumi Kajihara broke down after her latest gold as she dedicated victory to her brother who died of cancer this year, saying: “He’s here with me.”

Kajihara claimed her third consecutive omnium gold and dissolved into tears as she talked about how her younger brother Hyogo had helped her cope with some dark moments.

“It made me realise I needed to be grateful simply to be alive,” she said.

Japan’s Kae Tokumoto and Saki Tsukamoto won padel’s first gold medal on the racket sport’s Games debut, beating an Indonesian duo for the women’s pairs gold.

Iran’s proud taekwondo record was burnished by towering Olympic champion Arian Salimi, who bested Uzbek Marat Mavlonov for the +80kg gold, three years after taking silver at Hangzhou.

“I love pain, I love fighting and I love my life,” said the tough 22-year-old.

Anti-doping testers said two more athletes had failed drug tests, dealing provisional suspensions to Tajik tennis player Issamjon Sharifov and Kazakh middle-distance runner Aiana Bolatbekkyzy.

In a huge programme of 469 gold medals, the final two will be contested on Sunday in the equestrian in Tokyo before the Games end with a closing ceremony at Nagoya’s Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium.

China will top the table easily once again. They had 169 golds among 341 medals at the end of the day’s competition, with second-placed Japan on 83 golds.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

KAKAMIGAHARA: Pakistan’s hockey team produced a brilliant come-from-behind victory to claim bronze at the Asian Games, beating South Korea 5-3 at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium on Saturday, while the volleyball team ended a 64-year wait for a medal.

The medal in hockey arrived a day after heartbreak against bitter rivals India, who edged Pakistan 4-3 in a dramatic semi-final.

Pakistan could not have started the bronze playoff better.

Penalty corner specialist Sufyan Khan gave them the lead inside four minutes, converting from a set piece to make it 1-0.

The lead did not last, though — Shakeel Moin picked up a yellow card in the seventh minute, and with Pakistan a man short, South Korea levelled through Gangsan Lee in the 12th minute.

Korea then took control, with Yongbok Kim putting them ahead in the 18th minute before Jihun Yang doubled their advantage to make it 3-1 in the 25th.

Pakistan pulled one back right on the stroke of half-time, Abdul Rehman converting a penalty corner to make it 3-2 and keep the contest alive.

South Korea threatened to pull clear again early in the third quarter — Yang had an effort saved, and Lee spurned a clear chance — while at the other end Pakistan pushed for an equaliser without reward.

Abu Mahmood saw a penalty-corner effort saved, Mohammad Ammad had a shot stopped by Korean goalkeeper Jaehyeon Kim, and Pakistan were unable to convert two further penalty corners before the quarter ended with them still trailing 3-2.

Korea looked to be closing the match out early in the fourth quarter, with Yang twice going close from penalty corners, but Pakistan refused to fold.

Rana Waheed levelled the match at 3-3 with a field goal in the 52nd minute, and with under seven minutes left on the clock, struck again from a penalty corner to put Pakistan ahead for the first time since the opening quarter.

Hannan Shahid added gloss to the win with a further goal in the 59th minute, sealing a 5-3 victory and the bronze medal.

The result marks a notable recovery for a team that last won Asian Games hockey gold in 2010 and silver in 2014, giving Pakistan something to build on after Friday’s narrow semi-final defeat to India.

BRONZE AT LAST

Earlier, Pakistan’s volleyball team capped their impressive Asian Games run with a bronze medal at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Gymnasium, beating China 3-0 to end a 64-year wait for a medal in the sport — their first since claiming bronze at the 1962 Jakarta Games, behind Japan and India.

The medal came a day after Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the gold-medal match were ended by Iran, the three-time defending champions, who beat them 3-0 in the semi-final. Iran will face host nation Japan in the gold-medal match.

Pakistan, needing to beat China to secure the bronze, did so in straight sets: 25-18, 25-16, 25-18.

Opposite hitter Murad Khan led the way with 18 points. Outside hitters Afaq Khan and Ali Usman Faryad added 14 apiece, with Musawer Khan contributing eight; Mohammad Hamad and Hamid Yazman also added three.

The result marks the finest Asian Games showing in Pakistani men’s volleyball history outside of that 1962 bronze, and comes on the back of a strong campaign that also included wins over Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and India before the semi-final defeat to Iran.

There was no such joy in taekwondo or wrestling.

Hamzah Omar Saeed lost his men’s +80kg taekwondo round-of-16 bout 2-0 to Jack Mercer of Thailand at the Toyohashi Gymnasium.

