Pioneer in short
T20WC: Pakistan Agrees to Play India
The Pakistan Government has withdrawn its decision to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India after the country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was persuaded by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, a top Government source said on Monday. The game against India is scheduled to be held in Colombo on February 15. "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received calls from both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and he has agreed to their request to withdraw the boycott call," the source said. It was clear that the country would withdraw the call after Bangladesh Cricket Board chief Aminul Islam issued a statement urging Pakistan to take the field for the greater good of the game. Bangladesh have been ousted from the tournament for refusing to play in India citing security concerns. BCB chief Islam issued a statement in Dhaka, expressing his gratitude towards Pakistan for backing his country but requested that the team show up for the high-profile game for the greater good of the sport. Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi had earlier stated that a formal announcement on the matter would be done in the next 24 hours.
FIR on unpublished Memoir of Ex-Army Chief
The Delhi Police on Monday registered an FIR over the circulation of an unpublished book by former Army Chief General MM Naravane (Retd), after claims that a pre-print version of Four Stars of Destiny was being shared on social media without mandatory clearance. Authorities said the PDF and cover of the yet-to-be-approved book, prepared by Penguin Random House India, were being circulated online and displayed on marketing platforms. The police have lodged the case with the Special Cell to investigate the purported leak or breach. The controversy intensified when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cited portions of the unreleased book in Parliament, accusing PM Modi of failing to act during the 2020 India-China standoff in Ladakh. Gandhi also claimed the Prime Minister avoided replying to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address, saying he “was scared of the issue of Naravane’s book.”The episode disrupted Lok Sabha proceedings, leading to the suspension of eight MPs, and has sparked a political storm over national security and parliamentary accountability.
ED forms SIT to probe ADAG
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe an alleged INR 40,000 crore banking and corporate fraud involving the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) and related entities, official sources said on Monday. The SIT, led by an additional director-rank officer from the agency’s headquarters investigation unit, includes around six investigators. The move follows a Supreme Court directive last week ordering a “fair, independent, prompt and dispassionate” probe into cases against ADAG. The court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is conducting a parallel inquiry, to examine any nexus, collusion or conspiracy and take its investigation to its logical conclusion.
