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LAHORE: Left-arm spinner Noman Ali finished with six wickets Tuesday as Pakistan dismissed South Africa for 269 in the first Test in Lahore after Tony de Zorzi’s gutsy century.

Noman returned figures of 6-112 for his ninth haul of five wickets or more in Tests as South Africa lost their last four wickets for 53 runs an hour before lunch, having resumed on 216-6.

Pakistan lead by 109 after they scored 378 in their first innings.

De Zorzi carried the fight to Pakistan on a turning Qaddafi Stadium pitch as he completed his second Test century with a six and two singles off Noman.

The left-hander finally holed out for 104 to long-on off Noman, where Shaheen Shah Afridi took a low catch, ending a 208-minute innings containing 10 fours and two sixes.

Noman, who bowled a probing 35 overs, also removed Prenelan Subrayen for four during the session.

Fellow spinner Sajid Khan took the first wicket of the day when he had Senuran Muthusamy caught by Salman Agha for 11.

He then wrapped up the innings when he bowled Kagiso Rabada for nought to finish with 3-98 off 33 overs.
 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Kuwait will host the Kuwait-Pakistan Business Expo 2025 in Kuwait from Dec. 11 to 13, an event aimed at promoting Pakistani products, attracting investment and strengthening trade cooperation between the two countries, state media reported this week.

Kuwait is already a significant investor in Pakistan’s energy and infrastructure sectors, with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development financing social, water and power projects, while Kuwait Petroleum subsidiary KUFPEC holds stakes in Pakistani gas fields. Trade has also grown steadily: both countries signed an industrial cooperation agreement in May 2024 to expand non-oil sectors and regularly hold Bilateral Political Consultations to review trade, investment and manpower cooperation. Kuwait hosts around 95,000 Pakistani workers, whose remittances are estimated at about $1 billion annually, according to official data. 

In May 2025, Kuwait lifted a 19-year visa ban on Pakistani citizens, resuming issuance of work, family, visit, tourist and business visas. The resumption of visas is seen as a major shift in bilateral relations, reopening opportunities for Pakistani expatriates, entrepreneurs, migrant workers and businesses. 

The upcoming expo in Kuwait is aimed to give momentum to these expanding ties and provide a world-class platform for promoting Pakistani products, exploring joint ventures and strengthening trade and investment cooperation between the two nations.

“Pakistan and Kuwait, bound by historic ties of friendship and mutual support, are set to take another major step toward strengthening their economic relationship through the upcoming Expo,” Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sardar Tahir Mehmood said, as quoted by APP, while speaking to a visiting delegation from the Expo’s organizing committee.

He added that the expo reflected “deepening economic engagement” between Pakistan and Kuwait, supported by decades of mutual trust and collaboration in fields such as defense, investment and health.

Mehmood said business communities in both countries should actively explore joint ventures to unlock the full potential of trade and investment, adding that the expo would serve as a “catalyst for trade diversification, industrial collaboration, and economic growth.”

APP quoted the business leader as saying that through stronger partnerships and mutual understanding, both nations could achieve “a balanced, win-win trade relationship” that benefits both economies.

Members of the Kuwaiti organizing delegation said the expo would allow Pakistani entrepreneurs to expand their footprint in the Gulf market, APP reported, and promote trade, investment and partnerships between the two sides.