In wrestling, Inayat Ullah went down to Kazakhstan’s Nurkozha Kaipanov 12-2 by technical superiority in the men’s freestyle 74kg match at the Nagoya City Inae Sports Centre, while Mohammad Gulzar suffered the same fate against Iran’s Amirali Azarpira, losing 10-0 in the men’s freestyle 97kg bout.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

BEIJING: World No.1 Elena Rybakina could not regroup and fell to 118th-ranked Alina Charaeva in the second round of the China Open on Saturday in Beijing.

The 27-year-old from Kazakhstan was playing her first match since seizing the top ranking on her US Open win in New York, but Armenia’s Charaeva triumphed 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a clinical comeback.

“I don’t have words,” said Charaeva, who is making her Beijing debut. “This is incredible,” the 24-year-old said.

“She’s (an) amazing player, and for me it’s kind of just dream come true,” she said of Rybakina.

“I will be really happy to stay some more days in Beijing,” she added. “Never stop believing, I guess.”

Rybakina got off to a solid start, but seven double-faults ushered the momentum into the hands of her opponent.

Wind rattled the closed-roof stadium, with both players serving as thunderous claps echoed over the court.

A supportive crowd tried to rally Rybakina back into contention, but Charaeva held serve to win the match in two hours and 11 minutes.

Charaeva faces Briton Sonay Kartal in the third round.

ZVEREV CRUSHES SHANG

In the men’s draw on Saturday, big-serving Alexander Zverev trounced home hopeful Shang Juncheng 6-0, 6-3 to set up a quarter-final clash with Novak Djokovic.

The German top seed needed just 55 minutes to brush aside the Chinese wildcard, ranked 250th, firing nine aces along the way.

“Happy with the win,” the world’s second-ranked player said, adding that his 21-year-old opponent had been “dangerous” and had “nothing to lose”.

“Looking forward to the next couple of weeks,” he said ahead of his tie with Djokovic — who has never lost a match in Beijing — on Sunday.

Zverev’s cruise into the next round comes as he trains his sights on the number-one spot currently held by Jannik Sinner.

The Italian won in Beijing last year but is not there this time around, and said on Saturday that he would not play at next week’s Shanghai Masters either.

He did not give a reason for his latest withdrawal, but has not played since his Wimbledon title in July due to a right knee injury.

Also in the men’s draw, third seed Daniil Medvedev eased into the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.

Alex de Minaur, seeded fifth, and Andrey Rublev both needed three sets to advance and will play each other in the last eight.

‘STOP SHOUTING’

Earlier, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen rebuked rowdy fans at her home tournament before opponent Anna Kalinskaya retired with injury to give the Chinese player a 6-7(4/7), 6-4, 3-0 victory.

During a tight first-set tie-break, Zheng — a beloved figure in her home country — twice was heard telling spectators to “stop shouting” as she stepped up to serve.

Chants for Zheng rang through the wind-rattled stadium before most points, with fans occasionally yelling at each other to quieten down.

The umpire also stepped in to warn people to stop moving around in the stands during play.

After levelling in the second set, the world number 54 was handed a lifeline when Russia’s Kalinskaya retired three games down in the third due to injury.

Coco Gauff kept her composure to beat Camila Osorio 7-6(7/4), 4-6, 6-2, overcoming shaky serving to survive the second round.

The Colombian, ranked 66th, put up a formidable fight after double-fau­lting to lose a testy first-set tie-break, though she needed medicine to push through trouble with her back.

Osorio saved two match points but Gauff, the world number four, dug deep, rescuing long rallies with a solid backhand and cross-court saves.

She next faces Chinese teenager Sun Xinran, world number 582, who beat Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 6-4, 7-5.

Sixth-seeded Elina Svitolina and former champion Iga Swia­tek, seeded eighth, also went through on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

The 29-year-old Dutchman, currently sixth in the world championship standings, clocked a best lap time of 1min 35.130sec in the final minute of a close session run in high temperatures at the Sepang International Circuit.

He outpaced seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari by 0.298 seconds.

Isack Hadjar was third for Red Bull, but will drop five places on the starting grid due to a penalty imposed for fitting new engine components beyond the permitted quota.

Next came standings leader Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari and world champion Lando Norris of McLaren.

Oscar Piastri was seventh in the second McLaren, ahead of George Russell of Mercedes, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi.

It will be the first time Verstappen has started at the front of the grid since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last season.

“It’s fantastic,” said a delighted Verstappen. “We’ve been trying for many Grands Prix to get a pole position and so to finally get it is pretty incredible. I’m happy with today and will try to win tomorrow.”

