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Author: News Desk

  • 1.5% transaction fee for debit and credit cards abolished by SBP

    1.5% transaction fee for debit and credit cards abolished by SBP

    The mandatory minimum fee of 1.5 per cent that banks were required to charge merchants on financial transactions made with debit and credit cards has been eliminated by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), and financial institutions are now permitted to charge even less than that amount to encourage the use of digital banking.

    According to a notification released on Friday, the central bank has kept the fee’s upper ceiling at 2.5 per cent.

    Also, the SBP mandated that all online merchants and payment recipients in Pakistan begin taking card payments no later than June 30, 2023.

    Before, petrol outlets stopped taking payments made with debit and credit cards and asked that the 1.5 per cent fee be eliminated.

    The elimination of the minimal fee has long been demanded.

    Eliminating the minimal fee is a good thing for digital transactions, according to experts. The State Bank’s plan to boost the use of digital cards includes this, as this decision would also improve the documentation of the economy and help decrease cash-based transactions.

    Across the nation, there are about 45 million debit and credit cards. Nonetheless, the majority of cardholders use their cards to make ATM withdrawals. Just 5–10 per cent of POS users utilise cards.

  • Pakistan earned $1,523 million by providing IT services to various countries: report

    Pakistan earned $1,523 million by providing IT services to various countries: report

    Pakistan has earned US$1,523.280 million by providing different Information Technology (IT) services to various countries during the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2022-23, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

    This represents a growth of 2.38 per cent as compared to US$1,487.865 million earned during the same months of the fiscal year 2021-22.

    During July-January (2022-23), the export of computer services climbed by 2.87 per cent as it increased from US$1,191.575 million last fiscal year to US$1,225.730 million this year.

    The exports of software consultancy services saw an increase of 5.57 per cent, from US$430.309 million to US$454.283 million while the exports of hardware consultancy services also rose by 158.07 per cent from US$1.357 million to US$3.502 million.

    According to APP, the export and import of computer software-related services surged by 11.89 per cent, from US$312.484 million to US$349.635 million whereas the exports of repair and maintenance services increased to US$1.594 million from US$0.770 million.

    The export of telecommunication services also witnessed an increase of 0.60 per cent as these went up from US$293.180 million to US$294.950 million during the months under review, the data revealed.

    Among the telecommunication services, the export of call centre services rose by 2.30 per cent during the period as its exports increased from US$118.669 million to US$121.398 million whereas the export of other telecommunication services decreased by 0.55 per cent, from US$174.511 million to US$173.552 million during the period under review, the PBS data revealed.

    Moreover, the exports of other computer services witnessed a decline of 6.70 per cent going down from US$446.655 million to US$416.716 million.

    Meanwhile, the export of information services during the period under review declined by 16.40 per cent going down from US$3.110 million to US$2.600 million.

  • ‘Haye Raam’: Indian Charge d’Affaires on price of onions in Pakistan

    Dr M. Suresh Kumar who is currently serving as the Charge d’Affaires at the Indian Embassy in Islamabad, has arrived in Lahore for the first time since his appointment two years ago. Jang reported that the diplomat had breakfast with senior journalists, where he revealed an interesting tibit about food prices in the capital. He was recently purchasing groceries and was shocked to find out that the price of onions was Rs 300/kg, when in New Delhi it was Rs 20/kg.

    Dr Kumar also addressed the matter of improving business ties between India and Pakistan, by saying that Pakistani businessmen are refused a business visa in India because of the fact that there are no business ties between the two countries. To which Pakistani businessmen asked how will business ties between both countries improve if they aren’t given a visa. To which Dr Kumar responded its like asking which came first- the chicken or the egg?

    To answer another question, Dr Kumar said that Gujranwala is the city of wrestlers, and felt that there should be wrestlying and kabadi competitions between the two countries.

    Dr Kumar also said that he will talk to the higher authorities in New Delhi to send an invitation to a delegation of journalists from Pakistan to visit India.

    Jang also reported about a conversation with a senior official from the foreign office in New Delhi who remarked that after the restoration of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran in the region, efforts should be made to improve the relation between Islamabad and New Delhi.

  • Govt to cut per litre petrol price for low-income people by Rs100: Musadik Malik

    Govt to cut per litre petrol price for low-income people by Rs100: Musadik Malik

    The State Minister for Petroleum, Musadik Malik, announced on Monday a significant reduction of Rs100 in the price of petrol for low-income people.

    The minister stated during a news conference held in Islamabad that the wealthy will pay Rs100 more for petroleum products while the underprivileged will receive the same amount in relief.

    The specifics of this execution strategy will probably be made public by the administration within the upcoming week.

    In addition, the government would provide low-income groups with gas subsidies.

    Prior to this, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif stated that low-income individuals would pay Rs50 less for petrol. However, Musadik Malik declared on Monday that the Prime Minister had now ordered to provide a Rs100 discount on petrol to low-income citizens instead of a Rs50 discount.

    While chairing a review meeting on Sunday, PM Shehbaz said that the petroleum relief would be given to low-income consumers who have motorcycles, rickshaws, and other small vehicles (less than 800cc).

