Tenacious Polo Cup : Rijas Polo/ZS and FG/Din win openers
By Sohail Ali
LAHORE, Oct 18 (APP):Rijas Polo/ZS and FG/Din Polo won the opening day matches of the Tenacious Polo Cup 2022 sponsored by Gobi’s Paints here at the Jinnah Polo Fields (JPF) on Tuesday.
The matches of the Tenacious Polo Cup 2022 – the first tournament of JPF polo season 2022-23 – was witnessed by a good number of families and players while Jinnah Polo Fields President Lt Col (R) Shoaib Aftab, Secretary Maj (R) Baber Mehboob Awan and others.
In the first match of the day, Rijas Polo/ZS played well against Haji Sons polo team and defeated them by 8½-6 goals. Mohib Shahzad, the rising youngster from Rijas Polo/ZS, was in sublime form and displayed high quality polo skills and techniques and also contributed with fabulous four goals while he was ably assisted by entire teammates especially Ahmad Zubair Butt, who slammed in a hat-trick of goals while the team had a one-and-a-half goal handicap advantage.
Mumtaz Abbas Niazi hammered four goals and Omer Asjad Malhi scored two goals from Haji Sons.
The second match of the day proved a one-sided affair, where FG/Din Polo team showed no mercy against Diamond Paints/Sheikhoo Steel and thrashed them by a huge margin of 11-3½.
Mian Abbas Mukhtar and Lt Col (R) Omer Minhas emerged as hero of the match from the winning side as both the polo men fired in four fabulous goals each while Sheikh Muhammad Raffay contributed with a beautiful brace and Sheikh Muhammad Farhad converted one goal. Tomorrow (Wednesday), two important matches will be played at the state-of-the-art Jinnah Polo Fields.
Motorcycle cart loaded with timber on its way
WHO provides essential health supplies to Sindh
ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (APP):World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday provided medicines and essential health supplies to health department Sindh to support flood victims.
WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Palitha Mahipala handed over essential medicines and supplies to the Sindh health department in WHO Sukkur hub.
Addressing the ceremony, he said that WHO is supporting floods relief operations in Sindh and provided 30 vehicles to provide medical facilities and 13 boats to reach areas still under water.
He said that World Health Organization is supporting health service deliveries in Sindh flood affected areas by providing essential medicines, medical equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements as well as renovating and refurbishing damages health infrastructure in the province, coordinating closely with the department of Health.
Dr. Palitha said that the floods and rain emergency has caused widespread losses to the lives and property and the most affected area is health infrastructure.
He said 2000 health facilities have been damaged which is 12 percent of total health facilities in the country.
Dr Palitha said that the WHO will continue to support the health department for controlling spread of malaria, water borne disease and to establish 19 Nutrition Stabilization Centers (NSC) to mitigate the effects of malnourishment in children.
While Speaking on the occasion Director General Health Sindh Dr Muhammad Juman Bahoto thanked WHO for active role in relief and rehabilitation efforts for the flood affected people in Sindh.
He said that with the WHO support the Sindh health department has been able to establish many health camps and reached areas and people still under water.
The health department has established camps to cater over 10 million affected people in the province with the support from WHO, he added.
On this occasion, THQ hospital Rohri was also given essential equipment for the labor room and gyne ward, and essential medicines and nutritional supplements were provided to Sheikh Zaid Women and Children Hospital Larkana.
Director General Health Sindh Dr Muhammad Juman Bahoto received the consignment on behalf of Sindh Health department.
Dr Sara Salman head of WHO Sub Office Sindh, District Health Officers of Sukkur and Larkana Divisions, Medical Superintendents of various hospitals were also present on the occasion.
Ambassador-designate to France Asim Iftikhar calls on PM
ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (APP): Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to France Asim Iftikhar called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif here on Tuesday.
Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi was also present in the meeting, a press release issued by the PM Media Wing here said.
The Prime Minister expressed good wishes for Ambassador-designate Asim Iftikhar and hoped that his appointment will help promote economic and trade relations between Pakistan and France.
Abrar Ahmed bowls Sindh to stunning victory over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
RAWALPINDI, Oct 18 (APP):Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed continued to make headlines when he bowled Sindh to a sensational 10-wicket victory over defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the fourth and last day of the fourth round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2022-23 at Pindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Abrar, the bespectacled 24-year-old Karachi-born spinner, followed up his first innings figures of 39.2-9-130-4 with 19-9-29-5 as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were mesmerised and spun out for a paltry 108 in 46.2 overs at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. Sindh achieved the three-run victory target in the first over to notched up their first victory of the season.
Earlier, Sindh, replying to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s first innings score of 384, were dismissed after adding one run to their overnight score of 489 for nine to earn a 106-run first innings lead.
But as the match appeared to head for a draw, Abrar demonstrated why he is one of the finest and highly-rated spinner in the circuit when he bamboozled the middle-order that slipped from 38 for one to 108 all-out. Abrar accounted for Sahibzada Farhan (12), Kamran Ghulam (0), Nabi Gul (4), Arshadullah (6) and Imran Khan Snr (4).
