Sports13h ago · 5 min read
Pakistan chase a Super 4 win that would lock a semi-final berth
A brisk powerplay against Sri Lanka in Dubai has put the bowling unit in a position it has wanted all tournament.
The desk
Latest news
The rupee’s quiet week, explained
Interbank stability held, the open market was jumpy, and importers kept orders short.
CPEC’s second phase shifts from roads to factories — slowly
Special economic zones are filling, but energy costs and customs delays still decide who actually opens a plant.
BISP widens the quarterly stipend. Here is who qualifies.
A higher cash transfer and a broader poverty scorecard will bring new households onto the register this quarter.
Pakistan hold England in Rawalpindi to take the T20 series
A 15-run win, built on a fifth-over burst and a calm final over, closed a series that had been tighter than the table suggested.
Karachi Circular Railway’s first modern segment opens to limited service
A 14-kilometre stretch will run a reduced timetable while signalling tests continue on the rest of the loop.
Gold hits a record in Karachi as wedding season meets a nervous rupee
Jewellers say volumes are thinner than the headlines. Families are buying lighter sets, not more of them.
Public programmes
Government schemes
OpenDeadline 15 October 2026
Ministry of Poverty Alleviation
BISP quarterly stipend expansion
The Benazir Income Support Programme is widening eligibility and raising the quarterly cash stipend for the poorest households.
Eligibility
- · Households already enrolled in BISP or newly identified via NSER
- · Women as primary beneficiaries in most cases
OpenDeadline 30 November 2026
Ministry of Finance / SMEDA
Youth Business Loan 2026
Low-mark-up loans for first-time entrepreneurs aged 21–45, with a simplified digital application path.
Eligibility
- · Pakistani citizens aged 21–45 with a valid CNIC
- · A viable business plan for a new or expanding enterprise
Closing soonDeadline 30 September 2026
AEDB / Provincial energy departments
Household solar rooftop subsidy
A federal-provincial subsidy for 5–10 kW home solar systems, aimed at cutting bills before the next summer peak.
Eligibility
- · Homeowners with a registered electricity connection
- · Roof space that meets the installer safety survey
Scores
Live sports
Cricket · Asia Cup · Super 4
LivePAKPakistan
178/4SLSri Lanka
—16.2 overs · Pakistan batting
Dubai International Stadium
Cricket · Pakistan Super League
LiveKKKarachi Kings
92/3LQLahore Qalandars
—11.0 overs · Kings batting
National Stadium, Karachi
Cricket · ODI series
UpcomingPAKPakistan
—AUSAustralia
—1st ODI · 3:00 PM PKT
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Football · SAFF Championship
UpcomingPAKPakistan
—BANBangladesh
—Group stage · 8:00 PM
Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad
Markets & money
Finance
USD / PKR
278.40
+0.12
KSE-100
82,410
+0.84%
Gold / tola
268,500
+1.10%
Policy rate
11.00%
Held
State Bank holds the policy rate, and tells markets to watch inflation, not rumours
The Monetary Policy Committee kept the rate unchanged, citing a softer food index and a still-fragile rupee.
The rupee’s quiet week, explained
Interbank stability held, the open market was jumpy, and importers kept orders short.
Gold hits a record in Karachi as wedding season meets a nervous rupee
Jewellers say volumes are thinner than the headlines. Families are buying lighter sets, not more of them.
The field
Sports
Wellbeing
Health
Dengue advisory issued as the late monsoon lingers in Punjab and Sindh
Hospitals have been told to keep isolation beds ready. Households are being asked to treat standing water as a weekly job.
Mental health at work is finally a policy conversation. Implementation is not.
A draft code for large employers exists. Most offices still treat burnout as a private matter.
School vaccination drive expands to 40 more districts
The autumn campaign covers measles-rubella and HPV in selected age groups, with a consent form that schools must actually send home.