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Author: News Desk

  • Oppo Pakistan to launch F21 pro with Sony’s “DSLR-like camera” on April 11

    Oppo Pakistan to launch F21 pro with Sony’s “DSLR-like camera” on April 11

    The Oppo F21 Pro will be released in Pakistan on April 11 at 4:30 pm, according to Oppo’s official website where it also exhibited the handset’s official design.

    According to rumors, the F21 Pro 4G is a rebranded Reno7 with Snapdragon 695 processor which may or may not be true as it is expected to come up with a newer chip.

    The phone will be available in Sunset Orange and Cosmic Black, according to the company. The latter has a Fibreglass-Leather design that “doubles as a frameless battery cover to make the phone thin, light, and sturdy”.

    To maintain fidelity and longevity, the leather-like material was put through rigorous stress tests using rubbing alcohol, rubber erasers, and even denim swatches.

    The Sunset Orange is only 7.54mm thick, while the Cosmic Black is 7.49mm thick, according to Oppo. Both are 175 grammes and features a 2.5D glass display.

    The device will have a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. It will run ColorOS 12.1, which is based on Android 11, and will be powered by a 4,500mAh battery with 33W SUPERVOOC fast charging.

    It will be equipped with a triple camera system, including a 64MP main rear camera, a 2MP macro lens camera, and a 2MP depth camera.

    In addition, an orbit light can be seen around one of the camera sensors that notify users of incoming notifications, calls, and other events. A 32 MP lens will be used on the front-facing camera from Sony.

    Oppo Pakistan wrote on its website, “Exclusively designed by OPPO and built with Sony hardware, the IMX709 front camera image sensor allows you to capture bright and clear images in the low light environment”.

    It sounds weird that the firm has placed the high-end camera on the front since it would have been better for the phonemaker’s sales and worth if the Sony camera had been placed at the back.

    Read more: Suzuki Pakistan increases bike prices by up to Rs15,000

    However, further information or official specifications of the upcoming ‘budget-flagship’ smartphone will be revealed in the next week.

  • US official Khan named behind ‘foreign conspiracy’ key person in IMF deals last year

    US official Khan named behind ‘foreign conspiracy’ key person in IMF deals last year

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has named Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu as the United States (US) representative who had the a meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador in the US, which led to the ‘threatening’ diplomatic cable.

    Khan said that the US had sent a threatening message through Pakistan’s Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan. He was quoted as saying that Donald Lu had reportedly in a meeting with Majeed warned that there could be implications if he survived the Opposition’s no-confidence motion tabled against him in the National Assembly.

    We are following developments in Pakistan and we respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law: Lu

    Indian newspaper, The Hindustan Times, interviewed Lu in Washington this Friday and asked him about reports that he was the US official to warn the Pakistani ambassador of the consequences if Imran Khan stays in power.

    Hindustan Times: “Let me move to the rest of the region and start with Pakistan. Imran Khan seems to suggest that you had a conversation with the Pakistani ambassador in the US and told him that if Imran Khan survives the no-confidence motion, Pakistan is in trouble and the US won’t forgive Pakistan. Any response?”

    Donald Lu said, “We are following developments in Pakistan and we respect and support Pakistan’s constitutional process and the rule of law.”

    The assistant secretary was asked, “Did you have such a conversation?” Lu replied, “That’s all I have for you on that question.”

    Who is Donald Lu?

    Donald Lu became Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs on September 15, 2021. Prior to this assignment, Assistant Secretary Lu served as the US Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic from 2018 to 2021.

    Lu is a Foreign Service Officer with more than 30 years of US government service.

    Samaa News reported, “Donald Lu’s last major interaction with a Pakistani official came in October 2021 when a Pakistani finance ministry delegation was holding talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington.”

    On October 15, Shaukat Tarin and Donald Lu held talks at the Pakistan embassy in Washington and the finance minister assured the US official that the PTI government would live up to its promise of economic reforms.

