Substitute Deniz Undav was Germany’s saviour, scoring a 68th-minute equaliser before calmly slotting his second in the fourth minute of stoppage time to settle an enthralling game in Toronto.

The result marks the first time since 2014 that Germany have reached the knockout rounds after first-round eliminations in the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.

“I am very happy that we won the match. In the end, we deservedly won it,” Nagelsmann told rep­orters in Toronto, describing the win as emotional. “The boys invested a lot. I’m very happy for the whole team bec­a­use everyone knew they (were) important. Every player that came into the match (was) important.”

Germany’s come-from-behind victory was made even sweeter later on Saturday as Curacao — the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the World Cup with just 160,000 inhabitants — dug deep to secure a shock 0-0 draw with Ecuador in Kansas City.

The result means the Germans win Group ‘E’ with a game to spare.

Ivory Coast, however, remain in a strong position to advance and could book the Elephants’ first ever ticket to the World Cup knockout with a decisive win over Curacao next week.

“We still have everything to play for,” said Ivorian coach Emerse Fae. “I’m happy with the performance of my players during these 90 minutes… I think we had two teams that deserve to win,” he added. “Our primary objective is to get out of the group phase.”

‘I NEED A STATUE’

In the other Group ‘E’ match, Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room was the hero, keeping out a record 15 shots — the most ever saves in a game that did not involve extra time — as the underdogs secured their first ever World Cup point.

Room joked that he deserves a statue on the Caribbean island after a jaw-dropping display.

Curacao celebrated their draw in Kansas City wildly — days after a chastening 7-1 defeat against Germany on their debut.

“It means everything,” said Room. “It feels like a victory, you know, for us. But now it means a lot. It’s the first point in the World Cup for us. So it’s unreal if you know the journey where we come from and we’re now here. And today we sho­wed we have real heart with the team. So it’s an unbelievable feeling.”

The Miami FC goalkeeper joked that he was disappointed to miss out on former US goalkeeper Tim Howard’s record of 16 saves noted by FIFA in a match against Belgium at the 2014 World Cup.

“I think he was sweating at ho­me, you know, looking at the game,” he said. “But I heard it was also another record from long ago. So yeah, I’m proud of that.”

Room praised his team-mates but cheekily suggested his achiev­ement should be set in stone.

“I’m really proud of the team also, because again, we did it with the team,” he said. “I make the saves, but we fought as a team, also the players who came in. But I think I need a statue in Curacao, I think now.”

Ecuador coach Sebastian Becca­cece insisted “it is not over yet” after his side’s World Cup hopes were left hanging by a thread.

“Life has taught me you have to always continue to work, always learn, and challenges can become opportunities,” Beccacece told reporters. “It is normal now to feel this pain, this disappointment, but this is not over yet. We have 100 minutes ahead of us, and we’re going to be there in a sound way to try to reach our goals.”

1,000th GAME

In Saturday’s late game, Japan marked the 1,000th game in World Cup history with a 4-0 win over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico.

The Japanese, who held the Netherlands to a 2-2 draw in their opening game, are now level on four points with the Dutch after a ruthless performance against Tunisia, who barely registered a shot on goal.

Daichi Kamada, Ayase Ueda (two) and Junya Ito scored the goals as the Blue Samurai extinguished any faint Tunisian hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds.

Japan were without injured playmaker Takefusa Kubo, but their fluent attack hardly missed a beat with Ayase Ueda scoring twice and setting up another.

It was also a landmark moment for Asian football, with Japan becoming the first team from the continent to score four goals in a World Cup match.

“We prepared well for what we wanted to do and played aggressively,” Japanese coach Hajime Mor­iyasu told DAZN, adding that the Japanese and Mexican fans in Monterrey had provided a huge boost.

For Tunisia, the defeat brought a swift and painful end to their campaign. Herve Renard was brought in after a 5-1 loss to Sweden in the hope that the veteran coach could spark a turnaround, but his first match in charge ended with elimination.

“We still have a third game to play, we are at a World Cup and must remain focused,” Renard said. “We must be professionals to the very end.”

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Making his first start in two months after a hamstring injury, Yamal ended La Roja’s long wait for a World Cup goal just 10 minutes in.

Mikel Oyarzabal then struck twice to put Luis de la Fuente’s men 3-0 up inside 24 minutes.

De la Fuente’s careful management of Yamal’s minutes continued as the Barcelona superstar was replaced at half-time before Hassan al-Tambakti’s own goal rounded off the scoring.

Victory propels Spain to the top of Group ‘H’ ahead of Uruguay’s meeting with Cape Verde later on Sunday.

Billed as one of the pre-tournament favourites, Spain got off to a slow start in a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde.

Yamal’s return was one of four changes in total with Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also coming into the starting line-up.

After over 2,500 passes and 50 attempts at goal since their last World Cup goal, Spain finally found the net and fittingly Yamal made the breakthrough. Oyarzabal found space in behind the Saudi defence and his low cross picked out the 18-year-old to slot in at the back post.

The Saudis held Uruguay 1-1 in their opening game but there was little evidence that the billions splashed to raise the level of their domestic league has aided the national team.

Coach Georgios Donis looked particularly irked that two of Spain’s goals came from corners.

Oyarzabal pounced on Aymeric Laporte’s flick on to give the 2010 winners the breathing space they craved.

Just three minutes later, the Real Sociedad forward volleyed home from Dani Olmo’s header for his 14th international goal in his last 13 caps.

With the job done by half-time, De la Fuente could afford the luxury of replacing Yamal and Oyarzabal at the break.

The changes did not disrupt the waves of Spanish attack towards the Saudi goal, but the fourth also came via a corner.

Cucurella was afforded acres of space to shoot and although his effort was repelled by Mohammed al-Owais, the rebound deflected in off the unfortunate Tambakti.

To round off an ideal afternoon for De la Fuente on his 65th birthday, Nico Williams and Mikel Merino were afforded valuable minutes off the bench in the second period as they too get up to match speed after lengthy absences due to injury.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

NEW YORK: France are expected to make only minor adjustments rather than wholesale changes when they face Iraq in their second World Cup Group ‘I’ match on Monday, with coach Didier Desch­amps keen to preserve momentum while edging closer to the knockout stages.

Les Bleus opened their campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal in New York, where Kylian Mbappe sco­red twice, and another victory in Boston would secure their place in the last 32.

Deschamps has often favoured stability at major tournaments and is unli­kely to deviate from that approach despite the depth of talent at his disposal.

France were occasionally vulnerable defensively agai­nst Senegal but were in ano­ther league after the break and the coach appears reluctant to tamper with the balance of a side who are among the favourites for the title.

The most likely changes are expected on the left flank, with Bradley Barcola set to replace Desire Doue in attack and Lucas Digne in line to come in for Theo Hernandez at left back.

Another adjustment could come in midfield.

Deschamps has held leng­t­hy discussions with Manu Kone in recent days and the 25-year-old was paired with Adrien Rabiot during training this week, suggesting he could be handed a starting role.

Elsewhere, France are exp­e­cted to retain the spine that impressed agai­nst Senegal, with Mbappe leading an att­ack that also features Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele.

While qualification rem­ains the immediate objective, the match also offers Deschamps an opportunity to test alternatives ahead of the knockout rounds without disrupting the team’s rhythm.

Iraq suffered a 4-1 defeat by Norway in their opening match and need a positive result to keep their hopes of progressing alive.

They face a daunting task against a French side who have reached the last two World Cup finals and appear determined to avoid early problems in the Uni­ted States. Les Bleus, however, will not be complacent.

“We’ve watched some of the videos from their game ag­a­inst Norway and I think they have a good team, centre back William Saliba, who has been managing back pain,” told a press conference on Saturday.

“It won’t be easy, even if people think that because we’re playing Iraq we’ll automatically get the three points.”

