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  • ‘Dunya ne hum par aitemaad keeya’: PM Shehbaz promises to use $9.7 billion flood donations transparently

    Following substantial pledges from the international community for Pakistan’s flood rehabilitation and climate resilience building, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif accompanied by federal ministers, held a press conference in Islamabad to discuss the figures that the country received.

    On Wednesday, the premier announced that the Geneva conference proved to be successful as the world pledged a total of $9.7 billion.

    Giving a breakdown of the amount pledged at the conference, the prime minister said Saudi Arabia committed $1 billion, followed by China $100m, Qatar $25m, Canada $18.6m, Denmark $3.8m, European Union €87m, France €380m, Germany €84m, Italy €23m and Azerbaijan $2m.

    During the conference, he said that the world trusted this government, adding that, “It is now upon us to utilise the amount on infrastructural development and for the development of other important sectors.”

    “The ball is now in our court. We now have to transparently spend every single penny on the people’s prosperity”, he affirmed.

    He added that the incumbent regime would keep up their work until the flood-affected populace was repopulated into their homes.

    Answering a question about the sit-in in South Wazirabad against terrorism, and militancy, the prime minister said the National Security Committee (NSC) discussed the issue in detail.

    Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari termed the PM’s foreign policy “successful”, citing the amount raised for flood victims and simultaneously dispelled the “myth” that Pakistan was isolated.

    Bilawal said the requirement of $16bn [for flood recovery] in times of Covid, as well as the crisis triggered by the Ukraine-Russia conflict, was “no joke”.

    Earlier this week, an International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan was held in Geneva which was co-hosted by Pakistan and the United Nations (UN). PM Shehbaz addressed the platform and asked the world to pour in support for Pakistan.

  • ‘Atomic bomb halki aanch per paktay huwai’: Twitter reacts to Sidharth Malhotra movie about Pakistan’s nuclear bomb

    ‘Atomic bomb halki aanch per paktay huwai’: Twitter reacts to Sidharth Malhotra movie about Pakistan’s nuclear bomb

    The trailer of Sidharth Malhotra starrer Bollywood movie ‘Mission Majnu’ is out and it has Pakistanis in stitches.


    “Jo khud se pehle desh ke baare mein soche, wahi hain,” wrote Sidharth while sharing the trailer. “Aisa hi ek Majnu hai Amandeep Singh jisne India ke sabse khatarnak mission ke liye apni jaan ki baazi laga di,” he added.

    Mission Majnu is a spy thriller that features Sidharth Malhotra alongside Rashmika. Mission Majnu is set in the 1970s and is a thriller that revolves around an undercover RAW agent, essayed by Sidharth.


    “Watch Mission Majnu, a spy thriller inspired by true events.”

    The trailer shows the spy coming to Pakistan to complete his mission. Pakistanis are reacting to the trailer in humorous way. Some are making fun of the stereotypical image of Pakistani’s shown in the movie, while others are making memes on the the twisted historical facts. Have a look at the some of the best reactions.

    https://twitter.com/taimoorze/status/1612838550222815232
    https://twitter.com/rantspakistani/status/1612923679293247488
    https://twitter.com/thenameisrafay/status/1612727138674679808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1612727138674679808%7Ctwgr%5E52f3941a412c4c6898aefba75a9e33f77ed270bb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.dawn.com%2Fnews%2F1191378

    https://twitter.com/mustafa_wynne/status/1612819865756176384

  • ‘Gen Bajwa ke kehnay pe Farah Khan mulk se bahir gayi hain’: Faisal Vawda

    Former Pakistan Thereek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda has revealed that former First Lady, Bushra Bibi’s closest friend, Farah Khan was sent out of Pakistan to please former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    “Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had knowledge [of the departure] and it was due to his orders that Farah Khan was sent out of Pakistan,” said Vawda while speaking on Hum News programme, ‘Breaking Views with Malick’.

    “Imran Khan would mind this and take this personally,” further said Vawda.