FIRST POLE OF SEASON

The Bahrain Grand Prix is being raced in Malaysia due to disruption in the Gulf linked to the US-led war with Iran.

The session began in sizzling humidity with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman leading out for Haas. Verstappen set the first run pace in 1:36.447 ahead of the two Ferraris, both running mediums while all their rivals used softs.

With track temperatures in the mid-50s on a low-grip, high-degradation circuit, drivers were trying to keep their tyres cool and by taking things slower on their Q2 preparatory laps.

The move earned Verstappen a black-and-white warning flag for driving “unnecessarily slowly”. All that changed once he put his foot down and clocked 1:35.696 to go top.

Antonelli exceeded track limits and had his first lap deleted, costing him a set of softs and requiring him to go out again for a timed lap.

Taking greater care, he was fast enough to go P2, two-tenths down.

Q3 began with Russell out first, but Verstappen scorched to the top again in 1:35.250 on his first run ahead of team-mate Hadjar and Hamilton.

Antonelli’s sole lap — on his single remaining set of softs — then lifted him to P3.

That left the rest with their final runs as Verstappen trimmed his time and Hamilton progressed to take P2 and join him on the front row in a dramatic final minute.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Punjab Potohar took the lead in the 16th minute when Mehmood Ali found the net with a free-kick.

The goal, however, came against the run of play.

Sindh Indus’ quick movement repeatedly caused problems for Punjab Potohar, but they went into half-time trailing by a goal. The second half saw Sindh Indus take complete control as they equalised in the 62nd minute when Yaseen found the bottom corner.

Five minutes later, Indus completed the turnaround when Shahid put the ball into his own net, giving them a 2-1 lead. As Potohar struggled to regain composure, Indus produced a third goal in the 80th minute through Musa.

There was still a twist to come. Just a minute after Musa’s goal, Indus were reduced to ten men when Hanzala was shown a red card. Still, Indus defended their advantage to complete an impressive win.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Harappa and Islamabad Margalla shared the points as the game ended in a 2-2 stalemate.

Margalla took lead through Rameez in the seventh minute but Harappa responded five minutes later when Husnain equalised. Margalla restored their advantage in the 23rd minute through Shahzaib, before Harappa fought back once again, with Irfan Ali scoring in the 83rd minute.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

The championship, carrying cash prizes worth Rs150,000, received more than 150 entries in various categories. Qualifying matches of different categories were held on the opening day.

Results (qualifying round):

Juniors U-18 singles: Rayyan Zubair bt Malik Sohail 8-1; Mohammad Umer bt Mohammad Hamza Essa Jee 8-0

Boys U-14: Mohammad Yasir bt Mohammad Aadam Shafi 4-0, 4-0; Mohammad Ayan Essa Jee bt Suleman Jan 4-1, 5-4; Mikael Asad bt Mohammad Musab Yameen 4-0, 4-0

Under 12: Aadam Shafi bt Musa Ghanchi 5-3, 4-1

Men’s singles: Saif Ali bt Fawaz Baig 8-2; Mustafa Abbasi bt Ahmer Ahsan 8-1

U-10 singles (qualifying): Ibrahim Godil bt Mahad Naveed 4-0, 4-1

U-10 singles (first round): Rayyan Jahangir bt Sara Sultan 4-1, 4-1; Ibrahim Zaman bt Mussa Ghanchi 4-1, 4-1.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Napoli midfielder De Bruyne, in his 127th match for the Belgians, scored the opening goal, playing a nice one-two with Dodi Lukebakio before a cool finish from the edge of the box.

While Belgium looked threatening without creating many clear-cut chances, Turkiye posed the greater attacking danger after De Bruyne’s opener.

But they had no reward for their efforts in the Belgian city of Liege.

Instead, De Bruyne claimed a second, curling a ball from the edge of the box past Turkiye goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir into the top corner.

“I try to lead by example for the younger players, and they follow easily,” said De Bruyne. “I feel I can still contribute. I am enjoying myself, and that is the main thing.”

A third came from Romelu Lukaku, Belgium’s record goalscorer, who had replaced Lukebakio.

A low cross from Charles De Ketelaere fell to Lukaku, who managed to skew the ball past Cakir from close range.

“Kevin De Bruyne always wants to play,” Belgium coach Mark van Bommel said.

“Italy, France, today. He is in a really good groove. He is radiating joy, and you can see that in the goals he is scoring.

“I am very pleased with the 3-0 win. We were sloppy in possession now and then and gave the opposition the feeling they could create chances.

