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Author: News Desk

  • Pakistani rupee ends week with a loss of 12 paisa against the US dollar

    Pakistani rupee ends week with a loss of 12 paisa against the US dollar

    The Pakistani rupee (PKR), on its last trading day of the week, managed to resume the trend of minor gains.

    According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the PKR rose by 15.29 paisa against the US dollar (USD) and ended Friday’s trading session at Rs277.64.

    As compared to the last closing of Rs277.79, the PKR recorded a not-so-impressive gain of 0.06 per cent.

    During the trading session, the local currency remained mostly unchanged as it saw an intraday high of Rs277.85 with a low of Rs277.75.

    Exchange companies were buying the greenback for Rs278.50 and selling for Rs279.75. The Pakistani currency, in total, has lost 12 paisa against the greenback this week.

    A look at PKR’s performance against other foreign currencies

    As compared to the Euro, the PKR lost 29.92 paisa and closed the day at Rs303.94. The PKR was seen 17.23 paisa up against the British Pound as it closed at Rs363.05.

    The rupee also gained 0.09 paisa against the Japanese Yen and closed the session at Rs1.8649.

    CurrencyClosing (PKR)Change (Paisa)Previous rate
    Euro303.9424.92303.69
    British Pound363.0517.23363.23
    Swiss Franc324.0699.05323.07
    Japanese Yen1.86490.091.8658
    Chinese Yuan39.282.739.26
    Saudi Riyal73.945.0673.99
    UAE Dirham75.634.3775.59
    Exchange rates

    In the current fiscal year, the home unit has gained over 70 paisa in total against the US dollar.

  • PSX bounces back from early losses, ends in green with 30-point gain

    PSX bounces back from early losses, ends in green with 30-point gain

    The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) had a rough start on Friday, with the KSE-100 Index dropping by 0.79 per cent in early trading.

    By the end of the day, the index managed to recover marginally and closing almost flat at 85,483.40 points. The gain PSX witnessed was just 30.18 points, or 0.04 per cent.

    PSX closing (October 11, 2024)

    During trading hours, the index swung up and down within a range of 975 points. KSE-100 reached a high of 85,750 points and dipped to a low of 84,774 points. A total of 295 million shares were traded within the PSX.

    Top gainersChange (%)Top declinersChange (%)
    ATLH+10.00%KOSM-11.84%
    PTC+8.13%HUBC-5.17%
    PIOC+7.50%YOUW-4.75%
    PSO+5.16%ABL-3.39%
    ATRL+3.88%LUCK-3.28%
    Contributors

    Out of the 100 listed companies, 46 witnessed gains, 50 ended red, and 4 stayed same. The top gainers of Friday were companies including ATLH (+10.00 per cent), PTC (+8.13 per cent), PIOC (+7.50 per cent), PSO (+5.16 per cent), and ATRL (+3.88 per cent).

    On the losing side, the biggest decliners were KOSM (-11.84 per cent), HUBC (-5.17 per cent), YOUW (-4.75 per cent), ABL (-3.39 per cent), and LUCK (-3.28 per cent).

    In terms of influencing overall index, PSO had the biggest positive impact, adding 68.72 points to the index, followed by FFC, EFERT, PIOC, and lastly UBL.

    Secondly, HUBC dragged the index down the most, bringing it down by 181.94 points, with LUCK, HBL, TRG, and SRVI also contributing to the drop.

    Overall, 560.74 million shares were traded across the stock market, up from 503.75 million on Thursday The total value of shares traded was recoeded Rs26.12 billion, which was Rs1.79 billion less than the last session.

  • Pakistan sets record for worst defeat in Test cricket history

    Pakistan sets record for worst defeat in Test cricket history

    he Pakistan cricket team has set the worst record in the 147-year history of Test cricket. England won the first Test match by an innings and 47 runs on the final day of the Multan Test.

    Pakistan is the first team in the 147-year history of Test cricket to lose an innings after scoring 500 runs.

    Match Details:

    On the final day of the Multan Test, Pakistan opened the second innings with 152 for 6, Agha Salman and all-rounder Amir Jamal putting on a 109-run partnership for the 7th wicket.

    Middle-order batsman Agha Salman fell victim to Jack Leach on an individual score of 63 and lost a wicket later. Shaheen Shah Afridi was out for 8, Naseem Shah was out for six runs, and Aamir Jamal was not out for 55 runs. England’s Jack Leach guided four players to the pavilion.

    Earlier, on the fourth day of the Test, England declared their first innings against Pakistan by scoring 823 runs for the loss of 7 wickets. The English team had a lead of 267 runs over the green shirts.