    It has been alleged by the current federal government that Farah Khan, a close friend of Bushra Bibi, to be involved in multiple irregularities that took place during the tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

    Most recently, Farah Khan was alleged to have sold the Toshakhana watches that were gifted to Imran Khan by foreign dignitaries. In an interview with Geo’s Shahzeb Khanzada, a Dubai based businessman, Umar Farooq Zahoor alleged that Farah Khan sold him a Graff watch set for for $2 million in cash, worth approximately Rs280m at the time of sale in 2019.

  • World Bank cuts Pakistan’s GDP growth forecast from 4% to 2%

    World Bank cuts Pakistan’s GDP growth forecast from 4% to 2%

    Due to the unstable economy and floods, the World Bank predicted that Pakistan’s economic growth would drop by half, falling by 4 per cent to 2 per cent, during the current fiscal year.

    According to the Bank’s latest report, “Global Economic Prospects,” Pakistan is experiencing growing economic woes, especially those caused by the recent flooding as well as ongoing policy and political uncertainties.

    “Pakistan faces mounting economic difficulties and Sri Lanka remains in crisis. In all regions, improvements in living standards over the half-decade to 2024 are expected to be slower than from 2010-19,” the World Bank stated in Global Economic Prospects released on Tuesday.

    Pakistan’s currency declined by 14 per cent between June and December, and its national risk premium climbed by 15 per cent over this same time frame due to the nation’s low foreign exchange reserves and rising sovereign risk.

    It went on to say that growth is anticipated to pick up to 3.2 per cent in the fiscal year 2023–24 (FY24), still under previous forecasts, as the country implements policy measures to stabilise macroeconomic conditions, inflationary pressures subside, and reconstruction after the floods gets underway.

    According to the analysis, Pakistan’s recent floods are thought to have cost the country damage equal to 4.8 per cent of GDP.

  • CM should always have the support of majority in house: Court

    A five-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday (today) heard Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s plea challenging Governor Balighur Rehman’s orders to de-notify him as CM.

    During the hearing, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh remarked that the governor can ask a chief minister to take a vote of confidence from the assembly.

    While Elahi’s lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar responded that his client became the chief minister by taking votes in the assembly, Justice Hafeez said that the chief minister should always have the support of the majority of the lawmakers (186 members) in the house.

    At one point, Justice Sheikh said that if a consensus could not be reached between the governor and the chief minister, then the case would be heard on “merit”.

    “The matter has now prolonged beyond a reasonable time,” he remarked, adding that the court would have to look at assembly dissolution, violation of the governor’s orders, and the way forward.

    In the late hours of December 22, Rehman denotified Elahi as CM. At the time, the governor had said that since the chief minister had refrained from taking a vote of confidence at the appo­i­nted day and time, he ceased to hold office.

    Subsequently, Elahi approached the court, saying the move was “unconstitutional, unlawful and of no legal effect”.

    LHC later reinstated Elahi as the chief minister after he assured the court that he would not dissolve the Punjab Assembly until the next hearing, which was held today.

    This a developing story.

  • Ali Sethi to perform at the Coachella Music Festival

    Ali Sethi to perform at the Coachella Music Festival

    Pakistan’s entertainment industry is continuing 2022’s highs with Ali Sethi all set to perform at this year’s Coachella festival.
    The singer took to Instagram on Tuesday night to reveal that he will be performing at the famous music festival.
    Sethi will take the stage on the third day of the almost week long festivities on April 16, when Frank Ocean will be the main headline.
    In his post, the singer encouraged all of his fans to attend and also revealed that presale tickets will be available from January 13 onwards.

  • Veteran actor Majid Jahangir passes away in Lahore

    Veteran actor Majid Jahangir passes away in Lahore

    Fifty Fifty star Majid Jahangir, passed away in Lahore in the early hours of Wednesday. The comedian, who rose to fame from the popular sitcom that also starred the late actor Ismail Tara, died of prolonged illness. Jahangir will be laid to rest in Karachi, his son Fahad Majid Jahangir confirmed.