    He said the program of petroleum subsidies would be started soon, and a comprehensive strategy would be formed with the cooperation of relevant departments for effective implementation of the subsidy program.

    He said motorcycles, rickshaws, and small cars were used by low-income people, and the petroleum subsidy would give relief to the poor.

    The government was making efforts to provide all possible help to the poor people despite its economic difficulties, he added.

  • Four Pakistani dramas that broke stereotypes to introduce wide age-gap couples

    Four Pakistani dramas that broke stereotypes to introduce wide age-gap couples

    . We are all familiar with the stereotypical Pakistani lead couple, a toxic and underwhelming boy who is ‘edgy’ and ‘dark’ because of his traumatizing past, and the hoor-pari good girl who has never walked outside apnay ghar ki chaar dewariyan, and has apparently never interacted with a man in her life. They meet, stalk, harass, fall in love, shaadi, divorce, phir pyar and then happy ending.

    But quiet rarely, Pakistani dramas take a step to break these stereotypes and introduce us to a couple where either both or one person is a middle-aged woman. It’s a rare stand against stereotypical depictions of women disappearing after they turn forty.

    But it’s important now that women are reminded that their beauty and desirability doesn’t finish the moment they turn thirty. Life doesn’t end.

    Thankfully, Pakistani dramas have slowly been catching up on breaking this stigma by giving us a few very poignant and well-written dramas that had cast a middle-aged woman in a romantic relationship as the central lead of their drama.

    1 Dobara

    Pakistani dramas OST

    Dobara was embraced with open arms by Pakistani audiences when it debuted. Hadiqa Kiana starred as Mehru Nisa, a woman in her forties with two grown children who was learning to re-live her life on her own terms after being forcibly married when she was sixteen years old and deprived of doing everything she had ever loved. Mehru Nisa’s relationship with Maahir, a man who was in his twenties, is the most heart warming aspect of this drama because of the way he helps her gain confidence in doing whatever she wanted to do, and also defends her from her family members who consistently bully her.

    2 Jhoom

    This upcoming drama features Zara Noor Abbas and Haroon Kadwani as lovers with a wide age gap between them. According to the trailer, the premise revolves around backlash from society who cannot accept an older woman marrying a younger man.

    3 Samjhota

    Shahista Lodhi’s on-air drama revolved around an old man’s marriage. After his wife passes away, he decides to marry Nargis. But his re-marriage at this age doesn’t bode well with his children, who refuse to treat Nargis with kindness.

    Speaking on the importance of approaching this topic, Lodhi who starred as Nargis in the drama, said that she wanted to do this project because of how it reminds that the elderly that life doesn’t end when they grow old:

    “It showed that at a certain age when we think our elderly mother and father are only around to take care of our children, but instead you’ll witness the love story between these two main characters in the drama. I thought this was such a great example being set. The other thing is in our society at a certain age our parents are left lonely while we get busy building our own lives. We seem to think that our parents can’t find a new partner after their own spouse and they don’t have a life of their own.”

    4 Teri Raah Mein Rul Gayi

    Samiya Mumtaz essays the role of a middle aged woman whose husband passed away a year after their marriage, leaving her in grief. Her brother-in-law stands up to society by providing for her every single need, and declares that he has fallen in love with her.

  • ‘Ennu koyi bahir thokay’: Ex-CJP Saqib Nisar and Khawaja Rahim’s alleged audio leak about Maryam Nawaz

    Former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar and former Governor and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s lawyer, Khawaja Tariq Rahim’s alleged audio leak has surfaced on the internet.

    In the alleged audio clip both Nisar and Rahim are talking about Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz.

    The transcript of audio is as follows;

    Nisar: Asalam o alikum sir.

    Rahim: Waalikum Aasalaam, Sir we need to … need … need… to give a proper answer. We should file a case against her what she says. This woman [Maryam Nawaz] who speaks.

    Nisar: Sir I have thought something for her.

    Rahim: Yes, yes.

    Nisar: I recalled the words of the elder Tarar Saab. He used to say that when dogs bark some people stand afar.

    Rahim: This is also okay. You have given a good answer to ARY.

    Nisar then went on to praise himself and said that he thankfully is very courageous, and can bear anything. He further adds that he will not get confused or go in depression.

    Nisar: Whenever I need you for help, I will ask.

    Rahim: You just have to tell me and I will do accordingly.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemning the audio tweeted, “Society, especially women, should strongly condemn this speech and abusive thinking about women. Only collective condemnation can stop this negative thinking in the society.”

  • ‘First army chief to be appointed on merit in Pakistan’: PM Shehbaz lends support to COAS Munir

    ‘First army chief to be appointed on merit in Pakistan’: PM Shehbaz lends support to COAS Munir

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, in a series of tweets, has lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, slamming his criticism of the establishment and current Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.

    Calling out Khan, Shehbaz Sharif wrote, “PTI’s disgusting smear campaign against COAS Munir at the behest of Imran Niazi is deserving of the strongest condemnation”, adding that “Khan is going to the extent of damaging the country and undermining our armed forces and their leadership.”

