ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday rejected two bids from BP Singapore and TotalEnergies for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG), priced at $17.2848 and $16.98 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu), respectively, for delivery next week and in the last week of the current month.

State-run Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) received a total of seven bids — three cargoes for May 12-14 and four for May 24-26 — against urgent tenders floated a day earlier.

For the first cargo, PetroChina bid $17.69 per mmBtu, BP Singapore $17.28 and Vitol Bahrain $17.84.

For the second cargo (May 24-26), TotalEnergies bid $16.98 per mmBtu, OQ Trading $18.58, SOCAR Trading $17.21 and PetroChina International $17.49.

PLL on Wednesday floated urgent tenders on a 36-hour notice for the import of two LNG cargoes for delivery between May 12-14 and May 24-26 amid rising temperatures and a power shortfall.

The tender was floated following expectations among authorities that the Gulf crisis would ease and the Strait of Hormuz would reopen.

PLL had rejected two bids for these delivery dates last month, while accepting one bid at $18.4 per mmBtu after securing relatively cheaper offers.

Qatar, Pakistan’s long-term LNG supplier, had been reluctant to send LNG-loaded cargoes stranded in the Gulf due to the closure of the strait. Qatar’s three LNG cargoes meant for Pakistan had earlier returned from the waterway due to security reasons.

In April, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) notified a massive 19-22 per cent increase in the price of regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) to $12.50-$14 per mmBtu for sales at the distribution stage by the two Sui gas companies.

The increase was mainly due to higher terminal charges amid lower import volumes and a minor rise in import prices, data from the authority showed.

The basket RLNG price was based on only two cargoes in March, compared to eight cargoes each in February and March, due to a force majeure declared by Qatar.

Both cargoes were imported under two LNG contracts between Pakistan State Oil and QatarGas at an average price of about $7.68 per mmBtu (DES), compared to $7.45 per mmBtu last month, but still significantly lower than $8.9 per mmBtu in March last year.

PLL, one of the public sector entities responsible for LNG imports, did not import any cargo last month. It had, in fact, imported one cargo a few months earlier after a gap of almost a year at about $7.65 per mmBtu through its old contract with a private entity.

The PLL, established almost a decade ago for LNG imports, could not import energy over the past year despite its executives and board of directors enjoying hefty remuneration and associated perks and privileges. It had last floated and LNG tender in December 2023 for delivery in January 2024 but later cancelled the tender.

Facing criticism over loadshedding even before the beginning of summer, the Power Division had already placed an order with the Petroleum Division last week to arrange around 400 million mmcfd of LNG for power generation, amid hopes of the opening of international supply routes.

LNG imports had stopped in March after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israel attacks on Iran, which, in retaliation, targeted fuel installations in neighbouring countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, among others. Subsequently, Qatar declared force majeure early last month on all its global LNG contracts, including those with Pakistan.

UK police said on Thursday they had arrested a man wielding a weapon who “was behaving in an intimidating manner” close to the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in eastern England. Norfolk police confirmed they had been called to an incident late on Wednesday near the Sandringham Estate “and the man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence and possession of an offensive weapon”. UK media reported that a man wearing a balaclava had allegedly threatened the former prince when he was...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday received a telephone call from Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

During their “warm and cordial” conversation, the two leaders held a productive exchange of views on the current regional situation.

Both sides reaffirmed their strong commitment to facilitating ongoing efforts to ensure lasting peace in the region, according to an official press release by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Recalling his recent visit to Doha on April 16, the prime minister said that his meeting with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the rest of the Qatari leadership was “most helpful” in forging a consensus for the peace efforts.

He noted that the people of Pakistan were looking forward to a visit from the emir of Qatar at a convenient date, adding that the visit would help to further strengthen bilateral ties between the countries.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s premier expressed deep appreciation for Pakistan’s continued efforts to bring peace and stability to the region, the PMO added.

The Qatari premier assured PM Shehbaz that Doha would continue to support the diplomatic efforts spearheaded by Pakistan to ensure the security and stability of the Middle East.

“Both leaders agreed to maintain close communication and coordination on all issues of mutual interest,” the PMO said.

