Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Pakistan secures four-months to comply with FATF agenda

    To exit the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Pakistan has been given another four months (until June 2020) to achieve a 27-point action plan, DAWN reported.

    As measures taken by Pakistan in relation to the action plan have been appreciated at the group meetings, according to the report, all members are satisfied with the progress so far and there is no case at all for Pakistan to be blacklisted.

    Pakistan has been given an eight-point action plan to comply in the foreseeable future:

    1. Demonstrate that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of AML/CFT (anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism) violations relating to terrorist financing (TF) risk management and TF standard obligations
    2. Demonstrate that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services
    3. Demonstrate the implementation of cross-border currency and BNI controls at all ports of entry, including applying effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions,
    4. Demonstrate that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are identifying and investigating the widest range of TF activity and that TF investigations and prosecutions target designated persons and entities and those acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities
    5. Demonstrate that TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions
    6. Demonstrate effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions (supported by a comprehensive legal obligation) against all 1,267 and 1,373 designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable) and prohibiting access to funds and financial services
    7. demonstrate enforcement against TF standard violations, including administrative and criminal penalties, and provincial and federal authorities cooperating on enforcement cases
    8. Demonstrate that facilities and services owned or controlled by designated persons are deprived of their resources and the usage of the resources.

    To swiftly comply with the benchmarks, meetings are already being held at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) and the Ministry of Interior, and an implementation strategy has been shared with Islamabad’s delegation in Paris.

  • PM House’s conversion into university to cost taxpayers over Rs35 billion

    PM House’s conversion into university to cost taxpayers over Rs35 billion

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s plan of converting the Prime Minister (PM) House into a modern university is likely to cost over Rs35 billion as new buildings will be constructed over 50 acres of land.

    According to a report in Profit, Pakistan Science and Technology Task Force, which is looking into the proposed university project, estimated an initial cost of over Rs35 billion for the university, however, a feasibility study for the said project is yet to be conducted.

    The report quoted officials at the Ministry of Planning and Development as saying that an important meeting on the planned project was held at the ministry on Thursday, which was chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar.

    The meeting was also attended by Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, Pakistan Science and Technology Task Force Chairperson Prof Dr Attaur Rehman, Member Science and Technology Dr Hussain Abidi and senior officials from the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

    According to the officials, Prof Dr Rehman briefed the participants about the latest developments in the establishment of the university at the PM House. The ministers were informed that the planned university will have three centres of excellence and eight departments with a special focus on innovation and technology development. The university will accommodate more than 1,000 PhDs and PostDoc fellows along with 200 faculty members.

    He also elaborated that a budget of Rs200 million was required to conduct an initial feasibility study.

    The planning minister noted that the manufacturing sector in Pakistan needs to be supported through cutting edge and latest technologies in order to make them more competitive. He directed the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) to form a special committee to ensure that the university focuses on relevant technologies that can support the manufacturing industry in Pakistan. He said that there should be no delay in the establishment of the University as it is a high priority project.

    The planning minister was also briefed about the scholarships that will be offered at the university.

    Sources said that since the premier wants fast-track progress on the project, the concerned ministries and authorities have expedited initial work on the proposed university. The university was among PM Imran Khan’s election promises and was also included in the manifesto of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which was released before 2018’s general election.

    Initially, the incumbent government faced great difficulty in going ahead with the proposal because the PM House is located in a highly sensitive area and red zone of the federal capital, but the premier insisted that the university be built there.

    To build the new university, the government also needed to change the master plan of the capital for carrying out new/additional construction on the land adjacent to the PM House. To deal with this, the federal cabinet approved a specific change to the master plan of Islamabad last year.

  • VIDEO: President forgets names of Balochistan governor, CM during speech

    In a rather embarrassing development, President Dr Arif Alvi has forgotten the names of Balochistan Governor Amanullah Khan Yasinzai and Chief Minister (CM) Jam Kamal Khan, calling them Amanullah Khan Yousafzai and Jamal Khan Aliani instead.

    The blunder by the president came as he greeted attendees at the inaugural ceremony of the historic Sibi Mela 2020, but went unnoticed by many until Twitterati pointed it out and said it was “just the ignorant attitude of the people of Pakistan towards the country’s southwestern region of Balochistan”.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://twitter.com/sardarjamali/status/1230300542301331456

    Earlier, addressing the inaugural ceremony, the president said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would open up new avenues of progress and prosperity and change destiny of the country, especially Balochistan.

