Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has ended speculation about another international comeback before the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. The 34-year-old said his new status as a British local player had closed the door on representing Pakistan again. The next ODI World Cup will run from October 4 to November 21 across South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. British Citizenship Closes Comeback Door Amir announced his latest international retirement on December 14, 2024, after playing for Pakistan at that year’s T20 World Cup. He has since acquired British citizenship and a British passport through his wife, Narjis Khan. The change allows Amir to play as a local in English domestic cricket. However, he will occupy an overseas-player slot in competitions such as the Pakistan Super League. Speaking to cricket YouTuber Furqan Bhatti, Amir explained the condition attached to his local status in England. “I am a British local now. When you play in competitions such as the County Championship and The Hundred as a local player, you have to sign a document stating that you cannot play for another country as a local. So, the Pakistan chapter I had before is now closed,” Amir said. The statement appears to end any remaining hope of another reversal. Amir first retired from international cricket in December 2020 but withdrew that decision in March 2024. He returned for the 2024 T20 World Cup before retiring again six months later. Career Across Three Formats Amir made his Pakistan debut in 2009 and represented the country in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 62 T20 internationals. He collected 119 Test wickets, 81 ODI wickets and 71 T20I wickets, finishing with 271 international dismissals. The left-arm pacer played in three ICC World Cups. He took six wickets in seven matches as Pakistan won the 2009 T20 World Cup. Amir then claimed eight wickets from six matches at the 2010 tournament. Nine years later, he led Pakistan’s bowling chart at the 2019 ODI World Cup with 17 wickets in eight games. His best performance at that event came against Australia. Amir recorded figures of 5/30, although Pakistan lost the match by 41 runs. Champions Trophy Spell Remains Defining Moment Amir also produced one of his most memorable performances during Pakistan’s 2017 ICC Champions Trophy triumph. In the final against India at The Oval, he took 3/16 from six overs. He removed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan, dismantling India’s top order during Pakistan’s defence of 338. Pakistan dismissed India for 158 and sealed a 180-run victory. The result delivered Pakistan’s first Champions Trophy title and remains one of the country’s biggest wins in an ICC final. Amir’s latest comments shift his professional focus fully toward English domestic and global franchise cricket. They also close a Pakistan career marked by 15 years, two retirements, a brief comeback and several defining performances on the world stage.
Pindi Sunday Bazaars Abandoned by Authorities After 45 Years
Sunday bazaars established at 16 locations across Rawalpindi in 1980 have lost their official status, leaving vendors and shoppers without government oversight, sanitation or security. Authorities originally established the weekly markets to provide affordable food and essential items. However, traders now allegedly sell rotten produce amid weak enforcement of standard operating procedures. Committee Chowk Bazaar Faces Sanitation Crisis Conditions appear particularly alarming at Committee Chowk, the city’s largest and most central Sunday bazaar. Stagnant sewage, foul-smelling garbage and rainwater cover much of the market ground. A large drain near the site frequently overflows, while the market has almost no functional drainage. Residents report mosquitoes and suspected dengue larvae around pools of stagnant water. Read More: Ramadan Retail Boom in Pakistan: Why Markets Explode Every Year Garbage lies in large piles across the market. Vendors spread sacks, cloth and tarpaulins over the waste before placing vegetables and fruit on top. Other hawkers put stones and sacks in sewage water to create makeshift selling spaces. The produce often remains exposed to dirty water. Despite these conditions, low-income families and poorly paid workers continue shopping there because the items cost less. Security and Price Monitoring Withdrawn The bazaars previously operated under detailed SOPs. Authorities installed entrance barriers and police checkposts. Price magistrates, the price control committee and the assistant commissioner’s office also maintained a presence. The district withdrew the official status of all Sunday and Friday bazaars in 2025. This decision removed security barriers, police pickets, price monitoring offices and sanitation services. According to the report, these markets have operated without effective control for around two years. The district administration and sanitation company maintain that cleaning and security no longer fall under their responsibility because the bazaar lacks official status. The crisis follows earlier waste-management problems at the same location. In June 2026, the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company temporarily shifted waste-transfer operations to Committee Chowk Sunday Bazaar. The company said the arrangement would last seven to 10 days and promised to restore the site as a clean, pollution-free zone. Families Collect Discarded Food at Night After trading ends, stallholders leave unsold vegetables and fruit behind. Several families, including women observing purdah, wait until 10pm or 11pm before collecting the discarded food. By Monday, goats, cows, rats, cats and mongooses feed on the remaining garbage, rotten produce, chicken remains and fish waste. The refuse can remain there for three to four days before decomposing. Read More: Pakistan Advises Nationals to Avoid Travel to Iran Amid Nationwide Protests Local residents Sharif Qureshi, Chaudhry Imran and Khawar Iqbal demanded that authorities restore the complete SOPs or close the market. They also called for thorough cleaning after every Sunday bazaar. Residents blamed the pollution for nose, ear, throat and eye inflammation, as well as tuberculosis, hepatitis, jaundice, malaria, cholera, dengue and cancer. These remain residents’ claims and the report cited no medical assessment establishing those links. Public-health officials have separately warned that stagnant water provides a major breeding ground for dengue mosquitoes and requires immediate drainage after rainfall.