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

ARLINGTON (Texas): Defe­n­ding champions Argentina can take a major step towards the knockout stage when they face Austria in their second World Cup Group ‘J’ match on Monday, after both sides opened their campaigns with convincing victories.

Lionel Messi inspired Argentina’s title defence with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria, drawing level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, while Austria beat Jordan 3-1 to set up a meeting between the group’s two early leaders.

A victory would leave Argentina on the brink of the round-of-32 and could secure top spot in the group if Jordan fail to beat Algeria in the day’s other Group ‘J’ match.

Austria arrive with ambitions of their own after an impressive opening performance under coach Ralf Rangnick and can also move into a commanding position in the group if they overcome Argentina and Algeria do not beat Jordan.

Much of the attention will again fall on 38-year-old Messi, whose clinical display against Algeria reinforced Argentina’s status as one of the favourites to retain the trophy, a threat Austria captain David Alaba acknowledged after watching his opener.

“We definitely watched their game before we left,” the defe­nder said after their opening win. “It’s incredible that Messi started such a tournament with a hat trick. Absolutely insane… Let’s hope he doesn’t (do it) next week.”

Alaba was quick to stress that Argentina’s quality extends well beyond their talisman.

“We know what kind of opponent we’re up against, what kind of quality they have in their ranks, even besides Messi, but also what they’re capable of as a team,” he said.

Austria will hope their organised pressing game can disrupt Argentina’s rhythm and stren­gthen their credentials as potential group winners.

Argentina assistant coach Pablo Aimar warned that Austria would pose a different challenge to Algeria, describing Rangnick’s side as a physical team capable of causing problems despite Argentina’s impressive start.

“Austria is a very tough team, as we’re seeing with the vast majority of the teams participating in this World Cup,” he said in a FIFA interview.

The build-up has also been coloured by Algeria’s complaint to FIFA’s refereeing commission over several decisions in Argentina’s opening victory, including an incident in which Messi escaped punishment after a challenge on captain Aissa Mandi before going on to score his hat-trick.

Argentina have not publicly commented on the complaint and will be focused on extending their winning start.

All kick-off times in PST:
Today’s fixture:
Group ‘J’: Argentina vs Austria (10:00pm)
Tuesday’s fixtures:
Group ‘I’: France vs Iraq (2:00am)
Group ‘I’: Norway vs Senegal (5:00am)
Group ‘J’: Jordan vs Algeria (8:00am)

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Mexico City, Guadalajara, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Seattle, Kansas City, Houston: the Italo-Swiss boss has already powered up his private jet to appear in the stands 10 times in seven days.

His insatiable use of a Qatar Airways private jet is nothing new: in September 2024, the investigative outlet Josimar revealed that he had used the plane to clock up 600,000 kilometers (372,822 miles) over the previous three years.

But the expanded 2026 World Cup, staged for the first time with 48 teams across the United States, Canada, and Mexico — meaning a jump from 64 to 104 matches — has magnified the impact of Infantino’s flying habit.

“Just one hour in this plane emits roughly what an average human being emits in an entire year,” Greenly, a French company specializing in carbon footprint assessments, said this week.

‘SUSTAINABILITY PARADOX’

If Infantino strings together two cities a day until the end of the round of 16, then attends the last eight matches, Greenly estimates he will rack up “a defensible range of 300 to 500 tons of CO2 for his plane alone” over the course of the tournament.

That is the equivalent, they say, of “the annual footprint of around 35 to 55 French people”.

FIFA defends the president’s travel by stressing that its executives choose between commercial and private flights “based on what is most efficient and cost-effective” and that in all cases the organization covers travel costs.

David Gogishvili, a geographer at the University of Lausanne, told AFP that FIFA had created a “sustainability paradox”.

“By reusing existing but geographically dispersed NFL stadiums across a continent, FIFA has created a model that is structurally dependent on high-emission air travel,” he said.

“When leadership sets a precedent by hopping between matches via private jet, it perfectly reflects the broader systemic issue/approach.”

The way FIFA has organised this World Cup “normalises hyper-mobility while simultaneously shifting transport costs and carbon burdens onto the host regions and fans.”

John Hocevar, who is Oceans Campaign Director of Greenpeace USA, is equally curt about Infantino’s stadium-hopping.

“Having executives take daily flights on highly polluting private jets doesn’t exactly send the message that FIFA recognizes either the cause or its responsibility to be part of the solution to climate change,” he posted on Instagram.

QATAR JETS OVERLOAD

Far from being a one-off, this geographical sprawl will be repeated next year at the Women’s World Cup in Brazil, chosen by FIFA in 2024 over a bid that would have been 100 percent accessible by train between Bel­gium, the Netherlands and Germany.

It will take an even more extreme turn with the centenary of the men’s World Cup in 2030, hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain with three matches in South America — and with the still unresolved prospect of an expansion to 64 teams.

Given that the 2026 tournament has attracted celebrities and wealthy spectators, the use of private jets at a World Cup is not just limited to FIFA leadership, further increasing the event’s overall footprint.

The 2022 World Cup drew 1,846 private jets to Qatar, the British journal Nature noted. That is more than the Super Bowl, the Cannes Film Festival, the World Economic Forum in Davos and COP28 combined.

“All of the emissions associated with a World Cup are... luxury rather than subsistence emissions, as the tournament doesn’t need to happen at all,” American academic Tim Walters said last year during a Play the Game debate.

“In this context, the lavish activity of the ultra-wealthy is particularly obscene and dispiriting.”

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Stokes was dropped for breaching a team curfew following his side’s win in the series opener at Lord’s.

“Ben will be back. He’ll be back as captain,” said England head coach Brendon McCullum after the match.

Fast-medium bowler Henry’s sensational spell of four wickets for no runs in 12 balls saw Engl­and, who were 182-5 overnight, collapse to 192-9.

Henry finished the match by bowling Jordan Cox as England, who were chasing a record-breaking 463 to win, were dismissed for 209.

New Zealand needed just 48 minutes play on Sunday’s fifth day at the Oval to square the three-match series at 1-1 ahead of next week’s decider in Nottingham.

Henry’s superb second-innings return of 6-29, allied to his five-wicket haul in England’s first-innings 5-80, gave him overall figures of 11-109.

Henry’s maiden 10-wicket haul in a Test was also the best by any New Zealand bowler against England, surpassing Dion Nash’s 11-169 at Lord’s back in 1994.

“I probably didn’t expect things to unfold like that today,” said Henry, the player of the match. “With the ball, we talked about being relentless. We stuck at it and it was nice to get the rewards.”

‘SPEARHEAD’

New Zealand captain Tom Latham added: “We thought hitting the top of off stump repetitively was the way to go on this surface and Matt Henry is a good exponent of that…He has been a spearhead for some time.”

Shortly before play started on Sunday, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced that both Stokes and Gus Atkinson, also omitted this week for breaking curfew, had been withdrawn from county action with Durham and Surrey respectively.

It was a clear hint the duo would be recalled to England duty at Trent Bridge and they were each included in a 15-man squad announced later Sunday for the third Test.

But the ECB added that they had both been given written warnings after breaching “specific contractual obligations” that require England players at all times to maintain the highest standards of conduct and act in the best interests of England cricket.

Nevertheless, they cleared the pair of responsibility for a violent altercation in a London nightclub with Saracens rugby player Totoa Auvaa.

The ECB said Stokes had no part in and did not witness Auvaa’s two attempts to confront paceman Atkinson, whom it added was “the victim of unprovoked attacks” to which he did not retaliate.

England resumed all but beaten at 182-5, needing a further 281 runs for victory.

Their hopes of an improbable win rested with stand-in captain Joe Root, 75 not out overnight.

But Root had added just two runs to his score when he was plumb lbw to Henry.

With an England side showing five changes, including three debutants, from the one Stokes led at Lord’s, a lengthy tail was exposed by Henry.

