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  • Governor Punjab urges provincial government to review defamation bill 2024  

    Governor Punjab urges provincial government to review defamation bill 2024  

    Punjab Governor Sardar Salim Khan has called on the provincial government on Thursday to review the controversial Defamation Bill 2024 that the Punjab Assembly approved recently.

    While talking on the Geo News programme Capital Talk, the Governor said that the recently approved bill is not the final word and the provincial government needs to reconsider it.

    He also urged the Punjab government to remove objectionable clauses from the bill.

    Khan stated that he is ready to sit with all stakeholders to solve the issues regarding the bill, as it has sparked a storm in the entire country.

    On Monday, the Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Defamation Bill 2024 amid a strong and noisy protest by the opposition after it was tabled by Punjab’s Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mujtaba Mian Shuja-ur-Rehman despite media bodies’ requests to defer the legislation.

    As per the constitution, the governor can send this bill back to the Punjab Assembly for reconsideration, and if the provincial government approves it again, it becomes law after a specific period of time, even if the governor doesn’t approve it.

  • UAE allocates $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan

    UAE allocates $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan

    The Prime Minister’s office announced on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has allocated $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan as the financially challenged country seeks foreign aid to maintain economic stability.

    The development came after yesterday’s meeting between UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and PM Shehbaz Sharif in Abu Dhabi, during the Pakistani Premier’s day-long visit to the UAE.

    The decision has been taken “to strengthen the Pakistani economy, support it, and enhance cooperation between the two countries”, UAE’s WAM news agency reported.

    In a statement, the government said: “President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, made a commitment of investing US $10 billion in multiple sectors in Pakistan.”

    The government led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is actively seeking investment from brotherly countries to deal with inflation and enhance the country’s financial stability.

  • ‘I refused anti-state roles’; Sajid Hasan on Bollywood offers

    ‘I refused anti-state roles’; Sajid Hasan on Bollywood offers

    Veteran actor Sajid Hasan was invited as a guest on Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast ‘Excuse Me’.

    During the recording, Sajid discussed his relationship with Sahira and Rahat Kazmi on the ground-breaking series ‘Dhoop Kinare’, which was a major turning point in his career.

    He also discussed declining parts that would have encouraged an anti-Indian attitude.
    Speaking about the reasons behind his dislike of actors portraying anti-state roles, he said, “I’m disappointed with Tiger 3, which I’m currently watching, as it contains harmful stereotypes and biased content against Pakistan. I strongly dislike this approach and believe it’s unfair to actors. Even when I was new to the industry and faced pressure to play such roles, I’ve always rejected them. I believe our relationships with people from other countries should be respectful and positive, even if we disagree with their views. Moreover, I urge Pakistanis to appreciate the freedom we have, which was fought for by Quaid E Azam, and recognize the value of living without oppression, as I personally experienced suffocation during my time in India.”

  • Further reduction in naan prices by Punjab government

    Further reduction in naan prices by Punjab government

    The Punjab government has set the new price of plain bread in the province at Rs 14, effective from tomorrow.

    Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz issued a statement on the reduction in the price of naan, stating that while the price of plain bread is fixed at 14 rupees in Lahore, prices in other cities is fixed at 12 to 14 rupees.

    Previously, the Punjab government had reduced naan price to Rs 16.

  • CDA demolishes PTI central secretariat in Islamabad over ‘violation’

    CDA demolishes PTI central secretariat in Islamabad over ‘violation’

    The Capital Development Authority (CDA) in a Thursday late-night raid demolished a portion of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Central Secretariat in Islamabad over a “violation of building rules”.

    According to CDA, an anti-encroachment operation was launched around 11:30 PM last night and lasted around an hour.

    The CDA stated illegal construction was incorporated into the building and an additional floor was also constructed on the plot in violation of the building rules.

    As the operation was underway last night, PTI leadership called upon its workers to immediately arrive at the location, stating that the government’s actions were “illegal”.

    The CDA claimed it had sent reminders to the party previously, however, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan shot down the claims and said that they did not receive any orders from the CDA.

    PTI leadership strongly condemned the actions by the CDA and even drew parallels to the onslaught taking place in Gaza by Israel.

  • Here is weather update for second T20 match between Pakistan, England

    Here is weather update for second T20 match between Pakistan, England

    The second T20 match between Pakistan and England will be played tomorrow in Edgbaston at 6:30 pm (PKT). The weather forecast predicts a cloudy day but there is little chance of rain during the second T20 match.

