Pakistan joins International community in voicing its strong condemnation of US decision Syrian Golan Heights. By.Asghar Ali Mubarak Pakistan joins international community in voicing its strong opposition condemnation of the decision on  Syrian Golan Heights ….. Pakistan joins the international community in voicing its strong opposition and condemnation of the US Administration’s decision to recognised the Israel’s sovereignty over Syrian Golan Heights.According to a press statement issued by ministry of the foreign affairs Pakistan Islamabad stated that “this decision represents a serious violation of UN Charter, international law and applicable UN Security Council Resolutions, particularly 497 (1981).” It also constitutes a serious blow to the Rule of Law  and international norms. Pakistan shares the international outrage and is deeply concerned over the potentially grave repercussions of this decision for the region and beyond.Pakistan calls upon the UN Security Council to take cognizance of this situation and take steps in accordance with the UN Charter,said press release. Earlier the U.S.President Trump endorses Israeli control on disputed Golan Heights.In this article published in USA leading news paper The Washington Post picture shows from left, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, visit the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights earlier this month. President Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy Thursday by endorsing permanent Israeli control of the disputed Golan Heights, saying on Twitter that the area seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war is “of critical strategic and security importance” to Israel.The position is a political boon to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu days before he is scheduled to visit Washington and three weeks before he faces an unexpectedly difficult reelection vote at home. It also comes as both Democrats and Republicans are seeking to cast themselves as defenders of Israel amid heated congressional discussions about anti-Semitism.“After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” Trump tweeted.Trump’s statement marks an important symbolic reversal of official U.S. neutrality on an issue that is akin to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, which was also seized during the 1967 war and is claimed by Palestinians for a future independent state. It puts the United States at odds with most U.S. allies and the United Nations, which has declared the annexation of the Golan Heights an illegal occupation under international law.Trump decided to announce the new position despite concerns among some in his administration that it would put a finger on the scale of Netanyahu’s election.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked President Trump on March 21 for endorsing Israel’s sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights. For Trump, there is little downside to a full embrace of Netanyahu, despite the Israeli leader’s current political troubles, which include corruption allegations and a potential indictment this summer. Trump’s support for Israel and for Netanyahu personally has played well with his conservative political base, and the latest development comes as Democrats face a generational and ideological split over the nature of American support for Israel.Netanyahu had recently pressed the United States to formally recognize Israel’s annexation of the land, including making a public appeal for U.S. help as he welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jerusalem on other day (Wednesday).“President Trump has just made history,” Netanyahu said after the announcement Thursday. “I called him. I thanked him on behalf of the people of Israel. He did it again.”Both Netanyahu and his main election rival, former Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz, have championed permanent Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights as a campaign issue. The two are neck-and-neck in the polls ahead of the April 9 election.Netanyahu has boasted of his strong relationship with Trump and attempted to make it a campaign selling point. Huge roadside billboards in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv show the two leaders shaking hands, with the slogan “Netanyahu, in a different league.”Pompeo hailed the announcement alongside Netanyahu as the two appeared for cameras before a dinner Thursday celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim.“Tonight, President Trump made the decision to recognize that that hard-fought real estate, that important place, is proper to be a sovereign part of the state of Israel,” Pompeo said. For days, Pompeo had refused to discuss the Golan request with reporters traveling with him. He denied that the timing of his visit was an indication of support for Netanyahu before the vote, and U.S. officials said the aim of the visit was to discuss regional issues, including curbing Iranian power in the region.Israel has repeatedly raised alarm bells over the entrenchment of Iranian forces across the border in Syria.Trump’s statement follows other actions sought by Netanyahu, including the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the U.S. withdrawal from the international nuclear deal with Iran. Trump has also closed the U.S. political office used by the Palestinian Authority and closed a decades-old U.S. diplomatic mission to Palestinians in Jerusalem.In addition, Trump has agreed to leave 400 U.S. troops in Syria after initially saying he would close down that military mission entirely. The U.S. departure alarmed Israelis and pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers, although Netanyahu said he respected Trump’s decision.Netanyahu may also be seeking another favor from Trump, who could use his executive power to allow convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to move to Israel this year, people familiar with the discussions said. Pollard was freed on parole in 2015 but was not allowed to travel for five years.Pollard’s case is a touchstone for right-wing Israeli political leaders and many of their U.S. backers, who have argued for years that he was treated unfairly and should be allowed to go “home.”In interviews in Israel on Thursday, Pompeo declined to address the prospect that Trump might commute the remaining sentence or pardon Pollard. Such a development would be another huge political victory for Netanyahu, who governs in a coalition with right-wing partners.Breaking with the protocol of previous administrations, Pompeo visited the Western Wall with Netanyahu on Wednesday afternoon. Previous secretaries of state have avoided making the visit to the Jewish holy site alongside Israeli officials, with concerns that such a move could be seen as a recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the site. The wall lies in East Jerusalem, land the United Nations and much of the international community consider illegally occupied.Netanyahu and Pompeo, who were accompanied by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, placed notes in the wall, a religious tradition.Trump will welcome Netanyahu at the White House next week for meetings and a private dinner organized by his son-in-law and Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner.Kushner is expected to release a long-promised package of proposals to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict sometime after the Israeli election and the formation of a new government.“From now until about mid-June we need to consider the Israeli election, formation of the Israeli government, Passover and Ramadan and other important dates,” a U.S. official said when asked when to expect the rollout. “No decision has been made at this time.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration decision-making.The Trump administration has not endorsed the concept of two independent states as the goal of a peace deal, although Trump has said he prefers a separate state if both sides agree. Palestinian leaders have renounced contacts with the administration since December 2017, when Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.The West Bank, where most Palestinians live, is under Israeli control but has not been annexed in the same way as the Golan Heights. Still, Trump’s willingness to recognize Israeli claims raises questions about whether he would support formal Israeli dominion over Palestinians living in the West Bank.The announcement could also boost the political capital of Netanyahu and Trump among right-wing Israelis opposed to making concessions to the Palestinians, some regional observers said. “Obviously with the elections in Israel coming, the timing matters very much for these kind of statements,” said a foreign official who is knowledgeable about the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts and spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay conversations between governments.Asked about the timing of his announcement during an interview recorded Thursday, Trump said that it was unrelated to the Israeli election and that he has “been thinking about doing it for a long time.” “It’s been a very hard decision for every president. No president has done it,” Trump told Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo. “This is very much like Jerusalem, moving the embassy to Jerusalem. I did that.”Frank Lowenstein, the U.S. special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during President Barack Obama’s second term, said recognizing Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights will give momentum to the push in Israel to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank.“It sends a powerful message to the right at a time when Bibi is scrounging for every vote he can get,” Lowenstein said, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “He’s saying, ‘I’m delivering for you in the West Bank.’ That’s where this is headed.”In Washington next week, Netanyahu will address the annual political gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, along with Trump administration officials including Pompeo, Friedman and Vice President Pence. Gantz will also address the group but has not been extended a White House invitation.Netanyahu has prominent Republican allies in his effort to win recognition of Israel’s claim to the Golan Heights, including Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ted Cruz (Tex).Cotton, Cruz and others are pushing legislation that would say the United States has a national security interest in ensuring that “Israel retains control over the Golan Heights” as the Syrian war winds down and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in power.Graham, who toured the Golan Heights with Netanyahu this month, tweeted his support for Trump’s declaration: “President Trump’s decision to recognize the Golan as part of Israel is strategically wise and overall awesome. Well done, Mr. President! Now I, along with Senator @tedcruz, will try to get Congress to follow your lead.”About 25,000 members of the Arabic-speaking minority Druze sect live in the Golan Heights — former Syrian citizens allowed to remain after it was captured in 1967 or their descendants. They share the Golan with an Israeli population of a similar size that began to build settlements there after 1967, establishing cooperative communities known as kibbutzim and moshavim.Though the Druze have been offered Israeli citizenship, many have resisted, torn between the practical advantages of being Israeli and their emotional and familial ties to Syria. With some families split across the demarcation line, they have been granted special permission to pass back and forth between the two countries, still technically at war.But for some, seven years of civil war in Syria has swayed them. Israeli authorities report an increase of applicants since the conflict took hold. Still, some Druze hold small demonstrations against the occupation, the latest in February when hundreds of residents of the Druze town of Majdal Shams demonstrated on the anniversary of Israel’s annexation.

