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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday briefed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, stating that a final decision is expected to be taken either on Friday or next Monday. Naqvi wrote on his X, &ldquo;Had a productive meeting with the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. Briefed him on the ICC matter, and he directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table.&rdquo; The chairman of PCB further added &ldquo;It was agreed that the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2015760606700409207&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=4ac4e8abe2a399a2a61c0f871cc0a2501873e317&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 763px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> The development comes amid growing questions over Pakistan&rsquo;s participation in the tournament after the ICC decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/scotland-replace-bangladesh-in-t20-world-cup-2026-after-icc-decision" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">replace</a>&nbsp;Bangladesh with Scotland. Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland after refusing to tour India due to safety concerns stemming from strained political relations between the two countries, ahead of the scheduled to begin next month, according to ICC. The governing ICC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/icc-rejects-bangladeshs-plea-to-play-t20-world-cup-matches-outside-india" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">rejected</a>&nbsp;Bangladesh&rsquo;s request to move their matches to tournament co-host Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) made the decision earlier this month, following the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders&#39; (KKR) release of experienced Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad, at the directives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin on Feb. 7, with Pakistan originally set to open their campaign against the Netherlands, according to ESPN cricinfo.&nbsp;Pakistan are drawn in &lsquo;Group A&rsquo; alongside India, the Netherlands, the USA and Namibia, with all of their group matches to be played in Sri Lanka under the hybrid model. Pakistan are due to face the USA on Feb. 10, followed by the much-anticipated clash against India on Feb. 15, before concluding the group stage against Namibia on Feb. 18.&nbsp;If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals and final, both matches are slated to be played in Colombo. Otherwise, the knockout fixtures will take place in Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

Cricket

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi briefed PM Shehbaz Sharif on T20 World Cup 2026 participation, with a final decision expected Friday or Monday, amid Bangladesh’s replacement by Scotland.

Pakistan T20 World Cup participation decision expected soon; Naqvi briefs PM Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday arrived in Davos, Switzerland, to lead high-level Pakistani delegation to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 from January 20 to 22, said the Prime Minister Office on its official Facebook.&nbsp;The prime minister is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with other senior officials. During the visit, PM Sharif is set to participate in a series of substantive engagements aimed at strengthening Pakistan&rsquo;s global economic and diplomatic outreach.&nbsp;As part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-to-attend-world-economic-forum-in-davos-next-week-organizers" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">WEF program</a>, the prime minister will take part in the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders session titled &ldquo;Restoring a Spirit of Dialogue in a Divided World.&rdquo; He will also host and chair a Pakistan-specific High-Level Business Roundtable, engaging with leading international corporate executives to highlight investment opportunities in Pakistan. The premier is expected to hold interactions with several world leaders and prominent business executives. He will articulate Pakistan&rsquo;s perspective on global and regional peace and development, while underscoring the government&rsquo;s vision, reforms, and achievements in the areas of economy, trade, and investment. The World Economic Forum&#39;s annual meeting brings together political leaders, business executives, heads of international organizations, and civil society representatives to deliberate on the world&#39;s key geopolitical, economic, social, and environmental challenges.

Foreign Affairs

During the visit, the prime minister will participate in a series of substantive engagements to strengthen Pakistan’s global economic and diplomatic outreach.

PM Sharif to focus on global, regional peace in Davos 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday ordered stronger, technology-driven measures to combat human trafficking and illegal migration, stressing that legal overseas travel for Pakistani citizens must be safeguarded through improved systems and coordination.&nbsp;Chairing a high-level meeting, the prime minister reviewed actions taken against illegal migration, including the misuse of work, visit and tourist visas, as well as offloading and deportation cases that contribute to irregular movement to European countries, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO).&nbsp;The meeting was informed that steps are underway to activate the e-gates system at airports, while artificial intelligence is being introduced to detect and prevent illegal travel.&nbsp;&ldquo;Full use of technology to improve the immigration system is the need of the hour,&rdquo; PM Sharif said, underscoring the importance of modern tools in curbing trafficking networks and irregular migration.&nbsp;He also directed authorities to further improve the Protectorate of Emigrants&#39; performance and emphasized closer coordination between the Federal Investigation Agency and other relevant institutions.&nbsp;The objective, he said, is to ensure that Pakistani citizens traveling abroad legally for employment do not face unnecessary hurdles.&nbsp;According to the PMO, the meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, and senior government officials.

Security

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered technology-driven measures, including AI and e-gates, to curb human trafficking, prevent illegal migration, and ensure smooth legal overseas travel.

Pakistan PM orders tech-driven crackdown on human trafficking, illegal migration

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday called for a decisive and collective effort to tackle HIV in Pakistan, warning that rising infections and limited treatment coverage demand &ldquo;immediate, coordinated and compassionate action.&rdquo;&nbsp;In his message on World AIDS Day, the prime minister stressed that the government is prioritizing prevention, testing and treatment services, especially for vulnerable and marginalized communities. He said stigma and discrimination remain among the biggest barriers to care, urging society to &ldquo;support, not isolate&rdquo; people living with HIV.&nbsp;The prime minister reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to achieving global targets to ensure that those most at risk can access timely diagnosis and lifesaving antiretroviral therapy. &ldquo;No one should be left behind,&rdquo; he said, noting that improved awareness, public engagement, and stronger health systems are essential for reversing the trend.&nbsp;He highlighted the need to expand early testing, increase treatment uptake, and ensure that essential medicines reach all parts of the country. The prime minister also underscored ongoing work with provincial governments and development partners to strengthen the national HIV response and enhance community-based services. In April, a UNDP-supported Global Fund report warned that Pakistan could face a wider public health crisis if testing and treatment rates do not accelerate. According to the report, around 290,000 Pakistanis are living with HIV. Yet only 23% know their status, and just 15% are currently receiving antiretroviral treatment, a gap the prime minister described as &ldquo;deeply concerning.&rdquo;&nbsp;The report noted improvements in prevention outreach, with community-led sites expanded to 53 locations and mobile services reaching thousands of people. However, it emphasized that low treatment enrollment and poor retention in care continue to undermine national efforts.&nbsp;As Pakistan marks World AIDS Day, the prime minister called for unity and compassion, saying the fight against HIV is &ldquo;not only a public health challenge but a test of our commitment to dignity, justice and human rights.&rdquo;&nbsp;He urged citizens, communities, and institutions to work together to build a healthier and more inclusive society where people living with HIV can access care without fear or prejudice.

Health

In his message on World AIDS Day, the prime minister says the government is prioritizing prevention, testing and treatment services, especially for vulnerable and marginalized communities.

Articles tagged with "PM Shehbaz Sharif"

Pakistan T20 World Cup participation decision expected soon; Naqvi briefs PM Sharif

PM Sharif to focus on global, regional peace in Davos

Pakistan PM orders tech-driven crackdown on human trafficking, illegal migration

PM Sharif calls for renewed effort against HIV as Pakistan faces rising infections