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Showing posts from June, 2024

Four policemen died as vehicle overturned in Sindh

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KANDHKOT: In a tragic incident, at least four policemen were lost their lives and three sustained injuries after a police mobile patrolling in Kandhkot city of Sindh met with an accident, ARY News reported on Sunday. According to reports, a police mobile overturned during a patrol on the Indus Highway near Kandhkot after the tie rod of the vehicle broke. Following the accident, the rescue officials confirmed the death of four policemen while three others injured. The rescue officials shifted the bodies to the Civil Hospital Kandhkot. SSP Kashmore in a statement asserted that after the funeral prayers, the bodies of the policemen were sent to their native villages. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/NCD3qZL https://ift.tt/qcRuj7U

ECNEC okays number of projects

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ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Saturday approved a number of projects including  the revised PC-I of New Gwadar International Airport which is scheduled to become operational by 2024, ARY News reported. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting of the ECNEC at Prime Minister’s House. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif could not chair the meeting due to other preoccupations. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzaib, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the deputy chairman Planning Commission, and representatives of provincial governments as well as senior officers. The meeting considered 21 agenda items recommended to it in various meetings of Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and accorded approval for 19 projects. To expedite the reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood affected areas in Balochistan, the forum accorded approval to 4 sub-components of $400 million World Bank funded Integrated Fl

Justice Minallah clears the air on contempt proceedings against Faisal Vawda

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ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan Justice Athar Minallah said that he did call for contempt of court proceedings against Senator Faisal Vawda, ARY News reported citing sources. According to the sources privy to the development Justice Athar Minallah wrote a letter to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, stating that he did not call for initiating contempt proceedings against Vawda and was not consulted on the matter. The judge clarified his position on the contempt of court case, saying that it was mistakenly assumed that the proceedings were initiated on his complaint. The letter stated that no complaint was filed, and no opinion was given on initiating contempt proceedings. Justice Athar Minallah added that he has been facing a ‘malicious campaign’ since 2017, the sources added. Justice Athar Minallah maintained that the purpose of the letter is to dispel the impression that the contempt proceedings were initiated on his instructions. “Despite the malicious campaign, I d

PTI’s actions tantamount to supporting terrorists: Khawaja Asif

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ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Friday lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for opposing Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, saying that PTI’s actions were tantamount to supporting outlawed terrorists group, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Speaking on the National Assembly floor, Asif accused of PTI of having contacts with TTP and warned the federal government will not tolerate such activities. The Defence Minister said that the Afghan territory was being used for committing terrorism, bloodshed, and destruction in Pakistan. “Pakistan possessed concrete evidence that its enemies had sanctuaries in Afghanistan and would take counter measures to defend its citizens”, he said. Khawaja Asif recounted his visit to Kabul, during which he had conveyed to the Afghan authorities that fostering good relations would be beneficial for both nations. He urged the opposition not to do politicking on terrorism as it was a matter of national security and honouring the blood of mart

WATCH: Staffer kicks woman posing for photo near moving train

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A train staffer was hailed a hero after a viral video showed him pushing away a woman posing for a picture as a train approached her from behind. The video, whose date and location remain unknown, showed the woman posing for a picture reportedly for her Instagram as the train approached her from behind. However, a member of train staff’s quick thinking prevented a tragedy as he got to the door of the driver cabin and pushed away the woman. The viral video, shared by uniladtech was captioned, ‘Some people remain oblivious to their surroundings.’ Several social media users commended the staff for saving the woman from potential tragedy while others slammed the woman for her risky behavior near the train tracks.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by UNILAD Tech (@uniladtech) One user commented, “Both she and the guy she was talking to, who was FACING THE TRAIN, showed amazing survival instinct.” Another user added, “That kick was