“It went back and forth, and we were not controlled enough in those phases. We kept them in the match for a long time, though I never felt we were in danger of losing.”

It was a third defeat in as ma­ny games for Turkiye, while the result left Belgium one point adrift of Group A1 leaders France.

Zinedine Zidane’s French team took the lead through Mic­h­ael Olise in the 55th minute.

But Alessandro Bastoni equalised to deny Zidane victory in his first home game in the dugout for France.

A two-match winning run comes to an end, too, after Les Bleus conceded for the first time under the World Cup winner.

“It was tight, but I’m happy with the performance of my side and what I’ve seen,” insisted Zidane.

“Of course, it’s a slightly frustrating result because we perhaps deserved a little more, but still very happy with what we’ve put in place.”

Veteran striker Robert Lewa­n­dowski scored a hat-trick as Pol­and thrashed Romania 6-0 in Group 4 of League B, which also saw Bosnia-Herzegovina, with Ed­in Dzeko making his 152nd and final appearance for his cou­n­try, and Sweden battle to a 1-1 draw.

Ciaron Brown scored twice as Northern Ireland beat Ukraine 3-0 on neutral territory in Trnava, Slovakia, while Hungary beat Georgia 1-0 in the other Group 2 match.

Earlier in League C, Cyprus beat Armenia 2-0 at home in Group 2, while Montenegro managed a 2-1 win over Latvia in Riga.

In Group 3 action, Moldova pipped Kazakhstan 2-1 in Astana, while the Faroe Islands snagged a 1-1 home draw with Slovakia.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

The two matches in Islamabad and Peshawar com­p­leted the fourth round, with Ghani Glass having beaten Markhor IT Solutions by an innings and 140 runs on Thursday and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) overcoming Oil and Gas Development Comp­any Limited (OGDCL) by four wickets on Friday.

SBP lead the eight-team standings with 72 points, followed by Ghani Glass on 66 and Kingsmen Academy on 56. OGDCL have 45 points, KRL 42 and PTV 36, while SNGPL and MIT Solutions are on 35 and 34, respectively.

KRL, PTV, SNGPL and MIT are yet to win a match in the tournament.

The fifth round begins on Tuesday, with matches scheduled in Abbottabad, Peshawar, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Matches originally scheduled at National Ground, Islamabad, have been shifted to Shoaib Akhtar Stadium in Rawalpindi for the final three rounds.

At Imran Khan Stadium in Peshawar, PTV declared their second innings at 400 for seven after Mohammad Taha’s 166 helped them erase a 194-run deficit and establish a 206-run lead.

SNGPL, set 207 in the final two hours, finished on 86 for three as PTV were unable to force a victory despite taking three wickets.

Taha, who resumed on 142, faced 292 balls and hit 18 fours and a six. Sharoon Siraj added 67, while Haris Rauf’s unbeaten 35 off 16 balls gave the innings late impetus.

Earlier, SNGPL had posted 347 in their first innings, with Azan Awais making 167 and Omair Bin Yousuf scoring 82. PTV were dismissed for 153, with Abdul Subhan and Athar Mehmood claiming four wickets apiece.

At National Ground, Kingsmen Academy declared their second innings at 167 for three to set KRL 467 to win. KRL reached 236 for four in 76 overs before the match was drawn.

KRL captain Iftikhar Ahmed completed his 18th first-class century, remaining unbeaten on 104 from 109 balls with 11 fours and five sixes. Opener Shahzaib Khan provided support with a patient 74 from 206 balls. Kingsmen had earlier amassed 643 for eight declared, with Mohammad Suleman scoring 182 and Salman Ali Agha making 145. Mohammad Faiq had replied with 159 for KRL in their first innings.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Marquez, on Ducati, overtook his rival at the first corner and finished 2.466 seconds faster than Martin, who was demoted one position to third due to a penalty for exceeding track limits in the final lap.

The same was true for Italian KTM rider Enea Bastianini, allowing Brazilian Honda rider Diogo Moreira to take second place for the segment.

“We did more modification for the spring race, and I feel much better on the bike,” Marquez said. “I was comfortable riding on the first position. A job done, now for tomorrow.”

In qualifying earlier in the day, Martin stormed to pole position for the Grand Prix on Sunday, joined by Marquez and Pedro Acosta for an all-Spanish front row at Motegi.

Martin, riding an Aprilia, made it back-to-back poles after going fastest in Austria two weeks ago in qualifying.

He ended up finishing second in the grand prix behind KTM’s Acosta.

Martin set a blistering lap record of 1:42.371 at the Motegi circuit.