    Pakistan embassy also issued a statement on the meeting between Donald Lu and Shaukat Tarin.

    Ten days after the March 7 meeting, the date on which the government alleges to have received the threatening communique, Lu attended an event organised by the Pakistan Embassy on March 16 to recognise and appreciate prominent women who are leading in their respective fields.

    He addressed the event along with Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. In his tweet, Ambassador Majeed thanked Lu and Lee for sharing their perspectives.

  • Pakistan’s exports grew 25% in the last nine months

    Pakistan’s exports increased by 17.3 per cent in March 2021 to $2.773 billion, up from $2.365 billion in March 2021 and 25 per cent in the last nine months.

    The Prime Minister’s Adviser on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, said that exports increased by 25 per cent to $23.332 billion in the July-March fiscal year 2021-2022, compared to $18.688 billion in the same period last year, implying a $4.644 billion upsurge.

    On the other hand, according to preliminary data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), exports fell 2 per cent on a month-on-month (MoM) basis to $2.77 billion in March 2022, down from $2.82 billion in February 2022.

    Dawood said in a tweet, “We are glad to share that Pakistan’s exports for Mar-2022 grew by 17.3 per cent to $2.773 billion as compared to $2.365 billion Mar-2021. For Jul-Mar 2022, our exports grew by 25 per cent to $23.332 billion as compared to $18.688 billion in Jul-Mar 2021. This is an increase $4.644 billion”.

    While talking about the target for exports he added that “We expect to achieve our yearly target. The import figures would be shared when finalised by the PBS. We would like to congratulate our exporters for maintaining the momentum of exports under these testing times in the global market”.

    Pakistan’s current account deficit (CAD) decreased by 78.46 per cent to $545 million in February from $2.531 billion in January, owing primarily to a steep drop in imports.

    Read more: FBR records 29.1% growth during July 2021 to March 2022, despite providing ‘massive tax relief’

    Surprisingly, the CAD crossed the $12 billion level in the first eight months of FY22, showing no signs of improvement in the external account. The CAD was only $34 million in February 2021.

  • Name your candidate: President asks Khan, Shehbaz to give names for caretaker Prime Minister

    Name your candidate: President asks Khan, Shehbaz to give names for caretaker Prime Minister

    President Dr Arif Alvi has sent letters to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to seek suggestions for the appointment of a caretaker PM.

    The letter states that the caretaker PM will be appointed after the mutual consultation of the President, current PM, and Leader of the Opposition.

    The letter also mentions that if consultations fail, both government and the Opposition will nominate one person for the seat to a committee comprising both Govt and the Opposition.

    However, responding to the letter, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari questioned the President, saying that if there is no Assembly, then how can the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition exist name any caretaker prime minister? What would be the status of consultation between them?

    Bilawal also asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop this ‘coup’.

    A day earlier, Deputy Speaker National Assembly (NA) Qasim Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion against Khan, terming it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers” under Article 5.

    Following this development, Executives [Khan and Alvi] announced the dismissal of the National Assembly under Article 58. However, Imran Khan will remain seated as PM till the appointment of a caretaker PM.

  • 57 dead bodies found in mass grave in Ukraine town

    57 dead bodies were found buried in a mass grave in a town in Ukraine called Bucha. It is situated in the west of the city of Kyiv. The mass grave was found at the back of the church in the town center. Ukrainian troops recaptured the area from Russian forces on Sunday, reports Khaleej Times.

    According to the head of rescue services, Serhii Kaplychnyi, “Here in this long grave, 57 people are buried.” Kaplychnyi is also responsible for organising the recovery of the bodies.

    Some dead bodies were either partially covered by the earth or unburied completely. Some bodies were found in black zip-up bags while some were in civilian clothing.

    Russian forces were accused of a ‘deliberate massacre’ in the town by Ukraine authorities.

