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  • Military dismisses ‘unwarranted criticism’ of Azm-e-Istehkam

    Military dismisses ‘unwarranted criticism’ of Azm-e-Istehkam

    On Friday, the military leadership condemned the “unwarranted criticism” of the newly launched anti-terrorism operation Azm-e-Istehkam, stating that the initiative was being “deliberately misrepresented.”

    According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the statement came after the 265th Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC), which was held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir in the chair.

    The military wing stated that the new operation is aimed at re-invigorating national counter-terrorism efforts in a synchronized manner to eradicate terrorism in Pakistan.

    The statement by ISPR read, “Forum noted with concern the unwarranted criticism by some quarters and deliberate misrepresentation of the vision, only for furthering their vested interests.”

  • Pakistani cinemas struggle as ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ takes over

    Pakistani cinemas struggle as ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ takes over

    Pakistan’s film industry is struggling as many movies with weak stories are not doing well at the box office. Even star-studded releases like Umro Ayar and Abhi this Eid Ul Azha haven’t stopped the decline in cinema attendance. Recently, the Indian Punjabi film Jatt & Juliet 3, starring Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa, has become hugely popular among fans. Pakistani actors also part of the film that include Nasir Chinnioti and Akram Udas.


    The film released on June 27, has already earned a remarkable Rs. 5.1 crore at the box office within just four days. The movie’s success can be attributed to its previous two seasons’ popularity, as well as the massive fan following of lead actors Diljit Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa in Pakistan.

    In contrast, Pakistani films are being taken down by cinema owners due to low ticket sales. According to infotainment journalist Moeen Zubair, the buying ratio of Pakistani tickets has decreased significantly, with audiences preferring the Indian Punjabi film instead. ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ has gone from having just three shows daily to nine shows, leaving local films in the behind.
    The success of ‘Jatt & Juliet 3’ has proven that Punjabi films still have a massive fan following in Pakistan.

  • Rain emergency declared in Rawalpindi as heavy downpours lash Punjab

    Rain emergency declared in Rawalpindi as heavy downpours lash Punjab

    Following heavy downpours of rain in various cities of Punjab, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, and Jhelum, many areas experienced power outages.

    Rawalpindi imposed a rain emergency on the garrison city.

    Torrential rains in several Punjab cities caused water accumulation on highways and roads in Lahore and Gujranwala. Rainwater also entered the ward of Gujranwala’s Medical College Teaching Hospital.

    Power supply was disrupted due to 100 feeder trips during heavy late-night rains, resulting in power outages in many areas.

    In Rawalpindi, water levels reached five feet at Katarian in Nala Lai and four feet at Golmandi bridge, prompting the declaration of rain emergency.

    The Meteorological Department recorded over 30 mm of rain in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

    Intermittent rain continued in various cities of Azad Kashmir, including Samahni, Mirpur, Dadyal, Jatlan, and Mangla.

    The Meteorological Department forecasts intermittent rain, strong winds, and thunderstorms today in different areas of Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, Upper and Central Punjab, Northeastern Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

    It warned of possible flooding in mountain streams until July 7.

    The department also warned of urban flooding in Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Peshawar, and landslides in the hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to heavy rains.

  • PCB summons former Test cricketers for consultation

    PCB summons former Test cricketers for consultation

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has summoned former Test cricketers to Lahore for consultations.

    According to Geo sources, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi will meet 30 to 35 international cricketers on Monday, to hear their feedback and suggestions on domestic cricket. The cricketers will be confident in the three new tournaments launched by the name of Champions.

    Earlier, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi said that he is in touch with former cricketers and is seeking advice on improving cricket.

  • Test cricketer Fawad Alam’s mother passes away

    Test cricketer Fawad Alam’s mother passes away

    Pakistani Test cricketer Fawad Alam’s mother passed away in Karachi at the age of 63. She was seriously ill for a few months.

    Fawad Alam said, “I felt very lonely after his mother left. We pray to Allah Almighty to raise the status of our mother, Ameen.”

  • Pakistan’s central govt debt hits record Rs67.82 trillion in May 2024

    Pakistan’s central govt debt hits record Rs67.82 trillion in May 2024

    In May 2024, the central government’s total debt reached a record high of Rs67.82 trillion, marking a 15.01 per cent increase compared to Rs58.96 trillion a year earlier, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

    Sequentially, the central government debt also rose by 2.62 per cent from April 2024, when it stood at Rs66.08 trillion.

    This significant year-on-year rise in debt is mainly attributed to increased borrowing from both domestic and foreign sources, aimed at managing the fiscal deficit.

    According to details provided by the SBP, the majority of the debt was domestic, amounting to Rs46.21 trillion. This includes Rs36.6 trillion in long-term debt, Rs9.52 trillion in short-term debt, and an additional Rs86.79 billion raised through Naya Pakistan Certificates.

    Comparing year-on-year figures, the domestic debt showed a substantial increase of 24.7 per cent, with sequential growth of 3.88 per cent.

    By the end of May 2024, the government’s long-term debt had risen by 24.14 per cent year-on-year to Rs36.6 trillion, up from Rs29.48 trillion recorded a year earlier, with a month-on-month increase of 3.91 per cent.