    In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Shehbaz strongly condemned the “vile campaign” against the Pakistan army and COAS Munir and called on overseas Pakistanis to raise their voice against it.

    Referring to the COAS as the “first army chief to be appointed on merit in Pakistan”, Shehbaz Sharif stressed that such a campaign could only be the agenda of the enemies of the country.

    He said that “toxic politics” was being spread through overseas Pakistanis.

    The premier called on patriotic Pakistanis living abroad to raise their voices against the “foreign-funded campaign” and not become a part of such conspiracies.

    In response, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the statement is only to create distance between the people and the army so “PDM can continue looting”.

    On the behalf of the party, he clarfied that the party wishes well to the army chief.

    A day earlier, hundreds of Pakistanis Americans gathered outside the White House, in the United States (US) to demand an end to the government’s actions against Imran.

    During the demonstration, one of the protesters said that the “establishment must realise its mistake”.

    On March 3, the PTI chief said that he is ready to hold talks with the COAS for the sake of the country, claiming that the army chief considers Imran his enemy.

  • Iran’s President Raisi ‘welcomes’ invitation by Saudi king to visit Riyadh

    Iran’s President Raisi ‘welcomes’ invitation by Saudi king to visit Riyadh

    Little over a week after the two nations decided to reestablish diplomatic ties, Iran claims Saudi Arabia has extended an official invitation to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to pay a state visit.

    The Saudis have not officially confirmed the invitation, which is claimed to have arrived in a letter from King Salman.

    The conflict between the two countries has dominated the Middle East’s recent history.

    A senior Iranian official, Mohammad Jamshidi, tweeted regarding the invitation to visit Riyadh, saying Mr Raisi had welcomed it and “stressed Iran’s readiness to expand co-operation.”

    Furthermore, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the foreign minister of Iran, informed reporters that the two nations had agreed to conduct a meeting at the level of the foreign ministers and that three potential venues had been suggested.

    He did not specify the locations or the potential dates for the meeting.

    According to Bloomberg, the recent thaw in bilateral relations, which came as a surprise after days of negotiations mediated by China, appears to be gaining significant pace.

    Both have declared they will reopen their embassies and resume their economic and security relations within two months.

    With the failure of earlier attempts at reconciliation, many, including the US and the UN, warily welcomed this progress.

    In January 2016 after protesters surrounded its embassy in Tehran, Saudi Arabia broke ties.

    That came after Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a well-known Shia Muslim cleric who had been found guilty of crimes related to terrorism, was executed by Riyadh.

    Since then, there have frequently been high levels of tension between the Sunni- and Shia-led neighbours, with each seeing the other as a dangerous force vying for supremacy in the region.

    They have taken opposing sides in a number of local conflicts, including as the civil wars in Yemen and Syria.

    Mr. Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran hoped measures would be taken to strengthen ties with Bahrain, a close Saudi ally that cut off diplomatic ties with Tehran in 2016 after Riyadh did the same.

    “We hope that some obstacles between Iran and Bahrain will be removed and we will take basic steps to reopen the embassies,” he said.

    Bahrain hasn’t reacted to the remarks, but it did earlier applaud the Saudi Arabia-Iran decision to reestablish diplomatic ties.

    Moreover, Iran has shown a desire to restart or strengthen ties with other adversaries in the Arab world, such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

  • ‘Small role, big impact’: Seven years later, Fawad Khan still shines in ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’

    Fawad Khan has not acted in many films, but the few select projects he has starred in have become cult favorites among fans.

    Khan, who had made a successful foray into Bollywood before tensions between India and Pakistan forced him to come back home, starred in three films, ‘Khoobsurat’, ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ and ‘Kapoor and Sons’.

    Seven years later after ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ was released in cinemas across the sub-continent, it seems like no one has forgotten the charm and appeal Khan oozed, even though it was showcased only a limited number of times.

    On Monday Twitter users were discussing the films in which an actor had a small role, but made a powerful impact. And rightfully, Fawad Khan was the one whom both Indian and Pakistani fans cannot forget.

    Looks like that smoldering stare still has the girls on their knees.

    https://twitter.com/rukhsaaruwu/status/1637535289299329025?s=20

    Lagta hai peace talks shuru ho jani chahiye because asal dukh ho raha hai.

    Lest we forget, Khan was suppose to be the antagonist who was stealing Ranbir Kapoor’s love interest, Alizey (played by Anushka Sharma), but it looks like when the looks are a 10 then there’s no competition.


    Can somebody build a Fawad Khan cinematic universe for us cult followers?

  • PTI spent more than Rs100 million on social media influencers monthly, says KP minister

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Caretaker Minister for Information, Barrister Feroze Jamal Shah, has claimed that when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was in power in the province, they spent Rs150-160 million rupees on social media influencers “to create and run trends in favour of PTI”.

    Talking to a private channel, he said that a total of 5000 social influencers were recruited by the provincial government in its last days and they were being paid between Rs25,000 to 30,000 per month.

    He said that the recruitments were illegal as they were not done according to the procedure, nor was any advertisement issued for the posts.

    He said that there was no area in the province where these influencers were not working.

    The minister stated that an investigation will take place as the government has sent the case of these 5,000 recruits to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).