    He said the construction of Gwadar deep seaport, airport, oil refinery, important corridors and economic zones would provide job opportunities to the people of Balochistan, which would end poverty and bring prosperity to them.

    He said that Gwadar would emerge as a new developed part on the world’s map.

    President Alvi said that Balochistan was the most-affected area in the war against terrorism where the local people suffered a lot, adding the federal government was paying special attention to the construction and development of the province to end the sense of deprivation of the local people.

    He also said security forces of the country valiantly fought the war against militancy and terrorism and brought peace to the motherland, adding the terrorists would not succeed in their nefarious designs. Alvi said promotion of agriculture and livestock was need of the hour and the present government was fully concentrating on it as these two sectors were a big source of employment to the local people.

  • PPP Senator Rehman Malik is making a movie

    PPP Senator Rehman Malik is making a movie

    Former Interior Minister and a prominent member of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Rehman Malik has announced that he is working on a film to highlight Indian atrocities in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK).

    According to reports, Malik will not only produce a full feature film but he will also be penning the script for it. The film will be based on his book Bleeding Kashmir that was launched on Tuesday.

    Speaking to The Current, the Senator shared that a script is being finalised.

    When asked who he wants to cast in his film, he shared that he is working with his contacts “abroad and local”.

    “I will continue to fight for oppressed Kashmiris,” remarked Malik, when asked why he is making the film.

    Further details regarding the film have not yet been revealed as of now.

    Meanwhile, Malik’s book Bleeding Kashmir aims to present an unfiltered account of bloodshed in IoK. The book has been dedicated to the martyrs of Kashmir and the victims of Indian brutalities especially Insha Mushtaq who lost her eyes as a result of the injuries sustained due to the aggression by Indian Armed Forces in held Kashmir but did not discontinue education.

    Malik also announced that the proceeds from the book will go to the Shuhadas (martyrs) Foundation.

  • The Lahore Literary Festival: What’s it all about?

    The Lahore Literary Festival: What’s it all about?

    The Current’s special contributor, senior journalist Razeshta Sethna, spoke to Razi Ahmed, the founder of the Lahore Literary Festival about the ethos behind the fest and the challenges overcome in making it successful for the past eight years.

    Q) What’s the overall ethos/or underlying theme for LLF this year?

    LLF is a civil society initiative which stands for intellectual stimulation and honouring Lahore’s rich literary and cultural traditions. It is an entirely private event, with no government support, run for the city of Lahore as a free and open-to-public event.

    READ MORE: The LLF schedule is out and here is what we are most excited about

    The popular Hall One where all the big sessions take place

    Q)In the past eight years, LLF has come a long way despite the challenges, so what’s been the hardest one you’ve had to contend with and why?

    LLF has faced hardships which are common to many platforms in places like India and Bangladesh too. It is collective teamwork, indeed, coupled with a strong mission to serve and contribute to the society that have enabled the team at LLF to surmount the challenges.

    RELATED: LLF organisers respond to criticism ‘for blocking certain Twitter handles’

    We have over eight years of LLF honoured the great Pakistani writers and poets, including, among others, Intizar Hussain, Bapsi Sidhwa, Abdullah Hussein, Zehra Nigah, Amjad Islam Amjad and Asghar Nadeem Syed.

    Q) What sessions will you be going to this year? Your top three picks?

    All.

    *LLF will commence on Friday Feb 21st at the Alhamra Arts Center on Mall Road,

    The three-day event, culminating on February 23, 2020, will continue its tradition of hosting eminent writers, historians, artists and opinion makers from Pakistan and abroad with over a hundred speakers and 63 sessions.

    This year’s festival will include Pakistani author Fatima Bhutto, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature Orhan Pamuk, Oyinkan Braithwaite, who was long-listed for the Man Booker 2019; author Musharraf Ali Farooqi, who will launch his latest book, The Merman and the Book of Power; novelist and poet Nitasha Kaul, who has written on the plight of Kashmir in Modi’s India; and Adrian Hayes, who will launch One Man’s Climb, a book about his journey to reach the summit of K2.

    DOWNLOAD THE FULL SCHEDULE HERE:Download
  • Mobile accessory prices rise in Pakistan as coronavirus grips China

    Mobile accessory prices rise in Pakistan as coronavirus grips China

    Markets that depend on Chinese imports are running out of supplies as production in China hasn’t resumed due to coronavirus fears.

    Electronics importers in Pakistan are concerned since most of the supplies they imported from China are almost finished. This includes mobile phone hardware, accessories and spare electronic parts.

    The market has responded to the lessening supplies by raising prices. LCD screens for mobile phones that cost between Rs900 and Rs1,000 now cost Rs1,800. Supplies are also running out.

