Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Pakistanis involved in 50% of crimes in Gulf; shocking revelation in Senate

    Pakistanis involved in 50% of crimes in Gulf; shocking revelation in Senate

    The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was informed on Tuesday that Pakistanis are found to be involved in almost 50 percent of the crimes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    While giving the brief, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Dr Arshad informed the committee that the UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait have shared reservations on various issues related to the Pakistani labour force working in these states.

    In September 2023 the same committee was informed that out of all the Pakistanis leaving the country, beggars are going abroad the most. Out of all the beggars who were arrested, 90 percent turned out to be Pakistanis.

    Tahir Niaz from The Nation reported that the secretary of the ministry told the committee that the domestic labour force comprised 71.8 million people, while the diaspora includes 10.7 million individuals, primarily in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US, the UK, and Canada.

    “Moreover, there are issues like criminal activities among the Pakistani workforce abroad. For instance, 50 percent of the crime rate among the labour force in the UAE is reportedly attributed to Pakistanis,” the ministry official told the committee.


    However, Nausheen Shah from The News reported the current development has come after a significantly more concerning issue as it highlights the rather “inappropriate” behaviour of Pakistanis in the UAE which includes them making videos in front of women in Dubai.


    Ministry officials told the committee today that around 0.6 to 0.8 million Pakistanis go abroad each year, of which 200,000 to 300,000 come back.


    Out of the total people travelling abroad, 96 percent go to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, they said.


    What problems do other nations have with Pakistanis?


    Briefing about the problems other nations have with Pakistan, the officials told the committee that the UAE informed us that we had a quota of 1.6 million, which has exceeded to 1.8 million.


    Pakistanis, they said, visit Malaysia for a year, extend their stay, and are then sent to jail. People have also slipped in Iraq, the officials said, noting that their exact number is unknown.


    Senator Nasir Abbas said Bangladeshis are securing more jobs than Pakistanis. In Iraq, Pakistanis are “helpless” as they are employed as cheap labour. Abbas added that they are kept as “prisoners” in Iraq.


    Moving forward, the officials told the committee members that two million Pakistanis reside in Saudi Arabia and 0.4 million go to the Kingdom every year.


    KSA authorities, the officials said, have asked Pakistanis not to send “beggars and sick people”. They added that GCC is modern now, they are focusing on technology and development.


    The overseas ministry officials said that Pakistanis going abroad are “unskilled” and noted that our people aren’t being trained as well. “People from other nations are replacing ours.”


    Work ethics, work attitudes, and involvement in crime are issues of Pakistanis.


    Kuwait has complained of Pakistani nurses refusing to perform certain job-related duties and instead telling ward boys to help patients sit up. The nurses do not learn the language but want to be sent to Europe after spending six months in the country.


    Meanwhile, Qatar, as per the officials of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, has complained about Pakistani labourers refusing to wear safety helmets.


    Saudi Arabia has maintained that they will only give jobs to workers who can pass the test of their relevant authority, i.e., the National Centre for Human Resources Development (Takamul).


    The officials said nations are “suspicious” of Pakistanis. Around 600,000-800,000 people go abroad, of which 96 per cent travel to the Middle East.


    Future of Pakistani workforce


    Ringing the alarm bells for the future of the Pakistani labour force seeking to secure jobs in the UAE, the ministry said that Gulf states are now looking towards Africa as their workers offer even cheaper labour than that of the Pakistani expatriates.

  • PTI MNA escapes custody as unknown people attacked anti-corruption team

    PTI MNA escapes custody as unknown people attacked anti-corruption team

    In a dramatic development, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Imtiaz Chaudhry escaped from the custody of an anti-corruption team in Gujrat on July 31.

    According to Circle Officer Anti-Corruption Aftab Haider, unknown people riding in a car opened fire on the vehicle in which Chaudhry was being taken, after which the perpetrators fled with the MNA.

    The MNA was on physical remand and was scheduled to be produced in court today.

    Imtiaz Chaudhry was arrested on July 25 from his home due to allegations of receiving kickbacks in development schemes.

  • Rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kill 19 within two days

    Rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kill 19 within two days

    Torrential monsoon rains and flash floods have devastated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in 19 deaths and 15 injuries over the past two days.

    According to a report from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), severe weather has affected Dara Adamkhel, Bajaur, Chitral, Dir, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swat, Charsadda, Swabi, South Waziristan, and Hangu. Fatalities include 11 children, four women, and four men, while 15 others have been injured.

