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  • 6th straight gain: Pakistani rupee closes at Rs281.13 against dollar

    6th straight gain: Pakistani rupee closes at Rs281.13 against dollar

    In a continued trend, the Pakistani rupee exhibited resilience against the US dollar, marking its sixth consecutive session of appreciation with a marginal uptick of 0.03 per cent in the inter-bank market on Wednesday. 

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported a settlement at Rs281.13, reflecting an increase of Re0.09.

    This positive momentum follows Tuesday’s marginal gain when the rupee settled at Rs281.22 against the US dollar. 

    Against major currencies, the Pakistani rupee demonstrated notable strength, gaining 94.44 paisa against the Euro, closing at Rs307.16 compared to the previous value of Rs308.11.

    The British Pound observed a decrease of Rs1.38, closing at Rs356.98 in contrast to the previous day’s rate of Rs358.36. 

    Similarly, the Swiss franc experienced losses of Rs1.86, closing at Rs329.85 compared to Rs331.71 from the preceding session.

  • Winter vacations extended for junior students after deaths of 36 children in Punjab

    Winter vacations extended for junior students after deaths of 36 children in Punjab


    The caretaker government of Punjab has extended winter holidays for junior students till Grade One.


    Students of all classes till Grade One will commence school on January 16, whereas middle school students and seniors are advised to stay indoors.

    The caretaker Chief Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, has also cancelled morning assembly sessions till January 31.

    The announcement came as the CM was visiting Children’s Hospital, Lahore. He took notice of about three dozen deaths of children due to pneumonia in the province, the chief minister on Wednesday also decided to postpone all examinations slated to be held during this month.

    Announcing the holiday extension CM added, schools up to class 1 will be shut down across Punjab.

    Mohsin Naqvi summoned an emergency meeting at Children’s Hospital in Lahore on Wednesday in this regard, saying 8 out of every 10 children are suffering from pneumonia. 36 kids have died due to this in Punjab.

    Most of the deceased children are babies younger than six months, he added.

    Mohsin Naqvi emphasized the importance of children using masks and washing hands in Lahore. This is made mandatory in schools.

    He also recommends the use of warm clothes amid the surge in cases of viral Pneumonia, especially in children, as highlighted by health experts in Lahore.

  • All you need to know about South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at ICJ

    All you need to know about South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at ICJ

    A case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been put in motion by South Africa in The Hague, Netherlands, asking the court to look into the genocide being committed by Israel against Palestinians.

    The imposition of charges do not only pertain to the crimes perpetrated during the last few months since October 7 that have killed more than 23,000 people till now, but also the 75-year long apartheid, 56-year hostile occupation, and 16-year blockade on Gaza.

    The hearing will take place on January 11th and 12th in which a 15-judge panel will hear and deliberate the case.

    South Africa filed an 84-page suit with the court on December 29, quoting proofs and references of atrocities being committed by Israel in Gaza, asking the Court – a United Nations body established for settling interstate discords – to pronounce Israeli breaches of responsibilities under international law since October 7.

    “No armed attack on a State’s territory no matter how serious — even an attack involving atrocity crimes — can, however, provide any possible justification for, or defence to, breaches of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (‘Genocide Convention’ or ‘Convention’), whether as a matter of law or morality.”, read an excerpt from the suit.

    While the rulings are intended to be “binding”, a number of countries do not recognise its results. To give an example, the previous ICJ rulings of Russia invasion of Ukraine, and China’s claims in the South China Sea, were disregarded by China and Russia, consequently affecting ICJ’s credibility.

    Additionally, an NGO called Protect Palestine, an Action Guide, writes that according to experts, while South Africa “will make a strong case, it still may not be enough to rule against Israel. Israel will likely continue claims that “Hamas is embedded with civilians”, and that they “try to warn civilians”.

    The votes for and against, however, can pave the way to additional challenges for Israel and further affect the legal global standing of the country.

    Who is supporting South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel?

    The 57-member bloc known as the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) which includes Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and Morocco; Malaysia; Turkey; Jordan; Bolivia; The Maldives; and Namibia.

    A number of advocacy groups and civil society groups across the world including Terreiro Pindorama in Brazil, Asociación Nacional de Amistad Italia-Cuba in Italy, and Collectif Judeo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Palestine in France.

    Previously, Bolivia had filed a request to International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan alongside South Africa, Bangladesh, Comoros, and Djibouti to probe into the matter in Palestine.

    Read more: Can South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel stop war in Gaza?