    The actor was hospitalised after he had a fall last month, in which he fractured his spine. Jahangir was also suffering from a respiratory illness that had worsened recently.

    Jahangir kickstarted his acting career in Moin Akhtar’s PTV show Saat Rang. However, it wasn’t until 1979, he starred and was propelled to fame thanks to PTV’s famous comedy show Fifty Fifty along with Tara, Zeba Shehnaz, Bushra Ansari, and Ashraf Khan.

    The show became later became a household name across the country and so did the cast. Jahangir was a constant feature in the show until it stopped airing in 1985.

    It was then reported that Jahangir had moved to the United States and lived there for the next 23 years. On returning to Pakistan, he resumed his career by participating in Aamir Liaquat Hussain’s shows for local TV and in the comedy show Khabarnaak. In 2021, Jahangir told of his financial woes to The Express Tribune and added that it has become a nuisance for him to even arrange for his medicines for stroke and other ailments.

    In the 80s, Jahangir was conferred with the Pride of Performance award for his role in Fifty Fifty. In 2020, he was awarded Tamgha-i-Imtiaz and a Lifetime achievement award.

  • Video: Shoe thrown at Rana Sanaullah’s car

    Video: Shoe thrown at Rana Sanaullah’s car

    A shoe was tossed at the windscreen of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s vehicle outside the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday.

    The minister was sitting in the front passenger seat while his driver drove the car, passing by a group of journalists. An unknown person threw the shoe.

    The shoe flew towards his vehicle as the minister left the Punjab Assembly’s premises.

    Earlier in the day, Sanaullah along with Special Assistant to Prime Minister Attaullah Tarar and other party leaders were barred by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) controlled Punjab government.

    As per the details, the police and the assembly staff stopped Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers and leaders from entering the premises of the Punjab Assembly; however, some of the members forced their way into it.

  • OGRA approves 74% hike in sui gas prices amid economic crisis

    OGRA approves 74% hike in sui gas prices amid economic crisis

    The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has approved an increase in the price of natural gas of up to 74 per cent at a time when the country’s people are struggling to make ends meet owing to rising inflation.

    According to specifics, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd. (SNGPL) would each be permitted to raise gas rates by up to 74.42 per cent and 67.75 per cent, respectively.

    Ogra’s decision will be implemented after the approval of the federal government. If the federal government does not approve it within 40 days, the decision will be implemented automatically.

    The oil and gas regulator has okayed increases of Rs406.28 and Rs469.28 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) for SNGPL and SSGC, respectively.

    OGRA further said that the average gas price for SNGPL would reach Rs952.17 per unit from the current price of Rs545.89 per mmBtu, while that of SSGCL would reach Rs1,161 per unit from the current Rs692.63 per mmBtu.

    LPG price hike

    Earlier, the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) were increased by Rs5 per kg without a notification from OGRA.

    The LPG price has now jumped to Rs260 per kg from Rs255 after an increase of Rs5. Meanwhile, the prices of domestic and commercial cylinders increased by Rs60 and Rs230, respectively.

    The gas is available for Rs270 per kilogramme in Murree, while its price exceeds Rs300 per kilogramme in Gilgit-Baltistan and Skardu.

  • What is the new dress code and timings for school going students in Islamabad?

    The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) has changed timings for educational institutes and announced a relaxation in uniform policy amid the extreme cold in the capital.


    Single-shift institutes will run from 8:30am to 2:30pm Monday through Thursday and close at 12:30pm on Friday, according to the official notification.

    On Monday through Thursday, evening shifts in double-shift institutions will run from 1:30pm to 7pm. On Friday, it will begin at 2:30 PM.
    Pre-I (Montessori/Prep) lessons will be offered Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 12:30pm.


    Students are permitted to dress in any warm clothing of any colour to stay warm in the month of January to February, according to the official announcement.