CAA seeks appointment of permanent Director General

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KARACHI: Following the transfer of Director General (DG) Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the aviation institute is operating on an ad hoc basis for over three months, ARY News reported on Thursday. Despite the pressing need for stable leadership, the CAA has yet to appoint an independent DG, a delay that is raising concerns within the industry. Currently, the responsibilities of the DG are being managed by the Secretary of Aviation, who has been given temporary charge. Sources reveal that the process to appoint a new DG has not even reached the advertisement stage, further prolonging the leadership vacuum. This delay is not without consequences; the lack of a permanent DG has reportedly resulted in significant operational challenges for the CAA. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/UxhOwyi https://ift.tt/TMti9Pn

Mohammad Zubair wants to join PTI: Raoof Hassan

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Spokesman Raoof Hassan said that former Sindh Governor and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mohammad Zubair wants to join the Imran Khan-led party, ARY News reported. Speaking at ARY News programme ‘Off the Record’, Raoof Hassan said that former President Arif Alvi had sent a message that Muhammad Zubair was interested in joining the PTI. “If Muhammad Zubair is interested in joining the PTI, the PTI founder PTI will make a final decision,” Raoof Hassan added. The PTI spokesman said that those who left the party during difficult times would hardly be welcomed back in the PTI ranks. Responding to a possible forward bloc in the party, Raoof Hassan said that there might be a little group of some ‘disgruntled’ MNAs. He however refuted that 27 lawmakers are part forward bloc. “The PTI is a big party and there might be groups of people,” he added. The PTI spokesman said that Shahryar Afridi is an integral part of the party and will r

PTI does not want meaningful dialogues: Khawaja Asif

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ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) does not want meaningful dialogues and instead prefers to hold talks with the General Headquarters (GHQ). In a statement, the defense minister said that due to the chaos and uproar in the parliament, a tense atmosphere is prevailing. “In the current parliamentary environment, alarm bells could ring,” he said. Khawaja Asif said that speculations are being spread that if the PTI founder is released, the government will rearrest him, urging that such speculations should be avoided “If the arrest is made in another crime, it would be a different matter,” he added. Reacting to the United States (US) House of Representatives resolution, the defense minister said that the Pakistan is suffering the consequences of supporting the the US wars. “No third party has the right to interfere in the affairs of my country,” Khawaja Asif added. Earlier, he said that the US has a history of overthrowing democratic

WATCH: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright get digitally de-aged in “Here” trailer

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The trailer for TriStar Pictures’ “Here” movie went viral for digitally de-aging Hollywood stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the drama feature is set to hit heaters on November 15, Variety reported. The movie is also reuniting “Forrest Gump” costars Hanks and Wright after around 30 years to take them on a time journey. The film revolves around several families over the course of generations and the changes coming with the passage of time. In the trailer, the Hollywood star is heard telling Wright, “Time sure does fly, doesn’t it?” as Wright replies, “It sure does.” The entire filming of “Here” took place in a single location, which becomes the home of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. The trailer shows Hanks inviting Wright to stay over at his home: “You know, if you like, you could spend the rest of the night here.” The actress responds, “I could spend the rest of my life here.” Read more: Scarlett Johansson reacts to ChatGPT voice ‘eerily similar’ to h

PM Shehbaz Sharif forms 19-member education task force

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the formation of a 19-member Education Task Force aimed at addressing the pressing issues related to the national education emergency, ARY News reported on Tuesday. The PM Shehbaz Sharif himself chaired the task force which includes key ministers and representatives from various national and international organizations. The key members of the task force include the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, the Minister of IT and Telecom, and the Minister of Information and Broadcasting. The Federal Secretary will serve as the convener of the task force, with provincial education ministers and secretaries are also included in the members of the task force. The country head of the World Bank will act as the co-convener. Additional members include representatives from the Asian Development Bank, Commonwealth and Development Office, UNICEF, UNESCO, WFP, and JICA. Notable local members include Amjad Saqib, Chairman of the Pak

Nine of family gunned down inside residence in Peshawar

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PESHAWAR: The unknown assailants opened fire inside a house and killed nine members of a family allegedly over a property dispute in Peshawar, ARY News reported.   According to the police, unknown armed assailants entered a house and killed 9 members of the same family, including four children and as many women. The police said that family rivals entered the house and opened fire, killing eight people on the spot and injuring one who later succumbed to their wounds during treatment. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation Sahibzada Sajjad, said that teams have been formed under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (SP) Circle to arrest the suspects. He added that the deceased include women and children, and the investigation will progress after the registration of the case. It seems that a tragic incident of mass murder has occurred in Peshawar, allegedly due to a property dispute. The police are investigating the case and have formed teams to arrest the suspe