    Pakistan scored 556 runs in the first innings thanks to the centuries of Shaan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq and Salman Ali Agha. in reply, England scored 823 runs on seven wickets thanks to Harry Brook’s triple century and Joe Root’s double century in the first innings.

    On the fourth day of the Multan Test, England’s batting continued in the first innings against Pakistan. Harry Brook and Joe Root both scored double centuries, allowing the team to overcome the Green Caps’ first innings lead of 556 runs.

    England started their innings on the fourth day when Joe Root was at the wicket with 176 runs and Harry Brooke with 141 runs.

    Both players are at the crease now, and England have scored 658 runs for the loss of 3 wickets. The Blue Caps lead Pakistan by 102 runs with seven wickets remaining.

    Joe Root is at 259, while Harry Brook is on 218 runs. Babar Azam also dropped an easy catch of Root off Naseem Shah when he was batting on 186.

    Pakistan scored 556 runs in their first innings thanks to centuries from Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq and Salman Ali Agha.

  • Love is Blind Habibi: Who are the Arab contestants and where are they from?

    Love is Blind Habibi: Who are the Arab contestants and where are they from?

    Longtime fans of Love Is Blind have seen singles from the US, UK, Mexico, Brazil, and other places ask the big question: “Is love really blind?” Now, for the first time, men and women from the Arab world will explore the question in ‘Love Is Blind Habibi,’ Netflix’s first unscripted dating show set in the United Arab Emirates.

    Singles go on “blind” dates in separate pods, hoping to find their perfect match. They meet face-to-face only after getting engaged and spend four weeks testing their relationship in the real world. On their wedding day, they decide if their connection is strong enough for a lifelong commitment or if external factors like appearance, money, and family will cause them to part ways.

    As always, Love Is Blind explores modern romance, this time focusing on cross-cultural relationships in a region where each country has its own traditions. Read on to learn more about the latest chapter of this global franchise and meet the first group of Arab singles looking for love.

    All nine episodes of ‘Love Is Blind Habibi’ were released on October 10 .

    The show is hosted by popular Saudi actors and real-life couple Elham Ali and Khaled Saqer. They both starred in the 2018 Netflix sci-fi series Bashar Shorts and got married in 2019. Elham has appeared in Bilal the Sixth (2021) and The Cello (2023), while Khaled is known for Zero Distance (2020) and Fay’s Palette (2021).

    This version reflects the unique traditions of the Arab world. Viewers will see singles following cultural pre-wedding customs like katb al-kitab and henna night celebrations. Unlike in many regions, cohabitation before marriage isn’t common here, so the show focuses on the couples’ separate lives and family involvement in the engagement process.

    The cast includes singles from across the Arab region, such as Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Iraq, and more, with many now living in Dubai.

    The show was filmed in Lebanon, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai, with the pods located in the UAE.

    The cast includes singles from across the Arab region, such as:

    The Men:

    • Ali (35, Blogger, UAE)
    • Ammar (30, Dentist, UAE)
    • Chafic (27, Entrepreneur, UAE)
    • Karim (33, Businessman, UAE)
    • Khatab (32, Architect, DJ, and music producer, UAE)
    • Mido (39, Real estate consultant, UAE)
    • Mohammed (36, Marketing and brand manager, UAE)
    • Rakan (33, Entrepreneur, Saudi Arabia)
    • Rami (30, Sales manager in export, UAE)
    • Simo (34, Retail business owner, Morocco)

    The Women:

    • Al-Jawhara (38, Lifestyle influencer, Saudi Arabia)
    • Asma (33, Regional marketing manager and entrepreneur, UAE)
    • Dounia (24, Content creator, UAE)
    • Hajar (29, Project owner, UAE)
    • Karma (29, Business owner, UAE)
    • Noor (29, Model, UAE)
    • Safa (37, Financial manager, Iraq/UAE)
    • Sarah (35, Real estate agent, UAE)
    • Shereen (34, Entrepreneur, UAE)
    • Yasmin (30, HR manager and life coach, UAE)

  • ‘Block his passport’; Manzoor Pashteen cracks joke after meeting CM Gandapur

    ‘Block his passport’; Manzoor Pashteen cracks joke after meeting CM Gandapur

    Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), sarcastically asked the federal government to block Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s passport and CNIC after he met with Pashteen yesterday.

    A reporter asked Pashteen about the recent decision by the federal government to ban the PTM, to which he replied: “They [federal govt] said that whoever meets with us, their passports and CNICs will be blocked. So I ask the federal government to implement their order starting with the Chief Minister.”

    Gandapur laughed, saying, “They’ve stolen my wallet, and my CNIC was in that, so add that to the list of stolen items.”

