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The venue of the 2021 World T20 is still uncertain as the COVID-19 situation in India is still not under control. 2020 T20 World Cup, which was supposed to be held in Australia, had to be postponed due to the ongoing pandemic and will now be held in 2022, while the 2021 World T20 might face some issues as well.

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The COVID-19 situation in India has not improved and the authorities might be forced to move to the tournament to UAE. Recently, Indian Premier League was also held in the UAE, keeping in view the dire situation in the home country.

PCB CEO, Wasim Khan, reiterated the fact that ICC might have to move the mega tournament to UAE, in case the situation doesn’t improve in the host country.

Wasim Khan also said that the PCB has asked the Indian authority to provide assurance that the Pakistani team will not face any visa issues in case the tournament is held in India.

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New ICC Chairman Reveals His Plans on Pakistan-India Bilateral Series

PCB chief Ehsan Mani has written to them and requested them that given the state of relations between India and Pakistan, it would be best if the ICC and BCCI gives a written assurance about the visas being issued to us.

Pakistan was originally slated to host the 2020 Asia Cup, but due to the postponement of the tournament, PCB has decided to swap the tournaments hosting rights with Sri Lanka. As per new scheduling, 2021 Asia Cup will be held in Sri Lanka and Pakistan will host the 2022 edition of the tournament.

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After the conclusion of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League, the cricketing fraternity in Pakistan has turned its attention towards PSL 6. The preparations for the sixth season are already underway and the PCB has announced the tentative dates.

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PCB CEO Wasim Khan revealed that PSL 6 will likely be held from 20th February to 21st March and will be played at the same venues as PSL 5.

Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi have been decided as the four venues for PSL 6 and Wasim Khan said that the six franchises have been informed of the dates and venues for the tournament.

He also said that the draft for the new season will likely be held in the first week of January. The draft will provide an opportunity for the franchises to make the necessary adjustments to their squads by recruiting players of their choice.

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According to sources, the draft will likely be held at National Stadium Karachi in open air, keeping in view the COVID-19 situation in the country. Dubai, Lahore and Islamabad have held previous drafts and PCB is looking to hold it at a new venue.

PSL 5 was the first edition of the league to be entirely held in Pakistan and despite a few hiccups due to the pandemic, the tournament was a huge success.

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Petroleum Division hosted the consultative meeting on the pricing mechanism of gas and LNG. Minister for Energy, Omar Ayub Khan, and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum, Nadeem Babar, co-chaired the meeting with the Energy Ministers of all provinces.

The forum explored the issues, challenges, and plausibility of implementing a country-wide sustainable and affordable gas pricing mechanism.

At the start of the meeting, Federal Minister, Omar Ayub Khan, thanked the Provincial Ministers for joining the meeting. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is keen to resolve the issues of the gas sector and maintaining the supply chain of gas throughout the country.

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SAPM on Petroleum, Nadeem Babar, initiated the discussion to explore a sustainable and affordable mechanism for the gas tariff regime. He recapped the salient points of the consultations held during the Council of Common Interest meeting and Gas Seminar organized by the Petroleum Division in September 2020.

Moreover, he said that the rate of production of local gas has decreased over the years, which contributed to the supply-demand gap in the gas sector. He also highlighted the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to resolve the issue within the premises of the constitutional right of provinces, which is acceptable for all stakeholders.

Babar also spoke of the legal constraints of LNG to be added to the gas pool. He said that as per the decision of the previous government, LNG has been declared a Petroleum Product (i.e., petrol) and not natural gas. Consequently, LNG is “ringfenced” from local gas, which is why OGRA cannot include it in the gas pricing, and the government cannot provide a cross-subsidy mechanism to meet all the demand for gas.

He also apprised the forum about the cross-subsidy being provided by the government in the energy sector.

Provincial representatives admitted the fact of gas shortage across the country and asked the Petroleum Division to prepare a data-based formula for the pricing mechanism of the gas sector.

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SAPM concluded the consultative session describing the meeting as a step in the right direction. He said follow-up sessions would be continued between the federal government and provinces to formulate the gas tariff mechanism nationwide.

Finance Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Taimur Khan Jhagra, Sindh’s Minister for Energy, Imitiaz Sheikh, Energy Minister of Punjab, Dr. Mohammed Akhtar Malik, Advisor to CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Energy & Power, Hiyamatullah Khan, and Chief Secretary Balochistan, Fazeel Asghar, represented the respective provinces.

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Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Corporate Crime Circle (CCC) Karachi has registered an FIR against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on the charges of illegal appointment of an Austrian National as a Consultant to CEO.