PM Shehbaz also posted about the call on X, saying that he conveyed his gratitude to his “dear brother, the emir of Qatar” for his leadership, as well as for Qatar’s continued support for Pakistan’s efforts to “advance regional peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy”.

The premier had also met Qatar’s emir in February while on an official visit to Doha, saying that the two countries would continue to work together for peace and stability in the region and beyond.

During the same visit, he held a meeting with the Qatari premier, where the two discussed regional issues, including developments in Gaza and broader Gulf security dynamics.

Pakistan initially positioned itself as a facilitator in the peace process between Tehran and Washington after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, setting off a conflict that gave rise to a global fuel crisis. Later, the White House and Iran acknowledged it as the “sole mediator” in the process.

The first round of historic direct US-Iran talks, held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, ended without an agreement, but also without a breakdown, as a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire was then extended indefinitely by US President Donald Trump.

While Pakistan’s leadership is seeking to bring the US and Iran back to the negotiating table, an impasse remains.

ISLAMABAD: PTI said that preparations for the final round of its movement against Imran Khan’s imprisonment had begun, as Adiala jail authorities again denied permission to meet the party founder on Thursday.

PTI leaders, including Khurram Virk, Naseem Ali Shah, Zahir Shah, Rajab Abbasi, Zar Aalam and Rubina Shaheen, reached Adiala jail but were not allowed to meet Imran Khan until the end of visiting hours.

Zahir, talking to the media, said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had announced preparations for the final round of the movement against the imprisonment of the PTI founder.

He said that as soon as directions were received from the party founder, the movement would move forward, adding that the struggle had not yet ended.

“Obstacles are deliberately created, resulting in serious damage to the judiciary, and that is why court orders to arrange a meeting with Imran Khan are not being implemented,” Zahir said.

“The attacks on state institutions have weakened them significantly,” he added.

Zahir emphasised that Pakistan must not be subjected to such political turmoil, stating that the country belongs to 250 million people.

He added that in democratic societies around the world, rallies and public gatherings were held in support of political leaders.

“The conditions in which the party founder is being kept in prison amount to an insult to the people, democracy, and democratic institutions,” he stated.

Speaking to the media, MNA Naseem said that, as per the Constitution, legislators cannot be stopped from visiting jails.

He said it was unfortunate that Imran was kept in solitary confinement, and demanded that he be shifted to hospital.

Bushra Bibi’s hospital transfer

Meanwhile, PTI expressed grave concern and outrage over reports that Bushra Bibi was suddenly and secretly taken to a hospital in the middle of the night and then returned to jail without informing her family, lawyers or the party.

In a statement, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said it was deeply regrettable that a female prisoner, who was also the wife of a former prime minister, was being deprived of basic human and medical rights despite her health condition deteriorating with each passing day.

“The government is setting dangerous precedents in the country, as the rulers show neither respect for the Constitution and the law nor for women’s rights and dignity.”

Akram stated that the entire matter was “shrouded in mysterious and unusual secrecy, marked by a lack of transparency and serious human rights violations,” which had raised countless questions in the minds of the public.

He lamented why the nation was not being kept informed about the PTI founder’s illness and that of his wife.

“If her condition had deteriorated to the extent that she had to be taken urgently to hospital in the middle of the night, why were her family, lawyers and the party kept in the dark?” he questioned.

Authorities in Norway arrested a Chinese citizen on espionage allegations on Thursday in connection with a purported effort to set up a receiver to collect sensitive satellite data, the country’s domestic intelligence service said. Norwegian security officials also searched two premises in connection with the arrest, including one on an island in northern Norway that is home to Andoya Spaceport, which is part of Europe’s efforts to expand its presence in space. The other search took place in...

Countries worldwide sought to prevent further spread of the hantavirus on Thursday, after an outbreak ​on a cruise ship, by tracking those who had already disembarked before the virus was detected and anyone in close contact with them since.

Three ‌people — a Dutch couple and a German national — died in the outbreak on the MV Hondius.

