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Author: News Desk

  • Nine Pakistani female entrepreneurs flying to US for mentoring, networking

    Nine Pakistani female entrepreneurs flying to US for mentoring, networking

    A programme financed by the United States (US) Embassy and introduced by the Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE) Islamabad, sent nine Pakistani women entrepreneurs to the US this week.

    The Accelerator Programme for Women Entrepreneurs is a one-of-a-kind training programme and competition that offers women-owned Pakistani start-ups exposure to American business tools, coaching, and mentorship.

    450 women-owned companies responded enthusiastically to the programme. The top 12 start-ups were chosen for a 15-week Founders Institute Acceleration Programme after a comprehensive round of mentoring sessions and pitching contests.

    Nine women entrepreneurs were chosen from among the 12 start-ups for an in-person acceleration exchange. Women entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to attend important conferences and visit the offices of big corporations like as Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and PayPal during their tour.

    They’ll also stop by 9 Mile Labs, Kiwi Tech, Angel Pad, and Alchemist, all of which are situated in the United States. Throughout the eight-week programme, the participants will have many networking opportunities and will pitch to selected US-based investors on both the east and west coasts.

    Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin-Ul-Haque said that this initiative offers Pakistani women entrepreneurs connectivity to global startups and foreign investors, speaking at a ceremony organised by the TIE Islamabad chapter before the departure of the Pakistani women entrepreneurs to the United States.

  • ‘My mother always told me never ever sell your country,’ says Shoaib Akhtar

    ‘My mother always told me never ever sell your country,’ says Shoaib Akhtar

    The former Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar in an interview stated that his mother constantly counseled him to protect Pakistan’s pride.

    Akhtar also revealed that 12 of his fellow players had been engaged in match-fixing but he said nothing.

    “I can’t stand lying, so I’ve never fixed or even considered fixing a game,” he explained. “Match-fixing was a problem for 12 of my former teammates. I was aware, but I said nothing. ‘Never ever sell your nation,’ my mum used to say “cricketer-turned-YouTuber expressed his sentiments.

    Conversely, Akhtar, who is known for his strong words and anger, claimed that he have hit the umpires and batters with the bat at least 30-40 times.

    Shoaib Akhtar reflected on his background and said he had seen a lot of unfairness. He mentioned the 1999 World Cup, when Steve Waugh was plumb out but the umpire denied the appeal, provoking him to kick his leg and even scream at him.

  • Journalist turned politician, Fahd Husain appointed as SAPM to PM Shehbaz

    Journalist turned politician, Fahd Husain appointed as SAPM to PM Shehbaz

    Senior journalist and columnist Fahd Husain has been appointed as Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Shehbaz Sharif.

    The Cabinet Division issued the notification following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s approval on Friday.

    Image of notification

    “The Prime Minister, in terms of rule 4(6) of Rules of Business, 1973, has been pleased to appoint Syed Fahd Husain as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister with the status of Federal Minister, with immediate effect,” read a notification of his appointment.

    Fahd Hussain will have the portfolio in Public Policy and Strategic Communication.

    Husain has previously served as the Resident Editor of Dawn newspaper in Islamabad.

    He has spent three decades in the field of journalism. Husain has been a newspaper reporter, editor, columnist, television anchor, and news director during his time as a journalist.

  • Petrol prices likely to go up to Rs190 per litre from May 16

    Petrol prices likely to go up to Rs190 per litre from May 16

    The government is considering gradually withdrawing the petroleum product subsidy ahead of talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the renewal of the $6 billion loan programme, reports Geo News.

    According to the sources of Geo News, the government has received a summary from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) for the POL prices from May 16. According to individuals familiar with the situation, the government is likely to progressively phase away subsidies on all petroleum products, with a decision on fuel prices for the next two weeks due on Sunday.

    If the government removes all subsidies on petrol, the price will rise to Rs190 per litre.

    Similarly, the government is subsidising fuel at Rs73.04 per litre and kerosene at Rs43.16 per litre. If the subsidy is removed, diesel and kerosene prices will rise to Rs230 and Rs176 per litre, respectively.

    Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif dismissed the proposal from OGRA to raise the price of petroleum products.

  • Heatwave intensifies, Disaster Management Authorities on high alert

    Heatwave intensifies, Disaster Management Authorities on high alert

    Keeping in view the meteorological department’s prognosis of a heatwave for the coming week, the Punjab government issued an advisory on Friday, requesting that all relevant ministries in the province take steps to mitigate the effects of the heat.