Two balls after Root’s exit, the 34-year-old clean bowled Jofra Archer for a duck, with a delivery that kept low.

New batsman Matthew Fisher had made a maiden Test fifty in the first innings, but on Sunday he was clean bowled for nought by Henry.

With the next ball, the paceman had new batsman Josh Tongue edging to Daryl Mitchell in the slips for a golden duck, with England on the brink at 192-9.

A double-wicket maiden (a bowler removing two batsmen in the same over without conceding a run) is rare in Test cricket, but Henry, hampered by back spasms at Lord’s, now had two in a row.

The end was not long in coming as Henry bowled Cox to seal an emphatic victory which saw both New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips and Henry Nicholls, who replaced retired batting great Kane Williamson, hit hundreds.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings) 391
(G. Phillips 100, J. Bethell 3-26)
ENGLAND (1st Innings) 291 (E. Gay 53;
M. Henry 5-80)
NEW ZEALAND (2nd Innings) 362 (H. Nicholls 121; M. Fisher 3-58)
ENGLAND (2nd Innings, overnight 182-5):
B. Duckett c Henry b O’Rourke 9
E. Gay c Ravindra b Jamieson 11
J. Bethell lbw b Jamieson 0
J. Root lbw b Henry 77
H. Brook c Mitchell b Henry 58
J. Rew lbw b Jamieson 15
J. Cox b Henry 25
J. Archer b Henry 0
M. Fisher b Henry 0
J. Tongue c Mitchell b Henry 0
S. Baker not out 0

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-5, W-1) 14
TOTAL (all out, 58.1 overs) 209
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-13 (Gay), 2-13 (Bethell), 3-40 (Duckett), 4-137 (Brook), 5-180 (Rew), 6-188 (Root), 7-188 (Archer), 8-192 (Fisher), 9-192 (Tongue)
BOWLING: Henry 18.1-6-29-6, Jamieson 19-4-61-3 (1w), O’Rourke 10-2-48-1, Smith 9-1-48-0, Ravindra 2-0-10-0
RESULT: New Zealand won by 253 runs.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Henry

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Pakistan struck first in the 28th minute when Abu Mahmood converted one of their three penalty corners with a powerful drag flick.

The lead, however, lasted only a minute as Pepe Cunill responded immediately for Spain, firing home from a penalty corner to send the teams into the half-time break level at 1-1.

Alejandro Alonso put Spain ahead again in the 35th minute after capitalising on a rebound from a saved penalty corner before Nicolas Alvarez finished off a swift counter-attack eight minutes later to make it 3-1.

Pakistan reduced the deficit in the 44th minute through Abu Bak­er’s drag flick but missed a chance to draw level before Spain struck again as Alvarez scored his second.

The result left Pakistan rooted to the bottom of the standings aft­er a 12th successive defeat, while Spain remained seventh with 11 points from as many matches.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Clark sank a four-foot eagle putt at the par-five 16th on the way to firing a level-par 70 at windy Shin­n­ecock to stand on seven-under 203 after 54 holes. The only golfer to lose a major with a lead of six or more entering the final round was Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters.

Scheffler fired a 69 — one of just two sub-par rounds on the day — to claim a share of second on one-under 209.

Scheffler opened with two bogeys for only the fourth time in 105 major rounds, but birdied four of his first seven holes on the back nine before a bogey at the par-three 17th and a closing par. Joining Schef­fler on 209 were fellow Americans Sam Stevens and Sahith Theegala, whose tap-in at 18 was his lone birdie of the day, plus South Korean Tom Kim, who shot 72 after bogeys on three of his first six holes.

Clark opened with a three-putt bogey, tapped in for birdie at the par-five fifth but stumbled again to bogey eight after finding a greenside bunker with his approach.

He sank a five-foot birdie putt at 14 only to bogey 15 after a par putt miss from inside four feet, then ans­wered with a four-foot eagle putt at the par-five 16th.

After his bogey-bogey start, Scheffler parred through the front nine, birdied the 10th from just inside eight feet and reeled off three birdies in a row.

Second-ranked Rory McI­lroy fired a 73 to stand 10 adrift on 213. The six-time major winner birdied the fifth, sixth and seventh holes but had five bogeys in a back-nine collapse.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

NEW YORK: Senegal face a defensive conundrum as they prepare to play Norway and their prolific striker Erling Haaland at the World Cup on Monday.

Captain Kalidou Koulibaly returned from injury for Senegal’s opening Group ‘I’ game against France but was found wanting up against Kylian Mbappe and could be dropped as coach Pape Bouna Thiaw looks to counter the threat of Haaland at the New York/New Jersey Stadium.

Senegal have been touted as Africa’s best hope at the World Cup but had their confidence knocked by a 3-1 loss to France in their opening game.

Norway, in contrast, made a winning start in their first World Cup game since 1998, with Haaland netting twice in a 4-1 victory over Iraq in Boston.

How best to deal with Haaland will have given Thiaw plenty to ponder, particularly whether to persist with Koulibaly or replace him with 20-year-old Mamadou Sarr.

When Koulibaly was suspended at the African Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, Sarr stepped in and impressed before joining Chelsea.

At Stamford Bridge, however, he was usually named among the substitutes and his lack of game time over the last months counted against him when Thiaw finalised the line-up to face France.

The 35-year-old Koulibaly, who has won 104 caps, had played only eight minutes since suffering an injury in training at his Saudi club in April and was well off the pace as Mbappe scored twice to earn France a deserved victory.

A win for Norway would guarantee them progress to the last 32, but their build-up has not been without concerns either.

Domestic media criticism of Martin Odegaard’s performance against Iraq was batted away by his team-mates in the build-up to the match, while coach Stale Solbakken has also said he was not happy with aspects of their performance against Iraq, particularly defence.

Norway, who had a 100% qualification record but won only one of four World Cup warm-up friendlies, have kept a single clean sheet in their last eight matches and will be wary of the threat posed by Senegal forwards Nicolas Jackson and Sadio Mane.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Barcelona winger Raphinha was substituted in the first half on Friday in Philadelphia.

The CBF did not say how long he would be sidelined for, but Brazilian website Globo Esporte reported he could be fit to return for a possible game in the last 16, which starts in two weeks’ time.

“The player will follow an intensive treatment protocol under the supervision of the Brazilian national team’s medical team, with the goal of recovering and returning to action as soon as possible,” the CBF said in a statement.

Raphinha struggled with various injuries to his right thigh last season.

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti could turn to either of the 19-year-old duo of Endrick and Rayan, or Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli to replace Raphinha.

Five-time world champions Brazil, who have four points from two games, round off their Group C campaign against Scotland on Wednesday in Miami.

That game could provide Neymar, sidelined for a month with a calf injury, a first international appearance since October 2023.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

The veteran batter was ruled out of this month’s ODI series against Afghanistan because of an injury picked up in May during the IPL final.

India will play three ODIs in England on July 14, 16 and 19 at Edgbaston, Sophia Gardens and Lord’s respectively.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was not inclu­ded in the squad for the England tour despite scoring a century in the third ODI against the Afghans on Saturday.

Bowler Harshit Rana also returns after a lengthy layoff caused by a knee injury, which ruled him out of the Twenty20 World Cup and the IPL.

Rana was a part of the squad in the third ODI against Afgha­nistan, but did not make the final playing XI.

Squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, K.L. Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

The Pakistan pair made a strong start by taking the opening game 11-7, but the top-seeded Indian duo fought back to secure a 2-1 victory in the 47-minute final, winning the next two games 11-7 and 11-2.

Second seeds Nasir and Noor were unable to maintain their early momentum as Abhay and Velavan raised their level in the latter stages of the match to retain the crown.

The result was a repeat of last year’s final, in which the Indian pair had also defeated Nasir and Noor to claim the Asian doubles title.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Kapp, who earlier in Sunday’s heavyweight clash at Old Trafford had taken 2-27, struck seven fours and four sixes as South Africa pass a target of 159 with just five balls to spare after India failed to make the most of a promising start with the bat.