This was Abrar’s second match of the season. In his opening match against ATF Southern Punjab, Abrar had recorded match figures of 11 for 194. Abrar now has 20 wickets in two matches, with Sindh’s fifth round match against Balochistan at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. Overall, Abrar has claimed 53 wickets in nine first-class matches.
Abrar was well supported by Mohammad Umar, who claimed three wickets for 17 runs to finish the match with seven for 104.
At the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, Central Punjab’s Ahmad Safi Abdullah returned figures of 50-12-132-6 but his side’ match against Northern ended into a high-scoring draw. Northern, replying to Central Punjab’s 509 for nine declared and resuming at 425 for four, were 651 for nine when match ended.
Northern’s Sarmad Bhatti, who had started the day at 102, was dismissed after scoring 140 (345 balls, 15×4), while Mubasir Khan, who was 70 overnight, scored 79 (127 balls, 10×4, 1×6). On Tuesday, Aamir Jamal scored 80 not out (146 balls, 11×4, 1×6) and Nauman Ali contributed 69 (102 balls, 11×4) as the two batters added 120 runs for the eighth wicket.
At the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, the match between Balochistan and ATF Southern Punjab also ended in a draw.
After securing a 16-run first innings lead and resuming the day at 36 for one, Balochistan were 295 for six when play ended. Haris Sohail was 133 not out, his 14th first-class century, and added 106 runs for the fifth wicket with Husain Talat (31).
Haris, who faced 188 balls and struck 16 fours and four sixes, also put on 47 runs for the fourth wicket with Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (65).
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (fourth round, day four):
Sindh beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 10 wickets at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 384, 115.2 overs (Mohammad Sarwar Afridi 148, Kamran Ghulam 93, Sahibzada Farhan 53, Rehan Afridi 47; Mohammad Umar 4-87, Abrar Ahmed 4-130, Mir Hamza 2-51) and 108 all-out (Ashfaq Ahmed 37, Rehan Afridi 28; Abrar Ahmed 5-29, Mohammad Umar 3-17).
Sindh (overnight 489-9) 490 all-out, 138 overs (Khurram Manzoor 116, Saud Shakeel 105, Omair Bin Yousuf 105, Mohammad Hasan 47 not out, Saim Ayub 42, Asif Mahmood 31; Ihsanullah 3-109, Sajid Khan 3-127) and 4-0.
Match points: Sindh 21 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 4
Central Punjab drew with Northern at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
Central Punjab 509-9d, 140 overs (Azhar Ali 219, Tayyab Tahir 114, Ali Shan 55, Abdullah Shafique 32, Mohammad Saad 27; Mehran Mumtaz 3-111, Nauman Ali 3-173, Mubasir Khan 2-76).
Northern (overnight 425-4) 651-9d, 197.1 overs (Sarmad Bhatti 140, Aamir Jamal 80 not out, Mubasir Khan 79, Faizan Riaz 74, Nauman Ali 69, Umar Amin 68, Mohammad Huraira 62; Ahmed Safi Abdullah 6-132).
Match points: Central Punjab 10 Northern 9
ATF Southern Punjab drew with Balochistan at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium
Balochistan 346, 127 overs (Asad Shafiq 106, Ali Waqas 45, Haris Sohail 37, Haseebullah 33, Imran Butt 30, Khurram Shahzad 26 not out; Sameen Gul 5-84, Muhammad Imran Randhawa 3-75) and 295-6 (Haris Sohail 133 not out, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 65, Husain Talat 31, Imran Butt 24, Mohammad Imran Randhawa 2-43, Sameen Gul 2-46).
ATF Southern Punjab 330, 96.5 overs (Usman Salahuddin 88, Sharoon Siraj 73, Mohammad Imran Randhawa 53, Salman Ali Agha 44; Najeebullah Achakzai 5-90, Kashif Bhatti 2-78, Khurram Shehzad 2-83)
Match points: Balochistan 10 ATF Southern Punjab 9.
NA approves amendment allowing committees’ heads to determine agenda
ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (APP): The National Assembly Tuesday approved an amendment allowing Chairpersons of the Committees to determine the time table of business of their relevant committee and the agenda for each meeting after intimation to the relevant minister.
PPPP lawmaker Qadir Khan Mandokhail sought amendment in sub-rule 1 of Rule 293 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007 to substitute the words “ in consultation with” the words “ under intimation to”.
The House approved the amendment with majority vote as 17 lawmakers voted in favor of the motion for amendment while one lawmaker opposed it.
The existing Rule 239 (1) is about the agenda and notices of meetings of Committees which says, “the time table of business of a Committee and the agenda for each meeting of the Committee shall be determined by the Chairman in consultation with the Minister concerned”.
After the approval of the amendment by the National Assembly, the Rule 293 (1) will be as follows; “the time table of business of a Committee and the agenda for each meeting of the Committee shall be determined by the Chairman under intimation to the Minister concerned.
APP/muk-zah