Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Non-filers may face bank account suspension, travel bans: FBR 

    Non-filers may face bank account suspension, travel bans: FBR 

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued a stern warning to individuals who have not filed their income tax returns, stating that they could face severe consequences, including the suspension of bank accounts and restrictions on both domestic and international travel via motorways and air travel. 

    Muhammad Asif, Chief of Broadening the Tax Base (BTB), informed the media that the FBR has initiated a comprehensive nationwide survey of businesses and commercial entities to identify non-filers for registration. 

    Non-filers are urged to register with their nearest tax office promptly to avoid penalties, fines, utility disconnection, and the suspension of bank accounts.  

    In extreme cases, non-compliance may lead to restrictions on movement on motorways and at airports.  

    The FBR, through its countrywide field formations, is actively conducting surveys to gather information on businesses and commercial activities, which will be accessible on the official website soon. 

    According to official documents, despite Pakistan’s population reaching 240 million, only around 5.2 million individuals are registered in the tax system and filed their income returns in 2022.  

    The country faces significant challenges in its fiscal landscape, marked by widespread tax evasion, a low tax-to-GDP ratio, and a limited number of tax filers, resulting in insufficient funding for essential public services and critical socioeconomic development initiatives. 

    Recognising the urgency of expanding the tax base to strengthen the nation’s financial foundation, the FBR has launched a nationwide drive targeting eligible individuals and those with taxable income to register with the tax system and file their income returns. The goal for the current year is to add 1.5 million new taxpayers. 

    The Director of BTB highlighted that the FBR, through third-party data acquisition, has compiled the financial transaction data of hundreds of thousands of individuals not yet in the tax net.  

    This information is accessible on the FBR’s website under the title “MALOMAAT,” allowing individuals to review their transactions over the past few years. 

    The FBR emphasises that it possesses data on nearly all eligible individuals for filing income returns, and non-compliance will be addressed within a few weeks.  

    According to Brecorder, to avoid penalties, fines, utility disconnection, and travel restrictions, individuals are urged to take advantage of the available time, visit their nearest tax office, and register promptly, as stated by Muhammad Asif. 

  • Video: Muhammad Rizwan’s speech in Melbourne mosque went viral

    Video: Muhammad Rizwan’s speech in Melbourne mosque went viral

    The video of Pakistan cricket team’s wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan making a speech in a mosque in Melbourne, Australia has gone viral.

    The Pakistan cricket team is currently in Melbourne to play the Test series against Australia, where the second Test match will be played on December 26.

    According to the viral video on social media, after reaching Melbourne, wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan reached the mosque to give a speech. It can be seen in the video that Muhammad Rizwan is teaching the people present in the mosque.

    It should be noted that even earlier, videos of Rizwan preaching in mosques had gone viral.

  • Supply-demand gap worsens: Lahore grapples with gas scarcity during key hours

    Supply-demand gap worsens: Lahore grapples with gas scarcity during key hours

    The metropolitan areas of Punjab, including Lahore, are grappling with a shortage of gas following a decline in temperatures, as confirmed by sources within the Sui Northern Gas Company.

    Residents across the majority of Punjab, notably in Lahore, are experiencing gas shortages during essential daily periods—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—due to an escalating disparity between demand and supply exacerbated by colder weather.

    With a demand for gas at 2100 million cubic feet and a supply of approximately 1200 million cubic feet, the gap has intensified the challenges faced by consumers in the region. 

    Notably, earlier this week, the SNGC imposed additional fixed charges on consumers’ November bills with the caretaker government’s approval.

    According to SNGC officials, protected consumers utilising 0.9 hectometers of gas will incur a monthly fixed charge of Rs400. 

    Non-protected users with consumption up to 1.5 hectometers will face an extra charge of Rs1,000 in their bills.

    Surprisingly, even consumers with zero gas usage are obligated to pay a fixed monthly charge of Rs400, as outlined by the recent adjustments in billing practices.

  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Oath of Khatm-e-Nabuwat made mandatory before Nikkah

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Oath of Khatm-e-Nabuwat made mandatory before Nikkah

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has made the oath of Khatm-e-Nabuwat mandatory for marriage certificates.

    According to the Department of Local Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government has made amendments to serial numbers 13 and 25 of the Muslim Family Ordinance.

    As per the amendment, details of the dowry must be entered in the form of cash, movable and immovable property, and the oath of end of Prophethood ﷺ has also been made mandatory in the marriage certificate. Both the bride and groom will be bound to take the oath of end of Prophethood ﷺ.