South Africa managed just 25 runs in the powerplay but Kapp’s arrival at the crease to join Tazmin Brits with two wickets down turned the tide, the pair sharing a partnership of 97 in 63 balls.

India were left to rue dropping Kapp three times, with the experienced all-rounder making them pay by hammering two sixes in Deepti Sharma’s penultimate over before Chloe Tyron edged a winning four off Nandani Sharma.

South Africa now join India on four points, behind unbeaten Group ‘A’ leaders Australia on six.

Earlier, the West Indies maintained their unbeaten start to the tournament with a third straight win, despite making hard work of chasing just 99 against Sri Lanka.

They collapsed to 70-5 before veteran Stafanie Taylor’s unbeaten 27 secured a Group ‘B’ success that also eliminated winless Ireland.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews led from the front with 3-15 as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 98.

Late on Saturday, England made it three wins out of three with a comfortable 38-run defeat of neighbours Scotland in the Group ‘B’ clash at Headingley.

Sophia Dunkley (57) and Alice Capsey (40) were the main contributors to a total of 200-5 also featuring all-rounder Freya Kemp’s rapid 39 not out. It was too much for Scotland, who finished on 162-7, with England’s spinners taking the bulk of the wickets.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Starting fourth on the grid, Marquez shadowed Bagnaia for much of the race before making his decisive move on lap 16.

He then pulled clear in the closing stages to secure the win after a controlled final stint.

Bagnaia was unable to respond and was later overtaken by pole-sitter Ai Ogura of Trackhouse Racing on lap 18 while pushing to reel Marquez back in. Ogura finished second, 0.421 seconds behind Marquez.

The win also pushed the Span­iard, fourth in the Championship standings, 40 points behind leader Marco Bezzecchi. He was suspended from Sunday’s race after an altercation with a marshal following a crash during Saturday’s sprint race. Bagnaia came in third while VR46 Racing Teams’ Fabio Di Gia­n­nantonio finished fourth.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

Australia had already wrapped up the series after winning the first two matches — and made light work of the hosts, chasing a modest target of 110 in just 11 overs.

Openers Josh Inglis and Marsh attacked from the outset, punishing the Bangladesh quicks and setting the tone for a rapid pursuit.

Left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed made the first breakthrough, dismissing Inglis for 17 after the opener had shared a 54-run stand with Marsh.

Marsh, the captain, continued the assault, bringing up his 14th T20 half-century off just 23 balls, before Shoriful Islam removed him for 60.

Cooper Connolly then fell for 15 before Matt Renshaw and Tim David wrapped up the chase inside 11 overs.

Renshaw remained unbe­aten on six, while David sma­shed 12 off three balls.

Nasum, Shoriful and Rishad Hossain claimed one wicket each for Bangladesh.

Earlier, stand-in captain Towhid Hridoy struck an unbeaten 61 off 51 balls to rescue Bangladesh after the hosts, playing only for pride, slumped to an early collapse.

Only Towhid and Rishad reached double figures.

Man-of-the-match Marsh said Australia’s bowlers had laid the platform for victory and suggested Spencer John­son, who returned figures of 2-6 from four overs, was equally deserving of the award.

“I thought we were fantastic with the ball today,” Marsh said.

Bangladesh coach Phil Sim­mons admitted the series had exposed deep cracks in his side’s batting.

“I think in the last game, even though we lost, I was still happy with the attitude both on the field and when we cha­sed,” he said. “But... the first game and this game, the batting especially, we haven’t given anything to our bowlers to work with.”

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Natio­nal Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday lifted longstanding curbs on the airing and dissemination of opposition members’ speeches on NA TV, and the assembly’s social media platforms.

However, the removal of the restrictions came with a stern warning that members must strictly abide by the rules and regulations of the house. “I will allow the speeches of opposition members to be aired, but you cannot speak against the judiciary and the armed forces,” the speaker said.

He was responding to a request by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, who urged him to lift the restrictions on broadcasting opposition speeches and end the suspension of PTI lawmaker Iqbal Afridi.

“Mr Afridi was suspended on June 11 over minor violations. He has already served the longest suspension of any MNA,” Barrister Gohar said.

He also argued that the continued ban on airing opposition speeches was causing resentment among PTI supporters.

The speaker asked Barrister Gohar to move a formal motion on the matter, saying he could not make such a decision unilaterally.

Sadiq also asked Barrister Gohar to ensure that Iqbal Afridi would maintain decorum in the House, referred to his alleged scuffle with fellow PTI member Junaid Akbar, instances of indiscipline and attempts to pressure assembly staff.

The speaker specifically referred to Afridi’s alleged misconduct towards NA director general (media).

“The employees cannot respond to MNAs, but we too must remain within the limits set by the rules,” he said, before reading out provisions of the rule book regarding parliamentary etiquette.

Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar later urged the speaker to ensure that no member made speeches against sitting judges or commented on their conduct, warning that such remarks could invite contempt proceedings.

Later, Barrister Gohar moved a motion seeking the termination of Afridi’s suspension. The motion was supported by around 39 opposition members, including lawmakers from PTI, JUI-P, PkMAP and PkNAP.

Only a few voices opposed the motion, which was subsequently adopted by the House, allowing Mr Afridi to attend National Assembly proceedings from Monday (today).

Lawmakers’ conduct

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif delivered a fiery speech, criticising the overall conduct of lawmakers.

“We have turned this house into a fish market. From the entry gates to the lobbies, galleries and even the floor of the house, it often resembles a conference hall rather than a parliament,” he said.

Asif also criticised fellow cabinet members, saying that SUVs with official green number plates were creating congestion within the Parliament Lodges.

The speaker acknowledged concerns about traffic and parking at the Parliament Lodges. He suggested that responsibility for the lodges could be handed over to the interior ministry to ensure better enforcement of the rules.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

GILGIT: Advocate Amjad Hussain, who has been nominated by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as the party’s candidate for chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, said the PPP had broken the perception that only the party ruling at the Centre could form a government in the region.

Meanwhile, the first session of the newly-elected GB Assembly has been convened for Monday (today) at 9am, during which members-elect will take the oath of office and elect the leader of the house, the speaker and the deputy speaker.

“This is a transformation and the Centre should respect it,” Hussain told Dawn, referring to a party other than the one ruling in Islamabad coming to power in GB.

“This is the first time that the people of GB have voted for democratic political parties, while rejecting traditional and ethnic trends as well as religious and sub-nationalist parties,” he added.

Hussain said for the first time, the party had advanced the concept of granting provisional provincial status to GB to counter the decision of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to revoke the special status of India-held Kashmir in 2019. He added that granting provisional provincial status to GB, along with representation in the National Assembly and Senate until a plebiscite was held in Kashmir, would strengthen Pakistan’s position on the dispute.

In 2022, then ruling PTI sabotaged the 26th Amendment, which was also seeking the declaration of GB as a provisional province.

A prominent lawyer and president of the PPP’s Gilgit-Baltistan chapter, Hussain was elected to the GB Assembly from GBA-1 in the recent elections. He previously served as a member of the GB Council from 2009 to 2014 and remained a member of the GB Assembly from 2020 to 2025.

He also served as opposition leader in the assembly from 2020 to 2023 during the PTI-led government headed by Khalid Khurshid.

Govt formation

Earlier, addressing the media in Gilgit, the PPP and the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) leaders said consultations had resulted in an agreement under which the IPP would support the PPP in the government formation process.

PPP Central Secretary General Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, senior party leader Qamar Zaman Kaira and Hussain attended the event. The IPP delegation included its Secretary General Khalid Mahmood, GB President Haji Gulbar Khan and Raja Jalal.

Gulbar Khan said other important matters between the two parties would be decided by their central leaderships at the federal level.