GTA 6 fans speculate the game’s file size to exceed 300GB

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Amid the anticipation for Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6, fans continue to speculate about the map, characters of the game along with the file size of the upcoming title. Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has announced that the much-awaited game Grand Theft Auto VI will be released in fall of 2025. The company has since then gone silent on the matter, leaving GTA 6 fans speculating about the specifications and features of the game. One such aspect is the file size of the upcoming title with several coming up their own number. GTA 6 fans were left concerned after an X user going by the name of GTAVInewz suggested that the game’s file size could be 750GB. However, others considered the claim unrealistic given it will exceed the storage capacity of PS5 and Xbox series consoles. Read more: GTA 6: Latest update regarding second trailer, release date Another X user going by the name GTAVIbestleaks predicted that the file size of the game will exceed

Karachi traders reject hikes in electricity bills

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KARACHI: Traders in Karachi have voiced strong opposition to the recent increase in electricity bills and the persistent issue of unannounced load shedding in the metropolis, ARY News reported on Monday. The President of the Tariq Road Trades Alliance, Ilyas Memon, condemned the hike in electricity prices, describing it as an additional burden on businesses which already grappling with excessive billing from K-Electric. “The markets are suffering due to load shedding during the ongoing heatwave, which is severely affecting business operations,” stated Ilyas Memon. The President of the Tariq Road Trades Alliance has called on the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to intervene in this matter. Memon expressed the urgent need for the government to withdraw the recent electricity price increase and to address the problem of unannounced load shedding. He also urged for an overhaul of the existing tax system, which he described as oppressive to both businesses and the gene

WATCH: Jos Buttler hits five sixes in an over against USA

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England skipper Jos Buttler took United States of America (USA) bowler Harmeet Singh to the cleaners during their Super 8 fixture of the T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados. Chasing a target of 116, Buttler launched an onslaught on USA bowlers as he smashed seven sixes and six fours to score an unbeaten 83 off 38 deliveries at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown on Sunday. His inning helped England thrash the USA by 10 wickets to confirm a berth in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024. During his fiery knock, Jos Buttler smacked five sixes in the ninth over, bowled by Harmeet Singh, racking up 32 runs in total.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ICC (@icc) Earlier, England bowled out USA for 115 in 18.5 overs on the back of an all-round bowling display that included a hat-trick by pacer Chris Jordan . Jordan finished with the figures of 10-4 in just 2.5 overs. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/Jg0F6u5 https://ift.tt/DFURWue

Elderly man tortured for denying use of drugs outside his residence

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KARACHI: In a disturbing incident, a senior citizen was brutally assaulted by some drug users after he confronted them for openly using drugs outside his residence, ARY News reported on Sunday. As per the details, the victim tried to stop the youths from engaging in drug activity infront of his home but the youth got offensive, resulting in severe violence against the old man. The affected citizen, whose identity has not been disclosed, has filed a formal complaint at the Korangi Industrial Area police station, seeking legal action against the individuals. It is pertinent to mention here that Ice, also known as crystal methamphetamine, has been on the rise in Pakistan in recent years. Crystal meth is a highly addictive and potent stimulant that can have devastating effects on individuals and society as a whole. The usage of ice in Pakistan has been particularly prevalent among the younger generation. The drug is often seen as a party drug that can enhance energy, alertness, and