  • Legal fraternity criticises Justice Naqvi’s resignation over expected perks

    Legal fraternity criticises Justice Naqvi’s resignation over expected perks

    Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, who has been facing allegations of misconduct, has resigned from the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday. The esteemed justice cited circumstances that had become “a matter of public knowledge” as the reason behind his resignation.

    The resignation letter, obtained by Dawn.com, was formally addressed to President Dr. Arif Alvi. Justice Naqvi expressed gratitude for the honor of serving as a judge, both in the Lahore High Court and later in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

    “In the circumstances, which are a matter of public knowledge and to some extent public record, it is no longer possible for me to continue to serve as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” stated Justice Naqvin

    Acknowledging the importance of due process, he added, “Considerations of due process also compel. I, therefore, effective today, resign as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.”

    Mian Dawood, a Lahore-based lawyer, one of the complainants against Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, declared the resignation a win for lawyers and asserted that they would challenge his resignation in the Supreme Court.

    Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leader Khwaja Asif demanded that assets of the judge and his children should be investigated in the same manner as is done for politicians.

    Lawyer Abdul Moiz Jaferii took tok X (former Twitter) and said, “This resignation should be rejected. He should face the SJC and the truth should out. If he is guilty of the accusations against him, he should not have the choice to take a million rupee a month pension off into the sunset like other supposedly compromised agents before him.”

    Lawyer Nighat Dad also criticised the move and said, “Pakistanis should only focus on the perks #JusticeMazaharAkbarNaqvi he and his family will be enjoying from our tax money after resignation. His pension amount will be determined on the basis of years of service. He will have one driver and one orderly. A police guard at residence. 300 free local calls, 2000 units of electricity, 25 HM of gas, water and 300 litres of petrol per month.”

    https://twitter.com/nighatdad/status/1745028741779304547?s=20

    Journalist Matiullah Jan also questioned the merits of resignation.

    The Case

    In October last year, the SJC had issued a show-cause notice to Justice Naqvi in connection with 10 complaints lodged against him and directed the judge to submit a reply within two weeks.

    The ten complaints include the complaints of Mian Dawood, a Lahore-based lawyer, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Lawyers Forum, Punjab, PBC Vice Chairperson Haroon Rasheed and Council’s Chairperson Executive Committee Hasan Raza Pasha and Advocate Ghulam Murtaza Khan, for amassing illegitimate assets and misconduct.

    In his response, Justice Naqvi raised issues with the SJC inquiry against him and called for Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and two other judges to recuse themselves from the matter.

    On Nov 20, Justice Naqvi contested the SJC proceedings against him and also challenged the show-cause notice issued to him by the council, stating the initiation of proceedings was coram non-judice and without lawful authority.

    Subsequently, the SJC issued a fresh show-cause notice to Justice Naqvi on Nov 22, with a direction to come up with his defense by filing a reply within a fortnight.

    On December 4, Justice Naqvi had again approached the apex court and expressed his intent to pursue the constitutional petition he had moved earlier seeking to quash the revised show-cause notice issued by the SJC.

    Two days later, Justice Naqvi had invited the attention of the SC committee comprising three senior-most judges to the silence over his petitions challenging the issuance of the show-cause notice (SCN) despite the lapse of time as stipulated in the Supreme Court (Practice & Procedure) Act, 2023.

    Justice Naqvi had also written a separate letter to the SJC secretary, asking the latter to furnish a number of documents without which, the judge said, he would not be in a position to prepare his reply to the show-cause notice within time.

    On December 15, the SJC, in an open hearing, had given two weeks to the top court judge to respond to the misconduct allegations and directed him to submit a reply to the show-cause notice by January 1.

    On January 8, Justice Naqvi had withdrawn his objection to the three-judge bench hearing his plea challenging the issuance of a show-cause notice to him.

  • Ecuador president orders gangs ‘neutralised’ after gunmen storm TV studio

    Ecuador president orders gangs ‘neutralised’ after gunmen storm TV studio

    QUITO – Ecuador’s president gave orders on Jan 9 to “neutralise” criminal gangs after gunmen stormed and opened fire in a TV studio, as bandits threatened random executions on a second day of terror in the country.

    Gangs declared war on the government when President Daniel Noboa announced a state of emergency following the prison escape on Jan 7 of one of Ecuador’s most powerful narco bosses.

    Mr Noboa ordered military operations to “neutralise” criminal gangs, as the country exploded into what he called an “internal armed conflict”.

    Long a peaceful haven sandwiched between top cocaine exporters Colombia and Peru, Ecuador has seen violence explode in recent years as rival gangs with links to Mexican and Colombian cartels vie for control.

    In the port city of Guayaquil, men wearing balaclavas and waving weapons stormed a state-owned TV station during a live broadcast, taking several journalists and staff members hostage on Jan 9.