According to an official source, the PML-N and IPP have decided to support the PPP in the election of the chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker. PTI-backed member-elect Sohail Abbas Shah and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen’s Kazim Mesum have also assured the PPP of their support.

PPP’s Advocate Amjad Hussain is expected to be elected chief minister, while Imran Nadeem is expected to become the speaker. Meanwhile, PML-N’s Malik Kifayat is slated to be the new deputy speaker.

Meanwhile, supporters of PPP candidate Attaullah Khan from GBA-16 Diamer-II continued their protest for a second consecutive day, blocking the Karakoram Highway in Chilas.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

The speed limit for cars and light transport vehicles (LTVs) on motorways has been restored to 120km per hour, while the speed limit for public service vehicles (PSVs) and heavy transport vehicles (HTVs) has also been reinstated to 110 km per hour, according to the National Highways and Motorway Police.

Similarly, the previously prescribed speed limits for cars, LTVs, PSVs, and HTVs on national highways have also been restored.

Road users have been advised to strictly observe the prescribed speed limits, follow traffic laws, and ensure safe driving practices at all times.

The speed limits on motorways and national highways had earlier been reduced “in order to promote austerity measures and fuel conservation”.

The development had come as the government announced a series of austerity measures to conserve fuel in view of the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran.

The step “was taken in line with the instructions of the prime minister to ensure the efficient use of energy and encourage fuel conservation”.

As part of the austerity measures, the government had also announced several fuel-saving initiatives, including a 50 per cent reduction in fuel allowances for official vehicles. It was further decided that 50pc of public-sector employees would work from home; however, personnel providing essential services were exempt from the policy.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2026

The answer matters because public resources are limited. Every rupee of subsidised credit, every tax concession, every kilometre of infrastructure, and every hour of policymaker attention allocated to one sector is unavailable to another. Economic strategy is therefore as much about choosing what not to support as it is about identifying what deserves encouragement.

For decades, Pakistan has devoted considerable policy attention to sectors that have struggled to become internationally competitive despite prolonged protection. Many remain dependent on imported inputs and technology, and on tariff barriers. They create some employment, but often at a high economic cost and to the detriment of customers. The future does not lie in trying to produce everything. It lies in focusing on sectors where Pakistan possesses — or can realistically develop — a comparative advantage.

Agriculture still employs a large share of Pakistan’s workforce and remains the principal source of rural livelihoods. But the future of agriculture is often misunderstood. Sustainable increases in farm incomes will not come from employing more people on existing landholdings. They will come from higher productivity: better seeds, improved water management, mechanisation, precision agriculture, livestock genetics, farmer financing and modern storage and transport systems.

Pakistan needs to align national effort behind sectors where it holds a genuine comparative advantage

Some fear that greater productivity may reduce onfarm employment. That may be true in some areas. But the larger opportunity lies beyond the farm gate. Higher productivity stimulates jobs in food processing, packaging, logistics, warehousing, cold chains, veterinary services, seed production and exports. Water conservation can also make additional land cultivable, creating new economic activity.

The greatest potential may not lie in traditional crops but in horticulture, livestock, dairy, meat processing and aquaculture. A kilogram of processed food, premium fruit or halal meat generates far more value than a kilogram of wheat or sugarcane. Pakistan’s livestock sector already contributes more to agricultural value-added than crop farming, yet remains significantly underdeveloped relative to its export potential.

Pakistan’s challenge is not a shortage of opportunity; it is prioritisation

Tourism is one of the most labourintensive forms of export. Every foreign visitor effectively becomes an export customer without Pakistan having to ship a product overseas. It creates jobs across all skill levels — transport, hotels, restaurants, guides, artisans, retailers and local communities. Pakistan has mountains, coastlines, archaeological sites, religious heritage and adventure tourism opportunities that compare favourably with many successful destinations. Yet visitor numbers remain far below potential.

Medical tourism deserves particular attention. Pakistan has internationally trained doctors and hospitals operating at standards comparable to regional healthcare hubs. As global healthcare costs rise and travel patterns shift, opportunities may emerge in cardiac care, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, dentistry and fertility treatment. Medical tourism combines export earnings with highskilled employment and encourages investment in healthcare infrastructure that benefits domestic patients as well.

Pakistan’s mineral wealth — including copper, gold and other strategic minerals — has the potential to transform export earnings over the coming decades. But mining should not be viewed primarily as a massemployment strategy; modern mining is capitalintensive. Its contribution lies in generating foreign exchange, developing infrastructure and creating downstream industries. The objective should be to maximise local value addition through processing, refining and engineering services rather than exporting raw materials and importing finished products later.

Information technology and IT-enabled services have become major export earners. But artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the economics of outsourcing. Routine coding, data processing, customer support and basic BPO functions are increasingly automated. Pakistan must move beyond labourcost arbitrage and develop strengths in AIenabled services, cybersecurity, cloud management, fintech, healthtech, agritech and specialised software solutions. The most valuable exports of the future may be knowledge and intellectual property rather than outsourced labour.

Textiles remain central to Pakistan’s economy and should continue to be so. But future growth cannot rely on commodity products competing on price alone. The opportunity lies in higher valueadded apparel, technical textiles, design capabilities, sustainability compliance, branding and deeper integration into global supply chains.

Textiles also offer one of the greatest opportunities to increase female labour force participation — a proven driver of poverty reduction and export growth. Yet many Pakistani women remain excluded due to inadequate transport, childcare, workplace safety, accommodation and skills training. Addressing these barriers could expand the labour force substantially without adding a single person to the population.

Government cannot create prosperity by itself, nor should it attempt to pick corporate winners. Its responsibility is to provide security, reliable infrastructure, affordable and dependable energy, predictable taxation, quality education, trade agreements, effective regulation and a legal system that enforces contracts.

The private sector must do the rest: invest, innovate, train workers, improve productivity, adopt technology and compete internationally. Businesses cannot demand policy consistency while relying indefinitely on protection from competition.

Pakistan’s challenge is not a shortage of opportunity. Few countries possess such a combination of fertile land, mineral resources, geographic diversity, entrepreneurial talent and a young population. The challenge is prioritisation.

Too much policy attention remains devoted to preserving yesterday’s economic structures. The sectors most capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty, earning foreign exchange and strengthening resilience are already visible. What remains uncertain is whether public policy and private investment will align behind them.

Countries that prosper are rarely those that attempt to do everything. They are those who identify what they can do exceptionally well and pursue it with discipline. A focused growth strategy demands exactly that: aligning national effort behind sectors where Pakistan holds a genuine comparative advantage.

The author is a former CEO of Unilever Pak­istan and of the Pakistan Business Council

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

Brent for August was at $80.57 a barrel, while WTI for July delivery was hovering around $77.54 a barrel as of 1:52 pm in New York on Friday. The more active WTI August was edging up to $76.54 a barrel. Earlier, the prices had dipped even lower, but recovered somewhat once Israel launched new strikes in Lebanon. Consequently, US Vice President J.D. Vance had to defer his scheduled trip to Switzerland to begin the next phase of negotiations with Iran to resolve remaining issues.

Much now depends on how things play out from here and whether the parties involved in the deliberations will be able to reach a final settlement on all issues over the next sixty days. But given the market scenario, the upcoming mid-term elections in the US, the slowing global economy, rising inflation, the tightness of the oil markets, coupled with low crude inventory levels all around, the dire state of the Iranian economy and the growing economic pressure on Tehran, all are exerting pressure on both countries to bring the war theatre to a close. That means the US and Iran are evidently under pressure to ensure that the deal remains intact and ultimately materialises.

In the war theatre, the US and Iran were not the only stakeholders. There were others, too, especially Israel. But as the war progressed, the divergence between the objectives of the allies — the US and Israel — widened. The lack of convergence of interest between the two allies became visible. Time was of the essence, as the US had little time left before the mid-term elections in November.

