Author: News Desk

  • ‘More resources are urgently needed’: UN calls for more funds for Pakistan flood victims

    UN Secretary-General’s Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, has said that flood victims in Pakistan need more funds as more resources are needed in winters to provide relief.
    He added that around 2.6 million people have received food assistance.


    “To date, in support of the government response, our humanitarian partners have reached more than 4.7 million people with aid since the onset of the flood,” Dujarric told reporters.


    “Our (humanitarian) partners have also helped 125,000 children to resume their education, including through more than 500 temporary learning centers.” However, schools remain inaccessible for more than two million children.


    “More resources are urgently needed,” he stressed, emphasizing that so far only 23% of the $816 million Floods Response Plan has been received.


    Torrential monsoon rains triggered the most severe flooding in Pakistan’s recent history. Hundreds of thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed, while many public health facilities, water systems and schools have been destroyed or damaged. More than 33 million people have been affected by floods and flash floods in 94 districts.

  • Google is officially registered as a company in Pakistan

    Google is officially registered as a company in Pakistan

    Google has opened a liaison office in Pakistan and registered with the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), according to Brecorder.

    A spokesman for SECP stated that the company “has been registered as a foreign company” in Pakistan, while a Google representative also verified that the liaison office had been opened.

    A liaison office is a foreign company’s office set up to promote its products, offer technical support and advice, consider potential joint ventures, and promote exports.

    The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), according to insiders, was in contact with foreign companies and made arduous attempts to attract them to Pakistan, but the businesses hesitated owing to the political unrest.

    However, there has been a breakthrough in this regard with Google and TikTok agreeing to set up offices in the country, while the talks between the ministry are ongoing with Meta.

  • Pakistan’s 1st Animal Rights Curriculum launched

    Pakistan’s 1st Animal Rights Curriculum launched

    Pakistan’s first animal rights curriculum has been launched by Federal Minister for Education, Rana Tanveer. The curriculum will teach kids about the responsibilities of keeping pets and to treat stray animals with compassion.
    The curriculum is being
    launched on the directions of Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to counter cruelty against animals. The curriculum includes chapters on animal rights and how Islam also forbids mistreatment of animals. It will be taught in private and public schools.

    Head of Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit, Salman Sufi, while talking to The Current said, “Never in Pakistan’s history was any attention was given to animal rights. It was always a neglected subject, and given the situation of animals in Pakistan- the abuse of donkeys and pets- this curriculum will pave a way for our future generations to be better than we are.”

    “So this will change how Pakistan and its citizens treat animals because our children will learn from this and our future generation will be in a much better place to have a tolerant society than we ever had,” he stated.

  • Meta introduces Stars for Pakistani content creators to monetize content

    Meta introduces Stars for Pakistani content creators to monetize content

    All Pakistani content creators who meet the requirements can now use Facebook Stars, Meta’s monetization tool, to connect with their viewers and grow their businesses.

    According to Express Tribune, Pakistani online content creators will be able to sign up, monitor their profits by content type, manage their goals, and access other Stars settings thanks to Stars, a digital tool that fans can buy and send to support creators.

    This feature is accessible in a variety of media, including Facebook Live, on-demand videos, photographs, and text updates.

    “Helping creators to build community and turn their passions into professions is a key part of our continued investment in Pakistan,“ said Jordi Fornies, Meta’s Director of Emerging Markets for the Asia Pacific region. “Today, we are thrilled to announce that Facebook Stars is open to all eligible creators in Pakistan, so more people can start earning while they grow their creativity, audience, and careers.”

    Reels introduced short-form, amusing video experiences and tools to creators and fans earlier this year when Meta debuted it in Pakistan. The fastest-growing content format on Meta platforms right now is reels. Every day, Reels are played on Facebook and Instagram in excess of 140 billion times.

    “We are encouraged to see Meta’s contribution to supporting local businesses in Pakistan and opening up different ways for Pakistani content creators to generate meaningful, reliable revenue on their platforms. We hope the Stars program will create new opportunities to monetize and play a role in strengthening the country’s digital economy,” said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, during his visit to the Meta regional office in Singapore today.

    The following eligibility requirements must be met in order for any Pakistani creative with at least 1,000 online followers over the previous 60 days to start getting Stars from their fans.

    “So wonderful to see Stars has launched in Pakistan, giving more creators like me on Facebook and Reels the opportunity to build community and earn money through doing what we love,” said Danish Ali, Pakistani content creator.

    “I’m excited for creators in Pakistan to start using Stars to generate an income and build deeper connections with their audiences as they grow on Facebook,” he added.

  • Bushra Bibi’s bestie Farah left Pakistan right after Khan was removed as PM

    Bushra Bibi’s bestie Farah left Pakistan right after Khan was removed as PM

    Farah Khan, a close friend of former First Lady Bushra Bibi, left Pakistan nearly 20 days after former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was removed from power, it has been revealed.

    Farah left the country on April 29 on a private jet owned by a private firm in Pakistan, reports Naeem Hanif for Samaa News, 19 days after Imran Khan was removed through a no-confidence motion.

    The news report has revealed that on her way out of Pakistan, she was accompanied by two people— Zainab Bashir and Muhammad Zoraiz Malik. According to the news outlet, Farah most likely used one of her foreign passports to travel out of the country.

    It is pertinent to mention that Farah is the prime suspect in Toshakhana reference.

    Last month, Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor claimed that he had bought an expensive Graff set— gifted to Imran Khan by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2019— through former accoun­ta­bility minister Shahzad Akbar and Farah Khan. He said that he had paid the equivalent of $2 million in cash for the set.