After lukewarm performance in practice sessions, Martin said his team was finding form and getting used to the track.

“I didn’t expect to fight for the pole position... Maybe for the first row, but I was able to do a great lap, honestly,” he said. “I feel we have great potential. The pace is really good.”

Italian Marco Bezzecchi on Aprilia will start fourth, ahead of Ducati riders Alex Marquez of Spain and Fabio Di Giannantonio of Italy.

The third row will feature Bastianini, Raul Fernandez on Aprilia and Moreira.

Local hero Ai Ogura on Aprilia will start from the fourth row.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

According to Arif Habib Ltd (AHL), the benchmark KSE-100 index closed at 168,155 points, down 2,610 points, or 1.5 per cent week-on-week. Geopolitical uncertainty and tensions involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis weighed on hopes of progress in peace talks between the US and Iran.

Oil prices touched $105.3 per barrel during the week as supply-chain concerns and China’s suspension of oil-product exports outweighed improving Gulf crude flows. Brent crude later eased to $99.5 per barrel.

For September, the KSE-100 declined 7,006 points, or 3.96pc, according to Topline Securities Ltd. The brokerage attributed the monthly decline to escalating geopolitical tensions, concerns over disruption to oil supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and crude prices rising above $100 per barrel at times.

Index falls 1.5pc in outgoing week as elevated oil prices and economic uncertainty hit sentiment

Market participation weakened during the week. The average daily traded volume fell 21.7pc to 525 million shares, while average traded value dipped 16.6pc to $67.3m. On the macroeconomic front, consumer price inflation eased to 10.26pc year-on-year in September from 11.1pc in August, mainly due to lower food-price pressures. However, inflation remained substantially above the 5.76pc recorded in September 2025.

The trade deficit widened 6pc year-on-year to $3.6 billion in September, according to AKD Securities. Meanwhile, the IMF mission formally began policy discussions in Islamabad for the fourth review of the $7bn Extended Fund Facility and the third review of the $1.4bn Resilience and Sustainability Facility. The reviews are linked to combined disbursements of $1.2bn under these two programmes.

The Federal Board of Revenue collected Rs3.1 trillion during the first quarter of 2026-27. In September alone, tax collection rose 9pc year-on-year to Rs1,344bn, marginally exceeding the monthly target of Rs1,343bn.

In the latest Treasury bill auction, the government raised Rs880bn, with yields increasing across all tenors by 49-75 basis points. The three-month tenor accounted for Rs480bn. AKD Securities reported that cut-off yields rose by 61, 75 and 45 basis points for three-, six- and 12-month papers, respectively.

The country’s liquid foreign exchange reserves stood at $26.77bn as of Sept 25, down $39.7m. However, the State Bank of Pakistan’s forex holdings increased by $38.9m to $21.4bn, equivalent to 3.04 months of import cover. The rupee appreciated marginally by 0.03pc against the dollar, closing at Rs277.07.

Crude oil and petroleum imports rose 21pc year-on-year in August, driven by a 55pc increase in crude imports. Local crude production increased 7pc, taking the share of imported crude in the overall mix to 82pc from 75pc.

Refinery upliftment rose 32pc year-on-year to 1.084 million tonnes in September and increased 12.5pc month-on-month, supported by higher sales of petrol, high-speed diesel and furnace oil. Oil marketing companies’ sales, however, fell 2pc year-on-year to 1.35m tonnes amid higher fuel prices, although they increased 7pc month-on-month.

Among sectors, banks, cement, exploration and production, power and technology companies were the biggest negative contributors to the index, taking away 584, 412, 304, 180 and 174 points, respectively. Refinery, leather and tanneries, vanaspati and allied, textile and weaving, and synthetic and rayon sectors made modest positive contributions.

At the individual stock level, Pakistan Petroleum Ltd, United Bank Ltd, Pakistan Services Ltd, Systems Ltd and Hub Power Company were among the major negative contributors. Attock Refinery Ltd, Pakistan Oilfields Ltd, TRG Pakistan Ltd, Service Industries Ltd and Meezan Bank Ltd contributed positively.

AHL said the market’s direction would remain contingent on geopolitical developments and progress in talks between the government and the IMF.

AKD Securities noted that stronger economic indicators and the IMF review could influence market sentiment, while easing geopolitical tensions could reduce international oil prices.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

The approval allows a written reference under Section 41B of the SECP Act, 1997, enabling the FIA to initiate formal proceedings over alleged unauthorised transfers and pledging of clients’ shares.

