IPSOS Pakistan has revealed the details of downward trend of confidence of Pakistanis over the government despite some positive indicators.
IPSOS, a multinational market research and consulting firm, has surveyed more than 1,000 people from across the country.
Difficulty in buying basic essentials
The rate of Pakistanis who said they had difficulties in purchasing household items for daily use rose to 94 percent after a 4 percent increase, while the rate of Pakistanis who said they had no ability to save was seen at 90 percent after a five percent increase.
The number of people who said the economy is strong was seen at 13 percent after a decrease of three percent, while the number of those who said the economic situation was weak increased by one percent. 69 percent people expressed concern about the economic situation. However, 17 percent said there was no difference.
Disappointment with the future
The survey also noted a considerable increase in the percentage of people disappointed with the economic future. The rate of pessimistic Pakistanis increased by 19 percent and 70 percent expressed thay the economic situation would remain weak in the next six weeks.
A ten percent decrease was seen in the percentage of Pakistanis optimistic about the improvement of the economy. On the other hand, 18 percent of people said that there was no difference.
Hopes of improvement
IPSOS also asked Pakistanis about their views on the improvement in their financial conditions in the next six months, to which an increase of 19 percent was seen in the percentage of people who said that their financial conditions were getting weaker and 67 percent said that there would be no improvement.
While the number of optimistic Pakistanis about the improvement in financial conditions was also seen at 13 percent after a 15 percent decrease. However, 20 percent said that there would be no difference.
Saving up money
The percentage of Pakistanis who expressed their inability to save money also increased by five percent to 90 percent.
It’s been weeks since javelin star Arshad Nadeem won a gold medal at Paris Olympics 2024, and Pakistanis are still not over it. He broke over a 100-year Olympic record with his historic 92.97 metre throw.
With dedication and hard work, Arshad aimed for the stars, and Indus Motor Company (IMC) supported his dream from 2023.
To recognise Arshad Nadeem’s extraordinary sports feat, which has earned him a name not just in Pakistan but around the world, IMC takes immense pride in being a part of his well-deserved celebration.
Concern Beyond Cars is IMC’s social responsibility program which endeavours to create an inclusive society where no one’s dream fades by dawn.
And this year, to pay homage to the young Olympian, Indus Motor Company (IMC) has presented Arshad Nadeem with its premium Toyota Fortuner GRS, as a token to commemorate his monumental victory with a personalised registered number plate of ANO 9297 for his Fortuner GRS.
“I am thankful for Toyota for sponsoring me way before the Paris Olympics 2024 and provided constant support to me. My biggest sponsor is Toyota Pakistan and no matter how much I praise them, it won’t be enough for the support they gave me. I want to thank the team of Toyota Pakistan. Just like I made the name of Pakistan proud globally, it also gives me immense pride and happiness to see how Toyota is globally recognized as well,” Arshad Nadeem extended his gratitude.
IMCs Chief Executive, Ali Asghar Jamali expressed, “We’re thrilled to have Arshad Nadeem here amongst us and the entire IMC team has turned up to catch a glimpse of their Olympic hero. His gold Olympic win is big news for Pakistan and taken the country by storm. Every Pakistani is absolutely overjoyed and there’s every reason, as what Arshad has achieved is no small feat on all counts. Our conviction to provide opportunities to emerging sportsmen has been a pillar of strength for many who have done Pakistan proud.”
He further shared, “Our Toyota Fortuner is a pure testament of believing in local and entrusting it to make a mark on the global front, just like Arshad Nadeem did. The Toyota Fortuner is known for its cutting-edge technology, superior performance, and reliability. This is a fitting reward for an athlete who embodies determination, resilience, and excellence. We wish Arshad the very best for the future.”
From karate champion Saadi Abbas and table tennis para champion Zainab Barkat, mountaineer Asad Memon for summiting Mount Denali, boxing champion Shahir Afridi, and more – IMC has a long history of supporting rising stars of Pakistan.
A controversial biopic of Donald Trump that depicts the former president raping his wife and which has drawn legal threats from his attorneys will hit US theaters this October, it was reported Friday.
Tiny indie studio Briarcliff Entertainment plans to release “The Apprentice” for US audiences less than a month before Trump takes on Kamala Harris in the country’s razor-tight presidential election, the Hollywood Reporter said.
Representatives for Briarcliff did not immediately respond to AFP queries.
The explosive film about Trump’s younger years caused shockwaves at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
Its most talked about scene shows Trump raping his first wife, Ivana, after she belittles him for growing fat and bald.
In real life, Ivana accused Trump of raping her during divorce proceedings but later rescinded the allegation. She died in 2022.