Posted on March 27, 2019

Pakistan joins International

community
in voicing its strong condemnation of US decision Syrian Golan Heights.
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
Pakistan joins international community in voicing its strong opposition condemnation of the decision on Syrian Golan Heights …..
Pakistan joins the international community in voicing its strong opposition and condemnation of the US Administration’s decision to recognised the Israel’s sovereignty over Syrian Golan Heights.According to a press statement issued by ministry of the foreign affairs Pakistan Islamabad stated that “this decision represents a serious violation of UN Charter, international law and applicable UN Security Council Resolutions, particularly 497 (1981).” It also constitutes a serious blow to the Rule of Law and international norms. Pakistan shares the international outrage and is deeply concerned over the potentially grave repercussions of this decision for the region and beyond.Pakistan calls upon the UN Security Council to take cognizance of this situation and take steps in accordance with the UN Charter,said press release. Earlier the U.S.President Trump endorses Israeli control on disputed Golan Heights.In this article published in USA leading news paper The Washington Post picture shows from left, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, visit the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights earlier this month. President Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy Thursday by endorsing permanent Israeli control of the disputed Golan Heights, saying on Twitter that the area seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war is “of critical strategic and security importance” to Israel.The position is a political boon to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu days before he is scheduled to visit Washington and three weeks before he faces an unexpectedly difficult reelection vote at home. It also comes as both Democrats and Republicans are seeking to cast themselves as defenders of Israel amid heated congressional discussions about anti-Semitism.“After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” Trump tweeted.Trump’s statement marks an important symbolic reversal of official U.S. neutrality on an issue that is akin to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, which was also seized during the 1967 war and is claimed by Palestinians for a future independent state. It puts the United States at odds with most U.S. allies and the United Nations, which has declared the annexation of the Golan Heights an illegal occupation under international law.Trump decided to announce the new position despite concerns among some in his administration that it would put a finger on the scale of Netanyahu’s election.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked President Trump on March 21 for endorsing Israel’s sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights.
For Trump, there is little downside to a full embrace of Netanyahu, despite the Israeli leader’s current political troubles, which include corruption allegations and a potential indictment this summer. Trump’s support for Israel and for Netanyahu personally has played well with his conservative political base, and the latest development comes as Democrats face a generational and ideological split over the nature of American support for Israel.Netanyahu had recently pressed the United States to formally recognize Israel’s annexation of the land, including making a public appeal for U.S. help as he welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jerusalem on other day (Wednesday).“President Trump has just made history,” Netanyahu said after the announcement Thursday. “I called him. I thanked him on behalf of the people of Israel. He did it again.”Both Netanyahu and his main election rival, former Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz, have championed permanent Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights as a campaign issue. The two are neck-and-neck in the polls ahead of the April 9 election.Netanyahu has boasted of his strong relationship with Trump and attempted to make it a campaign selling point. Huge roadside billboards in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv show the two leaders shaking hands, with the slogan “Netanyahu, in a different league.”Pompeo hailed the announcement alongside Netanyahu as the two appeared for cameras before a dinner Thursday celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim.“Tonight, President Trump made the decision to recognize that that hard-fought real estate, that important place, is proper to be a sovereign part of the state of Israel,” Pompeo said.
For days, Pompeo had refused to discuss the Golan request with reporters traveling with him. He denied that the timing of his visit was an indication of support for Netanyahu before the vote, and U.S. officials said the aim of the visit was to discuss regional issues, including curbing Iranian power in the region.Israel has repeatedly raised alarm bells over the entrenchment of Iranian forces across the border in Syria.Trump’s statement follows other actions sought by Netanyahu, including the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the U.S. withdrawal from the international nuclear deal with Iran. Trump has also closed the U.S. political office used by the Palestinian Authority and closed a decades-old U.S. diplomatic mission to Palestinians in Jerusalem.In addition, Trump has agreed to leave 400 U.S. troops in Syria after initially saying he would close down that military mission entirely. The U.S. departure alarmed Israelis and pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers, although Netanyahu said he respected Trump’s decision.Netanyahu may also be seeking another favor from Trump, who could use his executive power to allow convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to move to Israel this year, people familiar with the discussions said. Pollard was freed on parole in 2015 but was not allowed to travel for five years.Pollard’s case is a touchstone for right-wing Israeli political leaders and many of their U.S. backers, who have argued for years that he was treated unfairly and should be allowed to go “home.”In interviews in Israel on Thursday, Pompeo declined to address the prospect that Trump might commute the remaining sentence or pardon Pollard. Such a development would be another huge political victory for Netanyahu, who governs in a coalition with right-wing partners.Breaking with the protocol of previous administrations, Pompeo visited the Western Wall with Netanyahu on Wednesday afternoon. Previous secretaries of state have avoided making the visit to the Jewish holy site alongside Israeli officials, with concerns that such a move could be seen as a recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the site. The wall lies in East Jerusalem, land the United Nations and much of the international community consider illegally occupied.Netanyahu and Pompeo, who were accompanied by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, placed notes in the wall, a religious tradition.Trump will welcome Netanyahu at the White House next week for meetings and a private dinner organized by his son-in-law and Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner.Kushner is expected to release a long-promised package of proposals to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict sometime after the Israeli election and the formation of a new government.“From now until about mid-June we need to consider the Israeli election, formation of the Israeli government, Passover and Ramadan and other important dates,” a U.S. official said when asked when to expect the rollout. “No decision has been made at this time.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration decision-making.The Trump administration has not endorsed the concept of two independent states as the goal of a peace deal, although Trump has said he prefers a separate state if both sides agree. Palestinian leaders have renounced contacts with the administration since December 2017, when Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.The West Bank, where most Palestinians live, is under Israeli control but has not been annexed in the same way as the Golan Heights. Still, Trump’s willingness to recognize Israeli claims raises questions about whether he would support formal Israeli dominion over Palestinians living in the West Bank.The announcement could also boost the political capital of Netanyahu and Trump among right-wing Israelis opposed to making concessions to the Palestinians, some regional observers said.
“Obviously with the elections in Israel coming, the timing matters very much for these kind of statements,” said a foreign official who is knowledgeable about the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts and spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay conversations between governments.Asked about the timing of his announcement during an interview recorded Thursday, Trump said that it was unrelated to the Israeli election and that he has “been thinking about doing it for a long time.”
“It’s been a very hard decision for every president. No president has done it,” Trump told Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo. “This is very much like Jerusalem, moving the embassy to Jerusalem. I did that.”Frank Lowenstein, the U.S. special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during President Barack Obama’s second term, said recognizing Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights will give momentum to the push in Israel to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank.“It sends a powerful message to the right at a time when Bibi is scrounging for every vote he can get,” Lowenstein said, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “He’s saying, ‘I’m delivering for you in the West Bank.’ That’s where this is headed.”In Washington next week, Netanyahu will address the annual political gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, along with Trump administration officials including Pompeo, Friedman and Vice President Pence. Gantz will also address the group but has not been extended a White House invitation.Netanyahu has prominent Republican allies in his effort to win recognition of Israel’s claim to the Golan Heights, including Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ted Cruz (Tex).Cotton, Cruz and others are pushing legislation that would say the United States has a national security interest in ensuring that “Israel retains control over the Golan Heights” as the Syrian war winds down and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in power.Graham, who toured the Golan Heights with Netanyahu this month, tweeted his support for Trump’s declaration: “President Trump’s decision to recognize the Golan as part of Israel is strategically wise and overall awesome. Well done, Mr. President! Now I, along with Senator @tedcruz, will try to get Congress to follow your lead.”About 25,000 members of the Arabic-speaking minority Druze sect live in the Golan Heights — former Syrian citizens allowed to remain after it was captured in 1967 or their descendants. They share the Golan with an Israeli population of a similar size that began to build settlements there after 1967, establishing cooperative communities known as kibbutzim and moshavim.Though the Druze have been offered Israeli citizenship, many have resisted, torn between the practical advantages of being Israeli and their emotional and familial ties to Syria. With some families split across the demarcation line, they have been granted special permission to pass back and forth between the two countries, still technically at war.But for some, seven years of civil war in Syria has swayed them. Israeli authorities report an increase of applicants since the conflict took hold. Still, some Druze hold small demonstrations against the occupation, the latest in February when hundreds of residents of the Druze town of Majdal Shams demonstrated on the anniversary of Israel’s annexation.