    At least 10 people have been killed in a series of attacks blamed on gangs – eight in Guayaquil, and two “viciously murdered by armed criminals” in the nearby town of Nobol, police said on Jan 9. Three other officers were wounded in Guayaquil.

    After the escape of Jose Adolfo Macias, aka “Fito” – leader of Ecuador’s biggest gang Los Choneros – Mr Noboa on Jan 8 declared a countrywide state of emergency and nightly curfew.

    Gangs retaliated, taking police officers hostage, setting off explosions in several cities.

    On Jan 9, they stormed a studio of state-owned TC Television in Guayaquil with guns and explosives.

    Hooded attackers fired gunshots during a live TC broadcast as a woman could be heard pleading: “Don’t shoot, please don’t shoot.”

    The intruders forced terrified crew onto the ground and a person could be heard screaming as the studio lights went out but the broadcast continued.

    Police entered the studio after about 30 minutes of chaos.

    ‘You will get war’

    Mr Noboa, 36, who was elected last year on a pledge to fight drug-related violence, ordered the military operations against gangs he described as “terrorist organisations and belligerent non-state actors”.

    Authorities reported multiple explosions and cars set alight on Jan 9, including in the capital Quito, and said seven police officers had been kidnapped.

    A video circulating on social media showed three of the kidnapped officers sitting on the ground with a gun pointed at them as one was forced to read a statement addressed to Mr Noboa.

    “You declared war, you will get war,” the visibly terrified officer read. “You declared a state of emergency. We declare police, civilians and soldiers to be the spoils of war.”

    The statement added that anyone found on the street after 11pm “will be executed”.

    There was panic on the streets, with shops and businesses in various cities closing early and residents rushing home as face-to-face classes were suspended nationwide until Jan 12.

    The head of Ecuador’s Joint Command of the Armed Forces, Rear Admiral Jaime Vela, said that gangs had “committed bloody acts without precedent”.

    “Despite their brutal wickedness, this attempt will fail,” he told media after a Security Council meeting in Quito headed by Mr Noboa.

    Mr Brian Nichols, the top United States diplomat for Latin America, said Washington was “extremely concerned” by the violence and kidnappings, and pledged to provide assistance and “remain in close contact” with Mr Noboa’s team.

    Peru put its border with Ecuador under a state of emergency.

    China’s embassy and consulates in Ecuador announced on Jan 10 that services to the public were suspended.

    “The reopening to the public will be announced in due course,” the embassy said in a statement shared on Chinese social media.

    Chile, Colombia and Brazil sent messages of support for Mr Noboa.

    ‘Return peace to all Ecuadorians’

    A manhunt is under way for Fito, who had been serving a 34-year sentence for organised crime, drug trafficking and murder.

    The 44-year-old is believed to have escaped just hours before police arrived to conduct an inspection of the Guayaquil prison where he was held.

    On Jan 9, officials said another narco boss – Los Lobos leader Fabricio Colon Pico – also escaped since his arrest on Jan 5 for alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Ecuador’s Attorney-General.

    Unrest has broken out at several penitentiaries, and on Jan 9 the SNAI prisons authority said 125 guards and 14 administrative officers were being held by inmates in five cities.

    Unverified videos circulating on social media purported to show captives armed with knives executing at least two guards. SNAI has not commented on the images.

    The security forces, in turn, have sent out videos of numerous prison raids since Jan 7, with hundreds of inmates amassed in courtyards in their underwear, hands on their heads.

    Mr Noboa had vowed on Jan 8 to “not negotiate with terrorists nor rest until we return peace to all Ecuadorans”.

    Drug violence has taken a heavy toll on the South American country since it became a key stop on the US- and Europe-bound cocaine trade.

    The murder rate quadrupled from 2018 to 2022 and a record 220 tonnes of drugs were seized last year.

    Since February 2021, clashes between prisoners have left more than 460 dead, many beheaded or burnt alive. AFP

  • Reversal trend: Gold price settles at Rs216,100 per tola, erasing recent upsurge

    Reversal trend: Gold price settles at Rs216,100 per tola, erasing recent upsurge

    In Wednesday’s trading session, the domestic gold market witnessed a reversal, wiping out gains from the previous day. 

    The price of 24-karat gold in Pakistan experienced a notable decline, dropping by Rs300 per tola to reach Rs216,100. 

    The Karachi Sarafa Association reported that the price of 10-gramme 24-karat gold also reflected this downturn, standing at Rs185,271 with a decline of Rs257. 

    Similarly, the price of 10-gramme 22-karat gold experienced a decrease, reaching Rs169,832, down by Rs235.