Euro 2024: Young fan invades pitch, takes selfie with Cristiano Ronaldo

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A young fan ran onto the pitch during Saturday’s Euro 2024 match between Turkey and Portugal and posed for a selfie with Cristiano Ronaldo in the centre circle. The fan, wearing a red tracksuit top, evaded security staff as he emerged from the stand behind the benches midway through the second half of the game in Dortmund and made his way towards the Portugal skipper. Portugal were leading 3-0 in the Group F game at the time, and Ronaldo posed smiling for a photo before the pitch invader ran off trying to escape stewards. They eventually caught up with him and escorted him away to applause from the stands. Shortly afterwards, another youngster attempted to copy the first pitch invader but this time an exasperated Ronaldo threw his arms up in frustration and did not agree to a second selfie. The youth was then brusquely manhandled away from the superstar forward and off the playing area. Portugal eventually swept into the last 16 of Euro 2024 after comfortably seeing off Turkey

Shakib Al Hasan sets major T20 World Cup record

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Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan on Saturday, became the first to take 50 wickets in the Men’s T20 World Cups. The left-arm spinner achieved the feat in his side’s T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight match against India when he dismissed Rohit Sharma in the fourth over of the first innings. Shakib, however, had a tough outing with the ball against India as he conceded 37 runs in three overs. Bowlers with Most Wickets  Shakib Al Hasan: 50 wickets Shahid Afridi: 39 wickets Lasith Malinga: 38 wickets Wanindu Hasaranga: 37 wickets Saeed Ajmal: 36 wickets For the unversed, Shakib is one of the few players to have featured in every T20 World Cup edition since its inception in 2007. He is also the second leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 148 scalps in 128 matches, only behind New Zealand’s Tim Southee, who has 164 wickets to his name. It is worth mentioning here that India outclassed Bangladesh by 50 runs in the 47th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 here at

CAA employees demand raise in salary  

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ISLAMABAD: Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) employees have demanded a salary increase, expressing concern over the increased tax slab in the Budget 2024-25, ARY News reported on Friday. The CAA joint employees’ union has written a letter to the Director of Human Resources, demanding an increase in salaries as per the newly formed tax slab. The union expressed concern over the non-payment of Eid bonuses and the lack of adjustment in salaries according to new tax slab. The union demanded that the salaries be increased in proportion to the inflation rate and that the tax slab be revised to provide relief to the employees. The union warned that if their demands are not met, they will be forced to take further action, as the employees are already facing hardships due to the economic situation. The CAA management has been urged to take immediate action to address the concerns of the employees. Finance Minister Aurangzeb presented the Rs18.877 trillion relief-oriented  federal budg

ICC okays PCB’s proposed Champions Trophy 2025 schedule

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved the Champions Trophy 2025 schedule proposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board, ARY News reported. The PCB has proposed holding all of India’s fixtures at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore including round matches, semi-final and final. The ICC has reviewed and approved PCB’s proposed schedule without any changes being made. Apart from India, Champions Trophy 2025 will feature Australia, England, South Africa, Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, India has not issued an official statement regarding its team’s participation in the tournament. As per the draft schedule, the Champions Trophy will be held from February 19 to March 9 in three major Pakistani cities including Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. Read more: PCB chairman reviews Gaddafi stadium’s upgradation Earlier this month, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi visited Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium to oversee progress on the ongoing construction ahead of the

Man killed by mob in Swat’s Madyan over alleged Quran desecration: DPO

A man was killed by a mob over alleged desecration of the Holy Quran in the Madyan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district on Thursday night, police said. Eight people were injured in the unrest, according to Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Dr Zahidullah Khan. He said the police had moved the suspect of the alleged desecration incident to the police station but a charged mob “attacked the police station and took the suspect away”. “People set fire to the police station and a mobile vehicle,” the DPO said, adding that the suspect was “torched”. More details are awaited while an investigation is underway. DPO Khan said a heavy police force was deployed in Madyan and was trying to control the tense situation. Madyan is one of the famous tourist spots of Swat Valley apart from Kalam, Bahrain and other sites. It is around 245 kilometres from the provincial capital of Peshawar. A statement posted by the PTI said KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur took notice of the “unfortunate”

