https://arab.news/vprv2
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top spot in the international ODI rankings will be up for grabs ahead of the 50-over Men’s World Cup in October-November, the ICC said on Monday, with Australia and India closing in on the number one ranking before the megaevent kicks off. 
According to the latest updated ICC ODI team rankings released on Sunday, Pakistan retained their top spot despite losing to India and Sri Lanka in the Super Four stages of the Asia Cup 2023 tournament. Babar Azam’s side have 3,102 points from 27 matches and a rating of 115. India, with 4,701 points are close behind with a rating of 115 but from 41 matches. Australia, with 3,166 points from 28 matches have a rating of 113 and sit at the number three spot.
India and Australia squandered their chances of clinching the top spot from Pakistan, the former after losing to Bangladesh in the Asia Cup Super Four stage and the latter by losing three back-to-back matches to South Africa. 
“Pakistan hold onto the No.1 spot at the end of Asia Cup 2023 despite their early exit and India’s thumping win over Sri Lanka in the final,” the ICC said in a report. “Australia too squandered their chance to go on top of the rankings after the series loss to South Africa.”
The only way Australia can head the ODI rankings before the World Cup begins is by whitewashing India when the two sides play a three-match ODI series from Sept. 22-27. If Australia start the series with two wins, they will go on top of the rankings until the final ODI at least.
India, on the other hand, are in prime position to steal the number one ODI spot from Pakistan by winning the first ODI against Australia at home, which takes place on Sept.22. 
“Rohit Sharma’s side are coming off a spectacular Asia Cup win and they could reach the No.1 position as early as Friday next week by defeating Australia in the first ODI in Mohali,” the ICC added. 
If India avoid a whitewash but still lose the series to Australia, Pakistan will remain the top-ranked side for the World Cup. Conversely, a 3-0 loss to Australia will see India slip to third position and Australia go on top.
For Pakistan to keep their number one spot ahead of the World Cup is a difficult ask, especially when Azam’s side have no official ODIs scheduled ahead of the megaevent. 
“They [Pakistan] could still regain the top ranking if Australia and India continue to lose, but the fact these two teams are scheduled to play each other at the end of the month means one of them would then re-claim the premier position,” the ICC added. 
ISLAMABAD: A leading international financial institution on Wednesday said Pakistan’s implementation of economic reforms for the next few months was crucial for macroeconomic stability and gradual recovery of growth in the South Asian state.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) shared its assessment in a report dealing with the overall economic outlook of the region, saying that the country’s gross domestic product was expected to recover modestly to 1.9 percent in the ongoing fiscal year from last year’s 0.3 percent.
However, it warned of global price shocks and slow international growth amid Pakistan’s already challenging financial situation which led its leaders to seek a $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) earlier this year.
As the country witnessed rapid depreciation of national currency along with dwindling foreign exchange reserves, the IMF insisted it to carry out stringent economic reforms by eliminating subsidies, increasing power tariffs, and following market-driven exchange rate mechanism for its financial recovery.
“Pakistan’s economic prospects are closely tied to the steadfast and consistent implementation of policy reforms to stabilize the economy and rebuild fiscal and external buffers,” ADB Country Director for Pakistan Yong Ye said in a statement.
“Greater fiscal discipline, a market-determined exchange rate, and speedier progress on reforms in the energy sector and state-owned enterprises are key to reviving economic growth and protecting social and development spending,” he added.
The ADB acknowledged the country’s economic woes in the wake of last year’s floods that damaged crops and public infrastructure on a massive scale.
It also mentioned political instability as a negative factor and pointed out that inflation had remained on the rise in Pakistan.
The report maintained the implementation of the economic adjustment program and smooth general election within the next few months were expected to boost economic confidence, adding the easing of import controls was also going to support investment.
The ADB predicted that inflation was expected to cool down from 29.2 to 25 percent in the ongoing fiscal year, though sharp increases in energy tariffs under the economic adjustment program and any further weakening of the Pakistani rupee would keep the inflationary pressures elevated.
ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said on Wednesday the “biggest concern” currently facing Pakistan was a threat from militant organizations that were using Afghan soil to launch attacks against the South Asian country.
Pakistan says the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have become emboldened since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war. Authorities say the insurgents, who are allied but separate from the Afghan Taliban, have found sanctuaries and have even been living openly in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover.
The TTP has stepped up its attacks on Pakistan since November last year when it unilaterally called off a tenuous peace deal that had been brokered by Kabul.
The Afghan government says it does not permit its soil to be used by armed groups against other nations.
“For Pakistan, the biggest concern right now is the enhanced terrorist threat from TTP and ISK [Daesh group], and their ability to use Afghan soil to launch attacks against Pakistan”, Jilani said while speaking at the Asia Society in New York on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
“We remain closely engaged with the Afghan interim administration on this issue, and while we are committed to fighting and defeating the terrorists, we wish to highlight that terrorist organizations trying to gain a foothold in Afghanistan should be treated as a threat to the neighborhood and the entire international community.”
Jilani said Pakistan was aligned with the international community on human rights violations in Afghanistan, particularly with regards to women’s rights, employments and education.
Since assuming power, the Afghan Taliban have implemented restrictions preventing women from pursuing employment or attending educational institutions.
“We will continue to raise these issues with the Afghan interim administration [but] we believe that instead of coercive measures, engaging the Afghan interim government is much more likely to deliver results. Equally important is to avert the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan,” Jilani said. 
Earlier in the day, the Pakistani minister met with the US Special Representative on Afghanistan, Thomas West, in New York.
US Special Representative on Afghanistan Thomas West @US4AfghanPeace called on FM @JalilJilani in NY. FM reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to stable, peaceful, prosperous & connected Afghanistan. They agreed on continued cooperation for lasting peace in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/FysuY8XlQm
 