Affordable JMEV EV3 Reaches Pakistan With 330km Range
Capital Smart Motors is moving closer to customer deliveries of the JMEV EV3 after market-ready units arrived in Pakistan. The subcompact electric hatchback targets buyers looking for an EV below the Rs5 million mark. Capital Smart Motors first showcased the EV3 at the Pakistan Auto Parts Show in Karachi in November 2025. The company officially launched the model in March 2026 and opened bookings in April. It introduced two variants, Comfort and Premium. The Comfort currently carries an ex-factory price of Rs4,899,999. The Premium costs Rs4,999,999, according to the latest market listing. Capital Smart Motors had earlier displayed a left-hand-drive pre-market version. The version now reaching Pakistan comes in a market-ready configuration for local customers. First Shipment Reaches Pakistan Capital Smart Motors said in July that the first EV3 shipment had left the JMEV manufacturing facility in China. The vehicles were heading to Karachi Port at the time. Capital Smart Motors has indicated that customer deliveries will begin soon. However, it has not publicly confirmed a final delivery date. The EV3 enters a relatively small electric hatchback segment in Pakistan. Its closest mainstream rival is the MG Binguo EV. MG reduced the Binguo’s price to Rs5.699 million earlier this year. That still leaves it around Rs700,000 to Rs800,000 above the JMEV, depending on the EV3 variant. Smaller models such as the Honri VE and GiGi EV sit in the micro-EV category. The EV3 targets buyers seeking a more conventional four-seat hatchback. JMEV EV3 Offers 330km Claimed Range Both JMEV EV3 variants use a 30.24kWh lithium iron phosphate battery. The latest market-ready specifications list a claimed CLTC range of up to 330 kilometres. The front-wheel-drive EV uses a 50kW electric motor producing 125Nm of torque. It can accelerate from zero to 50km/h in 4.5 seconds. Its claimed maximum speed is 102km/h. The EV3 measures 3,720mm long, 1,640mm wide and 1,535mm high in the latest specification sheet. Its wheelbase measures 2,390mm. The car weighs around 1,060kg and offers seating for four people. Both variants support CCS2 charging with AC and DC charging capability. Capital Smart Motors offers a three-year or 60,000km vehicle warranty. The battery gets coverage for eight years or 120,000km. The company also markets a five-year buyback guarantee for the EV3. Its website positions the hatchback as its lowest-priced electric model in Pakistan. There is one specification difference buyers may want to confirm before purchase. Capital Smart Motors’ current website lists 95kW power and 180Nm torque for the EV3. The latest market-ready specifications reported at the Lahore event list 50kW and 125Nm. Final specifications on delivered customer vehicles will therefore be important to verify. Premium Variant Adds Advanced Driver Assistance Both EV3 variants get a 5-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch central touchscreen. The infotainment system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Buyers also get Bluetooth connectivity and a wireless phone charger. Both variants include a 360-degree panoramic camera and rear parking radar. The standard safety package includes two airbags, ABS and electronic brake-force distribution. Electronic stability control also comes as standard. Other safety features include tyre pressure monitoring and ISOFIX child-seat anchors. Both trims also offer blind spot detection. The Premium adds a more extensive driver-assistance package. It includes autonomous emergency braking and forward collision warning. Lane keep assist and lane departure warning also feature on the higher trim. Adaptive cruise control forms part of the Premium package. Traffic jam assist and highway driving assist are also included. Those features are not available on the Comfort version. Customers can choose from four exterior colours: Pearl White, Pink Luxe, Ocean Blue and Green Aura. The EV3’s pricing could become one of its strongest selling points. MG’s Binguo EV carries a larger 31.9kWh battery and offers up to 333km of claimed CLTC range. MG currently positions it as a compact urban electric car. The JMEV enters the same broad city-car market at a lower starting price. Its arrival also gives Pakistani buyers another electric option below Rs5 million without moving into the smaller micro-EV category. With the first shipment now in Pakistan, the next major milestone will be customer deliveries. Capital Smart Motors has not announced an exact nationwide delivery schedule. However, the arrival of production-ready vehicles suggests the commercial rollout is entering its final stage.