In total, five people are confirmed to have contracted the virus, with another three suspected cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

Hantavirus is usually spread by rodents, but can, in rare cases, be transmitted person-to-person.

All passengers who disembarked in St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean, where the ship made a stop on April 24, have ​been contacted, the ship’s operator said, adding this included people from at least 12 countries, among them seven British citizens and six from the US The ​first confirmed case of hantavirus in this outbreak came in early May.

‘This is not Covid’

The WHO repeated that the risk to the ⁠general public was “low” even if the Andean strain of the virus, found in several victims, can, in rare cases, be transmitted among humans.

“This is not coronavirus, this is a ​very different virus,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO director of epidemic and pandemic management, told a press conference. “This is not the same situation we were in six years ago.”

The WHO said ​it was working on step-by-step guidance for when the dozens of passengers remaining on the ship, which is sailing to the Canary Islands, arrive there on Saturday or Sunday and the passengers disembark and travel home. None of these passengers currently has any symptoms.

Contact tracing, monitoring

The United States’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was closely monitoring the situation, adding that the risk to the American public was ​extremely low at the time.

The Georgia Department of Public Health said it was monitoring two asymptomatic residents who had returned home after disembarking from the cruise ship.

The Arizona Department ​of Health Services said it was monitoring one resident, who was also on the ship, and was not symptomatic.

According to the New York Times, California was monitoring a number of residents who ‌had been ⁠on the ship.

One French citizen has been in contact with a person who had fallen ill but was not showing symptoms, officials said.

Contact tracing

Oceanwide Expeditions said they were now working to establish details of all passengers and crew who embarked and disembarked on various stops since March 20.

The Dutch couple who have died, and who are believed to be the first hantavirus cases of this outbreak, only boarded on April 1.

Dutch airline KLM said it had taken the Dutch woman off a plane in Johannesburg on April 25 due to ​her deteriorating medical condition. She died before ​she could reach the Netherlands.

According to broadcaster ⁠RTL, a KLM stewardess who had been in contact with her has now been admitted to a hospital in Amsterdam after showing possible hantavirus symptoms.

Crew and passengers who helped the Dutch woman who passed away are being called daily for health checks, Dutch authorities ​told public broadcaster NOS.

Evacuations, tests

Three patients were evacuated from the ship on Wednesday. Two have been admitted to a hospital in ​the Netherlands, while another ⁠one was transferred to Germany for medical care.

Martin Anstee, an expedition guide, was one of the two evacuees in hospital in the Netherlands, according to Sky News, and told them he was “doing okay” but “there are still lots of tests to be done”.

The Düsseldorf University Clinic, treating the German evacuee, said she was not a confirmed case but rather a contact and was undergoing ⁠tests.

In Switzerland, a ​person admitted to the hospital on Monday was stable but showed symptoms consistent with a hantavirus infection, the ​hospital said.

A Danish citizen who was aboard the Hondius has returned home and has been advised to self-isolate as a precaution, Danish health authorities said.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday set aside Section 7E of the Income Tax Ordinance (ITO) 2001 as ultra vires the Constitution, which had empowered tax authorities to levy tax on “deemed income” from assets and properties.

Having a significant impact on the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) property taxation, Section 7E was introduced through the Finance Act, 2022, for the tax year 2023.

It provided for taxation on deemed or notional income arising from ownership of certain immovable properties, subject to specified exemptions relating to personal residences, agricultural land, and other exempt categories recognised under the statutory framework.

The Finance Act 2022 had imposed tax on the “deemed income” of taxpayers holding immovable property worth over Rs25 million. The provision taxed such property at five per cent of its FBR-defined fair market value, subject to a 20 per cent tax rate, resulting in an effective annual tax of one per cent on the capital value of undeveloped or non-rented properties.

“Having heard the learned counsel for the parties at considerable length and upon due deliberation, we are persuaded to hold that Section 7E of ITO, 2001, is ultra vires the Constitution and is accordingly struck down, being void ab initio,” said a short order announced in an open court by a two-judge FCC bench consisting of FCC Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi.

The detailed reasons will be recorded separately, the judgment said.

