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News18
16-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
India Men, Women Teams Meet Britain King Charles III, Discuss Cricket
King Charles III welcomed both the Indian men's and women's cricket teams to St. James's Palace on Tuesday (July 15). (AP) Shubman Gill spoke to the King about India's narrow loss at Lord's in the ongoing five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. (AP) The monarch even recalled Mohammed Siraj's unusual dismissal — a moment he called 'unfortunate.' (AP) Rajasthan Royals Owner Manoj Badale, the Founding Chairperson of the British Asian Trust, was said to have introduced the cricketers to him. (AP) 6/8 The women's team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, are in England for a white-ball tour. They just beat England 3-2 in a five-match T20I series. (AP) Kaur said the King asked about their travel and was very kind. (AP Photo).
Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘Quite unfortunate': King Charles III to Shubman Gill on Mohammed Siraj's dismissal in Lord's Test
The Indian men's and women's cricket teams were hosted by United Kingdom's King Charles III in the gardens of Clarence House on Tuesday. Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami and Deputy High Commissioner Sujit Ghosh along with Congress Rajya Sabha MP and BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla and secretary Devajit Saikia were also present. The players said later that the King asked about their respective sporting assignments. The women's team led by Harmanpreet Kaur recorded their first-ever T20I series win in England, beating the hosts 3-2 in five matches, and are set to embark on a five-match ODI series. The men's team led by Shubman Gill are currently locked in a thrilling five-match Test series in England, which they trail 2-1 after an epic third Test at Lord's ended on Monday. The special cricket event was hosted by the British Asian Trust, a charity founded by King Charles III to tackle poverty, inequality and injustice in South Asia. 'It was amazing. I think he (King Charles) is very kind and generous… we had some really good conversations,' Gill is quoted as saying by PTI after the audience. Gill said that the King spoke about the freakish manner in which Mohammed Siraj was dismissed on Day 5 of the Lord's Test, with the ball dribbling back to the stumps despite coming off almost the middle of the bat. The wicket ended India's resistance, with their last three wickets batting out more than 50 overs and bringing them within 22 runs of victory. 'He (The King) did tell us that the way our last batsman got out was quite unfortunate, the ball rolling on to the stumps. And he was just asking us, 'how did you feel after that?' And we told him it was an unfortunate match for us… but hopefully, we'll have better luck in both the next games,' said Gill. Harmanpreet said that it was nice to experience this for the first time. 'It was a really nice experience. We have come to England so many times but this was the first opportunity to meet the King. He was very friendly and asked us about how our travel here was,' said Kaur. 'It's been a very humbling experience, coming here to the Royal House and meeting the King. It was the first time. We came all the way from Southampton but it was really worth it. And the girls were really excited about the visit and we are pleased that we are here,' said women's team Head Coach Amol Muzumdar.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘How did you...': What did King Charles say about Mohammed Siraj's dismissal in India vs England test that has fans talking?