The movie also shows Trump suffering erectile dysfunction, and undergoing liposuction and surgery for hair loss.
Just hours after “The Apprentice” premiered in May, Trump’s lawyers vowed to sue the producers, calling the film “garbage” and “pure malicious defamation.”
Further complicating the film’s prospects for US release is that one of its early financial backers was pro-Trump billionaire Dan Snyder, who was reportedly displeased with its depiction of Trump and sought to block the movie.
He has now been bought out of his financial stake in the movie, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The film is set to be released in US theaters October 11, the Los Angeles Times said.
Sebastian Stan’s lead performance as young New York property tycoon Trump received largely positive reviews at Cannes.
The film’s screenplay was written by Gabriel Sherman, a journalist who covered real estate for the New York Observer and regularly spoke to Trump.
Far from a simple hatchet job, the film depicts Trump as an ambitious but naive social climber desperately trying to navigate the cutthroat world of Manhattan property deals and politics.
The Times of London argued it would “make you feel sympathy for Trump.”
But Trump’s decency is gradually eroded as he learns the dark arts of dealmaking and power from his mentor Roy Cohn, played by “Succession” star Jeremy Strong.
Film director Ali Abbasi told AFP he included the rape scene to show how Trump distanced himself from “human relationships that define him and that hold him in check as a human being.”
Stan, best known from the Marvel superhero movies, added that Trump’s early behavior “is much more relatable than we want to admit.”
Briarcliff Entertainment launched in the late 2010s. Its founder Tom Ortenberg previously helped steer Oscar campaigns for best picture winners “Spotlight” and “Crash.”
He is expected to promote “The Apprentice” in Hollywood’s upcoming award season.
The news comes on the same day “Reagan,” another biopic of a former Republican president, Ronald Reagan, hits US theaters
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has urged the federal government to consult with the KP provincial assembly before launching operation Azm-i-Istehkam.
In a meeting at KP House in Islamabad, the cabinet decided to share a provincial assembly resolution with the federal government regarding counter-terrorism operations approved on July 19.
The resolution read that proceeding without provincial consent could affect the offensive operation’s success and lead to negative outcomes for which the federal government would be responsible.
The cabinet also certified the transfer of ownership of the Cedar Golf Course property from Swat’s Deputy Commissioner (DC) to the sports and tourism department.
A cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister KP Ali Amin Gandapur also granted aid to registered press clubs and bar councils.
Bollywood king Shahrukh Khan has surpassed all actors in the industry in this year’s earnings.
According to the Hurun India Rich List, Khan’s total wealth this year is 7,300 crores.
His wealth includes the remuneration received from acting and substantial earnings from his production house.
Additionally, the superstar owns the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, which has further boosted his wealth.
In comparison, the report reveals that while Bollywood’s most expensive senior actor, Amitabh Bachchan, earns a significant profit from his investments, his family have a total wealth of 1,600 crores.
This means that Khan’s earnings are 356% more than Bachchan’s.
India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on August 30 that the era of “uninterrupted dialogue” with Pakistan is over while Pakistan extended an invitation to its neighbouring country for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in October.
Jaishankar also stated that New Delhi will respond to developments from Pakistan, whether positive or negative.
“So far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, Article 370 is done. The issue [now] is what kind of relationship we can contemplate with Pakistan,” he stated at a private event in India.
Continuing to crib about slights real and imagined, Jaishankar warned Pakistan, saying, “Actions have consequences,” referring to alleged support for militant organisations.
Pakistan downgraded its ties with India in 2019 after it altered the special status of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in August 2019 and has since linked the normalisation of ties between the two countries to reversing the egregious change.
Pakistani cinema continues making waves in global art circles. Shoaib Sultan’s film ‘Gunjal’ has been selected for the 12th Indian Cine Film Festival-24 in Mumbai, India. This script is written by Nirmal Bano, Ali Kazmi, and Shoaib Sultan while the film is directed by Shoaib Sultan.
Gunjal will be screened in Mumbai on September 15th, another milestone the film and its makers will have achieved. On April 30, Shoaib won the debut director award for Gunjal at the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival in New Delhi, India.
The film’s cast includes Ahmed Ali Akbar, Resham, Amna Ilyas, Ahmed Ali Butt, and Omair Rana.
The story revolves around the acquittal of the man accused of murdering teenaged activist Iqbal Masih, as journalist Shahbaz Bhatti identifies glaring loopholes in the verdict, and begins a quest for justice. But each lead he follows contradicts the one before, and the twisted story reveals the ugly truth of child labor in 1990’s Pakistan. The film has an 8.5 rating on IMDB.