The SECP said the names of Sikandar Esmail Ahmed, director and CEO; Shakeela Sikandar, director; and Arshad Iqbal, advocate and liquidator, had been forwarded to the FIA as accused in the matter.

The SECP initiated an inquiry in March 2010 following complaints about unauthorised dealings in clients’ securities. The inquiry, completed in October 2013, found that clients’ shares had been transferred and pledged without consent to obtain financing and meet exposure margins.

It said the funds were used to benefit selected clients at the expense of others. A total of 176.2 million shares, including clients’ holdings, were pledged between July 2007 and March 2010.

Banks and the stock exchange subsequently exercised pledge calls, resulting in the sale of pledged shares following default.

The inquiry report also recorded that the brokerage’s directors and liquidator failed to provide the required records, leaving the committee to rely on information obtained from the Central Depository Company, Pakistan Stock Exchange and banks.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Data released by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) showed total arrivals reaching 3.208 million bales as of Sept 30, reflecting a slim 5.39 per cent increase from the same period last year. The marginal gain marks a dramatic downturn from just a month ago, when favourable weather had pushed output 27pc ahead of last year’s pace and raised hopes for a 10 to 15pc overall harvest increase.

According to Cotton Ginners Forum Chairman Ihsanul Haq, unusually high temperatures in recent weeks caused cotton bolls to open prematurely. This initially suggested higher yields per acre, but production later plummeted.

During the Sept 16-30 fortnight, arrival figures fell short of expectations, reaching 820,000 bales compared to projected estimates of 1.1m bales.

Regionally, Punjab received 1.214m bales (up 6.91pc) while Sindh recorded 1.993m bales (up 4.48pc).

Sajid Mahmood of the Central Cotton Research Institute warns that the output dip, compounded by emerging threats of pink bollworm infestation and rising lint contamination complaints, could push domestic raw cotton prices higher and boost reliance on imports.

However, the sector expects a reduction in undocumented trading — which previously accounted for 1.5 to 2m bales annually — due to strict digital invoicing enforcement by the FBR.

The domestic deceleration mirrors broader global trends, with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) trimming its global production forecast for the 2026-27 crop year to 25.94 million tonnes, down 3.8pc from 26.98mt in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, a major discrepancy persists between provincial reporting bodies, says Mr Haq. PCGA estimates Punjab’s output at 1.215m bales, whereas the Punjab Crop Reporting Service reports 2.492m bales — a variance of nearly 100pc.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

However, in 9M2026, urea sales inched up by a meagre 5pc to 4.4m tonnes.

The MoM decline is primarily attributable to seasonal factors. Meanwhile, the YoY increase is largely due to a low base effect, supported by improved crop activity, which has boosted urea demand, Myesha Sohail of Topline Securities said.

Industry urea inventory fell to a 9-month low, at 0.65m tonnes in September, down from 0.75m tonnes in August.

Company-wise, Engro Fertilisers holds the highest inventory at 519,000 tonnes, followed by Fauji Fertiliser Company (FFC) at 88,000 tonnes and Fatima Group at 29,000 tonnes.

She said total DAP sales plunged 39pc year-on-year and 50pc month-on-month to 59,000 in September, taking 9M2026 sales to 756,000 tonnes, down 5pc YoY.

DAP closing inventory was around 259,000 tonnes in September.

Going forward, she said urea sales were likely to grow modestly amid improved crop prices.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Consumer Price Index-based inflation of 10.3 per cent in September clearly indicates that industry, businesses, and the general public will bear the brunt of these cost-push inflationary pressures.

Experts believe the central bank will not lower interest rates to stimulate economic activity. Instead, it will maintain a tight monetary stance to support ‘sustainable’ growth.

For the past four years, the government and the SBP have been satisfied with low but sustainable growth of around 3 to 3.7 per cent—a level that creates no jobs and does not address the severe problem of 44 per cent of Pakistanis living in poverty.

“There is no domestic or foreign investment, and existing industries are struggling to survive. The situation would not change unless a comprehensive economic policy is introduced to support domestic investment, which is being undermined by inflated energy prices and overall double-digit inflation,” said Amir Aziz, a manufacturer and exporter of textile made-ups.

“Inflation is only one factor. Bangladesh is in a much better position, as energy costs about 7 to 8 cents per unit, compared with 14 to 16 cents in Pakistan. This gives Bangladesh an advantage over Pakistani products,” said Mr Mohammad Hasham, who recently returned home after serving the Bangladesh textile industry for 25 years as the head of some of its largest textile units.

He said double-digit inflation is killing both the industry and investors, and economic activity is slowing, causing pain for the general public.