PTCL Wins Five Awards at Dragons of Pakistan 2026
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has secured five awards at the Dragons of Pakistan 2026 for its marketing and social-impact campaigns. PTCL won one Silver, one Bronze and three Black Dragons across several categories. The recognition covered campaigns focused on sports, mothers, women’s empowerment and education. The company said the wins reflected its focus on creative storytelling and campaigns linked to social issues. “This is a proud moment for PTCL and all the teams who helped bring these projects to life,” PTCL said in an official post. ‘Pakistan Ki Pehchan’ Wins Silver Dragon PTCL’s “Pakistan Ki Pehchan – Celebrating Pakistan’s Underrepresented Sports” secured a Silver award in the Brand Activation and Awareness category. The campaign focused on sporting disciplines and athletes that often receive limited mainstream coverage. Its aim was to bring greater visibility to athletes competing beyond Pakistan’s most commercially popular sports. The campaign also linked those sporting stories with national pride. The award adds to PTCL and Ufone’s recent recognition for sports-related marketing. Earlier in 2026, the group received a Gold Effie in the Passion for Pakistan category for its “Hockey Hai Pakistan Ki Shaan” campaign. The Effie Awards recognised several other PTCL and Ufone campaigns during the same event. Mother’s Day Campaign Secures Two Awards PTCL’s “Mother’s Day – More Support for Mothers” emerged as another major winner. It received a Black Dragon in the Marketing Discipline category. The campaign also secured Bronze in the Cause, Environment or Sustainability category. The campaign focused on challenges faced by mothers and the support systems they need in everyday life. PTCL and Ufone also launched the #MoreSupportForMothers initiative in May 2026 with digital healthcare platform Oladoc. That programme offered mothers access to free consultations with certified psychiatrists through the UPTCL app. It sought to improve access to mental health support, particularly for new mothers. The two Dragons therefore recognised a campaign that combined brand communication with a wider social-support initiative. Women’s Empowerment and Education Campaigns Recognised PTCL’s “Dil Se Ba-Ikhtiar” campaign also won a Black Dragon in the Digital category. The programme uses digital technology and skills development to support women’s economic empowerment. PTCL Group has previously described Ba-Ikhtiar as a programme designed to give women digital skills and new earning opportunities. Its sustainability reporting shows that the initiative has helped women entrepreneurs use digital platforms to market their products and grow their businesses. PTCL has worked with Ufone and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund on the programme. The company has also planned to expand the initiative to more than 20 districts. Its broader approach includes digital literacy, financial confidence and support for women-led businesses. PTCL’s fourth winning campaign was “World Education Day – Late Ho Gaye”. It received a Black Dragon in the Cause, Environment or Sustainability category. The campaign highlighted pressures faced by children in Pakistan. It focused on unrealistic expectations, responsibilities and emotional burdens that can affect childhood and education. Together, the five awards covered four separate campaigns and several marketing disciplines. PTCL said the recognition highlighted “clear strategy, strong visual storytelling” and the work of teams and partners behind the campaigns. The Dragons of Pakistan wins add to PTCL Group’s other marketing achievements during 2026. Earlier this year, PTCL and Ufone received eight honours at the Effie Awards Pakistan and were named Effective Marketer of the Year. Those wins covered telecom, social media, social impact, sports and corporate reputation campaigns. The latest awards reinforce PTCL’s strategy of combining commercial brand communication with campaigns around national identity and social impact.