King Charles III met with the Indian cricket teams at Clarence House. He discussed Mohammed Siraj's dismissal with Shubman Gill. Gill described the meeting as amazing. Harmanpreet Kaur and her team also enjoyed the royal visit. The British Asian Trust, founded by the King, hosted the event. The men's team is now in Manchester. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Royal Take on Siraj's Dismissal 'Amazing' Conversations with the Monarch Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Harmanpreet and Team Share in the Royal Buzz A Royal Connection to Cricket Passion for Cricket, Pride in Performance What's Next for Team India? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads In a royal moment cricket fans won't soon forget, King Charles III welcomed the Indian men's and women's cricket teams to the lush gardens of Clarence House in London on Tuesday. What began as a diplomatic reception soon turned into a lively conversation about cricket, with the 76-year-old monarch proving himself to be quite the keen observer of the the many talking points? Mohammed Siraj's unlucky dismissal in India's recent nail-biting Test loss to England. Siraj was the final batter to fall, bowled in unfortunate fashion as the ball trickled back onto the stumps after a defensive push. It was a heartbreaking moment that sealed India's 22-run defeat.'He (The King) did tell us that the way our last batsman got out was quite unfortunate,' said India's men's team captain Shubman Gill, recalling the royal conversation. 'And he was just asking us, 'how did you feel after that?' We told him it was an unfortunate match… but hopefully, we'll have better luck in the next games.'Gill described the experience of meeting the King as 'amazing', praising His Majesty for his kindness and generosity.'He was genuinely interested in the game and asked about how we felt,' Gill said, adding that such a conversation with a monarch was something he'd never King, known for his love of the sport, spent quality time interacting with both squads, clearly enjoying the opportunity to speak about cricket with India's top women's team, too, was thrilled by the visit. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur said, 'It was a really nice experience. We have come to England so many times but this was the first opportunity to meet the King. He was very friendly and asked about our travel.'Head Coach Amol Muzumdar added, 'It was a very humbling experience, coming here to the Royal House. We came all the way from Southampton, but it was really worth it. The girls were excited and pleased to be here.'The event was hosted by the British Asian Trust, a charity established by King Charles in 2007. Its roots, fittingly, go back to a cricket match between India and Pakistan. Executive Director Hitan Mehta called it a 'poignant' moment.'The British Asian Trust was started through a cricket match, which His Majesty, then Prince of Wales, helped organise. From that small beginning, we've now supported over 13 million people across South Asia.'Reflecting on the thrilling Test match, Shubman Gill noted the support from Indian fans in the UK: 'We are very lucky and fortunate. The first couple of days at Lord's saw more England supporters, but we had amazing support in the last three days.'On the match itself, Gill added, 'Both teams showed so much passion. When a Test goes into the final session on day five and ends with a 22-run margin, cricket is the real winner.'The men's team has now left for Manchester, where they'll face England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford starting 23 July. The women's team returned to Southampton, preparing for their ODI clash on Wednesday, fresh from their 3-2 T20I series Test match tension to royal tea-time, the Indian cricket teams have had a week to remember, capped by a King who loves the game just as much as the from PTI
Business Recorder
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Sir Anwar's birthday tea with the King & Queen
LAHORE: On the 20th of June 2025 Sir Anwar Pervez, OBE H Pk was invited to join Their Majesties for Tea at the Royal Box at the Royal Ascot Races. The invitation to join Their Gracious Majesties was part of Sir Anwar's 90th Birthday celebrations. By honouring Sir Anwar on his 90th birthday The King has shown his deep appreciation of the significant contribution that the founder of Bestway has made to the British Society over his 60-year career. Sir Anwar immigrated from Pakistan to the UK in 1956, having worked in various jobs in Bradford, he then moved to London and set up his first retail store in 1963; he founded Bestway in 1976. Sir Anwar through his business and charitable endeavours he has a long history of encouraging entrepreneurship and furthering dynamism specially within marginalised communities of the country. Every year Bestway Group hosts its charity race day at the Royal Ascot, this year's main beneficiary charity was the British Asian Trust. The British Asian Trust was founded in 2007 by His Majesty King Charles III. BAT is a diaspora-led international development organisation, delivering high-quality programmes in South Asia and specialises in, and champion the use of, social finance products to drive positive change across the region. The charity seeks to make South Asia that is free from poverty by unlocking the potential of disadvantaged people in South Asia by maximising the impact and support from the South Asian diaspora and beyond. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
ST, duty exemptions on imported cotton, yarn being withdrawn, Aurangzeb tells NA
