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  • Pak Suzuki halts motorcycle production amidst ongoing inventory shortage

    The Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) is once again grappling with the repercussions of the ongoing raw material shortage, which has forced the company to halt production at its motorcycle plant for at least 15 days. The decision, announced in a statement released to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), comes as the company struggles to maintain adequate inventory levels due to the scarcity of essential components.

    The company secretary revealed that the motorcycle plant will remain non-operational from July 31, 2023, to August 15, 2023. This recent shutdown follows a previous closure earlier in July when both the motorcycle and automobile plants were shut down until July 19, which was subsequently extended. The persistent lack of raw materials has been plaguing Pak Suzuki since July of the previous year, primarily due to difficulties in importing these crucial components caused by a reduction in the nation’s foreign exchange reserves.

    Unfortunately, Pak Suzuki is not the only automaker facing such challenges. Honda Atlas Cars and Indus Motor Company, responsible for manufacturing Toyota cars in Pakistan, have also experienced several shutdowns due to the shortage of essential raw materials. Furthermore, automotive parts manufacturers have been compelled to temporarily halt their production lines, exacerbating the crisis across the entire automotive industry.

    The repercussions of these closures extend beyond the affected businesses, as the entire automotive industry faces unproductive days due to interrupted raw material imports arising from postponed credit letter openings. This situation has led to reduced operational capacities and an overall decrease in productivity across multiple sectors of the economy.

    The recent shutdown of Pak Suzuki’s motorcycle manufacturing plant has raised concerns among employees, stakeholders, and the general public alike. The motorcycle plant is a significant division within the company and serves as a major employer in the country. As a result, the closure is expected to have a considerable impact on both the company’s workforce and the overall economy.

    An analyst specialising in Pakistan’s automotive sector highlighted that the closure of the motorcycle plant serves as a stark reminder of the larger problems plaguing the industry. Addressing the underlying causes of the raw material scarcity requires a collaborative effort from stakeholders and the government to implement permanent solutions and avert further disruptions.

  • Ocean gate co-founder now wants to build a colony on Venus, Twitter told him to sit down

    Ocean gate co-founder now wants to build a colony on Venus, Twitter told him to sit down

    After the tragic spectacle that was Titangate, now the new co-founder of Ocean Gate Expeditions, Guillermo Söhnlein, has announced a proposal to take 10,000 people on a floating colony to Venus by 2050. Keeping in mind that Venus, also known as “The Morning Star”, is the planet with the warmest atmosphere with a surface hot enough to melt lead.

    The company has previously been slammed online for the Titan submersible which imploded during a journey to the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five occupants on the board, including the co-founder Stockton Rush.

    When the news went viral on social media, Twitter couldn’t hold back the roasts because seriously after one catastrophe, you can’t seem to sit down?

    https://twitter.com/AmandaSmithSays/status/1685061846360080384?s=20
    https://twitter.com/spurtmagoo/status/1685061575164805122?s=20
  • SC reserves verdict on new plea for full court on civilians in military courts case

    SC reserves verdict on new plea for full court on civilians in military courts case

    A six-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a new plea seeking formation of a full bench to decide the fate of the case pertaining to military trials of civilians.

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha A. Malik were part of the bench.

    Senior Counsel Faisal Siddiqi had submitted the fresh plea on Monday at the behest of civil society members, asking that “all judges willing and available” be included in the bench.

    The Supreme Court reserved its verdict after discussing the matter during the hearing with other petitioners.

    During the hearing, Justice Naqvi said the law did not give permission to “pick and choose”, asking why the inquiry against civilians was not brought on record. Justice Bandial asked if Faisal Siddiqi was “hiding”, upon which he was told that the lawyer had stepped outside for some work and would be back soon.

    The apex court has already once disposed of the government’s plea to formulate a full bench.

    The reserved verdict will most likely be announced tomorrow.