The FCC, however, converted the civil petitions filed by a number of taxpayers against the judgments of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and the Lahore High Court (LHC) into appeals and allowed them.

However, the civil petitions filed by the FBR and the Commissioner Inland Revenue (CIR) against the judgments of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and the Balochistan High Court (BHC) were dismissed.

Consequently, all actions, proceedings, and notices initiated or taken by the FBR under Section 7E were declared to be without lawful authority and set aside, the short order explained.

The insertion of Section 7E in ITO was assailed before all the provincial high courts, including the Islamabad High Court (IHC), on constitutional grounds.

The PHC and BHC declared the impugned provision to be ultra vires the Constitution and struck it down. The IHC did not invalidate the provision in its entirety, and read it down to declare subsection (2) to be ultra vires the Constitution.

Against the judgment of the single judge of the IHC, Intra-Court Appeals (ICA) were pending before the division bench of IHC in addition to two writ petitions, which were requisitioned through an April 6, 2026, order in the light of Article 175E (5) of the Constitution after the 27th Amendment. These were transferred to the FCC.

One LHC judge allowed the writ petitions; however, the said judgment was reversed in ICAs by a division bench, which allowed the appeals and dismissed the petitions. The SHC similarly dismissed the constitutional petitions.

Consequently, the taxpayers assailed the judgments of the LHC and the SHC, whereas the federal government, FBR and CIR challenged the judgments rendered by the PHC, BHC and IHC.

The petitions had challenged the provision on the grounds that it imposed tax on deemed income irrespective of actual accrual or receipt of income.

Counsel for the petitioners during the hearing argued that the provision effectively amounted to a property tax disguised as income tax, thereby exceeding Parliament’s legislative competence under Article 77 read with Entry 47 of the Federal Legislative List.

The petitions had contended that the provision created artificial income without realisation and violated Article 25 of the Constitution by introducing arbitrary classifications among taxpayers.

On the other hand, the federation defended Section 7E as a valid fiscal measure intended to broaden the tax base and address untaxed economic capacity.

They argued that deemed income was a recognised legal fiction in taxation jurisprudence and fell within Parliament’s constitutional authority to levy taxes on income.

ISLAMABAD: The government decided in principle to grant commercial banks significant powers to take over mortgaged houses in case of default after a cumulative notice period of 90 days, in a move aimed at encouraging lending to the housing sector.

The proposed foreclosure law to amend “The Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finances) Ordinance, 2001”, currently under review by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, provides that where a customer defaults on payment of mortgage dues, the financial institution may issue three notices of 30 days each, “demanding payment of the outstanding mortgage amount”.

“In case of default in payment by a customer after service of the final (third) notice, the financial institution may proceed with the sale of the housing unit, provided that all notices have been duly served upon the mortgagor, who has remained in default of payment of mortgage dues or any part thereof.”

The Standing Committee on Finance, which held a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday and was presided over by former finance minister Syed Naveed Qamar, raised serious reservations over the drastic conditions apparently favouring commercial banks over customers.

The committee “expressed concerns over provisions that could potentially grant banks excessive powers in the foreclosure process,” it said in a written statement at the conclusion of the meeting.

Members of the panel emphasised that while an effective legal framework was essential to promote mortgage financing and safeguard the interests of lending institutions, adequate legal protections and due process must also be ensured to protect borrowers from arbitrary or unfair actions.

After detailed deliberations, the committee deferred the bill to its next meeting, directing the secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Works to circulate the revised draft of the bill to all members for further review and input before its finalisation in the next meeting.

Qamar said that affordable housing finance must genuinely serve deserving low-income families through transparent, accountable and inclusive mechanisms, and stressed the urgent need for robust foreclosure and recovery laws to strengthen Pakistan’s underdeveloped mortgage finance sector and enhance the confidence of financial institutions in expanding long-term housing finance.

The federal secretaries of finance, housing and works, and law and justice, also briefed the committee members on the Prime Minister Apna Ghar Programme (PM-AGP), its implementation framework, and proposed reforms relating to housing finance and foreclosure laws.