    A 30% price hike has been recorded for mobile accessories but so far, there are enough supplies for a month.

    A notification by New Asia International Electronic & Digital City, said the delay was “in order to ensure the health and life safety of merchants and customers”.

    Many business-to-business dealers are concerned as supplies were to resume on February 22, which they say would have lightened the demand pressure. Instead, they received messages from their suppliers in China saying that the goods would be delayed indefinitely.

    One of the importers said, “I think we will not get any supplies now until March 6. That, too, if we are lucky.”

    He facilitates all types of imports, including garments, jewelry and electronics. He said that even now the production units in China have not reopened as coronavirus fears are rampant.

    “People are still concerned and production units are empty in China as the virus has not been contained,” he said.

    He also said that a phone brand with a customer base in Pakistan has totally run out of its phones since all its assembly units are in China.

  • Former Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha attends a wedding in Lahore

    Former Bollywood actor Shatrughan Sinha attends a wedding in Lahore

    Amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions, former Bollywood actor and ex-BJP member Shatrughan Sinha was spotted attending a wedding in Lahore. Videos and pictures of him have gone viral on social media.

    Reema was also seen sharing the frame with him in the video.

    Further details regarding his visit have not yet been revealed. However, some media outlets have reported that the former actor is here on a two-day visit on the invitation of prominent businessman Mian Asad Ehsan, who is the father of the groom. Mian Ehsan, a celebrated filmmaker, is the grandfather of the groom. The filmmaker is associated with iconic films such as Mukhra (1958) Insaan (1966), and Mahal (1968). It is also being reported that Sinha will be meeting key political persons in the country.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8wkDotA0wA/

    Sinha’s visit comes as a surprise, especially considering that last year, the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) had banned and boycotted Mika Singh from the film industry after the singer performed at a wedding in Pakistan. Since then, Bollywood and Indian actors have refrained from interacting with Pakistani artists or people.

    The relationship between the two neighbouring countries went from bad to worse after the Modi government scrapped Article 370 stripping Indian-occupied Kashmir of its special status. The valley has been under lockdown ever since.

  • Pakistani salesman wins Bentley worth millions in Dubai airport draw

    A Pakistani expat, who works as a salesman in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has won a 2020 model of the luxury Bentley Bentayga V8 worth millions of rupees in the Dubai Duty Free (DDF) raffle draw.

    According to Gulf News, Anjum Ashraf of Karachi won the luxury vehicle worth millions (Dh1 million or Rs45 million) at the DDF draw held on Tuesday, February 18.

    His winning ticket number 1676 was picked from the series 1747, announced DDF — the company responsible for the duty-free operations at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.

    Ashraf earns Dh7,000 (around Rs300,000) as a salesman. Needless to say that he is excited with the win. “I still cannot believe it,” he happily shared.

    In a similar bid, an Indian man named Jagdish Ramnani, 42, became the latest million dollar winner at the DDF draw along with Nazeerunnisa Fazal Mohammad, 37, hailing from Hyderabad who won an Aprilla Dorsoduro 900 (motorbike).

    Mohammad, who is currently working as a software engineer, has been regularly buying the DDF tickets and she bought her winning ticket on January 10 online.

    “I have been trying my luck for the million dollar series, hopefully it will be soon,” she said.

  • Traffic plan for Karachi during PSL 5 matches

    Traffic plan for Karachi during PSL 5 matches

    Karachi Police have released a traffic plan for Pakistan Super League (PSL) cricket matches scheduled to be played at the National Stadium today.

    For those heading to the National Stadium to watch their favourite players in the ground, they can park their vehicles at the parking spots after showing their tickets and CNIC.

    Parking lots and routes

    Those coming from central and west districts such as Liaquatabad No 10 can use Hassan Square, take a left at University Road and park their vehicles at Expo Centre. From there, audience will be taken to the stadium via a shuttle bus.

    Those travelling from Malir and East districts can use Safoora and NIPA while those coming from Sohrab Goth via Gulshan Chowrangi can use Gulshan Chowrangi, take a left at University Road, AG Sindh U-Turn, then again University Road and park their vehicles. From there they will be shifted to the area adjacent to Expo Centre through a shuttle bus

    Those travelling from East and Malir districts coming from Drigh Road via Shahrah-e-Faisal can use Drigh Road, take a right turn at Rashid Minhas Road, left turn to Millennium Mall and park their automobiles at the Gharib Nawaz Football Stadium near Millennium Mall. From there they will be shifted to Bahria University adjacent the National Stadium via shuttle bus.