Pakistan joins International community in voicing its strong condemnation of US decision Syrian Golan Heights. By.Asghar Ali Mubarak Pakistan joins international community in voicing its strong opposition condemnation of the decision on  Syrian Golan Heights ….. Pakistan joins the international community in voicing its strong opposition and condemnation of the US Administration’s decision to recognised the Israel’s sovereignty over Syrian Golan Heights.According to a press statement issued by ministry of the foreign affairs Pakistan Islamabad stated that “this decision represents a serious violation of UN Charter, international law and applicable UN Security Council Resolutions, particularly 497 (1981).” It also constitutes a serious blow to the Rule of Law  and international norms. Pakistan shares the international outrage and is deeply concerned over the potentially grave repercussions of this decision for the region and beyond.Pakistan calls upon the UN Security Council to take cognizance of this situation and take steps in accordance with the UN Charter,said press release. Earlier the U.S.President Trump endorses Israeli control on disputed Golan Heights.In this article published in USA leading news paper The Washington Post picture shows from left, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, visit the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights earlier this month. President Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy Thursday by endorsing permanent Israeli control of the disputed Golan Heights, saying on Twitter that the area seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war is “of critical strategic and security importance” to Israel.The position is a political boon to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu days before he is scheduled to visit Washington and three weeks before he faces an unexpectedly difficult reelection vote at home. It also comes as both Democrats and Republicans are seeking to cast themselves as defenders of Israel amid heated congressional discussions about anti-Semitism.“After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” Trump tweeted.Trump’s statement marks an important symbolic reversal of official U.S. neutrality on an issue that is akin to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, which was also seized during the 1967 war and is claimed by Palestinians for a future independent state. It puts the United States at odds with most U.S. allies and the United Nations, which has declared the annexation of the Golan Heights an illegal occupation under international law.Trump decided to announce the new position despite concerns among some in his administration that it would put a finger on the scale of Netanyahu’s election.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked President Trump on March 21 for endorsing Israel’s sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights. For Trump, there is little downside to a full embrace of Netanyahu, despite the Israeli leader’s current political troubles, which include corruption allegations and a potential indictment this summer. Trump’s support for Israel and for Netanyahu personally has played well with his conservative political base, and the latest development comes as Democrats face a generational and ideological split over the nature of American support for Israel.Netanyahu had recently pressed the United States to formally recognize Israel’s annexation of the land, including making a public appeal for U.S. help as he welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jerusalem on other day (Wednesday).“President Trump has just made history,” Netanyahu said after the announcement Thursday. “I called him. I thanked him on behalf of the people of Israel. He did it again.”Both Netanyahu and his main election rival, former Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz, have championed permanent Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights as a campaign issue. The two are neck-and-neck in the polls ahead of the April 9 election.Netanyahu has boasted of his strong relationship with Trump and attempted to make it a campaign selling point. Huge roadside billboards in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv show the two leaders shaking hands, with the slogan “Netanyahu, in a different league.”Pompeo hailed the announcement alongside Netanyahu as the two appeared for cameras before a dinner Thursday celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim.“Tonight, President Trump made the decision to recognize that that hard-fought real estate, that important place, is proper to be a sovereign part of the state of Israel,” Pompeo said. For days, Pompeo had refused to discuss the Golan request with reporters traveling with him. He denied that the timing of his visit was an indication of support for Netanyahu before the vote, and U.S. officials said the aim of the visit was to discuss regional issues, including curbing Iranian power in the region.Israel has repeatedly raised alarm bells over the entrenchment of Iranian forces across the border in Syria.Trump’s statement follows other actions sought by Netanyahu, including the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the U.S. withdrawal from the international nuclear deal with Iran. Trump has also closed the U.S. political office used by the Palestinian Authority and closed a decades-old U.S. diplomatic mission to Palestinians in Jerusalem.In addition, Trump has agreed to leave 400 U.S. troops in Syria after initially saying he would close down that military mission entirely. The U.S. departure alarmed Israelis and pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers, although Netanyahu said he respected Trump’s decision.Netanyahu may also be seeking another favor from Trump, who could use his executive power to allow convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to move to Israel this year, people familiar with the discussions said. Pollard was freed on parole in 2015 but was not allowed to travel for five years.Pollard’s case is a touchstone for right-wing Israeli political leaders and many of their U.S. backers, who have argued for years that he was treated unfairly and should be allowed to go “home.”In interviews in Israel on Thursday, Pompeo declined to address the prospect that Trump might commute the remaining sentence or pardon Pollard. Such a development would be another huge political victory for Netanyahu, who governs in a coalition with right-wing partners.Breaking with the protocol of previous administrations, Pompeo visited the Western Wall with Netanyahu on Wednesday afternoon. Previous secretaries of state have avoided making the visit to the Jewish holy site alongside Israeli officials, with concerns that such a move could be seen as a recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the site. The wall lies in East Jerusalem, land the United Nations and much of the international community consider illegally occupied.Netanyahu and Pompeo, who were accompanied by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, placed notes in the wall, a religious tradition.Trump will welcome Netanyahu at the White House next week for meetings and a private dinner organized by his son-in-law and Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner.Kushner is expected to release a long-promised package of proposals to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict sometime after the Israeli election and the formation of a new government.“From now until about mid-June we need to consider the Israeli election, formation of the Israeli government, Passover and Ramadan and other important dates,” a U.S. official said when asked when to expect the rollout. “No decision has been made at this time.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration decision-making.The Trump administration has not endorsed the concept of two independent states as the goal of a peace deal, although Trump has said he prefers a separate state if both sides agree. Palestinian leaders have renounced contacts with the administration since December 2017, when Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.The West Bank, where most Palestinians live, is under Israeli control but has not been annexed in the same way as the Golan Heights. Still, Trump’s willingness to recognize Israeli claims raises questions about whether he would support formal Israeli dominion over Palestinians living in the West Bank.The announcement could also boost the political capital of Netanyahu and Trump among right-wing Israelis opposed to making concessions to the Palestinians, some regional observers said. “Obviously with the elections in Israel coming, the timing matters very much for these kind of statements,” said a foreign official who is knowledgeable about the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts and spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay conversations between governments.Asked about the timing of his announcement during an interview recorded Thursday, Trump said that it was unrelated to the Israeli election and that he has “been thinking about doing it for a long time.” “It’s been a very hard decision for every president. No president has done it,” Trump told Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo. “This is very much like Jerusalem, moving the embassy to Jerusalem. I did that.”Frank Lowenstein, the U.S. special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during President Barack Obama’s second term, said recognizing Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights will give momentum to the push in Israel to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank.“It sends a powerful message to the right at a time when Bibi is scrounging for every vote he can get,” Lowenstein said, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “He’s saying, ‘I’m delivering for you in the West Bank.’ That’s where this is headed.”In Washington next week, Netanyahu will address the annual political gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, along with Trump administration officials including Pompeo, Friedman and Vice President Pence. Gantz will also address the group but has not been extended a White House invitation.Netanyahu has prominent Republican allies in his effort to win recognition of Israel’s claim to the Golan Heights, including Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ted Cruz (Tex).Cotton, Cruz and others are pushing legislation that would say the United States has a national security interest in ensuring that “Israel retains control over the Golan Heights” as the Syrian war winds down and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in power.Graham, who toured the Golan Heights with Netanyahu this month, tweeted his support for Trump’s declaration: “President Trump’s decision to recognize the Golan as part of Israel is strategically wise and overall awesome. Well done, Mr. President! Now I, along with Senator @tedcruz, will try to get Congress to follow your lead.”About 25,000 members of the Arabic-speaking minority Druze sect live in the Golan Heights — former Syrian citizens allowed to remain after it was captured in 1967 or their descendants. They share the Golan with an Israeli population of a similar size that began to build settlements there after 1967, establishing cooperative communities known as kibbutzim and moshavim.Though the Druze have been offered Israeli citizenship, many have resisted, torn between the practical advantages of being Israeli and their emotional and familial ties to Syria. With some families split across the demarcation line, they have been granted special permission to pass back and forth between the two countries, still technically at war.But for some, seven years of civil war in Syria has swayed them. Israeli authorities report an increase of applicants since the conflict took hold. Still, some Druze hold small demonstrations against the occupation, the latest in February when hundreds of residents of the Druze town of Majdal Shams demonstrated on the anniversary of Israel’s annexation.