The FIR was registered on the directions of Director FIA Sindh, and the two accused are Bernd Hildenbrand, a German national holding, who is also the former Acting CEO of PIA, and Helmut Bechhofner, an Austrian national.

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Bechhofner was appointed as a consultant in October 2016 by Hildenbrand for three months. This appointment caused a loss of $50,203 (approximately 5.25 million rupees) to the national exchequer through PIA.

SI Syed Faheemullah of FIA, CCC Karachi, is investigating the case.

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Former Pakistan captain, Shahid Afridi, reprimanded Afghanistan player, Naveen-ul-Haq, after the end of the match between Galle Gladiators and Kandy Tuskers in the Lanka Premier League.

Naveen-ul-Haq had a heated exchange with Pakistani pacer, Mohammad Amir, during the match and the two almost came head to head during a high pulsating game.

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Kandy Tuskers defeated Galle Gladiators by 25 runs in the LPL, handing Galle their third successive defeat.

During the chase in the second innings, Mohammad Amir was at the crease when the incident took place. It was clear in the TV footage that the two had a go at each other, although the conversation between the two is inaudible and it is difficult to determine who started things.

In the footage, 21-year old Naveen looks to be exchanging some words with Mohammad Amir and after the conclusion of the match, the two still had a go at each other.

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After the match, during handshakes between the two teams, Afridi came out and lashed out at the Afghani player.

Watch the video of the incident below:

It is unclear what Afridi said to Naveen, but it seems like he was out to teach some sportsman spirit to the young player.

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He returns to the Stars through the club’s ongoing relationship with the Lahore Qalandars, a successful connection that led to Haris Rauf’s involvement with the Stars in BBL|09.

Dilbar played for the Qalandars in the recent Pakistan Super League (PSL) alongside Stars batsman, Ben Dunk. The 27-year-old notably came to professional cricket late, having not played hardball cricket at any level before 2018 when he entered regional selection trials in the Qalandars program.

Dilbar made one appearance for the Stars last season, taking the wicket of AB de Villiers at the MCG, and said he was pleased to return to the Melbourne Stars.

I’m very happy to be coming back to the Melbourne Stars for the Big Bash. In the short time I was with the club last season I learnt so much. I’d like to thank David Hussey who was incredibly supportive and encouraged me to keep working on my craft.

Dilbar took 14 wickets during the recent PSL. Stars head coach, David Hussey, said Hussain brings a unique benefit to the bowling lineup.

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“I’m looking forward to working with Dilbar again this season and supporting his development together with our wider bowling group. His Stars debut was a whirlwind last year – it was his first senior T20 match and he effectively came down to Melbourne at very short notice and ended up bowling to AB de Villiers at the MCG,” Hussey said.

“He’s a genuine 140km/hr bowler with a good yorker and an incredible slower ball. With another year of experience and his time in the PSL, we’re keen to see what Dilbar brings to the table for us this year. The fact that not many players have faced him before can be a real advantage for us,” Hussey said.

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We’ve all seen and heard about luxury shopping and living in global business and tourist hubs like Dubai, Singapore, London, and Rome. But little do we see any commercial or residential construction in Pakistan that comes even close to what we’ve come to think about luxury in this hyper-connected digital world.

Be it the UAE’s Mall of the Emirates, US’ Grand Canal Shoppes, Japan’s Canal City, or Hong Kong’s The Landmark, none has anything remotely comparable in Pakistan. The same goes for residential buildings. We’re yet to see anything like One Palm of Dubai, The Interlace of Singapore, or One Hyde Park of London, in Pakistan.

True, that the local property landscape is transforming, but it will still be many years before it can catch on to the global real estate markets in both commercial and residential spheres. Although there’s no dearth of property developments in Pakistan – with new projects and residential societies sprouting around urban centers as well as far-flung suburbs – individual investors are yet to experience true luxury and value for the piles of hard-earned money they invest.

But, it seems like the Al-Bari Group of Companies is aiming to change that with their new eco-friendly, ultra-luxury project, The Aquatic Mall. Being Pakistan’s first-ever underwater-themed mall, the project will reshape Pakistan’s commercial, residential, and hospitality real estate. A sprawling development stretched on about 24 kanals, the mall has anything and everything that you can ask for, delivering an unsurpassed shopping and living experience.

The Aquatic Mall is the future landmark of Islamabad with a host of amenities including an underwater tunnel which will have a variety of sea species imported from across the world. Based on the marine theme, this mall is not only for shoppers, but also for people who want to feel close to nature. Located at the prime location of GT Road, The Aquatic Mall is easily accessible from anywhere in the twin cities.

