Author: News Desk

  • GSK stops production of Panadol in Pakistan

    GSK stops production of Panadol in Pakistan

    GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare Pakistan on Friday announced that it is stopping the production of Panadol Tablets, Panadol Extra Tablets and Children’s Panadol Liquid Range amid financial losses.


    “We are incurring heavy financial losses on the production of the entire Panadol range due to an increase in the price of their raw ingredients and in the absence of due approval by the federal government on the recommendation of Drug Pricing Committee of Drug Regulatory Committee of Pakistan. Due to these challenges, manufacturing of Panadol range on negative margins is unsustainable and despite exhaustive efforts of the company to mitigate the issue through dialogue, the situation is now beyond our control, compelling us to declare force majeure,” Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GSK Consumer Healthcare Pakistan, Farhan Haroon, said in a letter to PM’s Principal Secretary Syed Tauqir Shah.


    GlaxoSmithKline informed investors on Friday that it had a net loss of Rs345.2 million for the quarter ending in September, as opposed to a net profit of Rs363.9m for the same time the previous year.

    Panadol is among the highest selling medicine brands in the country, with demand for the drug being the highest in Punjab. The medicine comes in formulations meant for infants, children and adults. A sister brand named Panadol Extend is also part of the company’s products.

  • Punjab, KP CMs give Khan authority to dissolve assemblies: report

    Punjab, KP CMs give Khan authority to dissolve assemblies: report

    After the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s disqualification in the Toshakhana case, the Chief Ministers (CM) of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) authorised Khan to dissolve their respective assemblies, reports Geo News.

    According to the details of the news report, CM KP Mehmood Khan and Punjab CM Pervaiz Elahi attended a meeting through a video link and gave the former prime minister the authority to dissolve both provincial assemblies.

    A PTI leader told Geo News that dissolving provincial assemblies is more necessary than a long march as the purpose of the long march is new elections.

    “Therefore, if assemblies get dissolved, a new election will have to be called,” said the PTI leader.

    In a major legal victory for the ruling coalition on Friday, the ECP, in a consensus verdict in Toshakhana reference, disqualified former prime minister Imran Khan and ruled that the PTI chairman is no more a member of the National Assembly.

    Criminal proceedings will be initiated against the PTI chairman for misdeclaration, the verdict said.

    The ECP stated that Imran Khan submitted a false affidavit and was found involved in corrupt practices under Article 63(1)(p).

  • ‘Insaaf ka nizam aik hota hai, mumkin nahi ke Nawaz ke liye dusra nizam hai, Imran ke liye dusra’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    ‘Insaaf ka nizam aik hota hai, mumkin nahi ke Nawaz ke liye dusra nizam hai, Imran ke liye dusra’: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

    Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader talked about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s disqualification on October 21.

    Discussing the topic on Geo News’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath‘, Abbasi said: “The one who accused others of corruption has been proven corrupt himself. It is a test for the Supreme Court now. Let’s see what it decides “

    He said that it is clear that Imran Khan was found involved in corrupt practices. Abbasi was of the view that it is inappropriate to be happy about making false statements and concealing facts while being the prime minister.

    During the show, he stressed on the fact that Khan’s Toshakhana case is far more legitimate than Nawaz Sharif’s case on the basis of which the three-times former Prime Minister was disqualified for life.

    Recalling his party chief’s disqualification, Khaqan Abbasi said, “Supreme Court (SC) deposed a prime minister and disqualified Sharif for lifetime on minor charges as compared to Khan’s Toshakhana matter.”

    When asked about the seeming recent change of heart in the SC about disqualifying a politician for life, the PML-N leader responded: “Insaaf ka nizam aik hota hai, mumkin nahi ke Nawaz ke liye dusra nizam hai, Imran ke liye dusra.” (Justice is the same for all. It is not possible that the justice system is different for Khan and different for Sharig. Law should be the same for all.”

    While talking about PTI’s planned long march, he criticised Imran Khan, accusing him of destabilising the country for his own sake.

    On October 21, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in a consensus verdict in the Toshakhana reference, disqualified Imran Khan and ruled that he is no longer a member of the National Assembly. The Election Commission also directed criminal proceedings to be initiated against Imran for misdeclaration.

    The ECP ruled that Imran Khan submitted a false affidavit and was involved in corrupt practices under Article 63(1)(p).