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb informed the National Assembly on Monday that the government has decided to withdraw sales tax and duty exemptions on imported cotton and yarn to support local cotton farmers and revive the domestic textile industry. In his winding-up speech on the debate on the Finance Bill 2024-25, he said the government had introduced an export facilitation scheme several years ago that allowed exporters to import raw materials duty- and tax-free to boost exports. However, he added that data from the past three years revealed a significant price gap between imported cotton and yarn and locally produced goods, which negatively impacted cotton farmers. Imported cotton yarn: APTMA hails 18pc sales tax imposition By removing these exemptions, Aurangzeb said the move is aimed at increasing local cotton production, rejuvenating spinning mills, and conserving foreign exchange reserves. He also announced Rs36 billion in additional tax measures for the fiscal year 2025-26 to compensate for revenue shortfalls caused by a reduction in sales tax on solar panels, while outlining a series of fiscal adjustments and social spending initiatives aimed at stabilising the economy and promoting inclusive growth. He said the government had presented a 'balanced budget' focused on broadening the tax base, improving compliance, controlling expenditures, and enhancing transparency. 'To keep government spending in check and ensure fiscal responsibility, we have introduced new taxes amounting to just 0.25 per cent of GDP,' he said. 'Our emphasis remains on expanding the tax net rather than burdening existing taxpayers.' He said key elements of the revised fiscal plan include measures to promote digitalisation, amend tax laws, and ease the tax burden on salaried individuals. 'We are facilitating the construction industry, introducing environmental tax reforms, and undertaking tariff rationalisation to lower business costs, curb smuggling, and boost exports…these reforms would be phased in gradually,' he added. Aurangzeb said that efforts to revive the industrial sector are under way, adding an industrial policy will be announced soon, and the government is already holding consultations on an electric vehicle policy. Among the far-reaching steps taken by the government, Aurangzeb highlighted a substantial increase in Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) allocation – from Rs592 billion to Rs716 billion – benefiting nearly 10 million families. 'We want to empower recipients through skills development,' he said, noting the launch of Pakistan's first Skills Impact Bond with the British Asian Trust to provide results-based skills training. The minister also announced a flagship agricultural initiative offering unsecured, digital loans of up to Rs1 million to smallholder farmers, covering inputs such as seeds, fertiliser, and diesel. An Electronic Warehouse Receipt System would also be introduced to help farmers store and sell their grain more effectively. In housing, he said the government would launch a 20-year affordable home financing scheme for low-income first-time buyers. Aurangzeb also highlighted progress on women's financial inclusion, noting that Rs14 billion in loans have already been disbursed to 193,000 women under the Women Inclusive Finance Programme, with a similar amount planned for next year with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Aurangzeb outlined several revisions to the original budget, including a further reduction in income tax for salaried individuals. 'Initially, we reduced the tax rate on income up to Rs3.2 million annually. For income between Rs600,000 and Rs1.2 million, the tax was to be cut from five per cent to 2.5 per cent. On the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's instructions, this has now been slashed to just one per cent,' he added. Clarifying controversy over pension taxation, he said, 'Only individuals receiving over Rs10 million annually in pensions will be taxed. Pensioners over the age of 75 are fully exempt.' The proposed 18 per cent sales tax on imported solar panels has also been revised. 'It has now been reduced to 10 per cent and will only apply to 46 per cent of components, translating into a modest 4.6 per cent price increase,' he said. He criticised 'opportunistic profiteering and hoarding' and warned that the government would take strict action against such practices. He said amendments were also made to proposed changes in the powers of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). 'For cases below Rs50 million, arrests will now require a court warrant, and specific conditions must be met. Oversight will be ensured through a three-member FBR committee and mandatory presentation before a special judge within 24 hours,' he said. He continued that most recommendations from the National Assembly's Finance Committee had been incorporated. One such change was a revised approach to taxing e-commerce, with micro and small enterprises being shifted to a simplified tax regime. Responding to concerns over restrictions on economic transactions by non-filers, the minister said exemptions would apply to residential property purchases up to Rs50 million, commercial property up to Rs100 million, and vehicles up to Rs7 million. 'These limits may be revised later by the federal government,' he added. The minister also warned of regional instability, citing the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict and its potential economic spill over effects. 'A special committee was formed by the prime minister on June 14 to monitor such developments and ensure a coordinated response,' he added. In concluding remarks, he expressed gratitude to members of both houses of Parliament, committee chairs, and economic experts. 'I thank the Opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan, Saleem Mandviwalla, Naveed Qamar, and all members of the finance and revenue committees for their valuable suggestions, many of which have been incorporated,' he added. He also acknowledged the contributions of Prime Minister Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and allied party leaders, saying 'their guidance was instrumental in formulating this budget.' 'National consensus is essential for economic recovery. Let us work together to build a brighter future for Pakistan,' he concluded. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