There has been a structural shift in what Hormuz passage means — commercially, legally and operationally

Further, most analysts believed that if the war continued and the strait remained blocked until the next month, global crude inventories would fall to critical levels. “We haven’t actually reached a point yet where oil has run out, but it was getting dangerously close,” Global News reported, citing economics professor Moshe Lander of Concordia University.

Last week, the US Department of Energy said crude oil stocks in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell to 340.3 million barrels, the lowest level since 1983. That’s less than half the capacity of just over 700m barrels, reported the US Energy Information Administration.

Tightening crude inventories could have led to a real spike in oil prices. A shock of that magnitude would have been catastrophic for global economies, and a recession was bound to follow.

Israel was not on board with this urgency. Its war objectives were far from achieved.

On the other hand, bringing an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, was an integral part of the MoU signed between Iran and the US. Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hezbollah left the ceasefire vulnerable to renewed disruption, undermining the fragile ceasefire and the MoU. Washington was clearly upset.

Yet, Israel continued with the offensive. On Friday, it was reported that Israeli air strikes had resulted in the killing of 47 people in Southern Lebanon, and in response, Hezbollah also reportedly killed four Israeli soldiers. The Iran-US MoU was now in jeopardy. The US intervened, and under intense US pressure, Israel agreed to a ceasefire — bringing some sigh of relief. But whether the ceasefire will hold remains a big if. For the next few days, eyes would remain glued to developments in Lebanon and oil markets would react accordingly.

The path to normalcy in the region, even after the end of the war, was never going to be easy. Susan Bell, senior vice president of downstream research at Rystad Energy in Calgary, had told Bloomberg: “There is going to be some stops and starts in this whole negotiation process… with posturing on both sides over the next 60 days.”

“While the deal is not necessarily dead on arrival, there appear to be real risks to its staying power,” Helima Croft, head of commodity markets strategy at RBC Capital Markets, said in a note. Maritime logistical constraints, congressional opposition, and ongoing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon pose key threats to the normalisation of oil flows, she added just before the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was announced.

Despite the resolution of the crisis, if any, the war has changed perceptions of the Hormuz passageway. It has brought about ‘a structural shift in what Hormuz passage means — commercially, legally and operationally’, the New York Times said, quoting Ana Subasic, a trade risk analyst at Kpler.

“It has produced a passage environment where vessels may move, but their movements cannot always be trusted, verified or defended; where insurance coverage technically exists but its commercial terms may make transit economically irrational; where sanctions exposure can begin before a payment is made or a contract is signed; and where the most important risk indicators are not what diplomatic channels are saying but how vessels are actually behaving.” These have serious implications for the oil-rich Middle East.

The writer is an energy analyst and has delivered talks at the Department of Energy in Washington and the International Energy Agency. X: @rhusainsyed

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

Edikted, a fast-fashion company known for hyper-trendy clothes that teenagers and 20-somethings find irresistible. “We’re more like a data company than a fashion company,” says its CEO Dedy Shwartzberg. The Edikted customer — or “babe,” as the company calls her — shapes the store’s merchandise based on her internet searches, her social media activity, and whatever Hailey Bieber wears, among other data points. “If she likes something, we make more of it, which is why you see all these polka dots,” said Shwartzberg, motioning at the dotted halter tops around him. “If she doesn’t like something, it goes away. Last year’s barrel jeans? Bye bye.” Tons of brands follow Edikted’s strategy of low prices, trending styles, and aggressive social media marketing. Edikted drops 300 new styles a month and produces new designs in two to three weeks. A 2025 survey by investment bank Piper Sandler ranked it among the top five websites for upper-income teenage girls.

(Adapted from “How Edikted Built a Teen Sensation on Crop Tops and Miniskirts,” by Chavie Lieber, published on June 14, 2026, by the Wall Street Journal)

Parenting in old age

More people are becoming parents at older ages, and they are confronting a new and often surprising financial reality. Some are shouldering the costs of raising children while trying to turbocharge their retirement savings or manage age-related health problems. Others are weighing whether to step back from their careers just as they reach peak earning years. Women 40 and older accounted for about 4.3pc of US births in 2025, up from 1.2pc in 1990, according to provisional data from the National Centre for Health Statistics. The average first-time mother was 27.5 years old, a record high, according to 2023 data, the most recent available. Older parents tend to be more educated, federal data show, and many describe having more patience, flexibility and financial stability than they would have had a decade earlier. Research has found that children of older mothers score higher on early assessments, a result of the education, income and stability those parents tend to bring.

(Adapted from “Here’s What It’s Like to Have Kids in America After Age 40,” by Dalvin Brown, published on June 6, 2026, by the Wall Street Journal)

Stalled mid-career

No promotion. No notable raises. Not yet 40. You aren’t alone. Roughly a quarter of American professionals hit a wall in their careers before their peak earning years, going at least five years without a real boost in pay or position. That is the central finding of a new study tracking the careers of 1.3m midcareer professionals across a range of industries since 2000. It suggests that even in an economy with high employment, many workers run into an invisible barrier to upward mobility just when their careers are supposed to gain momentum. Midcareer stalls often start as early-career slumps and can ripple across a lifetime of earnings. That makes those first working years after college especially critical. Now, hiring has slowed to a trickle, with the upshot that there are fewer opportunities to move up or jump to better-paying jobs.

(“No Raise, No Promotion: 1 in 4 White-Collar Workers Are Stalling Out,” by Lindsay Ellis, published on May 31, 2026, by the Wall Street Journal)

Insurance challenges

When disaster strikes, many Americans face a near flip-of-the-coin chance that their home insurer will pay a claim. And the problem is getting worse. The five biggest home-insurers as a group didn’t pay out on more than 44pc of claims resolved last year, forcing homeowners and renters to fund repairs out of their own pockets, an analysis by The Wall Street Journal found. The risk that a claim will result in no payment among the group shot up from 36pc a decade earlier, according to the analysis. Several factors are driving nonpayment rates higher, according to industry analysts and executives. Prime among them: Insurers are responding to a years-long run of post-pandemic losses in their home-insurance businesses by getting tougher on claims. One way they have done this is to raise deductibles, or the amount the customer has to pay before the insurer kicks in. They have also set tighter criteria for claims involving expensive items, such as roof replacements.

(Adapted from “The Home-Insurance Coin Flip: Nearly Half Of Claims Result In Zero Payout,” by Jean Eaglesham and Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky, published on May 30, 2026, by the Wall Street Journal)

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

JazzCash and Mobilink Bank, in collaboration with the finance ministry and the State Bank, launched Government of Pakistan Treasury Bills on the JazzCash app at an event held at JazzCash headquarters in Islamabad. For the first time, Pakistanis can invest in government-backed securities directly from a digital wallet, a development that extends formal investment access well beyond the country’s approximately 1.4m existing public market participants.

The launch represents a significant step in democratising access to sovereign investment products and advancing Pakistan’s financial inclusion agenda through digital channels, acccording to a press release.

Finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said, “Under the prime minister’s vision for a digital economy, the government is working to deepen Pakistan’s financial markets, mobilise domestic savings and expand citizens’ participation in the formal economy. A stronger economy requires more Pakistanis to have access to regulated financial assets beyond conventional savings products.

“By enabling investment in government securities, starting with T-bills from as little as Rs5,000 through a trusted digital platform such as JazzCash, this initiative translates that broader vision into practical access for citizens while helping build a wider and more diversified domestic investor base.”

Access to T-Bills is now live on the JazzCash app. The product initially offers 3-month T-bills, with longer tenors planned for later phases. Eligible customers with a verified JazzCash account and an active Mobilink Bank deposit account can invest digitally, with Mobilink Bank acting as the regulated custodian and trustee.

Accelerating digital transformation

ABHI Microfinance Bank and Nadra Technologies Limited have entered into a strategic partnership to explore opportunities to advance digital financial services and strengthen access to secure, technology-enabled solutions for individuals and businesses across Pakistan, states a press release.