    The provincial and district crisis management agencies have been activated across the province to avert health-related occurrences, according to Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, who issued an advisory to several ministries.

    Hospitals and the emergency service Rescue 1122 have also been placed on high alert, he said. For sensitive areas, temporary water-drinking sites and early reaction centers, according to the chief secretary, should be erected. He urged individuals to take all necessary precautions to protect themselves from the heatwave and to heed the health department’s advice.

    The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has already issued a warning for severe heatwave conditions in upper, central, and southern Punjab during the next week.

    Read more: Rescue 1122 service to officially launch in Karachi this month

    From May 15, a high-pressure system is expected to hold the upper atmosphere, according to the Met Office.

    Day temperatures are expected to rise to 7-9 degrees Celsius above normal owing to the high pressure in upper Punjab, and 6-8 degrees Celsius beyond average in the central and south Punjab, during the heatwave.

  • ‘She scolded me’: Nida Yasir makes revelations about tiff with Shagufta Ejaz over referring to her as ‘auntie’

    ‘She scolded me’: Nida Yasir makes revelations about tiff with Shagufta Ejaz over referring to her as ‘auntie’

    Morning show host Nida Yasir has exclusively opened up about her tiff with senior actor Shagufta Ejaz.

    Nida revealed that when she was young and working as a leading lady she referred to the Chaudhry & Sons star as auntie because Ejaz has worked in her father’s dramas and she used to refer all his actresses as auntie out of respect.

    She spilled the beans in our latest interview, watch out:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgHd8GLDUc8&t=3s

    However this didn’t sit down well with Shagufta (51 years old), who took her to a corner and told her to not refer her as auntie on the sets. The senior actress played the role of Nida’s mother in the play.

    Nida confessed, “I realized i shouldn’t have called her auntie on the sets but I used to do it out of respect, even with other actresses like Bushra Ansari and Rubina Ashraf.”

    “Unho ne mujhe start me hi tok diya, it was my mistake.”

    Now even I will tell my juniors to not refer to me as Nida auntie.”

    Earlier this year she responded to a troll as he made some ageist remarks in the comment section of her latest post.

    Earlier a netizen commented on the Nadaaniyaan star’s picture, writing: “Buddhay ho kr aisay hi bright colours pehnnay ko dil karta hai. All sympathies to you.”

    Replying to the troll, the morning show host said: “Age is just a number. I have no age complex, so don’t be frustrated.”

  • Federal Govt teachers demand pay raise, promotion

    Federal Govt teachers demand pay raise, promotion

    Federal government employees have warned to hold another sit-in in the federal capital if their demands for salary increments and promotions are not met by May 23.

    They voiced the statement during a rally in front of Parliament House organised by the All-Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA), where a significant number of teachers showed up, responding to the Federal Government College Teachers Association’s call (FGCTA).

    Dr Nazir Ahmed Bhutta, the FGCTA’s General Secretary, urged the government to fulfill its promise made last year in February.

    As per the agreement, all perks or allowances should be combined with basic salaries, employees should be given timely promotion and raise, including pay and pension adjustments should be implemented to minimise wage discrepancy.

    Professor Tahir Bhatti, president of the FGCTA (local unit of H-9 College), demanded the return of the Saturday weekly off for government employees who, he claimed, couldn’t afford to work six days a week due to a large increase in fuel prices in recent months.

    To preserve electricity, he believes the government should proclaim Saturday as a holiday.

    Professor Farhan Azam, senior vice-president of the FGCTA, noted that the remuneration of employees in different departments differed significantly, causing resentment among lesser-paid staff of the same grade. He proposed that professionals of the same status should have the same pay and privileges.

    Rehman Bajwa, AGEGA’s chief coordinator, cautioned that if the employees’ demands were not met by May 23, they would take to the streets after speaking with their management.

  • Establishment is calling me, but I’ve blocked their numbers: Khan

    Establishment is calling me, but I’ve blocked their numbers: Khan

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan claimed Friday that the establishment is messaging him but he is not ready to talk to them, adding that he has blocked their numbers.

    “I am not going to speak to anyone until the date for the elections is announced,” the ex-premier said while speaking to journalists.

    Anchorperson Shahzad Iqbal said Imran Khan told media persons that when he referred to neutrals, he meant none other than the country’s powerful establishment.

    “I couldn’t even think that corruption was not an issue for powerful quarters and they would impose these criminals on the country, but unfortunately, that happened,” the ex-premier said, according to Shahzad Iqbal.

    “Instead of handing over the reins of power to these people, it would have been better if an atomic bomb had been dropped on Pakistan.”