    Weather website AccuWeather predicts that there is a 3 percent chance of rain at the end of the day and 0 percent chance during the match.

    Earlier, the first T20 match between Pakistan and England was called off due to continuous rain on Wednesday.

  • USA defeats Bangladesh in the second T20

    USA defeats Bangladesh in the second T20

    America defeated Bangladesh by 6 runs in the second T20 match of three match T20 series in Prairie View Cricket Complex, Houston on Thursday.

    In the match played in Houston, America scored 144 runs for 6 wickets, Monanik Patel scored 42 runs, Erin Jones scored 35 runs and Steven Taylor scored 31 runs.

    For Bangladesh, Irshad Hussain, Sharaful Islam and Mustafizur Rehman took 2 wickets each.

    In response to the target of 145 runs, the Bangladesh team was bowled out for 138 runs in the last over, Najamul Hussain scored 36 runs and Shakibul Hasan scored 30 runs. Thus USA defeated Bangladesh by 6 runs in the second T20I.

    USA gained an unbeaten lead of 2-0 n the series consisting of 3 matches.

  • UAE pledges $10 billion investment in Pakistan’s key economic sectors

    UAE pledges $10 billion investment in Pakistan’s key economic sectors

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has pledged $10 billion for investment in promising economic sectors in Pakistan.

    Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi today, according to a post by Pakistan Television (PTV) on X.

    The meeting focused on a wide range of bilateral issues, including cooperation in political, economic, social, cultural, and defence sectors.

    During the discussion, Prime Minister Sharif emphasised the need to enhance existing cooperation and strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations. He highlighted key areas such as information technology, renewable energy, and tourism as potential fields for increased collaboration.

    Sharif also outlined steps his government has taken to ensure socio-economic stability and boost investor confidence in Pakistan.

    He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to effectively implement investment cooperation agreements in sectors like energy, port operations, wastewater treatment, food security, logistics, minerals, and banking and financial services.

    Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed the UAE’s unwavering support for Pakistan and confirmed the UAE’s commitment to investing $10 billion across various sectors in the country, as stated by PTV.

    The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the UAE leadership for hosting 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates and underscored Pakistan’s significant human resource potential that could be utilised in diverse sectors.

  • Suzuki eyes biogas plant in Karachi to strengthen its presence in Pakistan

    Suzuki eyes biogas plant in Karachi to strengthen its presence in Pakistan

    Suzuki Motor Corporation is poised to bolster its footprint in Pakistan with plans to establish a biogas plant in Karachi.

    This strategic move was articulated by Kenichi Ayukawa, the Global Vice President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, during a high-level meeting held in Islamabad on Thursday. The meeting convened Ayukawa and Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Federal Minister for Industries and Production.

    Hailing the delegation, Minister Hussain underscored the pivotal role of the automotive industry in Pakistan’s economic landscape. He highlighted its substantial contributions spanning employment generation, economic expansion, technology infusion, and industrial advancement.

    Notably, the government is steadfast in its commitment to fortifying the local automotive sector, extending tax exemptions and other inducements to automakers, and investing in research and development initiatives.

    Furthermore, to foster the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, incentives are being extended for Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrids, encompassing duty-free import privileges for plant and machinery essential for establishing EV manufacturing facilities.

    This proactive stance has already yielded tangible results, with 43 companies securing manufacturing certificates for the local production of EV 2/3 wheelers.

    Suzuki’s envisaged biogas plant in Karachi aligns with the broader strategy to enhance sustainability and operational efficiency while contributing to the nation’s energy diversification efforts.

    This development signals a promising trajectory for Suzuki’s endeavors in Pakistan, reflecting a shared commitment to economic prosperity and environmental stewardship.

  • Nabeel Zafar isn’t interested in playing father roles

    Nabeel Zafar isn’t interested in playing father roles

    Actor, director and producer Nabeel Zafar was invited as a guest on the FHM podcast.
    During the podcast, the actor expressed frustration with the lack of strong and unique scripts in today’s dramas, and stated that he will only consider taking on a character if the script meets his high standards.


    Talking further about not working more in dramas and not portraying the role of an on-screen father, he said, “Nowadays, it has become a trend that when a film is not successful, its script is picked up and turned into a drama. We’ve essentially turned dramas into films, which is fundamentally wrong.”

    “I decline roles because I’m not interested in playing a father figure on screen. I’ve already become a father in real life, and I don’t want to portray a character who gets divorced and then remarries, or one who asks his son if he’s eaten. I can’t relate to such storylines, which is why I turn down drama offers.”