Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in multilateral events hosted by India but bilateral events remain off the table, India’s sports ministry has said.
India also said the visa process for sportspersons and officials will be simplified, while office bearers of international sports governing bodies will be granted multi-entry visas.
“With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons,” the ministry said in a memorandum.
“It is also relevant to take into account India’s emergence as a credible venue to host international sports events.”
“In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India,” the ministry added.
The statement comes as India is set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030, while they have also bid for the 2036 Olympics and the 2038 Asian Games in Ahmedabad.
India and Pakistan engaged in a military conflict last year, and the deterioration of ties reflected in sporting events as well.
Although India were co-hosts of the Twenty20 World Cup earlier this year, Pakistan played all their matches in Sri Lanka — including a group game against India — as part of an arrangement that the two sides agreed on after India refused to play the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan .
When the two sides met for the ICC Asia Cup last year — their first meeting since the military conflict in May 2025 — the Indian team refused to shake hands with Pakistan’s players at the toss and after the match.
Furthermore, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav was said to have “politicised” India’s win in the match by bringing up the Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir, saying the victory was “a perfect gift” for his nation.
There has also been a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have not played a full series since 2012-13 and now meet largely at neutral venues.
The Sindh police on Wednesday suspended three police officials for alleged mistreatment of Aurat March activists, including Sheema Kermani.
On Tuesday, the activists were detained after they gathered at Karachi Press Club (KPC) for a press conference to demand a no-objection certificate (NOC) for their upcoming annual march in Karachi.
However, the police released all activists after briefly detaining them on the orders of Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar.
“In connection with the arrest and alleged mistreatment of Sheema Kermani and women human rights activists, Karachi Additional Inspector General (AIG) Azad Khan has issued orders to suspend Saddar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nasir Afridi, Women Station House Officer (SHO) Hina Mughal, and Artillery Maidan Police Station SHO Nadeem,” according to an official press release by Karachi Police spokesperson.
“On the orders of the police chief, a transparent inquiry will be conducted and action will be taken against those responsible in accordance with the law,” the release added.
The police chief also directed that such incidents must be avoided by ensuring professional conduct and full respect for the constitutional rights of citizens.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the spokesperson for Sindh home minister said, “On the instructions of the home minister, action has been taken in connection with the arrest and alleged mistreatment of Sheema Kermani and women human rights activists”.
“The Sindh home minister has ordered an inquiry into the incident,” the spokesperson said.
“Lanjar said there is a zero-tolerance policy against misuse of authority,” the spokesperson stated, adding that respect for women and protection of their rights would be ensured at all costs.
ISLAMABAD: Key capital market institutions of Pakistan on Wednesday established the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF), aimed at promoting financial literacy, expanding financial inclusion and increasing retail investor participation in the capital markets across the country.
The main participants of the CMDF included the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), Central Depository Company (CDC), National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCCPL), Pakistan Mercantile Exchange (PMX) and the Institute of Financial Markets of Pakistan (IFMP).
The CMDF was established under the auspices of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to ensure coordination in the industry and strengthen the institutional capacity in Pakistan’s capital markets.
Addressing the ceremony, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said recent regional tensions had reinforced the need for Pakistan to make independent commercial decisions, diversify energy resources, and mobilise domestic capital for national development.
“We must rely on our own resources and strengthen self-sufficiency. Capital markets can play a vital role in providing the financing needed for economic independence,” he stated.
Aurangzeb reaffirmed the government’s commitment to economic stability, sustainable growth and financial sector reforms.
He also emphasised the importance of strengthening capital markets, promoting local investment, achieving self-reliance, and implementing key energy sector reforms, noting that Pakistan’s economy continues to move in a positive direction despite regional and economic challenges.
The finance minister noted that despite regional uncertainties and global economic pressures, Pakistan’s economic indicators were showing consistent improvement.
He added that the government remained focused on strengthening the current account balance and reducing the fiscal deficit while maintaining macroeconomic stability.
Aurangzeb further stated that Pakistan’s stock market had demonstrated resilience during challenging times, reflecting growing investor confidence in the country’s economic direction.
The finance czar also emphasised that the SECP had a critical role in expanding investor awareness, improving ease of investment, and introducing legal and regulatory reforms in the capital market sector.
He assured the government’s full support for reforms aimed at deepening Pakistan’s financial markets.
The agreement was signed by PSX Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Farrukh H Sabzwari, CDC CEO Badiuddin Akber, NCCPL CEO Naveed Qazi, PMEX CEO Khurram Zafar, and IFMP CEO Dr Mobashar Sadik.
Chairman SECP Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu highlighted that investor participation in Pakistan’s capital market remained below one per cent of the population despite recent growth.
He also noted that the investor base is targeted to increase to 2.5 million in the coming years through ongoing structural reforms and investor facilitation measures.
Sidhu added that onboarding processes were being streamlined, while Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) frameworks were being simplified to facilitate investor entry without compromising regulatory safeguards.