Tresmark Chief Executive Faisal Mamsa said that Pakistan’s authorities reportedly expect inflation to average around 7.5pc if oil returns towards $80, and around 8.2pc if it remains near $100 per barrel.

“They also expect inflation to moderate after December and argue that the current 11.5pc policy rate remains appropriate,” he said.

However, many experts disagree that the SBP policy rate will remain unchanged at 11.5pc despite double-digit inflation.

At the same time, the government raised cut-off yields by up to 75 basis points, with the highest at 12.49pc for the one-year tenor at Wednesday’s T-bill auction. The hike in returns on risk-free government papers reflected a possible rise in the SBP policy rate at the next Monetary Policy Committee meeting on Oct 26.

Mr Mamsa said the stable rupee helps contain imported inflation. Higher domestic fuel prices allow demand and imports to adjust.

“The IMF, meanwhile, continues to emphasise a more market-based exchange rate. The authorities are reluctant to reopen the imported inflation Pandora’s Box,” he said, adding that a market-based exchange rate parity does not automatically mean a weaker rupee.

“If remittances remain strong, reserves continue improving, the current account stays manageable, and the dollar demand remains contained, price discovery can still produce a stable currency,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Headline inflation measures how quickly the overall price basket is changing. It does not show how far the general price level has already risen. The official measure is based on prices collected from different markets and cities and combined into urban, rural and national indices. Therefore, a national average may not correspond to the retail price paid by an individual consumer in a particular market.

Lower inflation does not mean prices have returned to previous levels. It simply means that they are rising more slowly on average. Consumers continue to bear the cumulative impact of price increases recorded in previous years. This helps explain why easing inflation has yet to translate into a comparable reduction in the cost of living.

A comparison of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics prices between October 2024 and October 2026 illustrates the extent of that accumulated burden. Several essential food and energy items remained substantially more expensive than they were two years earlier, even though headline inflation later moderated. Among the sharpest increases were those in onions, electricity, diesel and petrol.

Slower inflation masks cumulative rise in essential prices over past two years

These individual price movements do not, of course, represent overall inflation, which is calculated from a weighted basket of goods and services. But they help explain the disconnect between official inflation readings and what consumers encounter in retail markets.

Wheat flour provides one of the clearest examples. The national average price of a 20kg flour bag increased from Rs1,835 in October 2024 to Rs2,697 in October 2026 — an increase of 47 per cent.

Beef with bone became 26.7pc more expensive, while the price of a 2.5kg tin of vegetable ghee rose by 18.5pc. Retail prices in individual markets can be even higher than these national averages.

The increases were steeper in transport fuels. Petrol rose from Rs248.18 per litre in October 2024 to Rs389.51 in October 2026, an increase of 56.9pc. High-speed diesel increased from Rs252.43 to Rs402.53 per litre over the same period, a rise of 59.5pc.

This is where the distinction between inflation and the price level becomes especially important. Inflation captures the pace at which prices are changing across a weighted basket. By contrast, consumers confront the actual price level when buying flour, meat, fuel and other necessities.

Several factors are contributing to the current price pressures, but former economic adviser to the government Dr Ashfaq Hasan Khan attributes them largely to higher global energy prices and domestic food prices, particularly wheat.

He said higher energy prices were a global phenomenon, but governments elsewhere had sought to cushion consumers by reducing the incidence of taxation. In Pakistan, he argued, the impact of higher international energy prices had been compounded by the petroleum levy.

“The petroleum levy is the root cause of rising inflation in Pakistan, besides higher global energy and food prices,” Dr Khan said, referring to a levy of Rs85 per litre.

He described the current pressures as predominantly from the supply side rather than the result of excessive consumer demand. That distinction matters for the choice of policy response, he argued.

“IMF is pressurising Pakistan to devalue its exchange rate and also increase SBP policy rate,” he said.

Under a conventional IMF stabilisation programme, tighter monetary policy is used to curb demand, helping contain inflation and ease balance-of-payments pressures. But if inflation is being driven mainly by energy costs, petroleum levies and food prices, higher interest rates do not directly address the underlying sources of the increase, Dr Khan argued.

“Raising interest rates is not the right solution to supply-side inflation,” he said, referring to the IMF demand for an increase in interest rates.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

The Engineering Development Board (EDB) notification dated Sept 30 has relaxed the criteria for importing used vehicles.

The changes included removing a clause that required a minimum capital requirement for a company importing used cars, and now any tax-registered individual or firm, even if not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), can commercially import vehicles.

