Final decision on T20 World Cup participation will be taken either on Friday or next Monday: PCB
Lahore (PTI): Pakistan on Monday kept the suspense alive over its participation in the upcoming men's T20 World Cup, deferring a final decision until at least Friday and contemplating a boycott of its marquee clash against co-hosts India in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were ousted from the tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said a final call on participation will be taken either on Friday or next Monday after chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here.
Naqvi later took to social media to confirm that the issue was discussed at length during his meeting with the Prime Minister in Islamabad.
"I had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister and briefed him on the ICC matter. He directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table," Naqvi tweeted.
"It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday," he added.
According to sources, Prime Minister Sharif told Naqvi that Pakistan should extend all possible support to Bangladesh, who were recently ousted from the tournament, starting February 7.
The sources said the Prime Minister was briefed on multiple scenarios, including the possibility of Pakistan not sending its team for the T20 World Cup, or participating in the event but boycotting the high-profile match against India scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, if that course of action helped Bangladesh cricket in any manner.
The PCB had earlier maintained that the government would take the final call on Pakistan's participation in the event in view of the evolving situation following Bangladesh's exit from the competition.
Bangladesh, who have been replaced by Scotland in the 20-team event, had sought shifting of its matches to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns in India, but the ICC rejected the request, saying no such verifiable threat existed.
Pakistan are scheduled to open their T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo, followed by matches against the USA (February 10), India (February 15) and Namibia (February 18).
PCB announced its 15-man squad on Sunday, including experienced Babar Azam but excluding Haris Rauf. The squad will be led by Salman Ali Agha.
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ED attaches fresh PACL assets worth over Rs 1,986 crore
New Delhi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it has attached fresh properties worth over Rs 1,986 crore as part of its money laundering investigation against Chandigarh-based PACL (Pearls Group), accused of orchestrating a Rs 48,000 crore Ponzi scheme.
The latest action has taken the total value of assets attached so far in the case to Rs 7,589 crore.
In a statement, the agency said it has provisionally attached 37 immovable properties, located in Punjab's Ludhiana and Jaipur in Rajasthan, valued at Rs 1,986.48 crore, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
A part of the alleged illicit funds generated from this fraud was used for the acquisition of these 37 assets, it said.
The ED probe stems from a CBI case against PACL Ltd, its late promoter Nirmal Singh Bhangoo and some others.
Bhangoo died in August 2024.
The accused entities and individuals of PACL operated an "illegal" collective investment scheme, fraudulently mobilising over Rs 60,000 crore from lakhs of investors across India under the guise of sale and development of agricultural land, as per the ED.
Investors were induced to invest through cash down payment and instalment payment plans and were made to sign "misleading" documents, including agreements, powers of attorney, and other instruments, it said.
"In the majority of cases, no land was ever delivered, and approximately Rs 48,000 crore remains unpaid to investors," the agency said.
Three charge sheets have been filed by the ED till now as part of this case registered in 2016.