The partnership marks a significant step towards fostering innovation within the financial sector by bringing together ABHI Microfinance Bank’s commitment to inclusive banking and Nadra Technologies’ expertise in digital infrastructure and technology solutions.

PSW wins awards

In a historic achievement for Pakistan’s digital transformation and trade facilitation, Pakistan Single Window (PSW) has been declared one of the three winners of the prestigious Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Innovation Awards 2026, according to a press release.

The award was presented during Paperless Trade Week 2026 in Bangkok, an elite global forum jointly organised by the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations ESCAP under the theme ‘Next Generation Trade Digitalisation — Advancing Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation’.

The award was received by Syed Aftab Haider, Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Single Window, on behalf of PSW and Pakistan. This recognition highlights PSW’s strategic role in advancing Pakistan’s digital trade ecosystem, improving regulatory efficiency, and contributing to the country’s broader economic modernisation.

Agricultural futures

Pakistan Mercantile Exchange Limited (PMEX) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have entered into a cooperation agreement to strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural commodities futures market and support the implementation of the Electronic Warehouse Receipt (EWR) regime, as per a press release.

The partnership aims to enhance transparency, efficiency, and private sector participation in commodity markets. Strengthening price discovery and risk management tools will help farmers, traders, processors, and investors make informed business decisions.

The initiative is also expected to support investment in warehousing infrastructure, reduce post-harvest losses, and contribute to food security in Pakistan. Maize, rice, cotton and wheat have been identified as priority commodities for futures trading on the PMEX platform.

Under the agreement, IFC will support a review of the existing regulatory framework governing the storage, transportation, and trading of agricultural commodities and recommend reforms to strengthen the enabling environment.

IFC will also facilitate stakeholder engagement, support the development of futures contracts, and lead awareness and capacity-building initiatives to promote futures trading and the wider adoption of electronic warehouse receipts.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

At the heart of this second wave of anger is the provincial budget, which farmers say fails to acknowledge these structural constraints. On its part, Punjab this year allocated Rs92 billion specifically for agriculture as part of a broader Rs132bn package covering agriculture, livestock and fisheries. It also spared Rs61bn for irrigation. The document emphasises climate-smart farming, subsidised mechanisation and the ongoing distribution of state land to landless farmers. However, it remains silent on the two issues farmers have been agitating over the most.

This policy gap, farmers argue, is compounded by what they see as active market distortion by the state itself. Feeling increasingly unsupported, many are now arguing that the government, armed with vast financial resources and administrative power, is actively manipulating markets to their disadvantage.

One of the most vocal supporters of this view is Khalid Khokhar of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad, who echoes this sentiment: “Instead of helping farmers by containing these twin menaces, Punjab is, as a matter of policy, aggravating them.”

‘The budget is notably silent on fundamental issues such as marketing, fertiliser prices, energy costs and water management’

He cites this year’s wheat trade as a recent example. Although the government stayed out of procurement this year, it still fixed a support price of Rs3,500 per 40kg. Wheat initially traded at around Rs2,800 per 40kg because official claims of a bumper harvest shaped early trends. However, as market behaviour belied those claims, prices began to recover. By the time it reached Rs3,200 per 40kg, an estimated 60 to 70 per cent of the crop had changed hands.

As doubts about the official figures deepened, prices surged further, approaching Rs4,000 per 40kg. According to Mr Khokhar, the government at this stage used its administrative machinery to push prices back toward its announced price of Rs3,500 per 40kg. “Simple and pure manipulation,” he asks, “First depressing prices through exaggerated yield estimates and then using state power to bring prices down. The same policy approach has previously inflicted heavy losses on potato growers as well.”

Farmers contend that this pattern is reinforced by recent fiscal measures. The budget replaces the existing crop-based abiana system with a flat-rate regime, under which water charges have gone up to annual Rs2,500 per acre. It also proposes a uniform agriculture tax of Rs1,000 per acre for farmers holding more than 12.5 acres. Previously, rates ranged from Rs300 per acre for holdings between 12.5 and 25 acres to Rs500 per acre for holdings above 50 acres. By farmers’ calculations, this amounts to a 233pc increase in their burden under these two heads.

To farmers, this increase only adds “insult to injury.” Even if these measures can be justified on fiscal grounds, they argue that the timing could not be worse, coming at a time when the sector is already grappling with sharply rising costs and severely shrinking returns.

“Even if justified, the timing of such steep increases could not be more wrong. It is both harmful and an added source of frustration for farmers,” says Abad Khan, a farmer from central Punjab, echoing a sentiment widely shared across the farming community.

“The budget is notably silent on fundamental issues such as marketing, fertiliser prices, energy costs and water management. “The only area where it speaks on clearly is taxation — and there it speaks loudly,” he says. “Its subsidised farm mechanisation plans have come under heavy criticism for their limited impact on the ground, yet the government persists with them while refusing to listen to farmers’ concerns. “No one knows how climate-resilient farming is possible without balanced fertiliser application, which has now become unaffordable,” says Mr Khan.

The increase in abiana, however, is not without its supporters. Farmers such as Mohsin Leghari argue that reasonable water charges are essential to maintain the ageing infrastructure. “Civil paraphernalia typically requires annual maintenance spending equivalent to 2-3pc of its value. Punjab’s irrigation network is worth an estimated $20–25bn, which means it needs roughly Rs180bn a year for upkeep. What the government currently spends is not even 5pc of that requirement. How can such a system remain sustainable? Can agriculture survive on a crumbling irrigation network?”

Rejecting the notion that canal water should remain virtually free, he argues that cheap water is a myth in modern agriculture. Even after the increase, he says, canal water remains significantly cheaper than alternatives such as diesel- or electricity-powered groundwater pumping.

“Land, seed and water are the essential ingredients of agriculture; all other inputs are supplementary,” he argues. “If we want water to keep flowing through the system, we must also be willing to pay for its maintenance.”

In final words, as Punjab finds itself caught between emerging policy preferences and ground realities, life is becoming increasingly difficult for farmers. The combined impact of rising production costs, higher taxes and mercurial markets has only heightened their expectations of meaningful policy support in a sector that remains highly vulnerable. Instead of cushioning shocks, they argue, the government policy is increasingly transferring them onto farmers and farming.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

The Economic Survey of Pakistan 2025-26 pegs agriculture at 23.4pc of GDP and 33.1pc of total employment, underlining its centrality to livelihoods and food security. Sectoral growth is estimated at 2.89pc. Sindh accounts for 35–40pc of national rice output, 30–35pc of cotton, 25–30pc of sugarcane and 12–15pc of wheat, according to the chief minister’s budget speech.

However, Sindh is prone to extreme weather events. The super floods of 2010, followed by devastating rains in 2011, 2020, 2022 and 2023, repeatedly inflicted heavy losses on standing crops and damaged water infrastructure. As a lower-riparian province, Sindh also faces recurring water stress — at times man-made due to contested interprovincial distribution — which directly undermines kharif output. Soil degradation compounds these pressures.

With this agricultural landscape, development in the research sector is far from satisfactory. Research understandably holds the key to agricultural growth. At a time when climate change-driven weather patterns have become a regular phenomenon that threatens crops, research-oriented measures have become inevitable.

The government has attributed the reduction in the overall development outlay to Sindh’s contribution to national strategic fiscal requirements.

Amidst these challenges facing the sector, the agriculture research and development budget has been slashed by 57pc in FY27 allocations compared with FY26. The government allocated Rs6.30bn for the agriculture sector, inclusive of livestock, which, according to the chief minister, is 1.66pc of the total annual development programme (ADP) of Sindh.

The chief minister has attributed the reduction in the overall development outlay to Sindh’s contribution to national strategic fiscal requirements.