What the iconic mall has to offer
The Aquatic Mall will feature 16 floors and a rooftop. While three basement floors will provide ample Car Parking for the visitors, the first five floors will house Shopping Outlets of top local and international brands. A Food Court will occupy the next two floors where people can enjoy a vast variety of cuisines from different local and international food chains, besides a Marine-Themed Restaurant.

To make the visit to The Aquatic Mall wholly fun-filled for kids, one entire floor is dedicated to the Kids’ Area, which is designed keeping in view all the safety measures. Children will enjoy a variety of indoor games and rides while parents can enjoy worry-free shopping by leaving the kids in the safe hands of the mall’s attendants dedicated to the Kids’ Area.

State-of-the-art Business Facilities and corporate offices will occupy the next two floors, making the mall an ideal place to hold business meetings and corporate events. Two floors of The Aquatic Mall will be reserved for Luxury Apartments which will be the best selection for people who love to own a luxury lifestyle.

Deluxe Suites will enlighten the whole mall being situated on the top floor. It will offer all the luxurious amenities and VIP facilities, along with one wall of the suite being dedicated to the aquarium where people will get the best sight.

Here’s a quick look at the mall’s other salient facilities:

Underwater Tunnel
Infinity Pool
Sky Walk
Blue Mosque
Helipad
Gym & Spa
Cinema

91-feet tall cylindrical aquarium!
The gigantic aquarium at The Aquatic Mall is going to be its major identifier. Standing a huge 91 feet tall, it is guaranteed to make you forget all the fish tanks you’ve seen in your life! Plus, its incredible marine exhibit boasting sea species brought in from across the world will surely leave you mesmerized.

The aquarium can easily qualify as one of the world’s tallest aquariums. It will be the key feature that gives The Aquatic Mall its true marine theme. Plus, this jaw-dropping exhibit is what welcomes the shoppers at the mall.

Luxury living redefined
For the first time in Pakistan, The Aquatic Mall has introduced ultra-luxury living with its spacious apartments that feature private lawns and views of wide-open skies. The mall allows you to experience unsurpassed luxury with its world-class high-rise terraces. The amenities that these apartments are equipped with are hard to match with any other luxury development in Pakistan.

Moreover, Deluxe Suites at The Aquatic Mall take luxury as we know it to a whole new level. Imagine living in a suite with a floor-to-ceiling window providing a view of over 65,000 tropical fish. Guests will discover extraordinary depths and unparalleled service, as they unwind in one of The Aquatic Mall’s lavishly tranquil havens.

The vision of transformation
“At Al-Bari Group of Companies, we aim to set a new trend by reshaping the Real Estate sector in Pakistan,” shares Syed Asim Raza, Chairman of Al-Bari Group. “We are responsible for driving our business forward to the benefit of all our stakeholders and providing them with return on their investments commensurate with our valuation as a premier industrial company.”

Founded in the year 2017 by Syed Asim Raza, Al-Bari Group of Companies maintains a large portfolio of real estate services. As Pakistan’s leading real estate and construction company, Al-Bari’s goal is to empower the nation with leading malls and societies facilitating people with green environments and innovative facilities.

“This goal will only be accomplished by our continued focus on quality, liberality, durability, vocational value, and customer service. I’m proud to say that Al-Bari Group of Companies plans to continue the heritage of leadership in the markets we serve and in the communities where we live and work, and The Aquatic Mall is going to be a living example of that commitment,” adds Asim.

The post The Aquatic Mall Islamabad to Deliver an Unsurpassed Shopping and Living Experience appeared first on .

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Raza Hasan of Northern’s Second XI has been sent home following a breach of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s COVID-19 protocols. The decision means he will not be allowed to take any further part in the 2020-21 domestic season.

Raza had left the bio-secure premises at a local hotel without seeking a prior clearance from the medical team as well as the PCB’s High-Performance department.

PCB Director High Performance, Nadeem Khan, said:

It is sad and unfortunate that despite several reminders and educational programmes on the significance and importance of respecting and following Covid-19 protocols, Raza Hasan decided to take matters in his hand and overstepped the line. As such, he has been expelled from the tournament and will not be allowed for the remaining season.

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“The PCB has a zero-tolerance approach towards Covid-19 breaches as these are designed to not only ensure health and safety of all participants but also demonstrate to the world that we can successfully organize and deliver domestic competitions”, he concluded.

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