All Pakistan Car Dealers and Importers Association and Member FPCCI Executive Committee Chairman Mian Shoaib Ahmed said that the move will encourage business and attract investment in this category.

Dealers cheer EDB move, assemblers decry commercial import relaxation

The commercial imports will continue to rise in the coming months, he said, adding that the pre-shipment inspection mechanism has been streamlined, easing the import of vehicles under the gift scheme.

“There was a demand for used cars in Pakistan as the new Chinese entrants have yet to make their mark in Pakistani markets as the Japanese car assemblers in the country were not yet ready for the competitive environment,” Mr Ahmed remarked.

The EDB has also notified that pre- and post-shipment inspections will be conducted through the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) instead of the EDB.

Meanwhile, PSQCA Director-General Dr Sayeda Zia Batool told Dawn that inspections were not carried out directly by the authority but by approved and registered inspection agencies.

Currently, only two local inspection agents are registered with the PSQCA, and they represent firms accredited by the Japanese Foreign Principals Inspection Agencies.

Meanwhile, fearing a surge in used-car imports, local manufacturers have criticised the government’s decision.

In September, a total of 2,276 vehicles were imported under the gift scheme, as the strict restrictions under the baggage scheme continue.

Figures from the Ministry of Commerce show that in May, only 48 used cars were imported, mainly through the baggage scheme.

However, the situation began to change in June, when a total of 843 vehicles were imported, including 806 under the gift scheme, following a one-off wai­ver of pre-shipment inspection.

The figure hit 1,938 in July, with 1,876 cars under the gift scheme.

August saw 1,445 vehicle imports, and in September 2,276 vehicles were imported, of which 2,238 were under the gift scheme.

Meanwhile, a senior executive in the automotive industry said that the reduction in duties on completely built-up units by 20-25pc in 2026-27 has reduced import costs.

“We have reports that the one-year restriction on the transfer of ownership is not being implemented in some cities, which is causing this business to flourish again, but at the cost of the domestic auto industry, which consists of 13 assemblers and over 300 auto parts manufacturers,” the executive added.

While the auto part vendors have also expressed their concerns, claiming that after a gap of 3 years, auto production has started to increase, which was also contributing to the Large-Scale Manufacturing growth.

“Locally produced cars contain up to 60pc local parts by value, amounting to an average of Rs1.5m per vehicle, and import of 2,276 used vehicles meant loss of Rs3.4bn of local parts production which creates jobs and operates in the documented economy,” the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM) Chairman Abdul Rehman Aizaz said.

He termed it unfair that, on one hand, the proposed auto policy is slashing import duties on new cars, while on the other hand, used car imports are being encouraged. “Ultimately, Pakistan is moving towards a market dominated by imported new and used vehicles with no industrial activity,” he said, adding that the used car business is completely unregulated.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

Three bodies were recovered in Ferozabad, Khuzdar, after locals informed the authorities about their presence in the area, prompting the police to rush to the area. The bodies were shifted to the district hospital in Khuzdar. The deceased were identified as Zafarullah, Shafi Muhammad Jamalzai, and Nadir Khan Mangi. Police confirmed that the bullet wounds were visible on all of the bodies, which were handed over to the heirs for burial.

In Surab, two bodies were found in the Mal Shahorai area. Police said the bodies were dumped at an abandoned place, adding that their identity could not be ascertained. The bodies were then moved to a hospital for medico-legal formalities.Meanwhile, the Civil Lines police in Quetta recovered the body of an unidentified elderly man from a taxi stand. The body was shifted to a hospital and later kept in the mortuary for identification following the necessary procedures.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

A meeting in this regard was held under the chairmanship of DIG Internal Accountability Branch (IAB) Barkat Hussain Khosa and was attended by IAB officers from the concerned districts.

The meeting reviewed in detail the overall performance of the IAB in addressing public complaints in light of special directives issued by the Inspector General of Police, Balochistan.

The DIG IAB directed officers to ensure effective, transparent and timely action on public complaints under all circumstances. He said unnecessary delays, negligence or lapses in addressing complaints would not be tolerated.

It was decided that all serious complaints would be immediately referred to a “Panel of Enquiries”.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026

According to police, the two groups took up arms against each other in Ghazi village over a land dispute and opened fire with automatic weapons.

As a result, two members of the Hanbi tribe were killed and another injured.

A heavy contingent of police rushed to the area, brought the exchange of fire to an end and shifted the bodies and the injured man to the district hospital. The deceased were identified as Muhammad Anwar Hanbi and Bashir Ahmed Hanbi.

Police arrested four armed men belonging to the Soomro tribe and recovered weapons from their possession.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2026