    The PTI chairman said he had learned about the “conspiracy” in June last year, but unfortunately, “all the decisions” were made to weaken his government — and it was eventually sent packing.

    The former prime minister said “powerful quarters” wanted Usman Buzdar removed as the chief minister, but he would tell them that there was “more corruption and governance issues in Sindh”.

    Addressing PTI workers in Mardan, Khan said that he was ousted from power through a conspiracy hatched jointly by America and Pakistani Opposition parties’ leaders. He said he sent former finance minister Shaukat Tarin to ‘neutrals’ to stop the conspiracy being hatched against his government, as otherwise Pakistan’s economy would be ruined.


    But the ‘neutrals’ did not play their role to block the way of conspirators, he said, adding that a no-confidence move was allowed to succeed to replace him with “looters and plunderers”.

    “I know very well who conspired against me. The face of every Mir Jaffar who conspired against me is written on my heart,” said Khan.

    Talking about Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Khan said that he knew about telephonic conversations between Bilawal’s mother, Benazir Bhutto, who used to tell Bilawal on phone calls about where their money is abroad. “Bilawal is going to America and he will only ask them to help him. He will ask for money because they [ fear] Imran Khan will be back.”

  • Pakistan to do rapid antigen tests for flights from the Gulf

    Pakistan to do rapid antigen tests for flights from the Gulf

    Passengers, traveling from Gulf states and Saudi Arabia will be randomly screened (Rapid Antigen Test) at Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad airports beginning Saturday, just days after the first case of Omicron sub-variant was identified in Pakistan.

    The National Institute of Health’s Centre for Disease Control in Islamabad, which made the decision in the wake of the Omicron sub-variant, advised the authorities to maintain a careful eye on surveillance and monitoring at entrance points.

    Initially, Rapid Antigen Testing will be conducted on 10 to 15 passengers arriving on planes with 150 seats and between 15 and 20 passengers arriving on planes with a minimum capacity of 250 seats.

    On May 10, Pakistan detected its first case of Omicron sub-variant, the National Institute of Health (NIH) announced.

    The National Command Operation Centre (NCOC), which was tackling Covid-19 in Pakistan, was shut down on March 31.

    On March 16, NCOC decided to lift all the Covid-19 related restrictions amid the decline in cases.

  • After Arbaaz-Malaika, Sohail-Seema file for divorce after 24 years of marriage

    After Arbaaz-Malaika, Sohail-Seema file for divorce after 24 years of marriage

    Actor-producer Sohail Khan and his wife, designer Seema Khan, filed for divorce on Friday. The couple married in 1998 and have two children together. The duo was spotted leaving the family court in Mumbai.

    The couple has been besieged with separation rumours for a long time now. Seema Khan was a part of ‘The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives‘ where the couple was shown as living separately. Seema had later called their marriage as ‘unconventional’ and said, “I will just say this much, because it’s out there, that whatever you see in the show, is the absolute truth. It is what it is, that’s all I want to say about it.”

    Sohail Khan & Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives Star Seema Khan File For Divorce After 24 Years Of Marriage, Snapped Outside Family Court!

    On the show, she had also addressed speculation around their marriage. “It’s just that sometimes when you grow older, your relationships meanders and goes into different directions. I make no apologies about it because we are happy and my kids are happy. Sohail and I are not a conventional marriage but we are a family. We are a unit. For us, him and me and our children matter at the end of the day,” he said.

    The year was 1998. Sohail Khan met then-Seema Sachdev while shooting for Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. Sparks flew and the two ended up having the filmiest dating scenes and then marriage. In fact, so filmy that the two eloped to get married after Seema’s family opposed their relationship. 24 years later, Sohail and Seema filed for divorce at a family court in Mumbai on Friday, May 13. Amid this, here’s an account of how they met, fell in love and ran away from their houses to get married.

    The duo was spotted leaving a family court in Mumbai after filing for divorce. They got married in 1998. Seema and Sohail had the filmiest love story. It was on the sets of Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan and Kajol’s Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya that Sohail and Seema met for the first time. Delhi-based Seema had shifted to Mumbai to pursue a career in fashion designing. Soon after, they started dating.

    Seema’s family was against her and Sohail’s relationship. Despite the refusal, the former couple eloped and allegedly got married at an Arya Samaj wedding. In the evening on the same day, they had a nikah ceremony. However, both Seema and Sohail’s families accepted their relationship and marriage. They later welcomed sons Nirvaan in 2000 and Yohan in 2011.