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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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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”

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

An Indian national extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic pleaded not guilty on Monday to involvement in an alleged plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader on US soil. Nikhil Gupta, 52, who was detained at Prague airport in June 2023 on a US warrant, arrived in the United States on Friday. Gupta appeared before a federal magistrate judge in New York on Monday and pleaded not guilty to charges of murder-for-hire, according to court filings. “This extradition makes clear that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to silence or harm American citizens,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “Nikhil Gupta will now face justice in an American courtroom for his involvement in an alleged plot, directed by an employee of the Indian government, to target and assassinate a US citizen for his support of the Sikh separatist movement in India,” Garland added. The Justice Department unsealed the charges against Gupta in November, accusing him of conspi

THE Gilgit-Baltistan region, the neglected mountainous expanse within the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, has recently risen to prominence . Previously perceived as a remote liability and officially referred to as the Northern Areas, it was a nameless region of Pakistan. Local Kashmiri leaders, deeming it a barren land and a financial burden, forsook its ownership. Thus, in the Karachi Agreement between Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the government of Pakistan, the region was handed over to Pakistan unconditionally. This set in motion an ad hoc governance arrangement under the control of a joint secretary of government of Pakistan. For the simple folk of the region, the presence of Pakistani officials and the fluttering Pakistani flag symbolised their merger with Pakistan; they were, oblivious to the reality that they possessed no constitutional rights, as a disputed territory governed through decrees by the government of Pakistan. The people had merely exchanged one hars

A total of 12 teams have been confirmed for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the Super 8 stage of the ongoing marquee tournament was finalised. The T20 World Cup 2026 will follow the same format as the ongoing edition, featuring 20 teams, divided into four groups of five. The top two teams from each group will then qualify for the semi-finals. After Bangladesh emerged victorious over Nepal in a low-scoring thriller and advanced into the next round, 12 teams have been confirmed for the T20 World Cup 2026. The teams to secure qualification before the regional qualifiers are hosts India and Sri Lanka, and seven teams from the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2024 — Australia, England, Bangladesh, USA, Afghanistan, South Africa and West Indies. Meanwhile, Pakistan, New Zealand and Ireland are the remaining three teams to qualify for the mega event on the basis of superior team ranking. The remaining eight teams for T20 World Cup 2026 will be decided through regional qualifiers. Fo

An armed man shot and injured nine people, including two children, at a water park near Detroit on Saturday evening before shooting himself after being cornered by police, authorities said. Authorities called the incident random gunfire and said they cornered the suspect in a house nearby, where he died after shooting himself. The local sheriff showed an image of a semiautomatic rifle from inside the house to which the unnamed suspect was tracked. A handgun was recovered from the scene of the shooting, officials added. The suspect was described as a 42-year-old man, while the motives for the shooting were not clear. An eight-year-old boy was in critical condition after being shot in the head while his four-year-old brother was also wounded but stable. Their mother was in critical condition, too, after being hurt in the abdomen and leg, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard told reporters. The other six victims, all aged 30 or older, were in stable condition according to Bouchard.

In a historic achievement, Pakistani climber Samar Khan successfully scaled Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, and descended the peak by snowboarding. Hailing from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dir district, Samar becomes the first Pakistani to reach the summit of Mount Elbrus, standing tall at 5,642 meters in Russia. With the support of the Frontier Corps North, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khan accomplished this remarkable feat and proudly hoisted the Pakistani flag on the summit. “I’m pleased to announce that I have successfully climbed Europe’s highest peak, Mt. Elbrus, and snowboarded down, becoming the first Pakistani to pioneer this feat in the world of action sports,” she wrote on Instagram. “I set out for the summit push around 3am and reached the top by 10am with a green flag, followed by an exhilarating snowboarding descent from Elbrus,” she added while thanking everyone for the support.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Samar K

Legendary Pakistani pace bowler Wasim Akram and former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar took social media by storm after a viral video showed them dancing during a T20 World Cup 2024 game. The two shook legs to the tunes of the popular Bollywood song Lungi Dance from Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone’s Chennai Express. The viral video showed Wasim Akram and Sunil Gavaskar dancing their hearts out to the hit number in the middle of the ground. They duo end their performance with a high-five before a woman was seen clicking a selfie with them. https://arynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ssstwitter.com_1718477208757.mp4 India remain unbeaten in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 as they won three out of their four group-stage games while one was washed out. Pakistan, on the other hand, had a harrowing run at the marquee event as they were knocked out of the tournament in the group-stage. Read more: Wasim Akram demands sacking of whole team The Men in Green were handed a shocking d

Hollywood star Russell Crowe revealed the reason behind turning down a role in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Oscar-winning actor surprised everyone with his answer when he was asked if he had regrets turning down the role of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. “I don’t actually. I very much felt the studio were making that decision, not the film director. And I talked to Peter Jackson over the phone, and he wasn’t saying the sort of things that directors were saying to you if they were really trying to attract you to a project. And I just kind of got a sense that he already had somebody else in mind that he wanted to do. And me stepping forward and saying yes was actually going to get in his way,” he said during a British GQ video interview. It is pertinent to mention that Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy grossed $2.9 billion worldwide and is one of the most acclaimed film trilogies ever made. “We come from the same place,” Russell Crowe said. “So the