    People coming  from South, City, West and Korangi/Defence districts and areas via Shahrah-e-Faisal can use Sharah-e-Faisal, Shahrah-e-Quaideen, Allah Wali Chowrangi, Society Light Signal, PP Chowrangi, University Road, Hassan Square, Baitul Mukaram U-turn, Expo Centre Gate 1 and then park their vehicles at Rana Liaquat Ali Khan Girls College from where they will go out from the Expo Centre Gate No 2 of the stadium or Shahrah-e-Faisal, Drigh Road, Rashid Minhas, NIPA, University Road to Expo Centre’s Gate No.1.

    Those travelling from Central and West districts coming from Nazimabad and Liaquatabad No10 can use Hassan Square, take a left towards University Road, Baitul Mukaram U-turn, Expo Centre Gate 1 and park their vehicles at the Expo Centre, KDA Club and China Ground from where they will go out from Expo Centre’s Gate No 2 for the stadium.

    Diversions

    Karsaz: Traffic coming from Nursery shall not be allowed to proceed to Habib Ibrahim Rehmat ullah Road towards Stadium (Sir Shah Suleman Road). These vehicles will be diverted towards Drigh Road, Sharea Faisal, left turn Rashid Minhas Road, Millennium to NIPA.

    Millennium: Traffic from Rashid Minhas Road shall not be permitted to proceed towards the stadium.

    These vehicles will be diverted towards NIPA, Askari-IV (Millennium), Drigh Road to Shahrah-e-Faisal or Millennium, NIPA to Safoora Chowrangi or NIPA to Gulshan Chowrangi to Sohrab Goth.

    New Town Chowrangi: From University Road, all kinds of traffic will not be allowed to proceed to Stadium Road from New Town Chowrangi turning. Traffic will be diverted towards Jail, Shaheed-e-Millat or straight towards PP Chowrangi. Public coming from Aga Khan Hospital and Liaquat National Hospital will be allowed from the New Town PS side.

    University Road, Shaheed-e-Millat Road and Rashid Minhas Road will remain open for traffic. All commuters from Central, East, Malir, South and West can use the Lyari Expressway’s both sides from Mirza Adam Khan Chowk, Mauripur Road up to Sohrab Goth.

    Heavy traffic

    Heavy traffic will not be allowed from Sohrab Goth to Nipa, Liquatabad No 10 to Hassan Square, Peoples Chowrangi towards University road.

    Traffic coming from Shahar-e-Faisal shall not be permitted to proceed towards Stadium.

    These vehicles will be diverted towards NIPA, Askari-IV (Millennium), Drigh Road to Shara-e-Faisal or Millennium, NIPA to Safora Chowrangi or NIPA to Gulshan Chowrangi to Sohrab Goth.

    Vehicles entering from University Road shall not be permitted to proceed towards Stadium Road from New Town Chowrangi turning and it will be diverted towards Jail Road, Shaheed-e-Millat or straight to Peoples Chowrangi.

    Traffic coming to Aga Khan Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital will be allowed from New Town PS.

  • Pakistan declared world’s most affordable country to live in

    Pakistan has been declared the world’s most affordable country to live in, while Bangladesh is the most expensive country in South Asia and Switzerland the most expensive in the world.

    CEOWORLD — one of the world’s leading business magazines for high-level executive professionals and business leaders — has declared Pakistan the world’s most affordable country to live in, followed by Afghanistan, India, Syria, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tunisia, Dhaka Tribune reported.

    Source: CEOWORLD

    Meanwhile, European countries were prominent on the list of most expensive ones. Of the top 20 nations, nine were in Europe, five in Asia, one in North America and Africa each, two in the Caribbean and two in Oceania. 

    Norway ranks second in the list of the world’s most expensive countries to live in, followed by Iceland, Japan, Denmark, Bahamas, Luxembourg, Israel, Singapore and South Korea.

    A little further down in the list, there is the United States (US) at the 20th position, the United Kingdom (UK) at 27th, Saudi Arabia at 57th and Russia at 82nd.

    The rankings are based on five major metrics — cost of living, rent, groceries, eating out and purchasing power. To identify the world’s most and least expensive countries to live in, the magazine collected and reviewed data from dozens of studies, numbers of consumer price index, cost of living index and numerous national and international media reports. 

    The data was then compiled into an index, using the notoriously expensive city of New York City (NYC) as a benchmark. New York was given an index score of 100. So a country with a score higher than 100 is more expensive than New York, while below signals less expensive.