    Pashteen retorted, “That’s what I was saying, that we are collecting the data of those who have been wronged, we will add your name to the list as well.”

    On October 6, the federal government issued a notification declaring the PTM as a ‘proscribed organisation’, warning that it posed a threat to peace and security in the country.

  • The Saudis are here; what does this mean for Pakistan’s economy?

    The Saudis are here; what does this mean for Pakistan’s economy?

    Saudi Arabia’s investment minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Faleh, is making an official visit to Pakistan. He announced that the Kingdom would invest two billion dollars in the country while mentioning that Pakistan, for him, is like “family, not friends.”

    Speaking at the Pak-Saudi Business Conference, the minister said that relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are beyond agreements, with relations that have been established for 1400 years.

    The Minister also stressed that 25 lac Pakistanis living in Saudi Arabia are supporting the Kingdom’s economy. Quoting Army Chief Asim Muneer, the Saudi Minister said that he had been assured that “red tape has been replaced by red carpet.”

    He also informed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will establish a special one-window system to streamline all the 27 agreements that have been signed and sought to increase trade to about two billion dollars.

    Ishaq Dar’s statement

    “Pakistan will soon emerge as the 24th strongest economy in the world,” Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said in his address.

    He pledged to create a favourable environment for foreign investment in the country.

    Saudi Minister’s praise for Musadik Malik

    Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik told the media that if Pakistan had only one ally, it would be Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Saudi Minister Al-Faleh praised him for teaching him to build industrial clusters in his own country.

    “Musadik mentioned that he was a consultant and a subject matter expert. He mentored and taught me. He was very humble when he called me his boss,” he said as he addressed the audience at the Pak-Saudi Business Forum on Thursday.

    Additionally, he remarked, “We took his advice, and we are very proud that our industrial sector is booming. It is one of the fastest growing and most competitive certainly in the region.”

    Malik said that there is a big market for petroleum products in Pakistan. He told Wasim Abbas of We News that more than 50 companies and more than 130 delegations from Saudi Arabia have come to Pakistan for investment purposes. Agreements of two billion dollars have been signed on the arrival of the Saudi delegation to Pakistan.

    Investment in the education sector

    In a report by Independent Urdu, it has been revealed that Saudi Arabia is investing 14 million dollars in the education and health sector of Pakistan. This will include the establishment of five thousand schools and one thousand homes for flood victims of 2022.

    Al Faleh announced to the business forum that Saudi Arabia intends to invest in Pakistan’s infrastructure and mining sectors, and his delegation will sign 25 agreements across various fields, including an investment of one billion dollars in the Reko Diq project.

  • 20 labourers killed, seven injured in Balochistan coal mine attack

    20 labourers killed, seven injured in Balochistan coal mine attack

    As the SCO summit draws nearer, terrorist attacks across the country have ratched up, with at least 20 miners killed and seven injured in an attack by unknown armed militants on a small private coal mine in the Duki area of the troubled province last night.

    In August, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) conducted a series of well-coordinated terrorist attacks across the province, which claimed at least 50 lives.

    In today’s attack, labourers were attacked with rockets and grenades, according to the local police.

    Duki District Council Chairman Khairullah Nasir confirmed that the attackers set fire to atleast ten coal engines and machinery.

    Furthermore, Duki Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kaleemullah Kakar told Dawn News that the victims belonged to various regions of Pakistan, as well as Afghanistan.

  • Ab ye kiska vision hai? England defeats Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs

    Ab ye kiska vision hai? England defeats Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs

    In the match being played at Multan’s International Cricket Stadium, England defeated Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs.

    Pakistan started their second incomplete innings with 152 runs for six out. Salman Ali Agha was at the wicket with 41 runs, and Aamir Jamal with 27 runs.

    Yesterday, Pakistan showed a very disappointing performance in the second innings, and six players returned to the pavilion for only 82 runs.

    Pakistan scored 556 runs in the first innings thanks to the centuries of Shaan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq and Salman Ali Agha, while in reply, England scored 823 runs on seven wickets thanks to Harry Brook’s triple century and Joe Root’s double century in the first innings.

    On the fourth day of the Multan Test, England’s batting continued in the first innings against Pakistan, with Harry Brook and Joe Root both hitting double centuries, allowing the team to overcome the Green Caps’ first innings lead of 556 runs.

    England started their innings on the fourth day when Joe Root was at the wicket with 176 runs and Harry Brooke with 141 runs.

    Both players are at the crease now, and England have scored 658 runs for the loss of 3 wickets, and the Blue Caps lead Pakistan by 102 runs with seven wickets remaining.

