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  • CKD kits shortage forces Pak Suzuki to halt car production

    CKD kits shortage forces Pak Suzuki to halt car production

    Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) has suspended operations at its Karachi manufacturing plant due to significant delays in the approval of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) kits at the port.

    Reports indicate that the CKD kits have been stranded at the port for the past 45 days, accruing substantial detention and demurrage charges amounting to billions of rupees.

    The approval delays have led to a critical shortage of CKD kits, compelling Pak Suzuki to halt production.

    Automotive associations have called on the government to adhere to the auto policy for 2021-2026, warning that prolonged delays in approving these inputs could negatively impact Pakistan’s auto industry and deter potential foreign investors.

    This development comes on the heels of Pak Suzuki’s recent expansion into exporting vehicles to Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Despite this setback, Pak Suzuki’s CEO, Hiroshi Kawamura, recently inaugurated the Suzuki Vendor Cluster Area.

    In related news, the Pakistan Credit Rating Agency Limited (PACRA) has reaffirmed Pak Suzuki’s credit ratings at “AA-” for long-term and “A1” for short-term, with a stable outlook.

    PACRA’s ratings reflect Pak Suzuki’s strong market position among established auto manufacturers in Pakistan, bolstered by the support of its foreign sponsor, Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan.

  • ‘Crown, apartment, crores’, Arshad gets his ‘mehnat ka phal’ from ministers, celebs

    ‘Crown, apartment, crores’, Arshad gets his ‘mehnat ka phal’ from ministers, celebs

    Pakistani javelin star Arshad Nadeem won a gold medal in the Paris Olympics, winning the hearts of the Pakistani nation. Fans are happy with his achievement, while celebrities and many big names praised him with millions of rupees.

    After Arshad Nadeem’s incredible success in the Olympics, the Sindh government and Governor Kamran Tesori announced a combined reward of Rs 5 crore 10 lakh rupees.

    Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab announced the prize money of 5 crores for him on ‘X’. Murtaza will build a sports academy in his name in Karachi.

    Mayor Sukkur has also announced a gold crown for Arshad Nadeem, naming the sports stadium after the athlete.

    Sukkur Mayor Arslan Islam Shaikh said, “Based on the strong desire of the people of Sukkur, they will present a gold crown to Arshad Nadeem.”

    Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, has also announced a reward of 10 crore rupees for Arshad.

    On the other hand, Pakistani cricketers have also paid tribute to Arshad Nadeem and congratulated him.

    Nadeem made history in the javelin throw competition at the Paris Olympics yesterday.

    He failed to clear the first throw, which was ruled a foul. In the second throw, he made history, throwing the most enormous throw of 92.97 meters in the competition’s history and winning the gold medal for Pakistan after 40 years. In the third round, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem threw 88.72 meters, while Czech Republic’s Jacob Wedlij threw the javelin 88.50 meters.

    Arshad Nadeem threw the javelin 79.40 meters in the fourth throw and 84.87 meters in the fifth throw.

    In the sixth and final round, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem threw the javelin 91.79 meters, making it the second-best throw of the competition and setting the record for the second-best throw of the Olympics.

  • From TikTok to Politics: Dania Shah’s new career move

    From TikTok to Politics: Dania Shah’s new career move

    TikToker Dania Shah, who recently made headlines for her second marriage, has announced that she plans to contest in the next general elections.

    Dania Shah’s announcement came shortly after she confirmed her marriage to lawyer Hakeem Shehzad through a video and held a wedding reception.

    Since announcing their marriage, Dania and Hakeem have been actively speaking with news outlets and local journalists.

    In a recent interview, Hakeem Shehzad revealed that he and his wife are entering politics. He stated, “Dania will be contesting for a National Assembly seat from Lodhran, and I will contest from an MNA seat from Shujaabad.”

    He also mentioned, “We are both preparing for the upcoming elections. If we succeed, we will introduce a presidential system in Pakistan. I don’t just talk; I deliver on my promises.”