WATCH: Rashid Khan’s hilarious conversation with Suryakumar

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Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan and India middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav were found having a fun around during their match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. India overcame Afghanistan quite convincingly by 47 runs in the Super 8 match at Kensington Oval in Barbados. India posted 181-8 with Suryakumar Yadav scoring 53 off 28 balls. He also played two strong sweep shots against the spin wizard Rashid Khan. The two then had a funny exchange in which Rashid which was caught on camera.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by ICC (@icc) The Indian batter smashed four and a six against Rashid Khan in the 11th over of the innings. The Afghanistan skipper went to Suryakumar Yadav and jokingly asked him ‘not to sweep’. Then the conversation remained calm and cool as both the players especially Rashid Khan caught smiling. from ARY NEWS https://ift.tt/TapzJqX https://ift.tt/Q6anPFK

FBR devises new appeal system for tax disputes

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the deadline to September 16 for transferring pending cases involving multi-billion tax amounts to the Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue (ATIR) to expedite the resolution. The tax disputes pending before the Commissioner Inland Revenue-Appeal (CIRA) involving more than Rs20 million in income tax or refund, more than Rs10m in sales tax and Rs5m in federal excise duty would be moved to the newly established ATIR. The CIRA will hear cases below the ATIR’s threshold. The new appeal system was implemented through the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act 2024 , which was not part of the Finance Bill 2024. The new appeals will also follow the threshold to determine whether ATIR or CIRA will file the case, and the decisions of these bodies can be contested before the high courts by the aggrieved persons. According to the new amendment, the commissioner will not recover any tax for 30 days from the date of communication of the CIRA or ATIR orde

Five cops among 15 killed in accidents in Balochistan, GB

QUETTA/GILGIT: Nine people, including five policemen , died and 12 others suffered injuries in road accidents in different areas of Balochistan during the last 48 hours, police said on Wednesday. Officials said policemen were escorting the SSP Lasbela, who was travelling to Uthal from Hub, on Monday. When they entered the limits of Uthal a vehicle coming from the opposite direction hit the escort pick-up, killing five cops on the spot. Confirming the deaths, police officials said two other constables received serious injuries. Police shifted the bodies and the injured to the district hospital. The wounded cops were sent to Karachi after initial treatment. The deceased were identified as Nadir, Mohammad Rafiq, Irfan Ronjha, Abdul Rasheed and Saleh Mohammad. Their bodies were handed over to their families after formalities. Police said the driver of the other vehicle fled the scene after the accident. In another accident that took place at Zhob-D.I. Khan road, two people were killed a

Temperature likely to drop till June 22

RAWALPINDI: As Pakistan continues to face sizzling heat , weather experts have expected that western winds and rains in upper parts of the country will bring down the temperature by a few notches till June 22. “The country is facing a transition period of weather pattern…we do not call it pre-monsoon rains as rains are expected due to the winds coming from the west. The pre-monsoon rains will likely start from July 1,” said a Met Department official. The monsoon season will run from July 15 to Sept 15 across Pakistan. He said intermittent rains were expected in the upper parts of the country. “Weather will remain warm in the afternoon, but cool breeze and rain are expected in the evening or night till June 22,” he elaborated. The official said that moist currents from Arabian sea were penetrating upper or central parts of the country, adding that a shallow westerly wave is also present over those regions. He said that windstorm/thunderstorm coupled with rain is expected at isolate

Journalist Khalil Jibran gunned down in KP’s Landi Kotal by unknown assailants: police

Journalist Khalil Jibran was gunned down in the Landi Kotal area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district on Tuesday night, the police said. According to a statement from District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Abbas, unknown assailants in a vehicle pulled the journalist out of his car near his home and fled the scene after shooting him dead. DPO Abbas said the body was moved to a local hospital for a postmortem examination. He said the deceased was associated with Khyber News for a long time and was also a former president of the Landi Kotal press club, adding that Jibran had received threats from terrorists before as well. The DPO said a case was registered on the complaint of Advocate Sajjad, who was with Jibran and a witness to the crime. The first information report, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, was registered at the Landi Kotal police station under Sections 302 (intentional murder) and 324 (attempted murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The journalist’s funeral p