The secretary of the housing ministry, Captain (retd) Mehmood Ahmad, told the meeting that the PM-AGP was a subsidised housing finance initiative aimed at enabling low and middle-income families to own homes, while promoting economic activity and revitalising the construction sector.

Approved in August 2025 and revised in March 2026, the scheme offers financing of up to Rs10 million for first-time homeowners at a fixed markup rate of 5pc, repayable over 20 years with a 90:10 financing ratio.

As of April 30, 2026, a total of 25,304 applications had been received, of which 8,990 applications involving Rs37.154bn were approved, while Rs5.071bn had been disbursed to 1,845 beneficiaries.

The meeting was also informed that Pakistan’s housing finance sector remained underdeveloped, with mortgage financing contributing only 0.3 per cent to the GDP and 0.56pc to total private sector credit.

The government had, therefore, set a target of financing 500,000 housing units over the next four years, requiring an estimated Rs3.2tr in financing.

Responding to a question, Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal said the government did not have Rs3.2tr worth of fiscal space, but given the prime minister’s priority initiative, the funding would have to be arranged through various fiscal adjustments. He said there was also a need to review all subsidy schemes, adding that the Public Sector Development Programme may have to be curtailed further if necessary.

The government team emphasised that reforms in foreclosure and recovery laws were essential to reduce risks for banks, enhance investor confidence and ensure sustainable growth of the mortgage finance sector.

The committee observed that Pakistan’s housing finance sector remained significantly underdeveloped, requiring structural reforms, improved foreclosure and recovery laws and a more conducive regulatory environment to encourage banks and financial institutions to expand mortgage lending.

The panel was unanimous in expressing concerns regarding the limited outreach of housing finance facilities to low-income and marginalised communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

It also questioned the preparedness and institutional capacity of banks and financial institutions to achieve the ambitious target of financing 500,000 housing units within four years, given the presently underdeveloped mortgage finance ecosystem in the country.

The committee recommended that the government and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) introduce simplified financing procedures, flexible eligibility criteria, and enhanced subsidy support for low-income and informal-sector households in order to improve accessibility and affordability of the scheme.

The law secretary told the panel that the proposed amendments to “The Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finance) Amendment Act, 2026” introduced several structural changes in light of stakeholders’ feedback. These included the insertion of a new Section 15A, specifically dealing with housing finance, instead of applying the provisions broadly to all mortgage deeds.

He said that the revised draft provided extended notice periods in cases of mortgage default, with the first three notices now carrying a 30-day period each, amounting to a total of 90 days before further proceedings. In addition, a new proviso has been included enabling financial institutions, at any stage prior to the sale of mortgaged property, to reschedule, restructure, or settle outstanding mortgage liabilities.

The law secretary also said the proposed changes provided for timely recovery, fair treatment of mortgagors and effective enforcement of secured interests, while ensuring efficiency and transparency in the recovery process.

The World Health Organization insisted on Thursday that a deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic did not mark the beginning of a Covid-like crisis. “This is not the start of an epidemic. This is not the start of a pandemic,” WHO epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director Maria Van Kerkhove told reporters, insisting: “This is not Covid.” The WHO also said it expected the outbreak on the MV Hondius, currently sailing from Cabo Verde (formerly known as Cape...

Cambridge International Education (CIE) on Thursday cancelled the “prematurely shared” mathematics exam, announcing that it will conduct a new version of the exam for affected regions on June 9.

On April 30, CIE confirmed that its AS-level mathematics paper was “shared prematurely” against its regulations. It said that the exam paper was for the Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan and South Asia regions.

CIE, in a statement, said that “Cambridge’s senior assessment experts have decided that a new version of the Mathematics (9709/12) exam paper will be sat by all candidates in the affected regions”.

CIE noted that the previous exam paper could not be used to award final exam results and “will not be used to generate results through calculated assessment”.

As per the statement, the replacement exam will “ensure fair outcomes for students and deliver grades that are trusted by universities and other stakeholders”.

CIE announced that the new exam will take place on June 9 (Tuesday), “as part of the June series timetable”.

“This approach aligns with the views of many school leaders we have consulted,” the statement said.