    The marriage certificate must be signed by the bride, bridegroom, bride and groom’s lawyers, and witnesses, while the signature and seal of a marriage registrar are also mandatory on the marriage certificate.

    The Oath of Faith form on Khatm-e-Nabuwat for marriage already exists in Punjab.

    In a conversation with Geo News, Secretary Local Government Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Daud Khan said that the provincial cabinet had decided to amend the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, the amendments were related to the educational qualification of Nikah Khawan.

  • Weekly inflation in Pakistan remains above 40% for sixth consecutive week

    Weekly inflation in Pakistan remains above 40% for sixth consecutive week

    In the week concluding on December 21, weekly inflation exhibited a marginal easing but persisted above 40 per cent for the sixth consecutive week. 

    Official data released for this week highlighted heightened consumer costs for eggs, firewood, and pulses. 

    The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed a 0.51 per cent decline in the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) from the previous week, attributed to lower prices of potatoes, petrol, diesel, tomatoes, and sugar.

    Despite this reduction, the SPI inflation rate remained notably high at 43.16 per cent, surpassing last year’s figure of 42.68 per cent for the same week. 

    This elevated inflation has adversely impacted the purchasing power of consumers, particularly those in lower and middle-income brackets. 

    The decline in SPI was driven by significant drops in the prices of potatoes (13.17 per cent), petrol (4.97 per cent), diesel (4.68 per cent), tomatoes (3.45 per cent), sugar (1.16 per cent), and other essential items.

    Conversely, considerable increases were observed in the prices of eggs (10.4 per cent), firewood (1.23 per cent), onions (1.19 per cent), and various pulses. 

    Out of the 51 essential items in the SPI, 35.29 per cent experienced price increases, 17.65 per cent saw decreases, and 47.06 per cent remained stable during the week.

    ConsumeRsin the lowest income bracket, earning up to Rs17,732 per month, faced a substantial SPI inflation rate of 35.13 per cent. 

    Meanwhile, the higher-income group, spending more than Rs44,175 per month, encountered an even higher SPI inflation rate of 40.93 per cent. 

    The middle quintile, ranging from Rs22,889 to Rs29,517, experienced a weekly inflation rate of 46.46 per cent.

    Various consumer goods displayed a mix of price increases, decreases, and stability, as indicated by the latest PBS data. 

    Notably, the price of a dozen eggs rose by 10.42 per cent, reaching Rs388.7, while firewood’s 40kg bundle increased by 1.23 per cent, totaling Rs1146. 

    Onion prices rose by 1.2 per cent, and various pulses witnessed increases.

    In contrast, potato prices per kilogramme dropped significantly by 13.17 per cent, reaching Rs76.8/kg, and petrol recorded a decrease of 4.97 per cent per litre, settling at Rs268.41. Hi-Speed Diesel also saw a decline of 4.68 per cent, reaching Rs277.29 per litre. 

    Tomatoes and refined sugar experienced decreases of 3.45 per cent and 1.16 per cent, respectively.

    Several essential commodities, including bread, beef, mutton, and various household items, maintained stable prices during the week with no significant fluctuations.

  • Writer Mohammed Hanif returns Sitara-e-Imtiaz to protest against Baloch persecution

    Writer Mohammed Hanif returns Sitara-e-Imtiaz to protest against Baloch persecution

    A Case of Exploding Mangoes and Red Birds famed writer and journalist Mohammed Hanif has returned the prestigious civilian award, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, in protest against this week’s crackdown on Baloch protestors by Islamabad police.

    In a post on X, Hanif shared the video of a Baloch girl stating her demands and wrote, “In protest, returning my Sitara e Imtiaz, given to me by a state that continues to abduct and torture Baloch citizens.”


    He went on to mention two female Baloch activists Sammi Baloch and Mehrang Baloch, writing that journalists of his generation have seen these young women grow up in protest camps. “Ashamed to witness a new generation being denied basic dignity,” Mohammed Hanif lamented.

    Hanif’s literary genius was recognized by the government of Pakistan back in 2018 when one of the highest national laurels, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, was conferred upon him.


    Along with being a journalist and novelist, Hanif is also a playwright and writes for the BBC.


    His novel A Case of Exploding Mangoes was long-listed for the Booker Prize, shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, and won the Commonwealth Prize for Best Book. His second book, Our Lady of Alice Bhatti, won the Wellcome Book Prize.

    Baloch protesters are on roads demanding the release of all “missing persons” and an end to “extrajudicial killings” in Balochistan under the leadership of activist Dr Mahrang Baloch and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).

  • Why was Bobby Deol’s character a Muslim in ‘Animal’?

