Telecom operators have so far blocked mobile SIMs of 9,000 non-filers under directives of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). A spokesperson of the FBR said on Wednesday that telecom operators have sped up the process of blocking SIMs. The spokesperson said that FBR is providing new data to telecom companies every day for blocking SIMs. The spokesperson further pointed out that so far FBR has shared data of 30,000 individuals whose SIMs are supposed to be blocked. However, he admitted that it would take some time to block SIMs of all 506,671 persons who do not appear on the active taxpayer list but are liable to file the Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2023. It is pertinent to mention here that initially, telecom operators were reluctant to block SIMs, citing various legal reasons. However, later they agreed to manually block SIMs in small batches. FBR had issued an Income Tax General Order (ITGO) towards the end of April to disable the mobile phone SIMs of over 0.5 million persons who do not appear on th e active taxpayer list. At the time, FBR directed telecom companies to submit a compliance report in this regard by May 15. Source: Pro Pakistani
Govt Order to Block Non-Filer SIMs Still in Effect: Islamabad High Court
The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday held a hearing on the case of the federal government's decision to block mobile phone SIMs of non-filers. The session focused on an application to dismiss the stay order on taking action against telecom companies who refused to block non-filer SIMs. Chief Justice Amir Farooq, who presided over the hearing, clarified that the injunction does not prevent the blocking of SIMs but was issued to protect the petitioners. The government's order to block SIMs remains in effect, he stated. The Chief Justice acknowledged that the government's action might be part of broader economic reforms and indicated that the court would aim to resolve the case swiftly. The next hearing is scheduled for June. Both parties have been asked to agree on a specific date and inform the court. The hearing was adjourned until then. It should be mentioned that a leading telecom company on Monday conveyed to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) that it has blocked over 3,000 SIMS of non-filers under protest with apprehension of litigation with the tax department. FBR last month issued an Income Tax General Order (ITGO) to disable the mobile phone SIMs of over 0.5 million persons who do not appear on the active taxpayer list but are liable to file the Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2023. After a few delays, telecom operators on May 10 agreed to initiate the manual blocking process of SIMs in small batches. Source: Pro Pakistani
SNGPL Urges Petroleum Division to Help Settle Rs. 84 Billion Payment to PSO
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has urgently asked the Petroleum Division to help settle outstanding dues of Rs. 84 billion owed to Pakistan State Oil (PSO) by May 31, 2024. This payment is crucial for clearing RLNG supplies and equalizing gas rates with SSGC, reported a national daily. SNGPL faces financial strain in meeting RLNG and indigenous gas supply targets, having paid Rs. 41.5 billion to PSO but still owes Rs. 84 billion. The plan for PSO payments relies on payment of outstanding dues from the power sector, SSGC, RLNG diversion subsidy, fertilizer sector subsidy, and normal collections. All of these receivables amount to roughly Rs. 84 billion. SNGPL has appealed to all stakeholders to fulfill their commitments promptly to avoid disrupting the RLNG supply chain and defaulting on PSO payments. The gas supplier has urged the Petroleum Division to facilitate the payment of the outstanding amount in order to clear all payments owed to PSO. Source: Pro Pakistani
First T-20 between Pakistan, England abandoned due to rain
The first T20 of the four-match series between Pakistan and England was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of rain at Headingley tonight. The second match of the series will be played on Saturday in Birmingham while Cardiff will host the Third T20i on May 28. The last T20 will be played on May 30 in the Oval, London. Source: Radio Pakistan
Jos Buttler Believes No International Cricket Should be Played During IPL
England's skipper Jos Buttler emphasized that international cricket fixtures should not overlap with the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite asserting his commitment to playing for England, Buttler pointed out the challenges faced by players due to scheduling conflicts. Eight prominent English players, including Buttler himself, had to depart from the IPL before the play-offs to participate in a four-match series against Pakistan. This series is crucial preparation for the T20I World Cup in June. The players who had to leave IPL due to this schedule clash were Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Reece Topley, Phil Salt, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, and Buttler. Buttler's remarks highlighted the growing influence of the IPL on the international cricket calendar, 'It's my personal opinion that there shouldn't be any international cricket that clashes with the IPL.' 'I think that these games have been on the calendar for a long time. Of course, leading into a World Cup, your No.1 priority is playing fo r England and performing for England. I feel like this is the best preparation.' he concluded. The early exit of these key players from the IPL has sparked discussions about the need for a more synchronized international cricket calendar. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) faces the challenge of balancing the players' participation in lucrative domestic leagues with their national team duties. The England captain's call for non-overlapping schedules aims to ensure that players can fulfill their commitments without compromising on preparation for critical international tournaments like the T20I World Cup. Butter also revealed that the ECB decided to call up all the players for the series against Pakistan so that they could get used to their specific rules in the team and by this decision, the IPL franchises lost a foreign player in equal proportion as no English player is playing the competition currently. England will face off Pakistan in the first match of the four-game T20I series at Headingley, Leeds today while their World Cup campaign will kickstart on June 4 against Scotland. Source: Pro Pakistani
Pakistan Set to Appoint Australian Pitch Curator For ICC Champions Trophy
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to appoint Tony Hemming, an Australian curator with extensive experience in curating pitches for international events, as their new chief curator. The Australian curator, who has previously worked with FIFA and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, brings a wealth of expertise in turf management and ground preparation. His notable contributions include the development of football grounds in Saudi Arabia. He will replace Agha Zahid who has been PCB's main curator since 2004 and has been part of the Chairman PCB Curators Committee for the last 20 years. Hemming's new role with the PCB will focus on preparing top-quality cricket pitches for three key venues such as National Bank Arena in Karachi, Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. These three venues are scheduled to host the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, a mega-event that will see Pakistan welcome the world's best cricketing nations. Before this appointment, Hemming served as the Head Curator of the ICC Cricket Academy, where he honed his skills in creating and maintaining high-standard cricket pitches. The Australian curator's main job will be to train the local curators of Pakistan and ground staff according to the international standards of the game. His experience at the Academy, combined with his international portfolio, makes him a valuable asset for the PCB as they aim to deliver a successful tournament. The PCB's decision to bring in Hemming underscores their commitment to ensuring that the pitches for the Champions Trophy are of the highest quality, providing fair pitch conditions for all participating teams. As Pakistan gears up to host the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time since 2004, the inclusion of an expert like Hemming can prove to be the right move to showcase the country's capabilities in organizing major international cricket events. Pakistan will host the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy in February-March next year with the tournament including eight-top ranked international men's national teams. Source: Pro Pakistani