  • Govt plans to promote electric vehicles, establish charging infrastructure: PM Shehbaz

    Govt plans to promote electric vehicles, establish charging infrastructure: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday that the government intended to encourage the use of electric vehicles in the nation and would set up a network of the necessary charging infrastructure.

    The PM gave the departments involved the go-ahead to provide him with a thorough plan as soon as possible in this regard.

    According to APP, Shehbaz Sharif also directed that the Board of Investment, the Ministry of Power and Energy, and the Ministry of Trade and Industries provide every opportunity to investors interested in the market for electric vehicles.

    A high-level meeting on the employment of electric buses in the fleet of public transportation, the promotion of the electric vehicle industry, and alternative energy sources was presided over by him.

    The prime minister underlined the urgent necessity to develop renewable energy sources in order to make the nation energy self-sufficient.

    He noted that the government has recently approved the start of a 10,000-megawatt solar project.

    He said that the solar project would not only lessen environmental pollution but also secure the production of inexpensive power by reducing reliance on pricey imported fuel, saving significant foreign currency.

    The forum heard updates on the growing use of electric vehicles around the world as well as plans for electric buses for public transportation.

    It was advised that the growth of the electric car sector and infrastructure will greatly reduce the nation’s import costs while also creating prospects for international investment and employment.

  • Bollywood actor shares ‘craziest Pakistani trip experience’, reveals getting away with alcohol by authorities

    Bollywood actor shares ‘craziest Pakistani trip experience’, reveals getting away with alcohol by authorities

    Bollywood actor Sumeet Vyas is currently gearing up for the release of his web show, Tripling 3. During the promotion of the series, he told IndiaToday.in exclusively about the craziest trips of his life.

    Going down memory lane, Sumeet also revealed how the immigration officers turned out to be gracious even when somebody from their team carried ‘alcohol’.

    The actor recalled his Pakistan trip, where he had been to perform a play. Opening up about it at length, the he said, “I have done a bunch of road trips in my life. One was actually the craziest. We had gone to Pakistan to perform a play and we had crossed the Wagah border on foot. And then, we took a car and went there. The company owners had specifically told us that don’t carry alcohol because it is not allowed in that country. But as luck would have it, somebody would carry it in their bag. But their immigration officers were very gracious. They asked, ‘ye kiska hai? we are keeping it with us. When you return, you can take it’. They put a label and kept it in their office.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEa7cv11Fb0&t=11s

    He further revealed, “After 15 days of the tour, when we came back, it was exactly there – the same quantity. And he [the immigration officer] remembered aapka ye reh gaya tha. ”

    Vyas garnered popularity after romancing Kareena Kapoor in Veere Di Wedding.

    Not Sumeet Vyas, this Pakistani actor was supposed to star opposite Kareena  Kapoor in Veere Di Wedding | Celebrities News – India TV

    Ironically he replaced Pakistani actors Danish Taimoor and Feroze Khan in the film who were in talks for the same role.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxTKP3BL9H8&t=7s
  • Madeha Naqvi lashes out at trolls for body-shaming her

    Madeha Naqvi lashes out at trolls for body-shaming her

    Anchor Madeha Naqvi took to her Instagram handle to hit out at trolls who body shame her ever since she has gained some weight post delivering her first child.

    The acclaimed host stated in an Instagram video, “This is my body, I have just given birth to a child so if I have become fat or chubby, it shouldn’t matter to you.”

    She asked further, “Why is it so easy for men to question a women’s body weight, can they even take out a stone from your body?”

    mediha naqvi

    Madeha married MQM-P Senator Faisal Subzwari in 2018.

    Madiha Naqvi Welcomes Baby Boy with Faisal Sabzwari.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxTKP3BL9H8&t=7s

    The two were blessed with a baby boy earlier this year.

  • Anti-polio campaign to start in Sindh from October 24

    Anti-polio campaign to start in Sindh from October 24

    Anti-polio campaign in Sindh will be carried out from October 24 to 30, it has been announced. Around 6.5 million children would be administered the polio vaccination.
    The anti-polio drive will be carried out with special focus on flood-affected areas.


    Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput chaired a meeting on the upcoming anti-polio campaign on Friday.
    The meeting was informed that despite widespread campaigns, environmental samples of polio genetic clusters have been discovered.

    Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said that the biggest challenge at the moment, in the wake of floods, is to reach every single child and vaccinate against polio.


    She continued by saying that a thorough plan is required to address both the places hit by the storm and those where water is still standing. Vaccinators might be sent there on boats to administer the drops to children.


    Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not yet been eradicated. To formally eradicate the disease, a nation must be polio-free for three consecutive years. Nigeria was declared free from wild polio in August 2020.

  • Pakistan’s removal from FATF grey list to help with its reputation and IMF’s next review

    Pakistan’s removal from FATF grey list to help with its reputation and IMF’s next review

    Experts predict that the country’s reputation would recover and it would get a credit rating upgrade from international agencies as Pakistan was taken off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) list of nations under increased monitoring.

    According to Geo, the removal will allow Pakistan to smoothly complete the forthcoming review of the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility since the International Monetary Fund (IMF) used the execution of FATF action plans as a structural benchmark.

    Pakistan has been removed off the FATF’s “grey list,” as was to be expected, but the nation will continue to cooperate with the organisation and the Asia Pacific Group to strengthen its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) framework. FATF made this announcement following the conclusion of its two-day meeting in Paris on Friday.

    Fitch downgrades Pakistan’s rating to CCC+

    Yet on the other side, Fitch Ratings lowered Pakistan’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to “CCC+” from “B-” on Friday, which experts believe is bad news for the nation’s recovery from the mega floods. The reversal comes as the country’s fragile economy continues to face challenges from all directions.

    The company claims that sovereign states with a grade of “CCC+” or lower do not normally receive outlooks. The primary factors that contributed to a downgrading, according to the agency, were increasing liquidity and policy concerns.

    “The downgrade reflects further deterioration in Pakistan’s external liquidity and funding conditions, and the decline of foreign exchange reserves,” Fitch Ratings said. “This is partly a result of widespread floods, which will undermine Pakistan’s efforts to rein in twin fiscal and current account deficits.”

  • ‘No state, entity, individual has the right to decide’: Malala comes out in support of Iranian women protesting against forced Hijab

    ‘No state, entity, individual has the right to decide’: Malala comes out in support of Iranian women protesting against forced Hijab

    Nobel laureate and social activist Malala Yousafzai has shared a video message to show solidarity with the women of Iran who are protesting for their rights.


    “No state, entity, individual has the right to decide what a woman should do with her body, what she should wear and how she should wear,” said Malala in the video message.
    “To the Iranian girls and young women who are in the streets to demand freedom and safety: You are already changing the world with your courage,” she wrote in the caption of the video.


    “Zan! Zendigi! Azadi! Women! Life! Freedom,” she added.

    Widespread protests have taken hold of Iran since the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who breathed her last in September after being arrested by a police unit responsible for forcing Iran’s strict dress code for women. She was taken into custody for not complying with hijab rules.


    Mahsa Amini was beaten while inside a police van when she was picked up in Tehran. Photographs of Mahsa lying in a hospital bed went viral, showing the young woman in a coma with her head wrapped in bandages and breathing through tubes.


    Since then, protests have spread across the country, including Tehran, Mashad,  Esfahan, Rasht, Keramn, Chabahar and Sanandaj. Human rights agencies have said that over 244 protestors, including 32 children, have been killed by security forces while 12,500 have been arrested.

  • Shan Masood sustains head injury during practice session in Australia

    Shan Masood sustains head injury during practice session in Australia

    During a practice session for the T20 World Cup in Australia, Pakistani batsman Shan Masood hit his head, following which he was reportedly taken for scans.

    A shot from his fellow team member Mohammad Nawaz struck Masood on the head and left him lying flat on the ground.

    In the picture posted on social media, it can be seen that Pakistani players and team staff surround Masood after the ball hit him on the head.

    https://twitter.com/AvinashArya09/status/1583385034475507712?s=20&t=Ej07viUSpI65lxg0wxXn8g

    The team’s Vice Captain Shadab Khan told reporters that he passed the tests taken by the physio. He has gone to the hospital for scans. Shadab hoped that Masood will stay fully fit.

    The 33-year-old batsman is regarded as a technically sound top-order batsman and has hit two half-centuries for Pakistan in 12 T20s since his debut in September.

    On Sunday, Pakistan will face its arch-rivals India in Melbourne.