Posted on March 27, 2019 Updated on March 27, 2019

Pakistan joins International community
in voicing its strong condemnation of US decision Syrian Golan Heights.
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
Pakistan joins international community in voicing its strong opposition condemnation of the decision on Syrian Golan Heights …..
Pakistan joins the international community in voicing its strong opposition and condemnation of the US Administration’s decision to recognised the Israel’s sovereignty over Syrian Golan Heights.According to a press statement issued by ministry of the foreign affairs Pakistan Islamabad stated that “this decision represents a serious violation of UN Charter, international law and applicable UN Security Council Resolutions, particularly 497 (1981).” It also constitutes a serious blow to the Rule of Law and international norms. Pakistan shares the international outrage and is deeply concerned over the potentially grave repercussions of this decision for the region and beyond.Pakistan calls upon the UN Security Council to take cognizance of this situation and take steps in accordance with the UN Charter,said press release. Earlier the U.S.President Trump endorses Israeli control on disputed Golan Heights.In this article published in USA leading news paper The Washington Post picture shows from left, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, visit the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights earlier this month. President Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy Thursday by endorsing permanent Israeli control of the disputed Golan Heights, saying on Twitter that the area seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war is “of critical strategic and security importance” to Israel.The position is a political boon to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu days before he is scheduled to visit Washington and three weeks before he faces an unexpectedly difficult reelection vote at home. It also comes as both Democrats and Republicans are seeking to cast themselves as defenders of Israel amid heated congressional discussions about anti-Semitism.“After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” Trump tweeted.Trump’s statement marks an important symbolic reversal of official U.S. neutrality on an issue that is akin to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, which was also seized during the 1967 war and is claimed by Palestinians for a future independent state. It puts the United States at odds with most U.S. allies and the United Nations, which has declared the annexation of the Golan Heights an illegal occupation under international law.Trump decided to announce the new position despite concerns among some in his administration that it would put a finger on the scale of Netanyahu’s election.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked President Trump on March 21 for endorsing Israel’s sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights.
For Trump, there is little downside to a full embrace of Netanyahu, despite the Israeli leader’s current political troubles, which include corruption allegations and a potential indictment this summer. Trump’s support for Israel and for Netanyahu personally has played well with his conservative political base, and the latest development comes as Democrats face a generational and ideological split over the nature of American support for Israel.Netanyahu had recently pressed the United States to formally recognize Israel’s annexation of the land, including making a public appeal for U.S. help as he welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jerusalem on other day (Wednesday).“President Trump has just made history,” Netanyahu said after the announcement Thursday. “I called him. I thanked him on behalf of the people of Israel. He did it again.”Both Netanyahu and his main election rival, former Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz, have championed permanent Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights as a campaign issue. The two are neck-and-neck in the polls ahead of the April 9 election.Netanyahu has boasted of his strong relationship with Trump and attempted to make it a campaign selling point. Huge roadside billboards in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv show the two leaders shaking hands, with the slogan “Netanyahu, in a different league.”Pompeo hailed the announcement alongside Netanyahu as the two appeared for cameras before a dinner Thursday celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim.“Tonight, President Trump made the decision to recognize that that hard-fought real estate, that important place, is proper to be a sovereign part of the state of Israel,” Pompeo said.
For days, Pompeo had refused to discuss the Golan request with reporters traveling with him. He denied that the timing of his visit was an indication of support for Netanyahu before the vote, and U.S. officials said the aim of the visit was to discuss regional issues, including curbing Iranian power in the region.Israel has repeatedly raised alarm bells over the entrenchment of Iranian forces across the border in Syria.Trump’s statement follows other actions sought by Netanyahu, including the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the U.S. withdrawal from the international nuclear deal with Iran. Trump has also closed the U.S. political office used by the Palestinian Authority and closed a decades-old U.S. diplomatic mission to Palestinians in Jerusalem.In addition, Trump has agreed to leave 400 U.S. troops in Syria after initially saying he would close down that military mission entirely. The U.S. departure alarmed Israelis and pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers, although Netanyahu said he respected Trump’s decision.Netanyahu may also be seeking another favor from Trump, who could use his executive power to allow convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to move to Israel this year, people familiar with the discussions said. Pollard was freed on parole in 2015 but was not allowed to travel for five years.Pollard’s case is a touchstone for right-wing Israeli political leaders and many of their U.S. backers, who have argued for years that he was treated unfairly and should be allowed to go “home.”In interviews in Israel on Thursday, Pompeo declined to address the prospect that Trump might commute the remaining sentence or pardon Pollard. Such a development would be another huge political victory for Netanyahu, who governs in a coalition with right-wing partners.Breaking with the protocol of previous administrations, Pompeo visited the Western Wall with Netanyahu on Wednesday afternoon. Previous secretaries of state have avoided making the visit to the Jewish holy site alongside Israeli officials, with concerns that such a move could be seen as a recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the site. The wall lies in East Jerusalem, land the United Nations and much of the international community consider illegally occupied.Netanyahu and Pompeo, who were accompanied by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, placed notes in the wall, a religious tradition.Trump will welcome Netanyahu at the White House next week for meetings and a private dinner organized by his son-in-law and Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner.Kushner is expected to release a long-promised package of proposals to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict sometime after the Israeli election and the formation of a new government.“From now until about mid-June we need to consider the Israeli election, formation of the Israeli government, Passover and Ramadan and other important dates,” a U.S. official said when asked when to expect the rollout. “No decision has been made at this time.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration decision-making.The Trump administration has not endorsed the concept of two independent states as the goal of a peace deal, although Trump has said he prefers a separate state if both sides agree. Palestinian leaders have renounced contacts with the administration since December 2017, when Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.The West Bank, where most Palestinians live, is under Israeli control but has not been annexed in the same way as the Golan Heights. Still, Trump’s willingness to recognize Israeli claims raises questions about whether he would support formal Israeli dominion over Palestinians living in the West Bank.The announcement could also boost the political capital of Netanyahu and Trump among right-wing Israelis opposed to making concessions to the Palestinians, some regional observers said.
“Obviously with the elections in Israel coming, the timing matters very much for these kind of statements,” said a foreign official who is knowledgeable about the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts and spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay conversations between governments.Asked about the timing of his announcement during an interview recorded Thursday, Trump said that it was unrelated to the Israeli election and that he has “been thinking about doing it for a long time.”
“It’s been a very hard decision for every president. No president has done it,” Trump told Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo. “This is very much like Jerusalem, moving the embassy to Jerusalem. I did that.”Frank Lowenstein, the U.S. special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during President Barack Obama’s second term, said recognizing Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights will give momentum to the push in Israel to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank.“It sends a powerful message to the right at a time when Bibi is scrounging for every vote he can get,” Lowenstein said, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “He’s saying, ‘I’m delivering for you in the West Bank.’ That’s where this is headed.”In Washington next week, Netanyahu will address the annual political gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, along with Trump administration officials including Pompeo, Friedman and Vice President Pence. Gantz will also address the group but has not been extended a White House invitation.Netanyahu has prominent Republican allies in his effort to win recognition of Israel’s claim to the Golan Heights, including Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ted Cruz (Tex).Cotton, Cruz and others are pushing legislation that would say the United States has a national security interest in ensuring that “Israel retains control over the Golan Heights” as the Syrian war winds down and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in power.Graham, who toured the Golan Heights with Netanyahu this month, tweeted his support for Trump’s declaration: “President Trump’s decision to recognize the Golan as part of Israel is strategically wise and overall awesome. Well done, Mr. President! Now I, along with Senator @tedcruz, will try to get Congress to follow your lead.”About 25,000 members of the Arabic-speaking minority Druze sect live in the Golan Heights — former Syrian citizens allowed to remain after it was captured in 1967 or their descendants. They share the Golan with an Israeli population of a similar size that began to build settlements there after 1967, establishing cooperative communities known as kibbutzim and moshavim.Though the Druze have been offered Israeli citizenship, many have resisted, torn between the practical advantages of being Israeli and their emotional and familial ties to Syria. With some families split across the demarcation line, they have been granted special permission to pass back and forth between the two countries, still technically at war.But for some, seven years of civil war in Syria has swayed them. Israeli authorities report an increase of applicants since the conflict took hold. Still, some Druze hold small demonstrations against the occupation, the latest in February when hundreds of residents of the Druze town of Majdal Shams demonstrated on the anniversary of Israel’s annexation.