 
 
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s interim religious affairs minister Aneeq Ahmed traveled to Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss the expansion of Makkah Route Initiative with Saudi officials ahead of the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage next year, said an official at his ministry.
Pakistan has already received its quota of 179,210 pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj, prompting the ministry to begin its preparations in advance to facilitate people who plan to undertake their spiritual journey.
Ahmed, who embarked on a week-long visit to the kingdom at the outset of the week, was briefed about the arrangements by the country’s Hajj mission on Tuesday and interacted with companies providing various facilities to pilgrims.
“The minister reached Saudi Arabia on September 18 and will return to Islamabad on September 24,” Muhammad Umer Butt, the spokesperson of the religious affairs ministry, told Arab News.
He added that Ahmed had reached the Saudi capital city to hold separate meetings with the Hajj minister, Dr. Taufig bin Fawzan Al-Rabia, and general secretary of the Muslim World League, Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Issa.
“The minister will discuss with his Saudi counterpart the expansion of the Makkah Route Initiative to Karachi and Lahore along with Islamabad for next year’s Hajj,” he continued.
Saudi Arabia introduced the initiative in Pakistan along with four other countries to provide customs and immigration services to pilgrims at the point of departure to save them substantial time upon arriving in the kingdom.
According to official statistics, more than 26,000 Pakistani pilgrims benefited from the facility at the Islamabad airport this year.
Butt said the Pakistani minister had already met the representatives of catering and accommodation companies for next year’s Hajj, adding that he instructed his team to finalize the agreements as soon as possible to secure lodging facilities for pilgrims at prime locations.
“The Pakistani minister will arrive in Jeddah tomorrow where he will meet representatives of different Saudi companies and officials of the General Authority of Civil Aviation in relation to Hajj,” he added.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal government issued a cyber advisory earlier this week, urging industries and financial institutions to exercise caution when using Indian-origin software and artificial intelligence (AI) products to strengthen the digital security of the country.
India, which has made significant advancements in the development of IT products and services, is known to be a major player in the global software development industry.
It has remained a top outsourcing destination for companies seeking online solutions, application maintenance, and customer support due to the cost-effectiveness and a large pool of skilled workforce. Over the years, several major multinational tech firms have developed a significant presence in India, establishing their research and development centers and supporting the growth of the local IT ecosystem.
With India-Pakistan relationship characterized by political tensions and hostilities, however, officials in Islamabad have never encouraged digital collaboration with the neighboring state or indulged in direct buying or selling of IT products and services on an official level.
In a notification circulated on Monday, the cabinet division of the government said it had learned that fintech sector of Pakistan, including a few banks, were engaged with Indian-origin companies offering IT products, cybersecurity and AI solutions.
“It is pertinent to mention that use of Indian security products/solutions pose a constant, concealed and force multiplier threat to [Pakistan’s] critical information infrastructure,” the advisory, a copy of which is available with Arab News, warned.
It maintained the possibility of the “presence of backdoor or malware for collection of logs/data traffic analysis and personal identifiable information” could not be ruled out in such products.
Additionally, they made “direct Indian ingress” in the country’s critical information infrastructure possible.
“All Federal/Provincial Ministries including sectoral regulators are requested to sensitize their affiliated setups/organizations/licensees, on the risks involved in use of Indian origin products/solutions,” the advisory said.
It said all users were recommended to refrain from installing and using these IT and AI products and consult Pakistan Software Houses Association to find technical companies for suitable and economical alternatives.
It may be recalled that several media reports emerged about three years ago which said that Indian intelligence agencies had targeted Pakistan’s government functionaries and military personnel through cyber-attacks.
The army’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, said in a statement it was investigating various targets of hostile agencies to get to the bottom of the development.
ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday described the international financial system as “morally bankrupt” while discussing the challenges for developing nations to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identified by the United Nations to combat poverty and enhance global well-being.
The world body set the SDGs in 2015 to ensure zero hunger, reduced inequalities, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic opportunities, responsible consumption and production along with peace, justice and the emergence of strong institutions.
Addressing the SDG Summit Leaders Dialogue on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly session in New York, the prime minister said only 12 percent of these targets had been met due to the economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-induced catastrophes, and conflicts raging in different parts of the world.
“This has been further exacerbated by a morally bankrupt international financial architecture,” he was quoted as saying by the PM Office in Islamabad.
He said Pakistan would “seek climate justice, including the fulfillment of the pledge to provide over $100 billion annually in climate finance,” during the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai later this year.
Earlier, Kakar emphasized the significance of a multibillion-dollar economic corridor project with China in achieving the SDGs during a meeting on Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping two years ago to improve the quality of life around the world.
“The Prime Minister stressed that China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are vital vehicles for achieving the SDGs,” said another statement released by his office.
He highlighted the necessity of adequate and appropriate finance at all levels of the development process and welcomed President Xi’s announcement related to a $10 billion fund dedicated to the implementation of the GDI.
The prime minister also noted that his country wanted to strengthen its cooperation with China and other GDI members to collectively meet the SDGs.

source