  • Violent extremism bill; Law Minister shifts blame after outrage, says it was drafted by PTI

    Violent extremism bill; Law Minister shifts blame after outrage, says it was drafted by PTI

    Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarrar, has confirmed that the government will not pursue the Violent Extremism Bill, shifting the blame for the legislation on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), The News has reported.

    Seeking to distance his government from the bill, which seeks to ban any organisation which resorts to violence from contesting elections, Tarrar said that the bill was drafted by the PTI government including every full stop and comma.

    However, the current government has decided against introducing the bill,” he said, speaking in Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had advised them against drafting such legislation in haste.

    On Sunday, the bill was dropped by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, who halted further proceedings following opposition by senators. Sanjrani said that the government should reconsider the bill.

    The bill was termed “dangerous for democracy” by senators, including those from the treasury benches.

  • Swift approval of 24 universities without proper discussion sparks debate

    Swift approval of 24 universities without proper discussion sparks debate

    In an unusual move that contradicts customary legislative protocol, the National Assembly of Pakistan has sanctioned the establishment of twenty-four new universities across various cities within a single session. These approvals, though hailed as a massive boost to the nation’s educational infrastructure, have ignited debates over the abruptness of the process.

    The approval of the bills occurred in an unusually sparse session, without the traditional discourse within respective Standing Committees, raising questions about the abrupt nature of the process.

    Critics are questioning the urgency that bypassed the usual deliberations associated with such significant decisions.

    The newly approved institutions include Metropolitan International Institute of Science and Technology, Askari Institute of Higher Education, Federal Ziauddin University, The Indus University of Science and Technology, The Institute of Management and Technology, and Pak China Gwadar University.

    Other notable approvals were for Lahore, University of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, Institute of Health and Professional Studies, Sheikhupura Institute of Advanced Studies, Cosmic Institute of Science and Technologies, Balhe Shah International University, The Ravi Institute, and The International Islamic Institute for Peace.

    Also given the green light were Shah Bano Institute Jardanwala, International Memon University, Umm Abiha Institute of Health Sciences, Mufti Azam Islamic University, Islamabad International University, Islamabad Institute of Modern Sciences, Al Biruni International University, National University of Health Emerging Sciences and Technologies, National Institute of Technology, Pakistan Institute of Management Sciences and Technology, and The Horizon University.

    As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how these newly approved universities will contribute to the country’s higher education landscape.

  • ‘War not an option’; PM says he’s willing to talk to India

    ‘War not an option’; PM says he’s willing to talk to India

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said on Tuesday that Pakistan has “nothing against anybody” and he is willing to talk to India for regional development.

    We are prepared to talk with everyone, even with our neighbour, provided that the neighbour is serious to talk serious matters on the table because war is no more an option,” the prime minister said, addressing the inaugural session of the Pakistan Minerals Summit in Islamabad.

    Ties between the two arch-rivals have been suspended since the annexation of Jammu and Kashmir by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 2019.

    Mentioning the three major wars between the two countries, Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan is a nuclear power but only for its defence.

    “If there is any nuclear flashpoint, who will live to tell what happened? So (war) is not an option,” he said, stressing that India should understand the same.

    Shehbaz Sharif also said that the two countries cannot become “normal neighbours” unless abnormalities are removed and unless our serious issues are understood and addressed through peaceful and meaningful discussions.

  • FBR misses July 2023 revenue target by Rs2 billion, collecting Rs532 billion in taxes

    FBR misses July 2023 revenue target by Rs2 billion, collecting Rs532 billion in taxes

    The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced that the tax revenues collected for the month of July 2023 amounted to Rs532 billion, slightly falling short by Rs2 billion of the target set for this period.

    This figure reflects a noteworthy increase of 15 per cent year-on-year, compared to the Rs462 billion collected in July 2022.

    However, when examining the data on a monthly basis, there was a significant decline of 43.52 per cent as the tax revenue for July 2023 dropped compared to the Rs942 billion collected in the previous month.