    Why was Bobby Deol’s character a Muslim in ‘Animal’?

    Bobby Deol plays the role of a Muslim villain, Abrar Haque, in the recently released Bollywood film Animal.
    Deol has said that he didn’t think of his character as a villain but as someone with childhood trauma.
    Abrar, the negative character, is the cousin of the film’s protagonist Ranujay Singh (Ranbir Kapoor).

    Sandeep Reddy Wanga was asked in a recent interview why Abrar (Bobby Deol) belongs to a Sikh family but he himself is a Muslim.

    “I have seen that in life when people are completely disappointed, they go to a church, a mosque or a sage who helps such distressed people.” In order to get rid of the problem, they give tawzee or suggested to change the name, he said.
    “I have even seen people convert to religion in such desperate situations to completely change their identity. We have seen many people convert to Islam and Christianity but we have never seen anyone convert to Hinduism. So, I thought I should show this fact in my film because a Muslim man can marry more than once so he can have more children so I can show a lot of cousins in my movie story.”

    Sandeep stressed, “That’s the only reason I cast Abrar (Bobby Deol), a character from a Sikh family, as a Muslim in my film.”
    He clarified that he did not do this to make Muslims look bad.

  • ‘Wakhri’ has the best music lineup of any Pakistani movie in a long time

    ‘Wakhri’ has the best music lineup of any Pakistani movie in a long time

    Pakistan’s upcoming film ‘Wakhri’ is gearing up for a nationwide release on January 4, with director, Iram Parveen Bilal, promising a fantastic music album. Renowned music producer Abdullah Siddiqui has curated an impressive collection of tracks featuring prominent female singers from today’s music scene.


    Abdullah Siddiqui took to his Instagram to share the news, announcing a multi-artist album: “I produced four new tracks for Wakhri, the new film by the wonderful Iram Parveen Bilal and they’re out now. They’re performed by the insane lineup of Meesha Shafi, Ali Sethi, Eva B, Natasha Noorani, and RFB.”

    Siddiqui expressed joy in creating the soundscape for the vibrant world of the film, calling the songs both enjoyable and significant. He listed the tracks included in the album, featuring Eva B’s ‘Baaghi’, Meesha Shafi’s ‘You Don’t Give a Haqq’, Natasha Noorani’s ‘Matlabi (Wakhri version), and Risham Faiz Bhutta and Ali Sethi’s ‘Wakhri Dhamaal.’
    Reacting to Siddiqui’s post, director Iram said in the replies, “We are so honoured and I can’t wait to watch you soar even higher!” followed by a series of heart emojis.
    The film, based on the life of Pakistan’s social media sensation Qandeel Baloch, recently celebrated a significant milestone with its worldwide premiere at the Red Sea Film Fest in Jeddah.

    Head of International Programming, Kaleem Aftab, praised “Wakhri” for changing the narrative on a specific incident in Pakistan, while also bringing up Zarrar Kahn’s horror film, ‘In Flames’ as Pakistan’s international Oscar contender, adding diversity to the lineup.

  • PCB to revise rules and regulations regarding player’s agents

    PCB to revise rules and regulations regarding player’s agents

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced plans to revise its rules on player agents, which state that each agent can represent a maximum of two to three players as corporate clients. The decision marks a significant change in player-agent relationships within Pakistan cricket.

    The new rules prevent agents from potentially engaging players in unethical activities such as match-fixing. However, progress on the review has been slow in part due to resistance from players and some PCB officials, who are hesitant to take action as current chairman Zaka Ashraf nears the end of his tenure.

    The PCB is also looking into the issue of player agents after it found that eight national team players were represented by a single agent, Talha Rehmani of Saya Corporation.

    Meanwhile, the company also had former chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq as a director, raising concerns about conflict of interest. As a result, Inzamam resigned from his post in October during the ODI World Cup.

  • Gold prices in Pakistan see weekend dip, reflecting global trend

    Gold prices in Pakistan see weekend dip, reflecting global trend

    On Saturday, gold prices in Pakistan experienced a decline, aligning with the global trend.

    The cost of one tola of gold in domestic market dropped by Rs500, settling at Rs219,300. 

    Similarly, the 10-gramme gold rate decreased by Rs429, reaching Rs188,014, as reported by the All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA).

    Contrastingly, the previous day witnessed a surge in gold prices by Rs1,800, concluding at Rs219,800 per tola in Pakistan. 

    The international gold rate, despite a $2 decrease, stood at $2,072 per ounce, maintaining a $20 premium, as indicated by APGJSA.

    In the midst of these fluctuations, silver rates remained unchanged at Rs2,650 per tola.