    A French media reporter claimed that he saw almost 20 dead bodies in civilian clothing which were scattered across the streets in town. One make dead body identified had his hands behind his back tied with a white piece of cloth.

    Germany also called for new European Union (EU) sanctions against Russia for killing innocent civilians in Bucha and called it a ‘war crime.’ The United Kingdom also called for an investigation of these brutal war crimes committed by Russia.

  • All eyes are on the Supreme Court: What can we expect today?

    With what seems like an uncalled-for use of power, the abrupt dismissal of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan is being termed an “unconstitutional trump card”. Citizens of Pakistan have serious reservations over how Article 5 has been used as an ‘excuse’ by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to effectively subvert the constitution.

    Pakistan is in a state of constitutional crisis and all eyes are on the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP). The main question is which way will the SCP direct the future of Pakistan? The two options that seem likely to emerge after the hearing will primarily shape the future politics and state of democracy in Pakistan.

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan is scheduled to hold a hearing on the suo motu notice taken by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial. A five-member Supreme Court bench will hear the case for and against the dismissal of the no-confidence motion yesterday. CJP Bandial will head the session starting at 1pm on Monday.

    If the apex court decides in favour of the Opposition

    If the five-member bench decides in favour of the Opposition, the NA session will reconvene and the Lower House will have to continue with the voting on the no-confidence motion tabled against PM Khan. If Khan loses the majority, he can no longer hold office. And that the apex court will call for a fresh election in a time period of six months.

    If the apex court decides in favour of the government

    If the honourable judges of the Supreme Court decide in favour of the government, then fresh elections will be called in a time of 90-120 days. Meanwhile, it is also being speculated that the apex court will remark that it has nothing to do with the parliament and that what does goes inside the assembly strictly stays within the assembly.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri, on Sunday, April 3, dismissed the no-trust motion against Khan, terming it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers”.

  • ‘Mubarak ho Pakistan’: PTI celebrates dismissal of no-confidence motion, festivities will continue for a week

    ‘Mubarak ho Pakistan’: PTI celebrates dismissal of no-confidence motion, festivities will continue for a week

    Senator Faisal Javed Khan has announced that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) will start celebrations near the Red zone area of Islamabad. The celebrations will continue for a week.

    He said that celebrations will start from today after Iftar. He also invited the party workers and their families.

    Faisal added that fireworks will also be part of the program.

    Read more– Explainer: Law says dismissing no-confidence motion is a big no-no

    The National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri on Sunday “dismissed” the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, terming it against Article 5 of the Constitution, the legal war began. PM Khan then addressed the nation, saying he had advised the President to dissolve the National Assembly, which the President approved.

  • PIA prohibits pilots and cabin crew from fasting during Ramzan

    PIA prohibits pilots and cabin crew from fasting during Ramzan

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has prohibited its pilots and cabin staff members from fasting during the holy month of Ramzan.

    As per a recent safety notice released by the national flag carrier, fasting is one of the key factors behind diminished human performance.

    The decision is part of the PIA’s in-flight safety measures, which were recently announced by Aamir Bashir, the PIA’s General Manager (GM) of Flight Services.

    In order to meet the physical and psychological demands of flying, a healthy diet is crucial for pilots. Human errors that result in plane crashes can be minimized by focusing on nutrition due to its strong connection with flying performance.

    On-duty pilots and flying crew members should consider several aspects such as tiredness, performance degradation, and refrain from fasting throughout Ramadan, keeping in view the safety of the innocent lives (passengers and other staff).

    In addition to this, the administration has also allowed pilots and cabin crew members to apply for leave who do not wish to give up fasting during the month of Ramadan.

    Read more: Man hacks airline’s website after he lost his baggage

    Lastly, it also noted that non-compliance with the directive could result in the suspension or cancellation of the flying crew’s licenses.

  • Explainer: Law says dismissing no-confidence motion is a big no-no

    Explainer: Law says dismissing no-confidence motion is a big no-no

    Pakistan is in a state of political chaos as the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was dismissed abruptly on Sunday. The move came after National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri termed it “unconstitutional”, saying that it was backed by “foreign powers”.