Pakistan joins International community
in voicing its strong condemnation of US decision Syrian Golan Heights.
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
Pakistan joins international community in voicing its strong opposition condemnation of the decision on  Syrian Golan Heights …..
Pakistan joins the international community in voicing its strong opposition and condemnation of the US Administration’s decision to recognised the Israel’s sovereignty over Syrian Golan Heights.According to a press statement issued by ministry of the foreign affairs Pakistan Islamabad stated that “this decision represents a serious violation of UN Charter, international law and applicable UN Security Council Resolutions, particularly 497 (1981).” It also constitutes a serious blow to the Rule of Law  and international norms. Pakistan shares the international outrage and is deeply concerned over the potentially grave repercussions of this decision for the region and beyond.Pakistan calls upon the UN Security Council to take cognizance of this situation and take steps in accordance with the UN Charter,said press release. Earlier the U.S.President Trump endorses Israeli control on disputed Golan Heights.In this article published in USA leading news paper The Washington Post picture shows from left, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, visit the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights earlier this month. President Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy Thursday by endorsing permanent Israeli control of the disputed Golan Heights, saying on Twitter that the area seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war is “of critical strategic and security importance” to Israel.The position is a political boon to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu days before he is scheduled to visit Washington and three weeks before he faces an unexpectedly difficult reelection vote at home. It also comes as both Democrats and Republicans are seeking to cast themselves as defenders of Israel amid heated congressional discussions about anti-Semitism.“After 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which is of critical strategic and security importance to the State of Israel and Regional Stability!” Trump tweeted.Trump’s statement marks an important symbolic reversal of official U.S. neutrality on an issue that is akin to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, which was also seized during the 1967 war and is claimed by Palestinians for a future independent state. It puts the United States at odds with most U.S. allies and the United Nations, which has declared the annexation of the Golan Heights an illegal occupation under international law.Trump decided to announce the new position despite concerns among some in his administration that it would put a finger on the scale of Netanyahu’s election.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked President Trump on March 21 for endorsing Israel’s sovereignty over the disputed Golan Heights.
For Trump, there is little downside to a full embrace of Netanyahu, despite the Israeli leader’s current political troubles, which include corruption allegations and a potential indictment this summer. Trump’s support for Israel and for Netanyahu personally has played well with his conservative political base, and the latest development comes as Democrats face a generational and ideological split over the nature of American support for Israel.Netanyahu had recently pressed the United States to formally recognize Israel’s annexation of the land, including making a public appeal for U.S. help as he welcomed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jerusalem on other day (Wednesday).“President Trump has just made history,” Netanyahu said after the announcement Thursday. “I called him. I thanked him on behalf of the people of Israel. He did it again.”Both Netanyahu and his main election rival, former Israeli military chief of staff Benny Gantz, have championed permanent Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights as a campaign issue. The two are neck-and-neck in the polls ahead of the April 9 election.Netanyahu has boasted of his strong relationship with Trump and attempted to make it a campaign selling point. Huge roadside billboards in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv show the two leaders shaking hands, with the slogan “Netanyahu, in a different league.”Pompeo hailed the announcement alongside Netanyahu as the two appeared for cameras before a dinner Thursday celebrating the Jewish holiday of Purim.“Tonight, President Trump made the decision to recognize that that hard-fought real estate, that important place, is proper to be a sovereign part of the state of Israel,” Pompeo said.
For days, Pompeo had refused to discuss the Golan request with reporters traveling with him. He denied that the timing of his visit was an indication of support for Netanyahu before the vote, and U.S. officials said the aim of the visit was to discuss regional issues, including curbing Iranian power in the region.Israel has repeatedly raised alarm bells over the entrenchment of Iranian forces across the border in Syria.Trump’s statement follows other actions sought by Netanyahu, including the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and the U.S. withdrawal from the international nuclear deal with Iran. Trump has also closed the U.S. political office used by the Palestinian Authority and closed a decades-old U.S. diplomatic mission to Palestinians in Jerusalem.In addition, Trump has agreed to leave 400 U.S. troops in Syria after initially saying he would close down that military mission entirely. The U.S. departure alarmed Israelis and pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers, although Netanyahu said he respected Trump’s decision.Netanyahu may also be seeking another favor from Trump, who could use his executive power to allow convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to move to Israel this year, people familiar with the discussions said. Pollard was freed on parole in 2015 but was not allowed to travel for five years.Pollard’s case is a touchstone for right-wing Israeli political leaders and many of their U.S. backers, who have argued for years that he was treated unfairly and should be allowed to go “home.”In interviews in Israel on Thursday, Pompeo declined to address the prospect that Trump might commute the remaining sentence or pardon Pollard. Such a development would be another huge political victory for Netanyahu, who governs in a coalition with right-wing partners.Breaking with the protocol of previous administrations, Pompeo visited the Western Wall with Netanyahu on Wednesday afternoon. Previous secretaries of state have avoided making the visit to the Jewish holy site alongside Israeli officials, with concerns that such a move could be seen as a recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the site. The wall lies in East Jerusalem, land the United Nations and much of the international community consider illegally occupied.Netanyahu and Pompeo, who were accompanied by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, placed notes in the wall, a religious tradition.Trump will welcome Netanyahu at the White House next week for meetings and a private dinner organized by his son-in-law and Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner.Kushner is expected to release a long-promised package of proposals to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict sometime after the Israeli election and the formation of a new government.“From now until about mid-June we need to consider the Israeli election, formation of the Israeli government, Passover and Ramadan and other important dates,” a U.S. official said when asked when to expect the rollout. “No decision has been made at this time.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration decision-making.The Trump administration has not endorsed the concept of two independent states as the goal of a peace deal, although Trump has said he prefers a separate state if both sides agree. Palestinian leaders have renounced contacts with the administration since December 2017, when Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.The West Bank, where most Palestinians live, is under Israeli control but has not been annexed in the same way as the Golan Heights. Still, Trump’s willingness to recognize Israeli claims raises questions about whether he would support formal Israeli dominion over Palestinians living in the West Bank.The announcement could also boost the political capital of Netanyahu and Trump among right-wing Israelis opposed to making concessions to the Palestinians, some regional observers said.
“Obviously with the elections in Israel coming, the timing matters very much for these kind of statements,” said a foreign official who is knowledgeable about the Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts and spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay conversations between governments.Asked about the timing of his announcement during an interview recorded Thursday, Trump said that it was unrelated to the Israeli election and that he has “been thinking about doing it for a long time.”
“It’s been a very hard decision for every president. No president has done it,” Trump told Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo. “This is very much like Jerusalem, moving the embassy to Jerusalem. I did that.”Frank Lowenstein, the U.S. special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations during President Barack Obama’s second term, said recognizing Israeli sovereignty in the Golan Heights will give momentum to the push in Israel to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank.“It sends a powerful message to the right at a time when Bibi is scrounging for every vote he can get,” Lowenstein said, using Netanyahu’s nickname. “He’s saying, ‘I’m delivering for you in the West Bank.’ That’s where this is headed.”In Washington next week, Netanyahu will address the annual political gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, along with Trump administration officials including Pompeo, Friedman and Vice President Pence. Gantz will also address the group but has not been extended a White House invitation.Netanyahu has prominent Republican allies in his effort to win recognition of Israel’s claim to the Golan Heights, including Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ted Cruz (Tex).Cotton, Cruz and others are pushing legislation that would say the United States has a national security interest in ensuring that “Israel retains control over the Golan Heights” as the Syrian war winds down and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains in power.Graham, who toured the Golan Heights with Netanyahu this month, tweeted his support for Trump’s declaration: “President Trump’s decision to recognize the Golan as part of Israel is strategically wise and overall awesome. Well done, Mr. President! Now I, along with Senator @tedcruz, will try to get Congress to follow your lead.”About 25,000 members of the Arabic-speaking minority Druze sect live in the Golan Heights — former Syrian citizens allowed to remain after it was captured in 1967 or their descendants. They share the Golan with an Israeli population of a similar size that began to build settlements there after 1967, establishing cooperative communities known as kibbutzim and moshavim.Though the Druze have been offered Israeli citizenship, many have resisted, torn between the practical advantages of being Israeli and their emotional and familial ties to Syria. With some families split across the demarcation line, they have been granted special permission to pass back and forth between the two countries, still technically at war.But for some, seven years of civil war in Syria has swayed them. Israeli authorities report an increase of applicants since the conflict took hold. Still, some Druze hold small demonstrations against the occupation, the latest in February when hundreds of residents of the Druze town of Majdal Shams demonstrated on the anniversary of Israel’s annexation.

Inter department women cricket tournament will be start at Islamabad tomorrow By.Asghar Ali Mubarak The Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Tournament will be start at Islamabad.The Tournament to be played at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad, from 27 March to 5 April.The teams from Zarai Tarakiati Bank, State Bank of Pakistan, Higher Education Commission and PCB XI to feature in ten-day tournament.The opening match of the tournament will be played between ZTBL and HEC tomorrow at Islamabad.Tjis event has been playing in order to promote women’s cricket across the country and to enhance the skills of the women cricketers, the PCB’s Women Wing has organised the Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Championship. The tournament is scheduled to be held from 27 March to 5 April, 2019 at Diamond Cricket Ground Islamabad. The four teams, Zarai Tarakiati Bank (ZTBL), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Higher Education Commission (HEC) and PCB XI will feature in the ten day tournament; a total of 13 matches including the final will be staged.The matches will be twenty overs aside; two matches will be played on each playing day at Diamond Cricket Ground. The first match will start at 9 30 am whereas the second match will take place at 2 30 pm. The participating teams will play six matches each, whereas the top two teams will qualify for the final of the tournament to be played at the same venue on 5 April. (Draws attached) The four participating teams’ 14-member squads in alphabetical order are as follows: ZTBLSana Mir ©, Bismah Maroof ( Vice-Captain),Almas Akram, Fatima Sana,Javeria Khan, Kainat Imtiaz, Maham Mughal, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nahida Khan, Nida Dar, Samina Bibi, Sidra Nawaz (WK), Subhana Tariq, Zeba Manzoor.PCB XI Rameen Shamim ©, Aima Saleem, Aroob Shah, Areeb Shamim, Ayesha Naseem, Hurraina Shah, Kainat Hafeez, Kanwal Francis, Naila Nazir, Najiha Alvi (WK), Noreen Yaqoob, Sadia Iqbal, Umme Hani, Waheeda Akhtar.HEC Daina Baig ©, Mahum Sultana (VC), Arim Barkat, Ghazala Amir, Gull Feroza, Hadiqa Dar, Khadija Chisty, Lubna Behram, Nashra Sundhu, Saba Nazir, Sadaf Shamas, Sana Urooj, Soha Fatima (WK), Tuba Massam.SBP Aliya Riaz ©, Jaweria Rauf (VC), Anam Amin, Ayesha Zafar, Fareeha Mahmood (WK), Ghulam Fatima, Hafsa Amjad, Hafsa Khalid, Iram Javed, Maham Tariq, Natalia Pervaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Yousaf, Sidra Amin.Photo caption is below:Captains of the four participating teams of the Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Tournament pose with the tournament trophy at the Faisal Mosque Islamabad.Standing from left: Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz, Sana Mir and Rameen Shamim.

