By Staff Reporter KARACHI: India produced a performance of clinical authority to thrash Pakistan by 61 runs in their T20 World Cup group-stage clash at
Lifestyle
India’s Murder-for-Hire Scheme
Few moments in recent diplomacy have laid bare the contradictions of America’s foreign policy quite like the guilty plea of Nikhil Gupta. The guilty plea entered by Gupta in a Manhattan federal courtroom last Friday marks a grim milestone in what US and Canadian officials have described as a brazen effort by elements within the Indian government to silence Sikh separatists abroad. Gupta, a 54-year-old Indian national, admitted to charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and money laundering conspiracy, acknowledging his role in a failed scheme to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US citizen whose crime, in the eyes of his would-be killers, was advocating for Sikh independence. This case isn’t just a courtroom drama; it’s a window into how Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s India is testing the limits of its partnerships with the West, pursuing dissidents across borders in ways that smack of old-school authoritarianism and, in many cases, state-sponsored terrorism.
Jailed Imran Khan allowed 20-minute call with sons after court order
ISLAMABAD: Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan spoke to his sons by phone for about 20 minutes and was “extremely happy to hear their voices,” his sister said on Saturday, days after a court ordered authorities to let him contact his children amid reports of severe vision loss in one eye.
Defence minister rebukes opposition leader over army remarks in heated parliament session
ISLAMABAD: Defence minister on Wednesday lambasted the opposition leader in parliament for remarks that he said belittled the sacrifices of the armed forces, amid a heated exchange that underscored ongoing tensions between the government and critics over the military’s role in national affairs.
PCB says India boycott threat aimed at securing ‘respect’ for Bangladesh
PESHAWAR: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Tuesday that his recent meetings with officials from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) were aimed solely at securing respect for Bangladesh after its withdrawal from the T20 World Cup.
Multan Sultans sold for record Rs2.45 billion, team to be renamed Rawalpindi
LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League’s Multan Sultans franchise was sold to Walee Technologies for a record Rs2.45 billion on Monday, with the new owners announcing plans to rename the team Rawalpindi ahead of the tournament’s 11th edition.
ICC, Pakistan hold crunch talks in Lahore on India T20 match boycott
LAHORE: Top officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) huddled in Lahore on Sunday for high-stakes discussions over Pakistan’s government-mandated boycott of its T20 World Cup clash with India, a move that threatens to upend the tournament’s marquee fixture and expose deep fissures in global cricket governance.
Cricket’s India problem
As the T20 World Cup opens tomorrow in a blaze of floodlights and fanfare, the shadow of a missing blockbuster looms large. The India-Pakistan encounter, set for 15 February in Colombo, is cricket’s equivalent of a heavyweight title fight – a clash that pulls in viewers by the hundreds of millions and swells the coffers of broadcasters and the International Cricket Council (ICC) alike. But Pakistan’s refusal to take the field, a bold act of solidarity with ousted Bangladesh, has thrust the sport’s governance into crisis. This isn’t just about one no-show; it’s a stark reminder of how India’s financial muscle has warped the game’s level playing field, leaving smaller boards to scrape for fairness in a system rigged against them.
Sindh forms judicial commission to investigate deadly Gul Plaza fire that killed 73
KARACHI: The Sindh provincial government on Wednesday established a single-member judicial commission to investigate the devastating fire at Gul Plaza shopping center that killed at least 73 people and destroyed more than 1,100 shops, amid growing questions about regulatory failures and emergency response delays.
PM Sharif backs boycott of India T20 World Cup match in support of Bangladesh
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has thrown his government’s full weight behind a decision to prevent the national men’s cricket team from facing India in the upcoming T20 World Cup, framing the move as a show of solidarity with Bangladesh amid simmering regional tensions.