    Joe Root is at 259, while Harry Brook is on 218 runs. Babar Azam also dropped an easy catch of Root off Naseem Shah when he was batting on 186.

    Pakistan scored 556 runs in their first innings thanks to centuries from Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq and Salman Ali Agha.

  • Nelson Mandela’s grandson banned from entering Britain for Gaza protests

    Nelson Mandela’s grandson banned from entering Britain for Gaza protests

    South African revolutionary leader Nelson Mandela’s grandson Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, who is vocal about the Palestinian cause, was not given a UK visa in time for his flight, sparking suspicions that his entry was banned before he could deliver a series of talks he was invited for.

    Yvonne Ridley for Middle East Monitor reports that “the government has cited spurious grounds for the visa ban.” She blamed it on the pro-Israel lobby’s funding influencing more than half of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet.

    Mandla has always freely travelled around the world using the diplomatic passport issued to him as an elected member of the South African government. He was scheduled to visit the UK for a nine-part series of talks during Black History Month. British Foreign Office officials questioned the validity of his diplomatic visa and hence denied him entry to the country.

    Mandla’s Dublin tour is expected to take place as expected.

    “It seems that there are those who are intent on preventing me from being physically with you [in Britain],” he said while adding that “the struggle against apartheid and against colonisation cannot be stopped or silenced.”

    Sheffield Palestine Coalition against Israeli Apartheid condemned the decision by the foreign office, stating that Mandela’s grandson has been “prevented from travelling to the UK”.

  • Celebrities, journalists slam Zakir Naik for misbehaving during Pakistan tour

    Celebrities, journalists slam Zakir Naik for misbehaving during Pakistan tour

    Celebrities and journalists have slammed Indian scholar Dr Zakir Naik for behaving disrespectfully and rudely in Pakistan. His insulting remarks about women have left many people upset.

    Controversial remarks on hospitality:

    Speaking at the Governor House in Karachi, he was offended by recalling his tour to Pakistan and stated that the PIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) offered him a 50 per cent discount on his overloaded 500 KG baggage and questioned Pakistan:s hospitality.

    Zakir Naik said, “If I were in an Indian airport, they would even let me load 1000 KG of baggage free in the plane,” and confirmed he never paid overweight at an Indian airport. “I am a state guest in Pakistan, but my extra luggage was not loaded free.”
    Actor Aijaz Aslam took to Instagram to respond to Naik comments, suggesting he should consider the content of his luggage, “Practice what you preach sir ,check tou ye bhee karna chahiye tha k 600 kg saman Mein Kya tha.”

    Iffat Omar also tweeted, “I really want to know who thought of inviting him as a State Guest, who?
    @CMShehbaz @pmln_org @MediaCelPPP.”

    Disrespectful remarks about women:

    Dr Zakir Naik controversial remarks didn’t stop there, however. “If you ask a good (pious) woman that if you’re not able to find a man who doesn’t have a wife and you have two options, marry a man who is already married or become a bazaari aurat, then a good woman will always say that I’ll go for the first one.”

    This statement horrified many celebrities, including Iffat Omar, Nadia Hussain, Anoushey Ashraf and journalist Syed Shafaat Ali Khan. Absa Komal tweeted on X (formerly Twitter): “This man Zakir Naik thinks 13-14 years old orphan girls are ‘khawateen’ (grown-ups) & he can’t share the stage with them.He publicly criticizes national airline for denying luggage fee waiver,also says that women who choose to remain unmarried instead of becoming a second wife to someone are public property (bazaar). He also snubs a Pukhtun girl for asking a legit question about pedophilia.”

    “Despite all this, gained some more followers, & some brain dead people are defending him, clearly we as a nation are MAGNET for arrogant people & women haters. State should invite reasonable people, we already have plenty of these roaming on the streets. Yeh Wrong Number Hai!!!!!”, Absa wrote.

    Actress Anoshey Ashraf took to Instagram and posted a story with the caption, ““First we say, Allah makes pairs and one’s wedding happens when God wills it. Then we say ‘you’ve got to be someone’s second wife or a bazaari aurat’ if you’re not married in time? How can I be married if Allah hasn’t willed it yet?”
    Actress and model Nadia Hussain also shared he views on Instgram, saying, “Unmarried women, you are not bazaari, you are not public property. Married or not married, children or no children you are respectable members of society. Please do not let anyone think of you otherwise.”

    While Shafaat Ali tweed, “Here’s something we all need to understand: Women; whether they choose not to marry, struggle to find a suitable partner, or become widows, are NOT public property.

    This mindset is neither Islamic, humane, nor rational.

    No matter who says it, it’s offensively stupid!”