Posted on March 26, 2019

Inter department women cricket tournament will be start at Islamabad tomorrow
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
The Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Tournament will be start at Islamabad.The
Tournament to be played at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad, from 27 March to 5 April.The teams from Zarai Tarakiati Bank, State Bank of Pakistan, Higher Education Commission and PCB XI to feature in ten-day tournament.The
opening match of the tournament will be played between ZTBL and HEC tomorrow at Islamabad.Tjis event has been playing in order to promote women’s cricket across the country and to enhance the skills of the women cricketers, the PCB’s Women Wing has organised the Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Championship.
The tournament is scheduled to be held from 27 March to 5 April, 2019 at Diamond Cricket Ground Islamabad. The four teams, Zarai Tarakiati Bank (ZTBL), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Higher Education Commission (HEC) and PCB XI will feature in the ten day tournament; a total of 13 matches including the final will be staged.The matches will be twenty overs aside; two matches will be played on each playing day at Diamond Cricket Ground. The first match will start at 9 30 am whereas the second match will take place at 2 30 pm.
The participating teams will play six matches each, whereas the top two teams will qualify for the final of the tournament to be played at the same venue on 5 April. (Draws attached)
The four participating teams’ 14-member squads in alphabetical order are as follows:
ZTBLSana Mir ©, Bismah Maroof ( Vice-Captain),Almas Akram, Fatima Sana,Javeria Khan, Kainat Imtiaz, Maham Mughal, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nahida Khan, Nida Dar, Samina Bibi, Sidra Nawaz (WK), Subhana Tariq, Zeba Manzoor.PCB XI
Rameen Shamim ©, Aima Saleem, Aroob Shah, Areeb Shamim, Ayesha Naseem, Hurraina Shah, Kainat Hafeez, Kanwal Francis, Naila Nazir, Najiha Alvi (WK), Noreen Yaqoob, Sadia Iqbal, Umme Hani, Waheeda Akhtar.HEC Daina Baig ©, Mahum Sultana (VC), Arim Barkat, Ghazala Amir, Gull Feroza, Hadiqa Dar, Khadija Chisty, Lubna Behram, Nashra Sundhu, Saba Nazir, Sadaf Shamas, Sana Urooj, Soha Fatima (WK), Tuba Massam.SBP Aliya Riaz ©, Jaweria Rauf (VC), Anam Amin, Ayesha Zafar, Fareeha Mahmood (WK), Ghulam Fatima, Hafsa Amjad, Hafsa Khalid, Iram Javed, Maham Tariq, Natalia Pervaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Yousaf, Sidra Amin.Photo caption is below:Captains of the four participating teams of the Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Tournament pose with the tournament trophy at the Faisal Mosque Islamabad.Standing from left: Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz, Sana Mir and Rameen Shamim.

Inter department women cricket tournament will be start at Islamabad tomorrow By.Asghar Ali Mubarak The Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Tournament will be start at Islamabad.The Tournament to be played at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad, from 27 March to 5 April.The teams from Zarai Tarakiati Bank, State Bank of Pakistan, Higher Education Commission and PCB XI to feature in ten-day tournament.The opening match of the tournament will be played between ZTBL and HEC tomorrow at Islamabad.Tjis event has been playing in order to promote women’s cricket across the country and to enhance the skills of the women cricketers, the PCB’s Women Wing has organised the Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Championship. The tournament is scheduled to be held from 27 March to 5 April, 2019 at Diamond Cricket Ground Islamabad. The four teams, Zarai Tarakiati Bank (ZTBL), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Higher Education Commission (HEC) and PCB XI will feature in the ten day tournament; a total of 13 matches including the final will be staged.The matches will be twenty overs aside; two matches will be played on each playing day at Diamond Cricket Ground. The first match will start at 9 30 am whereas the second match will take place at 2 30 pm. The participating teams will play six matches each, whereas the top two teams will qualify for the final of the tournament to be played at the same venue on 5 April. (Draws attached) The four participating teams’ 14-member squads in alphabetical order are as follows: ZTBLSana Mir ©, Bismah Maroof ( Vice-Captain),Almas Akram, Fatima Sana,Javeria Khan, Kainat Imtiaz, Maham Mughal, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nahida Khan, Nida Dar, Samina Bibi, Sidra Nawaz (WK), Subhana Tariq, Zeba Manzoor.PCB XI Rameen Shamim ©, Aima Saleem, Aroob Shah, Areeb Shamim, Ayesha Naseem, Hurraina Shah, Kainat Hafeez, Kanwal Francis, Naila Nazir, Najiha Alvi (WK), Noreen Yaqoob, Sadia Iqbal, Umme Hani, Waheeda Akhtar.HEC Daina Baig ©, Mahum Sultana (VC), Arim Barkat, Ghazala Amir, Gull Feroza, Hadiqa Dar, Khadija Chisty, Lubna Behram, Nashra Sundhu, Saba Nazir, Sadaf Shamas, Sana Urooj, Soha Fatima (WK), Tuba Massam.SBP Aliya Riaz ©, Jaweria Rauf (VC), Anam Amin, Ayesha Zafar, Fareeha Mahmood (WK), Ghulam Fatima, Hafsa Amjad, Hafsa Khalid, Iram Javed, Maham Tariq, Natalia Pervaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Yousaf, Sidra Amin.Photo caption is below:Captains of the four participating teams of the Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Tournament pose with the tournament trophy at the Faisal Mosque Islamabad.Standing from left: Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz, Sana Mir and Rameen Shamim.

Posted on March 26, 2019

I

nter department women cricket tournament will be start at Islamabad tomorrow
By.Asghar Ali Mubarak
The Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Tournament will be start at Islamabad.The
Tournament to be played at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad, from 27 March to 5 April.The teams from Zarai Tarakiati Bank, State Bank of Pakistan, Higher Education Commission and PCB XI to feature in ten-day tournament.The
opening match of the tournament will be played between ZTBL and HEC tomorrow at Islamabad.Tjis event has been playing in order to promote women’s cricket across the country and to enhance the skills of the women cricketers, the PCB’s Women Wing has organised the Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Championship.
The tournament is scheduled to be held from 27 March to 5 April, 2019 at Diamond Cricket Ground Islamabad. The four teams, Zarai Tarakiati Bank (ZTBL), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Higher Education Commission (HEC) and PCB XI will feature in the ten day tournament; a total of 13 matches including the final will be staged.The matches will be twenty overs aside; two matches will be played on each playing day at Diamond Cricket Ground. The first match will start at 9 30 am whereas the second match will take place at 2 30 pm.
The participating teams will play six matches each, whereas the top two teams will qualify for the final of the tournament to be played at the same venue on 5 April. (Draws attached)
The four participating teams’ 14-member squads in alphabetical order are as follows:
ZTBLSana Mir ©, Bismah Maroof ( Vice-Captain),Almas Akram, Fatima Sana,Javeria Khan, Kainat Imtiaz, Maham Mughal, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nahida Khan, Nida Dar, Samina Bibi, Sidra Nawaz (WK), Subhana Tariq, Zeba Manzoor.PCB XI
Rameen Shamim ©, Aima Saleem, Aroob Shah, Areeb Shamim, Ayesha Naseem, Hurraina Shah, Kainat Hafeez, Kanwal Francis, Naila Nazir, Najiha Alvi (WK), Noreen Yaqoob, Sadia Iqbal, Umme Hani, Waheeda Akhtar.HEC Daina Baig ©, Mahum Sultana (VC), Arim Barkat, Ghazala Amir, Gull Feroza, Hadiqa Dar, Khadija Chisty, Lubna Behram, Nashra Sundhu, Saba Nazir, Sadaf Shamas, Sana Urooj, Soha Fatima (WK), Tuba Massam.SBP Aliya Riaz ©, Jaweria Rauf (VC), Anam Amin, Ayesha Zafar, Fareeha Mahmood (WK), Ghulam Fatima, Hafsa Amjad, Hafsa Khalid, Iram Javed, Maham Tariq, Natalia Pervaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Yousaf, Sidra Amin.Photo caption is below:Captains of the four participating teams of the Second Inter-Departmental T20 Women Cricket Tournament pose with the tournament trophy at the Faisal Mosque Islamabad.Standing from left: Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz, Sana Mir and Rameen Shamim.

