Pakistan says US should consult Taliban on any Afghan pullout delay

 Pakistan says US should consult Taliban on any Afghan pullout delay

           WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The us should consult the Taliban on any extension of a  1st May deadline for a full U.S. troop pullout from Afghanistan and will not decide unilaterally, the Pakistani ambassador to the us said on Friday.

Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan’s comments come because the Biden administration conducts a review of a February 2020 affect the Taliban that's expected to work out whether it'll meet the deadline to withdraw the last US soldiers from America’s longest war.

US and European officials say the Taliban haven't fulfilled commitments they made within the accord which conditions aren't conducive to advancing the social process amid a surge in violence blamed on the insurgents. The Taliban deny the fees .

The Taliban, seeking to reimpose Islamic rule out Afghanistan after their 2001 ouster at the hands of U.S.-led troops, deny the fees and indicate they're going to resume attacks on U.S. and allied troops unless the May deadline is kept.

“If there's strong justification and reasoning to possess an extension for logistical or other reasons, the parties have overcome difficulties ... before in terms of reaching footing ,” Khan said. “It’s really also an issue of the credibility of the us .”

Khan told a web forum sponsored by the Stimson Center that U.S. officials should consult the Taliban before deciding whether to take care of the last 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

“That is where the method should start,” Khan said. “To present this as a accomplished fact , I think, will only create difficulty.” Khan’s comments were significant as Pakistan, which helped facilitate the US-Taliban negotiations in Doha that clinched the February 2020 deal, wields considerable influence with the insurgents.

2 shot dead, several injured amid violence during NA-75 by-polls in Sialkot

 2 shot dead, several injured amid violence during NA-75 by-polls in Sialkot

A wounded man is run care after clashes broke out during a by-election within the NA-75 (Sialkot-IV) constituency within the Daska tehsil, on February 19, 2021. — Geo News screengrab

Two people were killed and a number of other injured as violence broke out on Friday during the by-polls held at NA-75 (Sialkot-IV) constituency within the Daska tehsil.

The identity of the 2 people that died has not been ascertained yet.

Clashes occurred between workers of the PTI and PML-N across the constituency and at the Gondla polling place , things escalated to some extent where shots were fired. Eight people were injured of which two later succumbed to their injuries.

According to Geo News, first coronavirus came the way with polling suspended thanks to a violation of safety protocols then later violence disrupted the polling, the time that ended at 5pm. Those still inside polling stations are going to be allowed to cast their votes.

PML-N's Rana Sanaullah had petitioned for the polling time to be increased in sight of the disruption. He accused the "government's thugs" to attempting to thin out the vote with violence, claiming that PTI's polling camps were all empty and unattended.

The request was turned down by the committee .

PTI's Usman Dar, in response, accused Sanaullah of disturbing the law and order within the constituency. "Rana Sanaullah was roaming around with groups of armed men," he said, adding that a police complaint are going to be registered against him.

He claimed Sanaullah "wants to try to to in Daska what was wiped out Model Town".

Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar's aide Firdous Ashiq Awan joined in by saying what occurred was the "traditional thuggery by PML-N" under the leadership of Sanaullah. She claimed PTI workers were harassed by PML-N.

When approached by Geo News reporters, police didn't answer questions on the firing and claimed polling had gone on uninterrupted.

CM takes notice of incident

Chief Minister Buzdar, while taking notice of firing incident, has sought a report from the military officer of Police (IGP).

The chief minister has ordered the arrest of the suspects at the earliest and said that action would be initiated against those found responsible with none discrimination.

Blame game between candidates

PTI candidate Ali Asjad and PML-N contender Syeda Nausheen blamed each others' parties for instigating violence.

Asjad claimed that PML-N "could not stand losing" then resorted to violence. Nausheen, on the opposite hand, claimed that folks had witnessed armed men with PTI flags outside polling stations firing shots within the air and chanting party slogans, which also resulted in power lines breaking and falling down. "We haven't any arms," she insisted.

Meanwhile, TLP's chief polling agent Sahibzada Fazal Haq also claimed that his car was fired upon and his windows lie shattered.

Situation remains tense

Reporting from the Degree College polling place , Geo News correspondent Umar Ejaz said that even after polling time ended, the PTI and PML-N workers continued to chant slogans against each other .

He said shots were not being fired, as was the case intermittently throughout polling time.

The correspondent, who had spoken to the Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital Daska Latif Sahi, said that eight people had been brought injured to the power , of which two had died. It couldn't be ascertained which party they belong to.

PSL 2021: Can Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Quetta Gladiators lift the trophy again?

 PSL 2021: Can Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Quetta Gladiators lift the trophy again?

Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmed receiving the PSL 2019 trophy from President Arif Alvi.