    When asked about his thoughts on Pakistan’s political leaders, Hakeem Shehzad shared his unique view: “When a journalist asked me who I would choose to sit with—Imran Khan, Asif Zardari, or Nawaz Sharif—I said I would choose to sit with myself because I consider myself a leader and don’t need to follow anyone else.”

  • 1,630 cases of child abuse reported in 2024 so far

    1,630 cases of child abuse reported in 2024 so far

    Sahil, an organisation working for the protection of children’s rights, has released a Six Month Cruel Numbers data revealing that a total of 1,630 cases of child abuse were reported from across the country.


    The data sheds light on the first six months of 2024, with 862 cases of child sexual abuse, 668 cases of abduction, 82 cases of missing children, 18 cases of child marriages, and 48 cases of pornography after sexual abuse were reported.


    The data also shows that out of the total reported cases, (962) 59 percent of victims were girls and (668) 41 percent were boys.


    About 81 daily national and regional newspapers were monitored from January to June 2024 to collect data on child sexual abuse, abduction, missing children and cases of early marriages. The areas include the four provinces along with the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit Baltistan (GB).


    The data shows that the most vulnerable age group remains children aged 6-15, with 693 cases reported in this bracket. Additionally, 94 cases involved children aged 0-5, 231 children were from the 16-18 age bracket, and in 612 cases, the age of the victims was not mentioned.


    In the year 2024, January-June, the abusers involved in 47pc of the total cases were acquaintances, 18pc were strangers, while in 9pc acquaintances along with strangers committed crimes against children.


    In the first six months of 2024, 78pc of the total cases were reported from Punjab and 6pc from the ICT. The rest of the cases were reported from other provinces including 11pc cases from Sindh, 3pc cases from KP, and 2pc cases from Balochistan, AJK and GB.


    Out of the total reported cases, 44pc were from urban areas and 56pc were from rural areas.


    Cases of violence against women


    In the first six months of the year, violence against women, Sahil observed that a total number of 1,732 cases were reported, which included different forms of violence such as murder, suicide, abduction, rape, honour killing and torture.


    Sahil’s objective


    Sahil is working on child protection with special focus on child sexual abuse since 1996.


    It aims to develop a protective environment free from all forms of violence for children, especially child sexual abuse.


    It also provides legal, emotional and psychological support to the victims.

  • Gender equality takes center stage: Laapataa Ladies to be screened at Supreme Court of India

    Gender equality takes center stage: Laapataa Ladies to be screened at Supreme Court of India

    The film ‘Laapataa Ladies,’ Kiran Rao’s highly-praised venture, will be shown today at the Supreme Court of India. Bollywood actor and producers Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao will be at the event.


    Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud is scheduled on Friday, August 9, 2024 to attend the screening, which is set to take place at the Auditorium of the Administrative Building Complex from 4:15 to 6:20 p.m. alongside other senior court judges and their spouses.  
     
    The Supreme Court of India issued a notification with a statement saying:
     
     “As part of the activities organized during the seventy-fifth year of the establishment of the Supreme Court of India, the movie ‘Laapataa Ladies,’ which is based on the theme of gender equality, will be screened on Friday, 9 August 2024, in the Auditorium, C-Block, Administrative Building Complex. Ms. Kiran Rao, who has directed the movie, and Mr. Aamir Khan, producer, will also be present during the screening.”


    Laapataa Ladies was released on Netflix on March 1, 2024. The film is about two brides who get hilariously mixed up and, in the process, end up finding their own strengths.

  • Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt reunite in AP Dhillon’s new song ‘Old Money’

    Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt reunite in AP Dhillon’s new song ‘Old Money’

    Indian-origin AP Dhillon, a Canadian Punjabi singer, has generated a lot of buzz with his new single, ‘Old Money.’ Bollywood superstars Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt feature prominently in the video.

    The music video, which was posted on Dhillon’s official YouTube page, went viral rapidly, garnering over 50,000 views in just one hour.

    This song is special because it brings Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt back together after a long time. They last worked together in the 2012 movie ‘Son of Sardaar,’ where Dutt had the main role, and Khan appeared in a song.