Posted on March 18, 2019

Fans made ‘resilient’ HBL PSL 2019 an overwhelming success,says Chairman PCB Ehsan Mani
Report..Azmat Ali
The Chairman Ehsan Mani thanks franchise owners, local administration, sponsors, players, media and the event staff for cementing HBL PSL’s reputation as one of the most credible and competitive leagues in the world.The chairman Pakistan Cricket Board Ehsan Mani, on behalf of the PCB, has paid glowing tributes and thanked the die-hard cricket fans, the 39 foreign international players and all the local stars for making the HBL Pakistan Super League 2019 an overwhelming success.He termed the league as a ‘resilient’ event and said it had delivered all event objectives despite tough operational and logistical challenges caused due to reasons beyond the PCB’s control.He also thanked all the franchise owners and their players, as well as the Sindh Government and all the security agencies involved in providing a safe and secure environment for the commercial partners, players, spectators, officials, media and service providers for the eight Pakistan-leg matches played at the National Stadium.
“The fans made this a truly Pakistan event. Cricket euphoria gripped the entire country as the fans got behind the tournament and made this an overwhelming success,” He said, adding: “The fans not only enjoyed and celebrated the festival of cricket, but they also portrayed a very positive image of Pakistan.”This is the real power of a nation and I can’t thank the fans enough for the way they got behind the tournament, supported all the teams and applauded good performances,” he said.“The success of any event is gauged by crowd attendances and I am delighted that the overall crowd turnout at the National Stadium over the seven match days was nearly 95 per cent. This reflects the passion and love for cricket here.
“I am sad that the Lahore fans were unable to attend the matches due to operational and logistical challenges, but they too contributed in a big way and I am thankful to all those who backed and supported the matches in the larger national interest,” said Mr Mani, a former President of the International Cricket Council.He said the HBL PSL had been designed as a vehicle to resume international cricket in Pakistan, which needs to be played across the country.”We have gradually increased the number of matches in Pakistan from one to three to eight. I am confident we will have matches at more venues next year. In this relation, we will soon start our preparations for HBL PSL 2020 and in due course share plans on how we can increase fan participation by expanding the league. It is inevitable that more than eight matches at multiple venues will be held in Pakistan in 2020,” he said.He said despite facing severe mid-series operational and logistical challenges, the league didn’t drop the ball at any stage and continued to maintain its very high standard and quality.
“The 2019 event has shown how resilient this league is. Having lost the production partner in the first week and then the fallout from last month’s turn of events, to pull everything smoothly, flawlessly and professionally reflects the strength and power of this league.“Shane Watson’s decision to come to Karachi after having declined pre-event, is a testament of the confidence he had in the PCB and all the security agencies. It was also a validation that he too considered Karachi as a peaceful and cricket-loving city, while reinforcing his respect and commitment for the league.”He appreciated the cooperation of the Sindh Government and all the local law-enforcing agencies.“I want to pass on my gratitude to the local administration and all the security agencies for their hard work and cooperation. By hosting six high profile teams and staging eight matches in seven days, we have shown the world our capabilities and resources to stage international matches.”
He said the quality of cricket was from the top draw.“The league lived up to the expectations of the fans and followers when it provided 15 last-over finishes. There were 21 matches in which scores of 170 or more were scored, while 404 runs were scored in the match between Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars. This high-quality cricket was played due to good batting surfaces.”He thanked all the players for upholding the Spirit of Cricket.”It was so heartening to see the players competing hard but at the same time playing within the Spirit of Cricket, by respecting the opponents and the umpires. This event was a great advertisement and promotion for cricket and I am sure the younger generation will learn the way this great game needs to be played.“All those players and officials who participated in this event are role models and inspiration for the future generation of cricketers. I can say with conviction that they have played a huge part in the PCB’s endeavours’ for the complete restoration of international cricket in Pakistan.”I want to extend my thanks to the franchisees and all the commercial partners, without whose contribution we would not have been able to put together an event which is now one of the most talked about events in the world. I am confident after this event, our relationship with the franchisees and the commercial partners will strengthen and we will do better in future.
“I also want to thank the respected members of the media for promoting and publicising the event through column-inches and airtime. Media are a very important stakeholder and through this event, our bonding with them has strengthened as we aim to work together in the best interests of cricket and the country.
“And, last, but not the least, I want to thank all the volunteers who took time out from their studies and jobs to work tirelessly in making the experience of the fans memorable.”

Posted on March 17, 2019

Hussnain, Shahzad lift Quetta Gladiators to first PSL title
By:Asghar Ali Mubarak

The Rookie paceman Mohammad Hussnain grabbed three crucial wickets while opener Ahmed Shehzad scored a brilliant half century to steer Quetta Gladiators to their maiden HBL PSL title by beating Peshawar Zalmi in the final by eight wickets in Karachi .
Hussnain’s 3-30 in four overs kept Peshawar down to 138-8 in 20 overs before Shehzad’s 51-ball 58 not out with six boundaries and a six helped Quetta to overhaul the modest target in 17.5 overs much to the joy of a packed 32,000 National stadium.
Shehzad made sure Quetta did not lose track after losing their prolific opener Shane Watson for just seven in the third over with the total at 19. Shehzad added 47 for the second wicket with Ahsan Ali who made 18-ball 25 with a six and three boundaries.
Shehzad then led his team towards the target with another solid unbroken stand of 73 with Rilee Rossouw who made 39 not out off 32 balls with five boundaries.  
Rossouw hit the winning single as title deprived Quetta players raced to the pitch to congratulate the unbeaten batsmen and hugged each other. Once the celebrations slowed down the stadium was lit up with a eye-catching firework.
Quetta had lost the 2016 final to Islamabad and another final to Peshawar a year later.
Hussnain was delighted at being man of the match.
“I am thankful to Almighty a chance to play the final and then be man of the match,” said Hussnain, who is also in Pakistan’s squad for the five-match ODI series against Australia.
“I got enormous support from the whole Quetta camp and everyone helped me achieve this much in the HBL PSL.”
Winning skipper Sarfraz Ahmed stated
“Thanks Almighty for giving us this honour,” said Sarfraz. “I am grateful to the crowd for coming here and support us.
Peshawar skipper Sammy admitted his team did not put up a fighting total.
“Yes, we did not score big runs,” said Sammy. “Congrats to Quetta. Today they proved why they beat us in all matches this season but we are still proud that we came this far in this tournament and hard luck to us.”
Peshawar’s innings could not set out as intended, with Imam-ul-Haq and Kamran Akmal parted at the score of four. Imam miscued a lofted shot of Sohail Tanvir and was caught by Ahmed Shehzad for three.
Kamran, who with Imam had put 135 in the win over Islamabad in the second qualifier on Friday, cracked three boundaries and a six but was bowled off spinner Mohammad Nawaz as he failed to connect a shot after jumping out of his crease.
Sohaib Maqsood, who scored run-a-ball 20 with three boundaries, added 31 for the third wicket with Umar but the scored at slow pace which allowed Quetta bowlers to attack.
Maqsood was dismissed by Dwayne Bravo while Amin holed out of Hussnain.
Peshawar had expected Kieron Pollard to add some fire to the batting but he too fell to Hussnain, caught behind for seven while Darren Sammy scored 18 with two boundaries.  Dwayne Bravo finished with 2-24.
Sarfraz received the glittering Swarovski crystal trophy from President Arif Alvi along with a prize money of half million US dollars while Peshawar received 200,00 dollars.
Islamabad won the inaugural title in 2016 and then doubled it with another last year. Peshawar paceman Hasan Ali received the best bowler’s award, taking 25 wickets. Watson won the dual prizes of player of the HBL PSL and batsman’s award by scoring 430 runs in 12 matches.
Karachi Kings’s left-arm spinner Umar Khan was declared best emerging player of the league, taking 15 wickets.
Quetta Gladiators beat Peshawar Zalmi by eight wickets in HBL PSL final
Brief Scores:
Peshawar Zalmi 138-8 (Umar Amin 38; Mohammad Hussnain 3-30)
Quetta Gladiators 139-2 in 17.5 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 58 not out).
The Australian player Shane Watson named Player of HBL PSL 2019.
The World Cup winner also chosen as Brighto Best Batsman of HBL PSL 2019 by an independent panel that comprised Mudassar Nazar, Ramiz Raja and Danny Morrison.
Hasan Ali, Kieron Pollard, Luke Rochi and Umer Khan also win big; Islamabad United dedicate Cool & Cool Spirit of Cricket award to Asif Ali.
Shane Watson of Quetta Gladiators was named as the Player of HBL PSL 2019 after the 2007 World Cup winner with Australia finished as the leading run-getter in the 32-day tournament, which culminated at the National Stadium Karachi.
Watson finished the series with 430 runs from 12 matches at an average of 43 and a strike-rate of 143.8. He clubbed most number of fours and sixes in the tournament, 43 and 22, respectively.
Watson won player of the match awards against Islamabad United, when he scored 81 not out, Peshawar Zalmi, when he scored 91 not out, and again versus Peshawar Zalmi in the Qualifier, when he top-scored with 71 and then bowled the crucial last-over of the match to help his side win by 10 runs.
Watson, for his consistency with the bat and proving to be one of the decisive factors in Gladiators’ title-winning campaign, was also declared Brighto Best Batsman of HBL PSL 2019.
Hasan Ali of Peshawar Zalmi was adjudged the Go Lootlo Best Bowler of HBL PSL 2019. The fast bowler picked up crucial wickets and finished the series with 25 wickets at an average of 13 with an economy-rate of just under seven.
Hasan took four wickets in a match three times.
Luke Ronchi won the Jubilee Safe Hands of HBL PSL 2019 award when he dismissed 11 batsmen behind the stumps, while Peshawar Zalmi’s Kieron Pollard was declared the ARIAL and J. Best Player on the Field, when he finished the series with 284 runs, five wickets and 10 catches.
Karachi Kings’ left-arm spinner Umer Khan was named as the newly introduced Emerging Player of HBL PSL 2019 award. The 18-year-old mesmerised the top-order of all the sides and claimed 15 prized scalps at an economy-rate of just over 7.
Islamabad United was declared the winner of Cool & Cool Spirit of Cricket award, which they dedicated to their middle-order batsman Asif Ali in recognition to this commitment to the team despite the ailment of his young daughter.
The individual winners were chosen by an independent panel, which included Mudassar Nazar (Chairman, Event Technical Committee), and also comprised respected commentators Ramiz Raja and Danny Morrison.
Winners:
Cool & Cool Spirit of Cricket – Islamabad United
 Emerging Player of HBL PSL 2019 – Umer Khan (Karachi Kings)
ARIAL and J. Best player on the field – Kieron Pollard (Peshawar Zalmi)
 Jubilee Safe Hands of HBL PSL 2019 – Luke Ronchi (Islamabad United)
 Go Lootlo Best Bowler of HBL PSL 2019 – Hasan Ali (Peshawar Zalmi)
 Brighto Best Batsman of HBL PSL 2019 – Shane Watson (Quetta Gladiators)
·         HBL Player of PSL 2019 – Shane Watson (Quetta Gladiators)