Can Sarfaraz Ahmed do that again for his purple force?

Being the sole franchise that has not made any change in its team management, Quetta Gladiators is that the most consistent franchise of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Known as one among the prolific franchises, Gladiators won three finals in five previous editions, winning the title in 2019.

Gladiators' performance last year was marred by back-to-back travel but that won’t be the case for them this point as matches are being held only at two venues – Karachi and Lahore.

King of T20 Chris Gayle 

This year, Gladiators will have the services of the “Universal Boss” Chris Gayle who is undisputed King of T20 Cricket. 

Gale has several T20 records to his credit which incorporates most runs (13,584), most centuries (22), most half-centuries (85). highest individual T20 score (175*) most sixes (1001) and most sixes during a match (18).

Although, he didn’t had best in PSL during his two previous outings – averaging just 18.78 from his 14 matches but the 41-year-old showed his class in scoring 238 runs at 41.14 for King’s XI Punjab giving Gladiators a hope that Gayle can produce some match-winning knocks for them and feeling the void created after retirement of Shane Watson.

However, he won’t be available for a full season. He will return to West Indies to hitch his national team for the series against Sri Lanka and can get replaced by another T20 stalwart Faf du Plessis.

The batting line-up

The Sarfaraz-led side also has the services of Azam Khan, son of Moin Khan, Cameron Delport, Tom Banton, and Ben Cutting to strengthen their batting lineup.

Delport, who has previously played for Karachi Kings, Islamabad United, and Lahore qalandars within the Pakistan Super League, also can be handy as a part-time seamer. He has, so far, taken 68 wickets at a mean of 28.45 along side Delport, local boys Mohammad Nawaz and Anwar Ali provides Quetta enough firepower.

The bowling side

Quetta has electrical converter bowlers including Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Usman Shinwari. 

They are regular features of Pakistan’s pace attack in international cricket. They’ll have the guidance of Dale Steyn who is additionally picked by Gladiators as a supplementary player. The South African will join the purple force on 22nd February.

All-rounder Nawaz, along side Afghanistan’s Qais Ahmad and Dadu-based Zahid Mahmood gives Sarfaraz Ahmed some good options during a spin also .

It looks just like the Gladiators are all ready for the PSL action, all they have to try to to is play like true Gladiators if they need to win the second PSL trophy.

Quetta Gladiators' squad: 

 Sarfaraz Ahmed, Qais Ahmad, Anwar Ali, Saim Ayub, Tom Banton, Ben Cutting, Cameron Delport, Chris Gayle, Mohammad Hasnain, Arish Ali Khan, Azam Khan, Hassan Khan, Usman Khan, Zahid Mahmood, Abdul Nasir, Mohammad Nawaz, Faf du Plessis, Naseem Shah, Usman Khan Shinwari, Dale Steyn.

Fixtures for Quetta Gladiators:

 February 20- Karachi Kings, Washington's Birthday - Lahore Qalandars, February 26 - Peshawar Zalmi, March 1- Islamabad United, March 3 - Multan Sultans, March 6 - Islamabad United, March 7 - Multan Sultans, March 11 - Lahore Qalandars, March 13 - Karachi Kings, March 14 - Peshawar Zalmi

Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara declared dead by family

 Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara declared dead by family

A picture of missing mountaineer Ali Sadpara. Photo: Twitter/Muhammad Ali Sadpara/via Geo.tv

Missing Pakistani mountaineer Ali Sadpara has been declared dead by his family after going missing for quite 10 days. 

The announcement was made by Ali Sadpara's son, Sajid Sadpara, in Skardu. "I will keep my father’s mission alive and fulfil his dream," he said.

He also thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of the military Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and therefore the courageous pilots of the Askari Aviation for conducting a radical search and operation amid the tough weather for his father.

Sadpara, Iceland's John Snorri and Chile's Juan Pablo Mohr had departed for his or her journey on February 3 after Sadpara's birthday, asking fans and admirers to "keep us in your prayers".

They had started their attempt for the ultimate summit within the early hours of February 5, hoping to accomplish the herculean feat by afternoon.

According to updates posted on Snorri's facebook account on Friday, at 12:29pm, the GPS stopped working and had not updated in six hours.

Ali Sadpara's management revealed a couple of days ago that the govt and other stakeholders were employing their best efforts to seek out Sadpara and therefore the other climbers who went missing, despite him being missing for nearly 10 days. 

Sadpara's management, which operates his official Twitter account, on Monday announced that a gathering of the apex committee regarding the missing climbers' search and rescue (SAR) operation are going to be persisted Feb 17, 2021, in Gilgit.

"Please avoid any premature statements and prevent from fake reports," the management had said.