    The report also states that 61 houses have been damaged, with 24 completely destroyed. Landslides have blocked roads in Kohistan, Mansehra, Swat, Chitral, Dir, and other areas, and many bridges have been washed away. Relief efforts are underway, with machinery being deployed to clear blocked highways and assist affected areas.

  • Imran Khan signals that PTI ready to talk with establishment

    Imran Khan signals that PTI ready to talk with establishment

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned in Adiala jail, has categorically signalled that his party was ready for talks with the military establishment, Dawn News has reported.

    However, while talking to reporters at Adiala jail, Khan set three preconditions for the talks: the return of PTI’s alleged ‘stolen mandate’, the release of all of the party workers currently detained, and transparent elections.

    Earlier, Khan’s sister Aleema Khan delivered a message from Imran Khan to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir to “become neutral for the sake of Pakistan.” In 2022, Khan repeatedly berated the army’s leadership for being “neutral”, repeatedly saying that only animals are neutral.

    Khan stated that his party has never levelled allegations against the army, saying that even a “spoilt child” was liable to criticism.

    He also recalled that General Ziaul Haq was responsible for the judicial murder of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and General Yahya Khan was responsible for the fall of Dhaka.

    Khan stated that the party had already nominated Mehmood Khan Achakzai for negotiations and urged the military to nominate their representative for talks.

  • Fatima Effendi says single women pursue married men for financial security

    Fatima Effendi says single women pursue married men for financial security


    Actress and digital content creator Fatima Effendi is never afraid to speak her mind. Recently, she appeared as a guest on ‘FHM Podcast’ where she talked about her unfiltered thoughts on extramarital affairs, social media, and the changing dynamics of relationships.


    Fatima said, “These days’ men are a bit scared before they start affairs as they fear being found out on social media and their wives leaving them. This is a change from what used to happen before.”
     
    Fatima highlighted that women frequently target the other woman when they find out about an affair.
    “When an affair comes to light, women should not target the other woman. Women should look at their own men instead of looking at the women around them.”


    About society’s growing materialism, she said, “Today, people have become materialistic, and it’s alarming that single women now go for married men, not because they love them but because they only want financial stability.”
     
    Fatima Effendi and Kanwar Arsalan have two sons together after their marriage in November 2012.

  • Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in targeted attack in Iran

    Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in targeted attack in Iran

    Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Palestinian resistance organization Hamas, has been killed in an Israeli attack in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

    According to foreign media reports, Hamas has confirmed Haniyeh’s death in Tehran, where he had gone to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian president.

    Hamas has stated that those responsible for the attack on the head of Hamas will be punished.

    A missile was fired around 2:00 pm (Israeli time) in Tehran, where Ismail Haniyeh was with his bodyguard, Israeli media has reported.

    Ismail participated in the Gaza ceasefire talks as a negotiator and was appointed as the head of Hamas in 2017. He lived in Turkey and Qatar to avoid travel restrictions in Gaza.

  • Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s alleged sex tape leaked

    Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s alleged sex tape leaked

    A video allegedly showing controversial writer Khalil ur Rehman Qamar getting intimate with the woman who orchestrated his kidnapping has popped up on social media.

    A man who looks like Qamar can be seen in the video talking to a woman while both are seated very close together on a double-seated sofa. He is also smoking.

    A short while later, he is seen without a shirt, kissing the woman. The video cuts off at that point.

    The video came out just as Hassan Shah, the mastermind of the honey trap that resulted in the writer’s kidnapping for ransom was arrested. In an interview, the then unknown man had threatened that he will release the videos he has.

    The video is in clear contradiction of the misogynistic writer’s account of what happened that night. He said in a police press conference that he went to the woman’s house at 4:40 am “to discuss a drama project”. When asked by a reporter about why he went that late to an unknown woman’s house, he said that he had been advised by his doctor to avoid sunlight for five years.

  • Pakistan experiences highest dollar outflow since FY18 amid economic adjustments

    Pakistan experiences highest dollar outflow since FY18 amid economic adjustments

    Pakistan, grappling with a shortage of US dollars, has seen a significant outflow of foreign exchange as international investors repatriated dividends and profits at unprecedented levels.

    In fiscal year 2024 (FY24), foreign investors withdrew $2.2 billion, the highest outflow since the $2.3 billion withdrawn six years ago. This surge, representing a dramatic 569.2 per cent year-on-year increase, is primarily due to a low base in FY23.