    Similarly, short-term debt saw a notable increase of 28.09 per cent year-on-year, reaching Rs9.52 trillion in the review period.

  • Weekly inflation rises 1.28% as essential food items, fuel costs surge

    Weekly inflation rises 1.28% as essential food items, fuel costs surge

    In a challenging economic climate, food prices in Pakistan have surged, forcing consumers to purchase essential items at elevated costs.

    According to the Weekly Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the SPI for the Combined Group increased by 1.28 per cent week-on-week (WoW) for the week ending July 4, 2024.

     Additionally, the SPI saw a substantial year-on-year (YoY) rise of 23.59 per cent compared to the same period last year.

    The PBS data revealed that the Combined Index stood at 318.61, up from 314.57 a week earlier, and significantly higher than the 257.79 recorded a year ago. Out of 51 monitored items, prices of 29 (56.86 per cent) increased, 5 (9.80 per cent) decreased, and 17 (33.34 per cent) remained stable during the week.

    Significant weekly price increases were observed in tomatoes (70.77 per cent), wheat flour (10.57 per cent), powdered milk (8.90 per cent), diesel (3.58 per cent), and petrol (2.88 per cent). Conversely, notable price hikes on a yearly basis were recorded for onions (9.05 per cent), wheat (1.79 per cent), potatoes (1.04 per cent), eggs (0.79 per cent), and bananas (0.60 per cent).

    The SPI percentage change by income groups showed that the SPI rose across all income quantiles, ranging from 1.23 per cent to 1.44 per cent weekly. The lowest income group experienced a weekly rise of 1.43 per cent, while the highest income group saw a 1.23 per cent increase.

    Yearly SPI analysis across different income segments indicated increases ranging between 16.97 per cent and 26.49 per cent. The SPI for the lowest income group rose by 16.97 per cent, while the highest income group recorded a 21.39 per cent increase.

    Additionally, the average price of Sona urea was reported at Rs4,746 per 50 kg bag, which is 0.13 per cent higher than the previous week and 51.52 per cent higher compared to last year.

    Meanwhile, the average cement price reached Rs1,409 per 50 kg bag, marking a significant 10.48 per cent increase from the previous week and a 23.16 per cent rise from last year’s prices.

    The persistent rise in food and essential item prices continues to burden Pakistani consumers, exacerbating the financial strain on households across the country.

  • Shazia Manzoor shares unique tip to reduce electricity bills

    Shazia Manzoor shares unique tip to reduce electricity bills

    In a move that’s leaving Pakistani citizens frustrated due to rising electricity rates, renowned singer Shazia Manzoor has revealed that her electricity bill has come out reasonable.
    Not only the general public but also prominent figures from the showbiz industry are protesting against the exorbitant electricity bills.


    Recently, veteran Rashid Mehmood received an electricity bill of Rs 45,000.
    A funny video of Shazia Manzoor is going viral on social media, in which she is responding to a question regarding her electricity bill.
    Shazia said, “I didn’t get a high bill. If you want, you can play my song for inspiration, light a lamp, turn off the lights, and there will be no other way.”


    Shazia Manzoor also sang her song ‘Batiyan Bujhai Rakhdi’.
    The new basic rate is set at Rs 48.84 per unit, which will rise to Rs 57.63 per unit after adding sales tax. With other adjustments and taxes, the highest electricity rate will exceed Rs 65 per unit. For consumers, this means a considerable jump in their monthly bills, with those using 401 to 500 units facing the highest cost at Rs 41.36 per unit.

  • Elon Musk’s idea to redesign ‘X’ will get rid of many features

    Elon Musk’s idea to redesign ‘X’ will get rid of many features

    Micro-blogging website X (formerly Twitter) will likely completely overhaul its design, especially the timeline, which will remove retweet and comment buttons.

    According to technology website Mashable, a technology researcher from X has disclosed that the timeline design is being changed, and Elon Musk has also confirmed this.

    Under the new change, X users will be able to comment or reply by swiping left and right on any image, and they will also be able to retweet the post.

    It’s unclear how the video will be swiped left or right if it needs to be retweeted or commented on, but X’s timeline will likely be designed so that each post will be swipeable.

    It is not yet clear how long the change will take, but it is likely to be introduced within the next six months.

    However, X has undergone a number of changes over the past two years. Previously, its name and URL address were Twitter, which was also changed, while many features, including blue ticks, were bundled with a monthly fee.

    X encrypted the likes button or option last month in June, and no third party can see the likes of others.

  • Imran Khan threatens to go on hunger strike in jail

    Imran Khan threatens to go on hunger strike in jail

    Incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he will consider to go on a hunger strike over mistreatment dished out to him in Adiala jail, Geo News reported on Friday.

    Sources within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) told Geo News that Imran will decide the strike date after consulting with other party leaders.

    Imran Khan called his party leaders a day ago, but jail authorities did not allow them to meet him. Party leaders waited almost three hours outside the jail, while Imran Khan waited inside to start the huddle.

    After that, the former Prime Minister directed party leaders to stop discussing internal conflicts in public.

    On Thursday, PTI leaders told journalists that prison authorities didn’t allow them to meet Khan despite waiting for hours.