    Silver prices followed suit, with 24-karat silver selling at Rs 2,650 per tola and Rs 2,271.94 per 10-gram. 

    The decline in the domestic market is attributed to a slight dip in international prices and the persistent strengthening of the home currency.

    The international spot gold market observed a $3 drop when the Karachi Sarafa Association released the local gold rates. 

    This decrease is attributed to a stronger US dollar and elevated Treasury yields. Market participants are eagerly awaiting the US inflation report scheduled for Thursday, anticipating insights into the US Federal Reserve’s stance on a potential policy shift.

    Furthermore, the ongoing appreciation of the Pakistani rupee (PKR) against the greenback continues to exert additional pressure on the domestic gold market. 

    In the preceding session, the PKR secured its fifth consecutive victory against the US dollar, breaking a 13-day upside streak. 

    The dynamics of international and domestic factors are shaping the trajectory of the gold market, making it a focal point for investors and analysts alike.

  • In Pictures: Maaz Khan’s dholki brings joy to Aiman, Minal Khan

    In Pictures: Maaz Khan’s dholki brings joy to Aiman, Minal Khan

    Aiman and Minal’s brother, Maaz Khan, is getting married to Saba Rehman, and photos from the celebrations are now being released on social media. Their first pre-wedding celebration, the first dholki, was a joyful family affair filled with colors and love.

    Check out the stunning HD pictures from the event captured by Yasee Photography. Their second dholki took place on Tuesday evening, and the entire family dressed up in black. The bride looked stunning in pink, standing out beautifully in a sea of dark colours. Even little Amal had a great time at her uncle’s dholki. Take a look:

  • When is rain expected in Lahore?

    When is rain expected in Lahore?


    Lahore is experiencing bone-chilling cold as the smog-choked city waits for rain. The Meteorological Department has predicted that rains will start on January 15, reports City 42.


    According to Chief Meteorologist Muhammad Aslam, there is no possibility of rain in Lahore this week, however, a spell will start after January 15. In the next few days, the weather will remain cold and dry, which is likely to drop temperatures in the city.

    Karachi recorded the coldest night of the season with the temperature dropping to 12 degree Celsius. It is expected to get colder in the coming days as the temperature is expected to drop as low as 10 C in the coming days while the maximum temperature is likely to rise between 25 C to 27°C, reports Geo.


    On the other hand, a severe cold wave in the country continued to cause fog in the plains while snow falls on the mountains. In Skardu, temperatures dropped to -8 C.

    The plains of Punjab, Upper Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to be shrouded in fog. In North Balochistan, rain fell in some places while it snowed in the mountains.

  • Israeli soldier blows up Gaza neighbourhood as gift for wife

    Israeli soldier blows up Gaza neighbourhood as gift for wife

    A video of an Israeli soldier blowing up a Gaza neighbourhood as a gift for his wife is being slammed on social media.

    The soldier, who says his wife has been his strength, pays tribute to her. “My life, I wish you good luck, you are the best in the world and because of your strength, I am here.” He goes on to explain that as a gift he is dedicating the explosion to her. “This explosion is for you, as big as your heart,” he says.


    This is not the first time Israeli soldiers are seen committing what experts call war crimes as tributes to their families. In another video, soldiers are seen celebrating the bombing.

    IDF troops from unit 9219 of the Combat Engineering Corps Battalions were filmed in another video blowing up multiple residential buildings while smoking hooka to depict that they do not care about the consequences of their actions.

    IDF soldiers also proudly take photos after bombing Gaza’s residential area.


    In an online livestream, an Israeli woman confessed to killing five Palestinians in a celebratory manner.

  • PML-N to release final list of candidates by today or tomorrow, says Rana Sanaullah

    PML-N to release final list of candidates by today or tomorrow, says Rana Sanaullah

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah has said on Wednesday that the party has finalized the list of its candidates for general elections 2024, and will release the names by today evening or tomorrow morning.

    “We will issue the list today evening or tomorrow,” Sanaullah said during an appearance on Geo News show Geo Pakistan.

    He also confirmed that the matter of seat adjustment between PML-N and the Jahngir Tareen-led Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has been settled.

    The former interior minister also stated that PML-N has now agreed to provide seven National Assembly (NA) seats and 11 provincial assembly seats, against the IPP’s demand for 13 NA seats and 22 provincial seats.

    PML-N has also agreed on seat adjustments with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), he acknowledged.

    “PML-N will hold 60 rallies in the country,” said Sanaullah while sharing details of the party’s election campaign, confirming that party head Nawaz Sharif will start his own election campaign on January 17.