“We are committed to making the replacement examination process as straightforward as possible,” added CIE.

The UK-based examination board further stated that there will be no additional charge for the candidates or the school, and the result date — August 11 — remained unchanged.

“We will share detailed information with you about when and how you will receive question papers by May 15, and the steps you must follow to run the replacement question paper, as well as frequently asked questions,” the statement said.

“This will include information on withdrawals from June 2026 and entries for November 2026.”

The examination body also acknowledged how “frustrating and disappointing” the development has been for students and their families.

“Students work incredibly hard to prepare for and take exams, and we value the trust placed in us to deliver fair results at the end of the exam process,” CIE said.

It further said that Cambridge International was conducting an “active investigation” into the matter.

“We are working closely with relevant law enforcement agencies and other partners to identify those responsible,” the statement said.

Cambridge imposes strict sanctions on anyone found to have shared or misused confidential exam materials, including permanent disqualification from Cambridge qualifications and exams, said the statement.

The examination body added that they “regularly” receive false news of reports of paper leaks; however, it added that “the majority of them are false”.

The examination board elaborated that it routinely monitored “social media and other online channels for posts offering to share or sell question papers”.

It added that CIE worked with social media platforms to “identify and remove such content”.

“Our legal and compliance teams investigate every credible report, and we take robust legal action against those involved in the illegal sharing,” CIE said, stressing that it is not the policy to “comment on individual reports of paper leaks” and that it instead updates schools.

“Our priority is to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by the wilful malpractice of a few,” CIE said, encouraging students to focus on their remaining examinations.

China made Brazil its top global investment destination last year, pouring US$6.1 billion into the country across a record 52 projects. The figures come from the China-Brazil Business Council (CBBC), which released its annual report on Thursday. The 45 per cent jump in value from the previous year far outpaced the 4.8 per cent rise in total foreign investment into Brazil. It also dwarfed China’s worldwide outbound flows, which grew just 1.3 per cent. Brazil absorbed 10.9 per cent of all Chinese...

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has expressed confidence in the bowling attack as the national side prepares to face Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match series in Mirpur on Friday.

The Green Shirts are visiting Bangladesh for a Test series after being whitewashed on home soil by the Bengal Tigers in August 2024. The visitors had won the two-match series by 10 wickets and six wickets respectively in Rawalpindi.

Addressing the pre-series press conference on Thursday, Masood said, “We are fully focused on this series and the challenge of playing Bangladesh in their own conditions.”

He also put the weight on the home side’s “quality in all departments”.

Masood said that the team is looking forward to “testing” itself against its hosts.

“We have selected a well-balanced squad that can perform in different conditions. The players have experience of playing in seam-friendly as well as spin-friendly environments, so we are confident about the options available to us,” he said.

“In Test cricket, taking 20 wickets remains the key to success.”

“We have confidence in our bowling attack and the team combination. If we perform well collectively in batting, bowling and fielding, we can achieve good results in this series,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto insisted his side must post big first-innings totals to give their potent pace attack the platform to take 20 wickets.

“The important thing is scoring runs. If we score 400 in 80 overs, no problem. If someone takes 120 overs, I also have no problem,” Shanto said.

Shanto believed his fast bowlers hold a slight edge over Pakistan’s attack.

Bangladesh have bolstered their batting with the inclusion of attacking opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim, while Taskin Ahmed returns from injury to strengthen an already experienced pace unit alongside the exciting Nahid Rana.

Pakistan will take confidence from Babar Azam’s rich run of form in the recent HBL Pakistan Super League 2026.

However, there was uncertainty in Pakistan’s camp on Thursday after Babar underwent a scan following the team’s practice session, with his fitness for the series opener yet to be confirmed.

Schedule

1. 1st Test, Pakistan vs Bangladesh, May 8 to 12, Mirpur, 9am.
2. 2nd Test, Pakistan vs Bangladesh, May 16 to 20, Sylhet, 9am.

Pakistan Squad

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Bangladesh Squad

Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicket-keeper), Litton Kumer Das (wicket-keeper), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Ebadot Hossain Chowdhury, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan and Amite Hasan.