    Suri then quickly disallowed voting on the no-confidence motion and adjourned the session. Later, on PM Khan’s advice, President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly, with the premier asking the nation to get ready for fresh polls.

    After the nation was left in shock, there was much talk about the “unconstitutional trump card” used by PM Khan.What everyone wants to know is: did Khan subvert the constitution of Pakistan?

    Lawyer Salaar Khan tweeted a brief comprehension of the constitutional premise of what happened on Sunday, April 3, which went viral on Twitter.

    “Instead of allowing the vote to proceed against the Prime Minister, the Deputy Speaker dismissed the resolution. After this, the President was able to dissolve the National Assembly on the PM’s advice,” tweeted Salaar.

    “Under Article 58 of the Constitution, the President may dissolve the National Assembly on the PM’s advice. However, a PM against whom a vote of no confidence ‘has not been voted upon’ cannot ask the President to dissolve the house,” wrote Salaar.

    “To get around this, the Deputy Speaker first ‘dismissed’ the no-confidence resolution submitted against the PM. He did this on the basis of a personal interpretation of Article 5, which provides for loyalty to the state.”

    “The rather feeble argument here was that because the letter that Pakistan had received from the US suggested a regime change would improve relations, the vote of the no-confidence motion, itself, was against anti-state,” said the lawyer.

    “The irony, of course, is that Article 5 also provides for obedience to the Constitution – which was arguably violated in the process of the dismissal of the no-confidence motion.”

    “Procedurally, a ‘motion’ for no-confidence is first moved and, if leave is granted, it becomes a ‘resolution’. Under the Rules of Business in the National Assembly, there is no provision that actually allows a Speaker or Deputy Speaker to dismiss a resolution.”

    “In fact, the role of the Speaker is very clearly defined in Schedule 2 of the Rules of Business in the NA, and is essentially limited, in a VoNC, to announcing the result.”

    “And so, because the Speaker can’t dismiss a resolution for a VoNC, there is still a VoNC that has not been ‘voted upon’ by the Prime Minister. Consequently, the PM could not have advised that the assembly be dissolved under Article 58.”

    “In fact, in doing so, it may even be argued that he not only violated Article 5, by not obeying the Constitution but also subverted the Constitution under Article 6. It is, however, important to note that Article 6 is often used rather flippantly in common parlance.”

    “Finally, is the question of what the SC may do in all of this. One provision of the Constitution that has been mentioned a lot is Article 69, which bars courts from interfering in certain Parliamentary proceedings.”

    “However, the SC has laid out exceptions to this bar. Courts can interfere where there is not an ‘irregularity’ but a ‘patent illegality’, where there is clear mala fide, or where the matter in question affects the composition of the house, itself (such as in Farzand Ali).”

    “But while the SC may well find that it can interfere, how far it will go is another question. In theory, the SC could find the dissolution to be without legal effect and even order voting to resume on the VoNC. But given recent precedent, that may be a long shot.”

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan took suo moto notice of the Assembly proceedings on Sunday, April 3, and restrained the state institutions as well as the political parties from taking any unconstitutional acts and exploiting the situation.

  • Man burns wife alive for not giving birth to a son

    Man burns wife alive for not giving birth to a son

    On Sunday, a man from Gujranwala, Punjab, named Ateeq burned his wife alive for not giving birth to a son, reports ARY. The incident took place in the Kot Shekju area of Gujranwala. He had three daugthers.

    The man’s sister-in-law allegedly supported him in the crime. According to authorities, after killing his wife, Ateeq fled the scene with his three daughters.

    Read more- Man murders girlfriend over a small argument

    Meanwhile, the deceased woman’s body has been taken to a nearby hospital for a post-mortem examination. In addition, the police have filed a murder charge against Ateeq under section 302 of Pakistan’s penal code.