He further identified financial literacy as a major structural constraint, noting that investor awareness efforts remained fragmented and retail outreach limited, and further emphasised the need for coordinated national efforts to strengthen investor education, improve market understanding, and build investor confidence.
Market insights shared during the ceremony indicated that approximately 24,000 new investors entered the market in April 2026. Equity markets maintained positive momentum, while the debt capital market witnessed relative slowdown, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and data-driven policy interventions.
Sadik presented the strategic framework of the CMDF and described it as a “ring-fenced institutional mechanism” designed to support long-term capital market development.
He said the fund would be seeded with an initial contribution of Rs120 million, with participating institutions contributing one per cent of their annual revenues to ensure sustainability through a self-reinforcing funding model.
Sadik added that the CMDF would operate through four core pillars: strengthening financial literacy and investor awareness, expanding retail investor participation, promoting financial inclusion, particularly among women, youth and underserved segments, and enhancing institutional capacity and market infrastructure.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing would play a “greater role” in ending hostilities in the Middle East during talks with his Iranian counterpart on Wednesday, a week before US President Donald Trump is due to meet Xi Jinping.
China is a key customer for Iranian oil, defying sanctions imposed by the United States, and is directly affected by the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, bordered by Iran.
Beijing has quietly engaged in efforts to resolve the weekslong crisis and its diplomacy is credited with playing an important role in the fragile ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran.
China “will work harder to ease tensions and end the fighting, continue to support the launch of peace talks, and play a greater role in restoring peace and tranquillity to the Middle East”, Wang told Iran’s Abbas Araghchi in Beijing.
“China considers that a complete cessation of fighting must be achieved without delay, that it is even more unacceptable to restart hostilities, and that continuing to negotiate remains essential,” Wang said, according to a statement from his ministry after the talks.
Manufacturing giant China has been comparatively sheltered from fuel shortages thanks to oil reserves and renewable energy, but costs of oil-derived materials like plastic and fabric have risen significantly.
More than half of the crude imported by sea to China comes from the Middle East and mainly transits through the Hormuz Strait, according to maritime analytics firm Kpler.
Analysts have warned that the war’s impact on China will be felt for months.
During Wednesday’s talks, Wang said China hopes “the parties concerned will respond as quickly as possible to the urgent call of the international community” for a resumption of normal and safe maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Wang-Araghchi talks came as Trump said the US would pause escorting commercial ships through the Hormuz Strait — which drew Iranian attacks — barely a day after it began doing so.
Trump cited a desire to reach a peace deal with Iran.
Washington demands tight controls on Tehran’s nuclear programme, which Iran has refused to agree to and has led to talks crumbling.
“On the nuclear issue, China welcomes Iran’s commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, while considering that Iran has the legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy,” Wang said.
The US leader is expected to meet Chinese President Xi in Beijing on a visit the White House said will take place May 14-15.
Beijing has not confirmed those dates.
A foreign ministry spokesman again refused to share details when asked about Trump’s visit at a regular news conference on Wednesday.
Trump would join rulers from the Gulf, Europe and Southeast Asia that have recently landed face time with Xi, who has sought to position China as a stable partner in the face of the US-and Israeli-led conflict.
Trump’s visit would also come more than a year after his sweeping global tariffs wreaked havoc on the supply chain, causing chaos in China’s manufacturing sector.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast heatwave conditions across the country this week, starting in the south and central areas from Thursday.
“Due to the presence of high pressure in the upper atmosphere, heatwave conditions are likely to develop over southern and central parts of the country from May 7-11 [and] in upper parts from May 8-10,” a press release issued on Wednesday by the PMD said.
It noted that daytime maximum temperatures may rise to 46-50°C in Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Ghotki, Khairpur, Nausheroferoze, Jacobabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Sibbi, Turbat and Panjgur.
It also forecast 43-47°C weather in Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Bhakkar, Rajanpur, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Khanewal, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan; and 39-43°C in the upper regions, namely Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Kohat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Khushab, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Okara and Kasur.
Very hot weather is expected in Karachi during the forecast period and the maximum temperature is likely to remain between 35-38°C, the statement added.
However, the Met Office noted that a shallow westerly wave is likely to affect the upper parts of the country on the evening of May 10 and is likely to persist until May 13.
“This system is likely to bring relief from the prevailing hot conditions in the upper parts of the country,” it said.
The PMD advised the general public, “especially children, women and senior citizens”, to be “cautious”, avoiding unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight and remaining hydrated.
It also advised farmers to manage their crop activities and take care of their livestock in view of the weather conditions.
At least 10 people died across Karachi on Monday due to intense heat as the mercury surged to 44.1°C — the highest temperature recorded since 2018 — accompanied by gusts of continental winds that persisted throughout the day, officials said.
The same day, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued sweeping emergency protocols and placed hospitals on alert as extreme, above-normal summer temperatures threatened millions across the country.
Login