    Looking ahead, the government has set a revenue collection target of Rs9.415 trillion for the fiscal year 2023-2024.

     It is worth recalling that in the previous fiscal year 2022-2023, the FBR failed to meet its annual budgetary collection target by approximately Rs522 billion, as it collected Rs7.118 trillion by June 27, 2023, in contrast to the projected amount of Rs7.64 trillion for the entire fiscal year.

  • ‘Euphoria’ actor Angus Cloud passes away after mental health battle

    ‘Euphoria’ actor Angus Cloud passes away after mental health battle

    Actor Angus Cloud, breakout star of the HBO series ‘Euphoria’, has passed away at the age of 25. According to TMZ, his mother called the Fire Department at around 11:30 am on Monday, reporting a “possible overdose” and said Angus did not have a pulse. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

    According to a source close to the family, Cloud had been battling severe mental health issues since he came back from Ireland after burying his father.

    According to the statement released by the family:

    “It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today. As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways.”

    “Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with this loss. The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend. Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are alone and should not fight this on their own in silence.”

    Several of Euphoria stars like Javon Walton sent their condolences to the actor and his family.

  • Lunar spectacle double supermoons coming our way in August

    Lunar spectacle double supermoons coming our way in August

    A celestial extravaganza is set to bedazzle sky watchers this month with not one, but two spectacular supermoons, beginning with the Sturgeon Moon tonight, August 1st, and culminating in a rare super Blue Moon at the month’s end.

    Visible in various parts of the world, including the United States and Saudi Arabia, tonight’s supermoon, coined the Sturgeon Moon, will rise less than 226,000 miles away from Earth, as per USAToday.

    This supermoon will make the lunar orb appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than an ordinary full moon, according to Pakistani space scientist Dr. Jawed Iqbal. The Sturgeon Moon, named after the large fish found in the Great Lakes, will reach its zenith at 2:32pm ETD Tuesday, as reported by the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

    In Makkah, Majed Abu Zahra, the president of the Astronomical Society in Jeddah, forecasts the supermoon to peak at 9:30pm local time. Sky gazers can look towards the southeast after sunset to capture this magnificent sight.

    Supermoons, scientifically known as perigean full moons, occur when a full moon coincides with its perigee, the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. This makes the moon appear larger and brighter than a typical full moon. While supermoons typically occur three to four times annually, this month’s double spectacle is indeed a rare treat.

    The second supermoon, a super Blue Moon, will illuminate the skies on August 30, promising to be the largest and brightest of 2023 due to its exceptionally close distance of 222,043 miles to Earth, nearly 17,000 miles closer than average. This super Blue Moon will peak close to sundown in the U.S., offering another chance for enthusiasts to marvel at the moon’s magnified radiance.

    However, if missed, the next opportunity to witness a super Blue Moon will not arrive until August 2032, almost nine years from now. While Blue Moons – the second full moon in a calendar month – recur approximately every two and a half years, Blue Supermoons, like the one expected this month, occur far less frequently, the last one having occurred back in December 2009.

    This extraordinary series of lunar events offers a golden opportunity for all sky-watchers to enjoy the night sky’s grandeur, serving as a vivid reminder of the fascinating phenomena that our celestial neighborhood continually offers.

  • Bajaur bombing death toll climbs to 54

    Bajaur bombing death toll climbs to 54

    The number of deaths in the suicide bombing that ripped through a Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl ( JUI-F) workers conventions on Sunday had climbed up to 54, Samaa has reported.

    Officials have told the news channel that more than 200 people are wounded while dozens are still receiving treatment in various hospitals.

    While 38 bodies have been handed over for burial to families after identification, eight bodies are still in morgues as they are not identifiable. Doctors fear that the number of dead may rise even more.

    As relatives search for loved ones in different hospitals, the district grapples with brief as funerals take place.

    Meanwhile, the Counter Terrorism Department and police investigative units continue their investigation of the suicide bombing.