    In ‘Old Money,’ Salman Khan plays the main role, showing off in his usual style, while Sanjay Dutt makes a brief but powerful appearance at the end of the song.

    Shaan Gautam and AP Dhillon co-directed the song. It combines modern and traditional aspects, and the plot appeals to followers of both actors and singers. AP Dhillon expressed gratitude to Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt for their contributions to the production, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in making the song possible.

    Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt have worked together in many hit movies before, like ‘Saajan,’ and ‘Yeh Hai Jalwa.’ Their chemistry on screen has always been loved by fans, and their reunion in ‘Old Money’ has made fans excited to see them together again in the future.

  • PML-N, Buzdar scramble to take credit for Arshad Nadeem’s big win

    PML-N, Buzdar scramble to take credit for Arshad Nadeem’s big win

    Right after Pakistani champ Arshad Nadeem won the gold medal in the javelin competition in the Olympics 2024 after years of sweat, toil, and struggle – politicians and political parties scrambled to congratulate him and take credit for the star athlete’s fantastic feat.

    Former Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar posted an old picture of himself and Arshad with the caption, “This is a memorable picture from five years ago when I saw Arshad Nadeem’s talent, invited him to the Chief Minister’s office, and assured him of all support from the Punjab government.”

    Meanwhile, netizens were outraged at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Mashood, congratulating Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “his vision” right after Arshad won the gold medal with his record-smashing throw.

    Moreover, an X user tweeted about the comparison of Pakistan’s win in the 1992 Cricket World Cup and Arshad Nadeem’s 92.9-metre-long javelin throw that made him the champion, to which the official handle of PML-N quoted, “Both the time it’s PML-N government!”

    Social media reacted angrily to politicians trying to take away the champ’s spotlight. At the same time, one user posted a picture of Nadeem with his parents with the caption, “The only support that deserves the credit for Arshad Nadeem’s success.”

  • Social media apps including WhatsApp experiencing slowdowns yet again

    Social media apps including WhatsApp experiencing slowdowns yet again

    Users across various cities in Pakistan are dealing with drastically slow internet. Reports indicate that messaging apps like WhatsApp are also facing slowdowns.

    People are encountering issues with messages not being downloaded on WhatsApp.

    Geo news reports that according to Down Detector, a website that monitors social media app performance, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram are among the platforms that have been slow.

  • Pakistanis celebs make fun of ‘Barzakh’ ban

    Pakistanis celebs make fun of ‘Barzakh’ ban

    The web series Barzakh has ended, but the drama around it continues. Zee Zindagi announced it will remove the show from YouTube Pakistan on August 9 due to controversy over its ‘inappropriate’ content.

    Designer Maria B threatened to take the Barzakh team to court for promoting what she called ‘provocative’ themes.

    In response, other well-known figures like Ali Gul Pir, Zhalay Sarhadi, Sofia Khan, and Absa Komal have spoken out against ban and cancel culture, offering their own views on how such issues should be handled.

    Check out what they had to say below:

  • Pakistani student makes history, elected as president of Oxford University Graduate Community

    Pakistani student makes history, elected as president of Oxford University Graduate Community

    Student Raza Nazar makes history after getting elected president of the Graduate Community at Oxford University, becoming the first Muslim and Pakistani to hold this position.

    He stated that his research focuses on constitutional theory and sovereignty, Geo news reports.

    The President of the Graduate Community (MCR) at Oxford University represents and advocates for the interests of graduate students, fostering community engagement through events and activities. They also serve as a liaison between students and university administration, ensuring their voices are heard on important issues.

    After earning his primary education in Karachi, Raza Nazar completed his law degree from the London School of Economics (LSE), where he held the position of President of the LSE Law Society. During his time at LSE, he also co-founded the LSE Future of Pakistan conference, an annual event that gathers students, experts, and government officials.

    Raza pursued a Bachelor of Civil Laws (BCL) while at Oxford which the University of Oxford describes as “the most highly regarded taught master’s-level qualification in the Common Law world,” joining the few Pakistanis to have completed the BCL,  including former Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and former President Wasim Sajjad.