Author: Erdal Hingora

Pakistan held a full-strength training session on Saturday at the National Bank Cricket Arena before the first Test of the two-match series against New Zealand, starting on Monday. All the players of Pakistan’s Test squad participated in the first training session held in Karachi with the exception of their skipper Babar Azam, who is currently in his hometown Lahore. The captain, however, will reach here in the evening. Meanwhile, a full-strength New Zealand squad was present on the field and carried out robust training sessions that included batting, fielding and bowling drills. Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq and Kiwi spinner…

ISLAMABAD: Amid external account challenges, Pakistan borrowed about $5.115 billion in foreign loans in the first five months (July-November) of the current fiscal year, almost 14pc higher than the foreign loans it received in the comparable period last year. In its monthly report on Foreign Economic Assistance (FEA), the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MEA) said it received about $5.115bn foreign assistance in 5MFY23 compared to $4.499bn in the same period last year. In November alone, Pakistan received $842 million from foreign inflows compared to $794m in the same month last year, a rise of 6pc. As such, the total inflows…