Posted on March 17, 2019

Hussnain, Shahzad lift Quetta Gladiators to first PSL title
By:Asghar Ali Mubarak

The Rookie paceman Mohammad Hussnain grabbed three crucial wickets while opener Ahmed Shehzad scored a brilliant half century to steer Quetta Gladiators to their maiden HBL PSL title by beating Peshawar Zalmi in the final by eight wickets in Karachi .
Hussnain’s 3-30 in four overs kept Peshawar down to 138-8 in 20 overs before Shehzad’s 51-ball 58 not out with six boundaries and a six helped Quetta to overhaul the modest target in 17.5 overs much to the joy of a packed 32,000 National stadium.
Shehzad made sure Quetta did not lose track after losing their prolific opener Shane Watson for just seven in the third over with the total at 19. Shehzad added 47 for the second wicket with Ahsan Ali who made 18-ball 25 with a six and three boundaries.
Shehzad then led his team towards the target with another solid unbroken stand of 73 with Rilee Rossouw who made 39 not out off 32 balls with five boundaries.  
Rossouw hit the winning single as title deprived Quetta players raced to the pitch to congratulate the unbeaten batsmen and hugged each other. Once the celebrations slowed down the stadium was lit up with a eye-catching firework.
Quetta had lost the 2016 final to Islamabad and another final to Peshawar a year later.
Hussnain was delighted at being man of the match.
“I am thankful to Almighty a chance to play the final and then be man of the match,” said Hussnain, who is also in Pakistan’s squad for the five-match ODI series against Australia.
“I got enormous support from the whole Quetta camp and everyone helped me achieve this much in the HBL PSL.”
Winning skipper Sarfraz Ahmed stated
“Thanks Almighty for giving us this honour,” said Sarfraz. “I am grateful to the crowd for coming here and support us.
Peshawar skipper Sammy admitted his team did not put up a fighting total.
“Yes, we did not score big runs,” said Sammy. “Congrats to Quetta. Today they proved why they beat us in all matches this season but we are still proud that we came this far in this tournament and hard luck to us.”
Peshawar’s innings could not set out as intended, with Imam-ul-Haq and Kamran Akmal parted at the score of four. Imam miscued a lofted shot of Sohail Tanvir and was caught by Ahmed Shehzad for three.
Kamran, who with Imam had put 135 in the win over Islamabad in the second qualifier on Friday, cracked three boundaries and a six but was bowled off spinner Mohammad Nawaz as he failed to connect a shot after jumping out of his crease.
Sohaib Maqsood, who scored run-a-ball 20 with three boundaries, added 31 for the third wicket with Umar but the scored at slow pace which allowed Quetta bowlers to attack.
Maqsood was dismissed by Dwayne Bravo while Amin holed out of Hussnain.
Peshawar had expected Kieron Pollard to add some fire to the batting but he too fell to Hussnain, caught behind for seven while Darren Sammy scored 18 with two boundaries.  Dwayne Bravo finished with 2-24.
Sarfraz received the glittering Swarovski crystal trophy from President Arif Alvi along with a prize money of half million US dollars while Peshawar received 200,00 dollars.
Islamabad won the inaugural title in 2016 and then doubled it with another last year. Peshawar paceman Hasan Ali received the best bowler’s award, taking 25 wickets. Watson won the dual prizes of player of the HBL PSL and batsman’s award by scoring 430 runs in 12 matches.
Karachi Kings’s left-arm spinner Umar Khan was declared best emerging player of the league, taking 15 wickets.
Quetta Gladiators beat Peshawar Zalmi by eight wickets in HBL PSL final
Brief Scores:
Peshawar Zalmi 138-8 (Umar Amin 38; Mohammad Hussnain 3-30)
Quetta Gladiators 139-2 in 17.5 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 58 not out).
The Australian player Shane Watson named Player of HBL PSL 2019.
The World Cup winner also chosen as Brighto Best Batsman of HBL PSL 2019 by an independent panel that comprised Mudassar Nazar, Ramiz Raja and Danny Morrison.
Hasan Ali, Kieron Pollard, Luke Rochi and Umer Khan also win big; Islamabad United dedicate Cool & Cool Spirit of Cricket award to Asif Ali.
Shane Watson of Quetta Gladiators was named as the Player of HBL PSL 2019 after the 2007 World Cup winner with Australia finished as the leading run-getter in the 32-day tournament, which culminated at the National Stadium Karachi.
Watson finished the series with 430 runs from 12 matches at an average of 43 and a strike-rate of 143.8. He clubbed most number of fours and sixes in the tournament, 43 and 22, respectively.
Watson won player of the match awards against Islamabad United, when he scored 81 not out, Peshawar Zalmi, when he scored 91 not out, and again versus Peshawar Zalmi in the Qualifier, when he top-scored with 71 and then bowled the crucial last-over of the match to help his side win by 10 runs.
Watson, for his consistency with the bat and proving to be one of the decisive factors in Gladiators’ title-winning campaign, was also declared Brighto Best Batsman of HBL PSL 2019.
Hasan Ali of Peshawar Zalmi was adjudged the Go Lootlo Best Bowler of HBL PSL 2019. The fast bowler picked up crucial wickets and finished the series with 25 wickets at an average of 13 with an economy-rate of just under seven.
Hasan took four wickets in a match three times.
Luke Ronchi won the Jubilee Safe Hands of HBL PSL 2019 award when he dismissed 11 batsmen behind the stumps, while Peshawar Zalmi’s Kieron Pollard was declared the ARIAL and J. Best Player on the Field, when he finished the series with 284 runs, five wickets and 10 catches.
Karachi Kings’ left-arm spinner Umer Khan was named as the newly introduced Emerging Player of HBL PSL 2019 award. The 18-year-old mesmerised the top-order of all the sides and claimed 15 prized scalps at an economy-rate of just over 7.
Islamabad United was declared the winner of Cool & Cool Spirit of Cricket award, which they dedicated to their middle-order batsman Asif Ali in recognition to this commitment to the team despite the ailment of his young daughter.
The individual winners were chosen by an independent panel, which included Mudassar Nazar (Chairman, Event Technical Committee), and also comprised respected commentators Ramiz Raja and Danny Morrison.
Winners:
Cool & Cool Spirit of Cricket – Islamabad United
 Emerging Player of HBL PSL 2019 – Umer Khan (Karachi Kings)
ARIAL and J. Best player on the field – Kieron Pollard (Peshawar Zalmi)
 Jubilee Safe Hands of HBL PSL 2019 – Luke Ronchi (Islamabad United)
 Go Lootlo Best Bowler of HBL PSL 2019 – Hasan Ali (Peshawar Zalmi)
 Brighto Best Batsman of HBL PSL 2019 – Shane Watson (Quetta Gladiators)
·         HBL Player of PSL 2019 – Shane Watson (Quetta Gladiators)