    The country’s foreign exchange reserves were critically low in FY23, prompting the government to impose restrictions on dollar outflows to avoid a potential default. Consequently, repatriations fell sharply to $331 million, an 80.3 per cent decrease from FY22, marking one of the lowest figures on record.

    A pivotal change occurred in June 2023 when Pakistan reached a Staff Level Agreement (SLA) worth $3 billion with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    The agreement mandated the removal of capital controls and a shift towards a more functional foreign exchange market. This move, driven by foreign pressure and the IMF’s conditions, resulted in the lifting of these restrictions, leading to a substantial increase in outflows in FY24.

    In particular, May 2024 set a record with the highest monthly outward remittance of $918.1 million.

    Notably, the outflow for the year exceeded the total foreign investment of $1.52 billion. Key sectors contributing to this outflow included Financial Business, Power, and Communications, with the Financial Business sector repatriating the most at $638.6 million.

    Among the countries, the United Kingdom led with $558.57 million in repatriated profits, a substantial increase from $20.14 million the previous fiscal year. The UAE and Netherlands followed in repatriation figures.

    Despite the significant outflow, there is an optimistic outlook for Pakistan’s economy. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has confirmed that there are no outstanding profit repatriation payments, alleviating concerns of foreign companies and potentially attracting new investors. The recent Fitch rating upgrade further supports the country’s economic stability.

    On a positive note, Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves saw a 110 per cent increase, reaching $4.92 billion in FY24.

    However, JPMorgan has cautioned that unresolved dividend backlog issues might impact the PKR in the short term. Addressing these could improve transparency and enhance the attractiveness of Pakistan as an investment destination.

  • Pakistan’s fiscal deficit falls to 6.8% of GDP in FY24

    Pakistan’s fiscal deficit falls to 6.8% of GDP in FY24

    In the fiscal year 2023-2024, Pakistan’s fiscal deficit decreased to 6.8 per cent of GDP, down from 7.7 per cent the previous year, according to data from the Finance Ministry.

    In nominal terms, however, the fiscal deficit expanded to Rs7.21 trillion, up from Rs6.52 trillion the year before. Despite this, the country achieved a primary surplus of Rs952.92 billion, equivalent to 0.9 per cent of GDP, in contrast to a primary deficit of Rs825.53 billion, or 1.0 per cent of GDP, in FY23.

    To address the fiscal deficit, the government secured Rs6.89 trillion through domestic borrowing and an additional Rs320.7 billion through external loans. This compares to the previous year when the entire deficit was covered by Rs7.2 trillion in domestic borrowing, and Rs679.85 billion in external loans were repaid.

    On the revenue side, the government collected Rs13.27 trillion (12.5 per cent of GDP) in FY24, up from Rs9.63 trillion (11.4 per cent of GDP) in FY23. Tax revenue constituted approximately Rs10.1 trillion (9.5 per cent of total revenue), while non-tax revenue amounted to Rs3.18 trillion.

    Government expenditure totalled Rs20.48 trillion (19.3 per cent of GDP) in FY24, an increase from Rs16.15 trillion (19.1 per cent of GDP) the previous year.

    Nearly 90.7 per cent of this expenditure, or Rs18.57 trillion, was allocated to current expenditures, which included mark-up payments (Rs8.16 trillion), defence (Rs1.86 trillion), and pensions (Rs807.8 billion).

  • Rajeev Khandelwal speaks out against banning Pakistani actors in India

    Rajeev Khandelwal speaks out against banning Pakistani actors in India

    Rajeev Khandelwal speaks out against banning Pakistani actors in India

    At a time when cross-border collaborations between Indian and Pakistani artists have dwindled down to almost zero, Rajeev Khandelwal, the actor famous for drama Kahin To Hoga, has spoken up against the ban.

    In a recent interview with Bollywood Bubble, Rajeev talked about his experience working with Humayun Saeed’s production and recalled the warm reception he received from Pakistani fans. “The Pakistani audience has always shown me so much love and respect. I remember loving the kind gifts I received and the wonderful conversations.” Khandelwal said.

    He then said, “No artist, whether from Pakistan or anywhere else, should face a ban based on political factors. Such decisions should not dictate the career paths of actors.”

    Rajeev Khandelwal also worked in the Pakistani drama Sun Leyna (2006), which was written by Seema Ghazal and produced by Humayun Saeed.