PTA Sets 180-Day Minimum Validity for Prepaid Mobile Balance
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has ordered all mobile operators to follow a uniform policy on SIM expiry and prepaid balance validity. The new rules will take effect from October 1, 2026. They require telecom companies to provide at least 180 days of validity for any prepaid recharge or balance amount. The PTA issued the direction after receiving multiple complaints about unused prepaid balances. Consumers particularly raised concerns about practices at Zong and Telenor Pakistan. Read More: PTA to Block SIM Cards Linked to Expired or Invalid CNICs Telenor Pakistan has since been acquired by PTCL and is being combined with Ufone operations. A senior PTA official said subscribers wanted their remaining prepaid balance to stay available throughout the active life of their SIM. “The complaints were that these two companies demanded that consumers maintain a certain amount of balance even during the active period of the SIMs, failing which the SIMs were eventually cancelled. The other issue was that they did not carry over the balance amount after the next recharge,” the official said. Expired Balance Must Return After Recharge Under the PTA determination, operators must give every recharge or balance amount a minimum validity of 180 days. If a balance expires during the active life of a SIM, the operator cannot permanently confiscate it. Instead, the company must automatically restore that expired balance when the subscriber makes another recharge. The customer can then use both the restored amount and the new recharge. The regulator based the requirement on the Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations. PTA also warned operators against unfair commercial practices while implementing the new policy. The complaints had focused on the financial loss caused when companies deducted unused balance after its validity period ended. Customers also objected when operators refused to adjust that amount against later recharges. Read More: PTA Approves Ufone-Telenor Merger with Strict Conditions According to the complaints, these practices place a heavier financial burden on low-income consumers. The issue has broad implications because prepaid customers dominate Pakistan’s mobile market. PTA noted that around 97% of mobile subscribers across Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan use prepaid connections. PTA has previously intervened in prepaid charging practices. In earlier guidance, the regulator required mobile operators to clearly communicate applicable charges and taxes to consumers. Jazz Explains SIM Expiry and Recycling Policy Dawn reported that Zong and the merged Ufone/Telenor company did not respond to questions about the issue. Jazz, however, explained its existing SIM lifecycle policy. A Jazz official said the active period of a SIM lasts 90 days. A further 180-day quarantine period follows. “After that, the recycling of the SIM is allowed,” the official said. Recycling means the operator can eventually issue the same mobile number to another subscriber. Jazz also applies a longer policy for some dormant numbers. The official said a SIM can remain dormant for up to 720 days before the company fully recycles it. Read More: PTA Stops Mobile Operators From Increasing Monthly Package Prices “But after this period, a dormant SIM is allowed to be totally recycled, and the previous owner can no longer claim any rights over the recycled SIM,” the official said. The distinction between SIM validity and balance validity is important. The new PTA determination focuses on ensuring that operators cannot impose excessively short validity periods on prepaid balances. It also protects unused money from permanent loss while the SIM remains active. New Policy Takes Effect October 1 PTA has directed all three telecom operators to implement the same minimum balance-validity framework from October 1. The decision means prepaid users should receive at least 180 days to use money added through a recharge. More importantly, an expired balance must not disappear permanently if the subscriber’s SIM remains within its active life. A later recharge must make the previous expired amount available again, according to the regulator’s determination. Read More: Govt Considers Big PTA Tax Relief for Overseas Pakistanis The measure aims to end different balance-expiry practices across operators and provide the same basic protection to prepaid subscribers. It also gives consumers clearer rights when money remains unused after a recharge validity period expires. With prepaid users accounting for almost the entire mobile subscriber base, the new policy could affect millions of consumers when it takes effect in October.