A block on Elon Musk’s X social network in Brazil started to take effect early Saturday after a Supreme Court judge ordered its suspension, according to AFP.
Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes on Friday ordered the platform’s suspension following a months-long standoff with the tech billionaire over disinformation in South America’s largest nation.
Moraes handed down the ruling after Musk failed to comply with an order to name a new legal representative for the company.
Early Saturday access to X, formerly known as Twitter, was no longer possible for some users in the South American country. They were presented with a message asking them to reload the browser if they were unable to log in successfully.
Musk, who also owns Tesla and SpaceX, reacted with fury to the judge’s order, branding Moraes an “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge” and accusing him of “trying to destroy democracy in Brazil.”
“Free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes,” the billionaire, who has become increasingly aligned with right-wing politics, wrote on X.
The two have been locked in an ongoing, high-profile feud for months as Moraes leads a battle against disinformation in Brazil.
Elon Musk has been locked in a months-long feud with the judge, Alexandre de Moraes, who is leading a battle against disinformation in South America’s largest nation.
Musk has previously declared himself a “free speech absolutist,” but since he took over the platform formerly known as Twitter in 2022 he has been accused of turning it into a megaphone for right-wing conspiracy theories.
He is a vocal supporter of former US president Donald Trump’s bid to regain the White House.
Moraes ordered the “immediate, complete and comprehensive suspension of the operation of” X in the country, telling the national communications agency to take “all necessary measures” to implement the order within 24 hours.
He threatened a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) to anyone who used “technological subterfuges”, such as a VPN, to circumvent the block.
The judge also demanded that Google, Apple, and internet providers “introduce technological obstacles capable of preventing the use of the X application” and access to the website, though he later rescinded that order.
The social media platform has more than 22 million users in Brazil.
Musk shut X’s business operations in Brazil earlier this month, claiming Moraes had threatened the company’s previous legal representative with arrest to force compliance with “censorship orders.”
On Wednesday, Moraes told Musk he had 24 hours to find a new representative, or he would face suspension.
Shortly after the deadline passed, X said in a statement that it expected Moraes to shut it down “simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents.”
– ‘Who does Musk think he is?’-
The standoff with Musk began when Moraes ordered the suspension of several X accounts belonging to supporters of Brazil’s former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, who tried to discredit the voting system in the 2022 election, which he lost.
Brazilian authorities are investigating whether Bolsonaro plotted a coup attempt to prevent current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from assuming office in January 2023.
Online users blocked by Moraes include figures such as far-right ex-congressman Daniel Silveira, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2022 on charges of leading a movement to overthrow the Supreme Court.
In April, Moraes ordered an investigation of Musk, accusing him of reactivating some of the banned accounts.
On Thursday, Musk’s satellite internet operator Starlink said it had received an order from Moraes that froze its accounts and prevented it from conducting financial transactions in Brazil.
Starlink alleged that the order “is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied — unconstitutionally — against X.”
The company said on X that it intended “to address the matter legally.”
Musk is also the subject of a separate judicial investigation into an alleged scheme where public money was used to orchestrate disinformation campaigns in favor of Bolsonaro and those close to him.
“Any citizen from anywhere in the world who has investments in Brazil is subject to the Brazilian Constitution and laws,” Lula told a local radio station on Friday.
Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Pakistani wrestler Ali Asad has been banned for four years for using prohibited drugs.
Pakistan won eight medals, including one gold, in the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham. Ali defeated his Indian opponent in wrestling in 55 seconds to win the bronze medal in the 57 kg category.
Asad’s urine sample was taken on August 6, 2022. The International Testing Agency granted him an appeal and a B-sample test, but the wrestler has been banned for four years due to non-contact.
The four-year ban will begin from October 31, 2022, as the athlete has already been under provisional suspension since 2022.
The wrestler had remained adamant that he had not use any stimulants despite the positive dope result.
Tamasha Season 3 is currently at its peak, with each contestant giving their all to win. Among them, one participant, Emaan, seems to be emulating Shehnaaz Gill’s style.
Shehnaaz, a popular contestant from Bigg Boss Season 13, was known for her mischievous antics and won over everyone’s hearts, including Salman Khan’s. Although she wasn’t the season winner, her charm and innocence made her a fan favorite. She was also close to Sidharth Shukla, the eventual winner of that season.
However, Emaan’s attempts to copy Shehnaaz’s mannerisms seem limited to just her speech, and so far, she hasn’t been able to win over the audience or her fellow contestants. But the season is far from over, and it’s possible that Emaan might still manage to cast her spell on the audience and the show’s host, just like Shehnaaz did. Only time will tell if Emaan can truly replicate Shehnaaz’s magic