Within the agriculture development portfolio, Rs4.71bn has been allocated in total, of which Rs255m is reserved for research and Rs1.41bn for livestock. The research allocation is to fund five ongoing schemes in FY27. By comparison, the research wing received Rs592m in FY 26, including Rs75m for new schemes, signalling a 57pc contraction year-on-year.

The progress of these five schemes varies significantly. The bio-saline agriculture research initiative shows 76pc completion, while the Horticulture Research Centre upgradation stands at 63.3pc. The wheat varietal development programme using speed breeding is nearly complete at 98.5pc. The Sindh Agriculture Biosaline Rehabilitation and Resilience Initiative (SABRRI) is 50pc complete, while the climate-resilient seed production scheme is 49pc complete.

Separately, the “Integrated Management of Panama Wilt Disease of Banana in Sindh” was approved in March 2024 at Rs200m and revised to Rs149m in FY26. Of this, Rs10m was spent by June 2025, with the remaining Rs139m fully allocated in FY26, indicating completion of funding disbursement.

On the ground, however, farmers continue to demand climate-resilient seed varieties that can replace unreliable supply chains, reduce dependence on imported seeds, and improve per-acre yields. Despite the existence of crop-specific research institutions for wheat, cotton, rice and onion, research outputs remain insufficiently aligned with field realities.

Sindh’s horticulture and cash crops continue to face recurring disease and pest outbreaks. Mango orchards— particularly Sindhri varieties — and banana plantations have been under sustained stress. Onion and cotton have similarly suffered production losses due to unresolved agronomic challenges. Banana cultivation in Thatta was historically wiped out in the late 1980s by bunchy top disease. Today, a new wave of disease threatens orchards in Tando Allahyar, a major production hub.

Banana is a critical crop for Sindh, supplying markets across Pakistan almost year-round. In recent years, Panama Wilt has become particularly destructive in Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas districts. Even progressive growers like Imdad Nizamani have been unable to contain it.

He estimates that nearly 250 acres of banana orchards in Tando Allahyar will be lost to the disease despite sustained mitigation efforts. “This land has now been shifted to papaya, chilli, cotton and sugarcane. The remaining 270 acres of banana still have an infestation ratio of 25pc–40pc,” he said.

Recently, Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam, and an Australian government-supported international research initiative agreed to collaborate to combat banana diseases, including Panama Wilt and Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV), signalling renewed institutional attention.

Mango production tells a similar story of persistent stress. Orchards have repeatedly suffered from malformation and pest attacks, such as those by hoppers and thrips, resulting in significant yield losses. Contractors report relying on ad hoc methods to contain damage, underscoring the lack of systematic solutions.

Cotton, once a staple crop in Sindh, has experienced a long decline. Production peaked at 4.2m bales in FY10 before entering a downward trajectory. Over the next five years, output fell to 3.5–3.7m bales, and by FY26 it stood at 2.848m bales, according to Pakistan Cotton Ginners’ Association figures.

Vegetables are no exception. Onion, a staple kitchen crop, continues to face persistent production instability. Official agriculture department data shows acreage declining from 61,964 hectares in FY22 to 47,855 hectares in FY23. Production fell from 837,473 tonnes to 646,846 tonnes over the same period.

Sindh remains the country’s largest onion-producing province, ahead of Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, making its losses particularly consequential. Yet growers report little institutional support. A veteran onion farmer, Nadeem Shah from Matiari, says he has scaled down cultivation dramatically — from 150 acres historically to just seven acres in 2025, and none in 2026 — after repeated financial losses from disease.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026

These figures help explain the strategic direction of the FY27 federal budget. Faced with a widening trade gap, pressure on foreign exchange reserves, and ongoing International Monetary Fund-backed reforms, the government has prioritised export-led growth, tax documentation, investment promotion, and digitalisation of revenue administration.

In many respects, the budget reflects a broader shift in economic policy. Rather than attempting to stimulate growth across all sectors simultaneously, policymakers have chosen to concentrate incentives on industries capable of generating foreign exchange earnings. The underlying assumption is that stronger exports will help stabilise the balance of payments, reduce external vulnerabilities and create a foundation for more sustainable economic expansion.

Export-oriented industries receive significant relief with the measures represent one of the most comprehensive packages of support provided to exporters in recent years. Lower taxes, cheaper financing and improved liquidity directly enhance competitiveness in international markets where producers often operate on thin margins.

While tax incentives can improve profitability and encourage investment, they cannot fully offset structural impediments such as high energy costs, infrastructure gaps and limited development spending

The information technology sector retains the concessional 0.25pc final tax rate on export earnings until June 2029. Pakistan’s IT and telecom exports reached approximately $4.2bn during the first eleven months of FY26, representing year-on-year growth of about 20pc. The sector has emerged as one of the country’s fastest-growing sources of foreign exchange earnings, reinforcing its importance within the government’s export-led growth strategy.

The emphasis on technology exports reflects an important structural reality. Unlike many traditional industries, the IT sector generates foreign exchange without placing significant pressure on imported raw materials, energy consumption or logistics infrastructure. The sector therefore, offers policymakers an opportunity to expand exports while minimising some of the constraints that have historically limited industrial growth.

Tariff reforms under the National Tariff Policy 2025-30 include reductions in customs duties, additional customs duties and regulatory duties on industrial inputs. Additional customs duty may be reduced across 3,149 tariff lines, while the 20pc slab covering 2,166 tariff lines may see the duty reduced from 4pc to 2pc.

Construction and real estate receive substantial tax relief. The significance of construction extends well beyond the property market itself. Activity in the sector stimulates demand for cement, steel, transport, logistics, engineering services and a wide range of skilled and unskilled labour. As a result, construction remains one of the few sectors capable of generating employment and economic activity across multiple industries simultaneously. The construction sector, which recorded growth of 5.73pc during FY26, should now grow faster with the support of the above-mentioned incentives.

For small businesses and retailers, the Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme allows traders with annual turnover up to Rs200m to discharge tax obligations through a flat payment equal to 1pc of turnover, subject to a minimum annual payment of Rs25,000. Participants will be exempt from Point-of-Sale installation requirements, withholding-agent responsibilities and routine physical inspections.

The withholding-tax exemption threshold has been increased from Rs100m to Rs200m. Property transaction taxes for tax filers have also been reduced, lowering the cost of acquiring commercial real estate. The budget also proposes regulatory simplification and improved access to credit for small and medium enterprises through banks and specialised financing programmes.

The Public Sector Development Programme has been capped at Rs1.126 trillion, Rs126bn below the level approved by the Annual Plan Coordination Committee. Ministries sought nearly Rs4tr for ongoing projects, leaving an estimated funding gap of just under Rs3tr.

Meanwhile, the federal development portfolio carries a throw-forward of around Rs10tr. Energy-sector pressures remain significant. Combined circular debt in the power and gas sectors has reached Rs5.206tr, including Rs1.764tr in the power sector and Rs3.442tr in the gas sector. Gas-sector circular debt alone stood at Rs3.4tr by December 2025, equivalent to 2.7pc of GDP.

These challenges highlight the central contradiction within the budget. While tax incentives can improve profitability and encourage investment, they cannot fully offset structural impediments such as high energy costs, infrastructure gaps and limited development spending.

The budget aims to accelerate the digital transformation of tax administration, which deserves appreciation. A National Faceless Centre will conduct audits, assessments and appeals electronically. The Finance Bill introduces an Algorithmic Settlement Mechanism, while banks and electronic money institutions will provide data on high-value transactions. Large retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers will be required to integrate with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) systems for real-time transaction reporting.

A tax credit equal to 10pc of investment in FBR-linked electronic systems has been introduced. Penalties for non-compliance may reach Rs1m and rise to Rs5m for continued violations.

Perhaps the most far-reaching aspect of the budget is this transition towards data-driven tax administration. Over time, digital monitoring, automated risk assessment and integrated databases could fundamentally reshape the relationship between businesses and the tax authorities.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 22nd, 2026