Putin in North Korea to boost defence ties

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SEOUL: Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un kicked off a summit in Pyongyang on Wednesday, where they are likely to discuss ways to boost their sanctions-busting military ties. Putin arrived in Kim Il Sung square, which was bedecked with Russian and North Korean flags along with large portraits of the two leaders, state media images showed, for a ceremony ahead of talks at the Kumsusan State Guest House, where a “strategic partnership” deal is likely to be signed. Kim had earlier greeted Putin at the airport, with the two internationally isolated leaders hugging on the red carpet, underscoring the increasingly close relationship that has sparked concern in Seoul and Washington. It is Putin’s first trip to North Korea since 2000 and comes as Western countries accuse Kim of supplying arms to historic ally Russia for use in Ukraine in violation of UN sanctions on both countries, allegations Moscow and Pyongyang have officially denied. It is also the tw

PM’s aide highlights threats from desertification

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is facing expanding desertification and recurring but intense droughts, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam highlighted on Sunday, stressing that the country stands at a critical juncture in its fight against desertification and land degradation. However, through “targeted policies, investments in research and technology and fostering international cooperation, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to combating desertification and achieving land degradation neutrality”, Ms Alam said in a statement issued on the eve of World Desertification Day. She said the theme for this year’s World Desertification Day — celebrated each year on 17 June — is “Restoration. Land. Climate”, which she said resonated deeply with the government’s commitment and on-ground efforts to fight desertification by restoring degraded lands and ecosystems, enhancing climate-resilience and achieving sustainable development goals. Ms Alam highlighted th

FIR registered in Toba Tek against member of Ahmadi community for sacrificing goat on Eidul Azha

A member of the Ahmadi community was booked in Gojra, Toba Tek Singh district on Monday, at the complaint of an official of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), for sacrificing a goat on Eidul Azha. The first information report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Dawn.com , was registered under Section 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Section 298-C of the PPC elaborates on the penalty for a person of the Ahmadi group calling themselves a Muslim or preaching or propagating their faith. In the FIR, the complainant stated that he was informed that a person of Ahmadi faith was sacrificing a goat at a village in Gojra. Upon reaching the village, the FIR states, the complainant found that the person was indeed sacrificing the animal “at his home”. “When he was warned,” the complainant said, “he stood firm and called himself a Muslim.” The FIR said that the suspect had “hurt the sentiments of Muslims by sacrificing an animal and claiming to be a Muslim”. “The suspect has commi

Pakistan’s inflation rate likely to stay at 12pc: report

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KARACHI: A recent report by Fitch Ratings anticipated that the inflation rate of Pakistan will stabilize around 12 percent, ARY News reported on Tuesday. The report suggests that the State Bank of Pakistan may lower interest rates to 16 percent by fiscal year 2025, potentially providing some relief to borrowers. The budget for the next fiscal year is poised to be a cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic strategy, aimed at fortifying its agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to Fitch report, maintaining economic discipline within the budget framework will be crucial for reducing the fiscal deficit, a long-standing issue for the country. Economic growth remains a point of concern, Fitch projects that the growth rate may fall short of the government’s target of 3 percent. Despite this, there are signs of recovery, with economic activity picking up momentum since the February elections. The narrowing of the current account deficit to 0.3 percent has been a brig

Shipwreck victims’ families grapple with debt, govt apathy

LALAMUSA: A year after the disappearance of his brother in one of the deadliest shipwrecks ever witnessed in the Mediterranean, Suleman Tariq wants answers. But, like other young Pakistanis, he is also determined to make it to Europe. Dozens of families gathered at a wedding hall in the Punjab’s town of Lalamusa earlier this week to mark the anniversary of the rusty and overloaded trawler sinking off the coast of Greece, killing more than 600 people. “Since my brother went missing, our financial situation has worsened. I have no choice but to leave Pakistan to help my family repay the loan we took,” said Tariq, whose brother Usman Tariq, was on board but not declared dead. “There’s absolutely nothing in this country… However, I will only pursue legal avenues and will not follow my brother’s path.” A year on, relatives of those who perished in Pylos tragedy are still searching for answers Almost every family from the surrounding area has a male relative who has travelled to Euro