    Earlier, The News reported that Farah’s wealth grew exponentially within the first three years since former PM Khan formed his government. Her total declared assets grew four times from Rs231 million in 2017 to Rs971 million in 2021.

  • ‘Preparations to welcome Nawaz Sharif underway’: Sanaullah

    ‘Preparations to welcome Nawaz Sharif underway’: Sanaullah

    Federal Interior Minister, Rana Sanaullah, has said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has started preparations to welcome home party supremo Nawaz Sharif.

    Sanaullah has claimed that the former Prime Minister would return to the country to lead PML-N’s election campaign the day election schedule is announced.

    The interior minister reiterated that general elections in Pakistan will be held in October next year as the government refused to succumb to pressure through dissolution of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab assemblies.

    Sanaullah dared Imran Khan, the Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to stop vacillating and dissolve KP and Punjab assemblies. He reiterated that polling will be held within three months.

    “We will beat you in Punjab elections, and you will not find any place to hide your face,” he challenged PTI chief.

  • IK should say sorry to PM Shehbaz after Daily Mail’s apology, PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb

    IK should say sorry to PM Shehbaz after Daily Mail’s apology, PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb, on Thursday, talked about the apology issued by the British newspaper Daily Mail, saying that the paper had failed to produce even a single piece of evidence in the court to prove its allegations against Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif.

    The federal minister also said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and the former advisor on accountability, Shahzad Akbar, levelled baseless and false accusations against the Sharif family.

    Aurangzeb added that they did it to satisfy their egos.

    Moreover, she pointed out that Imran Khan handed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference to Daily Mail. Hence, an apology should be tendered by Imran Khan and Shahzad Akbar, not just the British newspaper. She asked that they should now apologise to PM Shehbaz and the nation. The minister also alleged that David Rose, the Daily Mail journalist who wrote the now-deleted story, conspired with Imran Khan against Shehbaz Sharif.

    The statements have come forward after Daily Mail tendered an apology to the premier and withdrew all allegations of corruption against him and his son-in-law Imran Ali Yousaf.

    The case:

    In July 2019, renowned media law firm Carter-Ruck sued British newspaper The Mail on Sunday, online news site Mail Online and its journalist David Rose on behalf of Shehbaz Sharif for publishing a “politically motivated” article. The story, published on July 14, 2019, had suggested that Shehbaz and Yousaf “stole British taxpayers’ money” given to Earthquake Relief and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) set up to help the victims of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake.

  • ‘Dream debut’: Adam Gilchrist, other cricket legends love Abrar Ahmed

    ‘Dream debut’: Adam Gilchrist, other cricket legends love Abrar Ahmed

    Debutant Abrar Ahmed has stunned the cricketing word with figures of 7 for 114 in 22 overs in a sensational fast-forwarded second Test in Multan between Pakistan and England.


    Ahmed became the 13th Pakistan bowler to take five or more wickets in an innings on debut.

    Have a look at the tweets:

    https://twitter.com/iShaheenAfridi/status/1601143551479279621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1601143551479279621%7Ctwgr%5E07834f19e05cd521afcd0c429512387c329b6047%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpropakistani.pk%2F2022%2F12%2F09%2Finternational-superstars-in-awe-of-abrar-ahmeds-talent-after-dream-debut%2F

    Pakistan are 1-0 down in the three-match series after losing the first Test in Rawalpindi.

  • Twitter Blue will reportedly cost $11 for iPhone users instead of $7.99

    Twitter Blue will reportedly cost $11 for iPhone users instead of $7.99

    Twitter plans to increase the pricing of its Twitter Blue subscription product to $11 from $7.99 if paid for through its iPhone app and to $7 if paid for on the website.

    According to The Information, the move was likely in response to Apple’s 30 per cent cut on any payments made by users via apps on the iOS operating system.

    According to the report, the lower cost on the website was also likely to encourage more customers to join up there rather than on their iPhones. If prices will also change for the Android OS was not mentioned.

    Musk, who gained ownership of Twitter in October, is going to roll out the micro-blogging site’s verified service with different coloured checks for individuals, companies, and governments after a bungled initial launch led to a surge in users impersonating celebrities and brands on the website.

    Requests for comment from Twitter, Apple, and Google—which owns the Android operating system—were not immediately responded to.

    Musk cited a number of issues with Apple in a series of tweets last week, including the 30 per cent fee the iPhone manufacturer charges software developers for in-app purchases.

    Additionally, he posted a meme that said he would be prepared to “go to war” with Apple rather than pay the commission.

    Musk later met Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, at the company’s offices. Musk then tweeted that the misunderstanding regarding Twitter’s removal from Apple’s app store had been cleared up.

  • Balochistan High Court orders cancellation of all FIRs against Azam Swati

    Balochistan High Court orders cancellation of all FIRs against Azam Swati

    The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Friday ordered that all first information reports (FIR) registered against Senator Azam Swati of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for his controversial tweets against senior military officers should be cancelled.

    Five FIRs were registered in Balochistan against Swati for tweeting against army officials.

    Balochistan police had arrested the PTI senator last week from Islamabad, detaining him in their custody after a local court in Quetta approved the law enforcement agency’s request for a physical remand.

    The court has directed police to quash all FIRs registered against the senator in the province and release him if he was not booked in any other cases.

    Swati was first arrested by the FIA on charges of posting controversial tweets about the armed forces in October and was later released on bail.

    The senator has since alleged that he was tortured in custody and demanded the removal of two military officials, one of whom he used foul language against in his tweet on November 26.

    On November 27, the FIA arrested Swati for the second time over a “highly obnoxious campaign of intimidating tweets […] against state institutions”.